William Harrison. Roller Ball Murder.
Originally in : Esquire
Thestory that led to the film.
Kingsley Amis. Mason’s Life.
Originally in : Sunday Times
The very short life of George Herbert Mason, a figment of a Daniel R. Pettigrew dream.
Robert Sheckley Welcome to the Standard Nightmare.
Originally in : Nova 3.
Johnny Bezique makes first contact. On the planet Loris he achieves high status, with major implications for all back on Earth.
Brian W. Aldiss Serpent Burning on an Altar.
Originally in : Orbit 12
Romantic Fantasy – Lambant and Prian on the first day of the autumn fair.
Joe W. Haldeman We are Happy Here.
Originally in : Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact
Far Future Deep Space War (extensive description of combat tactics), with a Marine who chooses to leave the Space Fleet and finds civilian life not to his liking.
Thomas M. Disch The Birds
Originally in : The Ruins of the Earth
Post-holocaust scenario with intelligent animals.
Robert Silverberg. The Wind and the Rain.
Originally in : Saving Worlds
Reclamation teams try their best to restore a desolate Earth.
Max Beerbohm. Ten Years Ago.
Originally in : A Peep into the Past.
Not Science Fiction – description of a painting.
R.A. Lafferty. Parthen.
Originally in : Galaxy
Aliens land and inform the earth that one half of the population is redundant, and the other will be enslaved. But Roy Ronsard (and all his mates) don’t worry too much about it – never had the girls been so pretty.
Tor Age Bringsvaerd. The Man Who Collected the First of September 1973.
Originally in : Gyldenhals Magasin.
The title says it all.
Josef Nesvadba. Captain Nemo’s Last Adventure.
Originally in : View from Another Shore.
Lieutenant Feather (popularly known as Captain Nemo) makes a long space trip to save the Earth, and returns (relativity) many centuries later.
Gene Wolfe. Le Befana.
Originally in : Galaxy Magazine.
