FORGOTTEN BOOKS #404: IF THIS GOES WRONG… Edited by Hank Davis


I’ve been a big fan of Hank Davis’s anthologies for BAEN BOOKS. If This Goes Wrong… was published this week. It follows the tried-and-true Hank Davis method: mix some classic Science Fiction stories with some new SF stories. This time, Hank Davis includes two Heinlein stories and two Fredric Brown stories. I also enjoyed rereading Fritz Leiber’s “The Creature from the Cleveland Depths.” It’s still not too late to buy A Cosmic Chirstmas, A Cosmic Christmas 2 You, Future Wars, In Space No One Can Hear You Scream, and As Time Goes By. Great stories and fun reading! Reading these books would really make your New Year jolly!
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
“Complaint” by Robert a. Heinlein, first appeared as part of a private letter dated November 30, 1975. First public publication was in New Worlds to Conquer, Volume XXXIV of the Virginia Edition of the Complete Works of Robert A. Heinlein, ©2010 The Virginia Edition. Reprinted with the permission of the Robert A. and Virginia Heinlein Prize Trust, and the Spectrum Literary Agency.

“Moxon’s Master” by Ambrose Bierce, originally appeared in Can Such Things Be, © 1893, Cassell Publishing Company. The story is in the public domain.

“Whiskaboom” by Alan Arkin, originally appeared in Galaxy, August 1955, © 1955 Galaxy Publishing Co. The story is in the public domain.

“Computers Don’t Argue” by Gordon R. Dickson, originally appeared in Analog, September 1965, © 1965 by Conde Nast. Reprinted by permission of David Wixon, agent for the authog’s estate.

“The Snowball Effect” by Katherine MacLean, originally appeared in Galaxy, September 1952. © 1952 by Galaxy Publishing Corp. Reprinted by permission of the author and the author’s agents, the Virginia Kidd Agency.

“Well Worth the Money” by Jody Lynn Nye, originally appeared in Don’t Forget Your Spacesuit, Dear, Baen, 1996. © 1996 by Jody Lynn Nye. Reprinted with the permission of the author.

“Tic Toc” by Sarah A. Hoyt, appears here for the first time. © 2017 by Sarah A. Hoyt. Published by permission of the author.

“Day of Truce” by Clifford D. Simak, originally appeared in Galaxy, February 1963, © 1963 Galaxy Publishing Corp. Reprinted by permission of David Wixon, agent for the author’s estate.

“A Subway Named Moebius” by A. J. Deutsch originally appeared in Astounding Science-Fiction, December, 1950. © 1950, Street & Smith Publishing. The story is in the public domain.

“Experiment” by Fredric Brown, originally appeared in Angels and Spaceships, E. P.
Dutton & Co. © 1954 by Fredric Brown. Reprinted by permission of Barry Malzberg for the author’s estate.

“Answer” by Fredric Brown, originally appeared in Galaxy, February 1954. © by Fredric
Brown. Reprinted by permission of Barry Malzberg for the author’s estate.

“Manners of the Age” by H. B. Fyfe, originally appeared in Galaxy, March 1952. © 1952 by Galaxy Publishing Corporation. The story is in the public domain.

“The Dwindling Sphere” by Richard E. F. Hawkins, originally appeared in Astounding Science-Fiction, March 1940, © Street & Smith Publications. The story is in the public domain.

“The Creature from Cleveland Depths” by Fritz Leiber, originally appeared in Galaxy, December 1962, © 1962, Galaxy Publishing Corp. Reprinted with the permission of Richard Meredith Associates for the author’s estate.

“Time Fuze” by Randall Garrett, originally appeared in If: Worlds of Science Fiction, March 1954. © 1954 by . The story is in the public domain.

“—And He Built a Crooked House” by Robert A. Heinlein, originally appeared in Astounding Science-Fiction, 1940, © 1940 by Street & Smith Publications. Reprinted with the permission of the Robert A. and Virginia Heinlein Prize Trust, and the Spectrum Literary Agency.

21 thoughts on “FORGOTTEN BOOKS #404: IF THIS GOES WRONG… Edited by Hank Davis

  1. wolfi

    As with all those anthologies I’ve probably read more than half of the old stories – somehow I don’t get it that the same stories are always rpublished …

    But anyway I have to confess that I’m not reading as many books as I used to – is this a sign of getting old?

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Wolf, like you I’ve read about half the stories in IF THIS GOES WRONG… over the years. I like Hank Davis’s method of including some new stories, too.

      Reply
  2. Todd Mason

    I see a typo on Katherine MacLean’s name above, and the citation of “Moxon’s Master” and its first publication opens up one of those little cans of worms for me…was it first published in the collection CAN SUCH THINGS BE?, possible but unlikely, in 1893, or (as often cited) in the San Francisco Examiner, for Apr 16 1899? Might it have been added to later editions of the collection? Etc. Haven’t read Hoyt’s fiction, so much as her Tea Puppy blather…is she any good as a fiction writer? Certainly some good old chestnuts here, including some which have become obscure…

    Reply
    1. Todd Mason

      Turns out ISFDB confirms that the 1899 publication of “Moxon’s Master” is correct, and that the first edition of CAN SUCH THINGS BE? which included the story was the 1910 third edition. So, that small bone disposed of!

      Reply
      1. Todd Mason

        I figure you must have found this acknowledgements page on the Baen site or something like it…(typo’d a “Bawn” above…I like the sound of that, and Lin Carter would’ve liked it more)…pity they weren’t looking more closely! Just enough of a burr under the mental saddle to make me want to look into it.

  3. Rick Robinson

    I like Hank Davis’ anthologies too. I’ve read abut half of the stories in this one. My rule of thumb is that if I’ve read ha;f or more I won’t buy it, and if it’s not available at the library, it’s a skip. I haven’t checked the library on this one yet.

    Reply

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