Every great writer has to begin somewhere. Here, in one star-studded volume, are the debut stories from some of science fiction's best and brightest-with insightful new introductions by the authors themselves.
These are stories that launched the careers of Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke, Anne McCaffrey, Orson Scott Card, L. Sprague de Camp, George R.R. Martin, Murray Leinster, Hal Clement, and other stellar talents.
Contents: Introduction / by Steven H. Silver -- Introduction to The runaway skyscraper / by Betty Dehardit. The runaway skyscraper / by Murray Leinster -- Introduction to The isolinguals ; The isolinguals / by L. Sprague de Camp -- Introduction to Freedom of the race ; Freedom of the race / by Anne McCaffrey -- About Proof, of course ; Proof / by Hal Clement -- Introduction to Loophole ; Loophole / by Arthur C. Clarke -- Deadeye : writing The dead man ; The dead man / by Gene Wolfe -- Introduction to We're coming through the window ; We're coming through the window / by Barry N. Malzberg -- Introduction to The hero ; The hero / by George R.R. Martin -- My (other) world and welcome to it : writing Lunchbox ; Lunchbox / by Howard Waldrop -- The origin of Ender's game ; Ender's game / by Orson Scott Card -- Introduction to The Emerson effect ; The Emerson effect / by Jack McDevitt -- The writing of Much ado about nothing ; Much ado about nothing / by Jerry Oltion -- Introduction to Barter ; Barter / by Lois McMaster Bujold -- Introduction to The Xeelee flower ; The Xeelee flower / by Stephen Baxter -- Introduction to Dance in blue ; Dance in blue / by Catherine Asaro -- Introduction to TeleAbsence ; TeleAbsence / by Michael A. Burstein -- Introduction to First Contact, Inc. ; First Contact, Inc. / by Jule E. Czerneda