sologdin

Mix of memorable shorts & novellas here. The two Vance pieces appear to be Anything-Goes concoctions of science fiction & fantasy, wherein each we're led to sympathize with a deplorable ruling class, though it's not unambiguous. Anderson's is post-apocalyptic with fascistic protagonists and benevolent aliens. Dickson's is something of an evolutionary thriller, with military elements, and an improbable schwerpunkt. Ellison's short is like Vonnegut's "Harrison Bergeron," just with a different central absurdity. Niven's short is a pleasant little astronomy lesson.

Asimov's editorial remarks are appropriately comical & ironically self-derogatory.

Nothing godsawful, probably should be read by speculative fiction readers.