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The Best of Both Worlds and Other Ambiguous Tales

In the longest story in this collection, an eleven-year-old girl has a strange adventure in an overgrown garden, and probably saves the world from a fate worse than any conventional apocalypse. Her parents would undoubtedly think that she’s been dreaming if she attempted to explain what had happened, but that’s what parents do, because they think it’s what they ought to do. The other stories all describe similarly equivocal victories, which sometimes don’t appear to the other characters in the stories to be victories at all—but they are: every last one of them. You just have to look at them the right way—and it really is worth doing that? After all, who among us really wants to get stuck in the way things want to seem? Eight scintillating stories of science fiction by a master of the genre!

The Science-Fantasy Megapack

E. C. Tubb

Here are twenty-five stories of fantasy and science fiction selected from the pages of Wildside Press's Fantasy Adventure anthology series, selected by its editor, Philip Harbottle. Throughout its run of thirteen issues FA presented both original stories and classic reprints by veteran British SF and fantasy writers, including Sydney J. Bounds, John Russell Fearn, John Glasby, Philip E. High, and E. C. Tubb. They were soon joined by newer writers, most notably Eric Brown, and the series became a modern showcase for the best of British science fiction and fantasy writing. Included are: INTRODUCTION by Philip Harbottle THE CALL OF THE GRAVE by Brian Ball THE WARLORD OF KUL SATU by Brian Ball THE BROKEN SEQUENCE by Antonio Bellomi FINAL CONTACT by Sydney J. Bounds SUNSKIMMER by Sydney J. Bounds A TIME FOR CONTACT, by Sydney J. Bounds WRITER FOR HIRE by Sydney J. Bounds writing as David Somers THE TAPESTRY OF TIME by Eric Brown UNCERTAIN WORLD by Eric Brown I'LL KISS YOU GOODNIGHT by Frederick H. Christian ASSASSIN by Andrew Darlington PRISONER OF TIME by John Russell Fearn THE HOUSE ON THE MOORS, by John Glasby THE MARTIAN ENIGMA by John Glasby NIGHTFALL ON RONAN by John Glasby writing as A. J. Merak THE DRAINPIPE by Philip E. High THE GUNMAN by Philip E. High THE WISHING STONE by Philip E. High SOMETHING IN THE AIR by Gordon Landsborough THE DILETTANTES by E. C. Tubb EMERGENCY EXIT by E. C. Tubb THE GREATER IDEAL by E. C. Tubb YOU GO, by E. C. Tubb SEA CHANGE by Peter Oldale BRIDES FOR MARS by Eric C. Williams And don't forget to search this ebook store for «Wildside Megapack» to see more entries in this great series, covering science fiction, fantasy, horror, mystery, westerns – and much, much more!

The Doll Story MEGAPACK ®

Frances Hodgson Burnett

Dolls of all kinds have been loved by children and adults alike from the dawn of time. It's not surprising, then, that writers through the ages have been inspired to create fictional accounts that have thrilled the fans and readers of each new generation. THE DOLL MEGAPACK includes 25 stories, 6 poems, and a play. Included are: "Nutcracker and the King of Mice," by E. T. A. Hoffmann "The Dead Doll" (poem), by Margaret Vandergrift "The Doll," by Edmund Glasby "The Doll's Ghost," by F. Marion Crawford "Dame Crump" (poem), by Richard Hunter "A Little Princess," by Frances Hodgson Burnett "The Wooden Doll and the Wax Doll" (poem), by Jane and Ann Taylor "The Doll," by Vernon Lee "Smothered Dolls; or, The Girl Who Could Never Be Good," by A. R. Morlan "The Doll's Wedding," by Aunt Fanny "Two Poems" (poems), by L. Frank Baum Hex," by Larry M. Harris "Dolly and I: A Story for Little Folks," by Oliver Optic "The Dybbuk Dolls," by Jack Dann "I Found My Poor Little Doll" (poem), by Charles Kingsley "Lukundoo," by Edward Lucas White "The Doll and Her Friends; or, Memoirs of the Lady Seraphina," by Julia Maitland "Robina's Doll," by Mary R. S. Andrews "The Doll of the White Devils," by Mary T. Van Denburgh "The Rival Dolls" (play), by F. Anstey "Doll," by Don Webb "The Dolls' Journey from Minnesota to Maine," by Louisa May Alcott "Ryna's Dolls," by Robert Reginald "Mrs. Corter Makes Up Her Mind," by August W. Derleth "Raggedy Ann Stories," by Johnny Gruelle "The Man Who Wasn't Nice to Pumpkin Head Dolls," by Darrell Schweitzer "The Wax Doll," by Anonymous "Tiny Doll-Face," by Marilyn «Mattie» Brahen "Racketty-Packetty House," by Frances Hodgson Burnett "The Doll," by Barry Pain "Dolly Putin," by Robert Reginald And don't forget to search this ebook store for «Wildside Megapack» to see more great entries in this series, covering science fiction, fantasy, mystery, westerns, animal stories – and much, much more!

The Ray Cummings MEGAPACK ®: 25 Golden Age Science Fiction and Mystery Tales

Ray Cummings

To anyone interested in the roots of modern science fiction, the name of Ray Cummings should be well known. He wrote science fiction and fantasy before the name «science fiction» had been coined, publishing fantastic yarns in Argosy, Munsey's Magazine, and other mainstream pulp magazines. Of course, as soon as the science fiction pulps debuted, he moved to them, where his work received a hearty welcome from fans. Cummings publishing more than 750 novels and short stories over his long career, producing work in many genres, including the mystery field (see «Atom Boy» in this Megapack for one prime example). We are pleased to showcase 25 of his tales, ranging from science fiction to fantasy to mystery…more than 1,500 pages of great reading! Included are: THE GIRL IN THE GOLDEN ATOM (1919-1920) THE GIRL IN THE GOLDEN ATOM, PART 2 THE SILVER VEIL (1921) THE FIRE PEOPLE (1922) TWO PROPOSALS (1923) JETTA OF THE LOWLANDS (1930) THE WHITE INVADERS (1931) REQUIEM FOR A SMALL PLANET (1958) BRIGANDS OF THE MOON (1931) WANDL THE INVADER (1932) TARRANO THE CONQUEROR (1930) PHANTOMS OF REALITY (1930) DR. FEATHER IN «A SHOT IN THE DARK» (1936) DR. FEATHER IN «MURDER IN THE FOG» (1937) DR. FEATHER IN «THE DEAD MAN LAUGHS» (1938) DR. FEATHER IN «CLUE IN CRIMSON» (1943) THE WORLD BEYOND (1938) GADGET GIRL (1944) PRECIPICE (1945) PHOTOGRAPH OF DEATH (1945) STAMP OF DOOM (1946) THE SCALPEL OF DOOM (1947) ATOM BOY (1947) THE LIFTED VEIL (1947) BEYOND THE VANISHING POINT (1958) THE GIRL FROM INFINITE SMALLNESS (1940) PLANET STORIES' FEATURE FLASH: MEET RAY CUMMINGS And don't forget to search this ebook store for «Wildside Megapack» to see more entries in the series, covering science fiction, fantasy, horror, mysteries, westerns – and much, much more!

The Plurality of Worlds

Brian Stableford

In an alternate history of 1572, five intrepid British adventurers venture into the ether to seek out new life and new civilizations. They discover a galaxy-wide invertebrate empire, including the insect-like inhabitants of the moon. But the empire is under attack from enemies both without and within–and so is the planet Earth!–and the five men must find a way to thwart the Selenites and save our world from an insect tyranny. Grand space opera in the unique Stablefordian style!

Sexual Chemistry and Other Tales of the Biotech Revolution

Brian Stableford

This collection brings together the ten earliest stories in Brian Stableford’s series of «Tales of the Biotech Revolution,» all written in the 1980s, except for one anomalous example from the 1960s. The dates in some of the stories, located a comfortable distance in the future when the stories were written, have now long past, revealing certain anomalies of early expectation; but they have been left unaltered, as nostalgic samples of yesterday’s long-dead and perhaps much-lamented tomorrows. The collection begins and ends, as is surely only appropriate, with flamboyant utopian fantasies boldly asserting the perfectibility of humankind and the world of which the species has custody. Great science-fiction reading by a master of the form!

The Seventh Science Fiction MEGAPACK ®

Robert Silverberg

"The Seventh Science Fiction Megapack" presents a terrific mix of science fiction stories, new and old, including a Hugo Award-winning story by Lawrence Watt-Evans, a Hugo Award nominee from Mike Resnick, and classics by Arthur C. Clarke, Marion Zimmer Bradley, and many more. Almost 700 pages of great reading! Included are: ALL THE THINGS YOU ARE, by Mike Resnick A BRIEF DANCE TO THE MUSIC OF THE SPHERES, by Michael Kurland GRANDPA?, by Edward M. Lerner TO ERR IS INHUMAN, by Marion Zimmer Bradley SARGASSO OF LOST STARSHIPS, by Poul Anderson THE SWORDSMEN OF VARNIS, by Geoffrey Cobbe MOON DOG, by Arthur C. Clarke WHY I LEFT HARRY’S ALL-NIGHT HAMBURGERS, by Lawrence Watt-Evans GALACTIC CHEST, by Clifford D. Simak PROTOTYPE, by John Gregory Betancourt THE DOORSTOP, by Reginald Bretnor THE TIME DISSOLVER, by Jerry Sohl DO UNTO OTHERS, by Damien Broderick KEEP OUT, by Fredric Brown THE CHAPTER ENDS, by Poul Anderson DO UNTO OTHERS, by Mark Clifton THE SERVANT PROBLEM, by Robert F. Young THE SLIZZERS, by Jerome Bixby AND THEN THE TOWN TOOK OFF, by Richard Wilson SPACE OPERA, by Michael R. Collings I AM TOMORROW, by Lester del Rey RIPENESS IS ALL, by Jesse Roarke DAWSON DID IT, by C.J. Henderson STARMAN'S QUEST, by Robert Silverberg THROUGH TIME & SPACE WITH FERDINAND FEGHOOT (94), by Grendel Briarton And don't forget to search this ebook store for «Wildside Megapack» to see the 100+ entries in this series, covering everything from science fiction and fantasy to mysteries, westerns, ghost stories, author collections–and much, much more! (Sort by publication date to see the most recent entries.)

The Martians Strike Back!

Robert Reginald

As the war between Earth and Mars heats up, threatening the potential destruction of both parties, Alex Smith and his Martian friend, Big Guy, are caught right in the middle–between the humans and the aliens, between various factions of their own people, between the inherent difficulty of establishing communication between two such dissimilar intelligences. Unless Alex can find some way of bridging the gulf between the worlds, both sides will be left vulnerable to the threat posed by a third, much more dangerous alien race that's targeting both worlds. The stunning conclusion to the War of Two Worlds Trilogy!

Operation Crimson Storm

Robert Reginald

Twelve years after the events of Invasion!, Earth prepares to retaliate by mounting an expedition against the Martians. With great difficulty, our Space Force establishes bases on the two Martian moons, and also on the surface of the Red Planet. But a series of firefights demonstrate that the aliens hold the upper hand, and that communication between the species is the only thing that will keep our bases from being exterminated. Alex Smith once again must step forward, and offer himself as part-prisoner, guest, interpreter, guinea pig, negotiator, and–ultimately–the last, best hope of mankind. But finding any consistent and understandable method of communication with a truly alien race is almost impossible. Can the gulf be breached in time? War of Two Worlds, Book Two.

The Walking Shadow

Brian Stableford

Paul Heisenberg is mysteriously endowed with the ability to jump through time. Together with thousands of eventual followers, he begins a journey that eventually takes him a billion years into the future. The Earth has been devastated by war with an alien race, and the changes that have resulted from the degradation of the world's biosphere force him–and others–to rethink their own humanity. His pilgrim's progress through the coming time is beset by doubts, distractions, and temptations as various voices attempt to distract him from his determination to follow the process through to its end. He eventually witnesses the complete transformation of the Earth, and the evolution of a single omnipotent but mindless Gaean organism. Is intelligence itself just a brief candle, forever doomed to burn out? Or can Paul find some other alternative for his race. A marvelous science fiction adventure in the tradition of Olaf Stapledon!