Hal Clement

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Hal Clement
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20 Quotations from Hal Clement

alien n. 1942 ‘H. Clement’ Impediment in Astounding Science Fiction Aug. 108/2 Both aliens had seen him before, but only at a considerable distance. Talker’s chief surprise at the human form was that a being should support a mass about four times his own, against the relatively enormous gravity of Earth, on but two legs—though the legs, it is true, resembled tree trunks when compared to the stalklike limbs of the visitors.
colony planet n. 1943 ‘H. Clement’ Attitude in Astounding Science-Fiction Sept. 27/2 He had been born on Earth but showed plainly a background of several generations on the colony-planet Regulus Six—big bones, dark skin, quick reactions.
Earth-type adj. 2 1944 ‘H. Clement’ Trojan Fall in Astounding Science Fiction June 58/2 He was reasonably certain of finding a habitable planet; the star that lacked worlds was the exception rather than the rule. Earth-type worlds were rarer, but frequent enough to have forced the enactment of several regulations against unrestricted colonization.
interworld adj. 1946 ‘H. Clement’ Cold Front in Astounding Science Fiction July 43/2 With interplanetary and interstellar travel, an already existing and working form of interworld government, with our knowledge of space and time and matter which cropped up occasionally and inevitably in my conversations with Serrnak Deg, it was glaringly obvious to them that our civilization was materially far in advance of theirs; that their achievements, compared to ours, were childish.
ion gun n. 1943 ‘H. Clement’ Attitude in Astounding Science-Fiction Sept. 24/1 You’re free to try any smuggling you want, but be careful. They already know what an ion gun looks like, and we have been told that they’re very good at guessing. We don’t know, of course, what articles besides weapons they don’t want us to have; so be careful in taking anything you think they might object to. I'm going to take this load up.
lightspeed n. 1 1944 ‘H. Clement’ Trojan Fall in Astounding Science Fiction June 58/1 She had the required two second-order converters, either capable of holding the ship, and six hundred tons of additional mass in the necessary condition for interstellar flight above light-speed.
neutronium n. 1942 ‘H. Clement’ Proof in Astounding Science Fiction June 103/1 The first cities were of neutronium, like those of today, but it was necessary to stabilize the neutrons with fields of energy; at core temperature, as you know, neutronium is a gas.
non-human n. 1943 ‘H. Clement’ Attitude in Astounding Science Fiction Sept. 13/1 They bore some resemblance to the nonhumans of Tau Ceti’s first planet, having evidently evolved from a radially symmetric, star[-]fishlike form to a somewhat more specialized type with differentiated locomotive and prehensile appendages.
problem story n. 1988 ‘H. Clement’ in Thrust (#29) Winter 10/3 (interview) THRUST: Is this the ‘purest’ form of science fiction, the problem story? CLEMENT: Well, this is my personal view of the purest form of science fiction. It’s closely analogous to the detective story. In both cases the plot is essentially a problem, and in both cases the reader is supposed to have a fair chance of solving the problem before being presented with the solution.
Sirian n. 1 1942 ‘H. Clement’ Proof in Astounding Science-Fiction June 103/2 During the conversation, the Sirian had periodically tested the atmosphere beyond the hull. He spoke, rather absently, as though concentrating on something other than his words.
Solarian n. 1 1942 ‘H. Clement’ Proof in Astounding Stories June 103/1 ‘The trips are dangerous—you should have been told that. We carry a crew of thirty, when two would be enough to man this ship, for we must fight, as well as fly. You spoke truly when you said that the lower regions of Sol are our natural home; but for aeons we have not dared to make more than fleeting visits, to steal the power which is life to us. Your little worlds have been almost completely subjugated by your people, Sirian; they never had life forms sufficiently powerful to threaten seriously your domination. But Sol, whose core alone is far larger than the Sirius B pair, did develop such creatures. Some are vast, stupid, slow-moving, or immobile; others are semi-intelligent, and rapid movers; all are more than willing to ingest the ready-compacted neutronium of another living being.’ Kron’s tale was interrupted for a moment, as the Sirian sent a ray probing out through the ship’s wall, testing the physical state of the inferno beyond. A record was made, and the Solarian resumed.
solar system n. 1944 ‘H. Clement’ Trojan Fall in Astounding Science-Fiction June 57/2 Admittedly, he was used to interplanetary rather than interstellar flight; but it is almost as easy to get lost inside solar systems as between them.
spacehand n. 1942 ‘H. Clement’ Impediment in Astounding Science-Fiction Aug. 106/1 Why do I have to dodge out of the path of every idiotic spacehand who comes tearing back here as though the planet was full of devils?
space helmet n. 1965 ‘H. Clement’ Raindrop in Worlds of If May 12/2 Bresnahan frowned thoughtfully, though the facial gesture was not very meaningful inside a space helmet.
terrestrian adj. 1946 ‘H. Clement’ Cold Front in Astounding Science Fiction July 37/1 Several winged aircraft were parked in the open near each strip, and a single machine, similar in exterior design to the terrestrian lifeboat.
Titanian adj. 1994 ‘H. Clement’ Settlement in Absolute Magnitude Fall 68/2 The suits, like the station, contained pure oxygen at one fifth of a standard atmosphere, an eighth of the Titanian surface pressure. A flood of ninety-Kelvin nitrogen must have washed into the victim’s face; it was unlikely that he felt much, if anything. Certainly he had made no sound.
Vegan n. 1 1943 ‘H. Clement’ Attitude in Astounding Science-Fiction Sept. 27/1 The Vegans, whose quarters were directly opposite, watched from their doorways. They also commented from time to time, but were very seldom answered, since both hands are required to speak Vegan.
Vegan n. 1 1943 ‘H. Clement’ Attitude in Astounding Science Fiction Sept. 16/1 The Vegan relaxed for a moment as its eyes readjusted themselves; then its antennae snapped erect and began to sway slowly in the simple patterns of the sign language of its race.
Vegan n. 2 1943 ‘H. Clement’ Attitude in Astounding Science Fiction Sept. 16/1 Most of the Earthmen had some knowledge of Vegan speech—the two systems are near neighbors, and enjoy lively commercial relations—and all looked to Albee for a decision. [Ibid. 27/1] The Vegans, whose quarters were directly opposite, watched from their doorways. They also commented from time to time, but were very seldom answered, since both hands are required to speak Vegan.
Vegan adj. 1943 ‘H. Clement’ Attitude in Astounding Science Fiction Sept. 16/2 The Vegan relaxed for a moment as its eyes readjusted themselves; then its antennae snapped erect and began to sway slowly in the simple patterns of the sign language of its race… Most of the Earthmen had some knowledge of Vegan speech—the two systems are near neighbors, and enjoy lively commercial relations—and all looked to Albee for a decision.