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Startling Worlds of Henry Kuttner

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Henry Kuttner was one of the most prolific and creative of the writers of the so-called "Golden Age" of science fiction. This volume contains three complete novels, taken from the pages of Startling Stories magazine during this literary period: The Portal In The Picture, Valley Of The Flame, and The Dark World. All three, it should be noted, were collaborations between Henry Kuttner and his wife Catherine (who was a superior writer in her own right, unjustly forgotten, neglected and obscure). Ms. Moore typically declined her half of the byline. The first of the three stories was also published (1954) as "Beyond Earth's Gates" as "By Lewis Padgett and C. L. Moore". Since it can be argued that Lewis Padgett was C. L. Moore, perhaps here is an admission of collaboration. Or something. The Portal In The Picture deals with a man from late forties New York mysteriously transported through a strange painting which functions as a gateway between worlds. He finds himself on an Earth where alchemy reigns and science is a forgotten legend. He must save the most beautiful woman on two worlds to escape the treacherous pleasures of this strange world. Valley of the Flame deals with Amazonian explorers who discover a place where time flows at a faster rate. Here a strange race of people guards a stranger secret with the opwer to destroy the planet. The Dark World is sort of a celtic-paganized vision of the tale of Little Red Riding Hood, except the wolf is a werewolf, Red Hood is a witch, Granny is an ancient and malevolent alien entity or something, and the goodies are magic. Great stuff.