The brilliantly innovational mind of Michael G. Coney has rapidly gained him high standing among the big new names in science fiction. His novels Friends Come in Boxes, Mirror Image, and The Hero of Downways have demonstrated his power and have gained him award nominations. Equally skilled in the field of the short story, many of Coney's unusual tales have been reprinted in special anthologies. In this new book, Coney presents his own selection of his best. Of his work he stated: "I was aiming at a different type of SF, a type of story where science and characterization went together in such a way that the denouement was a result of the characters of the people concerned and their reaction to the scientific (generally sociological) premise rather than a gimmick ending based on the premise itself". Monitor in Orbit will prove to be a reliable beacon for searchers after fine science fiction.