Logical Fantasy: The Many Worlds of John Wyndham

by John Wyndham, Bob Eggleton (Illustrator), Michael Marshall Smith (Introduction)

We’re thrilled to announce Logical Fantasy: The Many Worlds of John Wyndham, a huge collection which includes 50,000 words of previously uncollected stories.

A MAN INVISIBLE

Any revival, rediscovery, or reappraisal of the singular work of John Wyndham is cause for celebration, and Logical Fantasy: The Many Worlds of John Wyndham brings treasures aplenty to the table ― a rich sampler of the variant voices of a single writer who remains a lynchpin in the genre of the fantastic, including several which have not seen print since their original publication.

John Wyndham Lucas Parkes Beynon Harris was long considered the “invisible man” of science fiction due to his reclusive nature and disinclination toward publicity. Distinctly British yet with breakthrough appeal to American readers matched only by George Orwell, Wyndham thrived trans-Atlantically during the heyday of the digest-sized magazines, under his own name as well as a variety of recombinant pseudonyms which allowed him to “collaborate with himself” as he first planted boots in the sci-fi pulps of the 1930s.

As “John Beynon” (or John B.) Harris, he debuted this collection's first tale, “The Lost Machine,” in Amazing Stories, and followed with sales to Wonder Stories, Fantasy, and New Worlds up until World War II provided an interruption and hiatus.

After the war years, Wyndham wholly recreated himself. The 1950s brought a decade-long run of novels that made him globally famous and redefined science fiction. Through it all, the short stories continued, always startling, always thought-provoking.

The seed of his all-time classic The Day of the Triffids is found here in “Spheres of Hell” (also known as “The Puffball Menace.”).

By the 1960s he was firing on all cylinders ― cogent, innovative stuff such as “Odd” (which debuted in the spellbinding Consider Her Ways and Others) and “The Asteroids, 2194” (part of his pastiche novel of the space-faring Troon dynasty, The Outward Urge).

It is the magazines, pulps and digests, from Thrilling Wonder Stories to Argosy, that provide the bulk of these oddities and rediscoveries, now gathered under one roof here for your pleasure ― including seven previously uncollected tales.

Only five collections were published during Wyndham's lifetime. Following his death in 1969 a number of short fiction assemblies appeared, the most recent of these coming twenty years ago. Thus, the time has come for Logical Fantasy as primer, tribute, and reminder of one of the genre's major, lasting talents.

Limited: 1000 numbered hardcover copies

Table of Contents:
Introduction by Michael Marshall Smith
The Lost Machine
Spheres of Hell
The Man from Beyond
Beyond the Screen
Child of Power
The Living Lies
The Eternal Eve
Pawley's Peepholes
The Wheel
Survival
Chinese Puzzle
Perforce to Dream
Never on Mars
Compassion Circuit
Brief to Counsel
Odd
The Asteroids, 2194
A Stitch in Time

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Short Stories

418 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2024

About the author

John Wyndham Parkes Lucas Beynon Harris was the son of a barrister. After trying a number of careers, including farming, law, commercial art and advertising, he started writing short stories in 1925. After serving in the civil Service and the Army during the war, he went back to writing. Adopting the name John Wyndham, he started writing a form of science fiction that he called 'logical fantasy'. As well as The Day of the Triffids, he wrote The Kraken Wakes, The Chrysalids, The Midwich Cuckoos (filmed as Village of the Damned) and The Seeds of Time.

Reviews

[WorldconReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

An impressive collection of 18 stories by John Wyndham. I was hooked as soon as I realized that he wrote "The Day of the Triffids" as well as the novel that gave us the movie "The Village of the Damned".

Each story in the collection features unexpectedly strong characters dealing with surprisingly unanticipated situations that leave the reader with something to think over. These stories reminded me of a more serious version of the Japanese author Shin’ichi Hoshi’s famous humorous short-short stories.
- The Lost Machine - A sentient machine from Mars learns about life on Earth the hard way.
- The Spheres of Hell - Terrorists attempt to destroy a country with a bioengineered fungus.
- The Man From Beyond - The last human in the universe in the far future on Venus.
- Beyond the Screen - An inventor creates a mysterious field that protects England, with unexpected side-effects.
- Child of Power - A random biological mutation gives a child incredible extra senses…
- The Living Lies - A disturbing tale about use of technology to unfairly stay in power on Venus.
- The Eternal Eve - Survivors on Venus after the destruction of the Earth.
- Pawley’s Peepholes - How to deal with annoying spectral time travelers from the future…
- The Wheel - Heretical beliefs on a post apocalyptic Earth.
- Survival - Another disturbing tale about the cost of survival in a damaged and isolated spacecraft.
- The Chinese Puzzle - Dragons in Wales with an unexpectedly humorous conclusion.
- Perforce to Dream - One of the outcomes of literally shared dreams…
- Never on Mars - What really happened to the first human to successfully return to Earth after visiting Mars?
- Compassion Circuit - Watch out for what you ask for, since you might get it…
- Brief to Counsel - Second sight can be costly indeed…
- Odd - Unexpected effects of unexpected time travel…
- A Stitch in Time - More unanticipated time travel…

I completely recommend this to thoughtful readers that like speculative or science fiction which has a philosophical twist in the plot. I thank Subterranean Press for kindly providing a temporary electronic review copy of this work.

[James · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read some of Wyndham's more famous work when I was much younger, these stories were written between 1932-61 and were nothing I'd seen before. Most of them felt dated and some were close to other writer's works, there's a short in here that feels like a copy of RAH's Lifeline with a British twist. I gave each story a few pages to grab me, but few did.

You are probably better off reading The Day of the Triffids or The Midwich Cuckoos, two of his most famous works.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Logical Fantasy: The Many Worlds of John Wyndham is a restrospective and homage collection dedicated to one of the unmatched architects of the Golden Age of speculative fiction. Due out in second quarter 2024 from Subterranean Press, it's 424 pages and will be available in hardcover format in this edition.

Included are 18 stories from the author's oeuvre mainly from the late 30s to the 60s. The stories are varied in tone, length, and style, but all are very clearly written with precision, and classic prose which is a nostalgic pleasure to read.

Most long time fans of science fiction will have already read some of the author's work, but for the happy ones who are unfamiliar with him, this is a real treat. and a good survey course in some of the most solid speculative fiction out there.

The stories hail from the pages of the vanished pulps and periodicals such as Amazing Stories, Wonder Stories, and Fantasy magazine. The new cover art by Bob Eggleton is classic and nostalgic and beautifully complements this edition.

Four stars. This would make a great choice for public library acquisition, home use, or gift giving.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

[Ralph Blackburn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Logical Fantasy: The Many Worlds of John Wyndham- Most of the stories here appeared early in John Wyndham’s pulp days. They are surprisingly well done for work from this era. For the author who would go on to write “The Day of The Triffids” and “The Village of The Damed”(The Midwich Cuckoos”). There is eighteen stories, some a little dated but for the most part a strong rendering. Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mind-Blowing Stories!
I was first introduced to John Wyndham by an original paperback of “Chocky”. Many know his works The Day of the Triffids, and the Midwich Cuckoos. But THIS collection of short stories is astonishing - intelligent, fascinating tales of every day people in plausible but fantastic situations. Each of the 18 stories is a gem in its own right. Subterranean Press and David Dyte have delivered beyond measure. Beautiful science fiction that speaks to the soul.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, old-school stories. Wyndham was before my time, but I can see the talent in these, which have a different feel than more modern authors. Enjoyable overall.

I really appreciate the free copy for review!!

[Margaret Windsor · Rating 5 out of 5]

An awesome read. Every one of these stories bears reading and re-reading. As always with Wyndham, there is much to ponder.