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Horizons, v. 2, issue 2, whole no. 6, December 1940

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12
HORIZONS

A YEAR OF UNKNOWN

thousand words without injury. Some of it led one to believe Heinlein was merely showing off his knowledge of certain things. But it has its good points, and was entirely readable. THE HARDWOOD PILE: This also dragged. We skimmed most of the way through it, and it wasn't up to the de Camp standard by a long shot. THE EXTRA BRICKLAYER: Another one that didn't particularly appeal. Although it wasn't disappointing in the way the first two were (because of the authors' reputations), 'tisn't recommended reading. WATCH THAT WINDOW!: Not so bad; somehow it seemed rather involved, although we may have been reading without our entire attention on the subject. It didn't do anything to break this issue's reputation of the most-average -- nothing particularly good or bad -- of the year. SPARK OF ALLAH: Sooner or later we'll re-read it at one sitting and probably enjoy it more. What was said of the other two serials applies here: continued stories in the fantasy magazines don't go down so well. "Divide and Rule" was the only decent Unknown serial yet. Order: The Devil Makes the Law!, Watch that Window!. The Spark of Allah, The Hardwood Pile, The Extra Bricklayer, and little to choose among them. We feel that with enough thinking the proposition in the editorial could be disproved; someday we'll get around to it. Letters best of the year.

October: THE WHEELS OF IF: De Camp was doing too much work about this time. Like most of his other work around this period, this particular yarn lacks the refinements that make his best work stand out so far. There'd been too many political stories and politics in Unknown at the time, too. FRUIT OF KNOWLEDGE: A slight disappointment in one way, and in another, not. There's no room to go into detail about it, but most of it went down perfectly. Praise to Moore for writing and Campbell for publishing such a yarn. THE HATERS: Not a bad selection for the honor of the only short-short of the year. A 2 or 3 page story every now and then would liven things up. THE DEVIL'S RESCUE: Some of L. Ron's best work of the year. Another example of the 'typical' yarns for Unknown. WARM, DARK PLACES: Swell! Here's another one to start a new reader off on. No more comment is needed and we're running short of space anyhow. Preference: Fruit of Knowledge, Warm, Dark Places, Wheels of If, Devil's Rescue, Haters. No insult to DAW, but there isn't any other place for his. We don't like the treatment of the poem but the thing isn't too bad. Editorial good: ditto letters.

November: CARGO: Quite a disappointment, from Sturgeon. Dislike the treatment. (My, space is running low!) THE GODS GIL MADE: Possibly the most thoroughly enjoyable light yarn of the year. Rocklynne is another gent who ought to visit Unknown more often, if he can turn out stuff like this regularly. CARTWRIGHT'S CAMERA: No more, please! It's distinctly Fantastic Adventures; the first two or three of this type were all right, but now you can finish them yourself after one page. THE BLEAK SHORE: Fair atmospheric stuff, but if JWC is going to use this sort of thing he might as well contact Smith or Moore and get the best. (CASmith, of course.) ARE YOU THERE? Not bad. Ending should have been obvious, but oddly enough wasn't. THE TOMMYKNOCKER: First good Unknown serial of the year. Ending a little weak, but not too much so. Order: Gods Gil Made, Tommyknocker, Are You There?, Bleak Shore, Cargo, Cartwright's Camera. Editorial so-so; Northrup's letter the only decent one.

December: DARKER THAN YOU THINK: Best Williamson turned out all year. Another instance where we expected a different ending, but would have been disappointed with any other upon thinking it over. Might gain a lot of new readers. TWO FOR A BARGAIN: Only good Quick thing so far; far above her usual level in the serial. THRESHOLD: The best of Kuttner's work during year. Once again, far above pulp writing. TYPEWRITER IN THE SKY: And the best of Hubbard's 1940 writing for Unknown. A little long, mayhap, but the division might have caused that impression. Another great ending. Order: Darker Than You Think, Typewriter in the Sky, Threshold, Two for a Bargain. The poem doesn't belong; Campbell chatty.

That's that. Running short of room makes the last few months neglected. Issue we liked best: December; least: September. Best yarns in order: It, Fruit of Knowledge, But without Horns, Darker Than You Think, Fear. You'll probably not agree, but it's our opinion. Best poem: Lurani, best cover's been mentioned and finest interior work: Finlay's for "Wisdom of an Ass" & Cartier's for "The Mathematics of Magic". Article: "00%". How about some comments on this review?

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12 HORIZONS A YEAR OF UNKNOWN thousand words without injury. Some of it led one to believe Heinlein was merely showing off his knowledge of certain things. But it has its good points, and was entirely readable. THE HARDWOOD PILE: This also dragged. We skimmed most of the way through it, and it wasn't up to the de Camp standard by a long shot. THE EXTRA BRICKLAYER: Another one that didn't particularly appeal. Although it wasn't disappointing in the way the first two were (because of the authors' reputations), 'tisn't recommended reading. WATCH THAT WINDOW!: Not so bad; somehow it seemed rather involved, although we may have been reading without our entire attention on the subject. It didn't do anything to break this issue's reputation of the most-average -- nothing particularly good or bad -- of the year. SPARK OF ALLAH: Sooner or later we'll re-read it at one sitting and probably enjoy it more. What was said of the other two serials applies here: continued stories in the fantasy magazines don't go down so well. "Divide and Rule" was the only decent Unknown serial yet. Order: The Devil Makes the Law!, Watch that Window!. The Spark of Allah, The Hardwood Pile, The Extra Bricklayer, and little to choose among them. We feel that with enough thinking the proposition in the editorial could be disproved; someday we'll get around to it. Letters best of the year. October: THE WHEELS OF IF: De Camp was doing too much work about this time. Like most of his other work around this period, this particular yarn lacks the refinements that make his best work stand out so far. There'd been too many political stories and politics in Unknown at the time, too. FRUIT OF KNOWLEDGE: A slight disappointment in one way, and in another, not. There's no room to go into detail about it, but most of it went down perfectly. Praise to Moore for writing and Campbell for publishing such a yarn. THE HATERS: Not a bad selection for the honor of the only short-short of the year. A 2 or 3 page story every now and then would liven things up. THE DEVIL'S RESCUE: Some of L. Ron's best work of the year. Another example of the 'typical' yarns for Unknown. WARM, DARK PLACES: Swell! Here's another one to start a new reader off on. No more comment is needed and we're running short of space anyhow. Preference: Fruit of Knowledge, Warm, Dark Places, Wheels of If, Devil's Rescue, Haters. No insult to DAW, but there isn't any other place for his. We don't like the treatment of the poem but the thing isn't too bad. Editorial good: ditto letters. November: CARGO: Quite a disappointment, from Sturgeon. Dislike the treatment. (My, space is running low!) THE GODS GIL MADE: Possibly the most thoroughly enjoyable light yarn of the year. Rocklynne is another gent who ought to visit Unknown more often, if he can turn out stuff like this regularly. CARTWRIGHT'S CAMERA: No more, please! It's distinctly Fantastic Adventures; the first two or three of this type were all right, but now you can finish them yourself after one page. THE BLEAK SHORE: Fair atmospheric stuff, but if JWC is going to use this sort of thing he might as well contact Smith or Moore and get the best. (CASmith, of course.) ARE YOU THERE? Not bad. Ending should have been obvious, but oddly enough wasn't. THE TOMMYKNOCKER: First good Unknown serial of the year. Ending a little weak, but not too much so. Order: Gods Gil Made, Tommyknocker, Are You There?, Bleak Shore, Cargo, Cartwright's Camera. Editorial so-so; Northrup's letter the only decent one. December: DARKER THAN YOU THINK: Best Williamson turned out all year. Another instance where we expected a different ending, but would have been disappointed with any other upon thinking it over. Might gain a lot of new readers. TWO FOR A BARGAIN: Only good Quick thing so far; far above her usual level in the serial. THRESHOLD: The best of Kuttner's work during year. Once again, far above pulp writing. TYPEWRITER IN THE SKY: And the best of Hubbard's 1940 writing for Unknown. A little long, mayhap, but the division might have caused that impression. Another great ending. Order: Darker Than You Think, Typewriter in the Sky, Threshold, Two for a Bargain. The poem doesn't belong; Campbell chatty. That's that. Running short of room makes the last few months neglected. Issue we liked best: December; least: September. Best yarns in order: It, Fruit of Knowledge, But without Horns, Darker Than You Think, Fear. You'll probably not agree, but it's our opinion. Best poem: Lurani, best cover's been mentioned and finest interior work: Finlay's for "Wisdom of an Ass" & Cartier's for "The Mathematics of Magic". Article: "00%". How about some comments on this review?