Favorites of a Grand Master

 kw: book reviews, science fiction, short stories, collections

If you know who Ben Bova is, no introduction is needed. If not, I cannot presume to provide one that is adequate. Once called "the last of the great pulp fiction writers," he shaped science fiction as a genre beginning late in the "Golden Era", around 1960, and continuing until his death in 2020. His last book (of 120), published in 2020, is Ben Bova: My Favorites.

Fourteen short stories, fourteen quite diverse topics. Lengths range from 8 to 42 pages. A couple are space opera, with spaceships that fit in the same conceptual space as automobiles; they just need to get you somewhere. A few are alternative history, including the only story with aliens, "The Great Moon Hoax, or, a Princess of Mars," in which not only do Martians help NASA fake the surveillance of Mars and Venus, but also to confine Moon landings to places that won't expose them…and, just by the way, a couple of other big things are faked also, but I don't have the heart to do that level of spoiler.

One touching story is titled "Muzhestvo". We learn at the end what the word means, and why it is important. This didn't have to be a science fiction story, but in that setting it is fitting.

However, without pointing fingers, even though Bova has now passed away, a few stories are definitely not among my favorites. They are just crass; he had an axe to grind, and no writer is helped by grinding his axe in public.

That's enough from me. Whether you'd agree with which stories I might like or not like, this book is definitely worth reading.