Though best known to the world as the author of The Sand Pebbles, Richard McKenna had an earlier and most enthusiastic reception as a writer of first quality science fiction. It is therefore most fitting that this story, one of a half dozen found among his papers after his death, should receive the Nebula Award as the Best Short Story of the year. It is a sensitive piece of writing, a perfect example of second generation science fiction, the retelling and reexamination of a theme that originated in the pulp years of this medium.

Nebula Award, Best Short Story 1966