The Grayspace Beast

by Gordon Eklund

Stated First Edition in near fine condition. Remainder spray to the bottom page block & a few tiny dust spots to the top edge of the page block else fine in dj.

183 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1976

About the author

Gordon Eklund is a Nebula Award-winning, American science fiction author whose works include the "Lord Tedric" series and two of the earliest original novels based on the 1960s Star Trek TV series. He has written under the pen name Wendell Stewart, and in one instance under the name of the late E. E. "Doc" Smith (1890-1965).

Eklund's first published SF short story, "Dear Aunt Annie", ran in the April 1970 issue of Fantastic magazine and was nominated for a Nebula Award. Eklund won the Nebula for Best Novelette for the 1974 short story "If the Stars Are Gods", co-written with Gregory Benford. The two expanded the story into a full-length novel of the same title, published in 1977.

In his teens, Eklund was a member of a Seattle SF fan club, The Nameless Ones, and in 1977, Eklund was a guest of honor at the 1977 SF convention Bubonicon 9, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Cushing Memorial Library of Texas A&M University has a "Gordon Eklund Collection" housing the typed manuscript of the story "The Stuff of Time".

Eklund has retired from a long career with the U.S. Postal Service, and is considering writing full-time again. He's a member of the Fantasy Amateur Press Association and the Spectator Amateur Press Society.

Reviews

[Craig]

The Grayspace Beast is a quick, slick adventure with a decided YA flair, though it was not marketed as such. It's told in a kind of a tale-around-the-campfire format and translates fantasy tropes into sf idiom. It's more of a knight-in-training/quest-to-slay-a-dragon tale than anything. It's a fast but pleasant unremarkable tale with quirky yet somehow bland characters.

[Stephen Rowland]

Lacking the unique voice and originality of the other Eklund books I've read, and I'm afraid this may be he more usual style, which is not in any way notable.

[SciFiOne]

1978 grade C+