Synopsis
A man has the rare talent of sensing balance and imbalance in the universe, but with it comes the compulsion to correct any imbalance, no matter at what cost.
Notes
First published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, October 1959 and later revised for Star Light, Star Bright, Berkley/Putnam, 1976.
Awards
| Year | Award | Category | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | Hugo Award | Best Short Fiction | Nominee/Finalist |
Publications (37)
| Date | Publication | Publisher | Type | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 1959 | The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, October 1959 | Mercury Press, Inc. | MAGAZINE | 80 |
| February 1960 | The Best from Fantasy and Science Fiction: Ninth Series | Doubleday | Anthology | 234 |
| May 1960 | The Best from Fantasy and Science Fiction: Ninth Series | Doubleday / SFBC | Anthology | 234 |
| 1962 | The Best from Fantasy and Science Fiction: Ninth Series | Gollancz | Anthology | |
| September 1963 | Venture Science Fiction [UK], September 1963 | Atlas Publishing and Distribution Co. Ltd | MAGAZINE | 23 |
| October 1963 | The Best from Fantasy and Science Fiction: Ninth Series | The Science Fiction Book Club (UK) | Anthology | |
| 1964 | The Best from Fantasy and Science Fiction: 9th Series | Ace Books | Anthology | 224 |
| May 1964 | The Dark Side of the Earth | Signet / New American Library | Collection | 56 |
| May 1964 | The Dark Side of the Earth | Signet / New American Library of Canada | Collection | 56 |
| September 1964 | The Best from Fantasy and Science Fiction: 9th Series | Panther | Anthology | 184 |
| 1967 | An Alfred Bester Omnibus | Sidgwick & Jackson | Omnibus | |
| November 1969 | The Dark Side of the Earth | Pan Books | Collection | 60 |
| September 1970 | Alpha One | Ballantine Books | Anthology | 225 |
| October 1970 | The Dark Side of the Earth | Signet / New American Library of Canada | Collection | 56 |
| December 1971 | Alpha One | Ballantine Books | Anthology | 225 |
| July 1976 | Star Light, Star Bright: The Great Short Fiction of Alfred Bester Volume II | Berkley/Putnam | Collection | 167 |
| December 1976 | Starlight: The Great Short Fiction of Alfred Bester | Nelson Doubleday / SFBC | Omnibus | 343 |
| 1977 | The Dark Side of the Earth | Pan Books | Collection | 60 |
| July 1977 | Starlight: The Great Short Fiction of Alfred Bester | Berkley Medallion | Omnibus | 377 |
| February 1978 | Star Light, Star Bright | Gollancz | Collection | |
| 1979 | Star Light, Star Bright: The Great Short Fiction of Alfred Bester Volume 2 | Fontana | Collection | 150 |
| January 1981 | The Future I | Fawcett Crest | Anthology | 219 |
| February 1981 | What If? Volume 2 | Pocket Books | Anthology | 16 |
| February 1981 | What If? Volume 2 | Pocket Books | Anthology | 16 |
| June 1990 | The Great SF Stories #21 (1959) | DAW Books | Anthology | 251 |
| June 1990 | The Great SF Stories #21 (1959) | DAW Books | Anthology | 251 |
| July 1994 | The Ascent of Wonder: The Evolution of Hard SF | Tor | Anthology | 790 |
| October 1994 | The Ascent of Wonder: The Evolution of Hard SF | Orbit | Anthology | 790 |
| October 1994 | The Ascent of Wonder: The Evolution of Hard SF | Tor / SFBC | Anthology | 790 |
| September 1997 | The Ascent of Wonder: The Evolution of Hard SF | Orb | Anthology | 790 |
| November 1997 | Virtual Unrealities: The Short Fiction of Alfred Bester | Vintage Books | Collection | 173 |
| November 1997 | Virtual Unrealities: The Short Fiction of Alfred Bester | Topeka Bindery | Collection | |
| August 1998 | Virtual Unrealities: The Short Fiction of Alfred Bester | Vintage Books / SFBC | Collection | |
| May 2013 | Virtual Unrealities: The Short Fiction of Alfred Bester | Byron Preiss Visual Publications | Collection | |11 |
| May 2022 | Alpha 1 | ReAnimus Press | Anthology | |225 |
| May 2022 | Alpha 1 | ReAnimus Press | Anthology | |225 |
| May 2022 | Alpha 1 | ReAnimus Press | Anthology | |225 |