Louise Penny, The Best American Mysteries Stories 2018

Penny, Louise, ed. The Best American Mysteries Stories 2018 (Otto Penzler, series editor). Boston & New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018.

The Best American Mystery Stories 2018 at Goodreads

Overall rating:     6/10

In my attempt at reading more contemporary fiction, I selected this book for mystery (with another "Best of" anthology for contemporary horror, and some modern literature for a novel). So much reading to get through, I had little time for writing. Now that I am the end of that stint, I can write about it all, beginning with my least favourite of the batch.

The selection of stories in The Best American Mysteries Stories 2018 is somewhat varied, though there appears to be a slight shift toward more adventure or thriller stories, where the mystery transforms into a climactic showdown or chase, and where the mystery element feels almost secondary to the action, like a standard Hollywood movie. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but for many of these stories, such as David Edgerley Gates's "Cabin Fever" and David A. Hendrickson's "Death in Serengeti," we know how it is going end, so other elements need to be elevated and the action shortened. Though I understand many readers may prefer the adrenaline brought on by the action, this is not my sub-genre of choice.

Less varied is the gender of the authors. Of the twenty stories in the anthology, a whopping two are written by women. Ten percent. According to the UN, there is a greater representation of women in parliament than there is in this anthology.

(I wonder how much the selections in these best-of books are influenced by the stories' authors, so editors & publishers choose entries not on the individual story merits, but on their author or a combination of the two, to help increase sales. The best stories here are not necessarily by the more recognizable authors. Both women are big names.)

As usual I prefer the stories that are character-based, and the real stand-out for me is T. C. Boyle's "The Designee," which I read as a modern tragedy. Other strong stories are Rob Hart's "Takeout," the excellently titled opening story by Louis Bayard, "Banana Triangle Six," Scott Loring Sanders's "Waiting on Joe," and "All Our Yesterday's" by Andrew Klavan. I also like the the Joyce Carol Oates novelette, though I feel it does not belong in this book. The rest are pretty forgettable.

Banana Triangle Six by Louis Bayard     7/10

Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, July/August 2017

Eighty-four year-old Mr. Hank is living out his days at the Morning Has Broken home for the elderly. He is grumpily abandoning his lunch and heading to his room for a nap. His memory seems to be fading, and he barely recognizes the woman, Dr. Landis, who appears unexpectedly in his room to run a few small tests. A touching story, tightly written, and a good one to launch the collection.

Y is for Yangchuan Lizard by Andrew Bourelle     7/10

D is for Dinosaur, edited by Rhonda Parrish, Edmonton: Poise and Pen, 2017

To pay off a debt, a young man sells drugs from a bar for the Chechen mafia. When his friend gets ahold of a rare bag of coke mixed with dinosaur bones, the mafia is prepared to commit murder in order to get their hands on the stash. A pretty good read with some standard twists, elevated by a nice dark undertone of hopelessness.

The Designee by T. C. Boyle     8/10

The Iowa Review, 47:2, Fall 2017

I have yet to read a story by T. C. Boyle (author of "Greasy Lake") that I do not like. In this one, a retired elderly professor is caught in a mail scheme that sees him slowly sending his life savings overseas. A painful read, as we know what is transpiring and must be content to continue amid frustration and outrage. This story's designation here as a mystery is arguable: while it has elements of mystery, so does every short story, yet this one doesn't hinge on any moment of discovery or climax. It is more of a character study and a portrait of a very real scheme that has seen so many retirees taken for so much money. Very well written with a heartbreaking finish.

Smoked by Michael Bracken     6/10

Noir at the Salad Bar, edited by Verena Rose, Harriette Sacker, and Shawn Reilly Simmons, Level Best Books, 2017

In small town Texa,s Beau James is running the Quarryville Smokehouse. When his photo appears in a local paper, he fears he has been outed as he settled in town via the witness protection program. A fairly average story with a noisy climax.

The Wild Side of Life by James Lee Burke     6/10

The Southern Review, Winter 2017

Oil driller has an affair with the wife of Louisiana bigshot who runs the local police. Some familiar events, focus on PTSD following a tragic event many years before, and a rushed and dwindling finish. The title refers to a country song.

Too Much Time by Lee Child     6.5/10

No Middle Name, Delacorte Press, 2017

While walking through a plaza minding his own business, Jack Reacher witnesses the snatch-theft of a handbag and gets involved in the investigation, the cops pulling him in as a key witness. This novella is my first Jack Reacher, and I did enjoy it, though it could have been shorter. I guess it took just too much time reading this...

The Third Panel by Michael Connolly     6/10

Alive in Shape and Color, edited by Lawrence Block, 2017

Police investigate a brutal crime scene at a model home in an abandoned development area seventy miles from Los Angeles that was being used as a meth cookhouse. An FBI agent arrives to determine if it matches other similar crimes attributed to a group calling themselves The Third Panel. Pretty good short story with a minor, semi-expected twist.

Gun Work by John M. Floyd     6/10

Coast to Coast: Private Eyes from Sea to Shining Sea, edited by Andrew McAleer and Paul D. Marks, Down & Out Books, 2017

A western tale of mystery. Investigator Will Parker is sent to uncover the truth about a twenty-two year incident involving a retired sheriff and the shooting of a wanted criminal. Average story with an expected finish

Cabin Fever by David Edgerley Gates     6/10

Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, September/October 2017

Ranger Hector is caught in a storm in the midst of the wild, while a pair of cold-blooded murderers are on the loose after a prison bus turns over. The story shifts between Hector and the two escaped convicts who take him hostage, and the FBI and the ranger's girlfriend medic who try to locate him, while coordinating a wildfire triggered by lightning. This is a common formula and I was not too invested in this one, as we can guess early on how it will turn out.

Small Signs by Charlaine Harris     6/10

Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, November/December 2017

High school principal and former trainer of government operatives Anne DeWitt is surprised by a visit from former colleagues. It appears money has been laundered from the training camp, and Anne's replacement at the camp is desperate to discover the culprit. This is part of a series of short stories featuring Anne DeWitt with her new identity. This one was alright, but the quick scenes needed to be interspersed with so much background information for those unfamiliar with the series (such as myself), that it only became interesting half-way through.

Takeout by Rob Hart     8/10

Mystery Tribune, Issue No. 2, Summer 2017

To pay off a gambling debt to the Chinese gambling house and restaurant, The Happy Dumpling, Harold makes special takeout deliveries for owner Mr. Mo. He does not, however, deliver food, but rather messages in the form of seemingly random items. Harold wants out, but behind on alimony payments and wanting to get on the good side of his former wife and their six year-old daughter, he has no choice but to continue. Until an option comes to light.

A character driven story that also presents a great situation and environment, this story is a slice of life, a few days amid a hefty sequence of events. Well written and well framed, each moment is both necessary and interesting, and honestly I liked the scenario so much, with its not-too-likable protagonist, I would have read a good deal more. In addition, it has something many of the stories in the anthology do not: a great ending.

Death in the Serengeti by David H. Hendrickson     6/10

Fiction River #24: Pulse Pounders Adrenaline, edited by Kevin J. Anderson, July 2017

Senior Serengeti park ranger Makinda comes across the carcasses of several elephants, their ivory tusks sawed off. Shortly thereafter his jeep explodes, followed by additional explosions in the distance as the vehicles of the other rangers in the district also explode. Makinda becomes aware that he has just evaded being murdered, and that there are dangerous poachers in the vicinity who have likely killed his colleagues, leaving him alone to fight the threat.

The most interesting aspect of the story is the tragic and cold-blooded poaching business, which genuinely enraged me as I was reading. While this made me emotionally invested in the story, this is the kind of adventure story in which I am not normally interested. Also, because I was emotionally invested, I was hoping for a better finishing off of the culprits, something more poetic and long-lasting, whereas they were simply done away with all too quickly.

The story received the 2018 Derringer Award for "Best Long Story" (4,001-8,000 words).

All Our Yesterdays by Andrew Klavan     7/10

Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, March/April 2017

During the First World War, Brooks is injured during a charge from his trench, and is sent to England for a lengthy recuperation period. He finds that everything has changed--not just the world around him, but his own self as well. He experiences blackouts and sudden, strong bouts of fear and anger, often associated with inexplicable rage. He longs for a former time, during the late nineteenth century when times were easier and women, in particular, were purer. He befriends his older doctor with whom he feels the need to reminiscence, yet while Dr. Haven tries to explain that it was not a better time, that there was darkness even then, Brooks's desire to talk about the past does not dampen, and his blackouts, which he keeps a secret, seem to become more severe.

What a long description for this excellent story that had me glued. A great finish as well that links the details nicely.

PX Christmas by Martin Limón     6/10

The Usual Santas: A Collection of Soho Crime Christmas Capers, (no credited editor), Random House, 2017

In the Korean demilitarized zone, a pair of American army officers investigate the abuse of the military PX shop, a shop designed for the military and their spouses where imported items can be purchased at low cost. Some wives abuse the shops by making their purchases and selling them in Seoul for great profit, and one of these is sighted by our officers.

The premise of the story is its strongest aspect, as the plot to re-take the wife and make sure Huk leaves everyone alone is less interesting than the mechanisms of the US military in the DMZ.

Windward by Paul D. Marks     6/10

Coast to Coast: Private Eyes from Sea to Shining Sea, edited by Andrew McAleer and Paul D. Marks, Down & Out Books, 2017

Private investigator receives a visit from no-nonsense successful film producer claiming his wife has disappeared and that the police believe she has simply run off. PI investigates, theorizes, things happen and mystery is resolved. Fairly average tale with fairly average PI.

Phantomwise: 1972 by Joyce Carol Oates     7/10

Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, September/October 2017

Undergraduate student Alyce is seduced and impregnated by one of her young instructors, who soon thereafter distances himself from her. In the meantime, Alyce befriends visiting professor and successful poet Roland, who hires her to help collect his papers.

While there is a clear element of mystery, and even crime, these are relegated to the backdrop, as the story focuses on Alyce and her complicated relationship with Roland. This is also the most interesting element of the story, so that as a mystery it is weaker than as a character study. I sympathized with both Alyce and Roland, and would even have liked to see their relationship continue to develop. The ending moves away from this and does its own thing.

Rule Number One by Alan Orloff     7/10

Snowbound: Best New England Crime Stories 2017, Shawn Reilly Simmons, Harriette Sackler, Verena Rose, editors, Level best Books, 2017

A thief helps his aging, retiring mentor by allowing him to take part in one final heist. And of course, there is much double-crossing. A familiar set-up, and you can figure out the ending at the last leg, but it is nonetheless an enjoyable, well written story.

The Apex Predator by William Dylan Powell     6/10

Switchblade #1, Scotch Rutherford ed., 2017

Professional diver is hired to help police locate sunken cars in an attempt to close unsolved disappearances. When preparing a sunken Camaro and its pair of police corpses for ascent, our diver notices there are hundred dollar bills floating around in the vehicle. Down on his luck, he decides to keep the stash for himself.

Pretty good, but the first half is far more interesting than the second, and I didn't care for for the jokey ending. I really liked the concept of recovering sunken vehicles and would read more on that topic.

Waiting on Joe by Scott Loring Sanders     8/10

Shooting Creek and Other Stories, Down & Out Books, March 2017

Christmas tree plantation worker loves his dog, so much that he whittles wood into little mutt statues. That mutt digs close to the house and comes up with a human foot. This leads to so much, and sets up expectations which it nicely tears down as the narrative progresses. Highly enjoyable, not only in plotting but also in tone. The narrator's voice is a blast and the story ends as well as it begins.

Breadfruit by Brian Silverman     6/10

Mystery Tribune, Fall 2017

Former firefighter and current bar owner in St. Pierre, Len Buonfiglio, finds a pair of local breadfruit on his bar. Shortly thereafter he is visited by a man claiming interest in exporting breadfruit. A great opening wanes as the story gets into its final action sequence, with which I am less interested. However the focus on breadfruit and the conversation between the men, as well as the locale and surrounding characters, all work well.

Beyond Fantasy Fiction, July 1953

Beyond Fantasy Fiction. H. L. Gold, editor. Vol. 1 No. 1, July 1953

Beyond Fantasy Fiction 1:1 at the ISFdb

Beyond Fantasy Fiction 1:1 at Goodreads

Overall     7/10

Cover by Richard Powers

Successful science fiction editor H. L. Gold was hoping to equal his success with Galaxy Science Fiction by producing a monthly fantasy magazine, titled Beyond Fantasy Fiction, Though for this new publication he recruited top notch authors and illustrators, many of whom he had worked with on Galaxy, the magazine survived only ten issues. Perhaps readers had a preference for science fiction at the time, or perhaps the fact that the magazine included various forms of genre and not just fantasy, with some stories being outright science fiction, fantasy readers lost interest early on.

Regardless, Beyond featured some strong stories, and this first issue included nothing terrible and some good content. My personal favourite stories are "The Springbird" by Roger Dee and "Share Alike" by Jerome Bixby and Joe E. Dean. In addition, most of the art is quite good, particularly Ed Emshwiller's work on Damon Knight's "Babel II."

Too bad about all the typos that can break up some focused reading. My favourite is from "Eye of Iniquity": "...if you except the fact that my own mother was born with a caul..." [139]

...And My Fear is Great... by Theodore Sturgeon     7/10

Eighteen year-old Don meets sixty year-old Miss Phoebe, a woman with special powers who takes the misguided man under her wing. She opens his mind to eastern philosophical concepts, and gets him to think about the world around him, wishing to share her power with him in order to do good. However, she tells him he must remain celibate and alone, whereas he has recently fallen in love.

A good story with some issues, such as a point of view that jumps for convenience sake to withhold some information from the reader, and a didactic latter portion. Still interesting, with good character dynamics and overall quite original.

All of You by James McConnell     6/10

An unhappy, corpulent man has fled Earth and crash-landed on a distant planet. There he is found by an alien female who immediately falls in love with him, as obesity is valued in their culture. Yet in this matriarchal world the elder women take the man from her, claiming that all their females should have rights on him, come mating season. A nice little piece of space horror that becomes obvious at about the half-way mark, though the author does well in delaying the eventual end. An example of a non-fantastical story.

The Day the World Ended by Frank M. Robinson     6/10

TV reporter Bill Wyser interviews Professor Arnold, a scientist who has just appeared on a program pitting science against superstition. The pair argue both sides, and Arnold informs him that his university will pay anyone ten grand if they can come up with a superstition that gives a better explanation for a phenomena than does science. Short and entertaining enough, though I was underwhelmed by the ending.

The Springbird by Roger Dee     8/10

Marble County finds itself in perpetual spring, as April weather conditions continue for seven months. The country doctor narrator takes a weekly drive to Moorhead Mountain to visit Romanian gipsy Lysko Czernak who lives with his grandson, who is dying from tuberculosis. A touching story of love and what we are capable of when it comes to making someone happy. Moreover, it is well written, with soft prose that matches the slow passing of spring.

Babel II by Damon Knight     6/10

Photographer and comics artist Cavanaugh encounters an odd little man he refers to as Hooligan. They can communicate through a spherical object where they can think up images, and quickly the Hooligan wants to trade diamonds for the many objects in Cavanaugh's home. Unintentionally, the Hooligan mixes up human languages, so that chaos quickly breaks out as no one can understand one another.

An average story with some good points. Though the story is intended to be humourous, the quick regression to violence is wholly unbelievable. Also, Cavanaugh's running around New York is tedious and needless. The Hooligan and its communication device are neat, but only bookend the story. I am usually underwhelmed with Knight's novelettes, preferring his shorter pieces. Stories like "Babel II," "Double Meaning" and "Rule Golden" contain some neat ideas, but aren't developed well as longer works.

Share Alike by Jerome Bixby and Joe E. Dean     8/10

A pair of men are stranded in a lifeboat after their ship has sunk. They are not too worried as neither men knew anyone aboard who had perished, and there is much food and water in the boat's store. Moreover, they are in a well-travelled ship lane. Only, the American Craig is eating his share of the stock, whereas the Romanian Eric seems not to be eating at all, and Craig begins to suspect that his mate is a vampire. A very well written story with a strong relationship between two very different men who are forced to share--one his portion of the stores and the other his blood--in order that they both survive.

The Wedding by Richard Matheson     6/10

Before they are to be married, Frank begins to place unusual demands surrounding their wedding, such as not getting married on a Thursday and paying her father as symbol of the purchase of his daughter. A quick and amusing story with an effective comedic twist. The second story in the issue to revolve around superstitions.

Eye for Iniquity by T. L. Sheperd     6/10

McNally has the inherited talent of duplicating money. Simply by staring at a bill, a duplicate will appear beside it. He puts the talent to good use, quits his job, buys a house, and takes his family shopping. Then he learns there is concern as counterfeit money is being discovered in various shops, and soon the government begins to take interest in him.

Interesting enough of a story, but the protagonist is not very smart so it is difficult to sympathize with him. Along with some stereotypical service agents and revenue bureau officers, with the standard 1950s agreeable wife, the story fizzles in its latter stages, particularly that it is overlong.

R. Chetwynd-Hayes, editor: Tales of Terror from Outer Space (1975)

 

Chetwynd-Hayes, R, editor. Tales of Terror from Outer Space. UK: Fontana Books, 1975.

Tales of Terror from Outer Space at the ISFdb

Tales of Terror from Outer Space at Goodreads

Cover by Justin Todd

Overall rating:     7/10

A part of the Fontana Tales of Terror series.

Where I was expecting a batch of silly stories, aside from the couple I'd already read, I was impressed as to how strong these stories are. While most of them deal with aliens coming to Earth for one reason or other, the motives behind each arrival differ story to story, and the plotting and styles are surprisingly varied for a topic that appears limited.

A couple of stories don't really fit the bill. The Sheckley, though a good story, is not horror despite having aliens arriving on Earth. Chetwynd-Hayes covers this in his introduction by stating that the stories "deal with invaders that either menace or disrupt the inhabitants of this already, agitated planet." The aliens here are nice enough and do not "invade," though they agitate one man, for a time. The Clarke is more of a quick joke, lightly entertaining but not horrifying. Sure the sun is about to explode, but there are so many other stories featuring this premise that present it more horrifically, such as Richard Matheson's "The Last Day," whereas Clarke is having fun and using a comedic tone.

My favourite story in the collection is easily the dark invasion story by French author Claude Veillot, "The First Days of May," well translated by Damon Knight. Close behind are those by the two Rays, Bradbury and Nelson, followed in turn by the Aldiss, the Bloch and the Sheckley. My least favourite would be the comedic pieces, led by the editor's own original entry.

Chetwynd-Hayes's introduction is a series of story synopses, so I treated it more like an epilogue. I prefer knowing as little as possible about a story when I begin to read, but I always read anthology and collection introductions. A good intro though, and he makes a nice link between his story and the one by Bounds, when he writes: "I think I would rather shake hands with Sydney J. Bounds's Animators." This sentence gives a hint as to the final joke in "Shipwreck."

I, Mars by Ray Bradbury     8/10

Super Science Stories, April 1949

Eighty year-old Emil Barton has been stranded on Mars for sixty years, after every colonist returned to Earth when global war erupted. He receives a phone call from himself, from recordings he had made when he was in his in twenties. And the calls keep coming, arrogant and mocking, tormenting the old man. An excellently dark story, in which a man suffers unceasingly for decades, and really for no apparent reason. Surprisingly, this story does not appear to have as yet been included in a Bradbury collection. This is the only story in the collection that does not feature an alien, and instead of having an extra terrestrial visit Earth, we have a human on Mars.

Eight O'Clock in the Morning by Ray Nelson     8/10

The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, November 1963

George Nada awakens, not from sleep but from hypnosis, and becomes aware that there are aliens amidst humans. Not only do the aliens live among us, but they control humans via television and radio, brainwashing them to consume, reproduce and to obey. Certainly more pertinent today than in 1963, where the internet can be added to the mix. A good story overall with impact still felt sixty years after its original publication.

This is the short story that was adapted for John Carpenter's highly entertaining film, They Live.

Girl from Mars by Robert Bloch     7/10

Fantastic Adventures, March 1950 (as "The Girl from Mars")

Circus owner Ace Clawson has been unlucky lately. Business is slow, weather is bad and his girl has recently run off on him, But when an attractive woman shows up, claiming to be from Mars, he thinks his luck is about to change. Though predictable, Bloch writes with such charm that it is nonetheless enjoyable, and well written with a restrained humour and a deft handling of sex for the time.

Heresies of the Huge God by Brian W. Aldiss     7/10

Galaxy Magazine, August 1966

A manuscript by an official scribe nearly a thousand years in the future, recounts the devastation of the Earth after a large object lands, covering most of Europe, Africa and parts of the Middle East. The event caused major changes to the planet's landscape, and sent humans into the religious fanatical dark ages. A truly original idea by Aldiss, and well constructed.

The Head-Hunters by Ralph Williams     6/10

Astounding Science Fiction, October 1951

In the Alaskan wilderness a man has escaped captivity from an alien head-hunter, and seeks the aid of a hunter and his guide who he has stumbled upon. The story employs a third person multiple point of view structure, shifting from the fugitive to the hunters and even to the alien as well, which elevates the otherwise standard plot. The ending itself is flat. There are similarities to the film Predator, and I suppose the author has a case to sue the filmmakers, the way Harlan Ellison got away with suing (an out-of-court arrangement) the makers of The Terminator.

The Animators by Sydney J. Bounds     6.5/10

Tales of Terror from Outer Space, edited by R. Chetwynd Hayes, Fontana Books, 1975

A group of scientists are collecting and studying specimens on Mars, when they accidentally awaken a virus that transforms humans into zombies. A surprisingly enjoyable story with a straightforward horror plot.

The story was adapted for the slightly enjoyable 2013 movie, The Last Days on Mars.

The Night of the Seventh Finger by Robert Presslie     7/10

New Writings in S-F 7, edited by John Carnell, Corgi, 1966

A teenage girl is taken hostage by a large, seven-fingered man who claims to be from outer space from the distant future. He will not hurt her, he repeats, but needs her help as he senses her natural female empathy. The story is made up of a single conversation, and the plot plays out within that conversation. A good story with some nice twists as the details of the situation become clearer. I am not familiar with Robert Presslie (1920 - 2000), a Scottish author with a number of short stories published in the UK during a ten-year span (1955-1966). I would be interested in discovering more of his work.

No More for Mary by Charles Birkin     5/10

Where Terror Stalked and Other Horror Stories, Tandem Press, 1966

Popular playwright Toby Lewis is near completing his latest play, and sets it aside for a holiday in Italy. There he discovers an unusual one-eyed insect, and decides to keep it in a jar for his sister Mary, an entomologist. The story offers some twists, but it just is not that interesting of a read, and the entire thing falls flat.

Invasion of Privacy by Bob Shaw     7/10

Amazing Science Fiction, July 1970

George Ferguson grows weary of his wife's unnatural mourning for her recently departed mother, while their seven year-old son insists that he has just seen his grandma, two weeks after her death. A premised ghost story that turns out to be something more complex. Plot aside, which is pretty good, the strongest element in the story is, without giving too much away, the dad's eventual struggle with his son's identity. It would be nice to see this portion developed further, but Shaw ended the story in the midst of this discovery, the moment of which is truly creepy.

The Ruum by Arthur Porges     6/10

The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, October 1953

In the distant past, a group of aliens dashing through space accidentally leave a ruum on the third planet of our solar system, intending to return, but preventing from doing so by a devastating space battle. In the present day Earth, a uranium prospector flies to the Canadian Rockies where he encounters the alien ruum. The thing has preserved several animals across time, and now appears to have its sights on the encroaching prospector.

This was included in Edmund Crispin's Best SF (1955), where I first read it many years ago. Even then, though a decent enough story, I'm pretty sure there were many stronger works published during the years covered (1948 - 1954).

The First Days of May by Claude Veillot     8/10

Translation of "Les premiers jours de mai" by Damon Knight

Fiction, #78, May 1960

The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, December 1961

Earth is invaded by an insect-like alien species, named Shrills for the piercing shrill sound they make that deafens and paralyses humans. A man is holed up in a hotel, and overcomes his fear to search for his wife. An excellent story; a truly dark vision of an invasion and humanity's dark side that emerges when hopelessly taken over by another race.

Specialist by Robert Sheckley     7/10

Galaxy Science Fiction, May 1953

A merchant ship containing several intergalactic species that essentially make up the structure of the ship, is blown off course and its Pusher is killed, preventing the crew from returning back home. In order not to perish light years from their own sector, they search the nearby area for a replacement Pusher. The story, though good, does not fit into the horror sci-fi category, and I am not sure which aspect of the story the editor found to be horror. As with the Aldiss story, this is highly original.

I read this a few years back as part of Sheckley's enjoyable collection Untouched By Human Hands (Ballantine, 1954). According to my notes, it impressed me more then than it did now (I had given it an 8/10). Still a good story, though, and I'm surprised I recalled nothing as I re-read it here. EDIT: Nearly a week has passed and this story has stayed with me. Maybe that original 8/10 was more accurate...

No Morning After by Arthur C. Clarke     6/10

Time to Come: Science-Fiction Stories of Tomorrow, edited by August Derleth, April 1954

The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, July 1956

Five hundred light years from Earth, the Thaarns are desperately reaching out to make telepathic communication with humans, and manage to connect with rocket engineer Dr. William Cross. Heartbroken and intoxicated, however, Cross believes that the voices and images are part of a drunken hallucination, and scoffs at their claim that the Earth's sun is expected to explode in four days.

Not exactly a horror story, as it is more of a quick joke story. Mildly entertaining for what it is, though does not belong in this anthology.

Shipwreck by R. Chetwynd-Hayes     6/10

Tales of Teror from Outer Space, edited by R. Chetwtynd-Hayes, Fontana Books, 1975

An alien being crash lands on Earth and takes over the life form of a young man named Sydney J. Beecham. The creature then joins his new bride and mother-in-law, who are shocked at the drastic change in his personality. The story has the potential to be horrific, particularly the creepy moment when the alien, as Beecham, coldly informs Beecham's wife that he has crashed on the planet and reveals his ultimate goal. Aside from that brief scene the story is mostly comedic, and ends with a punch-line.

I suspect the character of Sydney J. Beecham is named after Sydney J. Bounds. The Bounds story is the only other one original to this anthology, and the two share similar traits: aliens or a virus that reproduce or take over our bodies. Perhaps the two discussed the idea and each went ahead and developed their own version. And there is the little joke the editor makes in his introduction that links the two stories.

For more Wednesday Short Stories, please visit Patti Abbott's blog.

Casual Shorts & the ISFdb Top Short Fiction #22: The Pit and the Pendulum by Edgar Allan Poe

Poe, Edgar Allan. "The Pit and the Pendulum." The Gift, a Christmas and New Year's Present for 1843, 1843.

This brief article is part of my attempt to read all the 155 stories currently (as of 1 November 2022) on the ISFdb's Top Short Fiction list. Please see the introduction and list of stories here. I am encouraging readers to rate the stories and books they have read on the ISFdb.

Kobo ebook edition,
cover from an illustration by
Arthur Rackham

ISFdb Rating:   9.00/10

My Rating:        8/10

"I was sick--sick unto death with that long agony; and when they at length unbound me, and I was permitted to sit, I felt that my senses were leaving me."

In the latter stages of the Spanish Inquisition, a self-proclaimed innocent man is sent to Toledo where the truly brutal tortures of the Inquisition are rumoured to take place. There he is deposited in a dungeon, left awaiting his fate. The waiting increases his anxiety, as he can only imagine what the inquisitors have in store for him. He studies his pitch black surroundings, and discovers a pit at the centre of the dungeon. Adding to this discovery, and o his anxiety, he awakens tied down with rope, and descending toward him is a sharp scythe on that infamous pendulum.

To be expected from Poe, a well-written narrative providing much horror. Yet worse than the razor sharp pendulum, the moving walls and the fiery pit, are those nasty accompanying rats. Ingenious of Poe to bring such well detailed and horrible rodents to swarm the protagonist while in such a desperate state, and how those rats are utilized to help save him, a moment that inspired many scenes in popular film.

More ingenious is Poe's attention to detail, as the story takes place in such limited space and with a limited sequence of events. His use of alliteration, particularly in relation to the sweeping scythe, the waking-sleeping delirium and the attention to the senses, gives much body to a tale with so little plot.

The Spanish Inquisition had officially come to an end a few decades prior to the publication of "The Pit and the Pendulum," and periodicals over the years were reporting on the various events that were coming to light as details of the tortures, survival stories and such were being uncovered. Poe, having worked for many of the periodicals, became fascinated with the events of the Inquisition, and came up with his own, wholly invented, method of torture. Just as "The Black Cat" came about with a report of the discovery of a skeleton in the walls of a house, "The Pit and the Pendulum" was the result of other printed articles.

This has never been my favourite of Poe's most famous stories, but the craftsmanship is evident and nonetheless makes for an excellent read. One of those stories that is so cemented in popular western culture that we need not have to read it to know exactly how it plays out.

For more of this week's Wednesday Short Stories, please visit Patti Abbott's blog.

Casual Shorts & the ISFdb Top Short Fiction #21: Nightfall by Isaac Asimov

Asimov, Isaac. "Nightfall." Astounding Science-Fiction, September 1941.

This article is part of my attempt to read all the 155 stories currently (as of 1 November 2022) on the ISFdb's Top Short Fiction list. Please see the introduction and list of stories here. I am encouraging readers to rate the stories and books they have read on the ISFdb.

ISFdb Rating:   9.06/10

My Rating:        7/10

"Aton 77, director of Saro University, thrust out a belligerent lower lip and glared at the young newspaperman in a hot fury."

The planet Lagash has six suns, and in a few hours, when only one remains in the sky, an eclipse will plunge the planet into total darkness. This occurrence transpires every 2,049 years, and it appears that every 2,049 years, like clockwork, the people of Lagash destroy their civilization at the moment of eclipse.

Gathered in the University of Saro observatory is a group of scientists and a reporter who await the monumental event. A hideout has been built to preserve some citizens from the anticipated chaos, while the scientists remain in the enclosed building to record the event with their somewhat primitive instruments. Adding to the tension is a group of religious fanatics trying to break into the observatory, to sabotage the research as they believe this is truly the end of days. Yet even the rational men (yes, they are all men) fear the oncoming dark, as no one from Lagash has ever experienced total darkness, nor has anyone seen stars.

History has progressed at a somewhat slower pace on Lagash than it has on Earth. With the absence of the night sky, it is more difficult for astronomers to properly observe the celestial bodies, and we learn that their science discovered gravity late in the civilization's maturation. In addition, with the absence of darkness, Lagashians do not develop electric light, and yet they do have electricity, as revealed by the two astronomers who attempt to create artificial stars in a darkened dome. In no instance does it appear that Lagash is ahead of Earth technologically, so the implication is that darkness and the access to stars (visible access, at least), has greatly helped humans evolve. However, religion has evolved at an equal pace on both planets, so ironically the absence of the heavens has placed greater emphasis on eventually reaching them.

I have always enjoyed this story as well as the concept behind it. Asimov was truly a great thinker, and at the age of twenty-one had already developed such an advanced concept for 1941. As with many of his early stories, editor John W. Campbell Jr. helped the young Asimov develop his ideas, and apparently with the success of "Nightfall," increased the writer's pay.

One item in the story alludes me, and perhaps someone can clear this up for me. One sun remains in the sky, while the five others have set, presumably lighting up the opposite side of the planet. The eclipse is of the remaining star, plunging the entire planet into darkness. However, wouldn't the eclipse affect only this side of the planet? Yet the scientists maintain that the entire planet will plunge into darkness, and there is mention of other cities on the planet, so wouldn't those far enough away be spared the eclipse and the sight of the stars? Have I misread a detail in the story?

For more of this week's Wednesday's Short Stories, please visit Patti Abbott's blog.

Isaac Asimov, editor, The Hugo Winners (1962)

Asimov, Isaac, ed. The Hugo Winners. New York: Doubleday, 1962.

The Hugo Winners at the ISFdb

The Hugo Winners at Goodreads

Overall rating:        7/10

Wraparound cover by Richard Powers,
from the 1964 Avon edition.

The first of the eventual Hugo winners series, Asimov gives us a charming introduction, and set of author intros that are among the best portions of the anthology. Charming, but also of historical value as he delineates many of people involved in the SF pulp industry of the 1950s, the authors and editors who make up the science fiction community of the period.

The stories are mostly good, as they are Hugo winners, though some have aged better than others, Only two I find to be somewhat average in the 2020s, whereas the remaining seven of nine are quite strong and hold up well seventy years in their future.

The Darfsteller by Walter M. Miller Jr.     7/10

Astounding Science Fiction, January 1955

In a future where androids fill in for actors on stage, a former stage actor works as a janitor at a popular theatre. Unlike many of his contemporaries, he refuses to make a contract to have a replica of himself built, yet cannot leave the theatre environment despite the abuse he receives in his current post. Instead, he concocts a plan to sabotage the upcoming grand opening mechanized performance.

Miller gives us a believable presentation of near future theatre. The environment, characters and character relationships are very real, and the story is engaging, though drags a little in the last act as we figure out what is to come by the curtain's closing.

Currently #116 on the ISFdb Top Short Fiction list, as voted by users.

Allamagoosa by Eric Frank Russell     7/10

Astounding Science Fiction, January 1955

While docked for a little R&R, the spaceship Bustler learns that a government inspector is on his way. Captain and crew have three days to ensure that the ship's stock is accurate, otherwise there can be dire consequences on the ship's captain. During the inventory search, they notice that the "offog" is missing, and have great difficulty in locating it, since no one on the ship seems to know what an "offog" actually is. A humourous story that actually made me guffaw. The story's title is another term for "thingamajig."

Currently #78 on the ISFdb Top Short Fiction list, as voted by users.

Exploration Team by Murray Leinster     6/10

Astounding Science Fiction, January 1955

In the distant future, when humans have colonized planets on various solar systems, self-professed criminal Huyghens is stationed illegally on a planet deemed too dangerous for colonization. The planet is inhospitable, and populated by vicious creatures called sphexes, while Huyghens resides in a fortress with three massive mutated Kodiaks and a cub, as well as an eagle. When a colonial inspector arrives to check on a recently-landed colony of robots and a dozen men, Huyghens is discovered. However, as the robot colony has not responded to communication, Huyghens manages to locate a distress signal, and he and the inspector, along with the animals, head out in search of survivors.

Some fine world building in a story that becomes marred by tedious travel and didactic dialoguing about man's need to live free rather than as part of the establishment. The robots here are not those envisioned by Asimov, but rather act like microwave ovens or other household appliances, functioning only as programmed, and the mutated bears prove to be better, and more loyal, servants--I mean, friends--to man. There is a bit of a compromise between the two men, which feels forced, but welcome as the story is overlong. I am also uncomfortable of the notions of genocide, as the men determine that they can wipe out the population of sphexes in order to make the planet more habitable for humans. I suppose in the far future we have learned little of our distant past, and are unaware and unprepared to learn of the consequences in wiping out an entire species.

The story was part of the preliminary ballot for the 2016 Prometheus Awards for the Hall of Fame category, handed out to the best libertarian work of fiction. Ans libertarian it so blatantly is.

"Exploration Team" is part of Leinster's "Colonial Survey" series, and was one of four novelettes to be incorporated into the 1956 novel, Colonial Survey. The other novelettes seem to have been forgotten, and I will not be seeking them out.

Currently #140 on the ISFdb Top Short Fiction list, as voted by users.

The Star by Arthur C. Clarke     8/10

Astounding Science Fiction, January 1955

An expedition to the Phoenix Nebula is returning to Earth, and its astrophysicist, a Jesuit, is facing a major crisis in his faith. The expedition had encountered the remains of an advanced civilization destroyed when their star went supernova, yet prior to their extinction, they managed to build a vault on a distant planet to preserve their rich culture. The Jesuit struggles to understand the needless death of such a beautiful civilization.

Among Clarke's strongest stories. In his author intro, Asimov praises the story and its author. Thirty years after the publication of this anthology, he included it among the ten stories in the culmination of  all the Hugo winners, titled The Super Hugos (Baen, 1992), which I have read not too long ago and agree with most of his choices.

Currently #67 on the ISFdb Top Short Fiction list, as voted by users.

Or All the Seas with Oysters by Avram Davidson     8/10

Astounding Science Fiction, January 1955

A pair of disparate bike shop owners encounter the possibility that a life form exists on Earth that can replicate inanimate objects. As thoroughly enjoyable as it is thoroughly ridiculous. Despite its ridiculous premise, the concept is quite interesting, and aware of how silly the interesting premise is, Davidson presents it in a humourous vein.

Currently #143 on the ISFdb Top Short Fiction list, as voted by users.

The Big Front Yard by Clifford D. Simak     7/10

Astounding Science Fiction, October 1958

Handyman Hiram Taine's family home is seemingly invaded by aliens. His dog is acting oddly, and broken items in his home are fixed--and improved--overnight. Suspense is combined with some light humour, and a neat little explanation as to the nature of this visit. Enjoyable, though gets overly long and the characters are a little too familiar and flat.

Currently #95 on the ISFdb Top Short Fiction list, as voted by users.

That Hell-Bound Train by Robert Bloch     8/10

The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, September 1958

Martin, an orphaned son of a railroad man living destitute along the tracks, encounters that Hell-Bound Train, on which passengers are headed to that great depot in the underworld. The devilish conductor and Martin agree to a set of terms, where Martin is given a watch that can stop time for him, to be used when he is at his happiest, and in return Martin agrees to eventually ride the train at the end of his days.

An excellent story that manages to mix a morality tale in with a good, suspenseful plot.

The story is unfortunately printed here under the lesser erroneous title "The Hell-Bound Train," most likely a blunder. In the author intro, Asimov also refers to the story with the article rather than the preposition, and the error is probably his own.

Currently #92 on the ISFdb Top Short Fiction list, as voted by users.

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes     10/10

Astounding Science Fiction, January 1955

Charlie Gordon, mentally disabled, agrees to take part in an experimental operation that promises to make him smart well beyond the average individual. Among my favourite science-fiction stories. My recent review of the story can be found here.

Currently #1 on the ISFdb Top Short Fiction list.

The Longest Voyage by Poul Anderson     6/10

Astounding Science Fiction, January 1955

On an Earth-like planet at a time when the inhabitants were first beginning to understand the nature of the solar system, and that the planet is not flat and revolves around the sun, a ship is attempting to circumnavigate their world. Its crew exhausted and ready to mutiny, the ship encounters land, and soon locates a small, primitive village. The villagers claim that among them lives a man who has come from the stars. The story is told through the point of view of the youngest officer, an observant and trustworthy youth who looks up to their cunning captain.

Overall a decent story though it does drag at times, just like the other novelettes in the anthology aside from "Flowers for Algernon." Currently the only story in the anthology not included on the ISFdb Top Short Fiction list, as it needs one more rating/vote to be eligible.

For more of this week's Wednesday's Short Stories, please visit Patti Abbott's blog.

Casual Shorts & the ISFdb Top Short Fiction #20: The Call of Cthulhu by H. P. Lovecraft

Lovecraft, H. P. "The Call of Cthuulhu." Weird Tales, February 1928.

This article is part of my attempt to read the 155 stories currently (as of 1 November 2022) on the ISFdb's Top Short Fiction list. Please see the introduction and list of stories here. I am encouraging readers to rate the stories and books they have read on the ISFdb.

ISFdb Rating:    9.08/10

My Rating:         7/10

"The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents."

Following the death of his grand-uncle, Prof. George Gammell Angell, Francis Wayland Thurston inherits the man's papers. Prof. Angell was a celebrated authority on ancient inscriptions, and among his papers was a locked box that included what were possibly lunatic ramblings. Included also were some hieroglyphs of a strange monster, and some papers labeled "Cthulhu Cult." Thurston researches the items, and "The Call of Cthulhu" becomes a document he adds to Prof. Angell's papers.

The story is split into three sections: an introductory portion outlining the find as well as describing some interlinked dreams suffered by a handful of sensitive people, a police case involving the Cthulhu Cult in New Orleans, and finally a sea encounter with a horrible creature.

Though overall I enjoyed the story (this was my first read), I had some issues with the narrative. Narrator Thurston informs us that the final section is quoted from the Norwegian sailor's journal, claiming the man writes in a straightforward sailor's pen. However, during the watery climax the narrative becomes poetic, very unlike a straightforward sailor's pen, and we can imagine that here Thurston is embellishing the Norwegian's text, which would be unfortunate since as a historical document it would therefore be greatly flawed. Or perhaps the Norwegian sailor found his muse and elevated his style, which is highly unlikely. Essentially, despite the fact that these documents do exist, and among them are police accounts, Thurston here becomes unreliable, and because his own account, which encompasses his grand-uncle's experiences, become a document added to his uncle's papers, is itself not entirely factual, which in turn makes one wonder if the uncle's documents, or the sailor's journal, or any other narrative of Cthulhu within this narrative, is at all accurate. In other words, the melodrama Lovecraft inserts into the last scene weakens the credibility of the thirty or so pages I have just read.