The Masque Of Manana

This is a wonderful collection of short stories by one of science fiction's cleverest storytellers. Most are very short indeed - about 10-12 pages - and they range widely in subject matter and setting. Some (the AAA Ace stories) are very funny, while others are more in the nature of cautionary tales: "Something for Nothing" seems all too topical, given the effects we are now experiencing from too-easy credit. If I had to choose one word to describe most of these stories, that word would be "whimsical" -- although a minority are sober, even somber, in tone. Adding to the enjoyment of these stories is Sheckley's skill as a writer. Time and again, I found myself savoring a clever turn of phrase. Few other writers that I can think of have Sheckley's talent with the English language. If you enjoy clever, thought-provoking speculative fiction, this collection of short stories will delight you!

Over forty works of short fiction by Robert Sheckley pack a presentation spiced with the science fiction artwork of Bob Eggleton, making MASQUE OF MANANA a 'must have' for any Sheckley fan and many a newcomer. From 'Squirrel Cage' to 'Seventh Victim', this gathers many writings from the 1950s through later years and represents a notable retrospective any serious science fiction holding must have. Diane C. Donovan California Bookwatch

I think Robert Sheckley is one of the most underrated writers in US. The rest of the world loves his books, while in US most of his publications are out of print. Check this book out. while the stories are fun, they also make you think about lots of things in very unusual ways. If I could I would give him ten stars out of five.