Foreign constellations

John Brunner has got the imagination, I'll grant him that much. What he doesn't have is the writing skill. "Foreign Constellations" collects eight of his best-known stories from the 70's, published in various magazines but not previously appearing in book form. His subjects range from the near future to the far far future, and from mass famine to wacky conspiracy theories to child raising. But while he sees intriguing possibilities, he rarely pursues them far enough.

In "The Easy Way Out", a spaceship crash on a distant planet leaves only two survivors, a doctor and a spoiled rich boy. One of them holds the titular piece of technology, a device which allows the user to escape into an ideal virtual reality world, but eventually kills them. Should they turn on the device and enjoy a few last hours of perfect living, or leave it off a hope for the small chance of rescue? An interesting dilemma to be sure, but the story arc doesn't really have much to say about it beyond the obvious. Brunner's writing could define the word utilitarian:

"His heart sank. Of all the people aboard, he would have chosen this man last to be his companion after the crash: Andrew Solichuk, who had never tired of informing anyone and everyone of how wealthy and influential his family was back on Earth and had complained endlessly about the food, the lack of comfort and amenities, the tase of the air, and the company he had to endure." (p. 31) It gets the point across, but it sure doesn't sparkle or make you want to sing the praises of Brunner's wordsmithing.

The later stories in this collection are the better ones. My favorite would have to be "What Friends Are For". A futuristic couple's child runs out of control due to bad parenting.