The Fantasies of Harlan Ellison

by Harlan Ellison

Ellison, Harlan

316 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1979

About the author

Harlan Jay Ellison (1934-2018) was a prolific American writer of short stories, novellas, teleplays, essays, and criticism.

His literary and television work has received many awards. He wrote for the original series of both The Outer Limits and Star Trek as well as The Alfred Hitchcock Hour; edited the multiple-award-winning short story anthology series Dangerous Visions; and served as creative consultant/writer to the science fiction TV series The New Twilight Zone and Babylon 5.

Several of his short fiction pieces have been made into movies, such as the classic "The Boy and His Dog".

Reviews

[Don Wenzel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a reprint of two previous collections of stories, Paingod and other Delusions and I Have no Mouth and I must Scream. I had read all of Paingod and other Delusions about 45 years ago, and the singular story I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream is one of my all time favorite stories. Interestingly, upon rereading these stories, they didn’t have the same ability to evoke strong feelings from me as when I read them long ago. I don’t know if that is due to changes in me as a person or as a reader, or if fiction has changed enough that what may have been a more unique style then is now more commonplace, hence not having as much effect. But after all these years, I still recall how I felt reading them then and for that alone, they deserve at least 4 stars.

[Stewart Tame · Rating 4 out of 5]

A compilation of two short story collections: Paingod, And Other Delusions, and I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream. Both were, I presume, out of print when this was published (1979). Of course, avid Ellison fans know that the introductions to the books and stories are liable to change from edition to edition. Sometimes there are greater changes--Ellison himself admits, in the introduction, that "Sleeping Dogs" didn't appear in the first edition of Paingod. So even though the stories in the book may be familiar to longtime Ellison readers, the introductory material likely isn't, which is why out-of-print Ellison books fetch such high prices. So there's that reason to track down this book. Also, the stories in this book capture the time when Harlan Ellison was becoming HARLAN ELLISON. We've got "Paingod", "Lonelyache", "I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream", "'Repent, Harlequin!' Said The Ticktockman", " Delusion For A Dragonslayer ", " Pretty Maggie Moneyeyes" ... Only The Essential Ellison tops this for sheer density of, well, essential stories. The hardcore fans either already own this or want it. If you're neither, and fortunate enough to stumble across a copy, it's well worth your time, being an excellent showcase of some of the best of Ellison's early work.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark but good. Probably best in small pieces.