There’s a lot to like in The Best From Fantasy and Science Fiction 18th Series. J. G. Ballard is at the top of his game in “The Cloud-Sculptors of Coral D,” a “Vermillion Sands” story. Robert Sheckley’s “The People Trap” is full of surprises.
My favorite story in this anthology is Ron Goulart’s “Muscadine.” Barry N. Malzberg’s “Final War” (written under his K. M. O’Donnell pseudonym) approaches classic status in capturing the insanity of War. And, you’ll be thinking about “I Have My Vigil” by Harry Harrison long after you finish reading it.
I’m including the cover of the hardcover version of The Best From Fantasy and Science Fiction, Eighteenth Series and its Table of Contents below so you can see the differences in the two editions. GRADE: B+
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
- 5 Cartoons • (1969) • interior artwork by Gahan Wilson
- 1 • Introduction (The Best from Fantasy and Science Fiction: 18th Series) • (1969) • essay by Edward L. Ferman
- 9 • The Cloud-Sculptors of Coral D • [Vermilion Sands] • (1967) • short story by J. G. Ballard
- 28 • The People Trap • (1968) • short story by Robert Sheckley
- 49 • In His Own Image • (1968) • short story by Lloyd Biggle, Jr.
- 64 • Ogre! • (1968) • novelette by Edward Jesby
- 97 • Lunatic Assignment • (1968) • short story by Sonya Dorman
- 108 • Gifts from the Universe • (1968) • short story by Leonard Tushnet
- 120 • Sundown • (1967) • novelette by David Redd
- 146 • Beyond the Game • (1968) • short story by Vance Aandahl
- 153 • Sea Home • (1968) • novelette by William M. Lee
- 182 • That High-Up Blue Day That Saw the Black Sky-Train Come Spinning • (1968) • short story by David R. Bunch
- 189 • Muscadine • (1968) • short story by Ron Goulart
- 201 • Final War • (1968) • novelette by Barry N. Malzberg [as by K. M. O’Donnell]
- 237 • I Have My Vigil • (1968) • short story by Harry Harrison
- 241 • The Egg of the Glak • (1968) • novelette by Harvey Jacobs
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
- Lunatic Assignment • (1968) • short story by Sonya Dorman
- In His Own Image • (1968) • short story by Lloyd Biggle, Jr.
- I Have My Vigil • (1968) • short story by Harry Harrison
- The Egg of the Glak • (1968) • novelette by Harvey Jacobs
- Final War • (1968) • novelette by Barry N. Malzberg [as by K. M. O’Donnell]
- Muscadine • (1968) • short story by Ron Goulart
- Beyond the Game • (1968) • short story by Vance Aandahl
- Sea Home • (1968) • novelette by William M. Lee
- The People Trap • (1968) • short story by Robert Sheckley
- Sundown • (1967) • novelette by David Redd
- The Cloud-Sculptors of Coral D • [Vermilion Sands] • (1967) • short story by J. G. Ballard
- That High-Up Blue Day That Saw the Black Sky-Train Come Spinning • (1968) • short story by David R. Bunch
- Gifts from the Universe • (1968) • short story by Leonard Tushnet
- Ogre! • (1968) • novelette by Edward Jesby
- 5 Cartoons • interior artwork by Gahan Wilson
The Malzberg, Ballard, and Sheckley, are the best here. I don’t even remember the rest and I know i read this.
Steve, the really good stories–Malzberg, Ballard, and Sheckley–raise the grade of this anthology. But, there are some weak stories, too.
You must own a remarkable number of anthologies.
Patti, I easily have over a 1000 anthologies…mostly Science Fiction and Mysteries. My problems are storage (I’m running out out of space!) and finding time to read anthologies. I already have a dozen Library books that need to be read soon because I can’t re-new them because they have holds.
In the Sixties and Seventies I was wowed by Vance Aandahl’s stories; his ingenuity was amazing. I wish he had written more stories — his last was published in the Nineties.
Another great anthology. Even the weaker stories are eminently readable.
Jerry, the standard of quality at THE MAGAZINE OF FANTASY & SCIENCE FICTION was pretty high in those days. It’s fun to revisit some of these stories after decades have passed.
I think I remember that particular David Redd story; he has been another of the occasional writers, along with Aandahl and definitely Jesby, as opposed to the prolific multifarious stalwarts that Barry Malzberg and Harry Harrison have been (with David Bunch falling somewhat intentionally erratically toward a middle ground, publishing widely where he could find a receptive editor), that F&SF has always been a good market and showcase for. A better than average cover for the Doubleday edition, and a sadly-typical bad cover for the Ace editions, particularly throughout the 1970s (they tended to get uglier and uglier).
Todd, by this time EMSH moved on from painting SF magazine covers to higher Art Work. Many of the other SF paperback cover artists moved on to higher paying jobs. This was the beginning of the bland artwork phase.