James Nicoll Reviews

Doris Piserchia’s 1976 A Billion Days of Earth is a standalone SF novel.

A billion days from now — which translates to some three million years — humanity has become a race of gods. Evolution (as well as genetic tinkering) has resulted in a world filled with super-capable humans and new non-human species … many of which are as smart as humans of our time, if not as smart as the godlike humans. These new species can also be as foolish as humans of our time (which, as we know to our sorrow, can be foolish indeed).

Into this world comes a new predator. 

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Edmund Cooper’s 1973 The Tenth Planet is a standalone SF novel. 

Having challenged the Earth’s capacity to accommodate overpopulation and pollution (and lost), the bulk of humanity faces an inevitable demise due to rapid-onset climate change and the chaos that follows. Everyone on Earth, even the large-breasted women, will die. Only the colonies on the Moon and on Mars might survive what is to come. 

Under Idris Hamilton’s command, the Dag Hammarskjold sets off from Woomera, intent on delivering one last cargo of children slumbering away in cold sleep. Scarcely has the spacecraft set out than three explosive devices set by saboteurs, disgruntled at being left behind, blow the Dag Hammarskjoldapart, killing all aboard. 

Five thousand years later…

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Swamp Thing issues 1 to 10 were published between 1972 and 1973; they were written by Len Wein and drawn by horror artist Bernie Wrightson. Swamp Thing is a horror comic that takes place in the DC Universe. 

The American government is determined to protect scientists Alec and Linda Holland from malevolent forces. The government sequesters the couple in an isolated, poorly guarded refurbished barn. But hey, it’s secret!

Security by obscurity has failed by the time the Hollands arrive at their new lab. The consequences are dire.

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Charles Sheffield’s 1979 Vectors is a collection of science fiction stories, one that contains the majority of Sheffield’s short pieces published prior to 1980. 

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1980’s Star Driver is a standalone SF novel by G. Harry Stine, writing under the pen name Lee Correy. It ended a twenty-four-year hiatus in Stine’s SF novel writing career. A flurry of novels followed.

Government funding cuts end astronomer Mike Call’s research project and his job. This is a big problem, because Call is qualified (experience counts!) but he is under-credentialled. Many possible jobs are out of his reach.

Call isn’t just a scientist. He is a trained pilot. NEMECO can use a man like him. 

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1973’s Hiero’s Journey is the first volume in Sterling E. Lanier’s Hiero Desteen series. 

7476 AD: Accompanied by the intelligent bear Gorm, Secondary Priest-Exorcist, Primary Rover, and Senior Killman Hiero Desteen rides his telepathic war moose Klootz into the heart of darkest former America in quest of a fabled computer. Whatever a ​“computer” might be.

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Phyllis Gotlieb’s 1964 Sunburst is a standalone science fiction novel.

Sandra Ruth ​“Shandy” Johnson has never been tested for psionic powers. She is determined to maintain this state of affairs. Unfortunately for her, Jason Hammer has his eye on her.

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1970’s A Thunder of Stars is the first volume in Dan Morgan and John Kippax’s Venturer science fiction series, which showcases the adventures of the Venturer 12 and its crew.

Humanity has spread out across thousands of the nearer stars. Vast, amoral corporations like the Excelsior Corporation have built and populated colonies — but it is up to the Space Corps to establish the rule of law¹ and deal with crises. It’s responsible for a huge volume of space. Missions will last years. Crew must be dedicated and capable. But how to choose the crew?

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James H. Schmitz’s 1964 The Universe Against Her is a fix-up and expansion of the novelette Novice(1962) and the novella Undercurrents (1964).

Telzey Amberdon is a bright, fifteen-year-old second-year law student at the prestigious Pehanron College on Orado. Unfortunately for her, Telzey is not currently on Orado. She is on Jontarou, visiting her least-lovable aunt, Halet. Halet is full of saccharine spite; she has plans for her excessively intellectual niece. 

Halet is not the only person in whose schemes Telzey features.

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Ann Maxwell’s 1979 A Dead God Dancing is a science fiction novel set in her Concord universe.

The Concord takes a hand-off approach to pre-spaceflight cultures, monitoring from afar but not interfering. Tal-Lith will be an exception. The unfortunate planet is about to be scoured clear of life by its misbehaving sun. If the inhabitants are to be saved, the Concord must act now.

The impending deadline forces the Concord to use agents who are available if not suitable. Tov Ryth Lhar, Nevin lo Skewml, T’Mero Verial Silariaoen, Skandiri-Li, and Syza Zomal are dispatched to Tal-Lith to prepare its people for the coming evacuation.

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