My reactions to reading this collection in 1989. Some spoilers may follow.

"Apartness" -- A short, vicious story more topical now than its publication in 1965. I respect Vinge for his willingness to use current political situations as story grist. He, in The Peace War and Marooned in Realtime, shows ingenuity in the technological sf story and here he is willing to use politics as inspiration.

"Conquest By Default -- I read this story years ago and forgot most everything about it except that I liked it. I think I liked it even more the second time around. I certainly respect it even more. I admire Vinge's motives for writing this story. First, he tried to examine the claims of cultural relativism and "self-conscious tolerance" by our brand of anthropology. He shows that, no matter how bizarre our eath cultures are, they are all predicated on a common ground of central authority and government. The Mikin have permanently enshrined a state of perpetual anarchy. Second, Vinge attempted (and succeeded) a "frontal assault" on the concept of anarchy and how it could be a permanently, culturally maintained. Vinge extrapolates well from the crucial concept of antitrust laws maintaing anarchy. He gives it a history and a maintaining cultural institution in the Umpires. He extrapolates the effect on Mikin urban growth (none), religion (diverse to say the least), and immense personal violence. The Mikin justification for anarchy -- the eventual destructive clash of monopolies -- is somewhat rational if alien. However, the narrator does say humanity would, but for the North World War, have surpassed the Mikin in technology. However, it could be argued humanity's failing is the result of the cultural government construct. Humans are willing to have relative personal safety at the cost of great wars and tyranny. Of course, we perfer this to personal violence at every turn, but the point is, as Vinge says, it works for the aliens and that makes them alien. I did have a few caveats though. The system of permanent anarchy with groups restricted to a maximum size would seem to limit a good idea from cacthing on widely. On the other hand, it would prevent bad ideas from being monopolistic. Second, why does Ron Melmwn talk of progress? Such an idea seems hard to enshrine in Mikin culture. I would also imagine R & D and central pools of information like libraries would be hard to gather unless Umpires grant special dispensation which they seemed to have done to develop interstellar drives. I would have liked more explanation about when anti-trust laws are invoked. It seemed not to involve a group reaching a certain size but a subjective judgement by an Umpire. I liked Vinge use of history (Once again the Amerindian shows up in American sf.) to powerfully depict historical tragedies and the eventual tragedy of the human race being culturally assassinated. The character of Horlig was fascinating and compelling in his obsession to save humanity and his identification with them. (I also would have liked more on how people migrated from group to group in Mikin culture and where subgroups fit in, i.e. is one considered a member of the company or a militant vegetarian or both?). Making the aliens almost human stressed their alieness, moved the plot in the end, and made the story horrifying and tragic as Man's culture is destroyed. A well-worked, thoughtful, original story.

"Gemstone" -- A not particularly good story, not bad, just ok. The problem may be that the story has many tones and is an uneven mixture (as Vinge says) of mystery, melancholy, and reminesces. I don't think so. I think the story just did not have a compelling idea or concept. I liked the alien being a repository of emotions and the melancholy of the story and the pain of the changing, more intimate relationship between Sanda and her grandmother. Vinge can be effectively grim and melancholy and has a definite knack for characterization and emotion.

"Just Peace", Vernor Vinge and William Rupp -- A not very great story that had neither a compelling idea nor any major amount of excitement. Vinge himself admits the concept of matter duplication (and, consequently, duplication of human bodies and personality) is used very simply. I didn't find the "Canadian background" well used at all apart from lending names. Canadian culture and values seemed to have no bearing on the warring groups. The idea of a planet with an undifferentiated, shifting core undergoing a phase shift was intriguing. I wonder as to it and the described consequences (many ores, metallically poisoned soil, flora, and fauna, and earthquakes) and their plausibility. It seems reasonable. I also liked the warring groups going at each other with nukes. Chente's remark about strategic deterence being a dangerous game was delightfully grim. I would maybe liked to have seen sequel's describing Chente's new intrigues against the New Canadians. Still, this was a rather lackluster story and a disappointment from Vinge (I doubt Rupp is to blame.) Its good points could have been incorporated into a better story.

"Original Sin" An excellent, chilling story. Vinge once again proves his ability to combine an emotionally satisfying story with the logical extrapolitive ability required of good science fiction. Vinge works out the implications of his aliens and their parricidal, genocidal, cannibalistic tendencies. Their biology was at once horrifying and logical. I liked the reace's deadliness being increased by their adoption of Christianity, a bitter irony, and the basic conflicts between the religion and their own biological imperatives. The image of rampaging juvenile Shiman forming a devouring mob was truly frightening. I liked the characters in the story. Tsumo the Imperial policeman worried about the dangers Shimans pose to huanity's future but still obsessed with resurrecting her husband. Sirbat arrogant and, yet, driven by his own sense of sin. Samuelson the entrepenaur willing to grant huge bribes to put the Shiman out in space out of a twisted desire to speed humanity's evolution and make man more vicious, violent, imitative out of the Shiman. Hjalmar Kekkonen, narrator, biochemist, mercenary leader, and former street thug willing to help him for his own unfanthomable reasons even though he clearly sees the danger of his own actions. Perhaps he and Samuelson see Man becoming, in their own eyes, decadent and biologically stagnant due to advances in technologically -- particularly the granting of immortality. (Oblique mention of Earthgov being too gutless to consider genocide -- perhaps a legitimate option -- is made as well as Kekkonen scornfully saying Earthgov pretends competition doesn't exist.) Perhaps Samuelson and Kekonnen are bored with their long lives. Whatever the exact nature of their motives (I wish Vinge would explore them more in a sequel to or expansion of the story. However, the intriguing aspect of them might be lost in greater detail.) both men pose a frightening danger. Vinge also uses these and other human characters to intimate the changes in personality and culture resulting from virtual immortality. Vinge does a wonderful job of revealing startling changes in technological culture through his characters casual remarks and aside.

“The Blabber” -- Vinge's first foray into what would become his Zones of Thought universe. ( )