Novelets of Science Fiction

by Ivan Howard (Editor), Frank Belknap Long, Lester del Rey

Contents:
Ultrasonic God • (1951) • novelette by L. Sprague de Camp
The Chapter Ends • (1954) • novelette by Poul Anderson
"A" as in Android • (1951) • shortstory by Milton Lesser
...And the Truth Shall Make You Free • (1953) • shortstory by Clifford D. Simak
Night Fear • (1953) • shortstory by Frank Belknap Long
I Am Tomorrow • (1952) • novelette by Lester del Rey
Testament of Andros • (1953) • novelette by James Blish
The Possessed • (1953) • shortstory by Arthur C. Clarke

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories, Anthologies, Fiction

173 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1963

Reviews

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm happy to say I FINALLY finished this book. I had bought this paperback at a little old dusty used book store near my house when I was a kid, maybe it was 1964 or '65 (it was published in 1963) . I remember bringing it to my friend's apartment and even reading part of the first story there. Then... I left it there when I went home and it was lost... and I never saw it again. Recently, I found it again at a library book sale ( no, I don't think it's the same book!). It certainly has a memorable cover as I remembered it, with that lady with the green skin and the pterodactyls flying overhead ( unfortunately, there are no pterodactyls in any of the stories!). When I read the first page, that story by L. Sprague de Camp came back to me, although, this time, I finished it! It's an enjoyable story set in de Camp's "Viagens Interplaetarias" universe and I have read several of the stories set in that universe ( in which Brazil dominates Earth and the spaceways).
A quick review and rating for each of the eight stories:
"Ultrasonic God" (1951) by L. Sprague de Camp (1907-2000) An adventure story set on a planet that has centaurs ( wish we had 'em on Earth!)! 3.5 stars
"The Chapter Ends" (1954) by Poul Anderson (1926-2001) The last Earthpeople have to be resettled off-planet. OK story, but it's Poul Anderson and I love his writing! 4 stars
"A as in Android" (1951) by Milton Lesser (Stephen Marlowe) (1928-2008) A funny little story.
I'm sure I would've loved reading it as a kid! 3 stars
"....And The Truth Shall Make You Free" (1953) by Clifford D. Simak (1904-1988) The best of the bunch in my opinion, about an encounter with a rural community, simple folk who know The Truth. 5 stars
"Night Fear" (1953) by Frank Belknap Long (1901-1994) Too, too short, definitely not a "novelet." The weakest story. 2.5 stars
" I Am Tomorrow" ( 1952) by Lester del Rey (1915-1993) The longest story, which could have been developed into a novel, about a man who has to kill his future self, the dictator of the world. 4 stars
"Testament of Andros" ( 1953) by James Blish (1921-1975) This story was simply confusing But I like Blish and will give it a full 3 stars.
"The Possessed" (1953) by Arthur C. Clarke ( 1917-2008) Honestly, I expected more from one of the greatest of all SF authors... but a nice enough short story to give it 3 stars.
And that's it--a good collection of stories, all from the Fifties. 3 stars overall.
I have to say that I'm glad that I FINALLY finished this book--more than 60 years later!
Never too late, as "they" say.

[Gil-or (readingbooksinisrael) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Stories worth reading:
...And the Truth Shall Make You Free/Clifford D. Simak
The Chapter Ends/Poul Anderson

[Simon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blish and Clarke are the only decent stories