Early Days: More Tales from the Pulp Era

Silverberg, a “wildly prolific” SFWA Grand Master and winner of many awards, celebrates his five-decade writing career with a collection of “straightforward tales of action” that were originally published in pulp magazines from 1956 to 1958 and may hold little appeal for today’s readers. In his introduction, Silverberg describes them as good examples of “a lost tradition in science fiction,” and his substantial author notes before each story provide context and chatty descriptions. For the most part, these are fast-paced, formulaic stories of action. “Six Frightened Men,” “The Ultimate Weapon,” “A Time for Revenge,” “Slaves of the Tree,” and “The Aliens Were Haters” offer space explorers investigating alien worlds. “Puppets Without Strings,” the dystopian “The Inquisitor,” and the problematic romance of “Housemaid No. 103” all deliver Twilight Zone twists. Others, such as “Rescue Mission” and “Harwood’s Vortex,” are straight-up adventure tales, and “Quick Freeze,” “Planet of Parasites,” and “The Traders” are traditional puzzle stories. These works evoke an era when men were leaders and women were content with “frills,” “lace,” and “sentimental slush,” hoping to be “still attractive at thirty-five.” This collection is best left to Silverberg completists and hardcore fans of pulp SF. Agent: Chris Lotts, Lotts Agency. (Sept.)