The Best from Fantasy and Science Fiction: 12th Series

by Avram Davidson (Editor)

Panther Books, 1967, paperback. Reprints the 1963 Doubleday hardcover edition of this collection of stories from F&SF Magazine. Introduction by Avram Davidson, and these Test (1962) by Theodore L. Thomas; Please Stand By [Max Kearny] (1962) by Ron Goulart; Who's in Charge Here? (1962) by James Blish; Three for the Stars (1962) by Joseph Dickinson; When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloomed (1962) by Vance Aandahl; Landscape With Sphinxes (1962) by Karen Anderson; My Dear Emily (1962) by Joanna Russ; The Gumdrop King (1962) by Will Stanton; The Golden Horn [Tales of a Darkening World] (1962) by Edgar Pangborn; The Singular Events Which Occurred in the Hovel on the Alley Off of Eye Street (1962) by Avram Davidson; A Kind of Artistry (1962) by Brian W. Aldiss; Two's a Crowd (1962) by Sasha Gilien; The Man Without a Planet (1962) by Kate Wilhelm; The Garden of Time (1962) by J. G. Ballard; Hop-Friend (1962) by Terry Carr.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Anthologies

176 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1963

About the author

Avram Davidson was an American Jewish writer of fantasy fiction, science fiction, and crime fiction, as well as the author of many stories that do not fit into a genre niche. He won a Hugo Award and three World Fantasy Awards in the science fiction and fantasy genre, a World Fantasy Life Achievement award, and a Queen's Award and an Edgar Award in the mystery genre. Davidson edited The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction from 1962 to 1964. His last novel The Boss in the Wall: A Treatise on the House Devil was completed by Grania Davis and was a Nebula Award finalist in 1998. The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction says "he is perhaps sf's most explicitly literary author".

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Avram Davidson became the editor of the Magazine of F & SF in 1962 when Robert Mills left, and this twelfth anthology in the long-running series of the best of the preceding year as selected by the editors was his first. Good stories from Edgar Pangborn, Terry Carr (later best known for his own editorial efforts), Kate Wilhelm, Will Stanton (though not in the same league as Dodger Fan), James Blish, Ron Goulart and others. A solid year for the magazine, but nothing really stands out. (They should have included one of Isaac Asimov's science essays.)

[Lewis Szymanski · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a pretty uneven collection. A few gems, a few stinkers, mostly just OK.

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had to order this one from England to get it. I read it ages ago. This is good stuff, right at the end of the Golden Age of SF I'd say. Most of it still has that sense of wonder.

[Francisco · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very hit and miss collection of short fiction published by F&SF in 1962, this is still worth reading for at least a couple of the stories in it. Particular highlights being Brian W. Aldiss, J. G. Ballard, Terry Carr and Karen Anderson's contributions to the volume.

Many of the other authors are Davidson's bets as "future greats" but they really kind of fall flat when compared to the entries of better known names here, and that is a bit of a pity as I would have really liked to have found some hidden gems here. Well, it didn't happen this time, but it sometimes does and that's good enough for me.

[Chris Aldridge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mindwebs audiobook 26 first part contains this story "Test" by Theodore Thomas.

[Madi M · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe I’m just not a sci-fi person, or maybe it’s just too old but these stories were too short and made 0 sense. Sooooo hard to follow and I only enjoyed a few of the stories. 👎

[Bob Wolniak · Rating 3 out of 5]

An eclectic selection of short stories from vampirism to interplanetary sci fi. There are at least 3-4 stories in this volume that are gems. Well worth it.