What do you think?
Rate this book
Mimic
Unknown Binding
About the author
Donald A. Wollheim
302 books37 followersDonald Allen Wollheim was a science fiction writer, editor, publisher and fan. He published his own works under pseudonyms, including David Grinnell.
A member of the Futurians, he was one of the leading influences on the development of science fiction and science fiction fandom in the 20th century United States.
In 1937, Wollheim founded the Fantasy Amateur Press Association. The first mailing was distributed in July of that year and included this statement from Wollheim: "There are many fans desiring to put out a voice who dare not, for fear of being obliged to keep it up, and for the worry and time taken by subscriptions and advertising. It is for them and for the fan who admits it is his hobby and not his business that we formed the FAPA."
Wollheim was also a member of the New York Science Fiction League, one of the clubs established by Hugo Gernsback to promote science fiction. When Wollheim published a complaint of non-payment for stories against Gernsback, Gernsback dissolved the New York chapter of the club.
Wollheim's first story, "The Man from Ariel," was published in the January 1934 issue of Wonder Stories when Wollheim was nineteen. Wollheim was not paid for the story and when he began to look into the situation, he learned that many other authors had not been paid for their work, publishing his findings in the Bulletin of the Terrestrial Fantascience Guild. Gernsback eventually settled the case with Wollheim and other authors out of court for $75, but when Wollheim submitted another story to Gernsback, under the pseudonym "Millard Verne Gordon," he was again not paid. One of Wollheim's short stories, "Mimic" was made into the feature film of the same name, which was released in 1997.
He left Avon Books in 1952 to work for A. A. Wyn at Ace Books. In 1953 he introduced science fiction to the Ace lineup, and for 20 years edited their renowned sf list. Ace was well known for the Ace Doubles series which consisted of pairs of books, usually by different authors, bound back-to-back with two "front" covers. Because these paired books had to fit a fixed total page-length, one or both were usually heavily abridged to fit, and Wollheim often made many other editorial alterations and title changes — as witness the many differences between Poul Anderson's Ace novel War of the Wing-Men and its definitive revised edition, The Man Who Counts. It was also during the 1950s he bought the book Junk by William S. Burroughs, which, in his inimitable fashion, he retitled Junkie.
In 1965 Wollheim published an unauthorized Ace edition of The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien in three volumes — the first mass-market paperback edition of Tolkien's epic. This was done because Wollheim believed the Houghton Mifflin hardcover editions failed to properly assert copyright. In a 2006 interview, Wollheim's daughter claimed that Tolkien had angered her father by saying that his magnum opus would never be published in so ‘degenerate a form’ as the paperback book. However, Tolkien had previously authorized a paperback edition of The Hobbit in 1961, and eventually supported paperback editions of The Lord of the Rings and several of his other texts. In any case, Ace was forced to cease publishing the unauthorized edition and to pay Tolkien for their sales following a grass-roots campaign and boycott by Tolkien's U.S. fans. In 1993 a court found that the copyright loophole suggested by Ace Books was incorrect and their paperback edition found to have been a violation of Tolkien's copyright under US law.
After leaving Ace he founded DAW Books in 1971, named by his initials, which can claim to be the first mass market specialist science fiction and fantasy fiction publishing house. In later years, when his distributors, New American Library, threatened to withhold distribution of Thomas Burnett Swann's Biblical fantasy How are the Mighty Fallen (1974) because of its homosexual con
A member of the Futurians, he was one of the leading influences on the development of science fiction and science fiction fandom in the 20th century United States.
In 1937, Wollheim founded the Fantasy Amateur Press Association. The first mailing was distributed in July of that year and included this statement from Wollheim: "There are many fans desiring to put out a voice who dare not, for fear of being obliged to keep it up, and for the worry and time taken by subscriptions and advertising. It is for them and for the fan who admits it is his hobby and not his business that we formed the FAPA."
Wollheim was also a member of the New York Science Fiction League, one of the clubs established by Hugo Gernsback to promote science fiction. When Wollheim published a complaint of non-payment for stories against Gernsback, Gernsback dissolved the New York chapter of the club.
Wollheim's first story, "The Man from Ariel," was published in the January 1934 issue of Wonder Stories when Wollheim was nineteen. Wollheim was not paid for the story and when he began to look into the situation, he learned that many other authors had not been paid for their work, publishing his findings in the Bulletin of the Terrestrial Fantascience Guild. Gernsback eventually settled the case with Wollheim and other authors out of court for $75, but when Wollheim submitted another story to Gernsback, under the pseudonym "Millard Verne Gordon," he was again not paid. One of Wollheim's short stories, "Mimic" was made into the feature film of the same name, which was released in 1997.
He left Avon Books in 1952 to work for A. A. Wyn at Ace Books. In 1953 he introduced science fiction to the Ace lineup, and for 20 years edited their renowned sf list. Ace was well known for the Ace Doubles series which consisted of pairs of books, usually by different authors, bound back-to-back with two "front" covers. Because these paired books had to fit a fixed total page-length, one or both were usually heavily abridged to fit, and Wollheim often made many other editorial alterations and title changes — as witness the many differences between Poul Anderson's Ace novel War of the Wing-Men and its definitive revised edition, The Man Who Counts. It was also during the 1950s he bought the book Junk by William S. Burroughs, which, in his inimitable fashion, he retitled Junkie.
In 1965 Wollheim published an unauthorized Ace edition of The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien in three volumes — the first mass-market paperback edition of Tolkien's epic. This was done because Wollheim believed the Houghton Mifflin hardcover editions failed to properly assert copyright. In a 2006 interview, Wollheim's daughter claimed that Tolkien had angered her father by saying that his magnum opus would never be published in so ‘degenerate a form’ as the paperback book. However, Tolkien had previously authorized a paperback edition of The Hobbit in 1961, and eventually supported paperback editions of The Lord of the Rings and several of his other texts. In any case, Ace was forced to cease publishing the unauthorized edition and to pay Tolkien for their sales following a grass-roots campaign and boycott by Tolkien's U.S. fans. In 1993 a court found that the copyright loophole suggested by Ace Books was incorrect and their paperback edition found to have been a violation of Tolkien's copyright under US law.
After leaving Ace he founded DAW Books in 1971, named by his initials, which can claim to be the first mass market specialist science fiction and fantasy fiction publishing house. In later years, when his distributors, New American Library, threatened to withhold distribution of Thomas Burnett Swann's Biblical fantasy How are the Mighty Fallen (1974) because of its homosexual con
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 15, 2026
I don't think I'd ever even heard of Donald A. Wollheim before. I'm sure I haven't read anything by him. However, I'm glad I listened to Mimic, which was first published in the December 1942 issue of Astounding Stories.
The story was quite predictable, but it didn't matter at all. The style, the atmosphere and the description of the mimic were much more important to me. Overall, a really enjoyable little pulp scifi story. I'll have to look for more stuff by Wollheim.
The version I listened to was an episode of The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast and very well narrated by Scott Miller.
4/5
The story was quite predictable, but it didn't matter at all. The style, the atmosphere and the description of the mimic were much more important to me. Overall, a really enjoyable little pulp scifi story. I'll have to look for more stuff by Wollheim.
The version I listened to was an episode of The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast and very well narrated by Scott Miller.
4/5
August 22, 2024
I’ve been on a horror short story streak for the past few days and as someone entranced by the ecosystems inhabiting our world, the ideas this story posits strike within me a feeling I can only describe as a swarm eating my soul.
This story left me to freeze in its fridge horror; bloody marvellous.
8.5/10
This story left me to freeze in its fridge horror; bloody marvellous.
8.5/10
January 5, 2021
This short story is hard to find. Finally able to track it down in The Weird: A Compendium of Strange and Dark Stories Very short with some interesting ideas of evolution culminating in a puply short with some fun ideas. absolutely dated but I think worth a read to get a taste of that pulp 'golden age of scif fi' feel.
April 21, 2022
Damn! I never knew the movie Mimic was based on a 1940s pulp story. This is so creepy and good. Makes you think about all the great unmade movies there are hiding in forgotten pulp magazines. Need to rewatch that movie soon.
May 11, 2026
Aunque predecible en ciertos aspectos, Mimic de Donald A. Wollheim demuestra por qué la ciencia ficción pulp de los años cuarenta sigue conservando un encanto tan especial. Publicado originalmente en 1942, el relato construye una atmósfera inquietante y extrañamente hipnótica, donde lo importante no es tanto el giro final, sino la sensación constante de extrañeza y amenaza que envuelve toda la narración.
Wollheim logra transmitir un horror silencioso y casi biológico a través de la figura del “mimic”, una criatura cuya mera existencia despierta una paranoia profundamente perturbadora. Hay algo fascinante en la manera en que el autor mezcla ciencia ficción clásica con elementos del weird horror, creando una historia breve pero cargada de tensión, misterio y una sensación de incomodidad que permanece incluso después de terminarla.
El relato también destaca por su imaginativa aproximación a la evolución y la adaptación, conceptos que, aunque hoy puedan sentirse propios de otra época, siguen aportando personalidad y encanto a la obra. Precisamente ese aire retro, tan característico de la “edad dorada” de la ciencia ficción, es parte fundamental de su atractivo.
A pesar de su corta extensión, Mimic consigue dejar una impresión duradera gracias a su atmósfera siniestra, sus imágenes memorables y ese estilo pulp tan directo y evocador. Una pequeña joya del horror y la ciencia ficción clásica, altamente recomendable para quienes disfrutan las historias extrañas, oscuras y cargadas de paranoia.
Wollheim logra transmitir un horror silencioso y casi biológico a través de la figura del “mimic”, una criatura cuya mera existencia despierta una paranoia profundamente perturbadora. Hay algo fascinante en la manera en que el autor mezcla ciencia ficción clásica con elementos del weird horror, creando una historia breve pero cargada de tensión, misterio y una sensación de incomodidad que permanece incluso después de terminarla.
El relato también destaca por su imaginativa aproximación a la evolución y la adaptación, conceptos que, aunque hoy puedan sentirse propios de otra época, siguen aportando personalidad y encanto a la obra. Precisamente ese aire retro, tan característico de la “edad dorada” de la ciencia ficción, es parte fundamental de su atractivo.
A pesar de su corta extensión, Mimic consigue dejar una impresión duradera gracias a su atmósfera siniestra, sus imágenes memorables y ese estilo pulp tan directo y evocador. Una pequeña joya del horror y la ciencia ficción clásica, altamente recomendable para quienes disfrutan las historias extrañas, oscuras y cargadas de paranoia.
September 2, 2022
Spine tingling story in the best weird tales tradition. A mysterious man in a long black cloak is mystifying the neighborhood. Who is he and what is he doing in his flat? What about the mysterious noises. Upon entering his premises a terrible truth comes out. Classic weird shocker that forever defines the term mimic. This is a very sinister and bizarre story. Highly recommended!
June 19, 2024
Very good premise and well written. It should have been expanded upon. The only flaw was the obsolete notion that evolution “creates” new species. Evolution isn’t God, sorry atheists. Evolution only produces new varieties, like new editions of a book. Never does a new variety become a new species, nor a new edition a new book, not even in a million years, sorry Galton.
June 27, 2026
The short story that inspired Guillermo del Toro's 1997 horror film Mimic. Within a few pages, enough atmosphere is created to carry an entire film. Instead of describing everything right away, the reader is given glimpses into the world. The intrigue is crafted with sparse and minimal prose. Who is the 'man' in the long dark trench coat? Why is the main character so fascinated by bugs? Slowly, the world of terror unfolds with small glimpses before it spreads and overwhelms the entire city. 🦟
April 13, 2024
A classic story about species adaptation. It’s pretty obvious where it’s going from the start, and yet it still works somewhat, probably due to the controlled voice of the narrator, in that, you won’t believe this I’m telling you way. The sensibility is a bit dated, but it’s short and interesting.
January 7, 2026
Very unsettling short story, can’t wait to see the movie it inspired. There’s no way the movie will be as disquieting as this story though, this is almost perfect. The chimney creature ruins it just a little bit for me lol
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 9, 2026
Very recent find: A sci-fi tale about uncomfortable beings that adapts by mimicking us. Left me with a creepy permeating feeling. I have not read a lot of pulp, but this would easily find a ready spot in /nosleep.
Somewhat dated, and predictable, but fun and effective.
Somewhat dated, and predictable, but fun and effective.
January 1, 2025
Early aliens among us story
May 17, 2025
It's fine. Nothing special, tho. It probably hit way harder back in the day, for when it was written. Now though? Ehhh.
September 19, 2025
Great, but too 'sciencecy' written for me, that tries to rationalize it.
February 6, 2026
I never knew the 1997 Guillermo del Toro movie of the same name was an adaptation. This is the source.
April 6, 2026
imitation is
survival's sincerest form
what resembles us?
survival's sincerest form
what resembles us?
May 3, 2026
Scifi, short story by a master, well done!!
May 10, 2026
*4.5
Nuestro narrador es un joven que nos va relatando su infancia y la presencia de un vecino que siempre le ha generado curiosidad, este suele usar una capa negra todo el tiempo, nunca habla y parece tener cierta fobia a las mujeres.
Cierto día, el llamado de auxilio del encargado de los departamentos le dará la oportunidad perfecta para develar el misterio detrás de esta persona, pero tal vez no esté preparado para lo que va a encontrar.
Un cuento con uno de los mejores finales que he leído en mucho tiempo, simplemente imperdible.
Nuestro narrador es un joven que nos va relatando su infancia y la presencia de un vecino que siempre le ha generado curiosidad, este suele usar una capa negra todo el tiempo, nunca habla y parece tener cierta fobia a las mujeres.
Cierto día, el llamado de auxilio del encargado de los departamentos le dará la oportunidad perfecta para develar el misterio detrás de esta persona, pero tal vez no esté preparado para lo que va a encontrar.
Un cuento con uno de los mejores finales que he leído en mucho tiempo, simplemente imperdible.
December 18, 2023
Much better than the movie! It does make you think how animals imitate their predators in order to survive. I also felt like this was the authors way of prophesying the end of days with insects imitating men.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews