Thu 9 Sep 2021
Diary Review: FUTURE SCIENCE FICTION June 1954.
Posted by Steve under Diary Reviews , Science Fiction & Fantasy[4] Comments
FUTURE SCIENCE FICTION. June 1954. Cover by Ed Emshwiller [as by Emsh]. Overall rating: 3 stars.
IRVING COX, JR. “Peace on Earth.†Novelet. Aliens bring Earth love and peace, actually a test for galactic citizenship. Length adds little (2)
SAM SACKETT “Hail to the Chief.†Short novel. A processor of political science gets a chance to put his theories into practice. Unknown to the mass of American people, a group of the intellectually elite has been secretly ruling the country, and they ask Logan to join them. But he becomes disillusioned and attempts the murder of the Chief. Quite a fascinating hypothesis, with better than average character analysis. (4)
PHILIP K. DICK “Sales Pitch.†An unwanted self-selling robot attaches itself to a man and wife. Commuter rocket travel described exactly like freeway traffic? (1)
SAM MERWIN, JR. “The Intimate Invasion.†A bathroom is the location of a bridge between parallel worlds. Invasion through romance is foiled. (2)
GORDON R. DICKSON “Rescue.†A spaceman discovers lost colony, but the inhabitants do not plan on being rescued. (4)
September 9th, 2021 at 5:58 pm
I believe that Sam Sackett was a well-known SF fan at the time. In real life, according to Goodreads, “Ph.D. UCLA. 23 years Professor of English at Fort Hays (KS) State University. Published KANSAS FOLKLORE, COWBOYS AND THE SONGS THEY SANG, E.W. HOWE. Burned out. Became newspaper reporter, director of creative services at an advertising agency, assignments manager of a public relations agency. By this time was an expert on career change and became first senior associate and finally vice president of career management firm. Retired.”
September 9th, 2021 at 6:04 pm
Although I was not impressed with Philip Dick’s story (and I’d been a fan of his for at least five years), I’m sure it’s still in print in one of the many collections of his work.
September 9th, 2021 at 7:14 pm
Funny how once in a while in one of these the standout story will be a lesser known writer amid some fairly big names.
November 28th, 2021 at 5:38 pm
Not all that surprising with FUTURE, which by the ’50s was intelligently edited by Robert Lowndes, but consistently starved for editorial budget…so the Names would use it as a salvage market, and Lowndes would read the slush piles through for new talent. And, in the ’50s, he essentially “discovered” Carol Emshwiller and Edward Hoch. Among other less flabbergasting talents…he’d be the first professionally publish Stephen King and F. Paul Wilson in the ’60s, in even more impoverished circumstances at STARTLING MYSTERY and its stablemates.