With Friends Like These...

by Alan Dean Foster

Twelve stories of science fiction and interstellar adventure include Space Opera, He, Dream Done Green, Why Johnny Can't Speed, and The Emoman.

• With Friends Like These ... • (1971)
• Some Notes Concerning a Green Box • (1971)
• Why Johnny Can't Speed • (1971)
• The Emoman • [Humanx Commonwealth • 4] • (1972)
• Space Opera • (1973)
• The Empire of T'ang Lang • (1973)
• A Miracle of Small Fishes • (1974)
• Dream Done Green • (1974)
• He • (1976)
• Polonaise • (1976)
• Wolfstroker • (1977)
• Ye Who Would Sing • (1976)

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories, Fiction, Fantasy, Anthologies, Science Fiction Fantasy, Collections

236 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published November 12, 1977

About the author

Bestselling science fiction writer Alan Dean Foster was born in New York City in 1946, but raised mainly in California. He received a B.A. in Political Science from UCLA in 1968, and a M.F.A. in 1969. Foster lives in Arizona with his wife, but he enjoys traveling because it gives him opportunities to meet new people and explore new places and cultures. This interest is carried over to his writing, but with a twist: the new places encountered in his books are likely to be on another planet, and the people may belong to an alien race.

Foster began his career as an author when a letter he sent to Arkham Collection was purchased by the editor and published in the magazine in 1968. His first novel, The Tar-Aiym Krang, introduced the Humanx Commonwealth, a galactic alliance between humans and an insectlike race called Thranx. Several other novels, including the Icerigger trilogy, are also set in the world of the Commonwealth. The Tar-Aiym Krang also marked the first appearance of Flinx, a young man with paranormal abilities, who reappears in other books, including Orphan Star, For Love of Mother-Not, and Flinx in Flux.

Foster has also written The Damned series and the Spellsinger series, which includes The Hour of the Gate, The Moment of the Magician, The Paths of the Perambulator, and Son of Spellsinger, among others. Other books include novelizations of science fiction movies and television shows such as Star Trek, The Black Hole, Starman, Star Wars, and the Alien movies. Splinter of the Mind's Eye, a bestselling novel based on the Star Wars movies, received the Galaxy Award in 1979. The book Cyber Way won the Southwest Book Award for Fiction in 1990. His novel Our Lady of the Machine won him the UPC Award (Spain) in 1993. He also won the Ignotus Award (Spain) in 1994 and the Stannik Award (Russia) in 2000.

Reviews

[Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Golden Age Science Fiction.

The title story is in the style of Eric Frank Russell, which features galactic empires and unreasoning aliens. My favorite.

Here are several other short stories that engaged me.

"Some notes concerning a green box"
H P Lovecraft type of elder gods fantasy/horror.

"Why Johnny Can't Speed"
New road code rules for cars with automatic guns.

"The Emoman"
Raw emotions out of control.

And many more gems.

Enjoy!

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

'With Friends Like These...' is a collection of short stories by Alan Dean Foster. For the most part, the tales featured are examples of his early work; in fact, the very first story he ever had published is included as the first piece in this book.

To be honest, that first story wasn't very good but I'm glad it was included out of historical interest if nothing else. I liked all the other stories very much and they showcase Foster's great imagination. You can easily see how the springboard for a lot of his work is a 'what if...?' question, which is ideal for speculative fiction and more wild ideas.

This was a nice addition to my current ADF binge read.

[Ralph · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meine galaktischen Freunde
Ein bisschen anders, angenehm zu lesen.
3 Sterne

Einige Anmerkungen zu einer grünen Schachtel
Ahh Cthulhu. Sowas liebe ich.
5 Sterne

California Freeway
Ein bisschen Madmax, Autokampf auf dem Highway
4 Sterne

Der Emomann
Spannender Ansatz
3 Sterne

Weltraumoper
Ich denke, ich verstehe den Ansatz der Geschichte, war aber nichts für mich.
2 Sterne

Das Reich der T'ang Lang
Joah, ganz nett...
3 Sterne

Das Sardinen-Wunder
Interessante Geschichte über ein Mädchen, das auf ein Wunder hofft und dieses dann auch eintritt
4 Sterne

Vergessene Träume
Hmm, sprechende Pferde... war nicht so meins.
2 Sterne

Er
Hmm, konnte ich nichts mit anfangen.
2 Sterne

Polonaise
Das Königreich Polen im Weltraum? Naja...
3 Sterne

Wolfsmusik
SFFS-Lesezirkel (in Ikarus 2002)
Ganz nette Geschichte.
3 Sterne

Die Glockenbäume
Noch ein sehr guter Abschluss.
4 Sterne

[Amy Rosenkoetter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alan Dean Foster is one of the best science fiction/fantasy writers whose work I've ever read. His is a special creative genius that taps into an amazing imagination. He brings characters and places to life in sharp, crisp detail.

With Friends Like These... is a compilation of a round dozen of Foster's finest short stories. It takes a special talent to write short fiction, but Foster weaves his short works as tightly as any of his novels, and each story in this collection comes with a brief introduction that translates into frank little insights into this great mind. Those little nuggets are treasures in their own right.

I loved this book. A couple of the more technical stories skimmed my scalp a bit, but Foster writes so well that I could still follow the context of the jargon with little trouble. The anthology includes a good blend of story styles - pastoral, technical, modern, and futuristic - and features diverse types of creatures as well - human, animal, alien, and one terrifying ancient beast.

The ancient beast was the star of "He," which became my favorite story. The first version of "He" predated Peter Benchley's Jaws, but was not published until after. It's a terrific tale of man vs. beast with a less-than-expected ending and a beast older and far more frightening than Benchley imagined in his tale.

"Dream Gone Green" and "Ye Who Would Sing" tied for second favorite. I loved the dreamy fantasy elements of both, especially the definition of poetry in "Dream Gone Green," and the chime forest in "Ye Who Would Sing."

Next up is the companion short-story collection, ...Who Needs Enemies? I'll be starting it tonight.

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good collection of a dozen Foster's early short science fiction and fantasy stories. There was a companion follow-up volume charmingly titled ...Who Needs Enemies? Each story has an interesting autobiographical introduction, as does the volume itself. The nice Michael Whelan cover on this first edition portrays Foster and his wife. My favorite is the titular story, which is told in the style of Eric Frank Russell, long one of my favorite writers. None of the stories are overwhelming, but they're all fun entertainments.

[William Bentrim · Rating 5 out of 5]

With Friends Like These…by Alan Dean Foster

This is a book of short stories. It is refreshing and shows that even in 1977 Foster was a master of his craft.

There was a lot of tongue and cheek in this book. Because of the short stories there were no consistent protagonists. The stories entertained without being taxing. It is not a book for pondering as much as it is a book for entertainment.

One thing Foster does consistently is show the potential inherent in his characters and hopefully in mankind.

[Jeffrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this set of short stories by Foster. The car battle story "Why Johnny Can't Speed" is a cool premise that I gave to three friends in high school to read right out of the book because it was so cool. And the title story is also excellent. Some of the other stories were also good.

I am not a big fan of short stories but this is a really good collection.

[Elizabeth McCoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crying shame there's not an ebook version of this! Some really classic, foundational stories here, including the one that became an inspiration for the _Car Wars_ game!

[Lara · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a fan of the author, I was curious about this volume when I got the other for a Pip and Flinx story. This is a collection of his earliest published stories with a bit of autobiographical material included. I found his personal story interesting and while none of the stories in this book grabbed me the way his later novels have, I did enjoy the volume overall. The stories are varied as to subject and world building, with the first and titular story seeming a preview of the Commonwealth in a way.

[Thom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick review of a book I leave in the car for long waits and ferry rides. This collection of Alan Dean Foster short stories is pretty good overall, though the best is the first. These were written between 1971 and 1977, and each tale is introduced by the author with anecdotes. This book is also famous for the story "Why Johnny Can't Speed" from 1971, which probably inspired the Car Wars game. Next into the car is likely the sequel, ...Who Needs Enemies?, which covers 1976 to 1983.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been a fan of Alan Dean Foster's since my late teens. A coworker recommended this book for the story "Why Johnny Can't Drive," which was something of the impetus behind the 80s/90s game OGRE.

So far, I've read three stories in the book... and enjoyed them all; I'm looking forward to reading the rest of them.

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of short stories by one of the most prolific authors in sci-fi (but not necessarily the best!). The only reason why one should pick this up is for the classic short story, "Why Johnny Can't Speed", which was one of the inspirations/foundations for the classic board game, CAR WARS. Even if you don't know the game, the story is just fantastic.

[Serena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read multiple times and will hopefully get a chance to read it at least once more. I love Foster's writing style, plot progression, and world building. Not to mention the editors did an excellent job.

My Rating System:
* couldn't finish, ** wouldn't recommend, *** would recommend, **** would read again, ***** have read again.

[Eddie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Collection of short stories by Alan Dean Foster. Pretty interesting stuff. Life through the eyes of a praying mantis, a future where highways are battlegrounds for tricked out death machines. Light reading.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short story collection - With Friends Like These is one of my all time favourite 'Earthmen Uber Alles" stories

[Duane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Foster is one of my favorite writers. Clean prose, venturesome settings, and a way with characters.

[A~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short stories by Alan Dean Foster
I loved the Why Johnny Can't Drive.

[Foxtower · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great collection of short stories! Fun and interesting and well worth reading!

[Little Timmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent collection of short stories by one of my all time favorite writers. Foster always surprises and please me with the ideas of his stories. Highly recommended

[Carly Kirk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every single story in this collection is great! If you're able to get your hands on a copy, don't hesitate, you won't be sorry. I know I'll reread this book again and again.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highlights:

Why Johnny Can't Speed - Road combat is the norm in this dystopian near future. A father seeks revenge for his son. Reads as a slice of life in the Mad Max-verse.

The Emoman - Shenanigans of a black market drug dealer with a bizarre twist -- the Emoman deals in pills elicting specific emotions. Anger becomes the drug of choice.

He - Pacific Islander Jaws. Locals seek out a "sea doctor" (marine biologist) after a boat is found bit in half with 2 megalodon teeth left in the wreckage. The marine biologist takes it as a tourism hoax but explores the waters anyway.


Wolfstroker - A seedy talent agent tries to make it big off of the talent of a young Native American. His guitar takes the form of a wolf that he strokes as he plays. It's dismissed as cool lighting effects. The musician unleashes his angst at the modernized world on a captivated audience with a metaphysical type of mind control. His songs are to the tune of ancient chants and he comes from a long line of medicine men who harness their healing power through music. Only he doesn't really feel like healing . . .

(Tickled at the mention of a Seattle area show, the need for military intervention from Joint Base Lewis McChord.)

Honorable mentions:

With Friends Like These - Look at the cover. That's all I'm going to say.

A Miracle of Small Fishes - An elderly sardine fisherman refuses give up the old methods of small time fishing when the fish disappear after the state starts netting fish up the coast. His granddaughter prays fervently for fish to make him happy. I wont spoil it but it plays to the power of human interest stories in politics.

(I feel like this one had the potential to be great with a re-write but just barely missed the mark. Also tickled by references to WA. This story likely has a political background rooted in PNW near history.)


----------

Most of these stories make light entertainment out of the folly of human nature to the tune of speculative fiction.

I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[N. M. D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alan Dean Foster has been on my radar for awhile, but with a massive output, much of it serial, I had no idea where to start. Should I begin with one of his beloved Alien adaptations? Or one of his long-running series? Or pick a standalone? The answer came from seeing this charmingly pastoral art by Michael Whelan posted online. When I saw that it was for a short story collection, I was sold.

The stories here include some of Foster's earliest, two of which are his very first sold stories. One of them is a fun Lovecraft-referencer, the other is the cover story, which has some merits but left me with a lot of questions. The very last story, about musical trees on an alien world (remarkably similar to a Clifford Simak story in that way) was probably may favorite. On the flipside, a story about sardine fishing and "miracles" was agonizingly boring. Another about a massive megalodon would have been tenser with the fat cut. In fact, many of them felt a little longer than necessary.

The thing I took away from this is that, even though many of the stories just weren't my thing, the prose is wonderful. His similes and metaphors are perfect, especially when regarding nature, and that alone will keep me reading him.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having finished Alan Dean Foster’s collection of early 2000’s short fiction, I thought I would go back to the beginning and read his first collection and some of his earliest short fiction work. While reading Exceptions to Reality I learned that Foster has written not one but TWO Lovecraft pastiches. “A Fatal Exception Has Occurred At . . .” shows the American side of the same sort of universe as Stross’s Laundry Files. Delightful, and sent me hunting down the other story immediately. Contained here is “Some Notes Concerning a Green Box” and it is written for those of us who appreciate the slow revelation of ephemera.

The opening novelette “With Friends Like These …” and the closing “Ye Who Would Sing” is the sort of fun I’ve come to appreciate Foster for. While not every story was for me, Foster is consistently entertaining. Probably the most delightful for me was “Why Johnny Can't Speed” which is a fantastic snapshot the movement in the 70s of ultra-violence in the automobile (think Deathrace 2000 and Mad Max.) This story directly connects hyper-masculinity with America’s connection of the car to Freedom and Independence. Fun story and absolutely delightful anthropologic window.

[Doc Ezra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve read a fair number of Foster’s novels over the years, but can’t say as I’ve spent much time with his short fiction. This collection of stories from his very early career was a great look at what has made him such a prolific success — his imagination bounces around from topic to topic with no limitations. He’s endlessly inventive, and this collection shows off this beautifully. From the Lovecraftian pastiche of “Some Notes Concerning a Green Box,” to the Jaws-adjacent “He,” through the dystopian “Why Johnny Can’t Speed,” and all the way through the tale of a singing forest, there’s no two stories in here remotely the same, and all are entertaining.

If I had any complaint with any of it, it’s a golden-age of sci-if trope, rather than anything specific to Foster. The faux-scientific jargon gets a little thick from time to time…everything is plexidomes and duralloy and beamcasters, using portmanteaus to substitute/shorthand for worldbuilding. Aside from the invented vocabulary, Foster’s prose is tight, evocative, and keeps the stories moving at a brisk pace. I look forward to reading the follow-up collection soon.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sci-fi short story collection from 1977. Alan Dean Foster was between the ages of 24 and 30 when he wrote these stories, and you can see the familiar instinct of young male writers from that time: All of the protagonists are men, and women are mostly there as love interests or side characters, with the exception of one wise old woman in the final story.

That said, I largely enjoyed these stories with the possible exception of “Polonaise,” which was mostly filled with characters expositing about the world they’re a part of. I also found it hard to get a sense of place and character in the titular story, which kicks off the collection.

The best part of this collection for me was Foster’s brief notes before each story. They gave you a sense of what triggered each story and provided interesting insight into the author’s process at times.

I’ll be donating this book, but I enjoyed the ride overall and was happy to chuckle at the classic 1970’s cover art.

[Sebastian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cosmos by Carl Sagan was one of the first "real" books I fully read, cover to cover, about 40 years or so ago. In a chapter about aliens, it had three SF book cover illustrations with the line "Several standard science fiction aliens" - one Heinlein, one anthology/magazine, and prominent in the middle - this one. I didn't expect much from it, other than to scratch that childhood itch from when I spent quite a bit of time examining the cover, especially considering how old it is and especially considering the fact that I only knew ADF as a "novelization guy". I was rather pleasantly surprised by the fact that there was not a single boring story in this entire collection. Only a few have been chipped by the tooth of time, but the majority stands up well and has pushed me to explore what else ADF has written.

[Marsha Valance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alan Dean Foster's 1st short story collection, which includes my favorite, "Dream Done Green", which concludes: "Tail flying, hooves digging dirt, magnificent body moving effortlessly over the rolling hills and grass, the horse became brother to the wind as he and his rider thundered off toward the waiting mountains....And that's why there's confusion in the old records. Because they knew all about Casperdan in the finest detail, but all they knew about the horse Pericles was that he was a genius and a poet. Now, there's ample evidence as to his genius. But the inquisitive are puzzled when they search and find no record of his poetry. Even if they knew, they wouldn't understand. The poetry, you see, was when he moved."

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Humanity, Fuck Yeah. That is a genre of literature where humans are shown as most badass race in the multiverse. Lots of those books seem stupid, praising humans for speed, agility, stamina or aggression. The qualities which were important in hand-to-hand combat a thousand years ago, and which only a fool would believe will matter in an interstellar war.

But this novel is brilliant. It does not play into physical attributes of Homo Sapiens at all - they were not the reason we dominated the planet! - but instead highlights our cunning, collaboration and inventiveness. Terrifying qualities indeed.

[Greg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another title in my chase to locate and finish books I had in my youth that I bought and never had the patience to finish. Overall I enjoyed this collection. I never kept up with ADF’s writing but I may have to try a couple more now to see how he matured. None of the tales overstayed their welcome or premises, with maybe the exception of Dream Done Green, which was a little too far out for me. All stories from his early years in the 70s, they do feel a bit of the time, but still engaging pieces.

[Rowen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have only read a few of Foster's full-length novels, but his short stories are some of the most fun things to read I've encountered. Each story is creative and interesting, and Foster's ability to build unique worlds in only a few pages enables him to explore a massive range of ideas and characters.
These stories are pure, unadulterated fun, but maybe you'll learn something along the way.