Orbit (anthology series)


Orbit was an American long-running series of anthologies of new fiction edited by Damon Knight, often featuring work by such writers as Gene Wolfe, Joanna Russ, R. A. Lafferty, and Kate Wilhelm, who was married to Knight. The anthologies tended toward the avant-garde edge of science fiction, but by no means exclusively; occasionally the volumes would feature some nonfiction critical writing or humorous anecdotes by Knight. Inspired by Frederik Pohl's Star Science Fiction series, and in its turn an influence on other original speculative fiction anthologies, it ran for over a decade and twenty-one volumes, not including a 1975 "Best of" collection selected from the first ten volumes.

Orbit 1

Orbit 1 was published in October 1966.
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Volume 2 was published in 1967, and edited by Damon Knight. Budrys said "It is more a sign that Damon's heart is in the right place than it is a really satisfactory book."
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Volume 3 was published in 1968, and edited by Damon Knight. Algis Budrys found the volume "happens to contain some remarkable work," although he faulted the jacket copy as overpromotional.
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Volume 4 was published in 1968, and edited by Damon Knight.
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Volume 5 was published September 1969 by G.P. Putnam's Sons. It was reprinted in October 1969 by Putnam, December 1969 by Berkley Medallion, and November 1970 in the UK by Rapp & Whiting. It was edited by Damon Knight Barry Malzberg 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."
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Edited by Damon Knight
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Edited by Damon Knight
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Published in 1970 by G.P. Putnam's Sons and edited by Damon Knight.
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Edited by Damon Knight, published by Putnam Books in 1971.
Theodore Sturgeon found the anthology "fascinating," saying "I profoundly admire what Knight is doing here."
Edited by Damon Knight, published in 1972.
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Edited by Damon Knight, published in 1973.
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Edited by Damon Knight
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Edited by Damon Knight
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Edited by Damon Knight
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Edited by Damon Knight
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Spider Robinson dismissed the anthology as minor and disappointing, noting that most of the stories were "manifestly by newcomers, first sales or nearly so."

Orbit 17

Edited by Damon Knight, first published in 1975.
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Edited by Damon Knight, first published in 1976.
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Edited by Damon Knight first published in 1977
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Edited by Damon Knight First published in 1978
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