Twelve stories from 1937,42,46,48,49,50,51. Nothing to write home about. There are a few that stand out in this collection but may not do the same in an anthology. Favorites:
“Vital Factor” (1951): – A rich man wants to be the first to give the planet space flight for his own glory He offers a lot of money to anyone who can get a spaceship off the ground. After the lunatic fringe gets through one man has the answer.
“Conqueror’s Isle” (1946) – During world war two a plane gets damaged on the way back to its aircraft carrier. The pilot and crew manage to get to an uncharted island. One man tells a base psychiatrist what they found and the threat it poses to the entire planet. Everyone thinks he’s crazy.
“Life Goes On” (1950) – Two men take off in a shuttle after their spaceship crashes. One shoves the other out of the airlock figuring only one can survive. Out in space the man is still alive thanks to a microscopic race. He makes plans.
“And Lo! The Bird” (1950) – An astronomer spots an object near Pluto heading for the Sun. As it gets closer the object turns out to be a giant bird. The theory is that it thinks the Earth and other planets are its eggs and it has come to hatch them.
“The Silent Planet” (1951) – A starship is on its way outside the solar system to find life. The crew discover a planet which is packed with statues.
Nelson S.Bond
