''The Best from Fantastic'' is an
anthology
In book publishing, an anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler; it may be a collection of plays, poems, short stories, songs or excerpts by different authors.
In genre fiction, the term ''anthology'' typically categ ...
of
science fiction
Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...
and
fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving Magic (supernatural), magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy ...
short stories edited by
Ted White. It was first published in paperback by
Manor Books
Manor Books was an American publisher of paperback books.
It was founded by Walter Weidenbaum in 1972 and based in New York City.
Manor's library was built on assets purchased from Macfadden Communications Group, Macfadden Publications after the ...
in 1973, as a companion to ''
The Best from Amazing Stories'', issued in the same year. The first British edition was published in hardcover by Robert Hale in 1976.
Summary
White, editor of ''
Fantastic
The fantastic (french: le fantastique) is a subgenre of literary works characterized by the ambiguous presentation of seemingly supernatural forces.
Bulgarian-French structuralist literary critic Tzvetan Todorov originated the concept, characte ...
'' and ''
Amazing Stories
''Amazing Stories'' is an American science fiction magazine launched in April 1926 by Hugo Gernsback's Experimenter Publishing. It was the first magazine devoted solely to science fiction. Science fiction stories had made regular appearances i ...
'' magazines at the time the anthology was published, here collects nine fantasy short stories and novelettes that originally appeared in ''Fantastic'', along with one from ''Amazing'', in the period prior to his editorship.
Contents
*"Foreword" (
Ted White)
*"I'm Looking for 'Jeff'" (
Fritz Leiber
Fritz Reuter Leiber Jr. ( ; December 24, 1910 – September 5, 1992) was an American writer of fantasy, horror, and science fiction. He was also a poet, actor in theater and films, playwright, and chess expert. With writers such as Robert ...
) (from ''Fantastic'' v. 1, no. 2, Fall 1952)
*"Angels in the Jets" (
Jerome Bixby
Drexel Jerome Lewis Bixby (January 11, 1923 – April 28, 1998) was an American short-story writer and scriptwriter. He wrote the 1953 story " It's a Good Life", which was the basis of a 1961 episode of ''The Twilight Zone'' and was included ...
) (from ''Fantastic'' v. 1, no. 2, Fall 1952)
*"Paingod" (
Harlan Ellison
Harlan Jay Ellison (May 27, 1934 – June 28, 2018) was an American writer, known for his prolific and influential work in New Wave speculative fiction and for his outspoken, combative personality. Robert Bloch, the author of '' Psycho'' ...
) (from ''Fantastic'' v. 13, no. 6, Jun. 1964)
*"The Malatesta Collection" (
Roger Zelazny
Roger Joseph Zelazny (May 13, 1937 – June 14, 1995) was an American poet and writer of fantasy and science fiction short stories and novels, best known for ''The Chronicles of Amber''. He won the Nebula Award three times (out of 14 nomin ...
) (from ''Fantastic'' v. 12, no. 4, Apr. 1964)
*"
Sally
Sally may refer to:
People
*Sally (name), a list of notable people with the name
Military
*Sortie (siege warfare), Sally (military), an attack by the defenders of a town or fortress under siege against a besieging force; see sally port
*Sally, ...
" (
Isaac Asimov
yi, יצחק אזימאװ
, birth_date =
, birth_place = Petrovichi, Russian SFSR
, spouse =
, relatives =
, children = 2
, death_date =
, death_place = Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
, nationality = Russian (1920–1922)Soviet (192 ...
) (from ''Fantastic'' v. 2, no. 3, May/Jun. 1953)
*"The Roller Coaster" (
Alfred Bester
Alfred Bester (December 18, 1913 – September 30, 1987) was an American science fiction author, TV and radio scriptwriter, magazine editor and scripter for comic strips and comic books. He is best remembered for his science fiction, inclu ...
) (from ''Fantastic'' v. 2, no. 3, May/Jun. 1953)
*"Eye Times Four" (
Poul Anderson
Poul William Anderson (November 25, 1926 – July 31, 2001) was an American fantasy and science fiction author who was active from the 1940s until the 21st century. Anderson wrote also historical novels. His awards include seven Hugo Awards and ...
) (from ''Fantastic'' v. 9, no. 4, Apr. 1960)
*"Final Exam" (
Chad Oliver
Symmes Chadwick Oliver (30 March 1928 – 9 August 1993) was an American anthropologist and science fiction and Western writer. He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. His father was a surgeon and his mother a nurse. When he was young he suffered from ...
) (from ''Fantastic'' v. 1, no. 3, Nov. 1952)
*"April in Paris" (
Ursula K. Le Guin
Ursula Kroeber Le Guin (; October 21, 1929 – January 22, 2018) was an American author best known for her works of speculative fiction, including science fiction works set in her Hainish universe, and the '' Earthsea'' fantasy series. She was ...
) (from ''Fantastic'' v. 11, no. 9, Sep. 1962)
*"A Trip to the City" (
Keith Laumer
John Keith Laumer ( – ) was an American science fiction author. Prior to becoming a full-time writer, he was an officer in the United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United State ...
) (from ''Amazing Stories'' v. 37, no. 1, Jan. 1963)
Notes
{{DEFAULTSORT:Best from Fantastic, The
1973 anthologies
Science fiction anthologies
Fantasy anthologies