Here is a new collection of Soviet science fiction that is calculated to delight and entertain the reader as much as to reflect the current temper of Soviet society. These are the liveliest and best written of Soviet output, and they show that the science fiction genre has finally come of age in the U.S.S.R. In mood they range from lyricism to humor, from the grotesque to sheer wackiness. No longer do the Soviet writers deal in the stereotypes of the greedy, capitalistic exploiter, the murderous American spy, and the imperialist network of sabotage. The unbearably noble Bolshevik counteragent has, happily, been laid to rest, too. Instead, the stories have grown in universal appeal and show the authors to be preoccupied with social problems, human values, and high ideals. Two recurring themes of particular significance link these stories to the humanistic tradition in classical Russian literature. One is of sacrifice for the common good, a theme sounded in “Storm,” “Heroic Feat,” and “Thread of Life.” The other is a matter of deep and growing concern intheWest as well—the fate of the inner man in an increasingly automated and impersonal world. “The Mystery of the Green Crossing,” “Formula for the Impossible,” and the very touching “Robotniks” deal with this problem.