Robert Silverberg - The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Vol. 1: 1929-1964

THE SCIENCE FICTION HALL OF FAME

Volume One, 1929-1964

The Greatest Science Fiction Stones of All Time

Chosen by the Members of The Science Fiction Writers of America

Edited by Robert Silverberg

v3.0 - Fixed broken paragraphs, garbled text, formatting; by peragwinn 2004-10-09

ae TOR

ae A Tom Doherty Associates Book New York

This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in the stories in this collection are either fictitious or are used fictitiously.

THE SCIENCE FICTION HALL OF FAME, VOLUME ONE, 1929-1964

Copyright a 1970, 1998 by Science Fiction Writers of America

Edited by Robert Silverberg

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof, in any form.

This book is printed on acid-free paper.

A Tor Book Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC

175 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10010

www.tor.com Torae is a registered trademark of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC.

ISBN 0-765-30536-4

First Tor Hardcover Edition: February 2003

Printed in the United States of America

0987654321

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

A Martian Odyssey, by Stanley G. Weinbaum, copyright a 1934 by Continental Publications, Inc. Reprinted by permission of Forrest J. Ackerman on behalf of the author's estate.

Twilight, by John W. Campbell, copyright a 1934 by Street & Smith Publications, Inc. Reprinted by permission of the author's agents, Scott Meredith Literary Agency, Inc.

Helen O'Loy, by Lester del Rey, copyright a 1938 by Street & Smith Publications, Inc. Reprinted by permission of the author's agents, Scott Meredith Literary Agency, Inc.

The Roads Must Roll, by Robert A. Heinlein, copyright a 1940 by Street & Smith Publications, Inc. Copyright renewed 1967 by Robert A. Heinlein. Reprinted by permission of the author and his agent, Lurton Blassingame.

Microcosmic God, by Theodore Sturgeon, copyright a 1941 by Street & Smith Publications, Inc. Reprinted by permission of the author and his agent, Robert P. Mills.

Nightfall, by Isaac Asimov, copyright a 1941 by Street & Smith Publications, Inc. Copyright renewed 1968 by Isaac Asimov. Reprinted by permission of the author.

The Weapon Shop, by A. E. van Vogt, copyright a 1942 by Street & Smith Publications, Inc. Reprinted by permission of the author's agent, Forrest J. Ackerman.

Mimsy Were the Borogoves, by Lewis Padgett, copyright a 1943 by Street & Smith Publications, Inc. Reprinted by permission of Harold Matson Company, Inc.

Huddling Place, by Clifford D. Simak, copyright a 1944 by Street & Smith Publications, Inc. Reprinted by permission of the author and his agent, Robert P. Mills.

Arena, by Fredric Brown, copyright a 1944 by Street & Smith Publications, Inc. Reprinted by permission of the author's agents, Scott Meredith Literary Agency, Inc.

First Contact, by Murray Leinster, copyright a 1945 by Street & Smith Publications, Inc. Reprinted by permission of Scott Meredith Literary Agency, Inc.

That Only a Mother, by Judith Merril, copyright a 1948 by Street & Smith Publications, Inc. Reprinted by permission of the author.

Scanners Live in Vain, by Cordwainer Smith, copyright a 1948 by Fantasy Publishing Co., Inc. Reprinted by permission of the author's agents, Scott Meredith Literary Agency, Inc.

Mars Is Heaven!, by Ray Bradbury, copyright a 1948 by Love Romances Publishing Company, Inc. Reprinted by permission of Harold Matson Company, Inc.

The Little Black Bag, by C. M. Kornbluth, copyright a 1950 by Street & Smith Publications, Inc. Reprinted by permission of Robert P. Mills on behalf of the author's estate.

Born of Man and Woman, by Richard Matheson, copyright a 1950 by Fantasy House, Inc. Reprinted by permission of Harold Matson Company, Inc.

Coming Attraction, by Fritz Leiber, copyright a 1950 by World Editions, Inc. Reprinted by permission of the author and his agent, Robert P. Mills.

The Quest for Saint Aquin, by Anthony Boucher, copyright a 1951 by Henry Holt & Co. Reprinted by permission of the author's agents, Collins-Knowlton-Wing, Inc.

Surface Tension, by James Blish, copyright a 1952 by Galaxy Publishing Corporation. Reprinted by permission of the author and his agent, Robert P. Mills.

The Nine Billion Names of God, by Arthur C. Clarke, copyright a 1953 by Ballantine Books, Inc. Reprinted by permission of the author's agents, Scott Meredith Literary Agency, Inc.

It's a Good Life, by Jerome Bixby, copyright a 1953 by Ballantine Books, Inc. Reprinted by permission of the author's agent, Forrest J. Ackerman.

The Cold Equations, by Tom Godwin, copyright a 1954 by Street & Smith Publications, Inc. Reprinted by permission of the author's agents, Scott Meredith Literary Agency, Inc.

Fondly Fahrenheit, by Alfred Bester, copyright a 1954 by Fantasy House, Inc. Reprinted by permission of the author and his agent, Robert p. Mills.

The Country of the Kind, by Damon Knight, copyright a 1955 by Fantasy House, Inc. Reprinted by permission of the author and his agent, Robert P. Mills.

Flowers for Algernon, by Daniel Keyes, copyright a 1959 by Mercury Press, Inc. Reprinted by permission of the author and his agent, Robert P. Mills.

A Rose for Ecclesiastes, by Roger Zelazny, copyright a 1963 by Mercury Press, Inc. Reprinted by permission of Ace Books, Inc.

CONTENTS

Introduction: Robert Silverberg

A MARTIAN ODYSSEY, Stanley G. Weinbaum

TWILIGHT, John W. Campbell

HELEN O'LOY, Lester del Rey

THE ROADS MUST ROLL, Robert A. Heinlein

MICROCOSMIC GOD, Theodore Sturgeon

NIGHTFALL, Isaac Asimov

THE WEAPON SHOP, A. E. van Vogt

MIMSY WERE THE BOROGOVES, Lewis Padgett

HUDDLING PLACE, Clifford D. Simak

ARENA, Fredric Brown

FIRST CONTACT, Murray Leinster

THAT ONLY A MOTHER, Judith Merril

SCANNERS LIVE IN VAIN, Cordwainer Smith

MARS IS HEAVEN!, Ray Bradbury

THE LITTLE BLACK BAG, C. M. Kombluth

BORN OF MAN AND WOMAN, Richard Matheson

COMING ATTRACTION, Fritz Leiber

THE QUEST FOR SAINT AQUIN, Anthony Boucher

SURFACE TENSION, James Blish

THE NINE BILLION NAMES OF GOD, Arthur C. Clarke

IT'S A GOOD LIFE, Jerome Bixby

THE COLD EQUATIONS, Tom Godwin

FONDLY FAHRENHEIT, Alfred Bester

THE COUNTRY OF THE KIND, Damon Knight

FLOWERS FOR ALGERNON, Daniel Keyes

A ROSE FOR ECCLESIASTES, Roger Zelazny

INTRODUCTION

This is as nearly definitive an anthology of modern science fiction stories as is likely to be compiled for quite some time. Its contents were chosen by vote of the membership of the Science Fiction Writers of America, an organization of some three hundred professional writers whose roster includes virtually everyone now living who has ever had science fiction published in the United States. The book you now hold represents the considered verdict of those who themselves have shaped science fictiona roster of outstanding stories selected by people who know more intimately than any others what the criteria for excellence in science fiction should be.

SFWAthe Science Fiction Writers of Americawas founded in 1965 "to inform science fiction writers on matters of professional interest, to promote their professional welfare, and to help them deal effectively with publishers, agents, editors, and anthologists." Though other special writers' organizations, such as the Mystery Writers of America and the Western Writers of America, had come into existence long before, all previous attempts to create a professional science fiction writers' group had been abortive. Howeverthanks in large measure to the energy and devotion of the first president of SFWA, Damon Knight, and its first secretary-treasurer, Lloyd Biggieall but a few writers in this notoriously individualistic field quickly joined. For greater cohesiveness, membership was limited to writers whose work had appeared m the United States, but no restrictions were placed on a writer's own residence or citizenship. Thus SFWA has a large British contingent as well as members from Australia, Canada, and several other Commonwealth countries.