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What's Become of Screwloose? and Other Inquiries
Book by Goulart, Ron
157 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1971
1 person is currently reading
103 people want to read
About the author
Ron Goulart
607 books98 followersPseudonyms: Howard Lee; Frank S Shawn; Kenneth Robeson; Con Steffanson; Josephine Kains; Joseph Silva; William Shatner.
Ron Goulart is a cultural historian and novelist. Besides writing extensively about pulp fiction—including the seminal Cheap Thrills: An Informal History of Pulp Magazines (1972)—Goulart has written for the pulps since 1952, when the Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction published his first story, a sci-fi parody of letters to the editor. Since then he has written dozens of novels and countless short stories, spanning genres and using a variety of pennames, including Kenneth Robeson, Joseph Silva, and Con Steffanson. In the 1990s, he became the ghostwriter for William Shatner’s popular TekWar novels. Goulart’s After Things Fell Apart (1970) is the only science-fiction novel to ever win an Edgar Award.
In the 1970s Goulart wrote novels starring series characters like Flash Gordon and the Phantom, and in 1980 he published Hail Hibbler, a comic sci-fi novel that began the Odd Jobs, Inc. series. Goulart has also written several comic mystery series, including six books starring Groucho Marx. Having written for comic books, Goulart produced several histories of the art form, including the Comic Book Encyclopedia (2004).
Ron Goulart is a cultural historian and novelist. Besides writing extensively about pulp fiction—including the seminal Cheap Thrills: An Informal History of Pulp Magazines (1972)—Goulart has written for the pulps since 1952, when the Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction published his first story, a sci-fi parody of letters to the editor. Since then he has written dozens of novels and countless short stories, spanning genres and using a variety of pennames, including Kenneth Robeson, Joseph Silva, and Con Steffanson. In the 1990s, he became the ghostwriter for William Shatner’s popular TekWar novels. Goulart’s After Things Fell Apart (1970) is the only science-fiction novel to ever win an Edgar Award.
In the 1970s Goulart wrote novels starring series characters like Flash Gordon and the Phantom, and in 1980 he published Hail Hibbler, a comic sci-fi novel that began the Odd Jobs, Inc. series. Goulart has also written several comic mystery series, including six books starring Groucho Marx. Having written for comic books, Goulart produced several histories of the art form, including the Comic Book Encyclopedia (2004).
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
June 10, 2020
(DAW Collectors #60
Cover Artist: Josh Kirby
Name: Goulart, Ronald Joseph, Birthplace: Berkeley, California, USA, 13 January 1933
Alternate Names: Carston Bingham, Kenneth Robeson, Frank S. Shawn, Joseph Silva, Con Steffanson
Originally read the U.S. Hardcover,
002 - What's Become of Screwloose? And Other Inquiries (frontispiece) • (1970) • interior artwork by Jack Gaughan
009 - What's Become of Screwloose? • (1970)
024 - Junior Partner • (1962)
035 - Hardcastle • (1971)
044 - Into the Shop • (1964)
055 - Prez • (1970)
072 - Confessions • [a Jose Silvera story] • (1970)
093 -Monte Cristo Complex • (1971)
102 - The Yes-Men of Venus • (1963)
112 • Keeping an Eye on Janey • (1970)
125 • Hobo Jungle • s Ben Jolsen / Chameleon Corps story • (1970)
This collection of Ron Goulart's servomechanistic horror stories deals mainly with the world that Norbert Wiener made. The author's characters fight a rearguard action against homicidal household appliances, android schoolteachers, and in one instance—a fully automated, talking and libidinous house. My favorite is a gem entitled “Into the Shop,” which tells what happens when law enforcement is automated. (With the “lLawmobile” on patrol, justice is truly blind.)
I love Goularts' work
Cover Artist: Josh Kirby
Name: Goulart, Ronald Joseph, Birthplace: Berkeley, California, USA, 13 January 1933
Alternate Names: Carston Bingham, Kenneth Robeson, Frank S. Shawn, Joseph Silva, Con Steffanson
Originally read the U.S. Hardcover,
002 - What's Become of Screwloose? And Other Inquiries (frontispiece) • (1970) • interior artwork by Jack Gaughan
009 - What's Become of Screwloose? • (1970)
024 - Junior Partner • (1962)
035 - Hardcastle • (1971)
044 - Into the Shop • (1964)
055 - Prez • (1970)
072 - Confessions • [a Jose Silvera story] • (1970)
093 -Monte Cristo Complex • (1971)
102 - The Yes-Men of Venus • (1963)
112 • Keeping an Eye on Janey • (1970)
125 • Hobo Jungle • s Ben Jolsen / Chameleon Corps story • (1970)
This collection of Ron Goulart's servomechanistic horror stories deals mainly with the world that Norbert Wiener made. The author's characters fight a rearguard action against homicidal household appliances, android schoolteachers, and in one instance—a fully automated, talking and libidinous house. My favorite is a gem entitled “Into the Shop,” which tells what happens when law enforcement is automated. (With the “lLawmobile” on patrol, justice is truly blind.)
I love Goularts' work
July 16, 2020
DAW Collectors #60
Cover Artist: Josh Kirby
Name: Goulart, Ronald Joseph, Birthplace: Berkeley, California, USA, 13 January 1933
Alternate Names: Carston Bingham, Kenneth Robeson, Frank S. Shawn, Joseph Silva, Con Steffanson
Originally read the U.S. Hardcover,
002 - What's Become of Screwloose? And Other Inquiries (frontispiece) • (1970) • interior artwork by Jack Gaughan
009 - What's Become of Screwloose? • (1970)
024 - Junior Partner • (1962)
035 - Hardcastle • (1971)
044 - Into the Shop • (1964)
055 - Prez • (1970)
072 - Confessions • [a Jose Silvera story] • (1970)
093 -Monte Cristo Complex • (1971)
102 - The Yes-Men of Venus • (1963)
112 • Keeping an Eye on Janey • (1970)
125 • Hobo Jungle • s Ben Jolsen / Chameleon Corps story • (1970)
This collection of Ron Goulart's servomechanistic horror stories deals mainly with the world that Norbert Wiener made. The author's characters fight a rearguard action against homicidal household appliances, android schoolteachers, and in one instance—a fully automated, talking and libidinous house. My favorite is a gem entitled “Into the Shop,” which tells what happens when law enforcement is automated. (With the “lLawmobile” on patrol, justice is truly blind.)
I love Goularts' work
Cover Artist: Josh Kirby
Name: Goulart, Ronald Joseph, Birthplace: Berkeley, California, USA, 13 January 1933
Alternate Names: Carston Bingham, Kenneth Robeson, Frank S. Shawn, Joseph Silva, Con Steffanson
Originally read the U.S. Hardcover,
002 - What's Become of Screwloose? And Other Inquiries (frontispiece) • (1970) • interior artwork by Jack Gaughan
009 - What's Become of Screwloose? • (1970)
024 - Junior Partner • (1962)
035 - Hardcastle • (1971)
044 - Into the Shop • (1964)
055 - Prez • (1970)
072 - Confessions • [a Jose Silvera story] • (1970)
093 -Monte Cristo Complex • (1971)
102 - The Yes-Men of Venus • (1963)
112 • Keeping an Eye on Janey • (1970)
125 • Hobo Jungle • s Ben Jolsen / Chameleon Corps story • (1970)
This collection of Ron Goulart's servomechanistic horror stories deals mainly with the world that Norbert Wiener made. The author's characters fight a rearguard action against homicidal household appliances, android schoolteachers, and in one instance—a fully automated, talking and libidinous house. My favorite is a gem entitled “Into the Shop,” which tells what happens when law enforcement is automated. (With the “lLawmobile” on patrol, justice is truly blind.)
I love Goularts' work
December 12, 2020
This is a nice collection of Goulart's short fiction that takes a wide-ranging and quite humorous look at man's ever-expanding conflict with machines and technology. Most of the ten stories originally appeared in the genre digest magazines from 1962-1970. Goulart's early short fiction tended to be a little more satirical and thoughtfully ironic than his later, more madcap and slapstick works. Very funny stuff!
September 22, 2015
Sometimes I will read a book that is supposed to be funny and the humor is so subtle and dry that I don't know that it is supposed to be funny. When that happens I usually think it is just stupid. That might have happened to me with this one too if I had not seen it listed as a book of humor. Once I was prepared for the humor I could appreciate it. That is, it makes a lot of difference if a book is intended to be stupid rather than just turns out that way. The humor in this anthology is, indeed, subtle and dry and with that realization I think it is the better for it. These are ten enjoyable dark science fiction stories that should not be taken too seriously.
April 25, 2024
Average rating: 2.9/5 stars.
An important point that I want to stress: I usually don’t vibe with humorous books. It’s a me problem, surely. But I wanted to put that little warning label smack-dab on the kisser before we continue…
As my first foray into the style and mind of Ron Goulart, I only knew one thing: he’s known for his humorous twist on things. So what better way to get a taste than this early DAW Books collection of short stories.
If only they had been more engaging.
Lack of originality, uninteresting themes, and repetitive plots all coalesce into a collection of its time. I don’t like calling something dated; everything is a function of its own time and zeitgeists. That said, this reeked of regurgitated nonsense from an even earlier time.
A general complaint is that Goulart can’t help himself from ending most of these stories with a random, nonsensical final sentence that never properly resolves the story nor does it give the story that final “oomph” I was always hoping for. Almost always a lackluster.
The biggest saving grace of this book was it was mercifully short, so I never felt like I had wasted too much of my time.
But enough of that, let’s break down the individual stories.
”What’s Become of Screwloose?” - 4/5
A humorous noir detective-like story for a missing girl and murderous appliances. Who is Screwloose, and what’s become of him? A wacky, but decent start to this anthology collection.
”Junior Partner” - 3/5
More fantasy than science fiction, this short story follows a man with an overbearing father who wants his son to run the family enterprise after his death. However, his father claims to control the employees with voodoo.
This story was shaping up to have some sort of killer twist, but ended on a flatline for me. Though I’m disappointed by the lack of flourish, it’s not terrible. Average.
”Hardcastle” - 2/5
Ehhh. Easy to read with a soft chuckle or two, but a very boring and pointless story.
Man lives in an automated house with his wife. The punchline is that she’s cheating on him with the house.
Blessedly, it didn’t outstay its welcome.
”Into the Shop” - 2/5
This story felt like it could’ve been written in the 40s. And that’s not a compliment. It’s a very simple story with a very obvious “twist”. C’mon, Goulart. You should be able to do better than this.
”Prez” - 3/5
A little better than the last. Man versus talking dog. This seems to be a favorite story type of Goulart: an irritated man against a wise-cracking machine (or half-machine dog).
The ending was abrupt and felt . . . lackluster.
”Confessions” - 3/5
Another detective story. I think the consistent problem I’m having with Goulart is that his stories get resolved too quickly. There’s no time to breathe and everything happens too fast for the “reveals”/conclusions to carry any weight.
This one is lackluster, but manages to have some fun, pseudo-Agatha-Christie zest that makes it alright.
”Monte Cristo Complex” - 2/5
Another story about a detective, but this time from the perspective of his android partner. Not much more to say that I haven’t commented on the other stories
”The Yes-Men of Venus” - 4/5
A pretty decent satire on manly-man space romance novels like John Carter of Mars. Very tongue-in-cheek to the point that it felt almost like a smackdown on that kind of genre. One aspect I loved the most is that it opens with one character telling his story who is then told a story by another character who is then told a story by another character. I mean, c’mon—that’s pretty scathing satire.
”Keeping An Eye on Janey” - 3/5
A man contracts a wise-talking Irish bed to keep tabs on his cheating wife. The bed smokes and drinks bourbon and ends up saving the pair from a mob hit due to some mistaken identity.
What the hell am I reading?
”Hobo Jungle” - 3/5
A shapeshifting secret agent goes to a backwards planet so he can reclaim one million dollars of stolen money. In this world of half-lizard men, he has to sneak his way through the world, acting out as different people. From hobo to an elite, the shapeshifter goes through “dangerous” situations until he gets his prize.
Wacky, random, and unpredictable. Not bad but not great.
An important point that I want to stress: I usually don’t vibe with humorous books. It’s a me problem, surely. But I wanted to put that little warning label smack-dab on the kisser before we continue…
As my first foray into the style and mind of Ron Goulart, I only knew one thing: he’s known for his humorous twist on things. So what better way to get a taste than this early DAW Books collection of short stories.
If only they had been more engaging.
Lack of originality, uninteresting themes, and repetitive plots all coalesce into a collection of its time. I don’t like calling something dated; everything is a function of its own time and zeitgeists. That said, this reeked of regurgitated nonsense from an even earlier time.
A general complaint is that Goulart can’t help himself from ending most of these stories with a random, nonsensical final sentence that never properly resolves the story nor does it give the story that final “oomph” I was always hoping for. Almost always a lackluster.
The biggest saving grace of this book was it was mercifully short, so I never felt like I had wasted too much of my time.
But enough of that, let’s break down the individual stories.
”What’s Become of Screwloose?” - 4/5
A humorous noir detective-like story for a missing girl and murderous appliances. Who is Screwloose, and what’s become of him? A wacky, but decent start to this anthology collection.
”Junior Partner” - 3/5
More fantasy than science fiction, this short story follows a man with an overbearing father who wants his son to run the family enterprise after his death. However, his father claims to control the employees with voodoo.
This story was shaping up to have some sort of killer twist, but ended on a flatline for me. Though I’m disappointed by the lack of flourish, it’s not terrible. Average.
”Hardcastle” - 2/5
Ehhh. Easy to read with a soft chuckle or two, but a very boring and pointless story.
Man lives in an automated house with his wife. The punchline is that she’s cheating on him with the house.
Blessedly, it didn’t outstay its welcome.
”Into the Shop” - 2/5
This story felt like it could’ve been written in the 40s. And that’s not a compliment. It’s a very simple story with a very obvious “twist”. C’mon, Goulart. You should be able to do better than this.
”Prez” - 3/5
A little better than the last. Man versus talking dog. This seems to be a favorite story type of Goulart: an irritated man against a wise-cracking machine (or half-machine dog).
The ending was abrupt and felt . . . lackluster.
”Confessions” - 3/5
Another detective story. I think the consistent problem I’m having with Goulart is that his stories get resolved too quickly. There’s no time to breathe and everything happens too fast for the “reveals”/conclusions to carry any weight.
This one is lackluster, but manages to have some fun, pseudo-Agatha-Christie zest that makes it alright.
”Monte Cristo Complex” - 2/5
Another story about a detective, but this time from the perspective of his android partner. Not much more to say that I haven’t commented on the other stories
”The Yes-Men of Venus” - 4/5
A pretty decent satire on manly-man space romance novels like John Carter of Mars. Very tongue-in-cheek to the point that it felt almost like a smackdown on that kind of genre. One aspect I loved the most is that it opens with one character telling his story who is then told a story by another character who is then told a story by another character. I mean, c’mon—that’s pretty scathing satire.
”Keeping An Eye on Janey” - 3/5
A man contracts a wise-talking Irish bed to keep tabs on his cheating wife. The bed smokes and drinks bourbon and ends up saving the pair from a mob hit due to some mistaken identity.
What the hell am I reading?
”Hobo Jungle” - 3/5
A shapeshifting secret agent goes to a backwards planet so he can reclaim one million dollars of stolen money. In this world of half-lizard men, he has to sneak his way through the world, acting out as different people. From hobo to an elite, the shapeshifter goes through “dangerous” situations until he gets his prize.
Wacky, random, and unpredictable. Not bad but not great.
January 17, 2016
I'm not usually one to read short stories; not because I don't enjoy them but because I just tend to prefer longer novels where I feel that I can usually get to know the characters better and where things don't usually end on a cliffhanger. However, I was absolutely delighted by this series of shorts which begin confusing and end just as confusing, all the while the author manages to create his world with hints and little else. I haven't read something that reveals so much with so little in quite some time. If anyone is looking for a series of shorts to pick up, I would highly recommend this one. I would say that perhaps two of the stories overall were not terribly exciting or were not very well crafted but the majority of them were a delight to read!
December 13, 2022
This was an interesting collection! I think it unfortunately was dampened for me by just how many of these stories focused on a private investigator/detective style role (which I realize now was another genre Goulart preferred to write in). It felt somewhat repetitive, even confusing at some points with very similar names used across stories (Hawthorn/Hawthorne). It’s also definitely a product of the time it was written as most of the female roles were very much reduced to Attractive Woman or Manipulative Woman. I was hoping to get through without any cringy mention of breasts, but the last couple of stories were egregious on that front. Not a single one of these stories was told from a feminine perspective, just fyi.
My favorite story was “Junior Partner”, which (unlike so many other stories in this collection) focused on a father-son relationship and the manipulation it held. It was one of the stories that left me reeling because of the interesting blend of fantasy and scifi into this weird version of reality where employers control their employees with dolls. It just felt right, the way it was weaved and the way it ended.
My other favorite was “Monte Cristo Complex,” which was told from the lens of an android assistant to an investigator. Something about fiction like this, where it’s from a technology perspective as a robot seems to genuinely care for their charge, is very interesting to me. I was left with questions about the backstory of these two very interesting characters and how they came to work together.
All in all, I had my fun! I would be open to picking up another of Goulart’s works, since he was so prominent in this era’s scifi.
My favorite story was “Junior Partner”, which (unlike so many other stories in this collection) focused on a father-son relationship and the manipulation it held. It was one of the stories that left me reeling because of the interesting blend of fantasy and scifi into this weird version of reality where employers control their employees with dolls. It just felt right, the way it was weaved and the way it ended.
My other favorite was “Monte Cristo Complex,” which was told from the lens of an android assistant to an investigator. Something about fiction like this, where it’s from a technology perspective as a robot seems to genuinely care for their charge, is very interesting to me. I was left with questions about the backstory of these two very interesting characters and how they came to work together.
All in all, I had my fun! I would be open to picking up another of Goulart’s works, since he was so prominent in this era’s scifi.
October 9, 2017
This is a bizarre little book of short stories from an author I have otherwise not heard anything about. I like the style, though it is a little dated. Most of the stories, though sci-fi in nature, felt like noir or mystery stories. I liked that combination, though the characters and plot lines were a little wooden and not so fresh for my modern eye.
My favorite story in the set would have to be "Prez," a story about a cyborg talking dog who fakes the death of his mistress so that her hot-headed boyfriend will do his bidding while she's gone. It is pretty funny and clever writing.
My favorite story in the set would have to be "Prez," a story about a cyborg talking dog who fakes the death of his mistress so that her hot-headed boyfriend will do his bidding while she's gone. It is pretty funny and clever writing.
September 4, 2022
2/5 - What's Become of Screwloose?
3/5 - Junior Partner
3/5 - Hardcastle
4/5 - Into the Shop
2/5 - Prez
2/5 - Confessions
2/5 - Monte Cristo Complex
1/5 - The Yes-Men of Venus
3/5 - Keeping an Eye on Janey
2/5 - Hobo Jungle
3/5 - Junior Partner
3/5 - Hardcastle
4/5 - Into the Shop
2/5 - Prez
2/5 - Confessions
2/5 - Monte Cristo Complex
1/5 - The Yes-Men of Venus
3/5 - Keeping an Eye on Janey
2/5 - Hobo Jungle
September 14, 2022
a fun little collection of buzzard short stories about the relationship between man and machine. talking dogs, talking houses, talking cars ; bringing sci-fi robots into other genres can have such great results!
January 24, 2024
2/5 - What's Become of Screwloose?
3/5 - Junior Partner
2/5 - Hardcastle
2/5 - Into the Shop
2/5 - Prez
2/5 - Confessions
2/5 - Monte Cristo Complex
2/5 - The Yes-Men of Venus
2/5 - Keeping an Eye on Janey
3/5 - Hobo Jungle
3/5 - Junior Partner
2/5 - Hardcastle
2/5 - Into the Shop
2/5 - Prez
2/5 - Confessions
2/5 - Monte Cristo Complex
2/5 - The Yes-Men of Venus
2/5 - Keeping an Eye on Janey
3/5 - Hobo Jungle
May 31, 2018
Interesting group of short, satirical stories that poke fun at science fiction, mad-scientists and other things. His humor is not for the hard-SF kind and is not to be taken seriously
August 21, 2020
proficy of what is happen today!!!!
July 3, 2009
See my review of "Wildsmith".
August 31, 2016
Reminded me a bit of Kurt Vonnegut
February 9, 2017
Comedic look at an automated future. Similar to Kuttner’s “Robots Have no Tails,” but without the cleanly intricate plots and high quality prose.
February 27, 2019
Love reading this in middle school!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews