Love Is the Plan the Plan Is Death
Encyclopedia
"Love Is the Plan the Plan Is Death" is a short story by James Tiptree, Jr. which won a Nebula Award
for Best Short Story in 1973. The novella first appeared in the anthology The Alien Condition, edited by Stephen Goldin
, published by Ballantine Books
in April 1973. It was subsequently reprinted several times (amongst others in the James Tiptree collections Warm Worlds and Otherwise
(1975) and Her Smoke Rose Up Forever
(1990)).
The story is unusual in that it involves no human characters, but is told entirely from the perspective of a giant spider-like creature. The creature is initially attempting to resist its instincts (the 'plan' of the title). Its species' life-cycle is exceptionally violent, and as the seasons pass into winter, members of the species become more and more unthinking, working only upon instinct.
Nebula Award
The Nebula Award is given each year by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America , for the best science fiction/fantasy fiction published in the United States during the previous year...
for Best Short Story in 1973. The novella first appeared in the anthology The Alien Condition, edited by Stephen Goldin
Stephen Goldin
Stephen Charles Goldin is an American science fiction and fantasy author.-Biography:Goldin was born in in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
, published by Ballantine Books
Ballantine Books
Ballantine Books is a major book publisher located in the United States, founded in 1952 by Ian Ballantine with his wife, Betty Ballantine. It was acquired by Random House in 1973, which in turn was acquired by Bertelsmann AG in 1998 and remains part of that company today. Ballantine's logo is a...
in April 1973. It was subsequently reprinted several times (amongst others in the James Tiptree collections Warm Worlds and Otherwise
Warm Worlds and Otherwise
Warm Worlds and Otherwise is a short story collection by Alice Sheldon that, under her pen name James Tiptree, Jr., was first published in 1975...
(1975) and Her Smoke Rose Up Forever
Her Smoke Rose Up Forever
Her Smoke Rose Up Forever is a collection of Science fiction and fantasy stories by author James Tiptree, Jr.. It was released in 1990 by Arkham House...
(1990)).
The story is unusual in that it involves no human characters, but is told entirely from the perspective of a giant spider-like creature. The creature is initially attempting to resist its instincts (the 'plan' of the title). Its species' life-cycle is exceptionally violent, and as the seasons pass into winter, members of the species become more and more unthinking, working only upon instinct.