THE ISSUE AT HAND. STUDIES IN CONTEMPORARY MAGAZINE SCIENCE FICTION. BY WILLIAM ATHELING (D.I. JAMES BLISH). ED. AND WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY JAMES BLISH. 2. ED. CHICAGO: ADVENT 1974. 158 S

From 1952 to 1963 the most penetrating critic of the field of magazine science fiction was known as "William Atheling, Jr." Guessing his real identity was not easy, because his dissection did not spare even his other ego, noted s-f author James Blish. Shedding his protective covering, Mr. Blish assembled many of the Atheling papers and edited them into this book. It is virtually a text for would-be writers of science fiction. Nor is its value limited to that genre; the rules of good writing are universal, and Atheling's critiques are not restricted to the peculiarities and special interests of science fiction. These essays take aspiring authors and editors by the hand and lead them painstakingly through the dense forests of "said-bookism," the treacherous moors of "repetitive phrasing," and other forbidden territories. And even old hands will find cause to wonder and reflect, and perhaps even to re-evaluate professional skills too long taken for granted. No subject is too sacred or taboo for Atheling's shredding typewriter; from sex to God, from religion to satirical poetry. No author is spared the bloody mark of his relentless lash; from Anderson to Heinlein to Zirul. No editor or publisher is spared his--or its--due share of responsibility. But most importantly, The Issue at Hand is not just--or even primarily--a textbook for students of writing. It is a vastly entertaining collection in its own right, affording many hours of pleasant informative reading and re-reading, urging the reader ahead with the wry comments, unexpected humor, and undeviating attention to standards that were the hallmarks of William Atheling, Jr.