Case and the Dreamer

This is the last volume in a series that collects the complete short fiction of beloved and influential American science fiction author Theodore Sturgeon. This thirteenth volume of The Complete Stories of Theodore Sturgeon contains stories written during the years 1973 to 1983, with one exception, the previously unanthologized "Tuesdays are Worse," written in 1960. It also contains three unpublished stories, "Seasoning," "The Mysterium" and "Black Moccasins."

As one of the prominent figures of what is called the "golden age" of science fiction (along with authors such as Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov, and Ray Bradbury), Sturgeon's particular contribution to the field was a move away from "space opera" and "hard" or technical science fiction to closer considerations of social issues: love, sex, discrimination, war, and ambition. Sturgeon, like many great science-fiction writers, chafed at the way the genre was considered inferior and invented Sturgeon's Law ("90 percent of everything is crap") to express the unfairness of that stereotype.

Though he attempted to write for mainstream outlets (for example, in this volume, "Tuesdays are Worse," "Black Moccasins" and "Seasoning"), the genre markets for horror, science fiction and fantasy welcomed his exploration of the strange, the beautiful and sometimes the gruesome aspects of human existence. This volume has examples of Sturgeon's unusual range: lyrical fantasy such as "The Singsong of Cecily Snow," a western in "The Sheriff of Chayute" and the sexually explicit "The Country of Afterward." In addition, there are several strong examples of Sturgeon's best science fiction, such as the long stories "Case and the Dreamer," "Why Dolphins Don't Bite" and "Harry's Note," exemplifying the moving reflections on love and humanity that Sturgeon was known for throughout his career.

During the period covered in this volume, Sturgeon lived in Los Angeles, San Diego, and Springfield, Oregon, and entered a new relationship that would last the remainder of his life. His increasing struggle with lung fibrosis drew his attention to disease and illness, as reflected in the stories "Not An Affair," "Grizzly" and "Vengeance Is." On May 8th, 1985, Sturgeon died in Eugene, Oregon, surrounded by his large family. He was 67.

This last volume of The Complete Stories of Theodore Sturgeon also contains a biographical essay, "Theodore Sturgeon: Storyteller," by Paul Williams, the editor of ten of the previous volumes, and an index to all of the stories in all of the volumes.