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In the Beginning: Tales from the Pulp Era
The sf Grandmaster's follow up to the career retrospective Phases of the Moon is a glance back to the earliest days of his career. Included with pulp stories not reprinted in decades will be more of the commentary that made Phases so much more than just a collection.
"I have to confess, right up front here, that you will not find a great deal in the way of poetic vision in these stories, or singing prose, or deep insight into character. Nor are these stories that will tell you much that is new to you about the human condition. These are stories in what is now pretty much a lost tradition in science fiction, the simple and unselfconsciously fast-paced adventure story of the pulp-magazine era. They are stories from the dawn of my career, which began in the closing years of that era, and are straightforward tales of action, in the main, that were written partly for fun and partly for money."
--Robert Silverberg, from the Introduction
"I have to confess, right up front here, that you will not find a great deal in the way of poetic vision in these stories, or singing prose, or deep insight into character. Nor are these stories that will tell you much that is new to you about the human condition. These are stories in what is now pretty much a lost tradition in science fiction, the simple and unselfconsciously fast-paced adventure story of the pulp-magazine era. They are stories from the dawn of my career, which began in the closing years of that era, and are straightforward tales of action, in the main, that were written partly for fun and partly for money."
--Robert Silverberg, from the Introduction
335 pages, Hardcover
First published February 28, 2006
9 people are currently reading
73 people want to read
About the author
Robert Silverberg
2,343 books1,601 followersThere are many authors in the database with this name.
Robert Silverberg is a highly celebrated American science fiction author and editor known for his prolific output and literary range. Over a career spanning decades, he has won multiple Hugo and Nebula Awards and was named a Grand Master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America in 2004. Inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame in 1999, Silverberg is recognized for both his immense productivity and his contributions to the genre's evolution.
Born in Brooklyn, he began writing in his teens and won his first Hugo Award in 1956 as the best new writer. Throughout the 1950s, he produced vast amounts of fiction, often under pseudonyms, and was known for writing up to a million words a year. When the market declined, he diversified into other genres, including historical nonfiction and erotica.
Silverberg’s return to science fiction in the 1960s marked a shift toward deeper psychological and literary themes, contributing significantly to the New Wave movement. Acclaimed works from this period include Downward to the Earth, Dying Inside, Nightwings, and The World Inside. In the 1980s, he launched the Majipoor series with Lord Valentine’s Castle, creating one of the most imaginative planetary settings in science fiction.
Though he announced his retirement from writing in the mid-1970s, Silverberg returned with renewed vigor and continued to publish acclaimed fiction into the 1990s. He received further recognition with the Nebula-winning Sailing to Byzantium and the Hugo-winning Gilgamesh in the Outback.
Silverberg has also played a significant role as an editor and anthologist, shaping science fiction literature through both his own work and his influence on others. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, author Karen Haber.
Robert Silverberg is a highly celebrated American science fiction author and editor known for his prolific output and literary range. Over a career spanning decades, he has won multiple Hugo and Nebula Awards and was named a Grand Master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America in 2004. Inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame in 1999, Silverberg is recognized for both his immense productivity and his contributions to the genre's evolution.
Born in Brooklyn, he began writing in his teens and won his first Hugo Award in 1956 as the best new writer. Throughout the 1950s, he produced vast amounts of fiction, often under pseudonyms, and was known for writing up to a million words a year. When the market declined, he diversified into other genres, including historical nonfiction and erotica.
Silverberg’s return to science fiction in the 1960s marked a shift toward deeper psychological and literary themes, contributing significantly to the New Wave movement. Acclaimed works from this period include Downward to the Earth, Dying Inside, Nightwings, and The World Inside. In the 1980s, he launched the Majipoor series with Lord Valentine’s Castle, creating one of the most imaginative planetary settings in science fiction.
Though he announced his retirement from writing in the mid-1970s, Silverberg returned with renewed vigor and continued to publish acclaimed fiction into the 1990s. He received further recognition with the Nebula-winning Sailing to Byzantium and the Hugo-winning Gilgamesh in the Outback.
Silverberg has also played a significant role as an editor and anthologist, shaping science fiction literature through both his own work and his influence on others. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, author Karen Haber.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
May 14, 2025
Proto-RS; still far from the typical later RS that we esteem. 50s straight forward pulp.
(1) Yokel with Portfolio (short story; 1955):
Kalainnen is a Traskan, a human from the planet Trask, who arrives on Earth (Terra) to seek technological aid for his backwater planet, which has fallen behind in development. Kalainnen's arrival coincides with the escape of a "bruug," a dangerous alien animal, from the New York Zoo. Despite the situation, Kalainnen's initial attempts to make an impression are underwhelming, as he is viewed as an insignificant "yokel" from a forgotten world, lacking the sophistication of Earth's bustling metropolis.
Kalainnen quickly becomes disillusioned by the overwhelming bureaucracy on Terra, where even aliens like the Quangen Frandel—an advanced and cunning reptilian species—struggle to make progress with the Colonial Ministry. However, Kalainnen's fortunes change when he realizes that the bruug terrorizing the city is a species well-known to him, a domestic and docile animal on his home planet of Trask. While Earth authorities prepare artillery and over-the-top measures to handle the beast, Kalainnen calmly tames it, showcasing his knowledge and expertise.
This act brings Kalainnen to the attention of the Colonial Minister, and in exchange for his help in handling the bruug, Kalainnen successfully secures the technological assistance his planet needs. The story ends with a triumphant Kalainnen, who, despite his initial struggles, manages to outmaneuver the more cynical and bureaucratic systems of Terra.
The story humorously contrasts technological and social sophistication, showing that while Trask may be technologically backward, its inhabitants possess valuable knowledge that even Earthlings can benefit from. Kalainnen, initially viewed as a "yokel," ends up being the hero, turning the tables on both the Terrans and the Quangen.
This story plays on themes of social status, the power of knowledge, and the absurdity of bureaucracy, while also offering a witty take on the relationship between different civilizations.
(1) Yokel with Portfolio (short story; 1955):
Kalainnen is a Traskan, a human from the planet Trask, who arrives on Earth (Terra) to seek technological aid for his backwater planet, which has fallen behind in development. Kalainnen's arrival coincides with the escape of a "bruug," a dangerous alien animal, from the New York Zoo. Despite the situation, Kalainnen's initial attempts to make an impression are underwhelming, as he is viewed as an insignificant "yokel" from a forgotten world, lacking the sophistication of Earth's bustling metropolis.
Kalainnen quickly becomes disillusioned by the overwhelming bureaucracy on Terra, where even aliens like the Quangen Frandel—an advanced and cunning reptilian species—struggle to make progress with the Colonial Ministry. However, Kalainnen's fortunes change when he realizes that the bruug terrorizing the city is a species well-known to him, a domestic and docile animal on his home planet of Trask. While Earth authorities prepare artillery and over-the-top measures to handle the beast, Kalainnen calmly tames it, showcasing his knowledge and expertise.
This act brings Kalainnen to the attention of the Colonial Minister, and in exchange for his help in handling the bruug, Kalainnen successfully secures the technological assistance his planet needs. The story ends with a triumphant Kalainnen, who, despite his initial struggles, manages to outmaneuver the more cynical and bureaucratic systems of Terra.
The story humorously contrasts technological and social sophistication, showing that while Trask may be technologically backward, its inhabitants possess valuable knowledge that even Earthlings can benefit from. Kalainnen, initially viewed as a "yokel," ends up being the hero, turning the tables on both the Terrans and the Quangen.
This story plays on themes of social status, the power of knowledge, and the absurdity of bureaucracy, while also offering a witty take on the relationship between different civilizations.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 24, 2017
Robert Silverberg is known as one of the most prolific and versatile science fiction authors. Those who know only Silverberg’s most famous work, might be surprised by this “In the Beginning”. As the title suggests, it collects some sixteen stories from the fifties, when the author just started out. The stories included have very little to do with the complex, intelligent stories and novels he would write later. Still, I immensely enjoyed these uncomplicated tales, from a time when science fiction could just be fun. My favourites:
Cosmic Kill: hero-saves-naked-slave-girl-from-the claws-of-an-evil-ruler-on-an-alien-planet. You can’t get any more pulpy than that, can you? Still, it’s a lot better than it sounds.
The Hunters of Cutwold: Years ago, Brannon was lost in the dark jungle on the planet Cutwol and certain to die, until he was rescued by the mysterious Nurillins. Now he’s back, as the head of a hunting party that is intent on killing as many Nurillins as possible. This moving story definitely has depth.
Mournful Monster: More depth in this monster tale with a twist.
The Android Kill: Earth’s inhabitants turn against the androids, that have been living among people for ages.
Silverberg writes an introduction to every story, which gives the reader an excellent view of a struggling new author and of the world of science fiction publishing in the fifties.
Cosmic Kill: hero-saves-naked-slave-girl-from-the claws-of-an-evil-ruler-on-an-alien-planet. You can’t get any more pulpy than that, can you? Still, it’s a lot better than it sounds.
The Hunters of Cutwold: Years ago, Brannon was lost in the dark jungle on the planet Cutwol and certain to die, until he was rescued by the mysterious Nurillins. Now he’s back, as the head of a hunting party that is intent on killing as many Nurillins as possible. This moving story definitely has depth.
Mournful Monster: More depth in this monster tale with a twist.
The Android Kill: Earth’s inhabitants turn against the androids, that have been living among people for ages.
Silverberg writes an introduction to every story, which gives the reader an excellent view of a struggling new author and of the world of science fiction publishing in the fifties.
January 13, 2019
This is a collection of short stories Robert Silverberg wrote between 1955-1959 for the pulp magazine market. They were not, as he explains in the introduction, his best work of the period, which went to better paying markets, but it was common in those days for professional science fiction writers to sell to every available market since there was not yet a way to make a living with paperback originals. Besides, Silverberg always enjoyed reading and writing these kind of stories.
I began the collection thinking it would only be interesting as a study of a famous writer's roots, but it turns out these are exciting and interesting stories in their own right. The entire collection was highly enjoyable. My favorite was "Hunters of Cutwold". Another story with a rich premise was "Second Start" which eventually became the basis for the 1971 novel The Second Trip.
Here are my individual story reviews:
Yokel with Portfolio- An alien descendant of Earth colonists comes back to his ancestral home world looking to upgrade his planet's technology. A humorous and quite entertaining story with a bit of perhaps unintended irony. While Earth may be technologically advanced, its government is stuck with an endless, hopelessly antiquated bureaucracy.
Long Live the Kewja- An escaped prisoner crash lands on a small planet where he is worshipped as a god by the blue-skinned natives. At least he thinks they are worshipping him, if only he could understand what the word "kewja" means in their language. This story was originally published as "Run of Luck"
The Guardian of the Crystal Gate- A government agent investigating the disappearance of sixty-six men finds himself suddenly transported to a jungle planet where he must face a beautiful alien temptress. In this story, Silverberg creates an early progenitor of a Men in Black organization: "The Bureau -- that's its only name, just plain The Bureau--was formed a while back, specifically to handle screwball things like this one. In a world as overpopulated and complex as ours is, you need a force like the Bureau--silent, anonymous, out of the limelight. We take care of the oddball things, the things we'd prefer the populace didn't get to hear about." Too bad this was not the first of a whole series of action-adventure tales about the Bureau.
Choke Chain - An adventurer arrives on Callisto, one of Jupiter's moons, and finds the civilization there has been enslaved and is taxed for the air they breathe. This story hinges on a twist ending that probably seemed better in theory than it did in execution.
Citadel of Darkness - A husband and wife astronaut team are forced to defend themselves against a planet of marauders. This is not much of a story, but I love the idea of a sunless planet that travels across the universe like a warship while its Viking-like inhabitants loot and plunder the civilized universe.
Cosmic Kill - A wild tale of a spy for the Universal Intelligence Agency trying to save the galaxy from robotic dwarfs, black-tailed Venusians, savage Martians with tusks, and a blue Mercurian assassin with a shell-like covering. Written on spec as a sequel to Paul Fairman's "Empire of Evil".
New Year's Eve 2000 A.D. - This is a fun prognostication (from the vantage of 1957) at what New Year's Eve would look like on 12/31/99. As the author says in his introduction "I was wrong about the date of the first lunar voyage by 31 years, but I was right on the nose about the premature celebration of the new century at the dawning of Y2K." More than a decade later, Silverberg would return to the same New Year's Eve night in his 1968 novel The Masks of Time.
The Android Kill - A man returns home from a business trip to find his wife missing and his home city engulfed in rioting between humans and androids. This is a fun chase tale, but no one is going to confuse it with man-versus-robot classics like Asimov's The Caves of Steel or Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
Hunters of Cutwold - A tracker is hired to lead a group of hunters through an alien jungle to harvest members of an elusive, sentient alien tribe. This is my favorite story in the collection. Features mature writing that is both ethically and emotionally nuanced; the ending is unexpected and quietly devastating.
Come Into My Brain - A soldier uses telepathic technology to invade an alien's mind and steal its military secrets. The two wage a back-and-forth war of escalation in a fantasy landscape. Reminded me of "Broken Glass" by Harlan Ellison.
Castaways of Space - A drunk, cynical police officer is sent to a hostile jungle world to search for a kidnapped heiress. This sci-fi noir story is notable for the fact Silverberg departs from formula and does not give his protagonist many redeeming qualities. He is a selfish lout, even to the point of allowing innocent people to die in order to save his own skin.
Exiled from Earth - An aging actor wants to return to earth to play Hamlet one last time.
Second Start - A convicted jewel smuggler has been rehabilitated by having his personality altered to get rid of antisocial impulses, but can he stay on the straight and narrow when his old comrades try to induce him back to the easy life of crime? An intriguing premise that was eventually expanded into the 1971 novel The Second Trip.
Mournful Monster - Five passengers crash land in an uncharted jungle on an alien planet and must trek half way across the continent to the nearest settlement. Despite the cheesy title, this is another story that showcases how the author's range and style was evolving. It is a more mature offering than the earlier stories in this collection.
Vampires from Outer Space-- An alien species that has evolved from bats is blamed for a string of murders on Earth, which arouses humanity's ancient fear of vampirism. An early example of using aliens as a metaphor for racism.
The Insidious Invaders -- When Ted returns from a five-year space voyage, his family wonders about his odd behavior. This is Silverberg's first story about absorptive aliens, a theme he would revisit in "Passengers" and "Amanda and the Alien".
I began the collection thinking it would only be interesting as a study of a famous writer's roots, but it turns out these are exciting and interesting stories in their own right. The entire collection was highly enjoyable. My favorite was "Hunters of Cutwold". Another story with a rich premise was "Second Start" which eventually became the basis for the 1971 novel The Second Trip.
Here are my individual story reviews:
Yokel with Portfolio- An alien descendant of Earth colonists comes back to his ancestral home world looking to upgrade his planet's technology. A humorous and quite entertaining story with a bit of perhaps unintended irony. While Earth may be technologically advanced, its government is stuck with an endless, hopelessly antiquated bureaucracy.
Long Live the Kewja- An escaped prisoner crash lands on a small planet where he is worshipped as a god by the blue-skinned natives. At least he thinks they are worshipping him, if only he could understand what the word "kewja" means in their language. This story was originally published as "Run of Luck"
The Guardian of the Crystal Gate- A government agent investigating the disappearance of sixty-six men finds himself suddenly transported to a jungle planet where he must face a beautiful alien temptress. In this story, Silverberg creates an early progenitor of a Men in Black organization: "The Bureau -- that's its only name, just plain The Bureau--was formed a while back, specifically to handle screwball things like this one. In a world as overpopulated and complex as ours is, you need a force like the Bureau--silent, anonymous, out of the limelight. We take care of the oddball things, the things we'd prefer the populace didn't get to hear about." Too bad this was not the first of a whole series of action-adventure tales about the Bureau.
Choke Chain - An adventurer arrives on Callisto, one of Jupiter's moons, and finds the civilization there has been enslaved and is taxed for the air they breathe. This story hinges on a twist ending that probably seemed better in theory than it did in execution.
Citadel of Darkness - A husband and wife astronaut team are forced to defend themselves against a planet of marauders. This is not much of a story, but I love the idea of a sunless planet that travels across the universe like a warship while its Viking-like inhabitants loot and plunder the civilized universe.
Cosmic Kill - A wild tale of a spy for the Universal Intelligence Agency trying to save the galaxy from robotic dwarfs, black-tailed Venusians, savage Martians with tusks, and a blue Mercurian assassin with a shell-like covering. Written on spec as a sequel to Paul Fairman's "Empire of Evil".
New Year's Eve 2000 A.D. - This is a fun prognostication (from the vantage of 1957) at what New Year's Eve would look like on 12/31/99. As the author says in his introduction "I was wrong about the date of the first lunar voyage by 31 years, but I was right on the nose about the premature celebration of the new century at the dawning of Y2K." More than a decade later, Silverberg would return to the same New Year's Eve night in his 1968 novel The Masks of Time.
The Android Kill - A man returns home from a business trip to find his wife missing and his home city engulfed in rioting between humans and androids. This is a fun chase tale, but no one is going to confuse it with man-versus-robot classics like Asimov's The Caves of Steel or Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
Hunters of Cutwold - A tracker is hired to lead a group of hunters through an alien jungle to harvest members of an elusive, sentient alien tribe. This is my favorite story in the collection. Features mature writing that is both ethically and emotionally nuanced; the ending is unexpected and quietly devastating.
Come Into My Brain - A soldier uses telepathic technology to invade an alien's mind and steal its military secrets. The two wage a back-and-forth war of escalation in a fantasy landscape. Reminded me of "Broken Glass" by Harlan Ellison.
Castaways of Space - A drunk, cynical police officer is sent to a hostile jungle world to search for a kidnapped heiress. This sci-fi noir story is notable for the fact Silverberg departs from formula and does not give his protagonist many redeeming qualities. He is a selfish lout, even to the point of allowing innocent people to die in order to save his own skin.
Exiled from Earth - An aging actor wants to return to earth to play Hamlet one last time.
Second Start - A convicted jewel smuggler has been rehabilitated by having his personality altered to get rid of antisocial impulses, but can he stay on the straight and narrow when his old comrades try to induce him back to the easy life of crime? An intriguing premise that was eventually expanded into the 1971 novel The Second Trip.
Mournful Monster - Five passengers crash land in an uncharted jungle on an alien planet and must trek half way across the continent to the nearest settlement. Despite the cheesy title, this is another story that showcases how the author's range and style was evolving. It is a more mature offering than the earlier stories in this collection.
Vampires from Outer Space-- An alien species that has evolved from bats is blamed for a string of murders on Earth, which arouses humanity's ancient fear of vampirism. An early example of using aliens as a metaphor for racism.
The Insidious Invaders -- When Ted returns from a five-year space voyage, his family wonders about his odd behavior. This is Silverberg's first story about absorptive aliens, a theme he would revisit in "Passengers" and "Amanda and the Alien".
January 29, 2015
Contents (view Concise Listing)
9 • Introduction (In the Beginning: Tales from the Pulp Era) • essay by Robert Silverberg
15 • Yokel with Portfolio - Short Story - Originally published in Imaginative Tales, November 1955 Volume 2 No: 2 (as by Bob Silverberg) - (7/10)
29 • Long Live the Kejwa - Short Story - Originally published in Amazing Stories July 1956 Volume 30 No: 7 as 'Run of Luck' by Calvin Knox - (7/10)
43 • Guardian of the Crystal Gate - Novelette - Originally published in Fantastic August 1956 Volume 5 No: 4 - (8/10)
71 • Choke Chain - Novelette - Originally published in Fantastic December 1956 Volume 5 No: 6 - (7.5/10)
91 • Citadel of Darkness - Novelette - Originally published in Fantastic March 1957 Volume 6 No: 2 (as by Ralph Burke) - (7.5/10)
109 • Cosmic Kill • [Darrien] - Novella - Originally published as a two part serial by Robert Arnette in Amazing Stories April 1957 and May 1957 Volume 31 No: 4 and No: 5 - (8/10)
159 • New Year's Eve—2000 A. D. - Short Story - Originally published in Imaginative Tales September 1957 Volume 4 No: 6 as by Ivar Jorgensen - (7/10)
167 • The Android Kill - Short Story - Originally published in Imaginative Tales November 1957 Volume 4 No: 6 as by Alexander Blade - (8/10)
181 • The Hunters of Cutwold - Novelette - Originally published in Super Science Fiction December 1957 Volume 2 No: 1 as by Calvin M. Knox - (8.5/10)
211 • Come Into My Brain! - Short Story - Originally published in Imagination June 1958 Volume 9 No: 3 as by Alexander Blade - (7/10)
219 • Castaways of Space - Novelette - Originally published in Super Science Fiction October 1958 Volume 2 No: 6 as by Dan Malcolm - (8/10)
235 • Exiled From Earth - Short Story - Originally published in Super Science Fiction December 1958 Volume 3 No: 1 as by Richard F. Watson - (8/10)
249 • Second Start - Short Story - (variant of Re-Conditioned Human) - Originally published in Super Science Fiction February 1959 Volume 3 No: 2 - (9/10)
263 • Mournful Monster - Novelette - Originally published in Super Science Fiction April 1959 Volume 3 No: 3 as by Dan Malcolm - (9/10)
293 • Vampires from Outer Space - Novelette - Originally published in Super Science Fiction April 1959 Volume 3 No: 3 as by Richard F. Watson - (8/10)
321 • The Insidious Invaders - Short Story - Originally published in Super Science Fiction October 1959 Volume 6 No: 6 as by Eric Rodman - (7/10)
A fascinating collection of very early Silverberg stories. The linking material gives an interesting insight into his relationship with editors and with Randall Garrett.
In many senses Silverberg in his early days was a 'Fiction Factory' - stories written at great pace and to order. In many instances 3 or 4 of his stories appeared in the same magazine under his own name and that of numerous pseudonyms.
I enjoyed this collection very much and intend to read the nine other collections as published by Gateway as ebooks.
9 • Introduction (In the Beginning: Tales from the Pulp Era) • essay by Robert Silverberg
15 • Yokel with Portfolio - Short Story - Originally published in Imaginative Tales, November 1955 Volume 2 No: 2 (as by Bob Silverberg) - (7/10)
29 • Long Live the Kejwa - Short Story - Originally published in Amazing Stories July 1956 Volume 30 No: 7 as 'Run of Luck' by Calvin Knox - (7/10)
43 • Guardian of the Crystal Gate - Novelette - Originally published in Fantastic August 1956 Volume 5 No: 4 - (8/10)
71 • Choke Chain - Novelette - Originally published in Fantastic December 1956 Volume 5 No: 6 - (7.5/10)
91 • Citadel of Darkness - Novelette - Originally published in Fantastic March 1957 Volume 6 No: 2 (as by Ralph Burke) - (7.5/10)
109 • Cosmic Kill • [Darrien] - Novella - Originally published as a two part serial by Robert Arnette in Amazing Stories April 1957 and May 1957 Volume 31 No: 4 and No: 5 - (8/10)
159 • New Year's Eve—2000 A. D. - Short Story - Originally published in Imaginative Tales September 1957 Volume 4 No: 6 as by Ivar Jorgensen - (7/10)
167 • The Android Kill - Short Story - Originally published in Imaginative Tales November 1957 Volume 4 No: 6 as by Alexander Blade - (8/10)
181 • The Hunters of Cutwold - Novelette - Originally published in Super Science Fiction December 1957 Volume 2 No: 1 as by Calvin M. Knox - (8.5/10)
211 • Come Into My Brain! - Short Story - Originally published in Imagination June 1958 Volume 9 No: 3 as by Alexander Blade - (7/10)
219 • Castaways of Space - Novelette - Originally published in Super Science Fiction October 1958 Volume 2 No: 6 as by Dan Malcolm - (8/10)
235 • Exiled From Earth - Short Story - Originally published in Super Science Fiction December 1958 Volume 3 No: 1 as by Richard F. Watson - (8/10)
249 • Second Start - Short Story - (variant of Re-Conditioned Human) - Originally published in Super Science Fiction February 1959 Volume 3 No: 2 - (9/10)
263 • Mournful Monster - Novelette - Originally published in Super Science Fiction April 1959 Volume 3 No: 3 as by Dan Malcolm - (9/10)
293 • Vampires from Outer Space - Novelette - Originally published in Super Science Fiction April 1959 Volume 3 No: 3 as by Richard F. Watson - (8/10)
321 • The Insidious Invaders - Short Story - Originally published in Super Science Fiction October 1959 Volume 6 No: 6 as by Eric Rodman - (7/10)
A fascinating collection of very early Silverberg stories. The linking material gives an interesting insight into his relationship with editors and with Randall Garrett.
In many senses Silverberg in his early days was a 'Fiction Factory' - stories written at great pace and to order. In many instances 3 or 4 of his stories appeared in the same magazine under his own name and that of numerous pseudonyms.
I enjoyed this collection very much and intend to read the nine other collections as published by Gateway as ebooks.
June 22, 2020
‘In The Beginning’ is a collection of short stories from Robert Silverberg’s early days in the business. It’s the stuff that he churned out to fill magazines in the 1950s in order to make a living. In later more literary collections, he has been somewhat dismissive of this work but fans of pulp fiction, ripping yarns and unpretentious adventure stories sometimes like to relax with a straightforward solidly plotted easy-to-read pot-boiler. Throw in a lot of autobiographical information by Silverberg about his early years in the business, his colleagues and the magazine editors and you have the kind of book that’s a must-have for fans of the Golden Age. Some people might be tempted to read the long and interesting introductions about life as a pulp writer in 50s USA and just skip the stories but don‘t, they’re worth a look.
First up is ‘Yokel With Portfolio’ from 1955. Kalainnen has come to Terra from the backward planet of Trask and is hoping to get a meeting with the Colonial Minister and get some aid, some much-needed help to bring his homeworld up-to-date with technology. Cue lots of queuing to see minor officials and not much progress. A smug lizard from a neighbouring planet does not improve his mood but when a dangerous beast escapes from the New York Zoo, it turns out he may have some useful knowledge. The yokel is an odd hero for slick, well-educated native New Yorker Silverberg but he pulls it off nicely.
‘Long Live The Kejwa’ has an escaped criminal crash-land on a small planet where the blue-skinned natives seem to treat him as a god. You can see the ending coming a mile off and it might have been a five-page story in one of those late 50s comic books churned out by Lee, Kirby and Ditko. It was okay.
Lee Hayden is an agent for the Bureau in ‘Guardian Of The Crystal Gate’. The Bureau is a government agency that handles the weird cases in 2261, a year in which oddly culture is still very like that of 1950s America. Men have been vanishing and strange, flawed diamonds like burnt-out fuses are left in their place. One brilliant new diamond, bright, glowing, kept in a lead box, has turned up. Lee must investigate. The first person narration is very much in the mode of 1940s noir detective films but this is another easy reading adventure. It was based on a cover painting by Ed Valigursky that showed two attractive young ladies wrestling atop a giant diamond and appeared in the August 1956 issue of ‘Fantastic’, along with three other stories authored or co-authored by Silverberg. He was banging them out fast.
There’s another adventurer hero in ‘Choke Chain’. He doesn’t seem to work for any particular organisation but intervenes when a ruthless gang take over the Callisto colony and enslaves the populace with special collars they need to breathe. The dastardly trio are a human, a Martian and a Venusian, which dates it somewhat. The yarn is pretty straightforward derring-do but Silverberg adds a nice little twist at the end which gives it a bit of extra pathos.
I say that Silverberg is too negative about these stories but ’Citadel Of Darkness’ is the exception to that. It’s awful. It’s the worst Silverberg story I’ve ever read. It might well be the worst Science Fiction story I’ve ever read. The Terran Empire is under attack from evil aliens from another galaxy, who have turned their entire planet into a spaceship, traversed the space between galaxies and raided several worlds enslaving millions. The hero and his wife accidentally come across this planet and decide to stop them. The race capable of such marvels is unable to spot their ship landing. They are captured after some fisticuffs but, with the help of human slaves, manage to overcome the evil high priest just as he is about to cast the naked, writhing form of the woman into the nuclear reactor that powers the planet-ship. It’s like a cross between traditional SF and Robert E. Howard style sword and sorcery. Two half-naked humans conquer an entire planet of ruthless intergalactic marauding aliens. At least Silverberg gave plenty of opportunities for the artist to produce a fun cover. Under different pseudonyms, he had four stories in this March 1957 issue of ‘Fantastic’. The funny thing is that, at the same time, he managed a sell to Horace Gold, the very demanding editor of ‘Galaxy’ magazine. Bob certainly played the field in those days.
The best thing about the book is the autobiographical stuff in between the stories. Silverberg has often told of how he churned out stuff to entertain and to pay the rent but I was under the impression he had to sell each individual story, a laborious process. Not so. He teamed up with the sociable Randall Garrett, who went and saw editors face-to-face and got more work. They landed a contract with Howard Browne at Ziff-Davies Publishing to supply a quantity of fiction every month, which was bought and published for a fixed fee, a very nice fee for the times. Later, Silverberg and Harlan Ellison had a similar set up with editor W.W. Scott, bashing out crime stories for ‘Trapped’ and ‘Guilty’ magazine and SF stories for ‘Super-Science Stories’. Arrangements like these were quite common in the great days of pulp fiction.
Some of the tales written for ‘Super-Science Stories’ are pretty bad but there’s good stuff, too. ‘The Hunters Of Cutwold’ (1957) is the kind of yarn Conrad or Maugham might have done if they wrote SF. Brannon is a guide on Cutwold, a jungle planet and can’t turn down the big money paid by a party of tourists to hunt the Nurrilins, a local species not yet declared sentient by the authorities, largely because they were in hiding. The thrill for the tourists is killing a sentient being, getting away with murder. A dark tale that in some ways is a precursor to ‘Downward To Earth’, Silverberg’s later novel.
‘The Insidious Invader’ is a kind of creepy horror story about an alien mimic, set in the nice suburban apartment of the homecoming spaceman’s sister. This would have made a good episode of ‘The Twilight Zone’.
‘Exiled From Earth’ (1958) has a neo-puritan regime that’s banned theatres on Terra and an actor doing Lear for green aliens who longs to go back home. It was written for Horace Gold’s ‘Galaxy’ but rejected. It’s a quiet piece for ‘Super-Science Stories’ and may have been a surprise to readers.
The rest of the stuff from ‘Super-Science Stories’ is low-grade ore but readable enough. America went mad for monsters in 1959 so they plastered ‘Special Monster Issue’ across several editions and Silverberg had to make his aliens a bit more threatening to fit the bill. As usual, he adapted well. When the SF market collapsed at the end of the 50s, he bashed out soft porn paperbacks to earn a crust, then went into the more satisfying trade (surely) of popular archaeology books. Later, he came back to SF with a great series of novels in the late 60s and 70s that will forever be classics. The stories ‘In the Beginning’ don’t come within several parsecs of that work for quality but this is an interesting historical document and a fun read if you set your critical facilities to a lower level. Very low in some cases.
I bought this as an e-book and the formatting is excellent. Extremely easy to navigate from story to story or skip about in it if such is your desire.
Eamonn Murphy
This review first appeared at https://www.sfcrowsnest.info/
First up is ‘Yokel With Portfolio’ from 1955. Kalainnen has come to Terra from the backward planet of Trask and is hoping to get a meeting with the Colonial Minister and get some aid, some much-needed help to bring his homeworld up-to-date with technology. Cue lots of queuing to see minor officials and not much progress. A smug lizard from a neighbouring planet does not improve his mood but when a dangerous beast escapes from the New York Zoo, it turns out he may have some useful knowledge. The yokel is an odd hero for slick, well-educated native New Yorker Silverberg but he pulls it off nicely.
‘Long Live The Kejwa’ has an escaped criminal crash-land on a small planet where the blue-skinned natives seem to treat him as a god. You can see the ending coming a mile off and it might have been a five-page story in one of those late 50s comic books churned out by Lee, Kirby and Ditko. It was okay.
Lee Hayden is an agent for the Bureau in ‘Guardian Of The Crystal Gate’. The Bureau is a government agency that handles the weird cases in 2261, a year in which oddly culture is still very like that of 1950s America. Men have been vanishing and strange, flawed diamonds like burnt-out fuses are left in their place. One brilliant new diamond, bright, glowing, kept in a lead box, has turned up. Lee must investigate. The first person narration is very much in the mode of 1940s noir detective films but this is another easy reading adventure. It was based on a cover painting by Ed Valigursky that showed two attractive young ladies wrestling atop a giant diamond and appeared in the August 1956 issue of ‘Fantastic’, along with three other stories authored or co-authored by Silverberg. He was banging them out fast.
There’s another adventurer hero in ‘Choke Chain’. He doesn’t seem to work for any particular organisation but intervenes when a ruthless gang take over the Callisto colony and enslaves the populace with special collars they need to breathe. The dastardly trio are a human, a Martian and a Venusian, which dates it somewhat. The yarn is pretty straightforward derring-do but Silverberg adds a nice little twist at the end which gives it a bit of extra pathos.
I say that Silverberg is too negative about these stories but ’Citadel Of Darkness’ is the exception to that. It’s awful. It’s the worst Silverberg story I’ve ever read. It might well be the worst Science Fiction story I’ve ever read. The Terran Empire is under attack from evil aliens from another galaxy, who have turned their entire planet into a spaceship, traversed the space between galaxies and raided several worlds enslaving millions. The hero and his wife accidentally come across this planet and decide to stop them. The race capable of such marvels is unable to spot their ship landing. They are captured after some fisticuffs but, with the help of human slaves, manage to overcome the evil high priest just as he is about to cast the naked, writhing form of the woman into the nuclear reactor that powers the planet-ship. It’s like a cross between traditional SF and Robert E. Howard style sword and sorcery. Two half-naked humans conquer an entire planet of ruthless intergalactic marauding aliens. At least Silverberg gave plenty of opportunities for the artist to produce a fun cover. Under different pseudonyms, he had four stories in this March 1957 issue of ‘Fantastic’. The funny thing is that, at the same time, he managed a sell to Horace Gold, the very demanding editor of ‘Galaxy’ magazine. Bob certainly played the field in those days.
The best thing about the book is the autobiographical stuff in between the stories. Silverberg has often told of how he churned out stuff to entertain and to pay the rent but I was under the impression he had to sell each individual story, a laborious process. Not so. He teamed up with the sociable Randall Garrett, who went and saw editors face-to-face and got more work. They landed a contract with Howard Browne at Ziff-Davies Publishing to supply a quantity of fiction every month, which was bought and published for a fixed fee, a very nice fee for the times. Later, Silverberg and Harlan Ellison had a similar set up with editor W.W. Scott, bashing out crime stories for ‘Trapped’ and ‘Guilty’ magazine and SF stories for ‘Super-Science Stories’. Arrangements like these were quite common in the great days of pulp fiction.
Some of the tales written for ‘Super-Science Stories’ are pretty bad but there’s good stuff, too. ‘The Hunters Of Cutwold’ (1957) is the kind of yarn Conrad or Maugham might have done if they wrote SF. Brannon is a guide on Cutwold, a jungle planet and can’t turn down the big money paid by a party of tourists to hunt the Nurrilins, a local species not yet declared sentient by the authorities, largely because they were in hiding. The thrill for the tourists is killing a sentient being, getting away with murder. A dark tale that in some ways is a precursor to ‘Downward To Earth’, Silverberg’s later novel.
‘The Insidious Invader’ is a kind of creepy horror story about an alien mimic, set in the nice suburban apartment of the homecoming spaceman’s sister. This would have made a good episode of ‘The Twilight Zone’.
‘Exiled From Earth’ (1958) has a neo-puritan regime that’s banned theatres on Terra and an actor doing Lear for green aliens who longs to go back home. It was written for Horace Gold’s ‘Galaxy’ but rejected. It’s a quiet piece for ‘Super-Science Stories’ and may have been a surprise to readers.
The rest of the stuff from ‘Super-Science Stories’ is low-grade ore but readable enough. America went mad for monsters in 1959 so they plastered ‘Special Monster Issue’ across several editions and Silverberg had to make his aliens a bit more threatening to fit the bill. As usual, he adapted well. When the SF market collapsed at the end of the 50s, he bashed out soft porn paperbacks to earn a crust, then went into the more satisfying trade (surely) of popular archaeology books. Later, he came back to SF with a great series of novels in the late 60s and 70s that will forever be classics. The stories ‘In the Beginning’ don’t come within several parsecs of that work for quality but this is an interesting historical document and a fun read if you set your critical facilities to a lower level. Very low in some cases.
I bought this as an e-book and the formatting is excellent. Extremely easy to navigate from story to story or skip about in it if such is your desire.
Eamonn Murphy
This review first appeared at https://www.sfcrowsnest.info/
May 25, 2017
I have never been a big fan of Sci-fi and so I was skeptical of this collection from the 1950s, but I have been reading a ton of Pulp from that era and wanted to try all the different types of Pulp that were popular in the plethora of fiction magazines that were out from the 1930s to about 1960. I still have a few more genres to try but I have fallen big time for the old Sci-fi stories of Robert Silverberg. This was a very enjoyable read, especially since the writer was so young and at the time was mass producing stories at 2 cents a word for the mid-range Sci-fi pulps at the time. You would have to write a ton to afford to live on 2 cents a word and that is what Silverberg did in the 1950s. Knowing this at the beginning of the book I didn't expect much in way of quality but I was wrong. These stories were never meant to be in anthology book form so keep that in mind when you read these, but they are great stories and I recommend this book for anyone looking for campy 50s Sci-fi that is really not too campy after all. This copy is from Subterranean Press (2006) and like so many of their books, this one was limited to 1,000 signed copies and 26 lettered copies. Mine was #255. You can find this book online but seems difficult finding a like new copy. I wish Subterranean would reprint some of their older releases. Good book, worth the time to read, you will have fun and maybe become a new fan of Robert Silverberg like I have.
December 17, 2019
A very boring day and non-availability of other readable items conspired to make me finish this strange collection.
Subterranean Press had recovered a bunch of almost lost stories, which they had then offered as this volume. The stories were:
1. Yokel with Portfolio
2. Long Live the Kejwa
3. Guardian of the Crystal Gate
4. Choke Chain
5. Citadel of Darkness
6. Cosmic Kill
7. New Year's Eve - 2000 A.D.
8. The Android Kill
9. The Hunters of Cutwold
10. Come into My Brain
11. Castaways of Space
12. Exiled from Earth
13. Second Start
14. Mournful Monster
15. Vampires from Outer Space
16. The Insidious Invaders
The stories were absolutely awful. It's almost impossible to think that the Grand Master had begun his journey producing such trite. But the absolutely candid notes explained the circumstances, and also acted as somewhat rose-tinted window to that long-gone era.
If you are interested in history of Science Fiction and how it evolved from being a fuel for adolescents to the present shape, then this volume would help you.
As a reading material, it's... not recommended.
Subterranean Press had recovered a bunch of almost lost stories, which they had then offered as this volume. The stories were:
1. Yokel with Portfolio
2. Long Live the Kejwa
3. Guardian of the Crystal Gate
4. Choke Chain
5. Citadel of Darkness
6. Cosmic Kill
7. New Year's Eve - 2000 A.D.
8. The Android Kill
9. The Hunters of Cutwold
10. Come into My Brain
11. Castaways of Space
12. Exiled from Earth
13. Second Start
14. Mournful Monster
15. Vampires from Outer Space
16. The Insidious Invaders
The stories were absolutely awful. It's almost impossible to think that the Grand Master had begun his journey producing such trite. But the absolutely candid notes explained the circumstances, and also acted as somewhat rose-tinted window to that long-gone era.
If you are interested in history of Science Fiction and how it evolved from being a fuel for adolescents to the present shape, then this volume would help you.
As a reading material, it's... not recommended.
November 23, 2020
Just ok.
January 24, 2014
Now that was fun. The stories in this collection were published contemporaneously with the ones in the "official" first volume of Silverberg's collected works,
To Be Continued
. The difference seems to be that the ones contained herein are stories that Silverberg likes, but is slightly embarrassed by, such as the two-part serial "Cosmic Kill" or the wonderfully titled "Vampires from Outer Space." Virtually none of these stories were originally published under Silverberg's real name, but instead appeared under a plethora of random pseudonyms shared with many other work-for-hire writers.
Frankly, I loved every page of it. Yes, it's bubblegum, but it's excellent bubblegum. I also found it to be the perfect antidote to much of the over-literary MFA short fiction appearing in SF today.
START RANT // Look, there's a ton of good SF short fiction being written right now, but there's also stuff that's so artsy it might as well be Vogon Poetry, and I swear to GOD that if I read one more short story written in 2nd Person instead of 1st or 3rd, I'm going to vomit. // END RANT
I'm looking forward to Vol. 2 of the "serious" Silverberg, but In the Beginning is an anthology I can certainly see myself returning to when I'm once again in a Retro mood.
Frankly, I loved every page of it. Yes, it's bubblegum, but it's excellent bubblegum. I also found it to be the perfect antidote to much of the over-literary MFA short fiction appearing in SF today.
START RANT // Look, there's a ton of good SF short fiction being written right now, but there's also stuff that's so artsy it might as well be Vogon Poetry, and I swear to GOD that if I read one more short story written in 2nd Person instead of 1st or 3rd, I'm going to vomit. // END RANT
I'm looking forward to Vol. 2 of the "serious" Silverberg, but In the Beginning is an anthology I can certainly see myself returning to when I'm once again in a Retro mood.
November 4, 2020
3 stars for the stories, 5 stars for the introductions to them.
This is not a pretentious book. The author is very clear that the stories were meant to be quick and fun, written in incredible amounts in very little time, mostly for money. He's also very clear they were written by a young man who didn't have much experience, either in writing or with life itself.
That means loads of manly earthmen, saving incredibly beautiful girls from evil aliens. These stories are very much a product of their time, and written with a specific audience in mind. I love science fiction, but I was obviously not that target.
The introductions to the stories are where this book shines. They are obviously written by a more mature, experienced writer, in fond memory of his hard working younger self. It's really interesting to see how the world of pulp magazines worked for a budding young writer, and Silverberg weaves in anecdotes, jokes and observations that place the stories firmly in their context. Very nicely done.
This is not a pretentious book. The author is very clear that the stories were meant to be quick and fun, written in incredible amounts in very little time, mostly for money. He's also very clear they were written by a young man who didn't have much experience, either in writing or with life itself.
That means loads of manly earthmen, saving incredibly beautiful girls from evil aliens. These stories are very much a product of their time, and written with a specific audience in mind. I love science fiction, but I was obviously not that target.
The introductions to the stories are where this book shines. They are obviously written by a more mature, experienced writer, in fond memory of his hard working younger self. It's really interesting to see how the world of pulp magazines worked for a budding young writer, and Silverberg weaves in anecdotes, jokes and observations that place the stories firmly in their context. Very nicely done.
May 27, 2014
I've been enjoying reading Silverberg's early story collections lately, and I particularly enjoy that he, like his friend Harlan Ellison in his story collections, includes not only an autobiographical introduction to the book, but also memoir pieces before every story. As a result, his collections become two books in one: part short story collection and part portrait of the artist.To be honest, I think I like both parts equally.
In the Beginning: Tales from the Pulp Era consists of sixteen stories written from 1955 to 1959. It overlaps in time period with To Be Continued (1953-1958): Volume One of The Collected Stories of Robert Silverberg (the definitive collection); however, the two books do not print any of the same stories.For Silverberg fans, then, both books are essential... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
In the Beginning: Tales from the Pulp Era consists of sixteen stories written from 1955 to 1959. It overlaps in time period with To Be Continued (1953-1958): Volume One of The Collected Stories of Robert Silverberg (the definitive collection); however, the two books do not print any of the same stories.For Silverberg fans, then, both books are essential... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
January 30, 2011
Note: I didn't finish reading this, but I don't feel like I need to.
Robert Silverberg is a pretty good writer, actually. The problem with this book is that he talks way too much. I mean, I like short story collections where the author gives a little background on how they came up with a given story, but a three-page intro to a five-page story is ridiculous, especially when only the last paragraph has anything to do with the story itself.
That said, this was kind of a fun collection, lots of good pulp sci-fi stories. I would definitely be willing to read more by this author, as I'm sure he's done even better work than this.
Robert Silverberg is a pretty good writer, actually. The problem with this book is that he talks way too much. I mean, I like short story collections where the author gives a little background on how they came up with a given story, but a three-page intro to a five-page story is ridiculous, especially when only the last paragraph has anything to do with the story itself.
That said, this was kind of a fun collection, lots of good pulp sci-fi stories. I would definitely be willing to read more by this author, as I'm sure he's done even better work than this.
January 6, 2017
This is a collection of Silverberg stories back when he was just starting his writing career. With these included stories he was still in college for the first few years, and then as a struggling author right out of college. All these stories were sent to SF magazines that were popular in the 1950's. All these stories are just action science fiction stories, where sci-fi is just the backdrop. In reality, they are either mystery or action stories. Even as a college kid, Silverberg could write; these are not intellectual stories, but they are fun stories, and he does some good world creating. You can see he had the potential even with his early writings. I liked this book quite a bit.
Want to read
June 8, 202516 stories:
(0/16 read#)
Yokel with Portfolio (1955)
Long Live the Kejwa (aka Run of Luck) (1956)
Guardian of the Crystal Gate (1956)
Choke Chain (1956)
Citadel of Darkness (1957)
Cosmic Kill (1957)
New Year's Eve—2000 A. D. (1957)
The Android Kill (1957)
The Hunters of Cutwold (1957)
Come Into My Brain! (1958)
Castaways of Space (1958)
Exiled From Earth (1958)
Second Start (aka Re-Conditioned Human) (1959)
Mournful Monster (1959)
Vampires from Outer Space (1959)
The Insidious Invaders (1959)
(0/16 read#)
Yokel with Portfolio (1955)
Long Live the Kejwa (aka Run of Luck) (1956)
Guardian of the Crystal Gate (1956)
Choke Chain (1956)
Citadel of Darkness (1957)
Cosmic Kill (1957)
New Year's Eve—2000 A. D. (1957)
The Android Kill (1957)
The Hunters of Cutwold (1957)
Come Into My Brain! (1958)
Castaways of Space (1958)
Exiled From Earth (1958)
Second Start (aka Re-Conditioned Human) (1959)
Mournful Monster (1959)
Vampires from Outer Space (1959)
The Insidious Invaders (1959)
November 1, 2011
Interesting collection of Silverberg stories from the 1950s. Most of the stories are adventure entertainments written for the pulps. By his own account, Silverberg was writing four or more stories a month to pay the rent. The entire collection is entertaining but not up to his later standards (by his own admission). Turn your brain off and have a good time.
August 20, 2015
I give this four stars even though the stories, evaluated individually, would not rate higher than three stars. These stories are from the golden era of science fiction, and are in the tradition of Edgar Rice Burroughs and the like. Short on character development and plot line, long on action. Bottom line, they were just fun to read. And that earns an extra star.
November 18, 2012
Adventure Sci-Fi by Silverberg. They're fun stories of their time. The more interesting aspect to a book like this is an insider's look at the beginning of a career as a commercial writer for the pulps at the time - as each story is accompanied by an autobiographical essay by Silverberg.
Read
August 22, 2008In the Beginning: Tales from the Pulp Era by Robert Silverberg (2006)
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews