galacticjourney

[if you’re new to the Journey, read this to see what we’re all about!]

by Gideon Marcus

It is said that "No news is good news," but I imagine every publisher would disagree. After the big-ticket headlines of October of November involving the Cuban and Chinese/Indian episodes things have quieted down on the domestic and world fronts. The Cold War has thawed such that the only current evidence is a holey wall in Berlin and a small brushfire in Indochina. The Katanga crisis in The Congo approaches resolution. Even the latest manned space shot was a bore – six perfect orbits. The biggest news is about something that hasn't happened yet: Kennedy wants to lower taxes significantly to spur the economy. Of course, Conservatives oppose the move as they don't want to blow a hole in the deficit (a position I'm sure they will hold eternally).

This month's Analog, the last sf digest of the month, complements the news situation. It's filled with pages and pages of pages, none of which will likely stick with you long after you set it down. The stories in this month's issue don't even have the virtue of being terrible. Just redolent in that smug mediocrity that so frequently characterizes this mag, once the flagship of science fiction.