galacticjourney

by Gideon Marcus

What a tumultuous year this has been. War scares, pitched congressional fights, escalating civil rights conflicts, celebrity deaths...yes, I definitely can't wait to see the back-side of 1962. It is easy to get caught up in the unceasing drone of bad news. That's why, at times like these, it's helpful to look back on the bright points of the year. For instance, segregation was dealt several blows in the South with schools across Dixie admitting their first Black students. The balloon did not go up over Laos, Berlin, or Cuba, thanks in part to the expert manuevering of our President. John Glenn showed that the pioneering spirit of America still soars high, and it is likely that humanity will have touched another world before the decade is out.

Science fiction, too, had some setbacks. Some of my favorite magazines suffered a distinct drop in quality this year. If you are a regular reader, you've experienced what must seem an unmitigated litany of complaint -- after all, there were a lot of one and two-star stories.

But looking back on the last twelve months and cataloging just the good stuff, it is reassuring just how much of it there truly was. And so, I end 1962 on a bright note with the Galactic Stars -- a summary of the very best this year had to offer scientifiction fans: