SF Signal: The Cold Equations

The Cold Equations

Tom Godwin's short story "The Cold Equations" is arguably one of the most popular pieces of short sf or, at least, one of the most reprinted. If you've read the story and you are interested in a critical discussion of it, head on over to Richard Harter's critical study of it (story spoilers and all).

Meanwhile, blogger Waggish uses "The Cold Equations" to distinguish between two different kinds of sf: "Exemplary" vs. "Exceptional". Exemplary sf follows the normal tropes while exceptional pushes its boundaries outward.

And finally, Matthew Cheney expands a bit more on the idea.

[Links via Mumpsimus]

Ok, I looked at some of the discussion about Cold Equations by Tom Godwin, which IMO is a pretty good shortstory. However, I did not read in any of the discussion the fact that when Mr. Godwin first wrote and submitted the story for publication the stowaway character was a boy and not a girl. When the story was first submitted John W. Campbell, sent it back for rewrite and his specific request was to make the stoaway a girl. But for the request of a rewrite a classic story would have been significantly different

Posted by Allan Rosewarne on Tuesday June 28, 2005 at 10:41 PM