Masters of Science Fiction
by Pamela Sargent· 2025
Pamela Sargent’s imagined worlds are rich in detail. When asked what attracted her to SF, Pamela Sargent replied: “the idea that just about everything could be other than it is.” For more than five decades, she has written story after story, tempering imagination with controlled literary technique.
This collection assembles thirty-one of her stories, each followed by an original afterword.
A crowd of people begins to experience telepathy, which is wonderful until it isn’t. A widow uses time travel to console herself after the death of her lover. A young woman trains to compete in the novella race, hoping to bring home a gold medal. A cat with a voice like Jeremy Irons tells of his troubles and triumphs. An aspiring writer finds himself sitting next to the daughter of a late author whose work he loved.
Among the works included is “Danny Goes To Mars,” which takes us to a world in which Vice President Dan Quayle finds himself on a mission to Mars. “Hillary Orbits Venus” is also included. “Gather Blue Roses” depicts childhood in the shadow of the Holocaust. “A Smaller Government” features Hector, who sits on a bench in Lafayette Park listening to two homeless people debate, when the White House seems to disappear; it has shrunk, alongside everyone in it.
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Pamela Sargent’s imagined worlds are rich in detail. When asked what attracted her to SF, Pamela Sargent replied: “the idea that just about everything could be other than it is.” For more than five decades, she has written story after story, tempering imagination with controlled literary technique. This collection assembles thirty-one of her stories, each followed by an original afterword. A crowd of people begins to experience telepathy, which is wonderful until it isn’t. A widow uses time travel to console herself after the death of her lover. A young woman trains to compete in the novella race, hoping to bring home a gold medal. A cat with a voice like Jeremy Irons tells of his troubles and triumphs. An aspiring writer finds himself sitting next to the daughter of a late author whose work he loved. Among the works included is “Danny Goes To Mars,” which takes us to a world in which Vice President Dan Quayle finds himself on a mission to Mars. “Hillary Orbits Venus” is also included. “Gather Blue Roses” depicts childhood in the shadow of the Holocaust. “A Smaller Government” features Hector, who sits on a bench in Lafayette Park listening to two homeless people debate, when the White House seems to disappear; it has shrunk, alongside everyone in it.