Nature’s Warning: Classic Stories of Eco-Science Fiction

Ashley (Beyond Time, editor) compiles 11 thought-provoking sci-fi shorts written between 1903 and 1963 that explore ecological themes. Some see humans venturing through new worlds, like the explorers in Philip K. Dick’s “Survey Team” (1954) who discover remnants of civilization on Mars while looking for a haven from a destroyed Earth, and the scientists in Clifford D. Simak’s “Drop Dead” (1956), who are bamboozled by a strangely homogenous planet with bizarre chimera creatures. Human overreach has devastating environmental consequences in “The Man Who Hated Flies” (1929) by J.D. Beresford, in which a scientist’s synthesized fly-killing disease spreads unchecked, and Alfred Bester’s “Adam and No Eve” (1941), which sees a rocket accident annihilate life on Earth. There are some chilling suspense stories, as well: birds unexpectedly stop eating insects and let them despoil crops in Elizabeth Sanxay Holding’s “Shadow of Wings” (1954), and an egotistical bureaucrat is pursued by a threatening creature after chopping down a sacred tree in Margaret St Clair’s “The Gardener” (1949). A few of these pieces end on optimistic notes of human ingenuity, but many highlight the wanton destruction progress brings in its wake. The result is a well-balanced mix of tales showcasing just how long ecological concerns have propelled sci-fi explorations. (Nov.)