Danny Goes to Mars

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"Danny Goes to Mars" is a science fiction short story by American writer Pamela Sargent. It was first published in Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine , in October 1992.

Contents

Plot summary

After new developments in rocket propulsion enable a trip to Mars to be completed in weeks instead of months, Vice-President Dan Quayle is persuaded to join the crew of the first mission — and becomes its sole survivor.

Reception

"Danny Goes to Mars" won the Nebula Award for Best Novelette of 1992, [1] and was a finalist for the 1993 Hugo Award for Best Novelette. [2]

Paul Di Filippo described it as "wicked satire". [3] The Sun-Sentinel considered it to be "affectionate", noting that although "Sargent gently mocks Quayle's intellectual and spiritual limitations", she also portrays him as having genuine courage; [4] similarly, Mark Pitcavage considered Quayle "a likeable and earnest dimbulb". [5] Geoffrey Landis, writing in 1993, described it as "amusing (but) outdated". [6]

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References

  1. Danny Goes to Mars, at Science Fiction Writers of America; retrieved January 31, 2019
  2. 1993 Hugo Awards, at TheHugoAwards.org; retrieved January 31, 2019
  3. The many guises of literary fantasy -- from comic short stories to slip-stream fiction to mega-novels of alternate history., by Paul Di Filippo, in the Washington Post ; published December 15, 2002; retrieved January 31, 2019
  4. FANTASY, TERROR, by Monica Strand, in the Sun-Sentinel ; published June 12, 1994; retrieved January 31, 2019
  5. Master of the Universe, by Mark Pitcavage, in the Washington Post ; published May 29, 1994; retrieved January 31 2019
  6. Science: Mars Missions, originally published in Science Fiction Age, May 1993, archived at GeoffreyLandis.com; retrieved January 31, 2019