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Creatures From Beyond: Nine Stories of Science Fiction and Fantasy
Introduction by Terry Carr
The Worm by David H. Keller
Mimic by Donald A. Wollheim (as by Martin Pearson)
It by Theodore Sturgeon
Beauty And The Beast by Henry Kuttner
Some Are Born Cats by Terry and Carol Carr
Full Sun by Brian W. Aldiss
The Silent Colony by Robert Silverberg
The Street That Wasn't There by Clifford D. Simak and Carl Jacobi
Dear Devil by Eric Frank Russell
The Worm by David H. Keller
Mimic by Donald A. Wollheim (as by Martin Pearson)
It by Theodore Sturgeon
Beauty And The Beast by Henry Kuttner
Some Are Born Cats by Terry and Carol Carr
Full Sun by Brian W. Aldiss
The Silent Colony by Robert Silverberg
The Street That Wasn't There by Clifford D. Simak and Carl Jacobi
Dear Devil by Eric Frank Russell
180 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1975
3 people are currently reading
47 people want to read
About the author
Terry Carr
219 books31 followersCarr was born in Grants Pass, Oregon. He attended the City College of San Francisco and the University of California, Berkeley from 1954 to 1959.
Carr discovered science fiction fandom in 1949, where he became an enthusiastic publisher of fanzines, which later helped open his way into the commercial publishing world. (He was one of the two fans responsible for the hoax fan 'Carl Brandon' after whom the Carl Brandon Society takes its name.) Despite a long career as a science fiction professional, he continued to participate as a fan until his death. He was nominated five times for Hugos for Best Fanzine (1959–1961, 1967–1968), winning in 1959, was nominated three times for Best Fan Writer (1971–1973), winning in 1973, and was Fan Guest of Honor at ConFederation in 1986.
Though he published some fiction in the early 1960s, Carr concentrated on editing. He first worked at Ace Books, establishing the Ace Science Fiction Specials series which published, among other novels, The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin and Rite of Passage by Alexei Panshin.
After conflicts with Ace head Donald A. Wollheim, he worked as a freelancer. He edited an original story anthology series called Universe, and a popular series of The Best Science Fiction of the Year anthologies that ran from 1972 until his death in 1987. He also edited numerous one-off anthologies over the same time span. He was nominated for the Hugo for Best Editor thirteen times (1973–1975, 1977–1979, 1981–1987), winning twice (1985 and 1987). His win in 1985 was the first time a freelance editor had won.
Carr taught at the Clarion Workshop at Michigan State University in 1978, where his students included Richard Kadrey and Pat Murphy.
Carr discovered science fiction fandom in 1949, where he became an enthusiastic publisher of fanzines, which later helped open his way into the commercial publishing world. (He was one of the two fans responsible for the hoax fan 'Carl Brandon' after whom the Carl Brandon Society takes its name.) Despite a long career as a science fiction professional, he continued to participate as a fan until his death. He was nominated five times for Hugos for Best Fanzine (1959–1961, 1967–1968), winning in 1959, was nominated three times for Best Fan Writer (1971–1973), winning in 1973, and was Fan Guest of Honor at ConFederation in 1986.
Though he published some fiction in the early 1960s, Carr concentrated on editing. He first worked at Ace Books, establishing the Ace Science Fiction Specials series which published, among other novels, The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin and Rite of Passage by Alexei Panshin.
After conflicts with Ace head Donald A. Wollheim, he worked as a freelancer. He edited an original story anthology series called Universe, and a popular series of The Best Science Fiction of the Year anthologies that ran from 1972 until his death in 1987. He also edited numerous one-off anthologies over the same time span. He was nominated for the Hugo for Best Editor thirteen times (1973–1975, 1977–1979, 1981–1987), winning twice (1985 and 1987). His win in 1985 was the first time a freelance editor had won.
Carr taught at the Clarion Workshop at Michigan State University in 1978, where his students included Richard Kadrey and Pat Murphy.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 16, 2020
This is a very good reprint anthology of stories about unusual aliens. Judging by the B.E.M. cover, it may have been aimed at what we now call the Y.A. market. The stories range from a David H. Keller story originally published in the 1920's to one that Carr himself wrote (in collaboration with his wife Carol) from the 1970's. I especially enjoyed Mimic by Donald A. Wollheim (founder of DAW books), Dear Devil by Eric Frank Russell, and The Street That Wasn't There by Clifford D. Simak and Carl Jacobi. (The only story I can recall that Simak wrote collaboratively.) The most notable story is Theodore Sturgeon's It, which was the inspiration for comics icons like Solomon Grundy, Swamp Thing, Man-Thing, and The Heap.
May 27, 2020
Hard to rate - in a different mood I might have given it four stars. Not really so much BEMs; more worth reading than that.
The Worm by David H. Keller - almost Lovecraftian; not my thing
Mimic by Donald A. Wollheim (as by Martin Pearson) - short and clever
It by Theodore Sturgeon - well-written, but not sure if the story makes sense
Beauty And The Beast by Henry Kuttner - a bit like 'Iron Giant' in that a "monstrous" form does not necessarily mean that the creature is a monster
Some Are Born Cats by Terry and Carol Carr - light, and, yes, cat lovers will enjoy it most I think
Full Sun by Brian W. Aldiss - too ambitious for the length & just didn't read well
The Silent Colony by Robert Silverberg - very short, undeveloped
The Street That Wasn't There by Clifford D. Simak and Carl Jacobi - clever little horror
Dear Devil by Eric Frank Russell - I've seen this elsewhere but it's worth the reread, though imperfect
The Worm by David H. Keller - almost Lovecraftian; not my thing
Mimic by Donald A. Wollheim (as by Martin Pearson) - short and clever
It by Theodore Sturgeon - well-written, but not sure if the story makes sense
Beauty And The Beast by Henry Kuttner - a bit like 'Iron Giant' in that a "monstrous" form does not necessarily mean that the creature is a monster
Some Are Born Cats by Terry and Carol Carr - light, and, yes, cat lovers will enjoy it most I think
Full Sun by Brian W. Aldiss - too ambitious for the length & just didn't read well
The Silent Colony by Robert Silverberg - very short, undeveloped
The Street That Wasn't There by Clifford D. Simak and Carl Jacobi - clever little horror
Dear Devil by Eric Frank Russell - I've seen this elsewhere but it's worth the reread, though imperfect
June 16, 2009
I have a hardback version of this. Reprints of stories from the pulp era. I thought it had some really good stuff in it by David H. Keller, Theodore Sturgeon, and donald Wollheim.
September 15, 2024
Nice anthology of Science Fiction and Fantasy short stories. The stories are still current event though they range from 1927 to 1973 (this is really amazing!) Authors are all famous and acclaimed. My favorites were "Dear Devil" by Eric Frank Russell, "Mimic" by Donald A. Wollheim (yes, the "Mimic" movies by Guillermo Del Toro are based on this short story), "Some Are Born Cats" by Terry & Carol Carr, and "Beauty And The Beast" by Henry Kuttner.
Enjoyed the different story telling styles. I must say though, that these stories are more Fantasy than Science Fiction. That is okay with me.
Enjoyed the different story telling styles. I must say though, that these stories are more Fantasy than Science Fiction. That is okay with me.
August 27, 2024
A great little book ... Wish it were longer!
This Anthology contains a few rare stories from SF personalities that were known for their editing work, and who wrote little themselves.
Though this Anthology is from 1976, and the stories in it a bit older than that, it shows surprisingly little dating, with great impact upon the reader.
Somewhat difficult to find, it's VERY well worth seeking out!
This Anthology contains a few rare stories from SF personalities that were known for their editing work, and who wrote little themselves.
Though this Anthology is from 1976, and the stories in it a bit older than that, it shows surprisingly little dating, with great impact upon the reader.
Somewhat difficult to find, it's VERY well worth seeking out!
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July 22, 2020Full review: https://supermonsternovels.com/2020/0...
August 10, 2015
This 1975 speculative fiction anthology has the theme of monsters from outside human experience. The question of what lies in the outer darkness has haunted humanity since we developed imaginations. These nine stories look at the possibilities, from implacable enemies, to beings a lot like us in the end.
“The Worm” by David H. Keller is set in a remote Vermont valley that has become depopulated, leaving only an old miller. He no longer runs the millstone, but one night he notices a grinding vibration…A canny and stubborn man against a seemingly inevitable devourer, with a mounting feeling of dread.
“Mimic” by Donald A. Wollheim involves insects that have evolved protective camouflage to live among humans. This story doesn’t have much actually happen in it (unlike the 1997 movie very loosely based on it) with the really chilling moment being when the narrator realizes that the insects aren’t the only creatures that have learned new mimicry tricks.
“It” by Theodore Sturgeon has the distinction of being the inspiration for no less than four independently created comic book characters (Solomon Grundy, the Heap, Man-Thing and Swamp Thing.) It’s a horrific tale of a human corpse that somehow has been animated by hot molds and unknown factors; it stumbles around the woods trying to satisfy its curiosity in destructive ways. And now it wants to learn about humans….very strong last sentence.
“Beauty and the Beast” by Henry Kuttner has a greedy, small-minded man discover the wreck of a spaceship that’s been to Mars. Inside, he finds some seeds and a jeweled egg, and decides to try them out to make a profit. This is of course not the best idea he’s ever had. Genre-savvy readers will spot the twist coming a mile away.
“Some are Born Cats” by Terry and Carol Carr was chosen, as the editor admits, because it’s a sentimental favorite, the first he co-wrote with his wife. Two teens realize that the girl’s cat is not actually a cat, but an alien. Happy ending all around.
“Full Sun” by Brian W. Aldiss takes place in the far future, when humanity, served by its faithful robots, has retreated to shining cities, and the wilderness areas are infested with werewolves. A hunter from the city is tracking down a particularly dangerous werewolf, but he may have more than one enemy in the forest. Interesting last minute perspective twist.
“The Silent Colony” by Robert Silverberg is told entirely from the viewpoint of the creatures, aliens who’ve occupied the outer planets, and now notice that some of their kind are on Earth already. But why won’t the colonists communicate? Short.
“The Street That Wasn’t There” by Clifford D. Simak and Carl Jacobi is their only collaboration. A retired professor suddenly notices that his daily walk took a few minutes less than usual, and discovers that an entire street has vanished from the town. The “creature” in this case is an entire alternate universe that’s trying to superimpose itself over ours.
“Dear Devil” by Eric Frank Russell closes out the volume with a friendly Martian exiling himself to Earth. Humanity has nearly wiped itself out with nuclear and germ warfare, and the few survivors have reverted to tiny tribes at best. Fander, despite his fearsome appearance, is a poet, and moved by a thing of beauty, helps the humans bring themselves back from the brink of extinction. The Fifties sexism is strong in this story. Boys are naturally interested in mechanics, engineering and exploring; girls are delicate, and naturally interested in dolls. This holds true across species lines here! It weakens an otherwise decent story.
The Silverberg story is the weakest, and I suspect it was included to fill an exact number of pages. The Wollheim and Sturgeon stories are the best here. Check your library or used bookstore.
“The Worm” by David H. Keller is set in a remote Vermont valley that has become depopulated, leaving only an old miller. He no longer runs the millstone, but one night he notices a grinding vibration…A canny and stubborn man against a seemingly inevitable devourer, with a mounting feeling of dread.
“Mimic” by Donald A. Wollheim involves insects that have evolved protective camouflage to live among humans. This story doesn’t have much actually happen in it (unlike the 1997 movie very loosely based on it) with the really chilling moment being when the narrator realizes that the insects aren’t the only creatures that have learned new mimicry tricks.
“It” by Theodore Sturgeon has the distinction of being the inspiration for no less than four independently created comic book characters (Solomon Grundy, the Heap, Man-Thing and Swamp Thing.) It’s a horrific tale of a human corpse that somehow has been animated by hot molds and unknown factors; it stumbles around the woods trying to satisfy its curiosity in destructive ways. And now it wants to learn about humans….very strong last sentence.
“Beauty and the Beast” by Henry Kuttner has a greedy, small-minded man discover the wreck of a spaceship that’s been to Mars. Inside, he finds some seeds and a jeweled egg, and decides to try them out to make a profit. This is of course not the best idea he’s ever had. Genre-savvy readers will spot the twist coming a mile away.
“Some are Born Cats” by Terry and Carol Carr was chosen, as the editor admits, because it’s a sentimental favorite, the first he co-wrote with his wife. Two teens realize that the girl’s cat is not actually a cat, but an alien. Happy ending all around.
“Full Sun” by Brian W. Aldiss takes place in the far future, when humanity, served by its faithful robots, has retreated to shining cities, and the wilderness areas are infested with werewolves. A hunter from the city is tracking down a particularly dangerous werewolf, but he may have more than one enemy in the forest. Interesting last minute perspective twist.
“The Silent Colony” by Robert Silverberg is told entirely from the viewpoint of the creatures, aliens who’ve occupied the outer planets, and now notice that some of their kind are on Earth already. But why won’t the colonists communicate? Short.
“The Street That Wasn’t There” by Clifford D. Simak and Carl Jacobi is their only collaboration. A retired professor suddenly notices that his daily walk took a few minutes less than usual, and discovers that an entire street has vanished from the town. The “creature” in this case is an entire alternate universe that’s trying to superimpose itself over ours.
“Dear Devil” by Eric Frank Russell closes out the volume with a friendly Martian exiling himself to Earth. Humanity has nearly wiped itself out with nuclear and germ warfare, and the few survivors have reverted to tiny tribes at best. Fander, despite his fearsome appearance, is a poet, and moved by a thing of beauty, helps the humans bring themselves back from the brink of extinction. The Fifties sexism is strong in this story. Boys are naturally interested in mechanics, engineering and exploring; girls are delicate, and naturally interested in dolls. This holds true across species lines here! It weakens an otherwise decent story.
The Silverberg story is the weakest, and I suspect it was included to fill an exact number of pages. The Wollheim and Sturgeon stories are the best here. Check your library or used bookstore.
November 28, 2021
I haven't read any sci-fi for probably a decade or more, and these were enjoyable.
This collection is loosely thematic in that each story is an example of the alien, the other-worldly other, and the monstrous existing among us; or finding its way into our reality, sometimes violently, accidentally, or quietly and undetected.
The acknowledgements have these nine stories' original copyrights as follows:
"The Worm" from Amazing Stories 1927; "The Mimic" from Astonishing Tales 1942; "It" from Unknown 1940; "Beauty and the Beast" from Thrilling Wonder Stories 1940; "Some are Born Cats" from Science Fiction Tales 1973; "Full Sun" from Orbit 2 1967; "The Silent Colony" from Future Science Fiction 1954; "The Street That Wasn't There" from Comet Stories 1941; "Dear Devil" from Other Worlds 1950.
I usually enjoy works written between the 1920's-1940's, here's something about a few of them in this collection:
“The Street That Was Not There” by Clifford D. Simak and Carl Jacobi was the most interesting for me, and not just because it raises some perennial philosophical issues about personal identity, and not just because its world is a creative conception of subjective idealism in practice, but because it was the least predictable story among them all—an existential terror this one is.
I found Terry and Carol Carr’s “Some Are Born Cats” pretty predictable and dated; also dated but for different reasons, is “Dear Devil” with its obvious 1950’s gender roles. “Mimic” and “It” are not bad.
If you like concepts better than character development, then these are not bad.
I dig the 70's cover with the goofy aliens, none of which, however, seem to correspond to the stories.
This collection is loosely thematic in that each story is an example of the alien, the other-worldly other, and the monstrous existing among us; or finding its way into our reality, sometimes violently, accidentally, or quietly and undetected.
The acknowledgements have these nine stories' original copyrights as follows:
"The Worm" from Amazing Stories 1927; "The Mimic" from Astonishing Tales 1942; "It" from Unknown 1940; "Beauty and the Beast" from Thrilling Wonder Stories 1940; "Some are Born Cats" from Science Fiction Tales 1973; "Full Sun" from Orbit 2 1967; "The Silent Colony" from Future Science Fiction 1954; "The Street That Wasn't There" from Comet Stories 1941; "Dear Devil" from Other Worlds 1950.
I usually enjoy works written between the 1920's-1940's, here's something about a few of them in this collection:
“The Street That Was Not There” by Clifford D. Simak and Carl Jacobi was the most interesting for me, and not just because it raises some perennial philosophical issues about personal identity, and not just because its world is a creative conception of subjective idealism in practice, but because it was the least predictable story among them all—an existential terror this one is.
I found Terry and Carol Carr’s “Some Are Born Cats” pretty predictable and dated; also dated but for different reasons, is “Dear Devil” with its obvious 1950’s gender roles. “Mimic” and “It” are not bad.
If you like concepts better than character development, then these are not bad.
I dig the 70's cover with the goofy aliens, none of which, however, seem to correspond to the stories.
June 20, 2016
I loved the psychedelic aliens on this book's cover though they didn't seem to feature in any of these stories. Carr did a great job picking these tales. Three of my favorites include The Mimic, The Street That Wasn't There, and Dear Devil. Apparently they made a movie based loosely on The Mimic. But I fear it doesn't capture Donald Wolheim's ingenious plot featuring another species living as a human in the human world.
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December 28, 20126/14/12: "Beauty and the Beast" (1940) by Henry Kuttner
4/7/12: "Some Are Born Cats" (1973) by Terry and Carol Carr
4/7/12: "Full Sun" (1967) by Brian W. Aldiss
4/7/12: "Some Are Born Cats" (1973) by Terry and Carol Carr
4/7/12: "Full Sun" (1967) by Brian W. Aldiss
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August 22, 2008Creatures From Beyond by Terry Carr (date?)
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February 23, 2016Non-starter.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews