Customer Reviews (4)

Gem of an ending for the conclusion
The conclusion to the Cities in Flight saga is of book #4: The Triumph of Time. Like the first three stories, this story is of a struggle between the city and its administrators against an encroaching evil. However, book #4 ramps us the clash of confrontation by adding a parallel of sparring matches. This may seem to be an engaging aspect of the book, but the two clashes are as bipolar as the word suggests thereby rendering the collective book, as a whole, to feel stitched together.

Within the first conflict, the City is taken under hostage by religious extremists who protest over New Earth's use of the philosophy called Stochasticism. The conflict is quickly resolves through some quick wit reminiscent of the classic problem/solution sort of science fiction back from the 50s and 60s. The plows forward into the second and more interesting conflict- that with the realities of a parallel anti-matter universe and the coming of the end of the universe by June 3rd, 4104. It's only in the last forty or so pages that the story really begins to pick up pace because the first eighty pages had me putting the book up and down like no tomorrow as I was beginning to doubt Blish's grand finale. The finale is chalked full of based-on-reality physic and hypothetical physics, too, where the cast find that their fate is drawing ever so closer. The implications of their actions are a fantastic conclusion to a somewhat lengthy, yet important, but also rather dry series.

From Back Cover
APOCALYPSE!

When the scientists of the wandering planet, journeying through inter-galactic space, heard the sound of hydrogen atoms coming into existence out of nothing, they realized that they had accidentally discovered the birthplace of continuous creation.

They had lifted the curtain and caught an instant's glimpse of the Unknowable.But to have looked it full in the face could have been no more fatal...

For later, much later, they were to learn that they had also uncovered mankind's Day of Judgment!

The fourth of the "Cities in Flight" novels
Also listed on a different Amazon page:
The triumph of time (Cities in flight) by James Blish
Publisher: Avon (1966) ASIN: B0007HBJ2O

The post-WWII decade also produced science fiction's boldest novel about the end of the Universe: John Blish's The Triumph of Time.-- (John Clute / Encyclopedia of Science Fiction)

All four novels are available on Amazon as "Cities In Flight"
by James Blish, Betty Ballantine, Richard D. Mullen
Publisher: Overlook Press (January 17, 2005) ISBN: 1585676020

The fourth of the "Cities in Flight" novels depicting entires cities taking to outer space in the year 2018. In this novel, mankind finds out that two universes were doomed to inevitable, catastrophic collision in 3 years time. (Novels include: A Life for the Stars; Earthman, Come Home; and The Triumph of Time and are published together as: "Year 2018!; A Life for the Stars; Earthman, Come Home; and The Triumph of Time")

In three years' time the two universes were doomed to inevitable, catastrophic collision! When the scientists of the wandering planet, journeying through inter-galactic space, heard the sound of hydrogen atoms coming into existence out of nothing, they realized that they had accidentally discovered the birthplace of continuous creat ion. They had lifted the curtain & caught an instant's glimpse of the unknowable. But to have looked it full in the face could have been no more fatal.for later, much later, they were to learn that t hey had also uncovered mankind's Day of Judgment!

The fourth of the "Cities in Flight" novels
The post-WWII decade also produced science fiction's boldest novel about the end of the Universe: John Blish's The Triumph of Time.-- (John Clute / Encyclopedia of Science Fiction)

All four novels are available on Amazon as "Cities In Flight"
by James Blish, Betty Ballantine, Richard D. Mullen
Publisher: Overlook Press (January 17, 2005) ISBN: 1585676020

Also listed on a different Amazon page:
The triumph of time by James Blish
ASIN: B00005X0JE


The fourth of the "Cities in Flight" novels depicting entires cities taking to outer space in the year 2018. In this novel, mankind finds out that two universes were doomed to inevitable, catastrophic collision in 3 years time. (Novels include: A Life for the Stars; Earthman, Come Home; and The Triumph of Time and are published together as: "Year 2018!; A Life for the Stars; Earthman, Come Home; and The Triumph of Time")

In three years' time the two universes were doomed to inevitable, catastrophic collision! When the scientists of the wandering planet, journeying through inter-galactic space, heard the sound of hydrogen atoms coming into existence out of nothing, they realized that they had accidentally discovered the birthplace of continuous creat ion. They had lifted the curtain & caught an instant's glimpse of the unknowable. But to have looked it full in the face could have been no more fatal.for later, much later, they were to learn that t hey had also uncovered mankind's Day of Judgment! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Oldies but memorable classics
This is an anthology of the best short stories of 1969; this pocketbook edition was published in 1972. It contains some classics that are still well known:

- Harlan Ellison's "A Boy and His Dog," about a survivor in the tough times after an atomic war. This is gritty and shocking, but logical, and can leave a lasting impression. Now that we may hope to live long enough to die a natural death, it's not quite the nightmare prediction that it once was. It won the Nebula award for best novella.

- Larry Niven's "Not Long Before the End," about the exhaustion of magic as a natural resource. Niven's hero, "The Warlock," appears in other stories in his history of a mythical time when Atlantis flourished and magic was still possible. Every word counts to make this a well told parable in the sword and sorcery genre. It was nominated for the Nebula award for best short story.

- Samuel R. Delaney's "Time Considered as a Helix of Semi-precious Stones," which is memorable perhaps because its title is so odd. It is a different kind of society, futuristic in an understated way, and about different kinds of outsiders--people whose nature isolates them, yet their worlds interweave: empaths, petty criminals, major criminals, and anti-criminals--"the Feds" with imaginationor at least initiative. It won the Nebula award for best novelette.

- Theodore Sturgeon's "The Man Who Learned Loving." I do remember this one after all, as "Brownshoes"--another good story about the meaning of love in the long term. It was a good story then, and it's a good story now. It was nominated for the Nebula award for best short story.

And others:
- "Nine Lives" by Ursula K. Leguin, in which a clone of ten men and women with one genome are sent to an isolated mining planet. This one is about people and identity, not gadgets. It was nominated for the Nebula award for best novelette (7500 - 17500 words).

- "Passengers" by Robert Silverberg, about possession by aliens--not very memorable but it won a Nebula award. It's basically about a man who tries to rush a relationship with a woman he finds attractive. The fellow doesn't even have the sense to pick a comfortable rendezvous. Oddly enough, even Spider Robinson does this theme better with "User Friendly." Nevertheless, it won the Nebula award for best short story (fewer than 7500 words).

The introduction is by James Blish and there are essays on science fiction by D. Suvin (whom I don't know) and the Russian writer Alexi Panshin.

Story lengths:
- short story: under 7 500 words
- novelette: 7 500 - 17 500 words
- novella: 17 500 - 40 000 words
- novel: over 40 000 words ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Not Free SF Reader
This is a revised version, in which he says he drops his werewolf novella, and is able to fit two more stories in.The are from the fifties and sixties, except one 1970 story, and is rather good, the couple of weaker stories prevent an excellent rating.Some short intros from the author.

Best Science Fiction Stories Of James Blish : Surface Tension - James Blish
Best Science Fiction Stories Of James Blish : Testament of Andros - James Blish
Best Science Fiction Stories Of James Blish : Common Time - James Blish
Best Science Fiction Stories Of James Blish : A Work of Art - James Blish
Best Science Fiction Stories Of James Blish : Tomb Tapper - James Blish
Best Science Fiction Stories Of James Blish : The Oath - James Blish
Best Science Fiction Stories Of James Blish : How Beautiful with Banners - James Blish
Best Science Fiction Stories Of James Blish : We All Die Naked - James Blish


Mini water men fancy space travel.

3.5 out of 5


Crazy fan.

2.5 out of 5


Flight observer experience rather wonky.

4 out of 5


Composer impression.

4 out of 5


Soviet short people strategy mind reader recovery

4 out of 5


Hippocratic hypocrisy discussion recruiting.

4 out of 5


Bubble suit Titan tearaway.

4 out of 5


Moonquake, earthquake, more cool stuff here at least.

4 out of 5




... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

North Pole Hijinks
The International Geophysical Year was a comprehensive series of global activities and coordinated observations of various geophysical phenomena that span the period July 1957-December 1958. The IGY forms the backdrop for this novel by Hugo Award winning author James Blish.

Science writer Julian Cole is invited to accompany a private expedition to the North Pole. He is hired to write a general audience science book detailing the expeditions accomplishments in supporting of the IGY. He has second thoughts after meeting the flamboyant expedition leader, the self styled Commodore Farnsworth, who has his own agenda once they reach the Pole.

Most of the story concerns the adventures and mishaps encountered traveling from New Jersey to the North Pole. Julian must contend with his own misgivings and those of his fellow expedition members who include an alcoholic astronomer, the Commodore's randy wife and a creepy guy who go around in the artic in shorts and sleeps with the sled dogs.

Only during the last 20 pages or so is the "science fiction" aspect of the story revealed. It seems that the Commodore is convinced that core samples from the artic ocean bottom mud will prove that there was once a planet between Mars and Jupiter. He expects to find meteorite fragments with tell tail signatures of a planetary origin. One such sample is dredged up and the creepy dog handler reveals he is a Martian and must prevent at all cost the Earth's scientist from finding out about Planet X. Frankly this is a very lame idea and once the big revelation is revealed the story just meanders and come to an unsatisfactory end.

"Fallen Star", also published under the title "The Frozen Year" was first published in 1957. Not surprising the last published edition was the Avon paperback printed in 1983.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Stitched together, hairbrained, spacious
Earthman, Come Home is book 3 of 4 in Cities in Flight series.

The first two books of the Cities in Flight series were fairly short, generally to the point and developed the idea of a City as a background to the entire series. In this context, Earthman doesn't follow suit (even though it was the first story written). Firstly, Earthman is much longer and is split into nine chapters, which is strange considering that the third book is pretty much just a consolidation of four stories. The linking between each story is strained with effort on part of Blish. The strain is hard to bear as the book is laden with too much dialogue. Typically, it's more difficult for readers to pay attention to a plot with little dialogue and much description. Blish managed to fail in holding my attention as the excessive dialogue was as dry as the pages they were printed on.

I found the logic of the plot to be all within the skull of the Mayor. He sets every plot and sub-plot with information and foresight only known to him. There's a certain amount of clairvoyance involved. Watching the result of the Mayor's preplanning is what keeps the book from slipping into a 2-star reading and hence off my shelf and to the second-hand book store. But trying to predict what the Mayor is thinking, what harebrained schemes he will come up with and what path his madness will follow is impossible. It's unpredictable and frankly a tad off the wall.
\ ... Read more

Product Description
A set of paperback books comprised of the titles "Star Trek" and the number 1 through 6, housed in a nifty cardboard slipcase with an illustration of The Enterprise on a voyage in space. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Night Shapes, a review
Kit has lived in the jungle for years. When he is drafted to lead a safari, he soon realizes that he is in trouble. The safari leaders want to find the Night Shapes - creatures of legend that are a terror to the natives. There is danger, a beautiful woman, attacks by wild tribes, a boa snake that acts unusually intelligent, powerful witch doctors, and the Night Shapes themselves to handle. What's a jungle man to do!

Old school jungle fun
This is an old school, politically incorrect and cheezy treat. Dinosaurs, a white jungle lord, and cannibals. This book has it all! ... Read more