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Science Fiction Critic, v. 1, issue 6, December 1936
Page 7
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THE SCIENCE FICTION CRITIC 7 The Path, by Raymond Z. Gallun, presents an interesting question of celestial mechanics. Would the space ship pursue the path of a comet, as the author explains? I believe not. Mr. Gallun states that by the time the sphere had fallen back to the position held by the Sun when drawing the ship toward it, the Sun, moving rapidly through space, would be occupying a new position, and the ship, consequently, would not be consumed. He overlooked the fact that the ship would remain a part of the solar system, and along with the Sun and planets, would maintain a uniform velocity through space, so that in relation to the sphere, the Sun would remain stationary. If, on the other hand, the original velocity of the ship had been great enough to nullify the force drawing the solar system on, in that the sun would be moving in relation to it, the gravity of the Sun could not have slowed down and reversed the path of the sphere in the first place. The introduction of this error into the story was uncalled for, for had the ship fallen into the Sun, the hero would have died neither more or less effectively. Gallun is, I believe, a favorite who has outlived the justification of his popularity. His stories have become more purposeless in the past year or so. More care in and more reason for the writing of his stories would result in a smaller and superior output. Now let us turn - with pleasure? to Macklin's Little Friend, by H.W. Guernsey. This is a remarkable story. In the first pages it lays claim to being the best complete story in the magazine, and as the rapidly evolving plot progresses, it justifies not only this claim, I believe, but one as an outstanding (please see following page) A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR (concluded from page one) a[?] odds with ours will realize this, and as a result take our statements and a[?] statements made in the magazine for their critical value, and not as an intended affront to any one or any group of people or their beliefs. We hold the pages of this magazine open as a forum of discussion, and are anxious that everyone who wishes to make a statement of criticism, or enter into a discussion of questions raised in the magazine, does so. We cannot refuse to print any critical article which is written with enough ability to deserve inclusion in these pages, and with respect to our convictions, we must acknowledge the merits of statements which may would them. Such is the spirit of criticism. If we can relay a feeling of that spirit to our readers, a brave task will have been done.
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THE SCIENCE FICTION CRITIC 7 The Path, by Raymond Z. Gallun, presents an interesting question of celestial mechanics. Would the space ship pursue the path of a comet, as the author explains? I believe not. Mr. Gallun states that by the time the sphere had fallen back to the position held by the Sun when drawing the ship toward it, the Sun, moving rapidly through space, would be occupying a new position, and the ship, consequently, would not be consumed. He overlooked the fact that the ship would remain a part of the solar system, and along with the Sun and planets, would maintain a uniform velocity through space, so that in relation to the sphere, the Sun would remain stationary. If, on the other hand, the original velocity of the ship had been great enough to nullify the force drawing the solar system on, in that the sun would be moving in relation to it, the gravity of the Sun could not have slowed down and reversed the path of the sphere in the first place. The introduction of this error into the story was uncalled for, for had the ship fallen into the Sun, the hero would have died neither more or less effectively. Gallun is, I believe, a favorite who has outlived the justification of his popularity. His stories have become more purposeless in the past year or so. More care in and more reason for the writing of his stories would result in a smaller and superior output. Now let us turn - with pleasure? to Macklin's Little Friend, by H.W. Guernsey. This is a remarkable story. In the first pages it lays claim to being the best complete story in the magazine, and as the rapidly evolving plot progresses, it justifies not only this claim, I believe, but one as an outstanding (please see following page) A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR (concluded from page one) a[?] odds with ours will realize this, and as a result take our statements and a[?] statements made in the magazine for their critical value, and not as an intended affront to any one or any group of people or their beliefs. We hold the pages of this magazine open as a forum of discussion, and are anxious that everyone who wishes to make a statement of criticism, or enter into a discussion of questions raised in the magazine, does so. We cannot refuse to print any critical article which is written with enough ability to deserve inclusion in these pages, and with respect to our convictions, we must acknowledge the merits of statements which may would them. Such is the spirit of criticism. If we can relay a feeling of that spirit to our readers, a brave task will have been done.
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