Synopsis
On an alien world with a dense atmosphere, a spaceship crashes into the ocean.
History
First publication: Astounding August 1939
Review
A very short story by an author who wrote little. This story has been anthologized a lot over the years. 1939 saw the beginning of realistic speculation about worlds outside our solar system. This was one of the best, portraying the environment in a fair amount of detail in so few pages. So the worldbuilding is really good, but could have been so much richer if the story were longer. The denizens and the politics of this world again are told briefly but in enough detail to get a good picture. I really enjoyed this story, now and back when I originally read it. But as good as it is, I am just left wanting more. This is a science fiction classic, but does not quite make it to a Top Tale.
Videos
We have the story in these editions:
The Great SF Stories 1 (1939), edited by Isaac Asimov, Martin H. Greenberg, paperback, DAW Books, 1979-03-00
Where Do We Go From Here?, edited by Isaac Asimov, paperback, Fawcett Crest, 1976-01-00
Heavy Planet and Other Science Fiction Stories, trade paperback, Wildside Press, 2004-10-00
