E Pluribus Unicorn

These thirteen short stories (published between 1947 and 1953) by Theodore Sturgeon are stamped with his own unique blend of horror and beauty. At the height of his popularity in the 1950s he was the most anthologized author alive, although now he may best be known for his two `Star Trek' episodes, "Amok Time" and "Shore Leave." Among the SF/Fantasy authors who acknowledge Sturgeon's influence on their own writings are Ray Bradbury and Harlan Ellison. The author Sturgeon reminds me of is Jerzy Kosiñski, who is best known for his novel, "The Painted Bird"--not because they wrote about the same subjects, but because they both forced their readers to acknowledge that beauty can be horrible and horror can be beautiful. Take your time with these stories. Sip their strange wine. "The Silken-Swift"--A unicorn must choose between a beautiful virago who is technically a virgin, and a woman who was raped by one of the virago's frustrated suitors. "The Professor's Teddy-Bear"--A monstrous teddy-bear feeds on a little boy's dreams of his own future. "Bianca's Hands"--A man falls in love with a mentally handicapped woman's hands. "A Saucer of Loneliness"--A flying saucer seeks out the lonliest people on Earth. "The World Well Lost"--Two aliens who are deeply in love with each other must be returned as prisoners to the planet of their origin. What horrible crime have they committed? "It Wasn't Syzygy"--Gloria meets the man of her dreams, then rejects him for a hunk who probably spits and scratches at his crotch in public. What happens to the dream guy? "The Music"--A page-and-a-half story that might be the murderous dream of an inhabitant of an insane asylum. "Scars"--A tale of sexual frustration as told by a cowboy riding fence with his partner. "Fluffy"--A cat-hating bunco artist and a cat discuss their individual philosophies of life. Pity the woman who loves both of them. "The Sex Opposite"--A newspaper reporter and a forensic pathologist attempt to solve the murders of two lovers in a park. Another tale of `syzygy.' "Die, Maestro, Die!"--Very atmospheric tale of a road band and the man who hated its leader. "Cellmate"--A con gets a new cellmate who speaks in two different voices. "A Way of Thinking"--Kelly's kid brother is dying of multiple obnoxious diseases. What will Kelly do when he learns who is murdering the boy? Sturgeon used his own background as a sailor in the merchant marine to great effect in this story.

"E Pluribus Unicorn" is a collection of 13 short fiction stories from one of speculative fiction's best known authors. There are no science fiction stories; instead there is a mix of horror and fantasy. The stories were written between 1947 and 1953 and with the exception of one story were all published before in a variety of the magazines from that era. In addition, there is an "Essay on Sturgeon" written as an introduction to the book, by Groff Conklin. Most of the stories are very good, and two of them have been recognized recently by the SF community. "The World Well Lost" was awarded the Spectrum Hall Of Fame award in 2004 (In a tie with "Slow River" by Nicola Griffith, and "Swordspoint" by Ellen Kushner). "A Saucer of Loneliness" was nominated for the Retro Hugo for short stories (eligible in 1953) which were given out in 2004. The remainder of the stories are also worthwhile reading.

Theodore Sturgeon is one of the best science fiction writers on the planet, and this anthology bears that out. From the shortest to the longest, these stories evoke emotion and interest from the reader that keeps you coming back for more. A masterpiece!

This is one of the best collections of short fiction I have ever read. Sturgeon does things with prose that are usually only done with poetry.