The Early Del Rey, Volume 2

by Lester del Rey

Contents:
- Lunar Landing (1942)
- Fifth Freedom (1943) [as by John Alvarez]
- Whom the Gods Love (1943)
- Though Dreamers Die (1944)
- Fool's Errand (1951)
- The One-Eyed Man (1945) [as by Philip St. John]
- And the Darkness (1950)
- Shadows of Empire (1950)
- Unreasonable Facsimile (1952)
- Conditioned Reflex (1951)
- Over the Top (1949)
- Wind Between the Worlds (1951)
- Appendix: The Fantasy and Science Fiction of the Early Years

Cover illustration by The Brothers Hildebrandt

Genres: Science Fiction

335 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 1, 1975

About the author

Lester del Rey was an American science fiction author and editor. Del Rey is especially famous for his juvenile novels such as those which are part of the Winston Science Fiction series, and for Del Rey Books, the fantasy and science fiction branch of Ballantine Books edited by Lester del Rey and his fourth wife Judy-Lynn del Rey.

Also published as:
Philip St. John
Eric van Lihn
Erik van Lhin
Kenneth Wright
Edson McCann (with Frederik Pohl)

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lester del Rey is an important figure in the history of the science fiction field, initially as one of John W. Campbell's best and most popular writers of both sf and fantasy, and later as a novelist, a writer of space adventures for younger readers, and as an editor. The early del Rey is not only a huge collection of two-dozen of his early stories, but also serves as an autobiography of a fascinating person, gives a lot of insight into his creative process, and reveals a lot of background information about the stories and their reception and thus about the nature of the genre in its formative years. All of his previously uncollected stories from his first in 1938 into the beginnings on the 1950s are included, each bracketed with notes, thoughts, and details. Some of them have dated significantly, but that's part of the charm, and it's still a fascinating duo.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second volume of a collection of Lester Del Rey's early uncollected fiction, all stories that he wrote before deciding to become a full-time writer rather than moonlight as a writer from various jobs. The stories are mostly ok, with Del Rey's usual inventiveness and optimism. (I consider Del Rey's works to be very optimistic for science fiction, and although several of the stories here depict humanity on the verge of extinction, Del Rey never quite has the heart to kill his heroes or even end on a downbeat note. This is kind of a liability but his stories are sort of refreshing if you read a lot of downers from the 70s!)

The best thing about this collection IMO is that Del Rey takes the time to introduce each story with biographical notes and some of the feedback he'd gotten on them from his various editors, as well as his insights into the craft of writing.

[Xabi1990 · Rating 4 out of 5]

7/10. Relatos, pero meor que los otros dos que he leído de De Rey

[Mark Smiley · Rating 3 out of 5]

1938-1951 is the period of time wherein these stories were written and most do not stand up to the test of time. The process of storytelling has changed as well as technologies men no longer smoke on spaceships, women are more than "yes men" and finding life on the moon and Mars has not really come to pass. Some of the ideas are good and it is always good to remind us of our roots. I think we have come a long way since these were written