Customer Reviews

The Wheels Of IF

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L. Sprague de Camp is one of science fiction's Grand Masters. Every couple of years the Science Fiction Writers of America honor a living author for his/her achievement and influence in the field. De Camp should be read because heritage is important.
The stories are fun, too. Written between 1938 and 1942, these seven tales do not include anything new to a reader of today. Rather, their charm lies in their simplicity. These are people who could be your neighbors; the tales told at the dinner table.
"The Wheels of If"- Alister Park wakes a different man than he was the night before. This difference brings dramatic change in the world around him.
"The Contrababand Cow"- Consumption of beef is illegal.
"Hyperpelosity"- A worldwide epidemic.
"The Gnarly Man"- All Clarence wants is to be left alone, really.
"The Warrior Race"- The alien invasion story.
"The Best Laid Scheme"- The time travel story
"The Merman"- Vernon Brock will do anything to marry his sweetheart.
These are short stories, which some will automatically avoid. The style is different: the pulps of 60 years ago. The language
may seem exaggerated, only to indicate accent or dialect. This collection is worth the while, however. Particularly if you have an interest in our science fiction heritage.
"The folly of trying to judge people by their looks has been pointed out by generations of psychologists and such people. But this form of judgment seems to be ingrained in human folkways. Perhaps that is why Coordinator Ronald Q. M. Bloss underestimated Hedges."-- "The Best-Laid Scheme"