NOTE: The Dumarest Saga can be found on Page Two of this Tubb blog.
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down for a recent review of "Mirror of the Night", Sept. 12th/22. 50 books by Tubb reviewed in this segment, and two by additional authors (Ace Doubles).
THE SPACE-BORN
Cover art by Segrelles. Original publication 1956.
E.C. Tubb (1919-2010) was a very prolific British writer of SF, fantasy, and Westerns. He also wrote under various pseudonyms. His Dumarest of Terra cycle made him famous in the US and Britain. He was born in London and lived there until his death. The first six books of Dumarest are available on Kindle, and I will certainly check them out.
It has taken me two months to get to read the next book in the Avon/Equinox SF series. This is not surprising, as I am now at Volume 16 of 27. My project has shifted a lot since its inception in June, 2016. I am currently reading one other book in turn by each of the authors contained in this series, as I encounter them. Thus, 15 books later I will finally get to read a different story by Tubb. After reading a new book in the Avon/Equinox series, it is time to begin all over again with Farmer, then Kornbluth, etc. What a great project!! It probably does not have an ending, either. By the time I get to Blish, at #27, I will be trying to read most, if not all, of the works by 24 authors (Farmer, Silverberg, and Pangborn have two novels each in the series).
This story was a bit of a jolt for me, and not entirely to my liking. While Heinlein is given the credit for the first book of this type (Ark in Space), his story was a two-part serial in 1941, and not published as a novel until the early 1960s. The idea of a generational star ship has become a very popular one in SF, and Tubb's version is certainly one of the earliest. It contains one of the strangest societies I have ever come across, and was certainly in the minds of those responsible for the movie "Logan's Run." There are many similarities to that film which I will not go into at this time (grey hair, wrinkles, etc.). Though Tubb proclaims his ship's crew to be gender equal, as is more normal in 1950s SF (and elsewhere) it is the men who are in charge of everything, and the women who mostly bear children.
This shipboard society is very strange in more ways than one. Firstly, no one over 40 years of age is allowed to live. The energy they use is better served for the newborns and the young. Once near 40, life is terminated and all of the useful body fluids and chemicals are reused elsewhere. A special police force carries out the assassinations, making it look like accidents. It is pretty grim but efficient planning. The ship is heading for a distant star, over 300 years away from Earth at a velocity that is 10% of light speed (still pretty accurate science in 2017). The on-board population is kept fairly constant at 5,000 inhabitants. Another way population is controlled is through fights in the arena, often to the death. At least here women are the equal to men, and are allowed to fight. For such a small "city", there sure are a lot of fights, and people sitting around with nothing better to do than watch. Another thing that is very galling is that the ship is a veritable police state, supposedly the best way in this type of situation. I'm thinking not, but what do I know?
The novel is fast-paced, and the characters, while quickly sketched out, are at least well-drawn. A lot of inner ship science problems are dealt with, which I found commendable. Wear and tear happens not only to the ship, but also to the breeding and genetics of the humans. Once women reach the age of 25, they are sterilized and their child-bearing years are over. Afterwards they can marry for love. Before that, they are paired with a male for best breeding outcomes. But after sixteen or seventeen generations, the stock is becoming saturated and problems are starting to occur.
Though an interesting enough story, the science is often too sketchily drawn to be convincing. Perhaps it came off better in the 1950s, and though some of the science can still be valid today (for instance, we still cannot maintain a closed ecosystem for prolonged human habitation), much of it will remind the reader of Buck Rogers days. It's surprising how few books from the 1950s are hopelessly dated, beyond the point of being still enjoyable and readable. Tubb's novel does not fall that far, but it fails the test of being able to stand up on its own as a novel we should read today. Having said that, I enjoyed it as a diverting read. But I much prefer Heinlein's book.
**1/2 stars. Reviewed October 23rd/17
This story was a bit of a jolt for me, and not entirely to my liking. While Heinlein is given the credit for the first book of this type (Ark in Space), his story was a two-part serial in 1941, and not published as a novel until the early 1960s. The idea of a generational star ship has become a very popular one in SF, and Tubb's version is certainly one of the earliest. It contains one of the strangest societies I have ever come across, and was certainly in the minds of those responsible for the movie "Logan's Run." There are many similarities to that film which I will not go into at this time (grey hair, wrinkles, etc.). Though Tubb proclaims his ship's crew to be gender equal, as is more normal in 1950s SF (and elsewhere) it is the men who are in charge of everything, and the women who mostly bear children.
This shipboard society is very strange in more ways than one. Firstly, no one over 40 years of age is allowed to live. The energy they use is better served for the newborns and the young. Once near 40, life is terminated and all of the useful body fluids and chemicals are reused elsewhere. A special police force carries out the assassinations, making it look like accidents. It is pretty grim but efficient planning. The ship is heading for a distant star, over 300 years away from Earth at a velocity that is 10% of light speed (still pretty accurate science in 2017). The on-board population is kept fairly constant at 5,000 inhabitants. Another way population is controlled is through fights in the arena, often to the death. At least here women are the equal to men, and are allowed to fight. For such a small "city", there sure are a lot of fights, and people sitting around with nothing better to do than watch. Another thing that is very galling is that the ship is a veritable police state, supposedly the best way in this type of situation. I'm thinking not, but what do I know?
The novel is fast-paced, and the characters, while quickly sketched out, are at least well-drawn. A lot of inner ship science problems are dealt with, which I found commendable. Wear and tear happens not only to the ship, but also to the breeding and genetics of the humans. Once women reach the age of 25, they are sterilized and their child-bearing years are over. Afterwards they can marry for love. Before that, they are paired with a male for best breeding outcomes. But after sixteen or seventeen generations, the stock is becoming saturated and problems are starting to occur.
Early version of Tubb's novel.
Though an interesting enough story, the science is often too sketchily drawn to be convincing. Perhaps it came off better in the 1950s, and though some of the science can still be valid today (for instance, we still cannot maintain a closed ecosystem for prolonged human habitation), much of it will remind the reader of Buck Rogers days. It's surprising how few books from the 1950s are hopelessly dated, beyond the point of being still enjoyable and readable. Tubb's novel does not fall that far, but it fails the test of being able to stand up on its own as a novel we should read today. Having said that, I enjoyed it as a diverting read. But I much prefer Heinlein's book.
**1/2 stars. Reviewed October 23rd/17
SATURN PATROL
From 1951 comes this short SF novel by King Lang(!), one of many fake names used by Tubb in his career. It is 111 pages long, and has nothing at all to do with Saturn or its patrol. A better title might be Harmand's Eagles, or The Warbirds. Gregg Harmond is living a poor life on a backwards planet when he gets a chance to ship out as a mercenary with Captain Merry. They begin with a single ship, but soon add two more to the mix.
Their first job is to exterminate the Dreeda from a planet called Prokeen. The Dreeda are ant-like giants that are massing and will soon threaten all human life on the planet. After a harrowing underground battle, with significant loss of their warriors, Merry and Harmond move on. With Harmond as Commander, their fleet grows and becomes more successful, battling against other mercenaries who do the fighting for warring planets, rather than the planets themselves. This way no civilians are harmed, as the battles are fought in space.
The novel moves briskly as Harmond moves ever upward in the echelons of space commanders, until he is ready to challenge the very system itself. The story is all he-man adventure, but is held well in control. There are good guys and bad guys, and in-between guys, as well as two female characters (with lines!). The ending is a bit of a pleasant surprise, but of course I won't give it away. A good pulp novel.
*** stars. Reviewed October 15th/21
ALIEN IMPACT
Cover of the only print edition of the story, from 1952.
The mundane cover of my Kindle edition.
Alien Impact was never brought out in paperback, for some reason. It's a good, solid pulp novelette. Written in 12 short chapters (with titles), I read it in about 100 minutes. My guess is that it is about 75 pages long. Authentic SF magazine lasted from 1951 until 1957, and Tubb himself was editor for the final two years. Once again the action takes place on a jungle version of Venus, and yes, there is intelligent life there. The hero is a beaten alcoholic, a man who is trying to peacefully prevent human exploiters from Earth from forever changing idyllic Venus into Earth's own image.
There are several things I liked about this story. Firstly, the hero is pretty much a bum, a guy with no future and no employment. Yet somehow he manages to win the respect of the native Venusians, who he suspects of being distantly related to Earthlings. Their legends tell of men coming down on fiery wings and starting their life here. Not only are there humans and aliens, but there is an interesting anthropological and racial twist included; humans and Venusians have mated, and their children are despised as half breeds. They are not allowed to return to Earth, nor are they allowed to interact with the pure race of Venusians. This aspect gives much more depth to the plot than if it was just Us versus Them.
There is a professor, his beautiful daughter, and her spineless and immoral fiancee, who financed the trip to Venus for the professor with the understanding that he would marry Daphne, the professor's daughter. The professor hopes to either confirm or deny the theory that Venusians originally came from Earth. There is a bad alien, a good alien, some mysterious Watchers, and a whole lot of unhappy and riled up half breeds. There are even some dinosaurs! And there are arrogant humans aplenty. It all boils nicely in the pot, and Tubb is already a minor master at stirring it up.
The ending has a few surprises, too, which I will not reveal. I actually enjoyed this short but fast-paced pulp novella, more so than I did the Avon/Equinox selection, Space Born. Reading many of these early SF novels, I feel as if I am catching up with my youth once again. No, this is not great literature. If that is what I was looking for, I wouldn't be here reading and writing about this kind of stuff. But living in a busy and complicated world, there is nothing written today remotely like this sort of thing for old time SF buffs to sit back and just enjoy. So have some fun and read Alien Impact, if you have a spare hour or two.
*** stars. Reviewed Nov. 26th/17
ATOM WAR ON MARS
Cover of the 1952 publication. Artist unknown.
Kindle version cover.
This novella is from 1952, and is 96 pages long. It is an easy read, and packed with action. It is not really a very good story, though, and the writing, though gripping, is simplistic and unrefined. There is one woman in the story, and she is a nurse. She is a minor character. The story concerns an Earth-based military officer who is assigned to get hold of a secret weapon. Instead, our hero suddenly transfers over to the enemy (Mars colony) side, and becomes the person who defeats the Earth regime.
This is a very minor effort, and obviously dashed off in a short amount of time. Is it a coincidence that Gunner Cade, a similar hero bound to his military traditions though gradually breaking from them, was also written in 1952? Written by Cyril Kornbluth and Judith Merril (the inventor's name in Tubb's novella!), it is a vastly superior piece of fiction, and a novel I highly recommend. By comparison this one is a shallow ghost, focusing on action and bombs.
** stars. Reviewed Dec. 31st/17
I read the Kindle edition.
The deliciously lurid cover art by Ron Turner is much more fun that the story itself.
WORLD AT BAY (TIDE OF DEATH)
I read the Kindle edition...
Cover of the 1952 original
Cover of the 2014 revised edition
The early version of this 159 page novel was published in 1952, under the title World At Bay. A revised version came out in 2014, under the title Tide of Death. As I read the Kindle version of the 2014 edition, I do not know how this version differs from the original. The Encyclopedia of SF says it was revised. Perhaps only some spelling corrections and such were made. I cannot find out anything about the differences, and I do not have a copy of the original.
Anyway, this is a hum-dinger of a story, a real nail-biter. I am strongly reminded of the BBC Quatermass films. This story would be an excellent one for that series. In fact, so many of the SF books I have been reading for the past 18 months would make excellent films. Instead, we keep getting more Star Wars. Am I bitter? You bet.
The drama takes place in Scotland. Two scientists conduct a clandestine experiment with atomic energy, and it does not go well. The creation of energy begins a process that will not end until all of Earth is destroyed. The very ground is being eaten away as matter is converted to energy. Beginning as a very small hole, by the climax of the story the crater is over 20 miles in diameter and in danger of reaching the ocean. At that point the entire planet will be contaminated. This is a very grim story, but not as straight forward as all that. England desperately needs energy and power, and is able to use this atomic energy, the very stuff that is gradually consuming the UK itself. Their political leader does not want to give up using the energy, and he waits until it is too late to do much about it.
This is very good SF writing, and I read the book off and on over a 24 hour period, finding it hard to put down. It is an easy read, though there are a few slower pages that attempt to explain what is happening. We also get a sense of how the world felt about atomics in the early 1950s. Recommended reading.
***1/2 stars. Reviewed January 31st/18
THE WALL
From 1953 comes this 130 page pot boiler, well below par for this author. No doubt slamming out a couple of novels each month was a wearing task. In this nondescript adventure, three very old, cranky men venture into the galaxy's centre, along with an adventurer and his girlfriend, searching for life everlasting. The old guys already have taken a drug that has allowed them to live over 150 years, but they want more. So does the adventurer, who, due to an atomic accident, will live a very, very long time. They all jump in a spaceship and head for The Wall, a mysterious barricade blocking access to the heart of the galaxy, where the answer to eternal youth lies. How do we know it lies there? Because "Brett", the adventurer, has looked everywhere else. Yup, everywhere. therefore, it must be behind the Wall. And guess what? It is there. Surprised? Me neither.
Round about Chapter 11 (of 13), things get a bit more interesting and less formulaic, as our intrepid crew of geezers and girl reach the galactic center and make contact with the aliens living there. And the ending is pretty good, too, since we will soon all have a chance to live like those free floating aliens behind The Wall. Looking forward to it.
** stars. Reviewed February 12th/22
WORLD IN TORMENT
I read the Kindle version.
Originally published in 1953 as The Mutants Rebel, it was revised in 2008 as World In Torment. It is about 100 pages long. The world has been almost destroyed by nuclear war, and mutants are being born at an alarming rate. They are outcasts, and often killed at birth, or later once they are found out. Some are physically deformed, but many mutants appear normal. The Green party wants to save not only the remaining arable land from development, but they also want to save the mutants, seeing them as the only hope for humans surviving into the future.
Original title, from 1953.
The government is run by women, and they have subjected men, who have been blamed for ruining the Earth, to an inferior position. The Feminists are rabid, and not very nice themselves. Women dare men to hit them or to confront them in any way. If they do, they are sent to the wastelands to help reclaim radioactive soil. It means death in a very short time.
This is a pretty good story, with at least one good female character. The hero is a former pilot who was captured and put to slave work underwater, harvesting seaweed. He escapes and joins the resistance, made up of mutants with special mental powers. The writing is good and fast paced, and the book is very short. Golden age writers seemed to have a knack for writing very long stories in a very short amount of pages. The ending tends to glorify the wonders of atomic power, which in this case manages to heal most people from mental illness. Other than this strange little deviation, I enjoyed the book.
*** stars. Reviewed March 22nd/18
VENUSIAN ADVENTURE
Generic cover of my e-book edition.
Cover from 1953 edition. Artist unknown.
This very short book (103 pages) from 1953 has a lot to recommend it, and contains all the ingredients for a blockbuster SF movie. Two gold diggers on Venus have been thwarted in their efforts to seek their El Dorado by lack of funds. When a scientist and his lovely daughter suddenly arrive (don't they always!), they hire the two men to aid them in an archaeological expedition. We don't really know what the two treasure hunters are after, or the professor and his daughter. Each is keeping things secret from the others.
This is one of many books I have read recently where Venus is a pretty savage jungle planet, leading us back to Carson of Venus by Edgar Rice Burroughs. I'm okay with that. At least the planet's terrain is consistent among early SF writers (just as Mars is a desert). What we learn along the way is that an Elder Race once existed, and the professor is searching for artifacts. He found pieces of a map and some coordinates from his work on Mars and Callisto, and that has led him to a very specific area of Venus. After crashing their copter, the survivors have to hike through the menacing jungle until they make their big discovery.
Egyptians and pyramids figure into the plot, and we soon find that there are still some living members of the Elder Race. One of the shortcomings of such a book is that we learn next to nothing about them, other than they have interstellar travel capability, and technology well beyond humans at this stage. They are not keen for humans to discover their lone hideout on Venus. I would have liked it better if the remaining humans would have boarded a ship with the aliens and gone exploring.
The biggest thorn in the side of this lively adventure yarn is a snivelling little slime ball of a man who wants only gold, diamonds, and anything else of value he can get his hands on. Though he represents the worst of human kind (the girl represents the best, and the hero represents the average bloke), I still feel that the author overdoes things with his evil character a bit in the end. Of course he would fit right in with a simplistic film version as the token bad guy.
A dated but likeable book, but needing more about those wonderful aliens who originally laid down their mark on our solar system thousands of years ago.
*** stars. Reviewed May 19th/18
I read the Kindle edition.
A shorter version of the story, under a different title and author name.
I read the (overpriced) Kindle edition. 
Original publication, with cover by Ron Turner.
I read the Kindle edition. 
Original 1953 publication. Art by Ron Turner.
I read the Kindle edition.
THE PRICE OF FREEDOM
I read the Kindle edition.
From 1953 comes this 127 page novel that has appeared under two author names and three different titles. Space Hunger by Charles Grey was its first manifestation. It was republished in 1999 under the title Earth Set Free, and then in 2008 as The Price of Freedom. The most recent one is supposed to be a reworking of the original. The first title seems strangely wrong for the story, but the last two fit more appropriately.
Dell Weston is a business man, with his partner Bender. They own a factory that manufactures and sells cocaine to hospitals. Bender wants to sell it to anyone, but Dell holds out, due to his moral stance. An arbitrator decides against him, so the factory becomes very profitable again.
Having just read a very strange book of the future by Bulmer (Stained-Glass World), this story could be a near twin for that one. Drugs dominate the society, and there is no law and order. Ever wondered what total freedom might look like? No central government, no police, no courts. It's every man for himself. Double crossed by Bender, Dell wakes up one morning in a strange city, having been drugged and branded as a debtor. He has no money and no standing in society, and must resort to entertaining people in a knife fight to the death with another man to get a meal and some cash.
He meets Lorna, head of the Antis, people fighting against what turns out to be invading aliens. She and her group, which includes Professor Carter, hope to launch a warhead missile to blast the lone alien ship out of the sky, and return humans to some semblance of civilized living.
Tubb gives a very honest and grim look at a truly free society, one that a good deal of Americans are always screaming for. It is a world filled with private security and bodyguards, assassinations, raids, robberies, and only jungle law. It would no doubt appeal to a certain type of weapons-loving personality, but most people would prefer what we have now, flawed as it is. But the aliens, who have been around the galaxy a lot, know better. They are bombarding us with radioactive waves to alter our way of thinking. they have an ulterior motive, but it will take some time to develop. In the meantime, Dell and Lorna can live happily everafter.
A somewhat strange book, though not nearly as strange as the Bulmer one mentioned above. Fun to read and think about.
*** stars. Reviewed September 9th/20
THE FREEDOM ARMY
From 1953 comes this very short novel 113 page novel, a good example of 1950s pulp SF fiction. Earth has been changed forever by DeBracy's drug, which renders all those who take it emotionless and unwilling to accept any type of freedom, including those who choose not to take the drug. They are either injected or killed. Three holdouts are in a bunker, under attack, realizing that death is closing in on them. Lanson is a space pilot, and Bender is his astro-navigator. Just back from a 3 year voyage to Mars, they return to a very changed Earth. With them in the bunker is a physicist, Burges, who continues to work on his lifelong project, a gateway to other dimensions.
The three barely mange to escape the frying pan, but are soon dumped into the fire. The alternate Earth in which they find themselves is ruled by toad-like invaders from space, the Zytlen, with humans as their slaves. They find themselves among freedom fighters, and the story progresses rapidly towards the climax and denouement of the aliens. But will the travelling Earthmen survive? Spend $5 and find out for yourself. Or send me $5 and I'll talk.
Sadly, there are no women in this story, something I do come across occasionally, with heavy heart. If you are curious about pulp SF from way back when, this is as good a place as any to dip your foot into some mighty fine waters.
*** stars. Reviewed December 10th/20
DYNASTY OF DOOM
I read the Kindle edition.
From 1953 comes this very short novel (less than 100 pages) with a title that has nothing to do with the action-packed adventure. Captain Brett Carson Love these Anglo Saxon names, and the fact that so many people smoke aboard 1950s spaceships!) is charged with a heavy task, one that we see quite often in Tubb's pulp adventures. He must take a new, improved ship and small crew into hyperspace to try and find out what so many ships have gone missing. In particular he is looking for an older white-haired scientist who went missing 500 years ago. He is the inventor of the hyper-drive (I wonder if he had ADD), and he and his two crew members were lost on the maiden voyage. Another problem is entropy; the universe's supply of energy is dwindling because of so many spaceships now using hyper drive. Can Brett and his stalwart all-male crew handle the job? Tune in to this adventure-packed tale to find out. At least it's short.
** 1/2 stars. Reviewed November 11th/21
PLANETOID DISPOSALS LTD
From 1953 comes this 112 page routine effort from a master of pulp SF. I have no doubt that Tubb could rattle off a novel like this in a weekend. First published in a British pulp SF magazine, its republication, like many of these minor efforts by Tubb, is surprising. Kindle prices are getting more expensive, and this one, for $8 Canadian is no exception. Dell Franson starts a business with Mr. Harmond, his father-in-law, and an old space pilot named Jeff. It takes years to get the business going, and neither of these early chapter characters will survive the story. Their business is to keep space lanes clear of asteroids and other debris, so that the faster than light trading ships can have a clear run to their destinations. However, a planet of bad aliens is purposely putting debris in the Earth lanes, as they hope to take over all the Galaxy trading. This low key war continues, but the aliens keep escalating things until Earth, which has been at peace for centuries, finally has to fight back.
It is Steve, Dell's younger brother, who takes over the company when Dell is killed early in the story, and Steve does his best to save the day from the evil aliens, who are destroying planets left and right as they plot to take over the galaxy. There is a Space Patrol, another alien presence, this one mysterious, who sometimes shows up in a very big spaceship to put an end to local wars in the galaxy, but this time they don't show up for a very long time. When they finally do arrive, they are helpless to stop the bad aliens (from the star system Sirius), but they do give Earth an advantage, one that Steve exploits at the last minute.
This is typical SF pulp fiction, much of it silly nonsense, but it must have had wide appeal in the early 1950s. There is only one female in the story, and though she is a good space pilot, her job is to mostly stay home and let the men take care of things. Then, and only then, can she marry Steve. This is pretty basic SF writing.
** stars. Reviewed December 8th/21
I FIGHT FOR MARS
From 1953 comes this 127 page pulp space adventure, as John Delmar, the hero, is released from prison. He discovers his wife has died two years earlier. He is unable to get a decent job. Earth is recovering from a nuclear war, and times are grim. After a time he is hired to pilot an unofficial ship to Mars. It turns out to be loaded with weapons for the settlers to defend themselves against large, deadly insect-like lifeforms. Once at the settlement, John needs time to recover from his crash landing. The nurse who looks after him resembles his wife, and they fall in love.
But the insects are multiplying, and soon there are thousands of them attacking settlements. How to stop them? John has a plan. He is convinced that the swarming creatures are not alive, but manufactured robots. He goes in search of their source, and a final showdown ensues.
This isn't a bad little adventure for it's time, and the ending actually could have taken a different turn, as it is so well written. I wish it had taken that turn to the left, as this would have made it an even better story. I can't help thinking about Quatermass and the Pit (2 versions on film, one being a b & w serial for TV, and the other a colour movie). This novel has a lot going for it, and would have a made a good film, too.
*** stars. Reviewed January 13th/22
PANDORA'S BOX
Written in 1954, the book was not published until 1996. First entitled The Spore Menace, my edition includes an introduction by Philip Harbottle, the man responsible for publishing virtually everything known by Tubb, including works under different names. The book is only 103 pages long, and can easily be read in an afternoon or evening.
The story is really constructed well, and involves the smuggling of dangerous spores to Earth from Venus, sent by a mad professor to end all life on the planet. But before we get near that aspect of the story, it begins on the Moon, at a customs station. We meet John Weston, an honest customs agent who has a unique knack for finding smugglers. He is saddled with Marge, a wife who likes to spend big. John was once a space pilot, but lost his commission, along with his big salary. Marge continues to spend regardless. And so we come to the set up. If John will allow one smuggler through, he will be well paid. Once the smuggler has clear access to deliver his package (which he thinks are seeds for illegal drugs), then the story shifts to Venus.
The box travels from a hellish region of Venus to Earth, and the story becomes something like The Maltese Falcon, or even better, Kiss Me Deadly, a noirish tale that involves different characters along the way, all of whom meet justice in some way or other. There is a frantic search
for the box by the authorities, and a climax that would do a SF movie proud. All through the story (which seems longer than it really is), Tubb is dealing with human greed, and we expect greedy characters to be sinister and not very likeable. But can you think of a single instance where human greed saved the planet from destruction? Me either. Only this story. Av nice twist, for sure.
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed June 14th/21
JOURNEY INTO TERROR
The thrilling cover to my Kindle edition.
This 156 page novel comes originally from 1954, and was updated by the author in 2008. Some of the updates have to do with Pluto, which now reflects thinking that was current before the recent imaging mission (New Horizons). That recent imaging mission highlights one of the big flaws in a lot of SF writing back in the day. No one, and I mean no one, could have realized how bizarre the planets and moons of our solar system really are. Pluto is just the latest example of a planet we thought we could picture in our minds, but obviously couldn't. Truth is much stranger than fiction, especially in outer space. However, if not a vivid description of an alien world, we now have the idea that Pluto might have wandered in from beyond the Oort cloud, and Tubb takes this and runs with it, positing alien life in crystal form having made the journey through deep space riding along on Pluto.
I really liked a lot of things about this novel, especially the opening as Carmodine is rescued from his personal hell and brought back to civilization. I also liked the whole idea of the mysterious circumstances on his previous mission to Pluto, and how his memory is poked and prodded and finally convinced to spill the secret. I liked the character of Illraya (just as often spelled Ilraya in the story). A warm welcome from me to yet another rare intelligent female lead character in an early SF novel! Perhaps the update to this novel by the author included some touching up of her character. She is not, however, much of an action figure. Still, she is smart, and uses her intelligence to help the expedition immensely. The bad guy character of Bransko is way overdone, but I guess for a mutiny to occur on the ship he would have to be a pretty stinky guy. However, one would think that the space agency that made him captain of the most important expedition in Earth history might have checked into his personality just a little bit deeper.
Now, once the terrifying secret comes out of Carmodine, wouldn't it have been a great idea to let the crew in on it, before they all wandered outside? Keeping in mind what happened to the previous expedition, with Carmodine in command, it might have been a nice idea to think things through a bit more before sending everyone outside the ship. Telling them not to play with the crystals was hardly a severe warning. The story really shows weakness in this area. The final action sequences (and others within the story), however, really limit this book to the pulp tradition. It's a shame because the basic story and most characters are believable and human. The ending is quite good, and could have terminated much more pessimistically than it did. In the end, however, not much was resolved on this trip, except that Carmodine gets his reputation back. We have a sneaking suspicion that another expedition will travel this way someday. Those crystals that remained behind aren't going anywhere. Yet.
** 1/2 stars. Reviewed July 1st/18
CITY OF NO RETURN
Original, shorter version of Journey Into terror, under a different title.
Updated version of the story. This large print edition ran to 251 pages.
I really liked a lot of things about this novel, especially the opening as Carmodine is rescued from his personal hell and brought back to civilization. I also liked the whole idea of the mysterious circumstances on his previous mission to Pluto, and how his memory is poked and prodded and finally convinced to spill the secret. I liked the character of Illraya (just as often spelled Ilraya in the story). A warm welcome from me to yet another rare intelligent female lead character in an early SF novel! Perhaps the update to this novel by the author included some touching up of her character. She is not, however, much of an action figure. Still, she is smart, and uses her intelligence to help the expedition immensely. The bad guy character of Bransko is way overdone, but I guess for a mutiny to occur on the ship he would have to be a pretty stinky guy. However, one would think that the space agency that made him captain of the most important expedition in Earth history might have checked into his personality just a little bit deeper.
Now, once the terrifying secret comes out of Carmodine, wouldn't it have been a great idea to let the crew in on it, before they all wandered outside? Keeping in mind what happened to the previous expedition, with Carmodine in command, it might have been a nice idea to think things through a bit more before sending everyone outside the ship. Telling them not to play with the crystals was hardly a severe warning. The story really shows weakness in this area. The final action sequences (and others within the story), however, really limit this book to the pulp tradition. It's a shame because the basic story and most characters are believable and human. The ending is quite good, and could have terminated much more pessimistically than it did. In the end, however, not much was resolved on this trip, except that Carmodine gets his reputation back. We have a sneaking suspicion that another expedition will travel this way someday. Those crystals that remained behind aren't going anywhere. Yet.
** 1/2 stars. Reviewed July 1st/18
CITY OF NO RETURN
City of No Return is from 1954, with a page count of 144 pages. It is an easy read, and a rewarding one for fans of golden age SF. It's difficult to trace how original a story is from the mid-50s, as so much was been written and published in those days. Even though Tubb may have copied elements of the basic story from someone else, he has surely added enough original material to make this a decent novel. I read the Kindle edition; the cover art above is from the original publication, and has nothing to do with the story. Great cover, though!
Three down and out people, two men and a woman, try their luck at finding riches in an abandoned city on Mars. Halmer is the guide, and Smith and Lorna are the two gold diggers, who travelled from Venus with their last dime. Lorna turns into a pretty interesting character, though in the end she only wants what any woman wants (sigh). The city, called Klaglan, is off limits to humans, as it holds powerful taboo for the natives, insect-like people that keep their distance from Earthlings. When they do catch people near the city, they deal very harshly with them, with the approval of the human government on Mars.
Of course if you can't leave a city, as per the title, you first have to get inside it. This poses some unique difficulties, but is finally managed by the three desperadoes. However, keeping watch outside the walls are the natives, waiting to exact their revenge when they come back out. The humans' experience inside this vast alien environment is really amazing, and Tubb does a nice job of limiting our knowledge of where we are, but also tantalizing us with just enough information to keep us interested and wanting more. The basic problem the visitors have is finding water, and this leads to some amazing discoveries. I will not spoil anyone's adventure by telling what they are, but I did enjoy this book. Yet again I might mention what a wonderful SF movie this would make. Recommended.
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed August 9th/18
THE STELLAR LEGION
I read the Kindle edition.
From 1954 comes this pretty dreadful novella of a general who is no longer needed once he has won a devastating war to link all of the Earth colonies into one Federation. One of the conditions of the peace treaty is that the military and all weapons of mass destruction would be banished forever from the galaxy. However, the general points out that this would not be a wise course, as only the nearest 100 light years have been explored and developed. So far, harmful aliens have not appeared, but, he points out, Earth should be ready if they do. The leaders disagree, and the general finds himself being forced into retirement. At the last minute he comes up with an alternate plan; he will take prisoners (male--there isn't a single female in the entire story!), bring them to planet Stella, and turn them into real men. The leaders agree, and off he goes.
Young Wilson is one of those prisoners, and we mostly follow his development as he trains on Stella along with other men. At this point let me intrude and say that this is one of the most sadistic books I have ever read! Fights, murders, beatings, and worse come up page after page. A mentally ill psychologist instructs the general in how to prepare the men, and it is not a pretty thing to see.
Cover art by Richards, from the original
British hardcover publication in 1954.
Page count unknown.
The worst part of the book, though, comes at the very end. Just when the general's sadistic and cruel methods are brought under the spotlight, and we think perhaps he will get his comeuppance, along come some really bad aliens from some unknown planet, and they attack the prison planet (why there?). Thankfully, the general has trained men who can fight them off. With the aliens defeated, his plans for a military style Stellar Legion are finally recognized and approved. Whew! Thank heavens they were there and ready to go.... What a load of crap! Obviously aimed at a "manly" audience (do such men actually read?), we as readers can come to grips as to why we must always have a military filled with bullies, murderers, and sadists on hand, ready to fight our battles.
Absolutely terrible book, with virtually no conscience, and no reason for existing. Give it a miss, or you will be sorry.
* star. Reviewed October 6th/18
THE HELL PLANET
I read the Kindle version.
The original publication. Same fake cover as City of No Escape, above.
From 1954 comes this pretty interesting story taking place on Mercury. It is 144 pages long, and offers some interesting perspectives on living on a scientific base there. Tubb used what was known at the time about the planet, before anything but telescopic observation was undertaken. Since then, two probes have visited Mercury, and a third was just launched last month. Unlike in Tubb's day, we now know that Mercury does not have a permanent night side, a day side, and a permanent twilight zone. A day on Mercury lasts 59 Earth days, however. But everything receives sunlight. This puts the boot to Tubb's story, as his scientific station is situated in the twilight area. Oh well.
It's still a fun read, and must have been pretty popular in the 1950s. Yet again there are no females in the story, something that gets more and more tiring with each golden era SF novel I read. It boggles the mind at how half of humanity could be left out of any story, let alone so many stories. Still, that is what the early American space program was like; there were some brilliant women working behind the scenes, but only males made it into the spotlight and media.
The story opens with three men out exploring when their crawler is damaged beyond repair. They have to attempt to hoof it back to the station. This mini-adventure starts the wheels turning for a larger adventure involving a crashed space ship, inadvertently caused by one of the three lost men. This involves a harrowing rescue attempt involving 1,000 miles of ground travel to reach the survivors, and to retrieve a valuable piece of equipment being transported from Earth to Mercury. As far as adventure tales go, this one is pretty good, and is fun and easy to read.
An interesting side note is the appearance of a Carl Dirac, a brilliant scientist who invented the accumulator, a small energy unit enabling longer and more comfortable outings in hostile environments. Is this the same man who appears in Blish's story "Beep?"
It is always interesting to me how many cigarettes can be brought to Mercury, after we learn how tight things are for shipping food and supplies from Earth. Somehow, cartons and cartons of cigarettes manage to get there. Only Dirac doesn't smoke in this story. One final quibble; these Tubb and Bulmer Kindle editions, which are not cheap, are filled with typos. There are so many of them per book that I automatically begin to adjust my language interpretation skills when reading. It is hard to believe that someone couldn't proof read these things and fix them.
Forgetting that the science no longer allows Mercury a permanent day and night side, this is still a fun book to read, showing how the imagination can be captured by an adventure on such a nearby and hostile planet. If we really could have a base on Mercury, then I daresay mankind could do anything.
*** stars. Reviewed November 9th/18
From 1954 comes this very short novel, which remained unpublished until 1996. There is a short introduction from that year by Philip Hardbottle, publisher of Gryphon books. That first edition had a great cover and inside art, all missing from the Kindle edition. My edition is 96 pages long. 
I read the Kindle edition.
I read the Kindle edition. Cover art not credited.
I read the Kindle edition.
Original novel publication. Cover art by
C.O.D. MARS (also Fear Of Strangers)
THE RESURRECTED MAN
I read the Kindle edition, from 1954.
An updated version came out in 2010, but I read the original one from 1954. It is about 120 pages long. It seems to be a cross between Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, and the film Altered States, written by Paddy Chayefsky. I don't know if Paddy read Tubb's novel, but my guess is yes. The resemblance is too close to be coincidence.
An early cover to a Spanish translation.
The captain of a two-man space patrol ship is killed in battle, and his body floats away from his destroyed craft. His gunner dies before him. Captain Baron, floating helplessly in space, quickly runs out of air. He opens his space helmet to enable a fast death, and succeeds.
Five years later, Baron's body is found floating in space. He is taken to the lunar medical research lab, where two doctors try to revive him. This is a long and fairly detailed scene, and would make for a good film sequence. He is eventually revived, but emergency brain surgery is needed, and the area of the brain that deals with morality is disconnected. Not a good start to a new life.
Baron, declared dead, cannot get his military back pay, pension, or any other kind of help. He cannot find work. He does not want to stay at the research lab and help the doctors, who are trying to develop suspended animation for long space voyages. On Earth he drinks alcohol constantly, smokes cannabis (!), and generally gets in a lot of trouble. The alcohol, combined with a one-month job scooping out radiation from rocket tanks, set him on a path of retrograde evolution. He becomes involved with a fake fakir, and then becomes a boxer in a ring where fighters are allowed to fight to the death.
At the beginning of the story I felt somewhat optimistic about Baron's chances of having a decent life. And indeed he could have become a celebrity and made a small fortune, if he had remained sober and had good management. Instead, everything that could go wrong does go wrong, and every choice he makes is a bad one. It's a fast spiral downward, right to the bottom.
This is a pretty amazing story, pulling no punches (literally). Tubb has tackled a serious topic and done it with surprising grit and realism. This could still be made into a good film, but then everyone would think it was a rip off of Altered States. Recommended reading.
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed January 16th/19
TEMPLE OF DEATH
I read the Kindle edition.
From 1954 comes this very short novel, which remained unpublished until 1996. There is a short introduction from that year by Philip Hardbottle, publisher of Gryphon books. That first edition had a great cover and inside art, all missing from the Kindle edition. My edition is 96 pages long.
Colin, usually referred to in the story as "the big man," has been thrown off Mars for wandering too close to the temple of the Martians. The Martians supply "The Elixir," giving humans who take it nearly everlasting life. The Martians tolerate no curiosity about their religion, and strictly enforce a no trespass zone around it, and no questions asked about it. There are no excuses and no appeals; the law is enforced by the humans, and you are banned from Mars if you transgress.
Back on Earth Colin encounters a Mr. Barnhart, who wants revenge on the Martians, who he blames for the death of his son. The younger Barnhart studied comparative religion, poking his nose where he shouldn't have poked it. Colin is put in charge of a 20-man expedition, all of them kicked off Mars, most for innocently transgressing the rule, to bring home information about the religion. They plan to get inside the temple, take photos and recordings, and bring it back to Earth for general broadcast.
The largest part of the book deals with the expedition and how they manage to get inside the sacred temple, and what happens to them after that. The secret of the temple is Colin's goal, and once he learns it, he will be able to exact his revenge. He got lost during a sandstorm once time, and ventured accidentally into the forbidden zone. He lost his business, his savings, and his future, so he is plenty angry throughout the story.
This is a classic he-man adventure story, and quite a good one, too. Martian air is breathable, but so what. Written in 1954, it's pulp fiction at its most adventurous and fun. Worth a read for fans.
*** stars. Reviewed October 11th/20
FIFTY DAYS TO DOOM
1954 was a very productive year for the author. This is a 71 page novella, coincidentally the third story in a row I have read about war in space (see the Kenneth Bulmer page for an Ace Double called The Electric Sword Swallowers, and the flip side by John Rackham called Beyond Capella). Tubb's novella has a lot in common with Rackham's novel, from 1971. Both feature a man who is caught up in a senseless war, and wants nothing more than peace.
Tubb's story begins in a routine manner, with the destruction of a small Earth ship by the enemy. Captain Carl Ransom, his engineer, and a civilian passenger are taken captive by the Ginzoes, an alien race at war with Earth. After some serious negotiations, the Captain and Handley, his engineer, are dropped onto a planet. They have 50 days to repair a derelict ship, return to Earth, and plead for peace. If this is not done in the required time, the aliens will begin destroying all Earth-like planets. They require chlorine, so have no use for such planets as ours.
The ship's repairs are nearly thwarted by a group of religious fanatics that live on the planet, making the time line to stop the war very fine. With enough interesting points, and its strong anti-military and anti-war stance, the book can still be enjoyed today, since little has changed in military thinking since the 1950s. I am always in awe as to how some of the classic authors are able to squeeze an entire novel into such a short space. This one can be read at one sitting, and it will keep the reader turning pages. Fun, and just a bit more than purely entertainment.
*** stars. Reviewed March 18th/21.
ALIEN DUST
My Kindle Cover.
An early edition. I can find out nothing about this cover or edition.
First published whole in 1955 by the SF Book Club, those editions ran to 228 pages. There are 7 short stories that cover a 35 year span in the life of Earth's first Mars Colony. No doubt the SF film "Mars Needs Women" was heavily inspired by this set of stories. Coming 5 years after Bradbury's "Martian Chronicles," Tubb has extended himself and written a coherent and hard-hitting chronological story.
The first two tales take place in 1998, when the first ships land on Mars to begin setting up a colony. Tubb dispenses with some science facts and has made the air breathable, if barely. Even with this huge advantage, we are given a pretty fair idea of how difficult the project is going to be. Three rockets leave Earth with men and supplies, and only two manage to land safely. Things are not off to a good start. The settlers are now short of men and supplies. Instead of two rockets returning to Earth for fresh supplies and humans, only one is now able to leave.
The early struggles of the first arrivers is heart-breaking, as they begin attempts to set up their power plant, yeast food manufacturing system, and then start to lay a 100-mile long pipeline to the north pole for water. Here we leave science behind once more. If the colony were to be set up only 100 miles from the north pole, it would be might chilly up there. Yes, Tubb makes it cold on Mars, but not the truly paralyzing cold that it really is. And again, even with such advantages over a real attempt to live on Mars, they are still only barely able to survive, and many of them die.
The struggles continue in the year 2000. It has become evident to people back home that the colony will never be able to repay its huge financial debt that was incurred to begin the project. There are no mineral deposits worth exploiting, and nothing valuable to send back home with the empty supply ships. Mars is a drain on resources back home, and is becoming a burden. Meanwhile, Venus settlements are booming and promising prosperity to humans, so most of the space budget is allotted to Venus. Mars plods along.
By 2000 it has become known that the dust in the air is killing men at an alarming rate. Masks are now required when outside, but even so some don't use them. Their lungs are soon ruined, and they become invalids, dying after several pain-filled months. Just as the project is about to be cancelled, it is discovered that the dust can prove useful after all; it is radioactive and might be usable for atomic weapons back on Earth.
Women finally arrive in 2006, in one of the more sexist sections of a mainstream story that I have read in a long while. Female readers will have a tough time getting through this section. I wonder how an adventurous girl or woman would have responded to this part of the story back in the 1950s. The women are able to give birth on Mars (their primary duty there), but only twice. Firstborn seem fine; second born have a 50/50 chance of surviving birth. After that, women become not only sterile, but infected with a cancer that kills them rather quickly. All of the women are affected.
As I said earlier, Tubb pulls no punches, and gives setback after setback. The colony is such a failure that the only way it is kept going now (2020) is by having criminals sent up. They are offered half off their sentence if they serve it working on Mars. By now the base has gone through several directors. No one lives very long on Mars, and after a few years they are unable to return to Earth, due to issues with gravity and atmosphere after having lived on Mars for so long. By 2030, the final story year, there is only one final hope for the colony. The latest director, a former criminal who took over the position when the older director died, plays a big hand to try and convince Earth to continue supporting Mars, and to increase its budget by a huge amount.
For 35 years biological experiments on Mars have been undertaken in an attempt to find a plant that would grow on the surface. The dust is a continual problem, not to mention the dust storms. Again Tubb gives the settlers a break; his dust storms are usually of short duration. We know that planet-wide storms can go on for months, and that afterwards the dust can take even longer to settle again. The novel and movie "The Martian" gives a pretty good indication of what a dust storm on Mars is like; Tubb does a fine job, too. His descriptions not only of the conditions, but what the dust does to metal surfaces, is accurate and devastating. But I have a strong feeling that a lengthy planet-wide dust storm would easily have wiped out the colony. The fact that it never happened in 35 years is telling; even so, the colony barely makes it, limping along until the final gambit to convince Earth to continue the colony.
Tubb included a chronology of events over the length of the tales, and we can read at a glance what happened when. James Blish does this, too, with his similarly layed out series called "Cities In Flight." Here also we have a loosely linked generational story that comes with a lengthy chronology. Blish no doubt was influenced by this method, and I am certain he would have read Tubb's tales more than once.
This is a really well told story, and I recommend it for a number of reasons. The first is so that dreamers and romantics (think Star Trek fans) will get a real in-your-face look at what leaving Earth might be really like. Even with huge advantages over reality, the colony barely survives, mostly limping along. The second reason is that many people do not realize how much politics affect space exploration. No humans have left Earth Orbit since December 1972. None will for at least ten more years. And now that we see China landing rovers on the moon, just watch how fast NASA gets interested in the moon again. There is always talk about putting men on Mars (and maybe women, too; who knows?). But will it really happen? If so, what then? How do you survive on Mars? The third reason to read this book is to ask if it is really worth it. We already live on Paradise, as far as the galaxy is concerned. Perhaps if we cared enough about our own planet, and the billions of life forms that inhabit it, I might tend to support sending humans to other planets. But, seeing how hostile their environments ares, and suspecting that all that we really need is already around us, I would not support a manned Martian colony. A quick trip for a look around? Sure. If I was young enough, I'd sign up. But a colony? It is simply out of the question.
**** stars. Reviewed February 22nd/19
Women finally arrive in 2006, in one of the more sexist sections of a mainstream story that I have read in a long while. Female readers will have a tough time getting through this section. I wonder how an adventurous girl or woman would have responded to this part of the story back in the 1950s. The women are able to give birth on Mars (their primary duty there), but only twice. Firstborn seem fine; second born have a 50/50 chance of surviving birth. After that, women become not only sterile, but infected with a cancer that kills them rather quickly. All of the women are affected.
As I said earlier, Tubb pulls no punches, and gives setback after setback. The colony is such a failure that the only way it is kept going now (2020) is by having criminals sent up. They are offered half off their sentence if they serve it working on Mars. By now the base has gone through several directors. No one lives very long on Mars, and after a few years they are unable to return to Earth, due to issues with gravity and atmosphere after having lived on Mars for so long. By 2030, the final story year, there is only one final hope for the colony. The latest director, a former criminal who took over the position when the older director died, plays a big hand to try and convince Earth to continue supporting Mars, and to increase its budget by a huge amount.
For 35 years biological experiments on Mars have been undertaken in an attempt to find a plant that would grow on the surface. The dust is a continual problem, not to mention the dust storms. Again Tubb gives the settlers a break; his dust storms are usually of short duration. We know that planet-wide storms can go on for months, and that afterwards the dust can take even longer to settle again. The novel and movie "The Martian" gives a pretty good indication of what a dust storm on Mars is like; Tubb does a fine job, too. His descriptions not only of the conditions, but what the dust does to metal surfaces, is accurate and devastating. But I have a strong feeling that a lengthy planet-wide dust storm would easily have wiped out the colony. The fact that it never happened in 35 years is telling; even so, the colony barely makes it, limping along until the final gambit to convince Earth to continue the colony.
Tubb included a chronology of events over the length of the tales, and we can read at a glance what happened when. James Blish does this, too, with his similarly layed out series called "Cities In Flight." Here also we have a loosely linked generational story that comes with a lengthy chronology. Blish no doubt was influenced by this method, and I am certain he would have read Tubb's tales more than once.
This is a really well told story, and I recommend it for a number of reasons. The first is so that dreamers and romantics (think Star Trek fans) will get a real in-your-face look at what leaving Earth might be really like. Even with huge advantages over reality, the colony barely survives, mostly limping along. The second reason is that many people do not realize how much politics affect space exploration. No humans have left Earth Orbit since December 1972. None will for at least ten more years. And now that we see China landing rovers on the moon, just watch how fast NASA gets interested in the moon again. There is always talk about putting men on Mars (and maybe women, too; who knows?). But will it really happen? If so, what then? How do you survive on Mars? The third reason to read this book is to ask if it is really worth it. We already live on Paradise, as far as the galaxy is concerned. Perhaps if we cared enough about our own planet, and the billions of life forms that inhabit it, I might tend to support sending humans to other planets. But, seeing how hostile their environments ares, and suspecting that all that we really need is already around us, I would not support a manned Martian colony. A quick trip for a look around? Sure. If I was young enough, I'd sign up. But a colony? It is simply out of the question.
**** stars. Reviewed February 22nd/19
ASSIGNMENT NEW YORK
From 1955 comes this 181 page pulp crime classic, as hard boiled private eye Mike Lantry gets in over his head on a case. He is assigned by an old millionaire to find his young wife, who left the house with all the jewellery and hasn't been seen since. There is a very good introduction by Philip Hardbottle, including parts of a conversation about the book he had with the author. Although Tubb branched out from SF into other genres, this was his only crime novel. It is in the tradition of 1950s crime fiction, and similar to many plots of Noir films from that decade.
Mike Lantry smokes too much, drinks too much, eats poorly, gets clobbered a lot, and shot at quite a bit, too. All in a day's work. His investigations are hampered by the old man wanting everything kept hushed up, and no one is saying very much at all to help him along. But in true American crime fiction tradition, Mike has the smarts to know where to dig for information, and despite getting on the head a lot, still manages to think his way through a very complicated case.
As good as the story is, there were good reasons why Tubb never wrote another such novel, which is too bad. These are discussed in Hardbottle's introduction. The publisher kept the character alive by having a different author take up his next case, since Tubb refused. A good read, and worth seeking out.
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed April 10th/22
MOON BASE
I read the Kindle edition.
From 1964 comes this 176 page action packed novel by an author who I am coming to like more and more. One would think that by 2019, a book written 5 years before Apollo 11 landed on the moon, about a moon base, would be somewhat dated and not much fun to read. Well, I would like to introduce you to E. C. Tubb, who does a pretty good job here of proving that wrong.
One thing to watch out for is the large number of characters in this pretty short story, which I read in one day. There are well over a dozen characters, many of them introduced in the first chapter. Felix Larsen is a secret agent, a James bond sort of guy sent up to the base by his British boss. There is suspicion that something strange is going on up there, and enemy agents are suspected of being involved. Britain is trying to go it alone on their moon base, but their external defenses are woefully inadequate.
Felix is a hot looking guy, and soon has base women buzzing around him, especially Avril. She turns out to be a good friend, and then a lover, but Felix does not trust many others. The plot is very unique, and turns into a nearly timeless SF story about the lab creation of a giant brain. The brain seems to be causing serious accidents, and may even be responsible for an explosion aboard a departing space ship. Felix thinks he has cracked the mystery, and single-handedly tries to destroy the giant brain.
The story is very well written and very exciting. Though there isn't much action on the surface of the moon, the labyrinthine base is pretty interesting, especially the eyrie, from where the Earth can be viewed. Tubb's revelation of the secret of the big brain is pretty original, and I liked it a lot. Good pulp SF!
*** stars. Reviewed April 11th/19
THE LIFE BUYER
From 1965 comes this 128 page novel, first published in 3 installments in New Worlds SF, and then as as novel the same year. Marcus Edward King, age 87, is the world's richest man. He is also unhealthily afraid of death, and is spending fortunes and lives to achieve everlasting life. Our story opens as an airplane is driven directly at his skyscraper window in an attempt to kill him. Enter Steve Delmonte, from Security, and Dale Markham, local chief of police. While the assassination attempt fails, the hunt begins for the assailant and accomplices.
The book is much less science fiction than a murder/mystery, and would make a terrific noirish film. Yes, we go to the Moon and there are rockets, but there are also murders, entanglements, suspicious females, cutthroat killers, and a plot twist nearly every page. The lunar sequence of events is actually quite fun, and is yet another reminder of how far we haven't come in space exploration and development.
Robert Fuqua.
Like most crime novels, most people are either good or bad, but the Security man, Steve, is a bit more interesting, as he is willing to break laws in order to bring justice and save lives. He is also willing to cover up someone's mistakes if they were not intended to be harmful. Old man King is a vile creature, as is his hired hand, Ransome. A short but fun book to read.
*** stars. Reviewed February 11th/21
DEATH IS A DREAM
Cover art uncredited.
From 1967 comes this fascinating novel, lasting for 144 small print pages. Tubb is a writer of very high quality sometimes, and this is one of those times. Brad Stevens is put into suspended animation in 1967. He is a bright physicist, but is dying of cancer. The hope is that when he awakens there will be a cure. He awakens 338 years in the future, and it is a very different time. Two other people from his time also are awakened with him, a man whom he does not know, and a woman whom he does know.
Tubb has painted a futuristic world worthy of anything that Philip K Dick ever wrote about. Though the book stays true to its pulp roots, the action is never campy or overdrawn. One would expect someone from the past to get into all sorts of trouble and adventures nearly 350 years in the future. Money rules, and the three heroes find themselves owing a vast sum of money to the Institute that revived them and cared for them. But now it's time for them to set out on their own. Saul, a police captain who was summoned when they awoke, takes them under his wing. Though each character is dealt with, it is Brad Stevens that holds most of the plot and story interest for the reader.
His character is flawed and all too human, and thus his actions and thoughts are quite believable. His attempts to earn money get him into plenty of trouble, and his life never seems to have a dull moment. One of the main differences between then and now (and there are plenty) is that the people of the future believe in reincarnation. They do not fear death, fully knowing that they will come back again. A few people are unable to actually know this for a fact; they are called cripples, as they cannot recall their past lives.
There is some really great dialogue, too, including a brief discussion about faith. All in all this is a pretty great book, and surprised me at nearly every turn. Highly recommended for its ideas, setting, and all-encompassing future world.
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed May 23rd/19
COMPUTER WAR
Cover art by Von Zitzewitz.
This marks by 2nd book by Reynolds. This one reminded me a little bit of works by Eric Frank Russell, as the underdog Betastanis take on the overwhelming powerful Alpha citizens. The war is precipitated, as many wars are, on false pretenses by the stronger nation, and their computers predict as easy victory with only 300,000 casualties! They decide to go for it. However, the Beta folk are not unprepared, and their version of guerrilla tactics serve them well. The book gets very talky near the end, something that happens in a few otherwise good stories by Rex Gordon.
I was not as enamoured with this story as I was his previous one. Still, even though Ace doubles had now gone up to 60 cents, it is far from a waste of time to read it. There is a tiny, boyish, and very interesting female lead character, whereas the main lead (male) made my eyes roll more than once. What Tilly Trice sees in Ross Westley is beyond me.
** 1/2 stars. Reviewed May 27th/19
C.O.D. MARS (also Fear Of Strangers)
Cover art by Jack Gaughan.
A drawing for the story on the flip side mistakenly appears on the frontispiece to this story. The inside sketch for this story is likewise misprinted on the flip side. This short novel (99 pages) is from 1968. Five astronauts left for Alpha Centauri, and three return alive after nine years away. They expected to be welcomed home as heroes, but something has gone wrong, and the survivors seem to be infected with an alien disease. The government health organization is going to send them back out into space, as the disease cannot be cured. Martin Slade, private detective, is hired to help them escape their spaceship and brought to Mars.
This is a taut story, well told, and believable as far as it goes. It is one of those stories that seems to have been much longer once finished, as a lot happens, and there are a number of important characters involved, both major and minor ones. Tubb is a great story teller, and this is a pretty great story. It borrows a little bit from a similar tale by Eric Frank Russell, and of course people will think of the movie Alien, which came a lot later. But this story is not like Alien, nor much like Russell's tale. The only thing I don't care much for is Slade, who is a scumbag and a slime bucket if there ever was one.
But he is the hero and we are stuck with him. Eventually, once the aliens have escaped their spaceship prison, the government of Earth also hires Slade to find the men. they know that Slade was involved in their escape, but cannot prove it. But Slade really doesn't know where they are--the escape plan diverted from his plan. So he sets out after the escapees, with the Star Patrol following his every move.
A good read for an afternoon or evening, and recommended due to well delineated characters, as well as a fun plot.
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed July 11th/19
ALIEN SEA
Cover art by George Ziel.
The flip side to Tubb's C.O.D. Mars, this novel is more than 50% longer than that one, at 154 pages. John Rackham is a new name to me, the pen name of John T. Phillifent. He wrote quite a few books, including three in the Man From U.N.C.L.E. series. This is a serious novel, and well thought out. One of its unusual aspects (there are more than one) is the choice of hero. Dennis Dillard is a 'sensitive', one who can suffer emotions more intensely than others. He fears more, and that is what his public wants--to experience for themselves the things he puts himself through. He carries gear which can be switched on and off when he is experiencing something dangerous or uncomfortable. His unique emotional responses to events has made him a very rich man.
The other thing I like about this novel is that the heroism is shared between Dillon and two females, one from Earth, and one a 5th generation colonist on Venus. I won't go into much detail about the plot, except to say that I enjoyed the first half of the book a bit more than the 2nd. An alien planet, now covered in oceans, is home to an underwater native population. How they came to live underwater and survive their holocaust war is told in Chapter One. Venus and Earth are using the ocean for water and fuel. Venus makes contact with the aliens but does not inform Earth. A lot of political intrigue ensues.
There are a few details that don't quite fit the plot, such as how the unknown aliens manage to get into a four star hotel dining room without anyone noticing them. And apparently wearing clothes in these times, at least on the upper body, is somewhat passe. Why? Will we not wear clothes in the future? Won't women at least need bras?
Anyway, there is great storytelling and a pretty good story. I seem to be running into a lot of underwater adventures lately, but like the others, this one is quite good. I liked the two lead females in the story, and even Dillon grows on the reader after a time. Recommended.
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed July 13th/19
S.T.A.R. FLIGHT
Cover art by Chuck Sovec.
This is a stupid title for the book, as it implies space flight, of which there is none. However, there is flight from authority, and plenty of it, in this taut drama set on Earth in the future. The book is from 1969, and is 144 pages long. Martin Preston is pressured into accepting a difficult assignment from S.T.A.R., or Secret Terran Armed Resistance. Earth has been under the whip (literally) of aliens for some 80 years now, having to accept their presence and arrogance in order to receive treatments that halt and reverse the ageing process. Earth's rich and powerful have thus come to accept anything that the Kaltich say, in return for treatments every ten years. The average Joe, on the other hand, has to cough up 1,000 monetary units for the job. Then that sum is doubled.
Preston's assignment is to go through one of the alien's matter transmission gates, gain the secret of the gates, as well as the medical information to help humans make their own treatments. Then the Kaltich can be overthrown. Not an easy assignment, as no human has ever gone through the gate and returned to tell of it.
What amazes me about some of these short novels is how much adventure a good author can cram into such few pages. They always seem longer, in a good sense, when they are over, as if the book had been at least twice as long. Sure, character development and normal conversations and routine actions are at a premium, as the plot focuses on tense situations, action sequences, and other acts of derring-do. Though a lot of cigarlet smoking goes on, and my copy even features a cardboard insert add for Kent cigarettes. This story is a lot like a very nerve-wracking spy novel. That is essentially what Preston is doing, spying. What he finds along the way is pretty neat, and I like what Tubb has done to add twists and turns and surprises along the way. A good writer like this can set things up quickly, get the reader to accept them, and then have fun by destroying those presumptions, or expanding on them.
This adventure is easy to read, and quite good. I also liked this quote from the novel, which could certainly be used as a basis for discussion on a wide range of topics: "A man must do what he has trained himself to be good at. Rob him of the opportunity and you take away the meaning of his life." Recommended reading for pulp action fans.
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed September 6th/19
ESCAPE INTO SPACE
I read the Kindle version.
From 1969 comes this 188 (large print edition says so) page SF novel by a writer I come to admire more and more. Earth's first starship, built privately but with government money pouring in, is plagued by cost overruns, graft, and political favours. One man sets out to prove how serious the wrong-doing is, and to stop the construction. In the nick of time the ship is loaded and prepared for take-off. Tubb makes two critical errors here. The first is having the ship built on Earth, when it is far more likely and believable to be built in orbit. It is a huge ship. Second, the program does not have enough volunteers, so some people have to be virtually kidnapped to go aboard and enter suspended animation. A far more likely scenario is that the ship would have been overrun by volunteers. While Tubb did it his way for plot convenience (later, the disgruntled ones who were kidnapped revolt), he could have just as easily had volunteers unhappy, too. Anyway, the flaws do not spoil the story.
Most SF stories deal with the aftermath of humans spreading out through the galaxy. This one bravely follows the very first interstellar flight and its crew and passengers. Written during the first years of Star Trek, this story is much better than even most of those. The ship travels fitfully through space, faster than light at times. It arrives safely at a habitable planet, though not a very hospitable one. After consideration, and after a scout ship disappears, the ship lands. The new inhabitants set about making a permanent home, with crops and shelters. It doesn't take long for things to start going wrong, and Captain Euston has his hands full for the rest of the novel.
The adventures are terrifying but believable, as well as the way people react. Even better, the planet Eden (as it was so named) is terrifying but believable. Tubb has created a truly alien world, though one that superficially resembles Earth. I loved every page of the planetary adventures, and felt that I was down there with the settlers. Tubb harbours no romantic ideas about colonizing other worlds, and in this he, Barry Malzberg, and myself are in agreement: Earth is our paradise, the one planet we have adapted to, and we will never find another like it, nor one that we could truly call home.
There are many surprises in store for readers, most of them unpleasant. There is a nice mystery to be solved regarding the disappearing scout ship. Despite overwhelming odds, some humans do survive the ordeal, and live to try again, elsewhere. This is a really good book, easy to read, and quite short (I would put the page count at closer to 110 pages, though my Kindle did not list pages). Highly recommended for SF fans. If you enjoy Star Trek, you will like this book.
**** stars. Reviewed October 19th/19
CENTURY OF THE MANIKIN
Cover art by Jack Gaughan
From 1972 comes this short, very original novel about Earth 100 years in the future. It lasts for 141 pages, but could easily have been extended. It makes for a good read, and the ending is as unexpected as it is sudden. The year is 2080, and PAEC (Propaganda And Emotional Control) is in charge of things. Namely, in getting people to lose their aggression and instinct to kill, hurt, and torture one another. People are popping pills several times a day, choosing their moods to fit the upcoming circumstances. There are pills to enhance artistry, romance, mysticism, loquacity, aggression, cynicism, determination, tolerance--any emotion you can think of. There are side stories that sort of disappear after awhile, including one about Simon and Martha, who are going to have a child. this is as public no-no, as the population is too high, and while there are no laws against it, most people disapprove.
Dale works for PAEC, and is sent on an underground (literally) mission to root out a group of people who might be breaking the law by having private events that feature violence. He soon gets to the core of the matter, and reports to Joseph, his boss. His is also a minor poet, who never has even time to write, and when he does, is always interrupted. Meanwhile, Naomi, a liberated woman from 1970 who was cryogenically frozen has now been revived. She is appalled at what she sees, and finds modern humans so very wrong. She pinpoints the flaw in PAEC's solution to stopping violence, and though I disagree with her conclusions, she does make a good point. Repression will eventually fail, and a social explosion is in the making. Best way to deal with it? Go back to sleep for another hundred years, and then see how things are.
Though the book seems disjointed, and there are too many plots and characters for such a short novel, Donald A. Wolheim (DAW Publishing), the man who brought you Ace fiction, loves stories of 140 pages or less, and so that is what we have. Recommended due to its weirdness factor, especially regarding drugs, sex, and violence of the future. There is also considerable humour in the book, which I think adds positively to the overall flavour.
*** stars. Reviewed January 22nd/20
CHILD OF SPACE
I read the Kindle edition.
Deceptive practices in publishing are not uncommon, especially in the pulp fiction realm. This story is billed as a "never before seen story" by Tubb. Except that it was previously published in 1976 as Alien Seed, Space 1999 #7. Names were changed, and Moonbase Alpha becomes Moonbase One. and the Moon, instead of floating freely in space, still seems attached to Earth's gravitation. Why republish this in 2015 under a new title? Well, I for one have never read any Space 1999 stories. I didn't like the TV series much, either. This is not a synopsis of an actual episode, like Tubb did with other books in the series, but an original story that fits in within Season 1 of the TV series. And it's a good story. No doubt the publishers took a chance on no one discovering its origins. How many people actually read the Space 1999 books, after all? Big mistake, though people like me profited from it, otherwise I might never had read it. I purchased it on Kindle as the E. C. Tubb Box Set for 99 cents, also getting a second novel (never before seen!), and two previously published collections of short stories. So I got this book for 25 cents.
Original publication of Child Of Space, back in 1976.
My edition ran 146 pages. The main characters are Mark Regan, Elna (doctor), Liz (botanist), and Boardman (physicist), all easily recognized from the TV series. But I will treat the book as a stand alone novel, and not refer to the series.
An alien asteroid crashes on the Moon near the Moonbase, having been deflected just enough by a strategic atom bomb to miss the base. Strange things begin to immediately happen, though it takes a while for people to catch on. A lot of people die in this book, especially near the beginning when crews are sent out to explore the new arrival. Is it alive? Is it plant, mineral, human? The story is a bit mystery and a bit horror, and it works rather well. Along the way we learn some biology, as Tubb strives to include some science into his story. The narrative is well told, the characters are interesting, and the decisions to be made whether to destroy the thing or watch it grow into something unknown and possibly very dangerous, are realistic and tough to call. With so many people dead or injured as a result of its arrival, there is certainly good reason to snuff it out.
Another thing I liked about the story is that the adventure comes to us, rather than us having to traipse across the solar system or galaxy. It's nice to stay home once in a while and have an adventure, even if we are on the Moon. I wish the ending hadn't come so quickly. I think Tubb might have had more to say about the alien, but was likely limited to a certain amount of pages. Recommended.
*** stars. Reviewed December 7th/19
I read the Kindle edition.
Mapman Mike
Another thing I liked about the story is that the adventure comes to us, rather than us having to traipse across the solar system or galaxy. It's nice to stay home once in a while and have an adventure, even if we are on the Moon. I wish the ending hadn't come so quickly. I think Tubb might have had more to say about the alien, but was likely limited to a certain amount of pages. Recommended.
*** stars. Reviewed December 7th/19
THE PRIMITIVE
I read the Kindle edition.
From 1977 comes this 140 page wonder from an author whom I have grown to truly respect. I am continually amazed at what some of the best SF writers can do in such a small amount of pages. This is one of those adventures that seem at least three times as long, as we venture from planet to planet with the hero.
We first meet Leon Vardis as a child. He is hunting and gets trapped in a pit by a predatory animal, a very deadly one. Nice twist on the theme. He escapes, but is wounded and infected with venom that will affect him all his life. He returns to the poverty stricken village where he lives with his mother, but finds his house aflame and his mother trapped inside. One could say that this event has a life long influence on his actions. However, at any time, if treated properly by others, he might have overcome his anger and need for revenge. But it seems that wherever he turns, people are trying to belittle him because of his poor background, or take advantage of him. Many fear him.
After killing the village head, who ordered the murder of he and his mother, he escapes to a larger town, and goes to work for a doctor. His mother was a healer, and some of this power becomes manifest in him. The doctor takes all credit for any cures. After several adventures, Leon leaves his home planet, is adopted, and then once more placed on a poor planet, given a wife and small farm to plot. things do not go well. Next he is taking up with mercenaries. We become involved in one of his battles in particular, and once again we are amidst some very fine planetary adventure writing.
Adventure follows adventure, and we are led to a planet of mysterious jewels, with Leon leading an expedition, along with his arch-rival, to find them and market them. This is the climax of the story, and a very good, if bare bones, adventure. Leon finds his jewels, and through them is able to get revenge on the Family. However, even after devastating the economy and ruining the Family that dumped him and refused to accept him, Leon is not quite finished. His anger is still deep, and as the book ends, he is heading to his home planet, to finish up some business there. Wow! Do not get on Leon's bad side.
A really good adventure story, and highly recommended.
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed March 4th/20
DEAD WEIGHT
From 1979 comes this 177 page Noirish adventure tale, mostly taking place in a futuristic New York City, population 20 million. It was first released under the title Death Wears A White Face, it was republished in a large print edition in 2007. I prefer the new title. The story concerns an investigation by Captain Sam Falkirk of the World Police. A plague has been clumsily let loose in the city, and Falkirk tires to track it down. The background stories are twofold: firstly, a serum has been discovered allowing old people to rejuvenate and stay alive indefinitely. This is creating some population and employment problems, so the Blues, as they are called, have no rights, cannot legally be employed, and are under physical attack by youth. The population in Asian countries is especially dire, and their ancestor worship has become complication.
The second backstory has to do with a man called Prosper, who is trying to revive the dream of interstellar travel. He is successful, but needs a lot of financial backing to complete his dream. It would allow all the Blues to leave Earth and live elsewhere, where the laws wouldn't hamper them from working legally.
Two Asian fanatics, backed by a deadly Asian organization (but not government, we are told) want to poison the beef supply. Instead, their deadly bacteria is stolen and released unwittingly into the streets. Their aim is to weaken North America, then take over and allow the Asian population to emigrate. Currently there is no legal emigration. For some time I thought that the story might be leading to a racist agenda, but it isn't. It takes the desperation of Asians, creates a group of fanatics, and goes from there. While people in the book are racist towards Asians, there are also a number who wish to aid them in any way possible, mostly by helping out with their food supply chain.
There are many tense moments as the little contaminated statue of Buddha makes the rounds of various low lifes. Inside the SF package is also a good cop story, reminding me at times of the film The Maltese Falcon. Only this one is much more deadly. It also reminded me of Harry Harrison's Make Room Make Room, written in 1966. There are many good quotes in the book, and situations that will instantly remind readers of contemporary events. If you think the stay at home orders of our present Corona Virus 19 situation are bad, wait till you read about the shoot to kill order in New York in this book!
A really fine adventure, and recommended.
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed April 18th/20
From 1979 comes this 176 page lightweight SF novel, about a writer who is given the job of tracking down and returning home the free-spirited, spoiled, planet-wandering daughter of a rich Earth businessman. Kevin Blake is a best selling author, who most recently wrote "Survival In Society." He is a fake writer, borrowing his material from previous books that he finds in the historical section of the library.
On Earth he gets invited to an artsy party, and while there gets the attention of the matron hosting the party. He puts on an act of being a man of the world, gives a favourable review of one of her own works of art, and soon finds himself popular with Mr. Tarvainen. He wants him to go find his daughter, thinking he has the right stuff for the job. Others have failed, and some have died.
Blake takes the job willingly, hoping to stretch out the expense account and see some of the galaxy. With Crystal Tarvainen last seen on the planet Illageth, our hero is off to that planet, on his first space voyage. The story, which has been light till now, suddenly becomes very silly, as we encounter all manner of strange and tongue in cheek alien life forms. Once on the planet, Blake has to pretend he is a lawyer, to free a man who can take him to Crystal.
He finds her living as a seer among a private mountain tribe, and attempts to lure her back to Earth. No dice. He tries to outwit her by pretending to be a better seer, and gets them both into difficulty with the locals. He has fallen in love with her, though does not let on, and assumes that her play for him is a fake. Like in many pulp SF stories they end up getting married, but it is obvious that she has outwitted him, and will wear a 2nd set of pants in the family. The attempt at reverse sexism, though primitive, is at least a welcome change. And though the style of humour does not come close to Harry Harrison's writing, for example, it too is welcome.
Tubb can be a very good and very serious writer, and has written some very memorable SF stories. This is not one of them, but no doubt made a refreshing break for him between ore serious novels. Not much to see here, but an easy read with nothing strenuous.
** 1/2 stars. Reviewed May 29th/20
From 1980 comes this 176 page humourous tale of a small group of boys' school teachers in England crossing paths with a disreputable and out-of-work atomic scientist. It is summer holiday, but several of the poorly paid teachers cannot afford to go anywhere, so they remain living on campus. Nigel is the main character, a science teacher who firmly hates all boys. His wife, Maida, is school matron. Their marriage is on the skids and getting worse by the day. Nigel's best friend is the pipe-smoking Norman, who cannot afford tobacco and is continually mixing new plant formulas, usually foul-smelling. The last teacher of interest is 'Robbie', actually Eric Wilding, a man who moves and talks like a robot.
Along comes Ted Bain, the unemployed genius scientist and all-time schemer, to upset everything. He talks Nigel and Norman into helping him build a luck machine, something that if worn and calibrated properly will bring good luck to the bearer. It gets built, but none of the three wishes to try it themselves. They foist it on the unlucky Robbie, whose luck begins to change almost immediately. One of the problems with Robbie is that he is far too moral. He doesn't drink or chase women. After winning handsomely at the races, he turns the winnings back in at the window, causing spasms of outrage from the now-broke trio of investing inventors. Another problem with Robbie is that he refuses to give the wrist-watch machine back to its inventor.
The book is filled with schemes to get the luck machine back from Robbie, but, alas, none are successful. His luck continues to build, until the trio of losers contemplate where it all might end. Very amusing, indeed. This book would make a great basis for a TV SF show or film. Worth a read, but purely for fun.
*** stars. Reviewed July 3rd/20
A really fine adventure, and recommended.
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed April 18th/20
STELLAR ASSIGNMENT
I read the Kindle edition.
On Earth he gets invited to an artsy party, and while there gets the attention of the matron hosting the party. He puts on an act of being a man of the world, gives a favourable review of one of her own works of art, and soon finds himself popular with Mr. Tarvainen. He wants him to go find his daughter, thinking he has the right stuff for the job. Others have failed, and some have died.
Blake takes the job willingly, hoping to stretch out the expense account and see some of the galaxy. With Crystal Tarvainen last seen on the planet Illageth, our hero is off to that planet, on his first space voyage. The story, which has been light till now, suddenly becomes very silly, as we encounter all manner of strange and tongue in cheek alien life forms. Once on the planet, Blake has to pretend he is a lawyer, to free a man who can take him to Crystal.
He finds her living as a seer among a private mountain tribe, and attempts to lure her back to Earth. No dice. He tries to outwit her by pretending to be a better seer, and gets them both into difficulty with the locals. He has fallen in love with her, though does not let on, and assumes that her play for him is a fake. Like in many pulp SF stories they end up getting married, but it is obvious that she has outwitted him, and will wear a 2nd set of pants in the family. The attempt at reverse sexism, though primitive, is at least a welcome change. And though the style of humour does not come close to Harry Harrison's writing, for example, it too is welcome.
Tubb can be a very good and very serious writer, and has written some very memorable SF stories. This is not one of them, but no doubt made a refreshing break for him between ore serious novels. Not much to see here, but an easy read with nothing strenuous.
** 1/2 stars. Reviewed May 29th/20
THE LUCK MACHINE
I read the Kindle edition.
From 1980 comes this 176 page humourous tale of a small group of boys' school teachers in England crossing paths with a disreputable and out-of-work atomic scientist. It is summer holiday, but several of the poorly paid teachers cannot afford to go anywhere, so they remain living on campus. Nigel is the main character, a science teacher who firmly hates all boys. His wife, Maida, is school matron. Their marriage is on the skids and getting worse by the day. Nigel's best friend is the pipe-smoking Norman, who cannot afford tobacco and is continually mixing new plant formulas, usually foul-smelling. The last teacher of interest is 'Robbie', actually Eric Wilding, a man who moves and talks like a robot.
Along comes Ted Bain, the unemployed genius scientist and all-time schemer, to upset everything. He talks Nigel and Norman into helping him build a luck machine, something that if worn and calibrated properly will bring good luck to the bearer. It gets built, but none of the three wishes to try it themselves. They foist it on the unlucky Robbie, whose luck begins to change almost immediately. One of the problems with Robbie is that he is far too moral. He doesn't drink or chase women. After winning handsomely at the races, he turns the winnings back in at the window, causing spasms of outrage from the now-broke trio of investing inventors. Another problem with Robbie is that he refuses to give the wrist-watch machine back to its inventor.
The book is filled with schemes to get the luck machine back from Robbie, but, alas, none are successful. His luck continues to build, until the trio of losers contemplate where it all might end. Very amusing, indeed. This book would make a great basis for a TV SF show or film. Worth a read, but purely for fun.
*** stars. Reviewed July 3rd/20
PAWN OF THE OMPHALOS
Cover art by David Mattingly.
I read the Kindle edition.
I read the Kindle edition, from 2005. 
Cover art uncredited.
I read the Kindle edition. ___________________________________________________
I read this version from Kindle.
I read the Kindle edition.
I read the Kindle edition.
I read the Kindle edition.
I read the Kindle edition. 
I read the Kindle edition. Cover artist not credited.
I read the Kindle edition.
Cover art by Ken Barr, uncredited but signed.
Also from 1980 comes this 154 page sword and sorcery tale, wrapped around a SF introduction in which a gambler and soldier of fortune plays chess with an old but powerful and important opponent. They muse about the game at one point, wondering what it would be like to be a piece in the game. And soon, lo and behold, Mark Carodyne, our hero of the moment, finds himself as a player in such a game. The Omphalos is a tourist attraction, but deadly to explorers and researchers who have attempted to penetrate its inner sanctum.
Mark is hired to fly close to it so a sponsored scientist can get readings from it. Mark flies too close, and before long seems to have changed into Conan, or some such sword-wielding hero. Everyone was reading and writing fantasy by 1980, and Tubb was no exception. His entry into the genre is first rate, and despite being initially disappointed in what the Omphalos represented and what the SF novel suddenly morphed into, I did enjoy the story telling a great deal. A cross between Robert E. Howard and (choose your author--I choose H Rider Haggard)) other fantasy writers, the novel succeeds on its own merits, enhanced by its framing device and its strong ending. If a pawn can make it across the chess board to the other side, it can become anything the game allows (except a King). Mark's journey across the board, so to speak, is an adventurous one, and worth reading.
Tubb seldom disappoints, and often his writing is good enough to be called great. This is an enjoyable novel.
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed August 6th/20
STARDEATH
From 1983 comes this badly titled 182 page SF novel, one that closely resemble Starslave (see below). In fact, it features our old friend Captain Varl from that other novel. The story involves an alien presence that might be responsible for the disappearance of several star ships, as well as the destruction of other ones, including loss of all life on board. The deaths were hideous and graphic, and Varl is to captain a ship sent to investigate.
Varl is a prisoner at the start of the book. Prisoners in Varl's time are hideously tortured, then restored physically, and then tortured again, over and over. This part of the book makes no sense, and should have been dispensed with, as it has no bearing on the story. Varl would be an insane madman after what he has gone through repeatedly, and not the logical and very capable man that he is.
The first part of the book is about the building of the ship, the selection of a trusty crew, and the training they undergo. The ship's interstellar drive eventually allows them to be attacked by the alien, and the second part of the book deals with the lengthy encounter. This part of the action takes place in a netherworld which is described but never explained (which I like). The crew consists of men and women, driven to near madness by Varl and his need to find the meaning of what is going on.
It seems that he began writing Starslave and Stardeath around the same time, eventually choosing different paths for the books, but they do share a lot in common, besides Captain Varl. A good SF story, and worth reading.
*** stars. Reviewed July 13th/21
FOOTSTEPS OF ANGELS
From 1988 comes this 160 page novel about a father seeking a cure for his daughter's ailment. Celia Feyman suddenly went zombie, and she hasn't been alone. Randomly across the Earth and solar system people are normal one instant, and a walking dead person the next. Her father, Max Feyman, is a very rich man. He backed something called the zip drive in its early stages, enabling fast transport between Earth, the Moon, and the planets. He will spare no expense to saving his daughter and making her whole again. Private nurses and doctors see to her comfort and support, but no cure can be suggested, nor any cause for what is happening to more and more people.
We travel to the Moon, to the moons of Jupiter, to Mars, and back to the Moon, as Max Feyman searches for answers, and for people who might have answers. Aiding him is Lynne Colman, a computer expert that also provides love interest. Max has lost two wives and two children, and only has Celia left. He loves her and does not want to lose her. The book becomes something like a noir/adventure movie, as Feyman seeks out one man, only to be disapointed, then finds a lead to another man, and so on. In the end, the answer is right in front of his nose, but of course he didn't know it.
This is a different turn of style for Tubb, as is discussed in the introduction by Philip Hardbottle. There is more emphasis on character development and less on hard action and fist fights and shoot outs. In fact, there is no violence at all in the book that I can remember. Yet again I say that story this would make a fascinating SF film. So many would. Instead, we get 9 Star Wars movies. The book's title comes from a poem by Longfellow. Recommended reading.
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed November 13th/20
THE POSSESSED
This is a slightly revised version of a 1959 novel by Tubb, under the name of Arthur MacLean, called A Touch of Evil, republished in 2005. It is a novella lasting for 69 pages. The most recent title bears an uncanny resemblance to a 1965 book by John Christopher called The Possessors (see my John Christopher page), a book which shares a similar theme. It's highly likely that Christopher read this story before writing his own version, but I don't know for certain.
The book opens with a young woman, Eva, being sought by people she once trusted. They now want to inject her with something, to make her one of them. And what are they? They are human scientists researching returning space capsules who have been infected with an alien virus that wants to thrive on Earth. The virus is able to control the people it infects, and make them feel nothing, including emotions.
Original 1959 publication of the story. Cover artist unknown.
Image from ISFDB.
To the rescue is detective Martin Slade, his partner Ted, his secretary Pauline, and some strange but powerful old man called Quayle. Slade visits the secret and isolated research base in northern Scotland with a newspaper man first. They see Eva jump from the roof to escape some terrible fate. The detective soon returns to investigate in secret. A lot happens in this short tale, and it will seem like a whole novel when finished. There are a lot of characters in the story, including a few decent and innocent ones who get killed. There are some bad ones, too. A fun read, and a good example of the pulp tradition from the late 50s. My only complaint is having to pay $5 Canadian on Amazon for such a short novel.
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed January 9th/20
DESTROYER OF WORLDS
First published by Venture Press in 2016, this novel is 136 pages long. I can find no reference to when it was actually written, so this is likely the first time it has seen print. That is pretty amazing, really, because it is a very good story. Carl Maddox is in command of the star ship Ad Astra, searching for planets that can be colonized. He is aided by science officers, a doctor, and a very competent crew. In fact, I suspect this was written after Star Trek, as it sometimes reads almost like a movie length episode of the TV series.
On route to a star with planets, the ship and crew run afoul of a menace that threatens to halt their voyage. They receive a stern warning from the ghost of Hamlet (read the story to find out how that happens), but proceed anyway. Bad move. Soon they crash into an energy devouring brain-like thing, trapped in a small pocket universe bubble by someone who knew the danger it presented, not only to space ships, but to planets, too. They become trapped as well, and the entity begins to devour their energy, turning some of the crew into premature old people in just a few hours.
The book is a tense look at humans up against a life form never encountered before, one that registers a temperature of zero, with no energy output. Can they escape from this death sentence, or will they succumb to their fate as food for the alien being. While exploring the area in which they are trapped, they encounter a planetoid once occupied by an alien race, who were also trapped and killed by this thing, adding a new dimension to the story. While there are some cliches along the way, the story is actually a very good read if you like adventure in space. I do.
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed April 15th
STARSLAVE
From 1984 comes this approximately 168 page previously unpublished novel, about a blonde female race, living in an alternate universe, who use human male slaves for their pleasure. If that sentence caught your attention, then you might enjoy this harsh tale, filled with violence (but not really any sex), led by Captain Kurt Varl, whose fighting ship was blasted out of the sky by the alien, killing his entire crew, including the woman he loved. Consumed by a violent need for revenge, he assembles a crew of violent criminals, training them to obey him, or die.
Varl is easily the most violent male hero I have come across so far in these readings. Though not a likeable man, he does get things done, and certainly doesn't follow the book. His crew is made up of men and women, and a captured former male slave of the blonde women, who is barely able to help them. If you can stand the character of Varl, his constant unleashed anger and impatience, and his need for no one else at all, then you should get through the novel without too many hangups.
The story is really good, and far ranging. It opens with Varl consumed with guilt and anger at the loss of his ship and crew, with people near him thinking he was a coward who doesn't deserve to live. After surviving an assassination attempt, he is given a new ship to seek out the aliens and destroy them. they have been attacking Earth colony cities and causing wanton destruction. After assembling his crew, and adventure in itself, they are off. They end up in a mysterious in between universe, encountering danger and adventure, and then emerge into a different universe, and crash land on the alien planet.
Their struggle to escape slavery (the men, not the women, who are treated much better) takes us the final third of the book, and is a classic escape caper, with tension, mayhem, and a surprise ending. All good fun, though as mentioned, quite violent. It has all the makings of a blockbuster SF movie. All see the review for Stardeath, above.
*** stars. Reviewed May 10th/21
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THE SHORT STORIES
TWELVE FROM TOMORROW
In 1966, a collection called Ten From Tomorrow was published of Tubb's shorter fiction. The modern box set was published in late December 2016, and included 2 more stories, thus calling itself 12 From Tomorrow. The newer version is 180 pages, while the original was 158 pages. I use the newer version for page lengths, below.
The Ming Vase is from 1963, and is 23 pages long. A man escapes from a government institute, and an agent is sent to track him down. Why did he escape, and what secrets did he take with him? The theft of a Ming vase gives one clue, as two clairvoyants, one not knowing he is one, match wits in this highly readable story.
*** stars. Reviewed Sept. 14th/21
Tell The Truth is from 1959, and is 11 pages long. Earth confronts a powerful and aggressive alien race, and must sent only one man to convince them of Earth's own power and strength. But why send a toy salesman? Witty and worth a look.
** 1/2 stars. Reviewed September 14th/21
The Last Day of Summer is from 1955, and is 9 pages long. Euthanasia and youth restoring injections are featured in this short tale of a man finally come to the end of his days.
** stars. Reviewed September 14th/21
Fresh Guy is from 1958, and is 15 pages long. A humourous tale of ghouls, vampires, and werewolves, the remains of above ground human civilization after the planet is poisoned by radiation, and more normal people that have fled underground.
** 1/2 stars. Reviewed September 14th/21
Vigil is from 1956, and is 7 pages long. An old man waits for his son to return from space, even though he has been presumed dead for 16 years. One man knows the secret, but is not about to tell anyone.
*** stars. Reviewed September 15th/21
Piebald Horse is from 1960, and is 17 pages long. A spy tale of the future, involving an man with an eidetic memory trying to smuggle his information off planet. But he has to get past a mind reader first. The solution involves a lot of alcohol.
*** stars. Reviewed September 15/21
Sense of Proportion is from 1958, and is 20 pages long. Barry Malzberg stole this story and turned it into his novel Revelations (see Malzberg page). The basic story told here is so similar to Malzberg's that I cannot fathom how he got away with it. Did he get permission from Tubb? A TV host will go to any lengths to get good ratings for his show. I liked this extremely cynical version more than Malzberg's.
***1/2 stars. Reviewed September 15th/21
Greater Than Infinity is from 1960, and is 7 pages long. Three men crash land on a bleak planet, and at first cannot figure out how it happened. Then they are contacted by the planet, which is a giant computer mind that has become bored. Keep it from being bored and the three men will live. How can they occupy its mind?
** 1/2 stars. Reviewed September 15th/21
Last of the Morticians is from 1959, and is 8 pages long. What happens when no one dies anymore? What are the poor undertakers to do? Read this humourous story and find out.
*** stars. Reviewed September 15th/21
Worm In the Woodwork is from 1962, and is 32 pages long. This is a political novelette, concerning the kidnapping of a professor by a planet's violent colonial military junta, who wants to use his knowledge to break away from Earth's influence. A rescue operation is set up to free the professor, but in the meantime he does everything possible to postpone his inevitable breakdown at their hands. Quite a good story.
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed September 16th/21
Greek Gift is from 1951, and is 14 pages long. Twilight Zone stole this idea for To Serve Man, but I prefer Tubb's version. Never trust an alien bearing gifts.
*** stars. Reviewed September 16th/21
Poor Henry is from 1955, and is 10 pages long. A weak horror story, taking place on Mars.
** stars. Reviewed September 16th/21
A SCATTER OF STARDUST
There are seven short stories and one novelette. Originally published in 1972 as one side of an Ace Tubb Double novel, it was 119 pages long. It was republished in 2016 with two additional stories. I use the 2016 version for page lengths, below.
The Bells of Acheron is from 1957, and is 9 pages long. A bit of well timed psychology saves a crew member from a fate worse than death, on a planet where what you hear is not necessarily what you here. A good story.
*** stars. Reviewed August 14th/21
Anne is from 1966, and is 7 pages long. A warrior and his space ship succumb to the inevitable.
*** stars. Reviewed August 15th/21
Return Visit is from 1958, and is 16 pages long. A modern, scientifically minded man conjures a demon to do his bidding. This humourous story would have made a good Twilight Zone episode. Guess who gets the upper hand, man or demon?
*** stars. Reviewed August 15th/21
The Shrine is from 1960, and is 8 pages long. An alien captain and his alien mate transport human pilgrims to a historic shrine. The pilgrims arrive as defeated and downcast, but after their visit they are tall and proud.
*** stars. Reviewed August 15th/21
Survival Demands! is from 1972, and is 10 pages long. This is a rewrite of the original. A telepath is called into service once again, after once being responsible for the death of an entire alien telepathic society. If you think humans are cute and cuddly, this story might change your mind.
*** stars. Reviewed August 15th/21
Little Lost Girl is from 1955, and is 14 pages long. An excellent story about an important government scientist who stops working when his young daughter is killed by a hit and run driver. A man is assigned the task of getting him working again. What an ending!
**** stars. Reviewed August 15th/21
The Eyes Of Silence is from 1957, and is 12 pages long. This story tackles a good question. What kind of person would be suited for a long space voyage, and/or a lengthy stay on a planet with a hostile environment. Though the experiment wouldn't follow rules such as this (though prisons might, some day), do all these people volunteering for a trip to Mars really know what they would be getting into?
*** stars. Reviewed August 16th/21
Enchanter's Encounter is from 1959, and is 29 pages long. Tubb seems to enjoy pitting a modern, scientific thinking man up against things like sorcery and magic. In this case there is also a witch, and lots of incense. The ending is a bit terse. Why does the man forget his promise to the girl? He spoke it only seconds before leaving. The longest story of the set, and quite good.
*** stars. Reviewed August 16th/21
Jackpot is from 1961, and is 10 pages long. Two adventurous spacemen are searching for a discovery that will make them rich. They come across a small black sphere, acquired in a trade with the natives, and try to discover its purpose. When they do, their lives are changed forever.
*** stars. Reviewed August 16th/21
Thirty-Seven Times is from 1957, and is 13 pages long. This is a time travel story, and a unique one at that. All three lead characters are somewhat strange.
*** stars. Reviewed August 16th/21
THE MING VASE AND OTHER STORIES
The Kindle version contains 6 stories, written between 1954 and 1970. 5 stories are new to me. The Kindle edition has 137 pages.
The Ming Vase has been read and previously reviewed. See Twelve From Tomorrow, above.
The Trojan Horse is from 1970, and 21 pages. A man is sent to recover a container of pills stolen from an experimental chemical factory. The thief was the director's daughter, who lives in a maximum security apartment building. How to get inside? A decent story, along the lines of a private eye noir film.
*** stars. Reviewed March 10th/22
Agent is from 1955, and is 8 pages. Looie has a problem. He sells human flesh; in slang terms it means he sells actors, dancers, and other entertainers to venues looking for them. But the two men who arrive and order 200 people know nothing about slang. A darkly funny tale.
** 1/2 stars. Reviewed March 10th/22
Emergency Call is from 1956, and is 19 pages. A cargo spaceship takes a meteor hit between Earth and Mars, and extreme measures must be taken by the small crew in order to survive. Another decent story, though the solution to the cooling problem of the tubes is a bit far fetched.
** 1/2 stars. Reviewed March 10th/22
Secret Weapon is from 1966, and is 18 pages. An enemy agent infiltrates a high security missile base on the Moon and attempts to take it over. A very good story, though a bit sexist. Anyway, the ending is humourous, if the story itself is violent.
** 1/2 stars. Reviewed March 10th/22
Star Haven is a novella from 1954, and is 44 pages. It fits nicely into a favourite SF theme of mine, namely a small colony landing on an Earth-type planet and trying to survive. While the planet appears to be ideal for humans, the 2nd colony of 31 finds that the settlement was abandoned, with no sign of the original 500 colonists who arrived ten years earlier. Trying to solve the mystery of what happened makes for a very engaging story, well told. The ending is a bit too abrupt, but the message given is loud and clear. Another great SF film in the making.
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed March 10th/22
MURDER IN SPACE
Published first in 1977, the volume contains 6 short stories and one novelette by Tubb. There is also a short intro by Phillip Hardbottle. Each story features a surprise ending; sometimes two surprises.
Forgetfulness is from 1955, and is 8 pages long. Two asteroid miners hit the mother lode, then decide if they really wish to share it with each other.
** stars. Reviewed June 11th/22
Nonentity is from 1955, and is 18 pages long. A ship is destroyed by a violent saboteur, and seven survivors crowd into a rescue capsule built for five. A lot of tension results, and, of course, murder.
*** stars. Reviewed June 11th/22
Linda is from 1957, and is 15 pages long. A man is injured during his stay on Mars, and his return to Earth and his wife are long delayed. On the way home, another man appears to have made love to his wife while he was away. More murder ensues.
*** stars. Reviewed June 11th/22
The Wanton Jade is from 1958, and is 17 pages long. After
a space liner is hit by a meteor, it's every man and woman for
themselves. An interesting variation of the Adam and Eve theme.
*** stars. Reviewed June 12th/22
Requiem For Harvey is from 1958, and is 18 pages long. Harvey is the name given to people on Mars who have a sudden and very strong desire to return to Earth, but are not able to do so, either for financial or medical reasons. Thus they try to bribe someone to take them back as a stowaway. This is a somewhat morally repugnant story on many fronts, and I can't say that I enjoyed it one bit.
* star. Reviewed June 12th/22
Murder Most Innocent is from 1955, and is 8 pages long. Another murder aboard a space ship with only two crew members. One of the crew does his best to murder the other.
** stars. Reviewed June 12th/22
The Inevitable Conflict is from 1954, and is 53 pages long. First published in three parts in a SF magazine, it is still an interesting story. Thirty-six men who have returned from a work detail on Venus all have died under suspicious circumstances. The thirty-seventh one tries to find out why, and beat the odds of his own death. One of the stranger first contact stories I have come across.
*** stars. Reviewed June 12th/22
IRON HEAD AND OTHER SHORT STORIES
Published in 2018 for Kindle, there are 5 stories in my edition, all from 1955-56 and 1960. They are edited by Philip Hardbottle.
Iron Head is from 1960 and is 42 pages long. When everyone else is a telepath, those few who aren't suffer the slings and arrows of discrimination. When a man loses his job looking after the well being of cattle, he is forced to join the mercenary military guards. When his ship is attacked in space he is the only survivor, since he was safely in the ship brig for fighting with another crew member. He puts his mind to good use, since telepaths can't read him at all, and he slowly gains influence and wins friends. An amusing story with a great last line, this could have taken up a series of four or five huge books by lesser writers (I think of the endless prequels and sequels to Dune written by Herbert's kin). No need, since someone like Tubb can say it all in a novelette!
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed May 12th/22
Memories Are Important is from 1960 and is 21 pages long. What would happen if a person lost all access and connection to every one of his/her memories? If they only lived in the moment, in the "now". A fun but scary question, which is answered by Tubb in this engaging what-if story. It also has a very unique answer to the "escape from the locked room" trope used by so many mystery story writers.
*** stars. Reviewed May 12th/22
The Man In Between is from 1956. A man's mining claim on an asteroid is jumped by a gang of thieves. With considerable persuasion he is talked into helping to put a stop to it. A strange tale that deals with politics of major corporations and how they work, at least in a SF story about mining claims.
** 1/2 stars. Reviewed May 13th/22
Space Hobo is from 1955-56. This is a humourous 5 chapter look at the antics of a future shady salesman, we see him in action on Earth, then on the Moon, then onto Mars, then to Venus, and finally back to Mars. All of his dubious actions not only backfire on him, but usually make someone else rich instead. The chapters are only loosely connected, and were published one per month in 1955-56 in Authentic SF Magazine. Each one is a complete short story. I believe Hardbottle collected them under the new name. Fun to read.
*** stars. Reviewed May 13th/22
Man Of War is from 1960. After the death of their regular captain, the crew of a small warship find themselves with a new one, a very young man straight from the academy, and from Earth. These men grew up as colonists, and don't think very much of Earth people, especially ones that insist on full formal protocol. A good story with something to say about leadership.
*** stars. Reviewed May 13th/22
THE WONDERFUL DAY
Published in 2012, the volume contains 6 stories by Tubb, including one written especially for this collection.
The Tea Party is from 1953, and is 9 pages long. It is one of the most devastating stories I have ever read about war. Incredibly powerful.
**** stars. Reviewed July 10th/22
An Era Ends is from 1964, and is 13 pages long. A former priest is hounded by a mob after the nuclear apocalypse, for which they blame God for allowing it to happen. Pretty hard hitting story, and worth a read.
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed July 11th/22
Decision is from 1955, and is 36 pages long. A small community of survivors in England after the nuclear holocaust suffers from many aliments. Three doctors and a nurse do their best, but they can't do much with what they have remaining. The head doctor must make a decision; he has enough supplies to save one life, the nurse, or the community leader. An engaging story.
*** stars. Reviewed July 11th/22
The Wonderful Day is from 2012, and is 9 pages long. A woman goes to greet her husband, who has been in deep space for two years. She gets a surprise.
** stars. Reviewed July 11th/22
Reluctant Farmer is from 1956, and is 51 pages long. A talky detective story, as someone has sabotaged a profitable hydroponics garden on a colonized planet. Who done it? There are plenty of suspects. Who had motive? If you can guess who the reluctant farmer is, you will have your answer. Well written.
*** stars. Reviewed July 11th/22
Kalgon the Golden is from 1955, and is 29 pages long. A man has learned the secret of eternal life, or at least the avoidance of death. Now he wants to end his life, and hopes to transfer his gift to another. A good story, but the ending is quite maddening.
*** stars. Reviewed July 12th/22
ONLY ONE WINNER
A short novel, 3 short stories, already recently published, an essay from Harbottle, and a speech given by Tubb are contained in this volume, from 2013.
Only One Winner is from 1957, and is 87 pages long. This is a pulp crime novel given a SF gloss over. 4 losers attempt to take over a space liner filled with rich people on a cruise. One of them is an alcoholic, and one is a female. They are thieves and murderers of the worst sort, and they all come to their expected end, after causing much mayhem and death.
** 1/2 stars. Reviewed August 10th/22
Forgetfulness is from 1955, and is 13 pages long. Already published in Murder in Space, above.
Nonentity is from 1955, and is 28 pages long. Already published in Murder in Space, above.
Linda is from 1957, and is 22 pages long. Already published in Murder in Space, above.
Lost and Found is an essay by Philip Harbottle, and is 6 pages long. This short essay describes how the recording of Tubb's 1970 speech (see below) was lost for many years, and then found again.
Guest of Honor Speech by Tubb is from 1970, and is 40 pages long. A bit rambling (like most speeches), Tubb shows his age and experience in this interesting talk he gave at a SF con in Germany, the first outside of an English speaking country. Worth a look for SF fans, as he talks a lot about fandom, as well as what makes a good SF novel. He shares his dislike for the film 2001, an interesting sideline.
*** stars overall. Book completed August 10th/22
MIRROR OF THE NIGHT AND OTHER WEIRD TALES
10 stories by Tubb are preceded by a short intro by Philip Harbottle. Published in 2013, most of the stories are from the 50s and 60s. One of them is from the 70s, and one was written in 1998.
Mirror of the Night is from 1998, and is 10 pages long. That such a misogynistic tale could be published in 1998 is pretty shocking to me. I could have come up with several better endings to this otherwise traditional haunted house story. At least it manages to get at the true nature of some depraved males.
* star. Reviewed Sept. 11th/22
The Ancient Alchemist is from 1957, and is 28 pages long. A longer story that would make a good movie. It's about an old man living in an isolated house with his two grandchildren, the husband of his granddaughter, and two house servants. The grandson invites a friend to the house, and soon the friend is wrapped up in a murderous mystery involving supernatural elements. A pretty traditional tale, but well told and with interesting characters.
*** stars. Reviewed Sept. 11/22
The Artist's Model is from 1957, and is 28 pages long. A haunted house story about an artist who leases the house, after being warned by the estate agent to look elsewhere. Another somewhat longer tale, the new occupant is of course a total skeptic, but his older friend believes in spirits. He eventually brings a medium to the house to help them deal with a spirit looking for release, and another trying to avoid its eternal damnation. Another pretty traditional tale, but again well told.
*** stars. Reviewed Sept. 11th/22
Snake Vengeance is from 1957, and is 16 pages long. From a long tradition of men sitting round a fireside at a tavern and exchanging tales, this one is about a man who steals a ruby from a temple in Burma, and pays the ultimate price for his greed.
** 1/2 stars. Reviewed Sept. 11th/22
The Enemy Within Us is from 1954, and is 20 pages long. Two doctors try to figure out why a man tried to kill himself. One of the doctors learns the hard way. Rather dated and not really that interesting.
** stars. Reviewed September 11th/22
State of Mind is from 1965, and is 10 pages long. A man convinces himself that his wife has been replaced by an alien. This leads to a rather tragic event.
** 1/2 stars. Reviewed Sept. 11th/22
Sell Me A Dream is from 1958, and is 12 pages long. A
man hunts through junk shops to find something worthwhile. He
eventually does find something of interest. Like a story by Dunsany.
*** stars. Reviewed Sept. 11th/22
The Winner is from 1971, and is 20 pages long. A small film company uses a sacred oak grove to make a film about a witches' coven. Their rehearsals go well, and the actual filming also goes well. Too well.
** stars. Reviewed Sept. 11th/22
The Witch of Peronia is from 1957, and is 20 pages long. A tale of old fashioned witchery, but in modern New York City. As usual with Tubb's weird tales, there is an unbelieving man who won't be convinced that such things can happen, until they happen. Pretty routine story.
** stars. Reviewed Sept. 12th/22
Sentimental Journey is from 1957, and is 8 pages long. A man revisits a mansion where he grew up as the son of one of the housekeepers. In his boyhood he is told of a family monster that lives in the attic. Returning years later he finds himself in the attic looking for a momento of his mother. Low and behold, there is a monster. Some good atmosphere leading up to the moment.
** stars. Reviewed Sept. 11th/22
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