I’ve been a fan of Ron Goulart’s humorous Science Fiction stories for decades. What’s Become of Screwloose? and Other Inquiries (1971) collects Goulart stories featuring robots and Artificial Intelligences that don’t quite work right. For example, in the first story in this book, “What’s Become of Screwloose?”, a private investigator is attacked by an electric dishwasher. In “Into the Shop,” a futuristic society has granted absolute power of law enforcement to machines. And, of course, things get out of hand.
I also enjoyed “The Yes-Men of Venus” which is a pastiche of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Mars novels. I enjoyed all the stories in What’s Become of Screwloose? and Other Inquiries. Ron Goulart’s sense of humor and ability to make his robots slightly human results in fun stories with a dire warning about the intelligent machines in our Future. GRADE: A-
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
What’s become of screwloose? — 9
Junior partner — 24
Hardcastle — 35
Into the shop — 44
Prez — 55
Confessions — 72
Monte Cristo complex — 93
The yes-men of Venus — 102
Keeping an eye on Janey — 112
Hobo jungle — 125
Me too!
When I read his first stories I felt like reading an updated, more humorous Asimov.
ASlways preferred his short stories, the novels sometimes felt a bit too long.
Wolf, I have a collection of Goulart’s crime short stories yet to read. You’re right about his resemblance to Asimov in humorous short stories.
Rather more deft and grounded than Asimov’s tend to be.
Todd, Asimov was more of an idea guy than a deft writer.
Budrys noted he basically looked at short stories as a form of essay. But occasionally his fiction was elevated…just not too often in intentionally humorous shorts.
Great choice, George! Goulart has always been an underrated writer. Very few have been able to merge humor and science fiction as well as he has.
Jerry, I have more Goulart on my shelves. Some of Eric Frank Russell’s SF stories had a strong comic feel to them. And then, of course, there’s WASP.
And Goulart’s fantasy even better. His crime fiction also, as you note, excellent.
Todd, I blundered about a year ago. I ran across a number of TEK-WAR hardcovers by “William Shatner” (but later I learned they were ghost-written by Ron Goulart). I passed on them, and now regret not buying them. I like Goulart’s work no matter what pseudonym he was using.
I’ve read a couple of other of Goulart’s humorous short story collections, but not this one. There is no ebook, but I’ve reserved a copy at the library. His are always short, fast reads.
Jeff, Goulart’s short stories are short, fast, and frequently funny reads.
Haven’t read him for years but remember liking his stories. Just looked this up on Amazon. Pretty pricey for a nice copy.
Steve, if I find a copy of WHAT’S BECOME OF SCREWLOOSE I’ll send it to you.
I wonder if anyone has seen INSIDE NINE, which is on Amazon Prime. It’s an anthology that has a variety of genre stories. Some sound like this.
Patti, I watched INSIDE NINE and enjoyed it.
Not being a fan of SF, this sounds very interesting to me. Do you know if it was released in audio book format? I kinda doubt it, and that seems to be the only way these days I can get to most books.
I am getting better about making time to read (for review). I also am keeping to my goal of getting thru magazines that have been stacking up. I get about 20 each month, only pay for one now that I didn’t renew bon appetit. How I got on those lists is a mystery to me. Sadly, with the covid restrictions, they go into recycling when I’m done
Maggie, I have the same problem. I’ve loaded a dozen boxes with books (mostly best sellers) and music CDs that I have no interest in anymore (and are unlikely to reread or listen to). But none of our local Libraries are accepting donations at this time. I’m hoping things open up later in the Spring.
I do like stories about robots and AIs and I will be looking for a copy of this one. And I love the cover.
Tracy, you’ll enjoy Goulart’s clever robot/AI stories. The cover is by Josh Kirby who did a lot of DAW covers in that era.
“Into the Shop” is one of my all-time favorite short stories. It was filmed once for the sf anthology series Welcome to Paradox, but it wasn’t a particularly successful adaptation.
Goulart has said that he has written under many pseudonyms, but by far his most successful was “William Shatner,” and if he’d known that he’d have started using it earlier.
Jeff, I knew someone was ghost-writing Shatner’s TEK novels, but I didn’t realize it was Ron Goulart. I kick myself for not picking up those hardcover TEK novels when I had the chance.