Killdozer! by Theodore Sturgeon
The third volume of a collection of all of Theodore Sturgeon’s short stories is titled Killdozer! Some of his best and most well-known short stories are included in it, including “Medusa,” “Killdozer!” and “Mewhu’s Jet.” Paul Williams, the editor of the series, has delved into the history of each tale and discovered a wealth of fascinating trivia about Sturgeon. The original alternate ending of “Mewhu’s Jet” is particularly intriguing in this book.
Killdozer! by Theodore Sturgeon
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The best science fiction short story author is Theodore Sturgeon. This is a notable achievement in a genre like science fiction, one of the few where short stories are still frequently present in the literary world. This is merely a factual declaration. Ask any of the Giants, the other outstanding short story authors in the genre, such as Robert Silverberg, Ray Bradbury, and Harlan Ellison. Each of them would be more than happy to declare Sturgeon to be the finest. In his book, Isaac Asimov expressed admiration for Ted Sturgeon’s body of work.
The tale comments at the conclusion of this collection of his short stories, which North Atlantic Books has been publishing so sweetly under the excellent editorial direction of Paul Williams, are what I really like about it. Williams has delved into the history of each tale and unearthed a wealth of fascinating facts about the great author. The original alternate ending of “Mewhu’s Jet” is particularly intriguing in this book.
The book also includes quotations and asides from Sturgeon about his own writing, stories, and the reasons why he came up with some of them. There are also relevant notes from people who Sturgeon conversed with throughout the years regarding writing and particular stories. The most significant are the remarks made by John W. Campbell, Jr., the magazine’s editor in the 1940s.
Sturgeon’s connections with Campbell were crucial to his growth as a writer because Campbell is likely the single most significant influence on all Science Fiction. Like many other writers, Sturgeon later ignored Campbell, but he never forgot where he had come from.
Not only was Theodore Sturgeon a master of science fiction, but he was also a terrific writer. Alas Poor Yorrick, a two-page story that demonstrates a writer who has a deep love of humanity with all its flaws, is one of the best stories in this collection and may be the best anti-war story I have ever read. This collection shows him just getting started. There are pure science fiction stories in this collection, such as Medusa.
