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Sturgeon, Theodore THE GOLDEN HELIX book-date: 1979 | |
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Dell
1980 1st Paperback Larry Kresek $1.95 near-Fine | ||
Yes, that is a portrait of Sturgeon on the cover. | |||
(Introduction by Theodore Sturgeon) These originally appeared in Thrilling Wonder Stories, Magazine of F&SF, Unknown, Beyond, Galaxy, Fantastic, L. A. Weekly News and Star SF #2 - from 1941 to 1973 (mostly from the Fifties.) This is the first appearance in a Sturgeon collection for 7 of these stories. (Story summaries from flap copy of hardcover edition): "THE ULTIMATE EGOIST" - Woodie was conversing amiably with the woman he loved: "Let me put it this way," he was saying. "The world and the universe are strictly as I see them. I see no fallacy in the supposition that if I disbelieve in any given object, theory, or principle, it does not exist." And Judith, also in love, humored him for a while. But finally she wearied of his new and peculiar conceit, and told him so. "You can't disprove a thing I've said," he answered coldly, genuinely offended. "And you can't prove it," she challenged, exasperated now. So Woodie did prove it... to Judith - and to himself! "THE GOLDEN HELIX" - Six of them had set out for Terra Prime.. six of them calmly entered the life-sustaining Coffins to sleep for the duration of the voyage, certain that nothing would go wrong. But something did. The planet they landed on was no Earth colony; it was a green-lit world teeming with bizarre life forms, mostly reptilian carnivores and their prey. Astounded, the humans were huddled together near their ship, trying to absorb the terrifying sights and sounds of their new home - when suddenly, there was absolute silence. Looking up, they saw an enormous ship hovering like a clouid; and from the cloud came hundreds of glowing beings, drifting to some elaborate choreography all their own. They filled the skies... seemed to gesture to the humans... and formed two interlocked spirals - a living helix of gold which awed but did not frighten. For the golden ones seemed to radiate a message: "We're sorry. But it will be all right..." It was a message that the misplaced colonists had ample time to think about in the strange years that followed. |