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Fantasite, v. 2, issue 2, May-June 1942

Page 9

THE FANTASITE 9

anyway, we thought Stevens' "Serapion" the best thing we've ever read in FFM, and one of the finest things we have ever read in any pulp. It's got everything -- a good plot, excellent characterization, and some splendid writing. In fact, the whole thing is so well-written that it's one of those rare old reprints that is as fresh and fine as the day in which it was written -- nothing whatever outdated about it; it could go into any modern mag without the slightest revision, and would be a stand-out item. One thing that rather jarred was the defense, by one of the characters, of the spiritualist Paladino, who was rather the vogue at the time. This delightful, illiterate, spook-charmer was exposed innumerable times, and the cause of her table levitations revealed as due to the projecting soles of her shoes rather than the work of obliging ghosts. And the references to -- but, we'd better save all that until we have a chance to write an article about it sometime in the incredibly distant future. Cover very good. That Finlay gal -- woo-woo!

Unknown: June. Goody, goody! Another long novel by L. Sprague de Camp, with a remarkable new plot about a man who goes into another sphere of existence, has adventures and comes back again. Is this the sixtieth or the seventieth time that he's re-written it? I forget. John W.'s blurbing of Jane Rice's short story as "magnificent" reminds us of the time Tremaine hailed Rocklynne's "The Immortal" as a "classic" in Comet: which it wasn't. Rocklynne's tale tho, was a lot better than Rice's, which is rather nicely-written and very little else. Unknown is now even more uninspired than Weird Tales, which is saying an awful lot. The incomparable Sturgeon will be particularly missed, now that he's gone back into the merchant marine.

Startling Stories: July. I bought it, he said defiantly, to read the reprint tale, "The Marble Virgin". I wish, he said wistfully, I had my fifteen cents back. ------ Joseph Gilbert.

Future combined with Science Fiction: June. Cover by Forte is pretty bad; remarkably bad choice of colors. The full page illustration for "The Invisible Continent" suffers from a fault that has plagued many of Bok's drawings: too much dark, not enough light, and no point of central interest. As for the fiction, it strikes an average of Fair, and refuses to go any higher. Gilbert thot Tucker's sequel, "The Princess of Detroit", the best, but I liked Gordan's "The World in Balance", even tho it is a re-write of Woods' "Strange Return", which appeared in the first STIRRING. "Solar Comedy" is far better than the average Blistory. Despite its faults, "The Invisible Continent" is well worth wading through. The only reason we can see for Doc's accepting that astoundingly stinky Gernsback short is Gernsback's name. With Astounding and Unk, and others going fown steadily, Lowndes might be able to push Future to the fore. We hope so.

Planet Stories: Summer. Cover, by Saunders, isn't really awful, nor is it poor -- in fact, it's pretty good! Hoskins and Lynch on the interiors disturb an otherwise perfectly illustrated issue. The fiction, on the whole, is improving every issue. "Task to Lahri" is perhaps the best of the eight stories in this issue, with "The Cosmic Derelict" running a not-so-close second. The only tale that draws thumbs down is Carlton Smith's "As It Was". If this Carlton Smith is the same one who writes a regular column for CORONET, well -- Coronet can keep him!

Super Science Stories: May. Johnny Chapman reviewed this last time, but he neglected to mention the two bestories in the issue -- namely, "The Sunken Universe" by "Arthur Merlyn" and "The Lemmings" by Morley. "Sunken Universe" is a different (comparatively) story which should be read. It is good. "The Lemmings" isn't exceptional, but it's worth spending a few spare moments on. The rest of the issue is pure tripe.

DIME WESTERN: June. Walt Coburn's "Last Call For Diamond-A Fighting Men" presents the usually quaint Coburn characters, while, -- eh, what say? OK, I'll shut up -- but it's better than AMAZING. ----- Harry Jenkins.

Saving...

THE FANTASITE 9 anyway, we thought Stevens' "Serapion" the best thing we've ever read in FFM, and one of the finest things we have ever read in any pulp. It's got everything -- a good plot, excellent characterization, and some splendid writing. In fact, the whole thing is so well-written that it's one of those rare old reprints that is as fresh and fine as the day in which it was written -- nothing whatever outdated about it; it could go into any modern mag without the slightest revision, and would be a stand-out item. One thing that rather jarred was the defense, by one of the characters, of the spiritualist Paladino, who was rather the vogue at the time. This delightful, illiterate, spook-charmer was exposed innumerable times, and the cause of her table levitations revealed as due to the projecting soles of her shoes rather than the work of obliging ghosts. And the references to -- but, we'd better save all that until we have a chance to write an article about it sometime in the incredibly distant future. Cover very good. That Finlay gal -- woo-woo! Unknown: June. Goody, goody! Another long novel by L. Sprague de Camp, with a remarkable new plot about a man who goes into another sphere of existence, has adventures and comes back again. Is this the sixtieth or the seventieth time that he's re-written it? I forget. John W.'s blurbing of Jane Rice's short story as "magnificent" reminds us of the time Tremaine hailed Rocklynne's "The Immortal" as a "classic" in Comet: which it wasn't. Rocklynne's tale tho, was a lot better than Rice's, which is rather nicely-written and very little else. Unknown is now even more uninspired than Weird Tales, which is saying an awful lot. The incomparable Sturgeon will be particularly missed, now that he's gone back into the merchant marine. Startling Stories: July. I bought it, he said defiantly, to read the reprint tale, "The Marble Virgin". I wish, he said wistfully, I had my fifteen cents back. ------ Joseph Gilbert. Future combined with Science Fiction: June. Cover by Forte is pretty bad; remarkably bad choice of colors. The full page illustration for "The Invisible Continent" suffers from a fault that has plagued many of Bok's drawings: too much dark, not enough light, and no point of central interest. As for the fiction, it strikes an average of Fair, and refuses to go any higher. Gilbert thot Tucker's sequel, "The Princess of Detroit", the best, but I liked Gordan's "The World in Balance", even tho it is a re-write of Woods' "Strange Return", which appeared in the first STIRRING. "Solar Comedy" is far better than the average Blistory. Despite its faults, "The Invisible Continent" is well worth wading through. The only reason we can see for Doc's accepting that astoundingly stinky Gernsback short is Gernsback's name. With Astounding and Unk, and others going fown steadily, Lowndes might be able to push Future to the fore. We hope so. Planet Stories: Summer. Cover, by Saunders, isn't really awful, nor is it poor -- in fact, it's pretty good! Hoskins and Lynch on the interiors disturb an otherwise perfectly illustrated issue. The fiction, on the whole, is improving every issue. "Task to Lahri" is perhaps the best of the eight stories in this issue, with "The Cosmic Derelict" running a not-so-close second. The only tale that draws thumbs down is Carlton Smith's "As It Was". If this Carlton Smith is the same one who writes a regular column for CORONET, well -- Coronet can keep him! Super Science Stories: May. Johnny Chapman reviewed this last time, but he neglected to mention the two bestories in the issue -- namely, "The Sunken Universe" by "Arthur Merlyn" and "The Lemmings" by Morley. "Sunken Universe" is a different (comparatively) story which should be read. It is good. "The Lemmings" isn't exceptional, but it's worth spending a few spare moments on. The rest of the issue is pure tripe. DIME WESTERN: June. Walt Coburn's "Last Call For Diamond-A Fighting Men" presents the usually quaint Coburn characters, while, -- eh, what say? OK, I'll shut up -- but it's better than AMAZING. ----- Harry Jenkins.