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by David Levinson

Medicine marches ahead

Last month, I wrote about the first human-to-human heart transplant by Dr. Christiaan Barnard in South Africa. It paired rather nicely with the start of the new Larry Niven serial. Niven’s serial continues, and heart transplants are still in the news.

On January 2nd, Dr. Barnard performed a second heart transplant. The patient this time was 58-year-old dentist Philip Blaiberg, receiving his new heart from 24-year-old Clive Haupt, who died of a massive cerebral hemorrhage. Mr. Blaiberg is still in the hospital as I write this, but is in good condition. Doctors aren’t sure when he’ll be able to return home, however they are hopeful.

Dr. Barnard (I.) and Philip Blaiberg (r.), probably before the surgery.

Just four days later, on the 6th, Dr. Norman Shumway performed the first successful heart transplant in the United States. Here, the recipient was 54-year-old steelworker Mike Kasparek (or Casparak, I’ve seen both in print), and the donor was 43-year-old Virginia May White, who was also the victim of a cerebral hemorrhage (sadly, while celebrating her 22nd wedding anniversary). Unfortunately, Mr. Kasperak only survived for 15 days, dying of liver failure on the 21st. Dr. Shumway has suggested that the new heart was the only functioning organ Mr. Kasparek had and said that greater care will need to be taken in the selection of prospective transplant patients.

Dr. Shumway at a press conference last fall (l.), Mike Kasperak and his wife, Ferne (r.)

Same old song

It’s business as usual in this month’s IF. We’ve got familiar faces giving us what we expect (good and bad), a newish name starting to show up in the American magazines, and our first time author.

This unpleasing collage is for Harlan’s new story. Art by Wenzel

Sunbeam Caress, by David Redd

Long ago, in an effort to control the weather, humanity caused the sun to become overactive. This wiped out civilization, killed off many species, and mutated others. Now, the ants rule the Earth, having merged to become the Racemind. They have bred many species back from extinction and telepathically control many to serve them. When strange crystal beings and others made purely of light begin to raid their farms and take over their slaves, the ants realize they have ignored the rest of the world for too long.

Part of the scouting party investigating the crystal entities. Art by Virgil Finlay

Imagine if J. G. Ballard wrote a 1920s-type, far-future fate of the Earth story. I have a fairly low tolerance for Ballard’s style, but Redd makes it work. This is a good story, with caveats. It’s a bit too long, and more importantly it’s hampered by not having any actual characters. If that Ballard-pulp combination sounds interesting, or if you like Ballard’s strange ecology stories, you’ll probably like this.

A high three stars.

Worlds to Kill, by Harlan Ellison

Jared is the preeminent mercenary leader in the galaxy, the man planetary governments seek out when they want to conquer the worlds of other star systems. He’s incredibly expensive, and worth it. But he’ll only take certain jobs. That’s because he’s actually working toward a personal goal, aided by the Machine, a computer he designed and built himself early in his career.

Jared consults the Machine. Art by Gaughan

This story has a more traditional structure than a lot of what Harlan’s written of late, but don’t let that fool you. It’s all Ellison: dark, sad, maybe a little more hopeful than usual.

Four stars.

Deadlier Specie, by David A. Kyle

Gregory MacKenzie is an exobiologist on Mars. He’s been kidnapped by aliens so that they can learn how humans think before a meeting with the chief diplomat from the U. N.

There’s almost a good story here. Unfortunately, it’s full of questionable puns and, worse still, ends with an implied sexist joke.

Two stars.

Caterpillar Express, by Robert A. Margroff

In a North America fractured by war, Bondman Y is investigating the disappearance of several trains (which are pulled by giant Venusian caterpillars). He’ll have to join forces with his counterparts from unfriendly nations to survive.

Y discovers the culprits behind the hijackings. Art by Vaughn Bodé

For some reason, Fred Pohl seems to like Margroff’s work, but I’ve never been impressed. This story hasn’t changed my mind. Dumb jokes, dumb plot. ‘Nuff said.

Two stars.

At Nycon #3, by Lin Carter

After a month’s absence, Our Man in Fandom delivers his report on the Worldcon in New York last year. Or at least the first half of it. This is mostly name-dropping. If you’re interested in the Worldcon, you’re better off reading the Journey’s con report. It’s more informative and has pictures.

Barely three stars, entirely for somewhat engaging writing.

Squatter’s Rights, by Hank Davis

An alien intelligence has an important message for humanity.

Just some vague atmosphere. Art by Gaughan

There’s not much to say about the story from this month’s new author. It shows some talent, it’s a little different, and it’s short.

Three stars.

Slowboat Cargo (Part 2 of 3), by Larry Niven

On the planet Plateau, Matt Keller has become involved with the Sons of Earth, who hope to overthrow the rule of the crew and become more than a labor force and source of organs. When the group was arrested, Matt managed to escape thanks to his strange ability to make people forget he exists. Meanwhile, a mysterious new technology has arrived from Earth via unmanned ramjet. As the last installment ended, Matt had entered the Hospital in the hope of setting the others free.

Matt stages a massive jailbreak, but only a handful—those close enough to him to benefit from his special ability—escape. This group includes Harry Kane, the group’s leader. He leads them to a house he expects to be empty so they can plan further. Intermingled with the escape, we follow chief policeman Jesus Pietro Castro as he leads the capture of the others.

The scene then shifts to planetary leader Millard Parlette, as he prepares to give a speech to the crew about the latest gift from Earth. This is just three and a half pages of exposition. But after the speech Parlette coincidentally goes to the house where Matt and the others are hiding. This allows him to make contact with Kane and begin working out an accord. Meanwhile, Matt and another of the rebels have infiltrated the Hospital again, but with different goals. This leads to them splitting up. To be concluded.

Matt leaves a message. Art by Adkins

There’s a lot of action this month, interspersed with nearly Heinlein-ian levels of political philosophy. Niven isn’t nearly as gifted at the latter as Heinlein, but it’s still an interesting exploration of the effects of a new technology on a society. The large chunk of exposition from Parlette’s notes is less successful. Watching him cut chunks of the speech because his listeners should know the information is a slight improvement over the cliched “As you know, Bob…” of old, but it’s still clunky. It also left me wondering how much of the speech notes are actually Niven’s notes for the novel.

A solid, slightly above average three stars.

Summing up

Fred Pohl opens this issue with another editorial rant against the New Wave. He seems to have decided that the movement is one of style over substance, while he’s more concerned with story, only liking stylistic experimentation if the story calls for it. I don’t know how he then justifies that Bob Sheckley acid trip last month, and his protests that the Redd in this issue isn’t New Wave ring a bit hollow to me. In any case, it looks as though we shouldn’t expect any real innovations in IF in the months to come.

A new Silverberg novel. That could be interesting. It might even be innovative.

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