Best of M Leinster

An excellent collection. The introduction by John J. Pierce points out that Leinster (a pseudonym, real name William F. Jenkins) is known as the Dean Of Science Fiction. Having started in 1919 or so, and then winning an award 40 years later, is an impressive effort - so is a collection from so early that averages 3.62, with a variety of themes and styles. This is without Exploration Team/Combat Team, too! He could be serious, or funny, and apparently has lots of work in other genres - so rather more talented than your average writer of the time, it would appear. SF fans that haven't had a look at Leinster, particularly if interested in the history could give this one a go. Some of the stories you will find online thanks to Baen, too, so another way to check them out. Also some work at Gutenberg. Best of Murray Leinster : Sidewise in Time - Murray Leinster Best of Murray Leinster : Proxima Centauri - Murray Leinster Best of Murray Leinster : The Fourth-Dimensional Demonstrator - Murray Leinster Best of Murray Leinster : First Contact - Murray Leinster Best of Murray Leinster : The Ethical Equations - Murray Leinster Best of Murray Leinster : Pipeline to Pluto - Murray Leinster Best of Murray Leinster : The Power - Murray Leinster Best of Murray Leinster : A Logic Named Joe - Murray Leinster Best of Murray Leinster : Symbiosis - Murray Leinster Best of Murray Leinster : The Strange Case of John Kingman - Murray Leinster Best of Murray Leinster : The Lonely Planet - Murray Leinster Best of Murray Leinster : Keyhole - Murray Leinster Best of Murray Leinster : Critical Difference - Murray Leinster Faults in the universe, lots of, means we got large chunks of the alternate thing visiting. Anyone want to be emperor of one? 3.5 out of 5 Vegie men seek animal matter gold. 3.5 out of 5 Kangaroo multiple mishap. 3.5 out of 5 Conflict avoidance transport swap. 4.5 out of 5 Conduct probability Space Patrol. 3 out of 5 Too cold, too fast to die. 3.5 out of 5 Just an alien, not a demon or wizard. 4 out of 5 These machines are after me. 4 out of 5 A bit of biological war. 3 out of 5 Alien longtime patient dumbing down. 3.5 out of 5 Living and smart, too. 4 out of 5 Moon traitor nursery surprise. 3.5 out of 5 Cold, need BIG power. 3.5 out of 5 4.5 out of 5

There are two titles claiming to be the "Best of Murray Leinster"and this is the better of the two (The other appeared in Britain and has only three stories in common with this book).This book is/was part of a series of "Best of's" from Ballantine and forms a good introduction into the work of Will F. Jenkins, who wrote SF under the pseudonym Murray Leinster. The stories range from as early as 1934 (The famous "Sidewise in Time", about alternate history lines parallel to ours) till 1956 ("Critical Difference") and amongst them are classics as "First Contact", ground for an idealogical flap with Soviet writer Yefremov back in 1959, and "A Logic Named Joe".The book shows Murray Leinster at his best, being the writer of entertaining short fiction. Compared to some other writers of his period his work hardly seem dated and considering that his earliest story was sold in 1919 (!) that's quite a compliment.