Search Worlds Without End

In the far distant future, the Anomian League--an interstellar protectorate which serves as a guardian over the far flung worlds of mankind--is faced with a possible rebellion on the world of Seker. The Ophidians, an alien race engineered from the DNA of humans, snakes and other creatures, had in the past used their psionic powers to enslave all of humanity. In the end, after a devastating war, the Ophidians were exiled to the backwater world of Seker where they have stayed ever since.

The book that defines state-of-the-art science fiction.

Table of Contents:

• Preface - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• 1984, Nineteen Eighty-Four, and Other SF Novels, Signs, and Portents - essay by Algis Budrys
• New Rose Hotel - (1984) - shortstory by William Gibson
• Me and My Shadow - (1984) - shortstory by Mike Resnick
• Hard Science in the Real World - essay by Gregory Benford
• Me/Days - (1984) - shortstory by Gregory Benford
• Silicon Muse - (1984) - shortstory by Hilbert Schenck
• The Dominus Demonstration - (1984) - novelette by Charles Sheffield
• The Crystal Spheres - (1984) - shortstory by David Brin
• The Strange Journey: 1984 - essay by James E. Gunn
• A Day in the Life of a Classics Professor - (1984) - shortstory by Stan Dryer
• The Picture Man - (1984) - shortstory by John Dalmas
• The Weigher - (1984) - novella by Eric Vinicoff and Marcia Martin
• Demon Lover - (1984) - novelette by M. Sargent Mackay
• Tourist Trade - (1984) - novelette by Robert Silverberg
• 1984: The Fifty-Candle Blowout - essay by Michael Glyer

H. Beam Piper is one of science fiction's most enigmatic writers. In 1946 Piper appeared seemingly from out of nowhere, already at the top of his form. He published a number of memorable short stories in the premier science fiction magazine of the time, Astounding Science Fiction, under legendary editor John W. Campbell. Piper quickly became friends with many of the top writers of the day, including Lester Del Rey, Fletcher Pratt, Robert Heinlein and L. Sprague de Camp. Piper also successfully made the turn from promising short story writer to major novelist, authoring Four-Day Planet, Cosmic Computer, Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen and Little Fuzzy, which was nominated for a Hugo award.

Even those who counted Piper among their friends knew very little about the man or his life as a railroad yard bull in Altoona, Pennsylvania. This biography illuminates H. Beam Piper, both the writer and the man, and answers lingering questions about his death. Appendices include a number of Piper's personal papers, a complete bibliography of Piper's works, and an essay on Piper's Terro-Human Future History series.

Contained in this volume are stories and articles with space colonies, dictators, ambassadors, utopias, colleges of the future, cults, alien invaders, and interstellar politics.

Contents:

• Republic and Empire - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• Outward Bound - (1964) - novelette by Norman Spinrad
• In the Realm of the Heart, in the World of the Knife - (1985) - short story by Wayne Wightman
• Litany for Dictatorships - (1935) - poem by Stephen Vincent Benét^?
• Doing Well While Doing Good - [Chap Foey Rider - 2] - (1975) - short story by Hayford Peirce
• The Last Department - (1886) - poem by Rudyard Kipling
• Constitution - [Editorial (Analog)] - (1961) - essay by John W. Campbell, Jr. (variant of Constitution for Utopia)
• Minor Ingredient - (1956) - short story by Eric Frank Russell
• The Turning Wheel - (1954) - novelette by Philip K. Dick
• Reactionary Utopias - (1986) - essay by Gregory Benford
• These Shall Not Be Lost - [The Philosophical Corps] - (1953) - novelette by Everett B. Cole
• Data vs. Evidence in the Voodoo Sciences - [The Alternate View] - (1983) - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• Nicaragua: A Speech to My Former Comrades on the Left - (1986) - essay by David Horowitz
• The Gods of the Copybook Headings - (1911) - poem by Rudyard Kipling
• Custom Fitting - (1976) - novelette by James White
• Conquest by Default - (1968) - novelette by Vernor Vinge
• The Skills of Xanadu - (1956) - novelette by Theodore Sturgeon
• Into the Sunset - (1986) - short story by D. C. Poyer
• Shipwright - [Courtship Rite Universe] - (1978) - novelette by Donald Kingsbury
• Empire and Republic: Crisis and Future - essay by Jerry Pournelle

Empires do not grow old gracefully. As the edifice of ancient government succumbs to entropy, as civil war reigns, the result is indeed "interesting times," the times of interstellar Huns locked in mortal combat with Imperial storm troopers.

Contents:

• The Crash of Empires - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• Pebble Among the Stars - (1976) - novelette by Gregory Benford (variant of Seascape)
• The Claw and the Clock - [Federation of Humanity] - (1971) - novelette by Christopher Anvil
• The Only Thing We Learn - (1949) - short story by C. M. Kornbluth
• Remembering Vietnam - (1987) - essay by H. J. Kaplan
• Blessed Are the Meek - (1955) - short story by G. C. Edmondson
• Limiting Factor - (1954) - short story by Theodore R. Cogswell
• Triage - (1976) - short story by William Walling
• Hyperdemocracy - [Editorial (Astounding)] - (1958) - essay by John W. Campbell, Jr.
• Chain Reaction - (1957) - novelette by Algis Budrys
• Earthman's Burden - (1954) - short story by Morton Klass
• Blood Bank - (1952) - novella by Walter M. Miller, Jr.
• Here, There Be Witches - [The Philosophical Corps] - (1970) - novelette by Everett B. Cole
• The Buzz of Joy - [Tower to the Sky] - (1989) - short story by Phillip C. Jennings
• Second Contact - (1988) - novella by W. R. Thompson
• The Quest - (1896) - poem by Rudyard Kipling

Table of Contents:

• Introduction (Nebula Award Stories 16) - (1982) - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• Grotto of the Dancing Deer - (1980) - shortstory by Clifford D. Simak
• Why Is There So Little Science in Literature? - (1982) - essay by Gregory Benford
• Ginungagap - (1980) - novelette by Michael Swanwick
• Unicorn Tapestry - (1980) - novella by Suzy McKee Charnas
• 1980: Whatever Weirdness Lingers - (1982) - essay by Michael Glyer
• Rautavaara's Case - (1980) - shortstory by Philip K. Dick
• 1980: The Year in Fantastic Films - (1982) - essay by Bill Warren
• The Ugly Chickens - (1980) - novelette by Howard Waldrop
• What Did 1980 Mean? - (1982) - essay by Algis Budrys
• Secrets of the Heart - (1980) - shortstory by Charles L. Grant
• Appendixes - (1982) - essay by uncredited

Table of Contents:

• The Insurmountable Opportunity - (1980) - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• Author's Note - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• Editor's Introduction to: The Moon Goddess and the Son by Donald Kingsbury - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• The Moon Goddess and the Son - (1979) - novella by Donald Kingsbury
• Editor's Introduction to: Space and the Longevity of Man by Stefan T. Possony and Jerry Pournelle - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• Space and the Longevity of Man - (1981) - essay by Stefan T. Possony and Jerry Pournelle
• Editor's Introduction to: Down & Out on Ellfive Prime by Dean Ing - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• Down & Out on Ellfive Prime - (1979) - novelette by Dean Ing
• Editor's Introduction to: The Study Syndrome by Jerry Pournelle - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• The Study Syndrome - (1980) - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• Editor's Introduction to: Three Poems by Helene Knox - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• Inner Space - (1979) - poem by Helene Knox
• Elegy - (1979) - poem by Helene Knox
• NASA - (1979) - poem by Helene Knox
• Editor's Introduction to: Our Lady of the Sauropods by Robert Silverberg - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• Our Lady of the Sauropods - (1980) - shortstory by Robert Silverberg
• Editor's Introduction to: Two Poems by Steven Rasnic Tem - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• Lighting the Colony - (1980) - poem by Steve Rasnic Tem
• Seeding the Last Freedom - (1980) - poem by Steve Rasnic Tem
• Editor's Introduction to: How to Build a Beanstalk by Charles Sheffield - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• How to Build a Beanstalk - (1979) - essay by Charles Sheffield
• Editor's Introduction to: Sky Stalk by Charles Sheffield - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• Sky Stalk - novelette by Charles Sheffield (variant of Skystalk 1979)
• Editor's Introduction to: Invisible Encounter by Dian Girard - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• Invisible Encounter - shortstory by Dian Girard
• How to Become a Space Colonist - (1979) - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• Editor's Introduction to: Bellerophon by Kevin Christensen - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• Bellerophon - (1980) - novella by Kevin Christensen
• Editor's Introduction to: The High-Lifter Trilogy by Robert Frazier - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• The High-Lifter Trilogy - poem by Robert Frazier
• Editor's Introduction to: Designing a Dyson Sphere by Jack Williamson - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• Designing a Dyson Sphere - (1976) - essay by Jack Williamson
• Editor's Introduction to: Conservation of Mass by Karl T. Pflock - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• Conservation of Mass - (1981) - shortstory by Karl T. Pflock
• Editor's Introduction to: The Quiet by George Florance-Guthridge - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• The Quiet - (1981) - shortstory by George Guthridge
• Editor's Introduction to: Psi-Rec: Of Anabasis and Bivouac, the Swarmcantor by Peter Dillingham - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• Psi-Rec: Of Anabasis and Bivouac, the Swarmcantor - poem by Peter Dillingham
• Editor's Introduction to: Our Many Roads to the Stars by Poul Anderson - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• Our Many Roads to the Stars - (1975) - essay by Poul Anderson
• Editor's Introduction to: Exploring Infrastellar Space by Dr. Robert L. Forward - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• Exploring Infrastellar Space - (1977) - essay by Robert L. Forward
• Editor's Introduction to: Shapes of Things to Come by John F. Carr - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• Shapes of Things to Come - shortstory by John F. Carr
• Editor's Introduction to: The Endless Frontier and the Thinking Machine by Hans P. Moravec - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• The Endless Frontier and the Thinking Machine - (1978) - essay by Hans Moravec
• Editor's Introduction to: Songs of a Spacefarer by Judith R. Conly - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• Songs of a Spacefarer - poem by Judith R. Conly
• Editor's Introduction to: Redeemer by Gregory Benford - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• Redeemer - (1979) - shortstory by Gregory Benford
• Dear Mr. President - (1980) - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• Afterword - essay by Jerry Pournelle

Someday in the near future, our pioneer spirit will take us to the stars. But how will be organize our colonies? What unforeseen dangers will we face? And who will be chosen to go? Now today's masters of science fiction offer some startling possibilities...

ROBERT A. HEINLEIN investigates the mystery of a lead coffin, launched from a radioactive moon base.
ROBERT SILVERBERG welcomes a newcomer without eyes to a new world where the blind lead the blind.
JERRY POURNELLE launches Earth politics into space... along with Earth greed and corruption.
NORMAN SPINRAD explores science-fact-and-fiction, from classis Robert A. Heinlein to cyberpunk William Gibson.

Table of Contents:

• The Endless Frontier - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• Consort - (1975) - shortstory by Jerry Pournelle
• The Free Agent - (1981) - novelette by Michael Cassutt
• What Are These Lagrange Points, Anyway? - essay by Doug Beason
• The Christmas Count - (1991) - shortstory by Henry Melton
• The Lagrange League Stationary Habitats - poem by William John Watkins
• When Silver Plums Fall - (1989) - poem by Bruce Boston
• High Flight - (1955) - poem by John Gillespie Magee, Jr.
• Lifeguard - (1987) - novelette by Doug Beason
• New Worlds in Space - essay by Norman Spinrad
• The Software Plague - (1985) - novelette by John Park
• Blindsight - (1986) - novelette by Robert Silverberg
• Access to Space: SSX - essay by Jim Ransom
• Ghost Town - (1983) - novelette by Chad Oliver
• Poppa Was a Catcher - (1987) - novella by Steven Gould
• In Appreciation: Robert A. Heinlein - (1988) - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• The Long Watch - (1949) - shortstory by Robert A. Heinlein

A collection of fact and fiction surrounding space exploration features a work by Poul Anderson, Jerry Pournelle's look at pioneer know-how in space, Charles Sheffield's tale of a space battle between the young and old, and more.

Table of Contents:

• Foreword: The Endless Frontier - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• Life Among the Asteroids - (1975) - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• Tinker - (1975) - novelette by Jerry Pournelle
• Tool Dresser's Law - (1989) - novelette by Jack Clemons
• The Grand Tour - (1987) - shortstory by Charles Sheffield
• Industrial Revolution - (1963) - novella by Poul Anderson
• Those Pesky Belters and Their Torchships - (1974) - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• Traveling Salesman - shortstory by Peter L. Manly
• Teddy Bug and the Hot Purple Snowball - (1986) - novelette by Phillip C. Jennings
• Stealing a Zero-G Cow - novelette by Brooks Peck
• Asteroids: The Better Resource - essay by Eric Drexler
• Iceslinger - novelette by John Hegenberger
• Ginungagap - (1980) - novelette by Michael Swanwick
• Afterword: Nunc Dimittis - essay by Jerry Pournelle

In the beginning spears were "high-tech", and the most that one weapon could accomplish at one time was one death. But millennia passed and techniques improved. By the time of the Romans a lucky bolt might impale a file of infantry. By the dreadful 20th century the very existence of the race - we still were earth-bound, then - was at risk. But somehow, even though the weapons grew ever more terrible, that risk was averted and humanity gained first the planets and then the stars. And still the weapons grew, until the very universe has cause to fear the wrath of Man...

Table of Contents:

• Preface - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• Reflex - (1982) - shortstory by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle
• Spanish Man's Grave - (1947) - shortstory by James Warner Bellah
• Marius - (1957) - shortstory by Poul Anderson
• The Soviet Strategic Threat From Space - (1981) - essay by The Citizens' Advisory Council on National Space Policy
• Ender's Game - (1977) - novelette by Orson Scott Card
• A Death in Realtime - (1981) - shortstory by Richard S. McEnroe
• Overdose - (1975) - shortstory by Spider Robinson
• Saul's Death - poem by Joe Haldeman
• The Good News of High Frontier - (1982) - essay by Robert A. Heinlein
• Project High Frontier - (1982) - essay by Daniel O. Graham
• City-Killer - poem by Jonathan V. Post
• Ground Zero - poem by Jonathan V. Post
• Diasporah - shortstory by W. R. Yates
• His Truth Goes Marching On - (1975) - novelette by Jerry Pournelle
• THOR: Orbital Weapon System - (1981) - essay by The Citizens' Advisory Council on National Space Policy
• The Defenders - (1953) - novelette by Philip K. Dick
• Unlimited Warfare - (1974) - shortstory by Hayford Peirce
• The Battle - (1954) - shortstory by Robert Sheckley
• Mercenaries and Military Virtue - (1979) - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• Ranks of Bronze - (1975) - shortstory by David Drake
• I Am Nothing - (1952) - shortstory by Eric Frank Russell
• Call Him Lord - (1966) - novelette by Gordon R. Dickson
• Quiet Village - (1970) - novelette by David McDaniel
• The Strategy of Technology - (1982) - essay by Jerry Pournelle
• The Widow's Party - (1892) - poem by Rudyard Kipling