I always liked the surreal cover by Dick Shelton on the hardcover edition of The Best from Fantasy and Science Fiction, Sixth Series. The ACE cover is a little busy for my taste. This anthology presents one of Poul Anderson’s most famous stories, “The Man Who Came Early,” an accidental Time Travel story. Anthony Boucher also includes Anderson’s Conan-pastiche, “The Barbarian.” “And Now the News…” shows Theodore Sturgeon at his best. C. M. Kornbulth’s “The Cosmic Expense Account” will bend your mind.
The Best from Fantasy and Science Fiction, Sixth Series continues to present excellent SF short stories from a changing mix of writers. GRADE: B+
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Introduction / [Anthony Boucher] — i
The cosmic expense account / C.M. Kornbluth — 9
Mr. Sakrison’s halt / Mildred Clingerman — 36
The Asa rule / Jay Williams — 45
King’s evil / Avram Davidson — 67
The census takers / Frederik Pohl — 78
The man who came early / Poul Anderson — 87
Final clearance / Rachel Maddux — 116
The silk and the song / Charles L. Fontenay — 126
The shoddy lands / C.S. Lewis — 158
The last present / Will Stanton — 167
No man pursueth / Ward Moore — 172
I don’t mind / Ron Smith — 213
The barbarian / Poul Anderson — 215
And now the news… / Theodore Sturgeon — 226
Icarus Montgolfier Wright / Ray Bradbury — 250
I had the Ace edition as a kid. Again, a lot of good writers. The Kornbluth and the Sturgeon are probably the best stories here. I know I liked Poul Anderson’s The Man Who Came Early but haven’t reread it in almost 60 years so I don’t know how well it holds up.
Steve, same here: I read “The Man Who Came Early” decades ago. But rereading it, brought back that Sense of Wonder!
It makes its point!
Another good collection of authors. I agree with you on the covers.
Jeff, ACE Books always went with the more lurid covers on their books.
George, you have made me interested in SF. Will see whether I can get a collection of stories to start with.
Neeru, I highly recommend Robert Silverberg’s SF anthology: Science Fiction: 101: Exploring the Craft of Science Fiction. That gives you a broad range of SF writers and stories.
A strong anthology. Boucher always did a good job.
Rick, Anthony Boucher stops editing THE BEST FROM FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION series after Series Eight (1959). But I plan to continue to review the entire 25 book series.
Sensawonda! One word! Your pernicious influence finally got to me and I bought a year’s best s-f stories collection! I’m too lazy to go downstairs and see which one but I’ll eventually read all the stories!
Bob, I have dozens of YEAR’S BEST SF anthologies still to read! Just this survey of THE BEST FROM FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION series will take me another 19 months to complete!
I’ve never read this volume, though I have read about half the stories…
Todd, I bought hardcore copies of THE BEST FROM FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION series haphazardly over the years. When I get to Volume 21, I’ll reveal a Secret I learned!