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Analog Science Fiction & Fact Magazine
July/August 1997

This month's issue of Analog is the special double issue edition. In his editorial, Stanley Schmidt talks about an interesting scenario: what would really happen if a group of people (or children) were isolated from the rest of the world and left to their own devices to create a new civilisation? Would be a utopia or a horror?

Schmidt points out that the idea that such a colony will develop into a peace-loving one (so often depicted in stories) may not be true since it assumes that by nature, humans are willing to help one another. Of course, this need not be true since children need to be taught to behave in a 'civilised' manner as well.

Stories featured in this issue are:

"Sam Boone's Dry Run" by Bud Sparhawk. Another in a series of stories about Sam Boone, this one has Sam going to a planet to help settle a dispute among two alien species. This is a funny story with various alien species of various sizes depicted having very strange habits. The resolution of the story involves solving a mystery that can be resolved by the reader if he pays enough attention to the details of the story. A nice, funny, detective tale that hang together very well.
"Cold Fusion: The 'Miracle' is No Mistake" by Dr. Eugene F. Mallove is a science fact article that defends cold fusion and is critical of various scientific organisations for dismissing it after the debacle by Stanley Pons and Martin Fleischmann. But Dr. Mallove appears to have filled the article with too many criticisms and denouncements of cold fusion critics. His extensive references bears looking into for those who really want to find out for themselves what is happening in the world of cold fusion.
"The Space Program" by Jerry Oltion takes a radical look at how to 'jump-start' a space programme using a computer program that can predict the preferences of voters. The ending of the story is nicely done.
"The Worry Wart" by Jeffery D. Kooistra is a Probability Zero story about what happens when you pay somebody to do your worrying for you. Quite funny too.
"Billy's Bunter" by Walter F. Cuirle takes a look at how a child and his electronic personal friend interact in a world where education has taken a chilling turn (students must only learn 'approved' subjects) and conformity in students is the order of the day. The story's ending is open with hints of how things may be.
"Already in Heaven" by Brian Plante is the story of an 'electronic priest' who listens to confessions. But a real-life conflict occurs when one of the confessors is an arsonist. What is an electronic priest who has been programmed not to reveal confessions to do? You may not like the logical solution to the story.
"Safari" by Rick Shelley starts off with a fascinating investigation into the discovery and capture of a new species of mice but does not end convincingly, in my opinion. The notion of Punctuated Equilibrium used in this story to explain the sudden appearance of the new species is too 'cosy' since it assumes a major jump in evolutionary appearance which is not possible under current evolutionary theory.
"The Voice of Authority" by Ben Bova is a small article that acts as a reminder that not everything said by people in authority or knowledge (like scientists or engineers) is necessarily true. Using quotations by people who say heavier-than-air flight is impossible to the notion of 'pushing against nothing' as a reason why space-flight is impossible, he shows that there is a fine line between being a fool and being right.
"The Atom Laser" by John G. Cramer is another science article about the creation of (obviously) an atom laser. Essentially, atoms are made to move coherently (like the light in a laser beam is coherent). He ends by suggesting that like light being able to create holograms, atom lasers could be made into a kind of matter creator/duplicator. Really fascinating.
"Payoff" is a look at how a administrator, caught in the practical aspects of administrating science is shown how to make a dream a reality with the help of a new source of energy.
"Clamoring Voices" is a confusing story about a man who wakes up one day not knowing who he is, and ends up affecting the whole world. The ending is too pat and 'deus ex-machine' for my tastes.
"Starsong" by Timothy Zahn is a good example of how a 'real' science-fiction story can be written. In this story is an alien species known as 'flapblacks' are used to transport ships by wrapping themselves around the ship to be moved. To get a flapblack to do so, a piece of music must be played. Zahn uses the flapblacks as an integral part of the story in which a group of people are on an expedition to find a lost colony. The resolution of the story is impressively done, involving the flapblacks unique abilities. Unlike many other stories that only make use of SF as a backdrop to tell a story, Zahn shows how actual SF elements can become part of the story.

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Analog Science Fiction & Fact Magazine July/August 1997

Analog Science Fiction & Fact Magazine
July/August 1997