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Fantasite, v. 1, issue 5, September 1941
Page 23
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/AMONG THE HAMS AND PROS/ Joseph Gilbert -- representing -- Harry Jenkins, Jr. "The Columbia Camp" ---------------------------- PROS Astounding: August. Harry couldn't see the Rogers cover, but it struck me as being rather good. "Nightfall" by that conceited and precocious brat, Asimov, is an excellent story with a striking plot, and very clever development. "Test of the Gods" is a rewrite of Amelia Reynolds Long's "When Half-Gods Go," and not such a hot rewrite at that. "Mission" is so-so, "Elsewhere" ditto, "Methusalah's Children" ends happily and satisfactorily, and Knight and Bester aid a good bit in bolstering up the short story end. We're inclined to believe that X has something when it sez that Astounding's longer stories are outstandingly good; its shorts mediocre. Famous Fantastic Mysteries: October. Sorry, but I don't think "Palos" is such a little daisy dandy. Very glad to see a reprint of one of Lovecraft's best known stories, but disgusted that it wasn't "The Outsider" instead of "The Color Out of Space". The latter story is exceptionally good, of course, but lacks the tremendous punch of climax possessed by the former. Splendid Finlay cover. Future Fiction: There was quite a campaign in all the writer's magazines a while back against mags that used reprints. Columbia is the only company that now offends in this respect. I believe, the campaign was originally directed against the Fiction House people, publishers of Planet. (Let me again hasten to add; however, that Planet has never used reprints itself.) Anyway, a stf mag that uses reprints cannot help but be cheapened in the eyes of all writers as well as its purchasers. We know Doc doesn't like the idea worth a damn, but it's up to the fans to do something about it thru the letter section of FF, I think. As to the new stories: Doc summed it up rather well himself in his "Beacon Light" column for Spaceways, "...the policy of such magazines is fixed; one may see less outrageously bad yarns, but don't expect real science fiction." Future Fiction is certainly a big improvement over the old mag, but there's not a story in this issue that is more than mediocre; tho if the mag goes in more strongly for good fiction from the fans in the future, the situation may change. (We understand that Doc has a story by Tucker coming up; probably a sequel to the short in Super Science. Swell!). Excellent Bog cover, and very good interiors by Bok and Dolgov. Departments are all most interesting. That squib, "Reprinted by Popular Request" on Cumming's story, is good for a chuckle or two. Weird Tales: Sept. Block melodramatic, and I wonder whether or not Miss Quick is capable of writing anything but mushy and magnificently dull romances. Her "Lost Gods" this time, is a real stinker. We suspect Bond of being heartily sick of Lancelot Biggs
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/AMONG THE HAMS AND PROS/ Joseph Gilbert -- representing -- Harry Jenkins, Jr. "The Columbia Camp" ---------------------------- PROS Astounding: August. Harry couldn't see the Rogers cover, but it struck me as being rather good. "Nightfall" by that conceited and precocious brat, Asimov, is an excellent story with a striking plot, and very clever development. "Test of the Gods" is a rewrite of Amelia Reynolds Long's "When Half-Gods Go," and not such a hot rewrite at that. "Mission" is so-so, "Elsewhere" ditto, "Methusalah's Children" ends happily and satisfactorily, and Knight and Bester aid a good bit in bolstering up the short story end. We're inclined to believe that X has something when it sez that Astounding's longer stories are outstandingly good; its shorts mediocre. Famous Fantastic Mysteries: October. Sorry, but I don't think "Palos" is such a little daisy dandy. Very glad to see a reprint of one of Lovecraft's best known stories, but disgusted that it wasn't "The Outsider" instead of "The Color Out of Space". The latter story is exceptionally good, of course, but lacks the tremendous punch of climax possessed by the former. Splendid Finlay cover. Future Fiction: There was quite a campaign in all the writer's magazines a while back against mags that used reprints. Columbia is the only company that now offends in this respect. I believe, the campaign was originally directed against the Fiction House people, publishers of Planet. (Let me again hasten to add; however, that Planet has never used reprints itself.) Anyway, a stf mag that uses reprints cannot help but be cheapened in the eyes of all writers as well as its purchasers. We know Doc doesn't like the idea worth a damn, but it's up to the fans to do something about it thru the letter section of FF, I think. As to the new stories: Doc summed it up rather well himself in his "Beacon Light" column for Spaceways, "...the policy of such magazines is fixed; one may see less outrageously bad yarns, but don't expect real science fiction." Future Fiction is certainly a big improvement over the old mag, but there's not a story in this issue that is more than mediocre; tho if the mag goes in more strongly for good fiction from the fans in the future, the situation may change. (We understand that Doc has a story by Tucker coming up; probably a sequel to the short in Super Science. Swell!). Excellent Bog cover, and very good interiors by Bok and Dolgov. Departments are all most interesting. That squib, "Reprinted by Popular Request" on Cumming's story, is good for a chuckle or two. Weird Tales: Sept. Block melodramatic, and I wonder whether or not Miss Quick is capable of writing anything but mushy and magnificently dull romances. Her "Lost Gods" this time, is a real stinker. We suspect Bond of being heartily sick of Lancelot Biggs
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