Invaders!

by Jack Dann (Editor), Gardner Dozois (Editor), William Tenn (Contributor)

Contents
1 • Bloodchild • (1984) • novelette by Octavia E. Butler
23 • Idiot Stick • (1958) • shortstory by Damon Knight
39 • Guesting Time • (1965) • shortstory by R. A. Lafferty
49 • Trading Post • (1986) • novelette by Neal Barrett, Jr.
73 • And I Awoke and Found Me Here on the Cold Hill's Side • (1972) • shortstory by James Tiptree, Jr.
83 • Night of the Cooters • [War of the Worlds] • (1987) • shortstory by Howard Waldrop
105 • Roadside Rescue • (1985) • shortstory by Pat Cadigan
115 • The Liberation of Earth • (1953) • shortstory by William Tenn
135 • Roog • (1953) • shortstory by Philip K. Dick
141 • Speed Trap • (1967) • shortstory by Frederik Pohl
155 • The Perfect Host • (1992) • novelette by Robert Silverberg
175 • Heresies of the Huge God • (1966) • shortstory by Brian W. Aldiss
187 • Sepoy • (1992) • novelette by Tom Purdom
209 • Dress Rehearsal • (1974) • shortstory by Harvey Jacobs
215 • The Screwfly Solution • (1977) • novelette by James Tiptree, Jr. [as by Raccoona Sheldon ]
239 • Further Reading (Invaders!) • (1993) • essay by uncredited

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories

241 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

Reviews

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an anthology of science fiction stories all dealing with the theme of alien invasion. One reason I picked this book ( from 1993) is that a lot of good SF authors are represented in this book. My favorite story of all is one I read a long time ago-and still remember: "The Liberation of Earth" by William Tenn, published in 1953. "William Tenn," of course, was the pseudonym of Philip Klass (1920-2010), a London-born American science fiction author known for his satirical SF. In his story in this book, Earth finds itself caught in the middle of an interstellar conflict and has to be liberated--and liberated again-and again. The aliens seem to anticipate the Vietnam War--they have to destroy Earth in order to save it! Two other excellent stories are by James Tiptree, Jr. and Raccoona Sheldon, who, of course, are the same person whose name was Alice Sheldon (1915-1987). The two stories are "And I Awoke and Found Me Here on the Cold Hill's Side" (1971) and "The Screwfly Solution" (1977), both of which I found to be disturbing as well as thought-provoking. There are other good stories by Octavia Butler, Frederick Pohl, and Brian W. Aldiss, twelve stories in all in this collection.

[Mary JL · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are 15 Sf stories about invaders collected here. It gets four stars because I found the overall quality of stories very high. Usually I like 3 or 4 in a collection--here I really found 7 gems, plus 2 old favorites.

I can only review a few:
"Trading Post"--Neil Barrett, Jr. After we lose the invasion, we'll still have to going on dealing with the invaders. This well written story shows a possible future of interstellar trade....

"Night of the Cooters"--Howard Waldrop. Wells told us about the turn of the century invasion in England in 'War of the Worlds'. He omitted details of the simultanous invasion of Texas at that time. Author Waldrop gives us the amusing details....

"Sepoy"---Tom Purdom. A severely disabled man is offered a new body by aliens. Our government does not aprrove; he is caught between the two. Atense, gripping, atmospheric short story. My favorite of the book--I would surely like to see more of this world. Imho, there is great potential for a novel here.

Also includes stories by Octavia Butler, Pat Cardigan, Frederik Pohl and Robert Silverberg. A top collection---stories date from the 195o's to the 1990's, and excellent blend. Short story sf fans--search for this one==your efforts will be rewarded.

[Crystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were some really thought provoking stories in this book. They may have been all fiction, but what if... How many times has science fiction turned into science prediction? I really, really wouldn't want something like "The Screwfly Soultion" happening. Other stories make you sit back and take a look at humanity and the way we act and think. Would we really know an alien invasion if it hit us over the head? I guess we'll never know unless it happens...

[Rena Sherwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Exclamitory Series by Ace started out with science fiction, moved into fantasy for a few years, then moved back to science fiction with this 1993 collection. The stories here were originally published from 1952 - 1992. There is no long Preface or introduction here. We just go right into the stories, although there are short author's biographies at the beginning of each selection. Much of the biographies would be recycled in later sci-fi anthologies in the series.

The anthology is a bit more uneven than what I've come to expect from Dann & Dozois. They like to mix stories they think is funny with more serious, even nightmarish, stuff. They also have a bug up their butts about the movie Blade Runner, for some reason.

Stories:

* "Bloodchild" by Octavia Butler. There's a very good reason that this story about slavery won multiple awards and shows up in multiple anthologies.
* "Idiot Stick" by Damon Knight. "This way, it will be very quick -- you will not feel a thing."
* "Guesting Time" by R. A. Lafferty. Supposed to be funny, but it's not. It's one of those stories that doesn't have an ending. It just ends.
* "Trading Post" by Neal Barrett, Jr. Talking lizards invade Earth to collect art, but the story just doesn't make much sense. Lots of horses shot for no reason.
* "And I Awoke and Found Me Here On the Cold Hill's Side" by James Tiptree, Jr./Alice Sheldon/Racoona Sheldon. Apparently, sex with aliens is addictive. I was kinda hoping for more here.
* "Night of the Cooters" by Harold Waldrop. Another disappointing story with dead animal jokes. Wound up skimming it.
* "Roadside Rescue" by Pat Cadigan. Short, weird, and highly imaginative.
* "The Liberation of Earth" by William Tenn/Philip J. Klass. Darkly humorous, but I had to wince when the human population of Earth was stated as two billion. Jesus -- we've invaded ourselves.
* "Roog" by Phillip K. Dick. One of the few sci-fi stories I've read that features a dog. Poor, unappreciated Boris.
* "Speed Trap" by Frederick Pohl. Very interesting method of alien interference here, but keep in mind that it was written before the Internet was in every business office.
* "The Perfect Host" by Robert Silverberg. It's a really good story, with some genuinely funny moments, but somehow does not seem complete.
* "Heresies of the Huge God" by Brian W. Aldis. Aldis seemed to start out writing this evisceration of religion straight, but couldn't resist adding some dark humor.
* "Sepoy" by Tom Purdom. Yet another sci-fi writer from the Philadelphia area. An extremely handicapped human is offered a new body if he joins the alien invaders. My favorite story in the anthology.
* "Dress Rehearsal" by Harvey Jacobs. Earth is saved by Jewish actor Sam Derby. I pictured him as Mel Brooks.
* "The Screwfly Solution" by Racoona Sheldon/James Tiptree, Jr./Alice Sheldon. This sci-fi battles of the sexes story also appears in a later book in the Exclamitory Series, Armageddons.