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Cover art: Larry Kreseck
Blurb: A recognized master of science fiction, fantasy and horror, Henry Kutt-ner long ago entered the SF Hall of Fame. Like a super-nova, his career was brief but highly spectacular - not to mention prolific. Under pseudonyms such as Lewis Padgett and Kenneth O'Donnell, Kuttner was known to write complete issues of science fiction magazines during his zenith in the 1940s. This anthology, containing 17 of his greatest stories, stands as a monument to his brilliance and soaring imagination. Some of the tales included are:
The Proud Robot - Gallagher, an alconolic inventor, did his best work while drunk. During his last binge, he built a seemingly useless robot named Joe-a mechanical creation that spent half the day admiring itself in front of the mirror and the other half annoying Gallagher. All the robot seemed to be good for was trouble... until the befuddled scientist discovered it served a very useful purpose indeed....
The Twonky - The man from the future tried in vain to jog his faulty memory. Based on his surroundings,
he was somewhere in the past - in what looked to be some ancient electronics factory. The men around him, busy putting together boxes they called
"radios," hardly noticed his presence. So the man from the future sat down and tinkered for awhile - hoping the busywork might clear the mists of amnesia. By quitting time he'd built himself a Twonky and regained his memory in the bargain. In a flash he was gone - but he left the Twonky behind to destroy the world....
The Iron Standard - The first explorers to reach the planet Venus thought their mission a great success
- at least for the first couple of weeks.
The alien inhabitants greeted them with great warmth and jubilation - each night another feast around the Earthmen'sspaceship celebrated their arrival. But when the food ran out, so did the Venusian hospitality. ...
In Two-Handed Engine you'll visit a society that's come up with an interesting way to prevent murders - suspected killers are stalked night and day by robot guards. Then, in The Misguided Halo, a young, inexperienced angel accidentally bestows a halo on the wrong man - with devilish results!
Each of the 17 stories is a classic in its own right, making THE BEST OF HENRY KUTTNER exciting and unforgettable SF entertainment.“