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Science Fiction Collector, v. 4, issue 4, whole no. 22, September 1938
Page 14
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Page Fourteen -- S - F Collector -- about twenty stories in his life, over a period of twenty-one years. Of these several extremely short and were written for publication in FH[?]. Remember how [[underline]]The Last Post and the Robots[[end underline]] went over? There are to my knowledge, no exceptions to this rule writing today. H.G. Wells might have qualified, but then his stories are not so much fantastic as they are well-written -- a quality which can be instilled in stories even when they are produced prolificly[?], if the author is not a back -- but then how many pulp writers are Wells's (That [[underline]]is[[end underline]] the plural of that word?)? Not many present-day fantasy fans, myself included, think much of Wells' stories, but it is not because of the writing, but rather the now dull plot. Even now, however, such stories as [[underline]]The Time Machine[[end underline]] will be enjoyed by the fan. Perhaps RAP means to intimate that the unproductive Poe[?], practically the first to write stf, should have written more often...to improve his style! Among modern authors, we are forced to look to Merritt, Lovecraft, C.A. Smith, perhaps Don[?] A. Stuart, C.L. Moore for stories combining fantasy and literature. And even Moore is bad just about half the time. Stuart is very good occasionally (Stuart is J.W. Campbell, Jr. Of course). If only writers would work slowly, carefully and perhaps fairly consistently -- but not turning out from twenty to sixty thousand thousand words a month, as some boast of doing-- then we should have the true fantasy, for no type of literature is more beautiful and interesting when well written. But until that moment, be satisfied with the very occasional story we find -- perhaps one, if we are lucky, a year- I shall continue to read fantasy; I hope that Second issue of SCIENCE ADVENTURE STORIES out Third issue will appear soon!
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Page Fourteen -- S - F Collector -- about twenty stories in his life, over a period of twenty-one years. Of these several extremely short and were written for publication in FH[?]. Remember how [[underline]]The Last Post and the Robots[[end underline]] went over? There are to my knowledge, no exceptions to this rule writing today. H.G. Wells might have qualified, but then his stories are not so much fantastic as they are well-written -- a quality which can be instilled in stories even when they are produced prolificly[?], if the author is not a back -- but then how many pulp writers are Wells's (That [[underline]]is[[end underline]] the plural of that word?)? Not many present-day fantasy fans, myself included, think much of Wells' stories, but it is not because of the writing, but rather the now dull plot. Even now, however, such stories as [[underline]]The Time Machine[[end underline]] will be enjoyed by the fan. Perhaps RAP means to intimate that the unproductive Poe[?], practically the first to write stf, should have written more often...to improve his style! Among modern authors, we are forced to look to Merritt, Lovecraft, C.A. Smith, perhaps Don[?] A. Stuart, C.L. Moore for stories combining fantasy and literature. And even Moore is bad just about half the time. Stuart is very good occasionally (Stuart is J.W. Campbell, Jr. Of course). If only writers would work slowly, carefully and perhaps fairly consistently -- but not turning out from twenty to sixty thousand thousand words a month, as some boast of doing-- then we should have the true fantasy, for no type of literature is more beautiful and interesting when well written. But until that moment, be satisfied with the very occasional story we find -- perhaps one, if we are lucky, a year- I shall continue to read fantasy; I hope that Second issue of SCIENCE ADVENTURE STORIES out Third issue will appear soon!
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