SOURCE: Robillard, Douglas. “Uncertain Futures: Damon Knight's Science Fiction.” Voices for the Future: Volume Three (1984): 30-51.

In the following essay, Robillard offers a thematic and stylistic overview of Damon Knight's science fiction stories.

Most of Damon Knight's fiction was produced during the 1950s and 1960s, and, sadly for his readers, he has published very little fiction since. Instead, he has been engaged prominently as an anthologist and editor, assembling a number of worthwhile collections of published sf and carefully exercising his editorial judgment on unpublished stories for his long series of Orbit anthologies to bring the work of innovative and interesting writers before the public. His work with the Science Fiction Writers of America and fiction workshops has been of great significance.¹

But then it might be said of Knight's career that it has often taken strange turns. His engaging autobiographical account, “Knight's Piece,” places him as illustrator...