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Dwight V. Swain



"The Giant Killer" (nv)
© Imaginative Tales, May 1958

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"Henry Horn's Super-Solvent"
(Henry Horn series)
© Fantastic Adventures, Nov 1941
--/ fourth place sf story
--/ wonder award
--/ awesome scale
--/ rare find

Surprise! Dwight V. Swain's output in the 1950's pulps mostly left me unimpressed, but here he tackles good old "mad scientist unleashes a doom upon the world" story with great enjoyment. Sometimes there is a place and a craving for the classic fare, and this Wells / Gernsbeck-styled offering hits all the sweet spots. A universal solvent is unleashed this time, pretty impossible to contain, catch or eradicate. It dissolves, perfectly, everything in its path, and even when it hits the Rocky mountains, it does not stop there. Great visuals, and unexpectedly smooth entertainment from this writer.

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"The Horde From Infinity" (nv)
© Imaginative Tales, May 1957

"Shayla's Garden"
© Fantastic Adventures, Nov 1942
--/ fourth place dark f story
--/ wonder award
--/ idea: were-birds
--/ shock value
--/ rare find

"Stay Out Of Space!" (nv)
© Imaginative Tales, Jan 1958

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"SF&F Reading Experience" is part of "Dark Roasted Blend / Thrilling Wonder" family of sites. We try to highlight the most entertaining and rewarding science fiction and fantasy, with emphasis on memorable reader experience, not necessarily general acceptance by the critics. Have fun, and delve into our extensive ratings and reviews!

Most reviews are written by Avi Abrams, unless otherwise noted. Reviews also appear on our unique historical retrospective page Wonder Timeline of Science Fiction. Feel free to submit your own review, if a particular story is not listed here.


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