Masks

by Playboy Magazine (Editor), Damon Knight (Contributor), R.K. Narayan (Contributor)

Contents:

Preface (Masks) by Editors of Playboy
Masks by Damon Knight (1968)
Perchance to Dream by Charles Beaumont (1958)
The Yellow Room by John Cheever (1968)
Fortitude by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (1968)
Winter in This Latitude by Rick Rubin (1962)
The Hat Act by Robert Coover (1968)
Death's Door by Robert McNear (1969)
Colorless in Limestone Caverns by Allan Seager (1968)
Untitled by Ken W. Purdy (1966)
A Breath of Lucifer by R. K. Narayan (1969)

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories, Anthologies

187 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1971

Reviews

[Gloria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is only for the story of Masks :
In a world where prosthetics are used and nothing is unusual about them, this story explores what happens if (or when) one's entire body is replaced. The subject is in a body that is more machine and he has some companionship He presents alternative bodies to those in charge, and posits that he can do space exploration because he doesn't need oxygen.

Once he is left alone, his cruelty is shown to the readers through the killing of a dog as well as that he actually has "one" emotion towards meat suits and wants to get away from them. I cannot recommend that the experiment of total prosthetic replacement be continued.

[Ed]

ISFDB 21579. OCLC 319846. LCCN 70147943.