"When John died we all missed him quite deeply. There was a feeling among the people who were both his authors and friends that there should be some sort of tribute. It was decided that a memorial volume would be in order, stories written specially for the volume by the writers who worked for John's magazine," Harry Harrison, introduction to "The Mothballed Spaceship," The Best of Harry Harrison.
The book contains stories by those who are most easily recognised as 'Campbell writers' some produced stories in the series they had started for Campbell - Simak wrote a 'City' story, Harrison a 'Deathworld' story and Isaac Asimov provided the last of his pieces on Thiotimoline. Each story is introduced by the author or by Harry Harrison.
It is with the most profound sadness that I must report that John W. Campbell is dead.
For thirty-four years he was the editor of this magazine, guiding it with a firm hand from its origins in the pulps of a past era to its present stature. In shaping this journal he shaped all of modern science fiction so that, in many ways, this entire body of literature is his memorial.
This book is a memorial of a different kind. It is a group project, a spontaneous decision by a number of writers who decided that a special tribute was needed for this editor and friend who had been such a large part of our lives. John Campbell loved his work and it is obvious that his magazine was as much a part of him as he was of it. What better tribute could there be than to bring out what might be called the last issue of the magazine he edited, an anthology of stories that might, perhaps, echo more of Astounding and Unknown than of Analog. History chose the writers represented here, and they in turn wrote the kind of stories they knew best how to do. If there is more than a hint of nostalgia in these pages it is no accident. We wanted it that way. It has been my pleasure to assemble these stories in book form and to handle the mechanics of preparation for book publication. My responsibility stops there; we would have it no other way.
You see, we all know who the real editor was.
Note: Includes "The Mothballed Spaceship," a sequel to the Deathworld trilogy by Harry Harrison.
"In tribute to John Campbell, Harry Harrison has assembled an anthology of new stories by some of the writers who worked most closely with John to make Astounding Stories, Analog's predecessor, the great magazine it was. He suggests that we look on it as a 'last issue' of the magazine he edited in those days - more Astounding and Unknown than Analog. Perhaps he found it in one of the parallel time-tracks we all knew so well in those days.
"Astounding... has 332 pages of mostly exceptional stories, an introduction by Isaac Asimov (who tells us what it was like to build a tremendous story with John's not always gentle nudging), and a very brief afterword of appreciation by Harry Harrison...
"If it had been published as an issue of Astounding, back in the lost '40s, it would be an issue that old readers remember...
"The John Campbell who made Analog out of Astounding would probably not have bought all these stories if he were alive. He would have bought the best of them, and he would - as the authors testify - have shown them how to make the best even better. And I think he would have enjoyed them all."
"If you liked Astounding in the Fifties, buy this book and read it. A very enjoyable anthology, with Kelly Freas' beautiful illustrations. Recommended."
"SF owes a great deal to the late John W. Campbell who edited Astounding, later changed to Analog. The John W. Campbell Memorial Anthology... is by way of being a valediction from a number of writers who at one time or another benefited by Campbell's encouragement or guidance. Asimov, Simak, Bester, Anderson, Sturgeon and many other well-known names appear. The standard is high and the book has an entertaining variety of stories."