Customer Reviews

Best from Fantasy and Science Fiction: 4th Series

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I saw this paperback at a used book store. The cover immediately grabbed me. That was just the beginning. Story after story blew me away. Sadly, the Ray Bradbury entry, "All Summer in a Day" may be the weakest entry in the bunch, along with Avram Davidson's "My boyfriend's name is Jello." But two out of 15 ain't bad. In fact, the 16th entry, "The Foundation of Science Fiction Success" is an Asimov verse on how to become a science fiction writer. Not bad advise, either. The writing and imaginative stories are guaranteed to delight the most demanding SF and fantasy buff who wants a quick and fun read.
1. Alfred Bester "Fondly Fahrenheit": A fascinating police procedural mystery in a
near future with killer androids and all.

2. C. M. Korbluth "I never ast no favors": If you enjoyed The Syndic, this is is your cup of tea, with a hilarious supernatural flavor.

3. Robert Abernathy "Heirs Apparent": Before there was a Rod Serling with his post- apocalyptic tales, there was Abernathy. This anthropologically- tinged cautionary fable haunts the mind hours after reading it.

4. Arthur Porges "1.98" A good yarn to repeat over a campfire about making that
wish.

5. Poul Anderson "The Immortal Game": An unusual perspective on chess.

6. Ray Bradbury "All Summer in a Day": By now we know how cruel kids can be.

7. Robert Sheckley "The Accountant": A hilarious supernatural take on parents who s want junior to carry on in the family business.

8. J. Francis McComas "Brave New Word": Ponder for a moment the origins of words,
concepts and the earliest men who came up with them in a world
of survival that was nasty, brutish and short...

9. Avram Davidson "My Boyfriend's Name is Jello": I am sure Davidson has better,
less silly tales to tell.

10. Richard Matheson "The Test": Matheson has never disappointed. Back in 1954 the theme
of surplus population was fresh. Nowadays post-"Soylent Green" and
post-"Logan's Run" these stories must appear old hat, but the
characters--their relationships and their actions--the heart of
Matheson's craftsmanship--tell us much about the human condition.

11. Albert Compton Friborg "Careless Love"" If I did not know better I would say this story
was written by Kurt Vonnegut, that's how hilarious and witty it is
despite its gloomy theme: endless nuclear war and the computers
that help us survive. The characters, insofar as a short story can
develop them, are first rate. And, yes, love conquers all...

12. Shirley Jackson "Bulletin": Yes, the Shirley Jackson. Told fleetingly and a cryptically with a series of memoes in just over two pages,
this droll tale of time-travel, ignorance and lost history y leaves one guessing with its open-ended ending.
The stuff of Jackson, I suppose.

13. Daniel F. Galouye "Sanctuary": Narrated in a style reminiscent of 40's noir, this
tale about a telepath on the run makes for gripping reading. The
plot points have a great set up and the ending is pure noir.

14. Lord Dunsany "Misadventure": In an age where we rely on machines, computers, etc.
to help get us through the day, it helps to be more grateful to this
technology and not come off as a hopeless Luddite. The consequences
could be... But telling more would be a spoiler, which I have tried
to avoid so far. A good yarn told in that "oh, so Brit" style.

15. Manly Wade Wellman "The Little Black Train": A first-rate supernatural yarn with a
clever scientific twist told in a Mark Twain-style about a curse
that hangs over an isolated rural community. Watch out for the g guitar-man and stay clear of them, old abandoned train tracks.


16. Isaac Asimov See my opening comments.

Enjoy!