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Galaxy Science Fiction, September 1953: A Retro-Review

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The September, 1953 issue of Galaxy Science Fiction opens with Editor H. L. Gold weighing in on vocabulary guessing for future science fiction. He writes that Objects and methods must be named so the reader will recognize them. All the author can do is apply logic, which sometimes works, as in the case of several commonly used terms invented by science fiction, but more often does not, as in terms that are born naturally, not synthesized. He describes how some…

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Galaxy Science Fiction, August 1953: A Retro-Review

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The August 1953 issue of Galaxy Science Fiction has an intriguing cover titled “Dome Repairs on Mars” by Mel Hunter. But the cover is just the start of the fun… “Mind Alone” by J. T. M’Intosh — Muriel Martin doesn’t know who she really is or that she came from the planet Murrane. She’d found out too much about the purpose of the war between Earth and Murrane, but instead of killing her, they wiped her memories and dropped her…

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Galaxy Science Fiction, July 1953: A Retro-Review

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The July, 1953 issue of Galaxy Science Fiction is bereft of a serialized novel, so a curious reader could jump into it without feeling a need to commit to something larger. I suggested the same thing for the June, 1953 issue as well, so here are two issues to choose between. Or read them both. “Kindergarten” by Clifford D. Simak — Peter lives in the country, having moved out of the city after being diagnosed with cancer. He lives a simple…

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Galaxy Science Fiction, June 1953: A Retro-Review

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The June, 1953 issue of Galaxy didn’t include any serial fiction. If you’re looking for a good issue to read just to get a flavor of Galaxy without any commitment, I’d suggest this one. “Tangle Hold” by F. L. Wallace — Jadiver’s autobath malfunctions, burning him with steam to the point that he nearly dies. A doctor replaces his skin with a synthetic version, and he’s eventually released from care to continue with his life. Jadiver used to be a…

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Galaxy Science Fiction, May 1953: A Retro-Review

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In the May, 1953 issue of Galaxy, Editor H. L. Gold opens with some thoughts on science fiction and the future. He writes: Does good science fiction, then, pretend to describe the actual future? No, certainly not. Anyone who thinks so is missing the point… We’re having fun with ideas, making first this one and then that predominant just to see what might happen if. “Wherever You May Be” by James A. Gunn — Matt Wright is heading to a…

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Galaxy’s Edge 19 Now Available

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Mike Resnick’s Galaxy’s Edge magazine has been published since March 2013; it’s a bimonthly that has both print and digital editions. Truth be told, I thought it was a straight-up science fiction magazine, and didn’t pay much attention until recently. I finally took a closer look this month, and it seems like Galaxy’s Edge could be of interest to fantasy fans after all. The latest issue, #19, is cover-dated March 2016; Mike’s editorial includes a reprint of the last of his F&SF columns…

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Galaxy Science Fiction, April 1953: A Retro-Review

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Galaxy’s April, 1953 issue includes a story by fellow Hoosier, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. I hadn’t read any of his work previously. Gasp! So I was excited to find something of his within Galaxy. “Made in U.S.A.” by J. T. M’Intosh — Roderick began a divorce trial with his newlywed wife, Alison. The couple had been in love, but when Roderick found out she was an android, he wanted to end the marriage. Though androids are identical to humans in many ways,…

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Galaxy Science Fiction, March 1953: A Retro-Review

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I’ve already covered the $6,500 novel-writing sham announced in this issue in a previous post. So let’s jump straight into the contents. “The Old Die Rich” by H. L. Gold — Periodically, senior citizens are dying of starvation, yet they have large sums of money in banks or in cash. Mark Weldon tags along with his friend, Officer Lou Pape, whenever the police find out about the incidents. Mark’s intrigued by the circumstances and feels compelled to understand the pattern,…

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The Galaxy Science Fiction $6,500 Novel-Writing Sham

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In the March, 1953 issue of Galaxy Science Fiction, H. L. Gold announed a novel contest. Simon and Schuster and Galaxy partnered together to offer a $6,500 prize, “guaranteed to the author of the best original science fiction novel submitted.” The $6,500 was only a minimum for the first world serial and TV rights. It was the largest cash prize offered to date for a science fiction novel. Other details were that the contest closed October 15, 1953, and the…

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Galaxy, October 1967: A Retro-Review

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A bit of a change of pace here, a late ’60s issue of Galaxy. Frederik Pohl was the editor. It is billed as the “Seventeenth Anniversary Issue, and the conceit is that the contributors are all celebrating an anniversary in the field. For example, Pohl himself published a poem in an SF magazine in 1937, making this his 30th anniversary. George O. Smith’s first story was published in 1942, so his 25th anniversary. H. L. Gold is here as the…

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