Saved From The Paper Drive: January 2015

I first started reading Analog magazine in the later half of 1970, at age 13. This was a year before John Campbell's death and the subsequent switch of editors to Ben Bova. I wasn't very sophisticated, or educated in SF politics, but even I could tell that I'd missed most of Analog's best years.

Here is a rundown of what was in 1970's issues.

January starts with a nice photo cover by Russel Seitz of an Apollo launch. The first moon landing happened just 5 months earlier. The lead novelette was THE WILD BLUE YONDER by Robert Chilson. Part 2 of a Harry Harrison novel, In Our Hands, the Stars was also featured. This saw book publication later that year as "The Daleth Effect". One of the books reviewed this month in P. Schuyler Miller's column was "Star Trek Concordance" by Bjo Trimble.

Harrison's serial concludes in February's issue, and the Freas cover illustrates " Birthright " by Poul Anderson. Chilson has another story, "The Fifth Ace".

The March issue starts a 3 part serialization of "The Siren Stars" by Nancy and Richard Carrigan. Harry Harrison offers up a short story involving matter transmision. M.W. Anver and Jack Wodhams have short stories. Philip K. Dick's "Galactic Pot-Healer" and LeGuin's "The Left Hand of Darkness" are among the books reviewed by Miller.

April--The Carrigan novel continues. " Here, There Be Witches " by everett B. Cole gets the cover slot and painting by Freas. Harry Harrison drops another novelette , under the name of Hank Dempsey. Reprints of Asimov's robot novels get reviewed by Miller.

Another Kelly Freas cover for May, for "But Mainly By Cunning" by John Dalmas. James Schmitz gives us a Telzey story "Resident Witch". yet another short story by Hank Dempsey (Harry Harrison). No book reviews this issue.

June brings us back to some good old Hard Rivet type science fiction, "Star Light" by Hal Clement. This sequel to "Mission of Gravity" will take four issues to present. Beatiful cover by Kelly Freas. A reissue of "Mission of Gravity" is reviewed, along with Frank Herbert's "Dune Messiah". Short fiction include another Telzey tale, yet another "Hank Dempsy" stroy and one by Keith Laumer.

In July Leo Summers slipped a cover in..freas must have been napping. I like Summer's paintings a lot more than his line work for interiors. Like two different artists. The lead story is by Chilson. Of course the serial continues.Jack Wodhams has a story, and for the first time this year, NO Harry Harrison. Miller reviews Bradbury's " I Sing the Body Electric! " among others.

Kelly Freas' August cover matches the tone of his first one for "Star Light". Clement is one of my favorites. Wallace Macfarlane and Howard Meyers offer forgetable stories. Rob Chilson and Ben Bova both also have tales this issue. Miller reviews a bunch of Heinlein works.

September, and Frea's cover for "Lost Newton" by Stanley Schmidt features an optical illusion called a blivet. Clement's novel concludes. The fact article this month is about nuclear power. There is a Rimwold story by Bertram Chandler, 3 novels by Theodore Sturgeon get reviewed.

Another massive four part novel begins in September. Looking back, I remember wishing that they'd do less of that, and more self contained issues. The last time I looked at an issue of Analog, about 2 years ago, they were still doing it. Makes it hard for a casual reader to want o buy their mag off the rack. Freas, of course, does the cover that features Gordon Dickson's "The Tactics of Mistake" . which I quickly grew bored with at age 13. Someone not of the usual Campbell bullpen, Bob Shaw, got a story printed. Miller reviews a pile of Clifford Simak books.

November, and right winger Campbell rails against hippies in his editorial. Another Freas cover. An early Vernor Vinge story, "Bomb Scare" is the highlight of the issue. Herbert's "Whipping Star" gets reviewed.

December, and a nice cover by Freas for a rather lackluster story by ChilsonThe long Dickson novel plods on. Miller reviews Anderson's "A Circus of Hells"