Seven years ago, just before it all started, there were only two regular monthly magazines in this country, publishing original (not reprint) science-fiction: Astounding, which was then, as earlier, (and still) a first-rate magazine; and Amazing Stories, which was then a “pulp” devoted almost exclusively to exploring Lemuria under the guidance of one Richard Shaver. There were five other magazines then publishing original s-f, all bi-monthlies or quarterlies.
Today, there are thirteen s-f magazines appearing in this country: five regular monthlies, four each of quarterlies and bi-monthlies. Eight of these, at least, are good magazines, that may confidently be expected to remain in good health.
Amazing Stories, as of the beginning of 1956, has become a monthly again; this one is for fast action, plot, and pace —though not profundity.
Astounding, which has never faltered in schedule or quality, continues to be directed primarily to the engineer-reader and devotee of the true problem-story.
Fantastic Universe; also monthly. If the science-fiction in here is sometimes weak, the fantasy can almost always be relied upon to be first-rate.
Fantasy & Science Fiction; monthly. The unquestioned leader in the field for literary quality, for innovations in form, and for intelligent humor.
Galaxy is the s-f “slick” (as F&SF might be called the “little magazine” of the field). A number of first-rate authors who are too seldom seen elsewhere appear here regularly. Monthly.
If offers a very satisfying selection of solid well-written “genuine science-fiction.” Seldom spectacular; always good; no specialized emphasis. Bi-monthly.
Infinity is too new to have acquired a “personality” of its own—but it shows promise of becoming one of the better magazines. Bi-monthly—but only for the time being, I expect.
Science Fiction Stories, a bi-monthly, is published in conjunction with Science Fiction Quarterly; they are different in size and price; otherwise, they may be considered as one magazine, with ten issues the year. Notable primarily for the excellent feature material; quality of the fiction is erratic, but its content is often gratifyingly off-trail.
The bulk of the stories included in this collection, and in the Honorable Mentions list, were selected from these and other s-f specialty magazines. In addition, I had three main sources of materiaclass="underline" —
1) Magazines outside the specialty field: In 1955, Blue-book, Esquire, Good Housekeeping, Colliers, Playboy, Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, and The Saturday Evening Post, (in approximate order of the quantity published) contained between them perhaps thirty or forty s-f stories (depending on where you draw the line between science-fantasy and just-plain fantasy). Half again that number were scattered among such an unlikely combination as The Reporter, PEN (The Public Employees’ News), The American Magazine, Cats, (for cat-lovers), and others.
2) Books: There is comparatively little original short-story material appearing in book-form, but this year there were two hard-cover collections of more-than-ordinary interest: J. B. Priestley’s “The Other Place,” (Harper’s), and Bertrand Russell’s “Nightmares of Eminent Persons” (Simon & Schuster). In paperbacks, there was the annual “Star” collection from Ballantine; one volume of regrettable originals published by Signet; and at least one new story per book in Ballantine’s collections of Chad Oliver, Kuttner-Moore, and Sturgeon.
3) British magazines. There are four of these now regularly appearing. I liked the bi-monthly Science-Fantasy the best, but all are surprisingly good, with a much higher average quality than is to be found in the American magazines. New Worlds and Authentic are both monthlies; Nebula is bi-monthly.
I have not attempted to cover any foreign-language magazines, but it is of interest to note that there are s-f publications now appearing in a good many other countries. Among them, to my limited knowledge, are Sweden, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan.
One further source of material, not represented in this book, but surveyed for it, were the “fan” magazines, published by readers and aspiring writers of s-f. Fiction and essays of unexpectedly high calibre are printed in several of these, most notably in one offset and rather arty item called Inside.
All stories under 20,000 words in length originally published for the first time in 1955 were eligible for consideration—that is, if either the copyright date or magazine issue-date was 1955. Ideally, we’d have preferred to be guided entirely by copyright date; but it is not always possible to obtain copies of forthcoming January and February issues early enough. As a result, this volume and the one for 1956 will overlap on certain issues. No story was excluded from consideration on account of previous condition of reprint —but I am afraid they were discriminated against.
Stories were selected for a combination of idea-content (and development) and literary virtue...but also with the awareness that, put together in a book, they had to provide some variety and contrast for the reader. Thus, some pieces had to be regretfully excluded, because there was a better example of the same type available. Others that might have been included were dropped if anything of similar quality and kind could be had that had not been previously reprinted. A very few that I might have liked to use were unavailable due to previous publishing commitments. For the most part, editors and publishers were marvellously kind about releasing rights, in view of the special nature of this collection.
This seems a good time to express my intense gratitude to the editors, in and out of the s-f field, who gave me assistance and cooperation beyond any reasonable expectation, helping me to procure stories and advance copies of future issues, and to locate and contact authors. Among these, my especial thanks are due to Mr. Anthony Boucher; Mr. John W. Campbell, Jr.; Mr. Robert W. Lowndes; Mr. Leo Margulies; and Mr. Robert P. Mills.
My warm appreciation, also, to agents Harry Altshuler, Larry Harris, and Forrest J. Ackerman, all of whom expressed interest and offered assistance quite beyond the call of profit... and to the great number of s-f enthusiasts, both “fans” and colleagues, who offered suggestions and encouragement. I wish I could name them all here, but it would need another book, I think, to complete the list.
Finally, I want to extend my personal thanks, for aid and assistance of many kinds, to Mr. Stephen L. Wood, Mr. and Mrs. Damon Knight, Mr. Milton Amgott, Miss Katherine MacLean, and to Mr. Knox Burger.
—Judith Merril
HONORABLE MENTION
The stories listed below are those that, for a variety of reasons, could not be reprinted in this book—yet seemed to me to be too good to be entirely ignored. I have included several pieces too long to have been considered for this volume at all, but which have appeared only in magazine versions, and so are not available for the recognition they have earned in any other area of review. Wherever possible, I have given book titles, rather than original magazine sources, simply because books are easier to obtain. Stories from magazines dated 1956, but copyright 1955, are not listed here, as they are still eligible for inclusion next year. In order to save space, I have made use of a number of abbreviations, which are explained immediately below.