Alien Cargo by Theodore Sturgeon

Posted by Riklaa on July 26, 2010 at 12:19am



Alien Cargo – Theodore Sturgeon

This is a solid collection of short stories from one of the Grand Masters of science fiction and fantasy. While many of these stories are over 50 years old, they hold up well because of the fantasy elements (which tend not to age so quickly), and the human elements (which one likes to think are universal). Sturgeon is at his best when he’s at his most economical; some of the longer stories (“Cargo” and “The Traveling Crag” in particular) dragged on longer than necessary. However apart from “Brat” (a light farce about a baby who knows too much), and “Two Percent Inspiration” (a send up of standard science fiction adventures), the rest of these stories succeed in tapping into basic human emotions and situations that make them still relevant today. Moreover, a strong streak of optimism runs through most of these stories, and even the most disastrous conflicts are not without silver linings. The power of self-esteem in “Won’t You Walk…”, the simple joys of being human in the light-hearted “Poker Face”, the importance of community expressed in “The Touch of Your Hand”, all point to an unchanging moral order that transcends the centuries. Other standouts include “Microcosmic God”, which describes a conflict between an inventive creator and an unscrupulous profiteer, and “It”, with its Gothic American setting and feel. But the best story is easily “Bright Segment”, the only completely straight fiction in the collection, and the most gripping emotionally. A quiet, insignificant man who has never felt needed in his life finds himself caring for a horribly injured young woman whose very presence must be kept secret. Working in a small, almost claustrophobic setting with just two characters (one of whom has very few lines), Sturgeon drives home the lonesome protagonist’s terror, courage, determination, and compassion to create a truly unforgettable effect. Even those readers who aren’t fans of science fiction and fantasy may find this story worth looking up, but for those who are, “Bright Segment” is the capstone of a very satisfying collection.

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Tags: Collection, Scifi, Short-stories, Spoken, Word
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