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by Gideon Marcus
Seven years ago, Egypt's Gamal Nasser, ascendant member of the junta that deposed the constitutional monarchy in '52, ululated his way across the Sinai tilting at the Israeli windmill. At stake was more than the nationalization of the Suez Canal or the subjugation of the Jewish State. Nasser's dream has always been a Pan-Arab Union, bringing the Arabs of North Africa and the Middle East under one flag (preferably his), and though Egypt's sword was blunted in that Arab-Israeli war, nevertheless, it was a rallying cry to achieve his dream.
The closest Nasser got was in 1958, when he bound his country and Syria in the hopefully titled "United Arab Republic." There were high hopes that Iraq would also join in. But the 1961 coup in Syria reduced the U.A.R. to the boundaries of the nation formerly known as Egypt.
Nevertheless, the dream lives on and may yet achieve reality. Egypt backed a coup in Yemen in 1962. Then, there was the recent Ba'athist coup in Iraq, rumored to have been assisted covertly by the United States. A similar event is underway as we speak in Syria (Egypt and Yemen have already voiced their full support). The Iraqi government is now talking about joining the U.A.R. And so, the Arab Union that features so prominently in Mack Reynold's "Black Africa" series may soon come to fruition.
I can't help but wonder if science fiction writer and editor Fred Pohl is taking a page from Nasser's book. As of last month, Pohl now helms three science fiction magazines, Galaxy, IF, and Worlds of Tomorrow, an empire of pages rivaled only by the twin magazines, Fantastic and Amazing, under the dominion of editor Cele Goldsmith. Will an SF Cold War break out? Perhaps a Personal Union like what happened under James I/VI of Great Britain? Either way, the fallout of Pohl's ambitions, unlike those of the Egyptian leader, can only be for the good of humanity. One need only look at the most recent issue of Galaxy for proof.
The Visitor at the Zoo, by Damon Knight
The first half of the magazine is taken up with a single novella set in the early 21st Century. A sentient alien from Brecht's World, a spiky biped, is brought to the Berlin Zoo to mate with another of its race. But when the creature swaps bodies with a young journalist, both of the resulting entities must learn to make the best of their situation.
Author Damon Knight has recently spent much more time editing, critiquing, and translating works from French authors than producing his own work. Visitor marks his first original story in quite a while. Knight manages to give the work just a trace of awkwardness, capturing the feel of a translated piece. At first, it reads like a farce, some Teutonic trifle from the pen of a decent German talent. But Visitor is really a story about what it means to be human, the indignity (and arbitrariness) of being designated a sub-human, and the general indifference of most people to these issues. Effective satire and enjoyable (most of the time — some bits are hard to take) reading. Four stars.
The Lonely Man, by Theodore L. Thomas
Is the value of a colony its ability produce goods that can't be made at home? Or is the act of colonization itself a worthy pursuit? Thomas draws a fine portrait of a reticent genius, an engineer whose mind is a wellspring of inventions that require other worlds as sites of manufacture. But said engineer's motivation is extraterrestrial sojourn — the benefit to humanity is secondary. Four stars for this well-drawn piece.
My Lady Selene, by Magnus Ludens
Back in 1957, Isaac Asimov wrote a story about the Moon, and what mysteries might be dispelled once we got there. The Good Doctor's take on it was strictly for laughs, and since the flight of Luna 3, also outdated.
Ludens' tale is a more serious but no less whimsical variation on the theme — what will we find when we get there? Selene is a tale of the first human on the Moon, and how he does his level best to preserve the spirit of wonder associated with our planet's companion. Nicely done, perhaps a tad overwrought. Three stars.
For Your Information: The Great Siberian Space Craze, by Willy Ley
Galaxy's columnist (goodness — almost 13 years already!) has a good article on the Siberian Tunguska blast of 1908 and its likely origins. It's an interesting look at science behind the Iron Curtain, and the first good explanation I've read as to why the object that decimated dozens of square miles of forest couldn't have been a spaceship. Four stars.
On the Fourth Planet, by J. F. Bone
Veterinarian and veteran author Jesse Bone gives us this fascinating tale of the fateful first contact between the pseudopodian Martians and the metallic Terrans. Plausible, thoughtful, even beautiful. I won't spoil more (though Finlay's lovely art spoils plenty). Five stars.
Voyage to Far N'jurd, by Kris Neville
Lastly, we have the latest from Kris Neville, a fellow who sometimes turns out good stuff, but more reliably turns out bad stuff. N'jurd is in the latter category. While the words Neville wrote are certainly in English, they are not strung together in a way that makes a coherent story — certainly not an enjoyable one. Something about a colony ship and the traditions that grow after many generations of travel. Maybe. Again, it's ersatz English. One star.
Despite the disappointing finish, this month's Galaxy was otherwise fine and quick reading. And at half-again as large as any other magazine on the market, it makes a fine core for Pohl's burgeoning Empire of prose. Lecturi te salutant!
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