I’ve read some of Brian Aldiss’s SF anthologies (you can read my review of Space Opera here and Galactic Empires here). The centerpiece of Evil Earths is Henry Kuttner’s “Time Trap,” a 100 page novella from 1939 with action and adventure. Kent Mason is an archaeologist hopelessly lost in the desert. When he stumbles into the ruins of the ancient city of Al Bekr, he unknowingly steps into a time portal and finds himself flung into into danger, excitement, and thrills.
Aldiss includes a number of classic SF stories like William Tenn’s “Down Among the Dead Men” where dead human soldiers are reconstituted to fight an alien insect race. “Later Than You Think” is one of Fritz Leiber’s best stories.
Philip K. Dick’s “The Golden Man” captures the essence of what Aldiss writes about in his introductions to these stories: that Earth is in trouble and action needs to be taken…NOW!
Do you remember these stories? GRADE: B+
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
- Evil Earths • (1976) • interior artwork by Frank R. Paul
- vii • Introduction (Evil Earths) • (1975) • essay by Brian W. Aldiss
- 3 • “What Is Wrong? What Is Right? Anyway, We’re Here…” • (1975) • essay by Brian W. Aldiss
- 5 • The Last Word • [Claude Adams] • (1955) • short story by Charles Beaumont and Chad Oliver
- 17 • Film of Death • (1948) • short story by John Scott Campbell [as by J. Scott Campbell]
- 32 • The Wound • (1970) • short story by Howard Fast
- 47 • Three Green Blades of Grass • (1975) • essay by Brian W. Aldiss
- 51 • The Golden Man • (1954) • novelette by Philip K. Dick
- 84 • Guest Expert • (1951) • short story by Allen Kim Lang [as by Allen K. Lang]
- 87 • The Valley • (1954) • short story by Richard Stockham
- 107 • Dark They Were and Golem-Eyed • (1975) • essay by Brian W. Aldiss
- 110 • Down Among the Dead Men • (1954) • novelette by William Tenn
- 136 • Among the Hairy Earthmen • (1966) • short story by R. A. Lafferty
- 149 • Later Than You Think • (1950) • short story by Fritz Leiber
- 159 • Yesterday, Tomorrow, and the Desert • (1975) • essay by Brian W. Aldiss
- 161 • The Time Trap • (1938) • novella by Henry Kuttner
- 271 • Towards the Fall of Night • (1975) • essay by Brian W. Aldiss
- 274 • The Men Return • (1957) • short story by Jack Vance
- 284 • Heresies of the Huge God • (1966) • short story by Brian W. Aldiss
- 296 • “If I Forget Thee, Oh Earth …” • (1951) • short story by Arthur C. Clarke
- 301 • Night • [Twilight • 2] • (1935) • short story by John W. Campbell, Jr.