Norton, Andre - Anthology
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Authors: Gates to Tomorrow (v1.0)
Gates to
Tomorrow
Acknowledgments
The following selections reprinted by
permission:
"Shape" by Robert Sheckley,
copyright 1954 by the author.
Reprinted by permission of The
Sterling Lord Agency.
"Rust" by Joseph E. Kelleam,
copyright © 1939 by Street & Smith Publications, Inc. Copyright renewed
1967 by The Conde Nast Publications Inc.
"Command" by Bernard Kahn, copyright
© by 1947 by Street & Smith Publications, Inc. Reprinted from Astounding
Science Fiction (now Analog).
"The Naming of Names" by Ray
Bradbury, copyright 1949 by Standard Magazines, Inc. Reprinted by permission of
Harold Matson Company, Inc.
"The Plague" by
Keith Laumer, copyright © 1970 by The Conde Nast Publications Inc. Reprinted by
permission of Robert P. Mills, Ltd.
"A Pail of Air" by Fritz Leiber,
copyright 1951 by Galaxy Publishing Corporation.
Reprinted by
permission of Robert P. Mills, Ltd.
"Living Fossil" by L. Sprague de Camp,
copyright 1939 by Street & Smith Publications, Inc., copyright renewed by
L. Sprague de Camp, 1966.
First published in Astounding
Science Fiction for February, 1939.
"The Flame Midget" by Frank Belknap
Long, copyright 1936 by Street & Smith Publications, Inc. for Astounding
Stories.
"Expedition
Polychrome" by J. A. Winter, copyright © 1949 by Street & Smith
Publications, Inc. Reprinted from Astounding Science Fiction (now Analog).
"Untouched by Human Hands" by Robert
Sheckley, copyright 1954 by the author.
Reprinted by
permission of The Sterling Lord Agency.
"Ultimatum" by Keith Laumer,
copyright 1963 by Galaxy Publishing Corporation.
Reprinted by
permission of Robert P. Mills, Ltd.
"The Sheriff of Canyon Gulch" by
Poul Anderson and Gordon Dickson, copyright 1951 by Clark Publishing Company.
Reprinted by permission of the authors and Scott Meredith Literary
Agency, Inc.,
580 Fifth Avenue
,
New York
,
N.Y.
10036
.
With gratitude, the co-editors of this volume
wish to acknowledge their debt to:
mrs
. helen huzarewicz
who suggested that such a book would be most helpful for use in junior and
senior high school classes wishing to study science fiction
and
miss hazel haley
head of the English Department,
Lakeland
Senior High School
,
Lakeland
,
Florida
, who allowed these stories to be class tested during the period of
selection
and
THE MEMBERS OF
MRS. ERNESTINE DONALDY'S FIVE
English ii (10th Grade) classes at
Lakeland
Senior High School
, during the spring term of 1972, who gave
most illuminating and vigorous criticism and approval to these final choices
Science fiction as a
whole has one basic theme. Stories in this field ask and then offer speculative
answers to the question "What if—?"
In return such
fiction demands from its reader an intelligent and imaginative response. It
stretches the horizon, opens doors for those who do so respond. From its
speculations there literally have been born inventions and discoveries that are
now a part of our daily life.
For these inventions, science fiction created
names and descriptions before they actually appeared. Radar, laser, radio,
television, submarines, atom research, space ships
were
all minutely described in science fiction and were considered as only fantastic
dreams, dismissed by most as completely impossible.
We have now almost come to believe that the
gifted writer in this field may envision today something that will be concrete
truth tomorrow. This has been proven many times.
Originally, science fiction, in the hands of
such writers as Jules Verne, was concerned with what we now term the
"gadget" story—that is, one in which the main theme-action exists
only to introduce some unusual invention or discovery. There is little attempt
at characterization in such fiction. The characters exist merely as the
necessary human instigators of the discovery or to operate some machine.
But in later years, writers are inclined to
follow the lead of the other great pioneer in the field—H. G. Wells. Inventions
and discoveries in this type of fiction are only incidental. What matters is
mankind's reaction to them, his possible subjection or victory over future
circumstances and problems.
There are a number of well recognized themes
for the writer to draw upon, to use in his own question game with the
future—too many to include examples in any one volume. But it is the purpose of
this book to offer a selection of some of the better known themes as presented
by authors who are masters of their craft.
Here is the robot, the mutant, the off-world
pioneer, the space ship in distress, an alien invasion of this world, future
medical discoveries, world catastrophe, telepathy, galactic diplomacy, the far
future, the difficulty of communicating with aliens, and (what is rare in this
field) an example of humor.
This book is only a general sampling, an
introduction to what may be found in those tales that answer the question
"What if—?" It is meant to open not only the possible gates to
tomorrow, but also the door of the reader's own imagination.