Rating: 
Summary: Another alltime Great!!
Review: CM Kornbluth (with or without Pohl) was one of the finest and most prolific of the fifties sf writers. His biting wit (especially later on) and sardonic turn on events reminded me of Twain or Swift, although his subject matter wasn't the same (of course). See "the Little Black Bag", probably his most famous. Or search out the story that ends "here they come with an insulting thick rope.." No, you gotta read it to find out which one. Or "I know a word that will explode this planet like a stick of dynamite in a rotten apple". Great command of language and dovetailing character to subject matter-way ahead of his time.
Rating: 
Summary: Fascinating collection by too often overlooked writer
Review: Cyril Kornbluth died almost a half century ago, leaving behind many great stories written in SF's golden age. The short stories have been conveniently collected into one hardcover.Kornbluth's stories are not sweetness and light, he writes of the darkness in the human spirit, even in the point of view characters in the books. "The Little Black Bag" is an example of how the urge to do good can fall to evil. "That Share of Glory," perhaps his greatest work, is the tale of a young man of the future who learns that even our urge to violence, that we attempt to keep hidden, is very much a necessary part of the human spirit. Every story is a gem. While some are written in a style which now seems somwhat dated, it is easy to get past that and recognize the genius who wrote them.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating collection by too often overlooked writer
Review: Cyril Kornbluth died almost a half century ago, leaving behind many great stories written in SF's golden age. The short stories have been conveniently collected into one hardcover. Kornbluth's stories are not sweetness and light, he writes of the darkness in the human spirit, even in the point of view characters in the books. "The Little Black Bag" is an example of how the urge to do good can fall to evil. "That Share of Glory," perhaps his greatest work, is the tale of a young man of the future who learns that even our urge to violence, that we attempt to keep hidden, is very much a necessary part of the human spirit. Every story is a gem. While some are written in a style which now seems somwhat dated, it is easy to get past that and recognize the genius who wrote them.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best writers of SF of all time.
Review: Cyril Kornbluth's name should rank with Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, Robert Silverberg, and many others who are the great wise old ones of Science Fiction. Instead, due to his untimely death in the 1950's... he is forgotten. Today, we see that he could perdict the future in many ways. His story "The Marching Morons" shows this all too clearly. If it were not for Fred Pohl, Kornbluth would likely be totally forgotten by now. Get this book and read it. Then, get the Space Merchanants by Pohl and Kornbluth and read that. Classics of SF that all but forgotten, and they shouldn't be.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best writers of SF of all time.
Review: Cyril Kornbluth's name should rank with Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, Robert Silverberg, and many others who are the great wise old ones of Science Fiction. Instead, due to his untimely death in the 1950's... he is forgotten. Today, we see that he could perdict the future in many ways. His story "The Marching Morons" shows this all too clearly. If it were not for Fred Pohl, Kornbluth would likely be totally forgotten by now. Get this book and read it. Then, get the Space Merchanants by Pohl and Kornbluth and read that. Classics of SF that all but forgotten, and they shouldn't be.
Rating:
Summary: What Asimov's says.
Review: Di filipo summarized & paraphrased "What an invaluable trove this is, full of forty & fifty year old stories that read as fresh as any today. And the range! Kornbluth could do retief better than Laumer ('The Reversible Revolution' &'the city in the sofa'). He could be reminiscent of Bruce Sterling, Lem, Dick, De Camp, etc. As well as doing Swiftian satire like the marching morons. Kornbluth saw so clearly it hurt. To ease the hurt he chose laughter. As in his ironically prophetic tale 'gomez' where a brilliant math whiz dies at 39, we would like to say 'He died not too unhappy, after a good though short life with much satisfaction'." As for me I haven't read much Kornbluth, but he is one of the best ,if least known, of science fiction's satirist. I liked "Little black Bag" even though it was sort of darker than I usually like. If you have interest in Kornbluth this is recommended. One last thing kudos to NESFA for volumes like this that bring back the good old stuff.
Rating:
Summary: Blast from the past sci fi
Review: If you're looking for a compilation of insightful short sci fi stories, then this book is for you. Kornbluth was way ahead of his time and these stories are not of the cheesy variety as most "golden age" sci fi seems to be. Check it out, it'll be worth your time.
Rating:
Summary: Blast from the past sci fi
Review: If you're looking for a compilation of insightful short sci fi stories, then this book is for you. Kornbluth was way ahead of his time and these stories are not of the cheesy variety as most "golden age" sci fi seems to be. Check it out, it'll be worth your time.
Rating:
Summary: Blast from the past sci fi
Review: If you're looking for a compilation of insightful short sci fi stories, then this book is for you. Kornbluth was way ahead of his time and these stories are not of the cheesy variety as most "golden age" sci fi seems to be. Check it out, it'll be worth your time.
Rating:
Summary: A Fine Literary Legacy
Review: Kornbluth came out of that New York science fiction circle that produced Isaac Asimov and Fred Pohl, among many others. He died in his mid thirties or he would likely have been as familiar as these others to today's readers. Some of the finest moments in mid-Twentieth Century short science fiction are found here, including the award-winning "The Marching Morons." And some very interesting if quirky stuff. Kornbluth was prone to experiment, not content to mine the "mainstream." If you haven't read any Kornbluth, you may want to start elsewhere. His Share of Glory is a treat for the addicted, a newcomer to this author may want to try a lesser dose.
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