Orbit (anthology series)

Last updated

Orbit was a series of anthologies of new science fiction edited by Damon Knight, often featuring work by such writers as Gene Wolfe, Joanna Russ, R. A. Lafferty, and Kate Wilhelm. The anthologies tended toward the avant-garde edge of science fiction, but by no means exclusively; occasionally the volumes featured nonfiction critical writing or humorous anecdotes by Knight. Inspired by Frederik Pohl's Star Science Fiction series, and in its turn an influence on other original speculative fiction anthologies, it ran for over a decade and twenty-one volumes, not including a 1975 "Best of" collection selected from the first ten volumes.

Contents

Orbit 1

Orbit 1 was published in October 1966 by Berkley Medallion. Algis Budrys praised Knight's skills as editor and critic but said that the compilation "represents science fiction well but not to any extraordinary extent", with no story "clearly and obviously the 'best' of anything". He advised readers to buy the paperback version. [1]

Table of contents:

Orbit 2

Volume 2 was published in 1967. Budrys said "It is more a sign that Damon's heart is in the right place than it is a really satisfactory book." [2]

Table of contents:

Orbit 3

Volume 3 was published in 1968. Algis Budrys found the volume "happens to contain some remarkable work," although he faulted the jacket copy as overpromotional. [5]

Table of contents:

Orbit 4

Volume 4 was published in 1968.

Table of contents:

Orbit 5

Volume 5 was published September 1969 by G.P. Putnam's Sons. It was reprinted in October 1969 by Putnam, December 1969 by Berkley Medallion, and November 1970 in the UK by Rapp & Whiting. Barry N. Malzberg wrote that the anthology "doesn't, somehow, seem to be at the same high level of ambition or accomplishment as the earlier volumes," but singled out "The Big Flash" for praise, declaring "The last pages of this story may be one of the strongest experiences available in modern American fiction." [6]

Table of contents:

Orbit 6

Volume 6 was published in 1970. [12]

Table of contents:

Orbit 7

Volume 7 was first published in 1970. [13]

Table of contents:

Orbit 8

Volume 8 was published in 1970 by G.P. Putnam's Sons. [14]

Table of contents:

Orbit 9

Volume 9 published by Putnam Books in 1971. [22] Theodore Sturgeon found the anthology "fascinating," saying "I profoundly admire what Knight is doing here." [23]

Orbit 10

Volume 10 was published in 1972. [24]

Table of contents:

Orbit 11

Volume 11 was published in 1972. [25]

Table of contents:

Orbit 12

Volume 12 was published in 1973. [26]

Table of Contents:

Orbit 13

Volume 13 was published in 1974. [27]

Table of Contents:

Orbit 14

Volume 14 was published in 1974. [28]

Table of Contents: [29]

Orbit 15

Volume 15 was published in 1974. [30]

Table of Contents:

Orbit 16

Volume 16 was published in 1975. [31] Spider Robinson dismissed the anthology as minor and disappointing, noting that most of the stories were "manifestly by newcomers, first sales or nearly so." [32]

Table of contents:

Orbit 17

Volume 17 was first published in 1975. [33]

Table of contents:

Orbit 18

Volume 18 was first published in 1976. [34]

Table of Contents:

Orbit 19

Volume 19 was first published in 1977. [35]

Table of Contents:

Orbit 20

Volume 20 was first published in 1978. [36]

Table of Contents:

Orbit 21

Volume 21 was first published in 1980. [37]

Table of Contents:

The Best from Orbit

The Best from Orbit was published in 1975 and reprinted stories from the first ten volumes. [38]

Table of Contents:

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">R. A. Lafferty</span> American writer

Raphael Aloysius "R. A." Lafferty was an American science fiction and fantasy writer known for his original use of language, metaphor, and narrative structure, Lafferty also wrote a set of four autobiographical novels, a history book, and several novels of historical fiction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Damon Knight</span> American science fiction writer, editor and critic (1922–2002)

Damon Francis Knight was an American science fiction author, editor, and critic. He is the author of "To Serve Man", a 1950 short story adapted for The Twilight Zone. He was married to fellow writer Kate Wilhelm.

<i>The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction</i> American magazine

The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction is a U.S. fantasy and science fiction magazine first published in 1949 by Mystery House, a subsidiary of Lawrence Spivak's Mercury Press. Editors Anthony Boucher and J. Francis McComas had approached Spivak in the mid-1940s about creating a fantasy companion to Spivak's existing mystery title, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine. The first issue was titled The Magazine of Fantasy, but the decision was quickly made to include science fiction as well as fantasy, and the title was changed correspondingly with the second issue. F&SF was quite different in presentation from the existing science fiction magazines of the day, most of which were in pulp format: it had no interior illustrations, no letter column, and text in a single column format, which in the opinion of science fiction historian Mike Ashley "set F&SF apart, giving it the air and authority of a superior magazine".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kate Wilhelm</span> American science fiction writer (1928–2018)

Kate Wilhelm was an American author. She wrote novels and stories in the science fiction, mystery, and suspense genres, including the Hugo Award–winning Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang. Wilhelm established the Clarion Workshop along with her husband Damon Knight and writer Robin Scott Wilson.

Quark/ was an American anthology book series devoted to avant-garde science fiction and related material, edited by writer and critic Samuel R. Delany and poet and editor Marilyn Hacker; four volumes were published in 1970 and 1971. The editors, once married, were among the foremost homosexual activist/writers in the following decades.

<i>Again, Dangerous Visions</i> Science fiction short story anthology edited by Harlan Ellison

Again, Dangerous Visions (1972) is a science fiction short story anthology, edited by American author Harlan Ellison. It is the follow-up to Dangerous Visions (1967), also edited by Ellison. Cover art and interior illustrations are by Ed Emshwiller.

The Milford Writer's Workshop, or more properly Milford Writers' Conference, is an annual science fiction writer's event founded by Damon Knight, among others, in the mid-1950s, in Milford, Pennsylvania. It was so named because Knight, Judith Merril, and James Blish lived in Milford, Pennsylvania when it was founded. It moved to the United Kingdom in 1972 and has run successfully ever since on an annual basis.

The Road to Science Fiction is a series of science fiction anthologies edited by American science fiction author, scholar and editor James Gunn. Composed as a textbook set to teach the evolution of science fiction literature, the series is now available as mass market publications.

<i>Years Best SF 2</i>

Year's Best SF 2 is a science fiction anthology edited by David G. Hartwell that was published in 1997. It is the second in the Year's Best SF series.

Virginia Kidd was an American literary agent, writer and editor, who worked in particular in science fiction and related fields. She represented science fiction American authors such as Ursula K. Le Guin, R.A. Lafferty, Anne McCaffrey, Judith Merril, and Gene Wolfe. Wolfe modeled Ann Schindler, a character in his 1990 novel Castleview, in large part on Kidd.

<i>Quark/3</i>

Quark/3 is a 1971 anthology of science fiction short stories and poetry edited by Samuel R. Delany and Marilyn Hacker. It is the third volume in the Quark series. The stories and poems are original to this anthology.

<i>Universe 2</i>

Universe 2 is an anthology of original science fiction short stories edited by Terry Carr and illustrated by Alicia Austin, the second volume in the seventeen-volume Universe anthology series. It was first published in paperback by Ace Books in 1972, with a British hardcover facsimile edition following from Dennis Dobson in 1976.

<i>Operation Ares</i> 1970 novel by Gene Wolfe

Operation Ares is a science fiction novel by American writer Gene Wolfe, published as a paperback original by Berkley Books in 1970. It was his first novel. While no later editions were issued in the United States, a hardcover edition was released in the UK market by Dobson Books in 1977, followed by a Fontana paperback in 1978. The title is sometimes rendered Operation ARES.

<i>Best SF: 1968</i>

Best SF: 1968 is the second on a series of annual anthologies of science fiction stories edited by Harry Harrison and Brian W. Aldiss, first published in a British edition in January 1969 by Sphere Books. The first American edition was released later that year by Putnam, with a Berkley paperback following shortly thereafter. Severn House issued a British hardcover edition in 1977.

<i>The Years Best Science Fiction: Fourth Annual Collection</i>

The Year's Best Science Fiction: Fourth Annual Collection is a science fiction anthology edited by Gardner Dozois that was published in May 1987. It is the 4th in The Year's Best Science Fiction series. Cover art was by Alan Gutierrez. It won the Locus Award for best anthology. It was also published in the UK as The Mammoth Book of Best New Science Fiction, the first UK edition of the series.

<i>The Legend Book of Science Fiction</i>

The Legend Book of Science Fiction is an anthology of science fiction short works edited by Gardner Dozois. It was first published in hardcover and trade paperback by Legend in July 1991. The first American edition was issued in hardcover under the variant title Modern Classics of Science Fiction by St. Martin’s Press in February 1992, with a trade paperback edition following from the same publisher in February 1993; the same firm also produced a hardcover book club edition together with the Science Fiction Book Club in April 1992.

<i>Modern Classic Short Novels of Science Fiction</i>

Modern Classic Short Novels of Science Fiction is an anthology of science fiction short works edited by American writers Gardner Dozois. It was first published in hardcover by St. Martin's Griffin in February 1994, which also issued a trade paperback edition in September of the same year and an ebook edition in October 2014. A Science Fiction Book Club edition appeared in hardcover in February 1994. The first British edition was issued in hardcover by Robinson in July 1994 under the variant title The Mammoth Book of Contemporary SF Masters.

<i>Nebula Award Stories 7</i>

Nebula Award Stories 7 is an anthology of award-winning science fiction short works edited by Lloyd Biggle, Jr. It was first published in the United Kingdom in hardcover by Gollancz in November 1972. The first American edition was published by Harper & Row in January 1973; a Science Fiction Book Club edition, also in hardcover, followed in March of the same year. Paperback editions followed from Harrow Books in the U.S. in 1973, and Panther in the U.K. in December 1974. The American editions bore the variant title Nebula Award Stories Seven. The book has also been published in German.

<i>Nebula Award Stories 9</i>

Nebula Award Stories 9 is an anthology of award winning science fiction short works edited by Kate Wilhelm. It was first published in the United Kingdom in hardcover by Gollancz in November 1974. The first American edition was published by Harper & Row in January 1975. Paperback editions followed from Corgi Books in the U.K. in November 1976, and Bantam Books in the U.S. in July 1978. The American editions bore the variant title Nebula Award Stories Nine. The book has also been published in German.

References

  1. ↑ Budrys, Algis (October 1966). "Galaxy Bookshelf". Galaxy Science Fiction. pp. 152–161.
  2. ↑ Budrys, Algis (December 1967). "Galaxy Bookshelf". Galaxy Science Fiction. pp. 187–194.
  3. ↑ World's Best Science Fiction : 1968. Donald Wollheim/Terry Carr (eds), 1968.
  4. ↑ Carr, Terry (1975). Creatures from Beyond: Nine Stories of Science Fiction and Fantasy: Terry Carr: 9780840764591: Amazon.com: Books. ISBN   0840764596.
  5. ↑ "Galaxy Bookshelf", Galaxy Science Fiction , February 1969, pp.184-86
  6. ↑ "Books", F&SF , May 1970, p.27-8
  7. ↑ "The Roads, the Roads, the Beautiful Roads". wizards.pro.
  8. ↑ "Kit Reed". fantasticfiction.co.uk.
  9. ↑ "Teosed". ttu.ee.
  10. ↑ "Winston". wizards.pro.
  11. ↑ Seed, David (1999). American Science Fiction and the Cold War. ISBN   9781579581954.
  12. ↑ "Orbit 6". ISFDB. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  13. ↑ "Orbit 7". ISFDB. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  14. ↑ "Orbit 8". ISFDB. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  15. ↑ "Stories, Listed by Author". philsp.com.
  16. ↑ "Stories, Listed by Author". philsp.com.
  17. ↑ "Stories, Listed by Author". locusmag.com.
  18. ↑ R. A. Lafferty papers - Indexes; Collected Works
  19. ↑ "Lafferty Collections". mulle-kybernetik.com.
  20. ↑ "Uchronia: Interurban Queen". uchronia.net.
  21. ↑ Garlic fries and Ichirolls
  22. ↑ "Orbit 9". ISFDB. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  23. ↑ "Galaxy Bookshelf", Galaxy Science Fiction , March 1972, pp.87
  24. ↑ "Damon Knight's Orbit 10 (Open Library)". openlibrary.org.
  25. ↑ "Orbit 11". ISFDB. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  26. ↑ "Orbit 12". ISFDB. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  27. ↑ "Orbit 13". ISFDB. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  28. ↑ "Orbit 14". ISFDB. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  29. ↑ "Publication: Orbit 14". www.isfdb.org. Retrieved 2018-07-10.
  30. ↑ "Orbit 15". ISFDB. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  31. ↑ "Orbit 16". ISFD. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  32. ↑ "Galaxy Bookshelf", Galaxy Science Fiction , October 1975, pp.145-46
  33. ↑ "ISFDB". Orbit 17. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  34. ↑ "Orbit 18". ISFDB. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  35. ↑ "Orbit 19". ISFDB. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  36. ↑ "Orbit 20". ISFDB. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  37. ↑ "Orbit 21". ISFDB. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  38. ↑ "The Best from Orbit". ISFDB. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.