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Simak is always good, and this is off to a great start!

This is one terrible book.

I could almost believe English is not Masterton's first language, so poor is his prose.

"Ginny Wrapped in the Sun" by R. A. Lafferty (1967). I didn't understand a word of this. Sorry R. A.

"The Man Who Never Forgot" by Robert Silverberg (1957). You might think that the mutation of perfect memory would be pretty good. This story will make you think again... Surprisingly upbeat ending, though.

"Ozymandias" by Terry Carr (1972). Horribly degenerated humans of a distant future plunder the stores of their technological ancestors, without any understanding of what they are doing.

"Hothouse" by Brian W. Aldiss 1960). In the far, far future the Earth has stopped turning. Life has mutated beyond all recognition in order to adapt to these new conditions. A genuine classic of science fantasy.

"Riddle Me This..." by Christopher Anvil. Old-school skiffy silliness with lobster-shaped aliens being outfoxed by gallant spacers and their 'symbiotic computer' with a mind of its own. Quite good fun, though.

"Liquid Life" by Ralph Milne Farley (1936). A humorous bit of pulp nonsense about a virus that mutates into a threat to the world. Has a decent early stab at invoking an intelligent 'hive mind'.

"The Conqueror" by Mark Clifton (1952). Gently allegorical tale revolving around the constantly mutating nature of dahlias.

The Greatest Asset by Isaac Asimov. A lunar scientist creates the field of applied ecology in the hope of saving the world. Typical Asimov story about the value of the inquiring mind.

"Let the Ants Try" by Frederik Pohl (1949). Mutation story meets Time Travel story. A time traveller takes mutated ants into the past to unite mankind against a common enemy, with results unexpected by no one except him.

"The Mute Question" by Forrest J. Ackerman (1950). Meh - silly two-pager about a mutant with too many heads talking to a mutant with not enough heads.

"It's a Good Life" by Jerome Bixby (1953). Yes, the story that gave us that classic Twilight Zone episode. Little Anthony is born with almost god-like powers, and the inhabitants of Peaksville have learned to tiptoe around him - both physically and mentally - for fear of what he might do to them. A classic example of 'less is more', as so much of the stories power comes from what is NOT explained.

"Tomorrow's Children" by Poul Anderson and F. N. Waldrop (1947). I'd never heard of this story before, but it is a genuine cracker! According to the editors notes it is Anderson's first published work, so he really hit the ground running! After Nuclear World War, the survivors find their children born mutated in many ways. Will they accept them as the future of mankind, or try to stay 'pure'?

Truck Driver by Rob Chilson. A very light and cliche filled piece of nonsense - maybe meant for a younger audience? Our hero pilots her space truck with her purse on her lap and a control panel decorated with nail varnish. Our villains have black outfits and moustaches. You get the idea...

A Matter of Sovereignty by Jerry Pournelle (writing as Wade Curtis) - A multi-national company is struggling to maintain its profit margin in a world spiralling into ecological disaster. In Pournelle's world might is right and cash is king. 2 out of 5