''Orbit'' was a series of anthologies of new science fiction edited by

Damon Knight Damon Francis Knight (September 19, 1922 – April 15, 2002) was an American science fiction author, editor, and critic. He is the author of " To Serve Man", a 1950 short story adapted for ''The Twilight Zone''.Stanyard, ''Dimensions Behind ...

, often featuring work by such writers as

Gene Wolfe Gene Rodman Wolfe (May 7, 1931 – April 14, 2019) was an American science fiction and fantasy writer. He was noted for his dense, allusive prose as well as the strong influence of his Catholic faith. He was a prolific short story writer and no ...

Joanna Russ Joanna Russ (February 22, 1937 – April 29, 2011) was an American writer, academic and feminist. She is the author of a number of works of science fiction, fantasy and feminist literary criticism such as '' How to Suppress Women's Writing'', as ...

, R. A. Lafferty, and

Kate Wilhelm Kate Wilhelm (June 8, 1928 – March 8, 2018) was an American author. She wrote novels and stories in the science fiction, mystery, and suspense genres, including the Hugo Award–winning '' Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang''. Wilhelm establish ...

. The anthologies tended toward the

avant-garde In the arts and literature, the term ''avant-garde'' ( meaning or ) identifies an experimental genre or work of art, and the artist who created it, which usually is aesthetically innovative, whilst initially being ideologically unacceptable ...

edge of

science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...

, but by no means exclusively; occasionally the volumes featured nonfiction critical writing or humorous anecdotes by Knight. Inspired by

Frederik Pohl Frederik George Pohl Jr. (; November 26, 1919 – September 2, 2013) was an American list of science fiction authors, science-fiction writer, editor, and science fiction fandom, fan, with a career spanning nearly 75 years—from his first ...

's '' Star Science Fiction'' series, and in its turn an influence on other original

speculative fiction Speculative fiction is an umbrella term, umbrella genre of fiction that encompasses all the subgenres that depart from Realism (arts), realism, or strictly imitating everyday reality, instead presenting fantastical, supernatural, futuristic, or ...

anthologies, it ran for over a decade and twenty-one volumes, not including a 1975 "Best of" collection selected from the first ten volumes.

Rationale and publication history

In his Introduction to the final ''Orbit'' volume (no. 21), Knight wrote:

A series of original anthologies, like Fred Pohl's ''Star Science Fiction'', if it had hardcover, paperback, and book-club editions, could easily pay its way. I made up a proposal, called it ''Orbit'' more or less at random, and my agent sent it around ... Thomas A. Dardis, then editor-in-chief of Berkley, bought it, and we worked out the details. For a while Doubleday was interested in doing a hardcover edition, but that fell through; then Berkley was acquired by Putnam, and there was our hardcover edition ... What I wanted to do in ''Orbit'' was to bring about a revolution in science fiction, like Campbell's in the eary forties, Gold's and Boucher/McComas's in the fifties. My thesis was that there was no inherent reason why science fiction could not meet ordinary literary standards, but that the pulp tradition of forty years has enouraged ideas at the expense of writing skill. It seemed to me that the only way to cure this was to set high standards at the beginning, even if it meant pubishing a lot of fantasy and marginal material because most hard-core s.f. could not make the grade. Later, cocky with success, I followed this trail too far.

Knight listed

Gardner Dozois Gardner Raymond Dozois ( ; July 23, 1947 – May 27, 2018) was an American science fiction author and editor. He was the founding editor of '' The Year's Best Science Fiction'' anthologies (1984–2018) and was editor of '' Asimov's Science Fict ...

and

as two authors who he "took a chance on" and who then became frequent contributors to ''Orbit''. Dozois himself did not seem to be thrilled about the trajectory of ''Orbit'' or about the consequences of a continued association with Knight's series of anthologies. In an introduction to Wolfe's story ''

The Death of Doctor Island ''The Death of Doctor Island'' is a science fiction novella by American writer Gene Wolfe first published as ''The Death of Dr. Island'' in '' Universe 3'' (Editor Terry Carr, Random House, 1973). Synopsis Nicholas Kenneth de Vore is a teenage ...

'', Dozois wrote:

Wolfe remained seriously underappreciated throughout most of the decade
he 1970s He or HE may refer to: Language * He (letter), the fifth letter of the Semitic abjads * He (pronoun), a pronoun in Modern English * He (kana), one of the Japanese kana (へ in hiragana and ヘ in katakana) * Ge (Cyrillic), a Cyrillic letter call ...
...book editors were telling me that Wolfe had no real audience and no future as a mass-market author ... Perhaps all this was because Wolfe was strongly identified with ''Orbit'' in the early seventies, and, as ''Orbit'' was the major American recipient for the spleen of the reactionary backlash that developed early in the decade, his reputation probably suffered from the association, as would the reputations of Joanna Russ, Kate Wilhelm, R. A. Lafferty, and several other frequent ''Orbit'' contributors.

Orbit 1

'' Orbit 1'' was published in October 1966 by

Berkley Medallion Berkley Books is an American imprint founded in 1955 by Charles Byrne and Frederic Klein owned by the Penguin Group unit of Penguin Random House. History Berkley Books began as an independent company in 1955. It was founded as "Chic News Compa ...

Algis Budrys Algirdas Jonas "Algis" Budrys (January 9, 1931 – June 9, 2008) was a Lithuanian-American science fiction author, copy editing, editor and critic. He was also known under the pen names Frank Mason, Alger Rome in collaboration with Jerome ...

praised Knight's skills as editor and critic but said that the compilation "represents science fiction well but not to any extraordinary extent", with no story "clearly and obviously the 'best' of anything". He advised readers to buy the paperback version. Table of contents: *"Introduction" by Damon Knight *"Staras Flonderans" by

*” The Secret Place” by Richard M. McKenna *"How Beautiful with Banners" by

James Blish James Benjamin “Jimmy” Blish () was an American science fiction and fantasy writer. He is best known for his ''Cities in Flight'' novels and his series of ''Star Trek'' novelizations written with his wife, J. A. Lawrence. His novel ''A Case ...

*"The Disinherited" by

Poul Anderson Poul William Anderson ( ; November 25, 1926 – July 31, 2001) was an American fantasy and science fiction author who was active from the 1940s until his death in 2001. Anderson also wrote historical novels. He won the Hugo Award seven times an ...

, reprinted as "Home" *"The Loolies Are Here" by Allison Rice *"Kangaroo Court" by

Virginia Kidd Virginia Kidd (June 2, 1921 – January 11, 2003) was an American literary agent, writer and editor, who worked in particular in science fiction and related fields. She represented science fiction American authors such as Ursula K. Le Guin, R.A ...

, reprinted as "Flowering Season" *"Splice of Life" by Sonya Dorman *"5 Eggs" by

Thomas M. Disch Thomas Michael Disch (February 2, 1940 – July 4, 2008) was an American science fiction writer and poet. He won the Hugo Award for Best Related Book—previously called "Best Non-Fiction Book"—in 1999. He had two other Hugo nominations and n ...

*"The Deeps" by

Keith Roberts Keith John Kingston Roberts (20 September 1935 – 5 October 2000) was an English science fiction author. He began publishing with two stories in the September 1964 issue of ''Science Fantasy'' magazine, "Anita" (the first of a series of stor ...

Orbit 2

Volume 2 was published in 1967. Budrys said "It is more a sign that Damon's heart is in the right place than it is a really satisfactory book." Table of contents: *"The Doctor" by Theodore L. Thomas *"

Baby, You Were Great "Baby, You Were Great" is a 1968 science fiction short story by American writer Kate Wilhelm. It was first published in ''Orbit 2''. Damon Knight—Wilhelm's husband—stated that "Baby, You Were Great" was inspired by his 1964 story, "Semper Fi" ...

" by

*"Fiddler's Green" by

Richard McKenna Richard Milton McKenna (May 9, 1913 – November 1, 1964) was an American sailor and writer. In the late 1950s, he began writing science fiction stories, and is best known for his 1963 historical novel '' The Sand Pebbles'', which tells the stor ...

*"Trip, Trap" by

*"The Dimple In Draco" by

Robert S. Richardson Robert Shirley Richardson (April 22, 1902 – November 12, 1981) was an American astronomer, born in Kokomo, Indiana. He also published science fiction using the pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person assumes ...

*"I Gave her Sack and Sherry" by

*"The Adventuress" by Joanna Russ *"The Hole on the Corner" by R. A. Lafferty *"The Food Farm" by

Kit Reed Kit Reed, also known as Lillian Hyde Craig or Lil(l)ian Craig Reed (June 7, 1932 – September 24, 2017), was an American author of both speculative fiction and literary fiction, as well as psychological thrillers under the pseudonym Kit Cr ...

*"Full Sun" by

Brian W. Aldiss Brian Wilson Aldiss (; 18 August 1925 – 19 August 2017) was an English writer, artist and anthology editor, best known for science fiction novels and short stories. His byline reads either Brian W. Aldiss or simply Brian Aldiss, except for oc ...

, republished in ''World's Best Science Fiction: 1968''. and'' Creatures from Beyond: Nine Stories of Science Fiction and Fantasy''

Orbit 3

Volume 3 was published in 1968. Algis Budrys found the volume "happens to contain some remarkable work," although he faulted the jacket copy as overpromotional. Table of contents: *"Mother to the World" by Richard Wilson *"Bramble Bush" by

(interior artwork by

Jack Gaughan John Brian Francis "Jack" Gaughan, pronounced like 'gone' (September 24, 1930 – July 21, 1985), was an American science fiction artist and illustrator and multiple winner of the Hugo Award in the category of Hugo Award for Best Professional Arti ...

) *"The Barbarian" by

*"The Changeling" by

*"Why They Mobbed the White House" by

Doris Pitkin Buck Doris Pitkin Buck (January 3, 1898 – December 4, 1980"Doris P(itkin) Buck." ''Contemporary Authors Online''. Detroit: Gale, 1998. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 31 July 2011.) was an American science fiction author. Born in New York City ...

*"The Planners" by

*"Don't Wash the Carats" by

Philip José Farmer Philip José Farmer (January 26, 1918 – February 25, 2009) was an American author known for his science fiction and fantasy fiction, fantasy novels and short story, short stories. Obituary. Farmer is best known for two sequences of novels, t ...

*"Letter to a Young Poet" by

James Sallis James Sallis (born December 21, 1944) is an American crime writer who wrote a series of novels featuring the detective character Lew Griffin set in New Orleans, and the 2005 novel '' Drive'', which was adapted into a 2011 film of the same nam ...

*"Here Is Thy Sting" by

John Jakes John William Jakes (March 31, 1932 – March 11, 2023) was an American writer, best known for historical and speculative fiction. His American Civil War trilogy, '' North and South'', has sold millions of copies worldwide. He was also the author ...

Orbit 4

Volume 4 was published in 1968. Table of contents: *"Windsong" by

*"Probable Cause" by Charles L. Harness *"Shattered Like a Glass Goblin" by

Harlan Ellison Harlan Jay Ellison (May 27, 1934 – June 28, 2018) was an American writer, known for his prolific and influential work in New Wave science fiction, New Wave speculative fiction and for his outspoken, combative personality. His published wo ...

*"This Corruptible" by Jacob Transue *"Animal" by

Carol Emshwiller Carol Emshwiller (April 12, 1921 – February 2, 2019) was an American writer of avant-garde short stories and science fiction who won prizes for her work including the Nebula Award to the Philip K. Dick Award. Ursula K. Le Guin has called her ...

*"One at a Time" by R. A. Lafferty *"

Passengers A passenger is a person who travels in a vehicle, but does not bear any responsibility for the tasks required for that vehicle to arrive at its destination or otherwise operate the vehicle, and is not a steward. The vehicles may be bicycles, ...

" by

Robert Silverberg Robert Silverberg (born January 15, 1935) is a prolific American science fiction author and editor. He is a multiple winner of both Hugo Award, Hugo and Nebula Awards, a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame, and a SFWA Grand ...

*"Grimm’s Story" by

Vernor Vinge Vernor Steffen Vinge (; October 2, 1944 – March 20, 2024) was an American science fiction author and professor. He taught mathematics and computer science at San Diego State University. He was the first wide-scale popularizer of the technolo ...

*"A Few Last Words" by

Orbit 5

Volume 5 was published September 1969 by

G.P. Putnam's Sons G. P. Putnam's Sons is an American book publisher based in New York City, New York (state), New York. Since 1996, it has been an Imprint (trade name), imprint of the Penguin Group. History The company began as Wiley & Putnam with the 1838 part ...

. It was reprinted in October 1969 by Putnam, December 1969 by

, and November 1970 in the UK by Rapp & Whiting.

Barry N. Malzberg Barry Nathaniel Malzberg (July 24, 1939 – December 19, 2024) was an American writer and editor, most often of science fiction and fantasy. Life and career Early life and family Malzberg originated from a Jewish family and graduated from Syra ...

wrote that the anthology "doesn't, somehow, seem to be at the same high level of ambition or accomplishment as the earlier volumes," but singled out "The Big Flash" for praise, declaring "The last pages of this story may be one of the strongest experiences available in modern American fiction." Table of contents: *"Somerset Dreams" by

*"The Roads, The Roads, The Beautiful Roads" by

Avram Davidson Avram Davidson (April 23, 1923 – May 8, 1993) was an American writer of fantasy fiction, science fiction, and crime fiction, as well as the author of many stories that do not fit into a genre niche. He won a Hugo Award and three World Fantasy ...

, reprinted in the anthology '' Car Sinister'' The head of a state highway department, whose greatest passion is designing highways, even if they are not needed, takes a wrong exit and ends up in a closed off tunnel, where a

minotaur In Greek mythology, the Minotaur (, ''Mīnṓtauros''), also known as Asterion, is a mythical creature portrayed during classical antiquity with the head and tail of a bull and the body of a man or, as described by Roman poet Ovid, a being "par ...

attacks him. *"Look, You Think You've Got Troubles" by Carol Carr, about a non-religious Jewish family whose daughter marries an alien who subsequently converts to Judaism. *"Winter's King" by

Ursula K. Le Guin Ursula Kroeber Le Guin ( ; Kroeber; October 21, 1929 – January 22, 2018) was an American author. She is best known for her works of speculative fiction, including science fiction works set in her Hainish universe, and the ''Earthsea'' fantas ...

*"The Time Machine" by Langdon Jones, with a prisoner reminiscing about an affair he had with a married woman. *"Configuration of the North Shore" by R.A. Lafferty about a psychiatrist exploring a patient's extraordinary dream that could lead to the ultimate fulfillment of human existence. *"Paul's Treehouse" by Gene Wolfe *"The Price" by Belcher C. Davis, reprinted as "Just Dead Enough". A local newspaper reporter follows a case where a man dies in a car accident and his organs are transplanted into other people in the town. When one of the organ recipients kills someone in a car accident and doesn't have insurance, their lawyer argues that the organ recipient is the donor's heir. Then the heirs sue the hospital for getting them involved in the case to begin with. *"The Rose Bowl-Pluto Hypothesis" by

. A professor notices that racing scores have dramatically improved and proposes that it is due to space shrinking. *"Winston" by

, written in 1969 and reprinted in 1976 in the anthology '' The Killer Mice'' and in 1981 in the collection '' Other Stories and...The Attack of the Giant Baby''. A family purchases a child bred for intelligence, but neglects them and beats them until they suffer irreparable brain damage, when the mother finally views them as a normal child. *"The History Makers" by

. The story is told in a series of letters from a person known as Jim to his brother John. He writes about his stay on an alien planet. The beings there live in an "alternate time span" whereby interaction with humans is nearly impossible. Over the course of the planet's "day" the inhabitants build a city from a rude village. As the day ends, the inhabitants change: most go comatose, but others go insane and destroy their city. Eventually the entire city, including its ruins, is destroyed. *"The Big Flash" by

Norman Spinrad Norman Richard Spinrad (born September 15, 1940) is an American science fiction author, essayist, and critic. His fiction has won the Prix Apollo Award, Prix Apollo and been nominated for numerous awards, including the Hugo Award and multiple N ...

, which won the

Nebula Award for Best Novelette The Nebula Award for Best Novelette is given each year by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA) to a science fiction or fantasy novelette. A work of fiction is defined by the organization as a novelette if it is between 7,5 ...

. The Pentagon hatches a plan to use atomic warfare in the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...

. It had been determined that a single nuclear attack would destroy 2/3 of the enemy's fighting force. In order to get the American population to go along with the idea of nuclear warfare, the Pentagon hire a rock band called the Four Horsemen to popularize the use of nuclear warfare.

Orbit 6

Volume 6 was published in 1970. Table of contents: *"The Second Inquisition" by

*"Remembrance to Come" by

*"How the Whip Came Back" by Gene Wolfe *"Goslin Day" by

*"Maybe Jean-Baptiste Pierre Antoine de Monet, Chevalier de Lamarck, Was a Little Bit Right" by Robin S. Scott *"The Chosen" by

*"Entire and Perfect Chrysolite" by R. A. Lafferty *"Sunburst" by

Roderick Thorp Roderick Mayne Thorp Jr. (September 1, 1936 – April 28, 1999) was an American novelist specializing mainly in police procedural/crime novels. His novel '' The Detective'' was adapted into a film of the same name in 1968. Thorp is also better ...

*"The Creation of Bennie Good" by

*"The End" by

*"A Cold Dark Night with Snow" by Kate Wilhelm *"Fame" by Jean Cox *"Debut" by

*"Where No Sun Shines" by

*"The Asian Shore" by

Orbit 7

Volume 7 was first published in 1970. Table of contents: *"The Island of Doctor Death and Other Stories" by

* "In the Queue" by

Keith Laumer John Keith Laumer ( – ) was an American science fiction author. Prior to becoming a full-time writer, he was an officer in the United States Air Force and a diplomat in the United States Foreign Service. His older brother March Laumer was ...

*"Continued on Next Rock" by R. A. Lafferty *"Eyebem" by Gene Wolfe *"Jim and Mary G", by

*"Old Foot Forgot" by R. A. Lafferty *"The Pressure of Time" by

*"Woman Waiting" by

*"The Living End" by Sonya Dorman *"To Sport with Amaryllis" by Richard Hill *"April Fool's Day Forever" by

*"A Dream at Noonday" by

Orbit 8

Volume 8 was published in 1970 by G.P. Putnam's Sons. Table of contents: *"Horse of Air" by

, reprinted in ''

Nebula Award Stories 7 ''Nebula Award Stories 7'' is an anthology of award-winning science fiction short works edited by Lloyd Biggle Jr., Lloyd Biggle, Jr. It was first published in the United Kingdom in hardcover by Victor Gollancz Ltd, Gollancz in November 1972. The ...

'', '' The Best from Orbit'', and ''The Visible Man''. A man survives the end of the world inside his apartment. * "One Life, Furnished in Early Poverty" by

* "Rite of Spring" by

* "The Bystander" by

Thom Lee Wharton The surname Thom is of Scottish origin, from the city of Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Angus, and is a sept of the Clan MacThomas. Thom is also a first-name variant of the abbreviation "Tom" of "Thomas" that holds the "h". People with the surname * ...

* "All Pieces of a River Shore" by R. A. Lafferty * "Sonya, Crane Wessleman, and Kittee" by

* "Tablets of Stone" by Liz Hufford * "Starscape with Frieze of Dreams" by Robert F. Young * "The Book" by Robert E. Margroff and Andrew J. Offutt * "Inside" by Carol Carr * "Right Off the Map" by

Pip Winn Pip, PIP, Pips, PIPS, and similar, may refer to: Common meanings * Pip, colloquial name for the star(s) worn on military uniform as part of rank badge, as in the British Army officer rank insignia or with many Commonwealth police agencies * The s ...

* "The Weather on the Sun" by Theodore L. Thomas * "The Chinese Boxes" by Graham Charnock *"A Method Bit in "B"" by Gene Wolfe. A police sergeant investigating a murder discovers he is actually a bit character in a

B-movie A B movie, or B film, is a type of cheap, low-budget commercial motion picture. Originally, during the Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Age of Hollywood, this term specifically referred to films meant to be shown as the lesser-known second ...

. *"Interurban Queen" by R.A. Lafferty, reprinted in '' RINGING CHANGES'', '' Days of Grass, Days of Straw'', and '' Lafferty in Orbit''. A satirical story about an alternate history America where

light rail system Light rail (or light rail transit, abbreviated to LRT) is a form of passenger urban rail transit that uses rolling stock derived from tram technology National Conference of the Transportation Research Board while also having some features from ...

s have become the norm and cars are outlawed. This world is portrayed as a paradise, with all cities small, unique, and mostly for entertainment. Cars still exist, but being caught driving one is a capital offense without trial. * "The Encounter" by

Orbit 9

Volume 9 published by Putnam Books in 1971.

Theodore Sturgeon Theodore Sturgeon (; born Edward Hamilton Waldo, February 26, 1918 – May 8, 1985) was an American author of primarily fantasy fiction, fantasy, science fiction, and Horror fiction, horror, as well as a critic. He wrote approximately 400 ...

found the anthology "fascinating," saying "I profoundly admire what Knight is doing here." * "Heads Africa Tails America" by Josephine Saxton * "What We Have Here Is Too Much Communication" by Leon E. Stover * "Dominant Species" by

Kris Neville Kris Ottman Neville (May 9, 1925 – December 23, 1980) was an American science fiction writer from California. He was born in St. Louis. His first science fiction work was published in 1949. His most famous work, the novella ''Bettyann'', is ...

* "The Toy Theater" by

* "Stop Me Before I Tell More" by Robert Thurston * "Gleepsite" by

* "Binaries" by

* "Lost in the Marigolds" by

Lee Hoffman Lee Hoffman, born Shirley Bell Hoffman, (August 14, 1932 in Chicago, Illinois – February 6, 2007 in Port Charlotte, Florida) was an American science fiction fan, an editor of early folk music fanzines, and an author of science fiction, Wester ...

and Robert E. Toomey, Jr. * "Across the Bar" by

* "The Science Fair" by

* "The Last Leaf" by W. Macfarlane * "When All the Lands Pour Out Again" by R. A. Lafferty * "Only the Words Are Different" by James Sallis * "The Infinity Box" by

Orbit 10

Volume 10 was published in 1972. Table of contents: *"

The Fifth Head of Cerberus ''The Fifth Head of Cerberus'' is the title of both a novella and a single-volume collection of three novellas, written by American science fiction and fantasy author Gene Wolfe, both published in 1972. The novella was included in the anthology ...

" by Gene Wolfe *"Jody after the War" by

Edward Bryant Edward Winslow Bryant Jr. (August 27, 1945 – February 10, 2017) was an American science fiction and horror fiction, horror writer sometimes associated with the Dangerous Visions series of anthologies that bolstered New Wave (science fiction), ...

*"Al" by

*"Now I'm Watching Roger" by

Alexei Panshin Alexei Panshin (August 14, 1940 – August 21, 2022) was an American writer and science fiction critic. He wrote several critical works and several novels, including the 1968 Nebula Award–winning novel ''Rite of Passage (Panshin), Rite of Pas ...

*"Whirl Cage" by Jack M. Dann *"A Kingdom by the Sea" by Gardner R. Dozois *"Christlings" by Albert Teichner *"Live, from Berchtesgaden" by

George Alec Effinger George Alec Effinger (January 10, 1947 – April 27, 2002) was an American science fiction author, born in Cleveland, Ohio. Writing career Effinger was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on January 10, 1947. His father was a United States Navy vetera ...

*"Dorg" by R.A. Lafferty *"Gantlet" by Richard E. Peck *"The Fusion Bomb" by

* Index to Volumes 1-10

Orbit 11

Volume 11 was published in 1972. Table of contents: *"Alien Stones" by

*"Spectra" by

Vonda N. McIntyre Vonda Neel McIntyre () was an American science fiction writer and biologist. Early life and education Vonda N. McIntyre was born in Louisville, Kentucky, the daughter of H. Neel and Vonda B. Keith McIntyre, who were born in Poland, Ohio. She s ...

*"I Remember a Winter" by

*"Doucement, S'il Vous Plait" by

*"The Summer of the Irish Sea" by C. L. Grant *"Good-bye, Shelley, Shirley, Charlotte, Charlene" by Robert Thurston *"Father's in the Basement" by

*"Down by the Old Maelstrom" by

Edward Wellen Edward Wellen (born Edward Paul Levy;Peacock, Scot, editor (2002). Contemporary Authors, New Revision Series. Volume 108'. Farmington Hills, MI: The Gale Group. pp. 454–455. . October 2, 1919 – January 15, 2011"United States Social Secu ...

*"Things Go Better" by Geo. Alec Effinger *"Dissolve" by Gary K. Wolf *"Dune's Edge" by

*"The Drum Lollipop" by Jack M. Dann *"Machines of Loving Grace" by Gardner R. Dozois *"They Cope" by Dave Skal *"Counterpoint" by Joe W. Haldeman *"Old Soul" by Steve Herbst *"New York Times" by Charles Platt *"The Crystallization of the Myth" by John Barfoot *"To Plant a Seed" by Hank Davis *"On the Road to Honeyville" by

Orbit 12

Volume 12 was published in 1973. Table of Contents: *"Shark" by

*"Direction of the Road" by

*"The Windows in Dante's Hell" by Michael Bishop *"Four Stories" by

**"Serpent Burning on an Altar" **"Woman in Sunlight with Mandolin" **"The Young Soldier's Horoscope" **"Castle Scene with Penitents" *"The Red Canary" by

*"What's the Matter With Herbie?" by

Mel Gilden Mel Gilden (born July 3, 1947) is a US writer of speculative fiction, predominately known for his ''Fifth Grade Monsters'', ''Zoot Marlowe'', ''Cronyn & Justice'', and ''Cybersurfers'' fiction series. Gilden has written numerous episodes for an ...

*"Pinup" by Edward Bryant *"The Genius Freaks" by

*"Burger Creature" by Steve Chapman *"Half the Kingdom" by Doris Piserchia *"Continuing Westward" by

*"Arcs and Secants (Orbit 12)" essay, uncredited

Orbit 13

Volume 13 was published in 1974. Table of Contents: *"The Scream" by

*"Young Love" by

Grania Davis Grania Eve Kaiman Davis (July 17, 1943 – April 28, 2017) was an American author and editor of science fiction and fantasy novels and short stories. She was the primary editor of the posthumously published work of her former husband, Avram David ...

*"And Name My Name" by R. A. Lafferty *"Going West" by

*"My Friend Zarathustra" by

*"Therapy" by Gary K. Wolf *"Gardening Notes From All Over" by W. Macfarlane *"Idio" by Doris Piserchia *"Fantasy's Profession" by Albert Teichner *"Spring Came to Blue Ridge Early This Year" by Charles Arnold *"Creation of a Future World in the Tracer" by Steve Herbst *"Coils" by John Barfoot *"Time Bind" by Sonya Dorman *"Everybody a Winner, the Barker Cried" by C. L. Grant *"Naked and Afraid I Go" by Doris Piserchia *"Teeth" by Grace Rooney *"Troika" by Stepan Chapman *"Black Sun" by

Dennis Etchison Dennis William Etchison (March 30, 1943 – May 29, 2019) was an American writer and editor of fantasy and horror fiction.

*"The Mouth Is for Eating" by William F. Orr *"Flash Point" by Gardner R. Dozois *"Arcs & Secants (Orbit 13)" essay

Orbit 14

Volume 14 was published in 1974. Table of Contents: * "They Say (Orbit 14)" by Damon Knight * "Tin Soldier" by Joan D. Vinge * "Reasonable People" by

* "Royal Licorice" by R. A. Lafferty * "Book Reviews (Orbit 14)" by Damon Knight * "The Stars Below" by

* "A Brother to Dragons, a Companion of Owls" by

* "The Bridge Builder" by Gary K. Wolf * "Winning of the Great American Greening Revolution" by Murray F. Yaco * "Forlesen" by

* "The Memory Machine (Orbit 14)" by Damon Knight * "Arcs & Secants (Orbit 14)" by Damon Knight

Orbit 15

Volume 15 was published in 1974. Table of Contents: *"They Say (Orbit 15)" by Damon Knight *"Flaming Ducks and Giant Bread" by R. A. Lafferty *"Pale Hands" by Doris Piserchia *"Why Booth Didn't Kill Lincoln" by

*"If Eve Had Failed to Conceive" by Edward Wellen *"Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang" by

*"Melting" by

*"In the Lilliputian Asylum" by Michael Bishop *"Ernie" by Lowell Kent Smith *"The Memory Machine (Orbit 15)" by Damon Knight *"Live? Our Computers Will Do That for Us" by

*"Ace 167" by

Eleanor Arnason Eleanor Atwood Arnason (born December 28, 1942) is an American author of science fiction novels and short stories. Arnason's earliest published story, "A Clear Day in the Motor City", appeared in '' New Worlds'' in 1973. Her work often depicts cu ...

*"Biting Down Hard on Truth" by

*"Arcs and Secants (Orbit 15)" by Damon Knight

Orbit 16

Volume 16 was published in 1975.

Spider Robinson Spider Robinson (born November 24, 1948) is an American-Canadian science fiction author. He has won a number of awards for his hard science fiction and humorous stories, including the Hugo Award 1977 and 1983, and another Hugo with his co-author ...

dismissed the anthology as minor and disappointing, noting that most of the stories were "manifestly by newcomers, first sales or nearly so." Table of contents: *"They Say (Orbit 16)" by Damon Knight * "Mother and Child" by Joan D. Vinge * "The Skinny People of Leptophlebo Street" by R. A. Lafferty * "A Brilliant Curiosity" by Doris Piserchia * "Phoenix House" by Jesse Miller * "Jack and Betty" by Robert Thurston * "Prison of Clay, Prison of Steel" by Henry-Luc Planchat * "Heartland" by

Gustav Hasford Jerry Gustave Hasford (November 28, 1947 – January 29, 1993), also known under his pen name Gustav Hasford, was an American novelist, journalist and poet. His semi-autobiographical novel '' The Short-Timers'' (1979) was the basis for the fil ...

* "Sandial" by Moshe Feder *"The Memory Machine (Orbit 16)" by Damon Knight * "In Donovan's Time" by C. L. Grant * "Ambience" by Dave Skal * "Binary Justice" by Richard Bireley * "The House by the Sea" by

* "Euclid Alone" by William F. Orr *"Arcs and Secants (Orbit 16)" by Damon Knight

Orbit 17

Volume 17 was first published in 1975. Table of contents: *"They Say (Orbit 17)" by Damon Knight * "The Anthropologist" by

Kathleen M. Sidney Kathleen may refer to: People * Kathleen (given name) * Kathleen (singer), Canadian pop singer Places * Kathleen, Alberta, Canada * Kathleen, Georgia, United States * Kathleen, Florida, United States * Kathleen High School (Lakeland, Florida) ...

* "The Man with the Golden Reticulates" by Felix C. Gotschalk * "The Steel Sonnets" by

Jeff Duntemann Jeff is a masculine name, often a short form (hypocorism) of the English given name Jefferson or Jeffrey, which comes from a medieval variant of Geoffrey. Music * DJ Jazzy Jeff, American DJ/turntablist record producer Jeffrey Allen Townes * ...

* "Toto, I Have a Feeling We're Not in Kansas Anymore" by

Jeff Millar Jeffery Lynn Millar (July 10, 1942 – November 30, 2012) was an American comic strip writer and film critic best known for creating the '' Tank McNamara'' comic strip with illustrator Bill Hinds.Gerber, Marisa (December 9, 2012)Jeff Millar dies ...

* "Autopsy in Transit" by Stepan Chapman (as Steve Chapman) * "House" by John Barfoot * "Fun Palace" by Raylyn Moore * "When We Were Good" by Dave Skal *"The Memory Machine (Orbit 17)" by Damon Knight * "Which in the Wood Decays" by Seth McEvoy * "Great Day in the Morning" by R. A. Lafferty * "The Maze" by

Stuart Dybek Stuart Dybek (born April 10, 1942) is an American writer of fiction and poetry. Biography Dybek, a second-generation Polish American, was born in Chicago, Illinois and raised in Chicago's Little Village and Pilsen neighborhoods in the 1950s ...

* "Quite Late One Spring Night" by John M. Curlovich * "Under the Hollywood Sign" by

Tom Reamy Tom Reamy (January 23, 1935 – November 4, 1977) was an American science fiction and fantasy author, and a key figure in 1960s and 1970s science fiction fandom. He died at age 42 prior to the publication of his first novel; his work is prim ...

*"Arcs and Secants (Orbit 17)" by Damon Knight

Orbit 18

Volume 18 was first published in 1976. Table of Contents: *"They Say (Orbit 18)" by Damon Knight * "Ladies and Gentlemen, This Is Your Crisis" by

* "The Hand with One Hundred Fingers" by R. A. Lafferty * "Meathouse Man" by

George R. R. Martin George Raymond Richard Martin (born George Raymond Martin; September 20, 1948) also known by the initials G.R.R.M. is an American author, television writer, and television producer. He is best known as the author of the unfinished series of Hi ...

* "Rules of Moopsball" by

Gary Cohn Gary David Cohn (born August 27, 1960) is an American businessman and philanthropist who served as the 11th director of the National Economic Council and chief economic advisor to President Donald Trump from 2017 to 2018. He managed the administ ...

* "Who Was the First Oscar to Win a Negro?" by Craig Strete * "In Pierson's Orchestra" by

Kim Stanley Robinson Kim Stanley Robinson (born March 23, 1952) is an American science fiction writer best known for his ''Mars'' trilogy. Many of his novels and stories have ecological, cultural, and political themes and feature scientists as heroes. Robinson has ...

*"The Memory Machine (Orbit 18)" by Damon Knight * "Mary Margaret Road-Grader" by

Howard Waldrop Howard Waldrop (September 15, 1946 – January 14, 2024) was an American science fiction author who worked primarily in short fiction. He received the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement in 2021. Early life Born in Houston, Mississippi, ...

* "The Family Winter of 1986" by Felix C. Gotschalk * "The Teacher" by

* "Coming Back to Dixieland" by Kim Stanley Robinson * "A Modular Story" by Raylyn Moore * "The M&M Seen as a Low-Yield Thermonuclear Device" by John Varley * "The Eve of the Last Apollo" by

Carter Scholz Carter Scholz (born New York, 22 September 1953) is an American speculative fiction author and composer of music. He lives in California. Biography Scholz grew up in Tenafly, New Jersey and graduated from Tenafly High School in 1971. He also at ...

*"Arcs and Secants (Orbit 18)" by Damon Knight

Orbit 19

Volume 19 was first published in 1977. Table of Contents: *"They Say (Orbit 19)" by Damon Knight * "Lollipop and the Tar Baby" by John Varley *"State of Grace" by

*"Many Mansions" by

*"The Veil Over the River" by Felix C. Gotschalk *"Fall of Pebble-Sky" by R. A. Lafferty *''Memory Machine'' - Quotes *"Tomus" by

Stephen Robinett Stephen Allen Robinett (13 July 1941 – 16 February 2004) was an American writer of science-fiction and mystery novels and short stories. Robinett's first publication appeared in the March 1969 edition of the magazine ''Analog Science Fict ...

*"Under Jupiter" by Michael W. McClintock *"To the Dark Tower Came" by Gene Wolfe *"Vamp" by

Michael Conner Michael Conner, publishing as Mike Conner from c. 1980, is an American science fiction writer. He won the 1991 Nebula Award for the novelette "Guide Dog". He is from Oakland, California. Bibliography * "Extinction of Confidence, the Exercise ...

*"Being of Game P-U" by

Phillip Teich Phillip may refer to: * Phillip (Bob the Builder), Bob the Builder's character * Phillip (character), Wallace & Gromit's character * Phillip (Saliba), Lebanese Orthodox prelate * Phillip (given name), given name * Phillip (surname), surname * Phill ...

*"Night Shift" by Kevin O'Donnell, Jr. *"Going Down" by

*"The Disguise" by

*Arcs and Secants" - Afterword

Orbit 20

Volume 20 was first published in 1978. Table of Contents: * They Say Quotes re Science Fiction * "Moongate" by

* "The Novella Race" by

Pamela Sargent Pamela Sargent (born March 20, 1948) is an American feminist, science fiction author, and editor. She has an MA in classical philosophy and has won a Nebula Award. Sargent wrote a trilogy concerning the terraforming of Venus that is sometim ...

* "Bright Coins in Never-Ending Stream" by R. A. Lafferty * "The Synergy Sculpture" by Terrence L. Brown * The Memory Machine Quotes from Science Fiction * "The Birds are Free" by Ronald Anthony Cross * "A Right-Handed Wrist" by Stepan Chapman * "They Made us Not To Be And They Are Not" by Phillipa C. Maddern * "Seven American Nights" by

* Arcs and Secants - Afterword * Index to Volumes 11-20

Orbit 21

Volume 21 was first published in 1980. Table of Contents: * "Introduction: About Fifteen Years of Orbit" by Damon Knight * "Love, Death, Time, and Katie" by Richard Kearns * "The Greening" by

Eileen Roy Eileen ( or ) is an Irish feminine given name anglicised from Eibhlín, an Irish form of the Norman French name Aveline, which is derived from the Germanic ''Avi'', possibly meaning ''desire'' in combination with the diminutive suffix ''el'' a ...

* "Abominable" by

* "Underwood and the Slaughterhouse" by Raymond G. Embrak * "Hope" by Lelia Rose Foreman * "The Mother of the Beast" by Gordon Eklund * "Robert Fraser: The Xenologist as Hero" by Sydelle Shamah * "Persephone" by Rhondi Vilott * "The Smell of the Noose, The Roar of the Blood" by John Barfoot * "And the TV Changed Colors When She Spoke" by Lyn Schumaker * "The Only Tune That He Could Play" by R. A. Lafferty * "Survivors" by Rita-Elizabeth Harper * "On the North Pole of Pluto" by

The Best from Orbit

''The Best from Orbit'' was published in 1975 and reprinted stories from the first ten volumes. Table of Contents: * "A Sort of Introduction (Best Stories from Orbit, Volumes 1-10) by Damon Knight * "The Secret Place" by

(from ''Orbit 1'') * "The Loolies Are Here" by

Ruth Allison Ruth (or its variants) may refer to: Places France * Château de Ruthie, castle in the commune of Aussurucq in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques département of France Switzerland * Ruth, a hamlet in Cologny United States * Ruth, Alabama * Ruth, Ark ...

and

Jane Rice Jane Rice (April 30, 1913 – March 2, 2003) was an American science fiction and horror writer. Her fiction debut was with "The Dream" in the July 1940 issue of ''Unknown'', edited by the legendary sf editor John W. Campbell. During the war she ...

s by Allison Rice(from ''Orbit 1'') * "The Doctor" by Ted Thomas (from ''Orbit 2'') * "Baby, You Were Great!" by

(from ''Orbit 2'') * "The Hole on the Corner" by R. A. Lafferty (from ''Orbit 2'') * "I Gave Her Sack and Sherry" by

(from ''Orbit 2'') * "Mother to the World" by Richard Wilson (from ''Orbit 3'') * "Don't Wash the Carats" by

(from ''Orbit 3'') * "The Planners" by Kate Wilhelm (from ''Orbit 3'') * "The Changeling" by Gene Wolfe (from ''Orbit 3'') * "Passengers" by

(from ''Orbit 4'') * "Shattered Like a Glass Goblin" by

(from ''Orbit 4'') * "The Time Machine" by Langdon Jones (from ''Orbit 5'') * "Look, You Think You've Got Troubles" by Carol Carr (from ''Orbit 5'') * "The Big Flash" by

(from ''Orbit 5'') * "Jim and Mary G" by

(from ''Orbit 7'') * "The End" by

(variant of Things) (from ''Orbit 6'') * "Continued on Next Rock" by R. A. Lafferty (from ''Orbit 7'') * "The Island of Doctor Death and Other Stories" by Gene Wolfe (from ''Orbit 7'') * "Horse of Air" by Gardner R. Dozois (from ''Orbit 8'') * "One Life, Furnished in Early Poverty" by Harlan Ellison (from ''Orbit 8'') * "Rite of Spring" by

(from ''Orbit 8'') * "The Bystander" by

(from ''Orbit 8'') * "The Encounter" by Kate Wilhelm (from ''Orbit 8'') * "Gleepsite" by Joanna Russ (from ''Orbit 9'') * "Binaries", by James Sallis (from ''Orbit 9'') * "Al" by

(from ''Orbit 10'') * "Live, from Berchtesgaden" by

(from ''Orbit 10'')

References

External links

Orbit 10 book description from the book jacket
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Orbit (Anthology Series) Science fiction anthology series Science fiction book series Damon Knight anthologies