The Grand Tour: Moonbase Saga

This volume is the definitive collection of the best science fiction novellas between 1929 to 1964 and contains eleven great classics. There is no better anthology that captures the birth of science fiction as a literary field.

Published in 1973 to honor stories that had come before the institution of the Nebula Awards, The Science Fiction Hall of Fame introduced tens of thousands of young readers to the wonders of science fiction and was a favorite of libraries across the country.

Eleven more classic novellas by the most honored authors of science fiction. Companion to Volume IIA.

Introduction · Ben Bova
The Martian Way · Isaac Asimov · na Galaxy Nov ’52
Earthman, Come Home [Okie] · James Blish · nv Astounding Nov ’53
Rogue Moon · Algis Budrys · na F&SF Dec ’60
The Specter General · Theodore R. Cogswell · na Astounding Jun ’52
The Machine Stops · E. M. Forster · nv Oxford and Cambridge Review Nov ’09
The Midas Plague · Frederik Pohl · na Galaxy Apr ’54
The Witches of Karres · James H. Schmitz · nv Astounding Dec ’49
E for Effort · T. L. Sherred · nv Astounding May ’47
In Hiding · Wilmar H. Shiras · nv Astounding Nov ’48
The Big Front Yard · Clifford D. Simak · na Astounding Oct ’58
The Moon Moth · Jack Vance · na Galaxy Aug ’61

John O'Ryan is not a god...not exactly. He is an eternal warrior destined to combat the Dark Lord through all time for dominion of the Earth. Follow him, servant of a great race, as he battles his enemy down the halls of time, from the caves of our ancestors to the final confrontation under the hammer of nuclear annihilation.

Jamie Waterman is returning to the Red Planet, this time in charge of an expedition in which he hopes to demonstrate that one can study Martian life not only for the sake of the pursuit but more, that it can be profitable. Waterman also hopes to revisit a part of the canyon where he thought he spied a primitive cliff dwelling during the first Martian mission.

But this second voyage to Mars brings trouble right away as Waterman clashes with Dex Trumball, the son of a billionaire who is backing the expedition. Dex wants to turn the planet into a tourist attraction, while Waterman wants to preserve the planet solely for scientific research.

To further complicate matters, both men are attracted to the expedition's beautiful psychologist, Vijay Shektar, who can't seem to decide which of the two men she prefers. On top of all of this confusion, it seems that another member of the team may be trying to sabotage the mission while the elder Trumball is pulling strings in order to force Waterman to step down as the expedition's leader.

Eleven Classic Novellas by the most honored authors of science fiction:

This volume is the definitive collection of the best science fiction novellas between 1929 to 1964 and contains eleven great classics. There is no better anthology that captures the birth of science fiction as a literary field. Published in 1973 to honor stories that had come before the institution of the Nebula Awards, The Science Fiction Hall of Fame introduced tens of thousands of young readers to the wonders of science fiction and was a favorite of libraries across the country. This volume contains novellas by: Ray Bradbury, James Blish, Algis Budrys, Theodore Cogswell, E. M. Forster, Frederik Pohl, James H. Schmitz, T. L. Sherred, Wilmar H. Shiras, Clifford D. Simak, and Jack Vance.

Contents:

Introduction · Ben Bova · in
· Call Me Joe · Poul Anderson · nv Astounding Apr ’57
· Who Goes There? [as by Don A. Stuart] · John W. Campbell, Jr. · na Astounding Aug ’38
· Nerves · Lester del Rey · na Astounding Sep ’42
· Universe [Hugh Hoyland] · Robert A. Heinlein · na Astounding May ’41
· The Marching Morons · C. M. Kornbluth · nv Galaxy Apr ’51
· Vintage Season [as by Lawrence O’Donnell] · Henry Kuttner & C. L. Moore · na Astounding Sep ’46
· ...And Then There Were None · Eric Frank Russell · na Astounding Jun ’51
· The Ballad of Lost C’Mell · Cordwainer Smith · nv Galaxy Oct ’62
· Baby Is Three · Theodore Sturgeon · na Galaxy Oct ’52
· The Time Machine [Time Machine] · H. G. Wells · na The New Review Jan, 1895 (+4)
· With Folded Hands... [Humanoids] · Jack Williamson · nv Astounding Jul ’47

Encore peu connu en France, Ben Bova est l'un des maîtres de la hard science aux États-Unis. Son roman, Mars, qui imagine la première exploration habitée de la planète, a eu un fort succès outre-Atlantique. Pour renforcer l'intérêt du lecteur, l'auteur a choisi d'ouvrir son récit sur les paroles de l'équipage, à dominante russo-américaine, se posant sur la planète rouge. Puis le récit évoque la période qui a précédé, avec les oppositions, les conflits, les difficultés du recrutement des membres de la future expédition...
Alliant les références rigoureuses sur la planète – l'auteur est conseiller de la NASA – à une psychologie des personnages soignée (on s'attache à suivre le parcours de Jamie, le géologue navajo, qui joue un rôle majeur), Bova parvient à donner un effet de réel qui constitue une bonne part de l'intérêt du récit.

Roman classique, voire traditionnel, Mars plaira à tous ceux que l'exploration spatiale passionne et qui apprécient qu'on leur raconte avec efficacité une bonne histoire.