https://fromtheheartofeurope.eu/peter-davisons-book-of-alien-monsters-and-peter-.....

Peter Davison's Book of Alien Planets (1983), on the other hand, contains eight stories, only two of which are original – one by the editor, and one by Mary Gentle, who at that time was still a newcomer with just one novel, A Hawk in Silver, to her name; this seems to be her first published short fiction, but she had two more stories published in Asimov's that year (1983), and of course has never looked back. The others are all classics by the likes of Edmond Hamilton, Ray Bradbury and two by Arthur C. Clarke, "The Star" and "History Lesson". From Davison's foreword, it appears that these were very much chosen by him as personal favourites. Most of them have a grim twist at the end. It is the more solid of the two anthologies, but you are more likely to already have most of the stories in it. ( )

Davison's selections are in the vein of his television show (Doctor Who) -- simple, linear and wonderful for a quick read. There are two Arthur Clarke pieces herein, one of them the keystone of his 2001: A Space Odyssey, called "The Star." But the main reason this little tome is in my library is the piece written by my man, Michael Shaara, titled "Grenville's Planet." ( )