IF Worlds of Science Fiction, 1970 March

by Ejler Jakobsson (Editor), Edward Bryant, Jack Dann

Contents:
SOS • novelette by Poul Anderson
Telemart 3 • shortstory by Bob Shaw
The Thing in the Stone • novelette by Clifford D. Simak
The Ethics of Trade • shortstory by Timothy M. Brown
In the Silent World • shortstory by Edward Bryant
Traps • shortstory by Jack Dann and George Zebrowski
Whipping Star (Part 3 of 4) • serial by Frank Herbert
The Time Judge • shortstory by Dannie Plachta
Love Thy Neighbor • shortstory by E. Clayton McCarty
All Brothers Are Men • shortstory by Basil Wells

Genres: Science Fiction, Ebooks

164 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1970

About the author

Ejler Jakobsson (1911–1984) was a Finnish-born science fiction editor.

Jakobsson moved to the United States in 1926 and began a career as an author in the 1930s. He worked on Astonishing Stories and Super Science Stories briefly before they shut down production due to paper shortages. When Super Science Stories was revived in 1949, Jakobson was named editor until it ended publication two years later. Jakobsson returned to editing in 1969, when he took over Galaxy and If, succeeding Frederik Pohl. He worked to make the magazines more contemporary with the help of Judy-Lynn del Rey and Lester del Rey. He left the magazines in 1974 and was succeeded by Jim Baen.

Reviews

[Antonis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fine (and refined) writing, serious SF.

[Harry]

This story will leave an impact that will never go away. If I forget the name or author of any book, it won't be this one. I keep coming back to this, even after all these years.

[Kevin Phyland · Rating 4 out of 5]

A research station on the Farside of the Moon is trying to find ways to ameliorate the effects of Earth’s diminishing magnetic field when a military invasion against the Westrealm occurs. Ing Jans must find a way to send an “SOS” in Poul Anderson’s tale. Ted finds his new bride Maggie’s spendthrift ways a threat to his life of leisure, and after she suffers a less than accidental fall he purchases her a “Telemart 3”, unaware of its extra features. Minor Bob Shaw tale. Daniels has retired to the wilds of Wisconsin where he finds a cave and “The Thing In The Stone” buried beneath it. His ability to cross time comes in handy when a spiteful neighbour maroons him in a blizzard while he is trying to rescue the entity in Clifford D. Simak’s story. Timothy M. Brown shows us the perils of ignoring the instructions for a dangerous exhibit in “The Ethics Of Trade”, while Ed Bryant gives us a neat little shocker where a young telepath finally meets another only to find there are some things she can’t quite get over “In The Silent World”. George Zebrowski & Jack Dann take us to an unnamed planet where an indigenous animal, the greycat, needs to be captured and catalogued. But not all “Traps” are set by the hunter. Frank Herbert continues his odd novel “Whipping Star”, where a Caleban beachball has hired itself out to be flagellated by a wealthy woman. I have reviewed the novel in detail elsewhere. E. Clayton McCarty’s aliens subjugate human minds but a trip to the dentist may have saved us all in “Love Thy Neighbor”, while Basil Wells continues the theme of body jockeys with “All Brothers Are Men”.

[S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Thing in the Stone • novelette by Clifford D. Simak

This impactful story will forever be one of my favorites. Simak's brilliant creativity conjures up images of the farm, the cave, and the celestial dog in my mind whenever I think about this story.

And I would certainly like to have that dog with me!

[Coleman Wigger · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read. Very imaginative story.

[Mark Catalfano · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked “In the Silent World” by Ed Bryant