Beyond Belief: Eight Strange Tales of Otherworlds

by Richard J. Hurley (Editor)

paperbound

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories, Anthologies, Fiction

188 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1966

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beyond Belief is a fun little anthology of classic science fiction short stories that appeared from Scholastic Book Services in 1966; the stories range from 1940-1960. Back in the day SBS order sheets were distributed in elementary classrooms, and teachers received premiums and prizes for their classrooms for processing the orders. This title was sold for fifty cents and contained eight stories from Evelyn E. Smith (who was -not- E.E. "Doc" Smith), Robert Willey (which was a pseudonym of famous scientist Willy Ley), Isaac Asimov, Theodore Sturgeon, Clark Ashton Smith, Richard Matheson, Murray Leinster, and Arthur C. Clarke. My favorites are Leinster's Keyhole and Sturgeon's The Man Who Lost the Sea, though I enjoyed them all. The last line of Clarke's story about far future archaeology, History Lesson, is (-spoiler!-) "A Walt Disney Production," and the story appeared in 1949... how's that for the predictive properties of sf!?

[GoldGato · Rating 3 out of 5]

When the sun cools…
When invaders come…
When a force-field Door breaks down…
When Earthmen capture a Moon animal…

I love old paperbacks with their illustrated covers and easy-to-hold handiness. None of those packed, too big mammoth productions that began breeding a few years later. This 1966 publication brings together eight science fiction short stories from the 1940s and 1950s at a time when global interest in space travel was high. Let’s run through each tale.

THE HARDEST BARGAIN (Evelyn E. Smith)
The robots have taken over, to the point where they are advising and protecting the President of the United States from the common people. Without the robots, life comes to a halt. An alien spaceship lands on the White House lawn and demands a ransom of the world’s greatest works of art. The President and his cabinet agree, as that is the only way the aliens will leave. However, the earthlings think they can double-cross the aliens. Not the wisest move.

THE INVASION (Robert Willey)
Ships appear in the sky over an electric dam. They are shaped like elongated teardrops with needle-sharp noses. They don’t make much noise, they just hum. When the engineers go outside to see what’s happening, the humans disintegrate. After the dam goes silent, a search party of jets is sent to determine what’s happening. They don’t return. Another group of jets are sent, but only one pilot returns, telling of how the other planes simply broke to pieces. The strange teardrops continue to destroy any efforts to communicate with them and then start appearing in spots around the world. But one man, the genius who engineered the dam, has a solution but at what cost?

IT’S SUCH A BEAUTIFUL DAY (Isaac Asimov)
It’s 2117 and it’s common for humans to transport themselves via household Doors. Coordinates for specific locations can be set and all it takes is to walk through the door to get to school or work. One day, the Hanshaw household finds itself with a broken Door. This means little Richard is unable to use the transporter to go to school, so his mother sends him to a neighbour’s house so he can use their Door. But Richard decides to…walk to school and the Hanshaw household is turned upside down. Although this story was written in 1954, it is amazingly similar to what’s happening today with children pinned to phones and video games instead of the outside world.

THE MAN WHO LOST THE SEA (Theodore Sturgeon)
A child is showing a toy helicopter to a man on the beach. The adult is ill, unable to move, and he continues to fight off bouts of nausea. The boy’s toys continue to change, to get more sophisticated and complicated. Meanwhile, the man remembers a near-death swimming experience. But the beach is not a normal beach and the child is not a child. A nice classic and my favorite from this book.

PHOENIX (Clark Ashton Smith)
The Sun is dying. It happened gradually so that humans watched it happen over thousands of years. Mankind adapted but a form of sterility has decreased the number of humans to just a few thousand. It’s the same with animal and plant life. A decision is made to “reignite” the Sun but it will mean a great sacrifice.

THIRD FROM THE SUN (Richard Matheson)
A scientist feels that a nuclear war is about to break out and he wants to save his family. He has been the test pilot for a new spaceship, but his fears gnaw at him as he looks at the nuclear arsenals around the world. He must make a decision and find a new home. “The green planet with the single moon.” Originally published in 1950, it’s a reflection of how scary the post-war climate had become between the superpowers.

KEYHOLE (Murray Leinster)
Mankind has arrived on the Moon where they discover a furry being they call ‘Butch’. He’s a cutie but the humans decide that aliens must die. Before they undertake to kill Butch, they have a scientist try to communicate with the alien to see what he can learn. It turns out that the little one is a whole lot smarter than the humans and raises a point of who, exactly, is the alien.

HISTORY LESSON (Arthur C. Clarke)
A tribe carries precious artefacts with them because they know their time is running out. A massive glacier is rapidly moving toward them from the North, but another massive glacier has already arrived from the South and the last humans on Earth are about to die out. They manage to place the sacred items into a cairn before perishing. Meanwhile, on Venus, native life has advanced rapidly with the cooling of the Sun. Their technology draws them to Earth because one of the artefacts in the cairn is a beacon. What they find is not what the reader will expect them to find.

I am not a big science fiction reader, but I did enjoy this collection, probably because they are short stories so my mind didn’t wander. They all have their own little touches and were different enough to keep me glued to the pages. Although they were written many decades ago, they still have relevance today, which is scarier than it should be.

Book Season = Year Round (shadow pies)

[Steve Wiggins · Rating 5 out of 5]

My copy of this book (cover price 50 cents) is probably one that I have had the longest. I don’t remember where or when I actually got it, but one of the stories (which I describe a bit more fully elsewhere, Sects and Violence in the Ancient World) remained fairly fresh in my mind for at least four decades. Although a “children’s book,” there’s some fairly serious stuff in here. No sex or swearing, though.

The stories included are: “The Hardest Bargain” by Evelyn E. Smith, which recasts an old folktale into a futuristic cautionary tale. “The Invasion” by Richard Willey (Willy Ley, the German rocket scientist) finds an old solution to a new problem. Isaac Asimov’s “It’s Such a Beautiful Day,” is about as close to Ray Bradbury as Asimov comes. “The Man Who Lost the Sea” by Theodore Sturgeon is pretty bleak for a kid’s tale, but “Phoenix” by Clark Ashton Smith remained relatively clear after forty years. In fact, that story, about reigniting the sun, is the reason I kept this book all these years. Richard Matheson’s “Third from the Sun,” is a touch disappointing, considering his more famous work. “Keyhole” by Murray Leinster is a wonderful anti-war parable set on the moon. Arthur C. Clarke’s “History Lesson” rounds out the collection with a provocative statement about our culture and its values.

The collection was edited by Richard J. Hurley and it seems to be his only foray into science fiction. His work inspired me, in any case, at a young age. I was a real sci-fi buff through high school, and even now I find it the occasional guilty pleasure read. The pandemic, if nothing else, has allowed me to revisit all those old books sitting patiently on my shelves to be re-read.

[George Irwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a surprise as it was a gift from our Christmas exchange this year - apparently the secret santa went to a used book store and just grabbed this gem off the shelf by pure luck. Fortunately for me it contained a marvelous collection of 1956 Sci-Fi. That's right 1956 - they had no fucking clue what space was even like at this point. One of the stories has them land on the fucking sun using anti-gravity engines. Other stories talk about the disassociating that technology introduces into our interactions with nature and possible consequences of such. This is real fucking science fiction.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good read. While much of the science is of course outdated some 60 to 70 years later, that's what makes these short stories so fun to read. Each one is a reminder of how far we've come, and yet how little, as the themes of fear, war, human cruelty and kindness are all still current topics. A lack of faith in the future of humanity is a common thread; not that they're all depressing though. :)

The following stories stood out for me:
The Invasion by Robert Willey (1940) - Mankind vs. Aliens
It's Such a Beautiful Day by Isaac Asimov (1954) - Recurring theme today
Phoenix by Clark Ashton Smith (1954) - Odd Solar science but I like the writing and plan on looking up more "Weird Tales" from this author
Keyhole by Murray Leinster (1951) - Human cruelty, arrogance and hopeful redemption
History Lesson by Arthur C. Clark (1949) - Lessons from the future with a twist

[Matt Renstrom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall: 2.88 Stars

2 Stars:
- The Hardest Bargain
- The Invasion
- The Man Who Lost the Sea
- Keyhole

3 Stars:
- Phoenix
- History Lesson

4 Stars:
- Third from the Sun

5 Stars:
- It’s Such a Beautiful Day

[Alvaro Zinos-Amaro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great selection, with stories that range from entertaining and fluffy to artistically ambitious and thought-provoking--the only real dud is Willy Ley's "The Invasion."

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid collection of short stories, I really enjoyed them. There was only one that was very conceptually abstract for some people but I of course enjoyed that one too.

[Thomas R · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this paperback collection of eight science fiction stories from Scholastic Book Services (SVS) through my elementary-school, Smith Grove Elementary in the Spring of 1966. I remember reading it in two-days - starting the last day of the Spring Semester. At that time there were three stories out of the eight that I thought were super: 1st Place - It's Such a Beautiful Day by Isaac Asimov and tied for 2nd Place - Third from the Sun by Richard Matheson and History Lesson by Arthur C. Clarke. Now I add The Man Who Lost the Sea by Theodore Sturgeon, a story much more advanced in concept and execution than the previously mentioned three stories. Worthy of note is Keyhole by Murray Leinster with its moral centered first contact story between men who want to shoot first and ask questions later and an alien species to whom man is also seen as equally strange and dangerous. The title is relatable to looking through a keyhole to see what is happening on the other side of a door. Clark Ashton Smith, the author we associate with Weird Tales magazine, presents Phoenix a 1954 story about reigniting the Sun. Smith writes in such a wonderful poetic prose, and I couldn't help but think about the movie Sunshine. Robert Willey's story Invasion is included. The tale is a little like something from H.G. Wells but with more science. And finally, Evelyn E. Smith provided more of a Pied Piper comedic story, The Hardest Bargain. The latter two stories, in my opinion are the weakest in the collection, but if you like comedic Science Fiction, you will probably like The Hardest Bargain. It does make some good points about politics, truthfulness, the stupidness of status, and honoring your commitments.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my 'emergency' purse book. Usually I am prepared with a book that I am actively reading, so this little pb was in my bag for, gosh, a year. Finally finished and almost want to start over because I don't remember the earlier stories... but I do remember liking but not loving them. Time to let go and move on.

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one has several great authors and several great stories. Asimov, Clarke, Clark Ashton Smith, Richard Matheseon, Willy Ley, Theodore Sturgeion, Murray Leinster, and Evelyn E. Smith.

[Sulari Vincent · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's strange.
You say you don't believe in love. While your voice and whispers are always warm and honeyed. Which still makes me think that you are not you. Someone else is in your place.

Chapter 12:
"Return to your father and say: "Our father, your son has stolen something! Yet we testify only about what we know and are not guardians of the Unseen. Ask the townsfolk where we have been and the caravan which we came back in; we are telling the truth!"
He said: "Rather you have fooled yourself in the matter. Patience is virtue!"

He (Joseph) said: "Do you know what you did yo Joseph and his brother while you were acting out of ignorance?"

[B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read all these short stories before, albeit never in the same collection. There's some science fiction greats in here, including Asimov and Matheson. It's a fun little collection, even though the stories don't quite tie together with a unifying theme, as is the case in most short story collections.

[Philip Athans · Rating 5 out of 5]

God, I love old SF stories, and this little gem is just pure delight!

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good collection of stories for middle schoolers.

[Jill Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short stories each written between 1940 - 1959 with all their hopes and fears for the future.

[Phil Giunta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came upon this anthology of eight SF stories while volunteering to sort used books for my local library's annual book sale. I was intrigued when I saw some of the names included in the collection, especially Asimov, Clarke, Sturgeon, and Matheson.

There were only two stories I would consider weaker than the rest, "The Invasion" by Robert Willey and "Phoenix" by Clark Ashton Smith. The other six were well done, including...

"The Hardest Bargain" by Evelyn E. Smith. Earth is a remote planet without diplomatic relations with the other solar systems. While still led by humans, the planet is primarily managed by robots. Food is purchased purchased or bartered from alien traders since radiation from the last global conflict sterilized much of the soil. However, when one alien visitor offers technology that can remove the radiation and make the land fertile once more, it's a good idea to give him exactly what he asks for in return...

"It's Such a Beautiful Day" by Isaac Asimov. In a utopian future, a device known simply as a Door has been invented that can teleport people to the location of their choice. Yet when a Door malfunctions, one boy discovers the mystery and wonder of actually walking outside in the grass under the sunlight. When he comes to prefer this over the Door, his teacher recommends psychotherapy...

"The Man Who Lost the Sea" by Theodore Sturgeon. You lay there in your spacesuit, half-buried in the sand while someone chatters at you about a toy airplane with pieces that break off. All you want to do is listen to the ocean in the dead of night and watch the satellite pass by overhead in the white-speckled heavens, but perhaps you're not really near the ocean and perhaps that airplane that broke apart wasn't truly an airplane...

"Third from the Sun" by Richard Matheson. A rocket scientist convinces his family and neighbors that their world is doomed, but he knows of a planet in a distant solar system where they can start a new life. They just need to get to the ship...

"Keyhole" by Murray Leinster. Mankind intends to settle on the moon, regardless if the native population of small, furry creatures wants them there or not. After an astronaut is killed by one of the lunar creatures, a scientist captures one in an attempt to learn its species weaknesses. However, humans are not the only ones who gain knowledge from the experience...

"History Lesson" by Arthur C. Clarke. Sensing their doom in the encroaching ice covering most of the planet, the last members of the human race store a number of relics in a stone vault atop a high mountain. These relics are found 5,000 years later by an expedition from Venus, but when the reptilian scientists run a film showing an example of life on Earth, they're not quite sure what to make of it...