The Best of Edmond Hamilton / ed. by Leigh Brackett
Garden City, NY : N. Doubleday, 1977.4. –
xvii, 334 p. ; 22 cm. – (Book Club Edition ; 1561) LCCN: 77-155163
Cover: Don Maitz
Contents:
• Fifty Years of Wonder • (1977) • essay by Leigh Brackett
• The Monster-God of Mamurth • (1926) • shortstory by Edmond Hamilton
• The Man Who Evolved • (1931) • shortstory by Edmond Hamilton
• A Conquest of Two Worlds • (1932) • novelette by Edmond Hamilton
• The Island of Unreason • (1933) • shortstory by Edmond Hamilton
• Thundering Worlds • (1934) • novelette by Edmond Hamilton
• The Man Who Returned • (1934) • shortstory by Edmond Hamilton
• The Accursed Galaxy • (1935) • shortstory by Edmond Hamilton
• In the World’s Dusk • (1936) • shortstory by Edmond Hamilton
• Child of the Winds • (1936) • shortstory by Edmond Hamilton
• The Seeds from Outside • (1937) • shortstory by Edmond Hamilton
• Fessenden’s Worlds • (1937) • shortstory by Edmond Hamilton
• Easy Money • (1938) • shortstory by Edmond Hamilton
• He That Hath Wings • (1938) • novelette by Edmond Hamilton
• Exile • (1943) • shortstory by Edmond Hamilton
• Day of Judgment • (1946) • shortstory by Edmond Hamilton
• Alien Earth • (1949) • novelette by Edmond Hamilton
• What’s It Like Out There? • (1952) • novelette by Edmond Hamilton
• Requiem • (1962) • shortstory by Edmond Hamilton
• After a Judgement Day • (1963) • shortstory by Edmond Hamilton
• The Pro • (1964) • shortstory by Edmond Hamilton
• Castaway • (1969) • shortstory by Edmond Hamilton
• Afterword (The Best of Edmond Hamilton) • (1977) • essay by Edmond Hamilton
High Adventure, heroism and great storytelling!
Edmond Hamilton’s remarkable career as a science fiction author spans half a century and is still going strong. His first story, “The Monster-God of Mamurth,” appeared in the August 1926 issue of Weird Tales and foreshadowed what was to become Hamilton’s trademark for years to come: the action-adventure story, strong on suspense and atmosphere, spiced with a delight in the alien and the strange. It was “World-Wrecker” Edmond Hamilton who, more than anybody, opened up the far horizons of science fiction, taking it beyond Earth out to the farthest stars, and still onward to other mysterious unexplored universes.
This mind-expanding collection, edited with an introduction by SF author Leigh Brackett (Hamilton’s wife), presents 21 of his fines works from that earliest 1926 story, through Hamilton’s acclaimed modern day writings. Some of the tales includes:
“The Man Who Returned.” A medical miracle brings John Woodford back from the dead. But there’s little happiness in store for him or his loved ones once he leaves the peace and safety of his crypt ….
“The Seeds from Outside.” Strange alien seeds take root on a hillside and begin growing into human-like creatures – one male, the other female. A roving artist discovers them and falls madly in love with the feminine plant … only to find he’s barking up the wrong tree!
“He That Hath Wings.” David Rand was a normal, handsome young man in every respect – save one. He was born with wings. Having grown up in isolation, his finally had to face the desperate choice of amputating his wings to live with society or soaring on the winds and living forever alone.
“Easy Money.” What are the consequences of beaming a professional prize fighter halfway across the galaxy to a planet of crazed little aliens? Old Dr. Murtha found out when slightly punchy Slugger Martin volunteered for the not-so-easy money.
“In the World’s Dusk.” The last man on Earth tries determinedly to find some company. He puts life into corpses, but they are just walking dead. He snatches people from the past, but the time voyage destroys their minds. Finally there’s only one thing left to do, but is it worth the fire price of failure?
Bound to excite and stir the imagination. THE BEST OF EDMOND HAMILTON is a fitting testimonial to one of science fiction’s founding fathers.
Book Reviews:
- Analog. 97(8):170-172. August 1977. (L. del Rey)
- A Book of Weird Tales. 74(5):462. November 1, 1977. (D. Miller)
- Booklist. 74(1):462. 1977.
- Kliatt Paperback Book Guide. 12(1):13. Winter 1978. (R.B.)
- Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction. 53(5):18-20. November 1977. (Budrys)
- Publishers Weekly. 212(1):74. July 4, 1977.
- Science Fiction Review. 23:76-77. November 1977. (D. Schweitzer)
- Son of WSFA Journal. 90:R7-R10. May 1978. (M. Wooster)
