Tales Of Ten Worlds by Arthur C. Clarke
01/12/2003 . Source: Geoff Willmetts 
pub: Gollancz. 245 page paperback. Price: £ 5.99 (UK). ISBN: 0-575-07496-5. Buy from Amazon US - Buy from Amazon UK
nb: US titles may only be available from Amazon US, and UK titles from Amazon UK. check
out website: www.orionbooks.co.uk
In the Arthur C. Clarke reality circa
1962, there was an extreme belief that the dream of Man taking his
place out in the planets would come about rather than be eventually
bogged than by politicians who'd rather remained earthbound or at
most, no further than Earth orbit.
 These
fifteen short stories with nary a one called after the overall book
title therefore falls into line with your traditional hard SF with
no aliens but a lot about our planets as perceived in the 60s together
with some rather solid story-telling with only the last story failing
to maintain my interest.
Of particular interest is 'Death And The Senator' simply because
it demonstrates Clarke's practical prophesy signifying the death
of astronauts aboard a shuttle coming down from Earth orbit.
None of these stories are space opera but they do demonstrate various
things about Man and his need for survival in various situations.
The odd case of 'Into
The Comet' for instance, long before the mobile computer depended on people using
abacuses to sort out the maths for a return to Earth from within a comet. 'Before
Eden' dealing with Man's waste products at the Venus ice pole - this was the 60s
before the recognition of how hellhouse the planet was - became the poisoned chalice.
With so many of Clarke's books being re-released, you're either
going to already own his books, getting fresh copies or finding
out about his early material if you've developed a taste for his
stories.
Looking at the early work of any successful author is never a wasted
effort and at such an affordable price, can easily be added to your
book collection.
GF Willmetts 
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