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The Second Frederic Brown Megapack
Frederic Brown (1906-1972) is perhaps best remembered for his use of humor and his mastery of the "short-short" form (these days called flash fiction) -- stories of one to three pages, often with ingenious plotting devices and surprise endings. (He also wrote excellent short stories and novels.) This volume contains 27 of his stories, including the classics "The Waverlies," "Honeymoon in Hell," :The Cartoonist," and many more. -- iBooks
303 pages, ebook
First published February 7, 2014
About the author
Fredric Brown
823 books367 followersFredric Brown was an American science fiction and mystery writer. He was one of the boldest early writers in genre fiction in his use of narrative experimentation. While never in the front rank of popularity in his lifetime, Brown has developed a considerable cult following in the almost half century since he last wrote. His works have been periodically reprinted and he has a worldwide fan base, most notably in the U.S. and Europe, and especially in France, where there have been several recent movie adaptations of his work. He also remains popular in Japan.
Never financially secure, Brown - like many other pulp writers - often wrote at a furious pace in order to pay bills. This accounts, at least in part, for the uneven quality of his work. A newspaperman by profession, Brown was only able to devote 14 years of his life as a full-time fiction writer. Brown was also a heavy drinker, and this at times doubtless affected his productivity. A cultured man and omnivorous reader whose interests ranged far beyond those of most pulp writers, Brown had a lifelong interest in the flute, chess, poker, and the works of Lewis Carroll. Brown married twice and was the father of two sons.
Never financially secure, Brown - like many other pulp writers - often wrote at a furious pace in order to pay bills. This accounts, at least in part, for the uneven quality of his work. A newspaperman by profession, Brown was only able to devote 14 years of his life as a full-time fiction writer. Brown was also a heavy drinker, and this at times doubtless affected his productivity. A cultured man and omnivorous reader whose interests ranged far beyond those of most pulp writers, Brown had a lifelong interest in the flute, chess, poker, and the works of Lewis Carroll. Brown married twice and was the father of two sons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
May 6, 2024
“Any alien is an enemy. Even though he were friendly today, how could we know that he would be friendly next year or a century from now? And a potential enemy is an enemy. The more quickly he is destroyed the more secure Earth will be.“
This piece of Terran logic and policy, which is taken from Frederic Brown’s story Obedience, is also one of the tenets ruling the mechanisms of Cosmic Sociology in Cixin Liu’s marvellous Remembrance of Earth’s Past trilogy, roughly speaking the tenet of chains of suspicions. And yet, unlike Cixin Liu, Brown settles for a more hopeful solution to an encounter between an Earthman and extra-terrestrials, without downplaying humans‘ tendency to follow orders either because it is so hard to follow one’s own judgment instead of that of superiors or because one wants to avoid bad consequences for oneself.
Obedience is one of the profoundest stories in this second collection of Brown’s shorter science fiction, along with The Last Martian (a nice take on paranoia), The Dome (a tale of someone who is so obsessed with survival that he forgets about life), And the Gods Laughed (paranoia again!), Crisis, 1999 (a story that makes you think about the purposes of punishing criminals) and Contact (which is also included in the first Megapack collection, under the title Earthmen Bearing Gifts; it is the only doublet, though). Quite often, these stories are imbued with the mindset of the 50s, and, of course, the Cold War and the threat imposed by nuclear weapons loom large. Sometimes, as in The Waveries, Brown indulges in kitsch, by mostly, his stories are worth reading. This also goes for the humorous tales, especially for the three Great Lost Discoveries sketches and the hilarious tale A Man of Distinction, in which aliens searching for a human specimen to study hit on just the right person – in a way. Not so good was the sequel to Mitkey Mouse, an excursion into broad humour that failed for me.
All in all, however, this second Frederic Brown Megapack leaves me wondering if another one is going to follow – and hoping that this will be the case.
This piece of Terran logic and policy, which is taken from Frederic Brown’s story Obedience, is also one of the tenets ruling the mechanisms of Cosmic Sociology in Cixin Liu’s marvellous Remembrance of Earth’s Past trilogy, roughly speaking the tenet of chains of suspicions. And yet, unlike Cixin Liu, Brown settles for a more hopeful solution to an encounter between an Earthman and extra-terrestrials, without downplaying humans‘ tendency to follow orders either because it is so hard to follow one’s own judgment instead of that of superiors or because one wants to avoid bad consequences for oneself.
Obedience is one of the profoundest stories in this second collection of Brown’s shorter science fiction, along with The Last Martian (a nice take on paranoia), The Dome (a tale of someone who is so obsessed with survival that he forgets about life), And the Gods Laughed (paranoia again!), Crisis, 1999 (a story that makes you think about the purposes of punishing criminals) and Contact (which is also included in the first Megapack collection, under the title Earthmen Bearing Gifts; it is the only doublet, though). Quite often, these stories are imbued with the mindset of the 50s, and, of course, the Cold War and the threat imposed by nuclear weapons loom large. Sometimes, as in The Waveries, Brown indulges in kitsch, by mostly, his stories are worth reading. This also goes for the humorous tales, especially for the three Great Lost Discoveries sketches and the hilarious tale A Man of Distinction, in which aliens searching for a human specimen to study hit on just the right person – in a way. Not so good was the sequel to Mitkey Mouse, an excursion into broad humour that failed for me.
All in all, however, this second Frederic Brown Megapack leaves me wondering if another one is going to follow – and hoping that this will be the case.
January 2, 2021
Full disclosure: I read about half of the book before putting it aside. I'll update the star rating if I end up reading the rest and changing my mind.
This is old-school 1950s sci-fi of a kind I don't do very often, so for me it was a refreshing change of pace. The themes are very much of their time (nuclear war, invasion), as are the characters and attitudes. The story structures are straightforward: a more or less lengthy set-up followed by a punchline ending. That structure applies to the serious and comic stories alike.
What sustain the reader's interest today are the ideas that propel the storylines along. Those ideas range across not just science but also sociology (e.g. a proposed solution to crime in "Crisis, 1999") and psychology (e.g. a stranded space traveller's unravelling in "Something Green").
At their best ("Something Green") the stories are well crafted and even poignant. At their weakest they are tiresome jokes whose payoff you see coming a mile away.
Reading a lot of them in quick succession may have done them no favours, because the themes and structures are so similar across multiple stories. So I'd say this is one to dip in and out of, rather than to read cover to cover.
This is old-school 1950s sci-fi of a kind I don't do very often, so for me it was a refreshing change of pace. The themes are very much of their time (nuclear war, invasion), as are the characters and attitudes. The story structures are straightforward: a more or less lengthy set-up followed by a punchline ending. That structure applies to the serious and comic stories alike.
What sustain the reader's interest today are the ideas that propel the storylines along. Those ideas range across not just science but also sociology (e.g. a proposed solution to crime in "Crisis, 1999") and psychology (e.g. a stranded space traveller's unravelling in "Something Green").
At their best ("Something Green") the stories are well crafted and even poignant. At their weakest they are tiresome jokes whose payoff you see coming a mile away.
Reading a lot of them in quick succession may have done them no favours, because the themes and structures are so similar across multiple stories. So I'd say this is one to dip in and out of, rather than to read cover to cover.
August 20, 2020
Okay I may not have loved as many of these as did in the first Brown Megapack, but I'm pretty sure I liked every inclusion here. I wish there were twenty more of these Megapacks by Brown - .99 for hours of entertainment; at least there are other authors to discover though Brown seems one of a kind. The story here co-written by Mack Reynolds is a delight so maybe his solo work should be explored. This has gotten too stream of consciousness, sorry. In short, read the first Megapack, love it, then read this, then consider Nightmares and Geezenstacks which I see has some crossover with these books but is also by all accounts another kick-ass collection.
July 4, 2018
Another great collection of short stories from Fredric Brown. This collection has the classics The Last Martian and Honeymoon in Hell, The Waveries and many others. I can’t say it’s any better or worse than the first mega pack of stories, just that there are more stories of a similar type.
It really just reinforced how much I enjoy Fredric Brown’s stories and I’m glad this publisher has made them available to read all these years later. If you like sci-fi, especially with a bit of a twist in the endings, I think you’ll really enjoy this work.
It really just reinforced how much I enjoy Fredric Brown’s stories and I’m glad this publisher has made them available to read all these years later. If you like sci-fi, especially with a bit of a twist in the endings, I think you’ll really enjoy this work.
July 7, 2024
Very humorous and quite creative
While Fredric is famous for his short short novel, in this book I prefer the longer ones rather than ones make him well-known. Though I won't deny his talents on the shorter ones, but the contrary works give him more space to set up the suspense, background, and more plots for readers to laugh about. What also can't be ignored is his creativity on the scientifical settings. The weaveries, Crisis, 1999, And The Gods Laughed, Daymare, and especially the Placet Is A Crazy Place which is impressive the most.
Hope you love this book.
While Fredric is famous for his short short novel, in this book I prefer the longer ones rather than ones make him well-known. Though I won't deny his talents on the shorter ones, but the contrary works give him more space to set up the suspense, background, and more plots for readers to laugh about. What also can't be ignored is his creativity on the scientifical settings. The weaveries, Crisis, 1999, And The Gods Laughed, Daymare, and especially the Placet Is A Crazy Place which is impressive the most.
Hope you love this book.
August 6, 2020
Entertaining
Good entertainment, though not quite as good as the first volume of this author, which is understandable. If you liked the first volume I think you’ll enjoy this one as well.
Good entertainment, though not quite as good as the first volume of this author, which is understandable. If you liked the first volume I think you’ll enjoy this one as well.
May 12, 2023
A fun bot of old-style sci-fi with a strong touch of the kind of humor you later found in the Far Side. A combination of short stories (20-30 pages) and short-shorts (2-5 pages). Recommended eve if you don't particularly like sci-fi. Some of these are very like the Twilight Zone stories.
February 22, 2025
Humorous collection
Here's hoping that there will be a 3rd book og Fredric Brown's stories. Meanwhile I've purchased several of his standalone books.
The shortest stories are the best ones.
Here's hoping that there will be a 3rd book og Fredric Brown's stories. Meanwhile I've purchased several of his standalone books.
The shortest stories are the best ones.
September 12, 2025
Come la prima raccolta: racconti diversamente lunghi, diversamente riusciti, quasi sempre ironici. Nel complesso, una lettura piacevole anche stavolta. Dovessi isolarne cinque, direi: The Weapon, A Word From Our Sponsors, Crisis 1999, Placet is a Crazy Place e Daymare.
July 23, 2017
Great as always
Fredric Brown always produced great fiction, funny, heartwarming and outlandish. Wish he'd written a million stories because I'd try to read them all.
Fredric Brown always produced great fiction, funny, heartwarming and outlandish. Wish he'd written a million stories because I'd try to read them all.
May 28, 2018
Good collection of classic SF
Great value for a collection of classic sci-fi. Very out-of-date with respect to science and technology but fun reads nevertheless
Great value for a collection of classic sci-fi. Very out-of-date with respect to science and technology but fun reads nevertheless
August 17, 2018
Brilliant
A master of the genre with laconic wit and observations and imaginings to suit the most demanding of sci-fantasy fans.
A master of the genre with laconic wit and observations and imaginings to suit the most demanding of sci-fantasy fans.
August 29, 2019
Classic SF shorts - Lots of fun!
August 28, 2021
Another good collection of tales from Frederic Brown. Didn’t enjoy them as much as the first collection, but still many good reads.
November 8, 2022
More cool sci-fi. Sometimes creepy but good. Amazing how much this guy could pack into a few pages.
March 23, 2024
Stories with some nice twists, but I forget sometimes how most were written for juveniles... The plots are just a bit simplistic for me
June 6, 2014
Another fine collection of Brown's stories, including what was, I think, the first one of his I read, "Placet is a Crazy Place". I have fond memories of reading it in some collection or other while on holiday with my parents as a teenager.
Some of the stories are short gags, others more extended and, sometimes, more serious. There's a good mystery ("Daymare"), too. They're steeped in the feel of the 1950s, particularly in the frequency of reference to the Cold War, fear of nuclear war, and fear of invasion (usually framed as alien invasion).
Fans of Murray Leinster will recognise the decent heroes, and Robert Sheckley fans will recognise the political and social situation, though Leinster places more emphasis on the clever engineer finding the solution (and gives his female characters more important roles), and Sheckley is more cynical about human nature and inclines more to satire than comedy. The comedy here is often that of a classic New Yorker cartoon, but occasionally (as in "Placet") approaches the more bizarre style of an R.A. Lafferty.
Something that struck me about Brown is that, for a science fiction writer, he's sometimes shaky on science. He doesn't appear to know, for instance, that the removal of lightning would also remove thunder, and writes that a Martian day is about two Earth days without, apparently, having looked it up (it's barely longer than an Earth day).
He also shares in the ignorance of his time, making a remark that suggests that Australian "bushmen" are of low intelligence.
Don't go into this collection looking for modern storytelling sensibilities or accurate science. It's a period piece, and needs to be appreciated as such.
Some of the stories are short gags, others more extended and, sometimes, more serious. There's a good mystery ("Daymare"), too. They're steeped in the feel of the 1950s, particularly in the frequency of reference to the Cold War, fear of nuclear war, and fear of invasion (usually framed as alien invasion).
Fans of Murray Leinster will recognise the decent heroes, and Robert Sheckley fans will recognise the political and social situation, though Leinster places more emphasis on the clever engineer finding the solution (and gives his female characters more important roles), and Sheckley is more cynical about human nature and inclines more to satire than comedy. The comedy here is often that of a classic New Yorker cartoon, but occasionally (as in "Placet") approaches the more bizarre style of an R.A. Lafferty.
Something that struck me about Brown is that, for a science fiction writer, he's sometimes shaky on science. He doesn't appear to know, for instance, that the removal of lightning would also remove thunder, and writes that a Martian day is about two Earth days without, apparently, having looked it up (it's barely longer than an Earth day).
He also shares in the ignorance of his time, making a remark that suggests that Australian "bushmen" are of low intelligence.
Don't go into this collection looking for modern storytelling sensibilities or accurate science. It's a period piece, and needs to be appreciated as such.
April 8, 2016
This second (wonderfully inexpensive) collection of Brown's SF and fantasy from the 1940s to '60s is perhaps not quite up to the first but still far better than 90% of what you'll usually read from the same period. His imagination, sense of humor and storytelling ability know no bounds. And no matter how far-fetched the plots and ideas, human nature remains foremost. His characters react to their situations as individuals rather than stereotypes – even the frequent drunks and borderline lowlifes.
Brown rings just about every conceivable change on time travel, sometimes in 1,000-word throwaways, sometimes in carefully constructed, convoluted yet cleanly told longer stories. The gem of this collection, to my mind, is "Vengeance Fleet," not only a beautifully constructed time-travel tale, but, on the human level, one of the most heart-rending and terrifying in its implications. The entire collection is worth it for this one story alone, and there are several others close on its heels for excellence.
Brown rings just about every conceivable change on time travel, sometimes in 1,000-word throwaways, sometimes in carefully constructed, convoluted yet cleanly told longer stories. The gem of this collection, to my mind, is "Vengeance Fleet," not only a beautifully constructed time-travel tale, but, on the human level, one of the most heart-rending and terrifying in its implications. The entire collection is worth it for this one story alone, and there are several others close on its heels for excellence.
March 31, 2016
I had read most of these stories before and enjoyed them just as much a second (or third) time. Several of these gems were written in the 1940s and early 50s, and it is understandable that some feel a bit dated.
Furthermore, these 'Megapacks'-ebooks are an absolute bargain (and properly formatted) – another reason this collection is highly recommended
Furthermore, these 'Megapacks'-ebooks are an absolute bargain (and properly formatted) – another reason this collection is highly recommended
December 27, 2014
I had read most of the stories in this book and in the previous volume so I was refreshing my memories of them. Happily, I found most of them to be as enjoyable as I had before.
If you liked "The Twilight Zone" and the like, but with more humor, Frederic Brown is for you.
If you liked "The Twilight Zone" and the like, but with more humor, Frederic Brown is for you.
February 9, 2015
I love Mr.Brown's short stories. His imagination is awesome! His stories can make me laugh and tickle my fantasy. Some of his stories are less than half a page. Isn't that awesome? One doesn't need more than that to tell a whole tale. A master. Read any of his short stories!! Enjoy!
July 14, 2015
You can't beat Frederic Brown for pure fun
He's the master of the twist. Sometimes the surprise comes in the very last word. He's extremely inventive. And he never cheats, you get answers and satisfaction by the end of the story. I can't get enough!
He's the master of the twist. Sometimes the surprise comes in the very last word. He's extremely inventive. And he never cheats, you get answers and satisfaction by the end of the story. I can't get enough!
April 28, 2016
More Science fiction from Fredric Brown.
After finishing the first Megapack, I continued with this one almost immediately. This collection certainly turned out to be a great read too. Some of my favorites are; "All good Bems," "Daisies," "Millennium," "Daymare," and "Cartoonist."
After finishing the first Megapack, I continued with this one almost immediately. This collection certainly turned out to be a great read too. Some of my favorites are; "All good Bems," "Daisies," "Millennium," "Daymare," and "Cartoonist."
August 24, 2016
an enjoyable collection of short stories. there were no stand out winners for me to recommend, and indeed some stinkers to avoid. many of the stories haven't aged well, but I didn't feel the need to skip any. all in all a solid meh.
November 4, 2020
Brown is a master of the science fiction short story. It's almost
Addictive-- I've felt a bit apprehensive when a story runs long. The satisfaction of completion comes often. I'm getting used
to it.
Addictive-- I've felt a bit apprehensive when a story runs long. The satisfaction of completion comes often. I'm getting used
to it.
February 26, 2015
Some good, some bad
Some well written stories, some not so well written. As can be expected in this type of group st stores
Some well written stories, some not so well written. As can be expected in this type of group st stores
January 11, 2016
Excellent
Another excellent collection of stories. The only thing I had a problem with is that one of them was also in the first one, but 26 stories for 99¢ is still a great price!
Another excellent collection of stories. The only thing I had a problem with is that one of them was also in the first one, but 26 stories for 99¢ is still a great price!
December 31, 2022
Satisfying, interesting stories, often wittily told, but hopelessly and frustratingly sexist
March 24, 2023
I loved the First Fredric Brown Megapack, but found this collection underwhelming and forgettable.
December 20, 2015
A great collection of short stories. "Something Green" is a personal favorite.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews