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The R.A. Lafferty Fantastic MEGAPACK®
Without a doubt, Raphael Aloysius Lafferty (1914-2002) was one of the most quirky and unusual authors every to work in science fiction. That's saying a lot. His stories are often unusual, challenging, uncategorizable, and brilliant. This collection assembles 18 of them, including his very first story. Included HAD THREE BROTHERS; SEVEN-DAY TERROR; DAY OF THE GLACIER; SODOM AND GOMORRAH, TEXAS; THROUGH OTHER EYES; THE WEIRDEST WORLD; THE SIX FINGERS OF TIME; TRY TO REMEMBER; McGONIGAL'S WORM; THE POLITE PEOPLE OF PUDIBUNDIA; IN THE GARDEN; ALL THE PEOPLE; DREAM; THE WAGONS; OTHER SIDE OF THE MOONT; HE UGLY SEA; SATURDAY YOU DIE.
If you enjoy this ebook, don't forget to search your favorite ebook store for "Wildside Press Megapack" to see more of the 290+ volumes in this series, covering adventure, historical fiction, mysteries, westerns, ghost stories, science fiction -- and much, much more!
If you enjoy this ebook, don't forget to search your favorite ebook store for "Wildside Press Megapack" to see more of the 290+ volumes in this series, covering adventure, historical fiction, mysteries, westerns, ghost stories, science fiction -- and much, much more!
215 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 30, 2016
98 people are currently reading
140 people want to read
About the author
R.A. Lafferty
541 books315 followersRaphael Aloysius Lafferty, published under the name R.A. Lafferty, was an American science fiction and fantasy writer known for his original use of language, metaphor, and narrative structure, as well as for his etymological wit. He also wrote a set of four autobiographical novels, a history book, and a number of novels that could be loosely called historical fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
April 11, 2017
5 hundred thousand million kerjillion stars.
R. A. Lafferty is not an author who was known to me before reading this Megapack, but he is one I'll be on the lookout for now. I went into these stories expecting run of the mill early 60s spec-fic. What I got was 18 utterly fantastic stories that defy categorization: some have science fiction elements, some are rooted in folklore, and some have no supernatural, weird, or sciency element whatsoever. What they all have in common is very strong characterization, extremely original storylines, and a wicked sense of humor. As I wrote this review, I tried to think of one or two outstanding stories to use to illustrate the set but I couldn't narrow it down. There isn't a bum in the bunch. Highly recommended.
R. A. Lafferty is not an author who was known to me before reading this Megapack, but he is one I'll be on the lookout for now. I went into these stories expecting run of the mill early 60s spec-fic. What I got was 18 utterly fantastic stories that defy categorization: some have science fiction elements, some are rooted in folklore, and some have no supernatural, weird, or sciency element whatsoever. What they all have in common is very strong characterization, extremely original storylines, and a wicked sense of humor. As I wrote this review, I tried to think of one or two outstanding stories to use to illustrate the set but I couldn't narrow it down. There isn't a bum in the bunch. Highly recommended.
May 30, 2016
A Fantastic Book. Really!
There weren't any stories in this book that I didn't like! Some of these stories are humorous and had me laughing out loud, this is something I don't do very often. Well worth reading despite any negative remarks. Now I'm going to get looking for more stories by R.A. Laverty!
There weren't any stories in this book that I didn't like! Some of these stories are humorous and had me laughing out loud, this is something I don't do very often. Well worth reading despite any negative remarks. Now I'm going to get looking for more stories by R.A. Laverty!
December 7, 2019
3.3 ⭐
A mixed bag of Lafferty stories, including some of his earliest (The Wagons, his first published story). Some I'd never seen before, others had been previously anthologized (Six Fingers of Time; Seven Day Terror; All The People). There are examples of some of Lafferty's themes: the Institite of Impure Science (Through Other Eyes) and the Wreckville Gang (Aloys; Adam Had Three Brothers) but most are unrelated, stand alone stories. While not his best short work (try Nine Hundred Grandmothers) it's still Lafferty, with his twisted humour and his unique lyrical style.
Good for completists and budget readers (the e-book is very economical compared to other collections).
A mixed bag of Lafferty stories, including some of his earliest (The Wagons, his first published story). Some I'd never seen before, others had been previously anthologized (Six Fingers of Time; Seven Day Terror; All The People). There are examples of some of Lafferty's themes: the Institite of Impure Science (Through Other Eyes) and the Wreckville Gang (Aloys; Adam Had Three Brothers) but most are unrelated, stand alone stories. While not his best short work (try Nine Hundred Grandmothers) it's still Lafferty, with his twisted humour and his unique lyrical style.
Good for completists and budget readers (the e-book is very economical compared to other collections).
March 22, 2017
I learned of R.A. Lafferty from Neil Gaiman who cited him as an influence and a delightfully original author. He is all of that and a bag of chips. These stories are so wonderful and many of them are original and even when he goes after an old trope, say a man who can stop time, his approach is so new and so fresh that I could scarcely believe this was written before I was born. Great book.
May 12, 2016
Great for what it is. An uneven collection with flashes of brilliance and sly, dry, often dark wit. You get a sense of why writers like Neil Gaiman revere Lafferty
July 29, 2024
Little I hadn't read before, mostly early productions, but already with his characteristic voice. If it were anyone else, I would have given it a solid 4 and the price is unbeatable. But Nine Hundred Grandmothers shall always stand as his magnum opus, his finest collection (including a couple found here) and would get a full five star review.
The story I first heard about Lafferty was that he was a town drunk in Oklahoma. Not a violent one; a whimsical one. Anyway, a doctor advised him that were he to take another drink it might well kill him. So he took up writing. And what a wonderful, whimsical writer he became. Not just short stories, but something like 18 novels. The best of those (Fourth Mansions; Arrive at Easterwine: The Autobiography of a Ktistec Machine) are as fun and funny as any other sci-fi writer. Most are long out of print, but he deserves re-discovery.
The story I first heard about Lafferty was that he was a town drunk in Oklahoma. Not a violent one; a whimsical one. Anyway, a doctor advised him that were he to take another drink it might well kill him. So he took up writing. And what a wonderful, whimsical writer he became. Not just short stories, but something like 18 novels. The best of those (Fourth Mansions; Arrive at Easterwine: The Autobiography of a Ktistec Machine) are as fun and funny as any other sci-fi writer. Most are long out of print, but he deserves re-discovery.
July 17, 2024
There are 18 short stories in this collection. Here are the ones I think are worth reading:
1) Seven Day Terror
Similar vibe to the Twilight Zone's "It's a Good Life" (cornfield kid)/the short story that episode's based on.
2) Through Other Eyes
There's some misogyny here (its 60s scifi written by a man so not a shock) but also some very interesting themes
3) The Six Fingers of Time
weird
4) All the People
twist and a twist
5) Dream
lol
6) The Other Side of the Moon
lol
Ones that you never need to read cuz they suck:
1) In The Garden
the whole story is a build up for a sexist one liner. yippee
2) The Wagons
can someone tell me what this was? please? what was the point of this story am i missing something???????????
1) Seven Day Terror
Similar vibe to the Twilight Zone's "It's a Good Life" (cornfield kid)/the short story that episode's based on.
2) Through Other Eyes
There's some misogyny here (its 60s scifi written by a man so not a shock) but also some very interesting themes
3) The Six Fingers of Time
weird
4) All the People
twist and a twist
5) Dream
lol
6) The Other Side of the Moon
lol
Ones that you never need to read cuz they suck:
1) In The Garden
the whole story is a build up for a sexist one liner. yippee
2) The Wagons
can someone tell me what this was? please? what was the point of this story am i missing something???????????
June 29, 2021
This was a nice introduction to R.A. Lafferty, a writer who is enjoying a mild posthumous bump in popularity thanks to some kind words by Neil Gaiman.
Some of the stories were outrageous and most all of them were exuberant in their imaginative insight into the quirks of the human experience. It is the characters that shine more than anything though. Hardly a story is without a one or a handful of personalities you wouldn't mind spending more time with.
Consider my interest peaked. I already sent some of his novels to a friend and I will be reading more Lafferty in the near future as well. Thank you, Mr. Gaiman.
Some of the stories were outrageous and most all of them were exuberant in their imaginative insight into the quirks of the human experience. It is the characters that shine more than anything though. Hardly a story is without a one or a handful of personalities you wouldn't mind spending more time with.
Consider my interest peaked. I already sent some of his novels to a friend and I will be reading more Lafferty in the near future as well. Thank you, Mr. Gaiman.
February 21, 2019
I had heard of R. A. Rafferty for years and read a few of his stories but decided to take a closer look when I read that Neil Gaiman had been inspired by Rafferty. The stories in this collection are short stories orginally published in the early 60’s in the sci-fi and fantasy pulp magazines, such as Galaxy and If magazines. The subjects are similar to Gaiman’s work but generally on the lighter side. I particularly enjoyed the humorous stories, “The 7-day Terror” and “Mcdonalgal’s Worm.”
November 11, 2021
A .99¢ collection of early 60s genre short stories from long gone magazines ended up being a lot of fun. Each story has a fantastical premise, but also a human theme that makes these more than pure escapism. A lot of the reviews say he influenced Neil Gaiman and it makes sense as these tales deftly balance humor with deeper thoughts.
May 19, 2018
Me he enamorado. Original, extraño, inteligente, divertido, absurdo... Hay altibajos, pero también verdaderas genialidades. Una pena que la mayor parte de la obra de Lafferty esté descatalogada.
May 28, 2018
A dull, completely forgettable collection of 18 shorts. At the 50% point I was just reading to get done with it. Even with a few chuckles and plot twists here and there, it was a yawn.
September 12, 2018
Very good!
This was a new name to me, but he is at least on the par with Cuttner. And his stories are not a bit dated!
This was a new name to me, but he is at least on the par with Cuttner. And his stories are not a bit dated!
January 10, 2023
A sci-fi must!
If you are into sci-fi at all and haven't heard of Lafferty, do yourself a favor and pick this up and get yourself acquainted. You can thank me later!
If you are into sci-fi at all and haven't heard of Lafferty, do yourself a favor and pick this up and get yourself acquainted. You can thank me later!
December 19, 2023
6/5 Aloys
A marvelous, magnificent, magical masterpiece, exquisite, sublime, oh, I just can't go on. Anything I write is at best pallid and shameful in the presence of such virtuosity. What a way to start the collection.
4/5 Adam Had Three Brothers
A very charming follow-up to the previous story, and bears repeated re-readings, but for some strange reason, does not linger long in the memory.
4/5 Seven-day Terror
I previously gave this a 4/5.
5/5 Day Of The Glacier
The writing is really good here, but the train of thought seems a little scattered at the end.
5/5 Sodom And Gomorrah, Texas
A very compelling, down-to-earth (heh) story; the ending could use a touch more oomph, but I'm just nitpicking here.
52/5 Through Other Eyes
This isn't a new concept to me, but seeing it expressed like this is simply inspirational and life-changing. ❤️
4/5 The Weirdest World
Our (cruel) world as seen from the eyes of an alien. Relatively tame for a Lafferty, and for what the title promised.
3/5 The Six Fingers Of Time
Intriguing premise (with a holup! moment) but way too abstract, hinting at all manner of sleeping dragons that never appear.
4/5 Try To Remember
O...kay..... A fun little ditty I guess?
4/5 Mcgonigal's Worm
A very good piece, but let down somewhat by its ending.
5/5 The Polite People Of Pudibundia
A spine-chilling, detective-ish story with an intriguing premise, but again let down just a little by its ending. I wish this story was a much longer novel. Also, I can't help but facepalm at the rash stupidity of the detective.
3/5 In The Garden
Once again a very good piece, but with an ending akin to legs on a snake, superfluous and besmirching the whole piece. Argh.
5/5 All The People
Yes! Great piece, and great ending too! A very humanising story despite the lack of actual humans.
5/5 Dream
Yes, yes, yes, this is the Lafferty magic back again!
4/5 The Wagons
I feel like there's something to get here, but I just don't get it. And yet, I still enjoy reading it.
4/5 Other Side Of The Moon
Auch, triggered.
52/5 The Ugly Sea
💔
4/5 Saturday You Die
A somewhat stomach-churning piece, with an "umm, lol" ending. This was what it was like to be a kid.
A marvelous, magnificent, magical masterpiece, exquisite, sublime, oh, I just can't go on. Anything I write is at best pallid and shameful in the presence of such virtuosity. What a way to start the collection.
4/5 Adam Had Three Brothers
A very charming follow-up to the previous story, and bears repeated re-readings, but for some strange reason, does not linger long in the memory.
4/5 Seven-day Terror
I previously gave this a 4/5.
5/5 Day Of The Glacier
The writing is really good here, but the train of thought seems a little scattered at the end.
5/5 Sodom And Gomorrah, Texas
A very compelling, down-to-earth (heh) story; the ending could use a touch more oomph, but I'm just nitpicking here.
52/5 Through Other Eyes
This isn't a new concept to me, but seeing it expressed like this is simply inspirational and life-changing. ❤️
4/5 The Weirdest World
Our (cruel) world as seen from the eyes of an alien. Relatively tame for a Lafferty, and for what the title promised.
3/5 The Six Fingers Of Time
Intriguing premise (with a holup! moment) but way too abstract, hinting at all manner of sleeping dragons that never appear.
4/5 Try To Remember
O...kay..... A fun little ditty I guess?
4/5 Mcgonigal's Worm
A very good piece, but let down somewhat by its ending.
5/5 The Polite People Of Pudibundia
A spine-chilling, detective-ish story with an intriguing premise, but again let down just a little by its ending. I wish this story was a much longer novel. Also, I can't help but facepalm at the rash stupidity of the detective.
3/5 In The Garden
Once again a very good piece, but with an ending akin to legs on a snake, superfluous and besmirching the whole piece. Argh.
5/5 All The People
Yes! Great piece, and great ending too! A very humanising story despite the lack of actual humans.
5/5 Dream
Yes, yes, yes, this is the Lafferty magic back again!
4/5 The Wagons
I feel like there's something to get here, but I just don't get it. And yet, I still enjoy reading it.
4/5 Other Side Of The Moon
Auch, triggered.
52/5 The Ugly Sea
💔
4/5 Saturday You Die
A somewhat stomach-churning piece, with an "umm, lol" ending. This was what it was like to be a kid.
March 13, 2021
Splendida raccolta di racconti a cavallo tra fantascienza, fantastico e weird. Facile da leggere ma ricco e originale come solo lo stile unico di Lafferty può offrire. Per chi non conoscesse questo autore, si tratta di racconti venati da ironia e sarcasmo, con personaggi fuori dalle righe e situazioni paradossali
e assurde. Ci sono alieni, antentanti dell'uomo, sogni, premonizioni e catastrofi, ma tutto è visto da prospettive insolite e provocanti. Per chiamarsi Megapack forse i racconti non sono moltissimi, ma è la qualità che conta. Inoltre letto in lingua originale appare ancora più raffinato.
e assurde. Ci sono alieni, antentanti dell'uomo, sogni, premonizioni e catastrofi, ma tutto è visto da prospettive insolite e provocanti. Per chiamarsi Megapack forse i racconti non sono moltissimi, ma è la qualità che conta. Inoltre letto in lingua originale appare ancora più raffinato.
July 23, 2016
Some of his more playful stories. Still pretty mind bending.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews