Robert Sheckley

Robert Sheckley seems to be underappreciated today, but he certainly deserves much larger readership - after all, his short fiction is just as hilarious as the best work of Douglas Adams (definitely on par with Henry Kuttner's stories). Arguably, not all of his prodigious output is of the same quality, but the AAA Ace series, for example, is truly "ace", as well as most of his short story output in the 1950s. I would largely stay away from his novels, as they tend to be somewhat rambling and chaotic. Here's the list of the stories I've read, all rated and some with reviews. Pen-names: Finn O'Donnevan ---------------------------------------------- "The Academy" © IF, Aug 1954 Pilgrimage to Earth, 1957 --/ cool sf story "The Accountant" © F&SF, Jul 1954 Citizen In Space, 1955 --/ cool sf story ---------------------------------------------- "All The Things You Are" © Galaxy, Jul 1956 Pilgrimage to Earth, 1957 --/ cool sf story Very average tale of alien (but really similar to Earth) place, where the guys are discussing problems of Earth and aggression of humans. Boring. review: 07-Jul-06 (read in 1986) ---------------------------------------------- "Alone At Last" © 1956, Infinity Shards Of Space, 1962 --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award --/ emotion award "The Altar" © Fantastic, July 1953 Untouched by Human Hands, 1954 --/ cool sf story "The Alternative Detective" (nv) (Hob Draconian series 1) © Tor / Forge books, 1993 "Ask A Foolish Question" © Science Fiction Stories # 1, 1953 Citizen In Space, 1955 --/ cool sf story ---------------------------------------------- "Bad Medicine" © Galaxy, Jul 1956 Pilgrimage to Earth, 1957 --/ cool sf story --/ adventure award A perturbed person ends up seeing a robot psychiatrist - plus big corporations rule the world, paying a separate police department to enforce brand loyalty. review: 07-Jul-06 (read in 1985) ---------------------------------------------- "The Battle" © IF, Sep 1954 Citizen In Space, 1955 --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award --/ idea award "Beside Still Waters" © Amazing, Oct 1953 Untouched by Human Hands, 1954 --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award --/ style award "The Body" © Galaxy, Apr 1955 Pilgrimage To Earth, 1957 --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award --/ humour award "Budget Planet" © F&SF, Mar 1968 --/ fourth place sf story --/ idea award --/ humour award "Can You Fell Anything When I do This?" © Playboy, Aug 1969 Can You Fell Anything When I do This, 1971 "Citizen In Space" (also as "Spy Story") © Playboy, Sep 1955 Citizen In Space, 1955 --/ cool sf story --/ adventure award "Citizen In Space" (coll) © 1955, Ballantine Books --/ third place sf collection --/ wonder award --/ humour award --/ idea award "Cordle To Onion To Carrot" © Playboy, Dec 1969 "Cost of Living" © Galaxy, Dec 1952 Untouched by Human Hands, 1954 --/ cool sf story "The Cruel Equations" © BOAC Inflight, 1971 Can You Feel Anything When I Do This?, 1971 --/ fourth place sf story --/ adventure award --/ humour award "Dawn Invader" © F&SF, Aug 1957 Notions : Unlimited, 1960 "The Day The Aliens Came" © New Legends, ed. G. Bear, 1995 --short story : 1996 Locus /11 --/ fourth place sf story --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ humour award "Deadhead" © Galaxy, Jul 1955 Pilgrimage to Earth, 1957 --/ cool sf story "The Deaths of Ben Baxter" © Galaxy, Jul 1957 Store of Infinity, 1960 --/ cool sf story --/ adventure award "The Demons" © Fantasy Magazine, Mar 1953 Untouched by Human Hands, 1954 --/ cool sf story "Dimension of Miracles" (nv) © 1968, Dell Books --/ fourth place sf novel --/ wonder award "Diplomatic Immunity" © Galaxy, Aug 1953 The People Trap, 1968 "Disposal Service" © Bluebook, Jan 1955 Pilgrimage to Earth, 1957 --/ cool sf story "Dr. Zombie & His Furry Little Friends" © Can You Fell Anything When I Do This, 1971 --/ fourth place sf story --/ wonder award --/ style award --/ idea award "Double Indemnity" © Galaxy, Jan 1957 Notions : Unlimited, 1960 --/ cool sf story "Down The Digestive Tract" © Galaxy, Feb 1971 Can You Feel Anything When I Do This?, 1971 "Dreamworld" (also as "The Petrified World") © IF, Feb 1968 The People Trap, 1968 --/ cool sf story ---------------------------------------------- "Early Model" © Galaxy, Aug 1956 Pilgrimage to Earth, 1957 --/ fourth place sf story --/ wonder award --/ adventure award --/ humour award Superb example of total Sheckley hilarity. An astronaut goes to a distant planet equipped with the newest model force-field space-suit that comes on automatically at the most inconvenient times, leading the baffled aliens to believe that the astronaut is evil personified. Simply utmost entertainment, highly recommended. review: 23-Jul-06 (read in 1983) ---------------------------------------------- "Earth, Air, Fire & Water" © Astounding, Jul 1955 Pilgrimage to Earth, 1957 --/ cool sf story "Fear In The Night" © Today's Woman, 1952 Pilgrimage To Earth, 1957 --/ cool f story "Feeding Time" © Fantasy, Oct 1953 Notions : Unlimited, 1960 "Fishing Season" © Thrilling Wonder Stories, Aug 1953 The People Trap, 1968 --/ cool sf story --/ idea award "Fool's Mate" © Science Fiction, Mar 1953 Shards Of Space, 1962 --/ cool sf story "Forever" © Galaxy, Feb 1953 Shards Of Space, 1962 "The Fortunate Person" (also as "The Luckiest Man In The World") © Fantastic Universe, Jan 1954 Citizen In Space, 1955 "Game: First Schematic" © Can You Fell Anything When I Do This?, 1971 "Ghost V" (AAA Ace series) © Galaxy, Oct 1954 The People Trap, 1968 --/ second place space sf story --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ style award --/ humour award --/ adventure award ---------------------------------------------- "The Girls And Nugent Miller" © F&SF, Mar 1960 Shards Of Space, 1962 --/ cool sf story --/ humour award Light-weight fare. Our hero is the survivor of a nuclear holocaust who goes off armed with a Geiger counter in search of other survivors only to find the formidable Miss Dennis and her 4 young ladies. review: 07-Jul-06 (read in 1983) ---------------------------------------------- "Godshome" (nv) © Tor Books, 1999 "Gray Flannel Armor" © Galaxy, Nov 1957 Notions: Unlimited, 1960 --/ cool sf story "The Gun Without A Bang" (as by Finn O'Donnevan) © Galaxy, Jun 1958 Store of Infinity, 1960 --/ cool sf story --/ adventure award "Hands Off" © Galaxy, Apr 1954 Citizen in Space, 1955 --/ second place space sf story --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ style award --/ humour award --/ adventure award "Holdout" © F&SF, Dec 1957 Notions: Unlimited, 1960 ---------------------------------------------- "The Hour of Battle" © Space Science Fiction, Sep 1953 --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award Quite an amusing piece: humans send robots to fight against the devils of Hell at Armageddon in order to avoid any human deaths, only to find that the robots get raised from the dead and sent to heaven instead of the humans. review: 04-Jul-06 (read in 1999) ---------------------------------------------- "Human Man's Burden" © Galaxy, Sep 1956 Pilgrimage to Earth, 1957 --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award Great quality from Sheckley! This is a very impressive story from his best period.An asteroid farmer orders a Frontier Model Bride with a low center of gravity, and instead is sent a Deluxe Luxury Model Bride who definitely has a high one. Also featuring "old android spirituals" that robots sing during their work (Sheckley does not give details on that, however. As you can see, this is not just an entertaining story. It is also a shrewd prediction of the convenience (and folly) of an internet shopping and bride-searching. I heard of some dubious websites shipping hamsters as a russian brides - well, not yet. review: 19-Sep-06 (read in 1987) ---------------------------------------------- "The Humours" (also as "Join Now") © Galaxy, Apr 1958 Store Of Infinity, 1960 --/ fourth place sf novella --/ idea award --/ style award "The Hungry" © Fantastic, Aug 1969 --/ cool sf story "Hunting Problem" © Galaxy, Sep 1955 Citizen in Space, 1955 --/ fourth place sf story --/ wonder award --/ adventure award "I See A Man Sitting On A Chair And A Chair Is Biting His Leg" (with Harlan Ellison) © F&SF, Jan 1968 Partners in Wonder, Harlan Ellison, 1971 The Robot Who Looked Like Me, 1982 --/ cool sf story "If The Red Slayer" © Amazing, Sep 1959 Store Of Infinity, 1960 --/ cool sf story ---------------------------------------------- "Immortality, Inc" (nv) (also as "Time Killer") ©Galaxy, Oct 1958 novel : 1959, Bantam Books (exp. from "Immortality Delivered") © 1958, Bourgy Books --novel : 1959 Hugo --/ cool sf novel I thought this is a mediocre novel, but others might find it amusing. Here is a synopsis I found on the web: Man killed in the past in a car accident finds himself revived in the future. In this future, they've proven the existence of a soul, but most people don't have the mental discipline for their soul to survive after death. There are mechanical methods of strengthening the soul, but they're *expensive*. One way to get immortality cheaply is to participate in deadly "reality" games (manhunts to the death, etc. It's legal, if the particpants are made immortal, first.) This is recurring theme of Sheckley's ("The Prize of Peril", et al) review: 06-Jul-06 (read in 1986) ---------------------------------------------- "The Impacted Man" © Astounding, Dec 1952 Untouched by Human Hands, 1954 --/ cool sf story "In A Land Of Clear Colors" © New Constellations, ed. Disch & Naylor, 1976 --/ cool sf story "Join Now" (also as "The Humours") © Galaxy, Apr 1958 Store Of Infinity, 1960 --/ fourth place sf novella --/ idea award --/ style award "Journey Beyond Tomorrow" (nv) © 1962, Dell Books "The Journey of Joenes" (nv) © F&SF, Nov 1962 "Keep Your Shape" (also as "Shape") © Galaxy, Nov 1953 Untouched by Human Hands, 1954 --/ fourth place sf story --/ wonder award --/ idea award ---------------------------------------------- "The King's Wishes" © F&SF, Jul 1953 Untouched by Human Hands, 1954 --/ cool sf story An entertaining, very light-weight story about college of magics, pre-Harry Potter stuff. Forgettable. review: 04-Jul-06 (read in 1986) ---------------------------------------------- "The Language Of Love" © Galaxy, Feb 1957 Notions : Unlimited, 1960 --/ fourth place sf story --/ idea award --/ style award --/ romance award "The Last Days Of (Parallel?) Earth" © After The Fall, ed. R. Sheckley, 1980 "The Last Weapon" © Star SF Stories # 1, ed. F.Pohl, 1953 The People Trap, 1968 --/ third place sf story --/ wonder award --/ adventure award --/ humour award --/ style award "The Laxian Key" (AAA Ace series) © Galaxy, Nov 1954 The People Trap, 1968 --/ fourth place sf story --/ style award "The Leech" © Galaxy, Jun 1952 Notions : Unlimited, 1960 --/ fourth place sf story --/ wonder award --/ adventure award "Legend Of Conquistadors" © F&SF, Apr 2003 --/ cool sf story "The Lifeboat Mutiny" (AAA Ace series) © Galaxy, Apr 1955 Pilgrimage to Earth, 1957 --/ second place space sf story --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ style award --/ humour award --/ adventure award ---------------------------------------------- "Love, Incorporated" (also as "Pilgrimage to Earth" - see) ---------------------------------------------- "The Luckiest Man In The World" (also as "The Fortunate Person") © Fantastic Universe, Jan 1954 Citizen In Space, 1955 "Meeting Of The Minds" © Galaxy, Feb 1960 Shards Of Space, 1962 --/ fourth place sf novella --/ wonder award --/ adventure award "Milk Run" (AAA Ace series) © Galaxy, Sep 1954 Pilgrimage to Earth, 1957 --/ third place space sf story --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ style award --/ humour award --/ adventure award "Mindswap" (nv) © Galaxy, Jun 1965 Delacorte / Signet 1966 --/ cool sf novel "The Minimum Man" © Galaxy, Jun 1958 Store of Infinity, 1960 --/ third place sf novella --/ wonder award --/ adventure award --/ humour award "The Monsters" © F&SF, Mar 1953 Untouched By Human Hands, 1954 --/ fourth place space sf story --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ humour award "Morning After" © Galaxy, Sep 1957 Notions : Unlimited, 1960 --/ cool sf story "The Mountain Without A Name" © Citizen in Space, 1955 --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award "Myryx" (Isaac Asimov's Universe series) © Isaac's Universe Vol.1: The Diplomacy Guild, ed. M. Greenberg, 1990 --/ cool space sf story "The Native Problem" © Galaxy, Dec 1956 Notions: Unlimited, 1960 --/ cool sf story "The Necessary Thing" (AAA Ace series) © Galaxy, Jun 1955 The People Trap, 1968 --/ fourth place space sf story --/ wonder award --/ adventure award --/ humour award --/ idea award "The Never-ending Western Movie" © Science Fiction Discoveries, 1976 The Robot Who Looked Like Me, 1982 --short story : 1977 Locus /12 --/ cool sf novella --/ wonder award "The New Horla" © F&SF, July 2000 "Notions : Unlimited" (coll) © Bantam Books, 1960 --/ fourth place sf collection --/ wonder award --/ style award "The Odor of Thought" © Star SF Stories #2, ed. F.Pohl, 1953 The People Trap, 1968 --/ fourth place sf story --/ idea award --/ wonder award "One Man's Poison" (also as "Untouched By Human Hands") © Galaxy, Mar 1953 Untouched By Human Hands, 1954 --/ third place space sf story --/ wonder award --/ humour award --/ adventure award --/ idea award "Options" (nv) © 1975, Pyramid Books "The Other Mars" (Bradbury's Mars series) © The Bradbury Chronicles, ed. by W. Nolan, 1991 --/ cool space sf story --/ wonder award --/ idea: illusory worlds --/ rare find "Paradise II" © New Worlds, Jul 1955 © Time To Come, ed. A. Derleth, 1954 Notions: Unlimited, 1960 --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award "The People Trap" © F&SF, Jun 1968 The People Trap, 1968 --/ fourth place sf story --/ wonder award --/ style award "The People Trap" (coll) © 1968, Dell Books --/ third place sf collection --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ style award ---------------------------------------------- "The Perfect Woman" © Amazing Stories, Dec 1953 --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award --/ rare find The basis for "Stepford Wives" movie? Here is the synopsis: a man is at a party, and several references are made to "new women". They gossip about a guy who is married to an "old woman" who makes him do the dishes. The guy goes home to his "stepford wife", who suffers some sort of routine, irreparable breakdown. The story ends with some line about "new woman" having all of the desirable characteristics of "old woman", except durability, as he takes her back to the shop. review: 07-Jul-06 (read in 1989) ---------------------------------------------- "The Petrified World" (also as "Dreamworld") © IF, Feb 1968 The People Trap, 1968 --/ cool sf story ---------------------------------------------- "Pilgrimage to Earth" (also as "Love, Incorporated") © Playboy, Sep 1956 --/ fourth place sf story --/ wonder award --/ style award A classic story, highly recommended. Ironic, visual, told with wit and grace, it has all the best ingredients that characterize good Fifties SF: biting social commentary (without being boring), loads of sense-of-wonder, interesting plot and attention to detail. Here is the plot summary from David Horwich: "Alfred Simon, born and raised on a quiet agricultural planet, yearns to visit Earth, where "everything is possible", and find love. He works and saves for years to afford the trip, but once he finally arrives on Earth he learns that it's not what he expected (the poisoned paradise). He's soon disillusioned when he stumbles across a shooting gallery, with live ammunition and live female targets. A naive outworlder on a cynical, jaded planet, Simon does find love -- Love, Inc., which sells him the experience of a night of genuine love. Simon is brutally disappointed when he discovers that the experience was programmed, entirely a commodity, and in his rage he returns to the shooting gallery to vent his anger. The clash of cultures, the poisoned paradise, the ordinary man out of his environment all come together in this disturbing ending" review: 18-Sep-06 (read in 2001) ---------------------------------------------- "Pilgrimage to Earth" (coll) © Bantam Books, 1957 --/ second place sf collection --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ style award --/ adventure award "Potential" © Astounding, Nov 1953 Shards Of Space, 1962 --/ cool sf story "The Prize of Peril" (exp. into "The Tenth Victim") © F&SF, May 1958 Store of Infinity, 1960 --/ third place sf story --/ idea award --/ style award --/ adventure award "Proof of the Pudding" © Galaxy, Aug 1952 The People Trap, 1968 --/ cool sf story "Prospector's Special" © Galaxy, Dec 1959 Shards of Space, 1962 --/ fourth place sf story --/ wonder award --/ adventure award "Protection" © Galaxy, Apr 1956 Pilgrimage to Earth, 1957 --/ cool sf story "Redfern's Labyrinth" © The People Trap, 1968 "Restricted Area" © Amazing, Jun 1953 The People Trap, 1968 --/ fourth place sf story --/ wonder award --/ style award "Ritual" (also as "Strange Ritual") © Climax, 1953 Untouched by Human Hands, 1954 --/ cool f story "Robotgnomics" © 1984, OMNI --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award --/ idea award "The Robot Who Looked Like Me" © Cosmopolitan, 1973 The Robot Who Looked Like Me, 1982 --/ cool sf story "The Seventh Victim" © F&SF, Apr 1953 Untouched by Human Hands, 1954 --/ third place sf story --/ idea award --/ style award --/ adventure award "Shall We Have A Little Talk?" © Galaxy, Oct 1965 The People Trap, 1968 --novelette : 1966 Nebula --/ cool sf story "Shape" (also as "Keep Your Shape") © Galaxy, Nov 1953 Untouched by Human Hands, 1954 --/ fourth place sf story --/ wonder award --/ idea award "Shards Of Space" (coll) © Bantam Books, 1962 --/ fourth place sf collection --/ wonder award --/ style award "Shoes" © F&SF, 2002 --/ cool sf story --/ humour award "Skulking Permit" © Galaxy, Dec 1954 Citizen in Space, 1955 --/ cool sf story "The Slow Season" © F&SF, Oct 1954 Shards Of Space, 1962 --/ cool sf story "Sneak Previews" © Penthouse, Aug 1977 The Robot Who Looked Like Me, 1982 --/ cool sf story "Something for Nothing" © Galaxy, Jun 1954 Citizen in Space, 1955 --/ cool sf story "The Special Exhibit" © Esquire, Oct 1953 Shards Of Space, 1962 --/ humour award "Specialist" © Galaxy, May 1953 Untouched by Human Hands, 1954 --/ third place sf story --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ style award "Spy Story" (also as "Citizen In Space") © Playboy, Sep 1955 Citizen In Space, 1955 --/ cool sf story --/ adventure award "The Store Of The Worlds" (also as "World of Heart's Desire") © Playboy, Oct 1959 Store Of Infinity, 1960 --/ cool sf story --/ idea award --/ style award "Store Of Infinity" (coll) © Bantam Books, 1960 --/ fourth place sf collection --/ wonder award --/ style award "Strange Ritual" (also as "Ritual") © Climax, 1953 Untouched by Human Hands, 1954 --/ cool f story "Street of Dreams, Feet of Clay" © Galaxy, Feb 1968 --/ cool humour sf story --/ wonder award --/ idea: overbearing talking city --/ rare find "Subsistence Level" © Galaxy, Aug 1954 Shards Of Space, 1962 --/ second place space sf story --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ style award --/ emotion award "A Suppliant In Space" © Galaxy, Nov 1973 The Robot Who Looked Like Me, 1982 --/ cool sf story "The Sweeper Of Loray" © Galaxy, Apr 1959 Shards of Space, 1962 --/ cool sf story "The Tenth Victim" (nv) (also as "Prize of Peril") © 1965, Ballantine Books --/ third place sf novel --/ idea award --/ style award --/ adventure award "A Thief In Time" © Galaxy, Jul 1954 Citizen In Space, 1955 --/ cool sf story "A Ticket To Tranai" © Galaxy, Oct 1955 Citizen In Space, 1955 ---------------------------------------------- "Time Killer" (nv) (also as "Immortality, Inc") ©1958, Galaxy, Oct 1959, Bantam Books (abridged version as "Immortality Delivered") © 1958, Bourgy Books Filmed as Freejack (1992) --novel : 1959 Hugo --/ cool sf novel I thought this is a mediocre novel, but others might find it amusing. Here is a synopsis I found on the web: Man killed in the past in a car accident finds himself revived in the future. In this future, they've proven the existence of a soul, but most people don't have the mental discipline for their soul to survive after death. There are mechanical methods of strengthening the soul, but they're *expensive*. One way to get immortality cheaply is to participate in deadly "reality" games (manhunts to the death, etc. It's legal, if the particpants are made immortal, first.) This is recurring theme of Sheckley's ("The Prize of Peril", et al) review: 06-Jul-06 (read in 1986) ---------------------------------------------- "Trap" (as Finn O'Donnevan) © Galaxy, Feb 1956 Pilgrimage to Earth, 1957 --/ fourth place sf story --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ style award "Triplication" © Playboy, Sep 1959 Store Of Infinity, 1960 "The Universal Karmic Cleaning House" © Playboy, Jan 1986 "Untouched By Human Hands" (also as "One Man's Poison") © Galaxy, Mar 1953 Untouched By Human Hands, 1954 --/ third place space sf story --/ wonder award --/ humour award --/ adventure award --/ idea award "Untouched By Human Hands" (coll) © Bantam Books, 1954 --/ third place sf collection --/ wonder award --/ humour award "The Victim From Space" © Galaxy, Apr 1957 The People Trap, 1968 --/ cool sf story "Victim Prime" (nv) (Hunter series 2) © NAL / Signet, 1987 --/ cool sf novel ---------------------------------------------- "Warm" © Galaxy, Jun 1953 Untouched by Human Hands, 1954 --/ fourth place sf story --/ idea award --/ style award Very strong, and unusual for Sheckley story - its all about perceptions. Loved every bit of it. ?Basically there is no form. Man produces gestalts, and cuts form out of the plethora of nothingness.? The protagonist goes on to accept that there is no such thing as man. ?There are only humanizing features that we-myopically- attach to it.? review: 04-Jul-06 (read in 2001) ---------------------------------------------- "Watchbird" © Galaxy, Feb 1953 Notions: Unlimited, 1960 --/ cool sf story --/ idea award "We Are Alone" © Future Science Fiction, Nov 1952 --/ cool sf story --/ idea award --/ rare find "Welcome to the Standard Nightmare" © Nova 3, ed. H. Harrison, 1973 The Robot Who Looked Like Me, 1982 "What Is Life?" © Playboy, Dec 1976 The Robot Who Looked Like Me, 1982 --short story : 1977 World Fantasy Award Poll "Wild Talents Inc." © Fantastic, Sep 1953 Is That What People Do?, 1984 --/ cool sf story "A Wind Is Rising" (as Finn O'Donnevan) © Galaxy, Jul 1957 Notions: Unlimited, 1960 --/ fourth place space sf story --/ wonder award --/ adventure award "World of Heart's Desire" (also as "The Store Of The Worlds") © Playboy, Oct 1959 Store Of Infinity, 1960 --/ cool sf story --/ idea award --/ style award "Zirn Left Unguarded" © Nova # 2, ed. H. Harrison, 1972 The Robot Who Looked Like Me, 1982 --------------------------------------

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