Astounding Stories, May, 1931 Part 47

The February issue had some very good stories, and I just must say that the story ent.i.tled "Werewolves of War," is the best story of its type I have ever read. Unlike most of these stories there is more future truth than fiction.

Perhaps you didn't expect to hear from me so soon again, but I am interested in this type of story as I used to write this kind in my English cla.s.s back in high school. My stories were of this type, but always different from any that the rest of the cla.s.s wrote. Another thing, I love to be writing, so I take this way to satisfy myself. I do hope you will excuse me.

I have one more thing to say and that is: I only wish your magazine was put out every two weeks instead of every four; or print more stories and raise the price to twenty five cents. I'm sure people will pay if they are as interested as I.--Ken F. Haley, 36 Mechanic St., Lebanon, N.H.

"_Easier to Turn_"

Dear Editor:

I have just read "The Readers' Corner" of the March issue and noticed that bright remark about that super-rotten story, "Skylark Three." Anyone who liked that story is certainly not hard to please. It does not compare with the worst story ever published. I also read that "other magazine" and I say that it has disgraced itself by "Skylark Three."

Everything is perfect about your magazine except that there are not enough stories in each issue. The uneven edges are just fine, for it makes the pages easier to turn. The covers are not too gaudy. The covers should depict a thrilling incident in a story; they do.

"Phalanxes of Atlans" offered a good theory as to the whereabouts of the descendants of the Atlanteans and the Lost Tribes of Israel. It was keen.

I conclude my letter with a warning: do not change your type. Also do not change your order of issue; I mean, do not make your magazine into a bi-monthly as I see some magazines of this type have done.--Robert Leonard Russell, 825 Casey Ave., Mt. Vernon, Illinois.

_You Tell 'Em!_

Dear Editor:

I have always considered the drawings of H. W. Wesso far superior to those of all other Science Fiction artists, and, indeed, much better than the work of most pulp magazine ill.u.s.trators. But his cover for the March issue of Astounding Stories was remarkable even for him; it was a veritable masterpiece.

So enthralled was I by the first sight of this eye-arresting picture that I stared at it for minutes on end. This snarling t.i.tan with his mighty arm outstretched toward the tiny figures just beyond his reach--what a gripping tableau!

Free from the superfluous, uninteresting machinery and apparatus that clutter up most ill.u.s.trations in other Science Fiction magazines, your March cover remained fantastic, but human--a picture that expressed the very essence of super-scientific fiction as presented in Astounding Stories. Vivid in color, striking in subject, dramatic in treatment and drawn with consummate skill, that cover must have attracted many new Readers to this magazine.

And the promise held out by the cover was more than fulfilled by the contents of that issue--one of your best to date. The only discordant note in the entire magazine was the yapping and ranting of certain dissatisfied ---- [censored] too ---- [censored] to appreciate the finest, most worthy publication in its field to-day.--Booth Cody, Bronx, New York.

"_Nothing Is Automatic_"

Dear Editor:

First, I wish to congratulate you on the increasing quality of your magazine since its first issue. It surpa.s.ses all other Science Fiction magazines, and I haven't missed a single issue and don't intend to!

What prompted me to write this letter was an article, "A Robot Chemist," published in your March, 1931, issue. In the article it states that a mechanical robot performed several experiments without human supervision. But, I am sorry to say, I disagree. Nothing is automatic. Foolishly, after perfecting anything that performs its work afterwards by itself, man calls it an automaton. But it is not! Did he not have to work and slave hour after hour, day after day and month after month to perfect it? He did! Ever since man became civilized he has deceived himself by calling, for instance, machinery in a factory, automatons. The quest for automatic machinery is as hopeless as the quest for perpetual motion!

What is my idea of an automaton? Well, take a robot for instance. Man calls it an automaton in spite of the fact that he had to slave to put it together before it did its work.

My idea is this: the iron ore would come out itself, smelt itself, form itself in the various shapes and parts needed to construct a robot, then take its correct place and rivet itself. Then the radio brain, electrical eyes and magnet hands take their place; and when it has constructed itself it will conduct the experiments--if a chemical robot--without human supervision. Thus, the latter clause would be true! That's my conception of an automatic robot!

Otherwise, its just some metal doing the bidding of a master's brain.

Another thing: the novelette "Beyond the Vanishing Point,"

by Ray c.u.mmings, is preposterous. The flesh might shrink or grow, but the bone would not! If one shrunk as did George Randolph, one's bones would burst through the flesh.

But in spite of all that, I like the stories that way.

Science, in the years to come might discover how to shrink or grow both flesh and bones. I guess I'm taking too much of your time, so adios!--Jay Zee, Chicago, Illinois.

_Hot Times in the Fire-House_

Dear Editor:

The first Thursday in each month I make a bee-line for the newsstand--and Astounding Stories. It may interest you to know that I have every issue on file that you have put out.

There have been some mighty good yarns in those issues, but the one just at hand contains the best story you have ever published--"Terrors Unseen," by Harl Vincent. There's an author for you; but evidently I don't have to tell you so, as you have given us quite a number of his splendid stories.

"Vagabonds of s.p.a.ce" was a wow. Like some of the others who have written in, I would like to see a sequel to this. Harl Vincent is my favorite of all your authors.

A close second is Charles W. Diffin. He is good, too. As your authors appeal to me, in order, I mean. I would line them up in this way: Harl Vincent, Charles W. Diffin, R. F.

Starzl, Ray c.u.mmings, Capt. S. P. Meek, Jack Williamson and Murray Leinster.

I agree with Jim Nicholson of San Francisco that you should give us some stories by Francis Flagg. Here is an author you never have published, and, to my way of looking at things, he has more fresh material than most of the authors put together. Many of the things that have been copied widely and used extensively (I don't mean that whole stories have been stolen, or anything like that) were originated by this fine writer. By all means get Francis Flagg. [We have just bought a story--a good one--from him!--Ed]. He would stand about third in my list if you had used his work before. I made it up from those whose work has been used.

Two or three things I notice, that I would have you correct.

All your stories seem to be of standardized length, either around 10,000 words or 25,000 words. Eliminate all restrictions as to word length but make your writers boil down their work. Most stories are too long, and could be told better if cut down quite a bit. The paper and the page size of the magazine are okay, but why not smooth edges? And it is hard to keep the covers on. I wouldn't object to more pages or an extra nickel in price. Or if not that, how about publishing "our" magazine twice a month?

After fighting a fire, there's nothing like Astounding Stories with which to "unlax." You're doing a fine job, and I only make these suggestions because I want a "perfect"

magazine instead of one that bats 97% all the time. Hope you'll have room for all this. And, oh yes, keep on with your program of "No reprints." Your new yarns are better than the old ones. Let's have the new ones, and encourage our fine string of authors to do even better work.--Gayl Whitman, Fireman, Co. No. 11, Main at 22nd, Columbus, Ohio.

_Correspondents Wanted_

Dear Editor:

Another critic is going to take his pen in hand and give you a bouquet. I have just finished reading the March issue of A. S. and think it was fine.

Of all the stories you have published I liked "The Gray Plague" the best. I don't care much for reprints because I like new stories the best.

I would like to correspond with some of the Readers of A. S.

I will answer any or all letters I receive.--L. B. Knutson, 629--3rd Ave., So, Minneapolis, Minn.

_A Heroine a la Mode_

Dear Editor:

I'm with J. H. Nicholson, who advises those who are indifferent to the scientifically possible in order to give the author a broader field in which to lay his plot. As he says, they should feel right at home with their noses stuck into a volume of Anderson's Fairy Tales. However, this letter is more to express the science lovers' viewpoint than to sling mud at the authors. For us, the plot loses much of its kick if the science is not reasonable.

Suppose for once that one of these Readers who waives scientific possibility aside as secondary should pick up a plot-distorted story in which the heroine should be described something as follows:

"Hers was a tall superbly built figure combining the strength of a horse with the gentle curves of a hippo. When she spoke, her sweetly modulated voice was as pleasant to the ear as the bray of a Spanish jacka.s.s. Her hair hung to her waist and was the convenient nesting place for several English sparrows. She was slightly c.o.c.keyed from birth and had had her nose squashed in a saloon brawl. She carried herself with the graceful dignity of an African orang-utan and was always much sought after, having a quaint habit of slapping every new male she met a resounding whack on the back that loosened their bridge work. Being a veteran tobacco chewer and having high blood pressure she could spit one hundred feet against a fifty-mile wind. When she ate in company, she had an amusing way of gargling her soup in G-flat. Her--"

It's unnecessary to go further. Such a character would be every bit as reasonably possible as some of the science these science-conniving Readers are willing to sanction.

Here are some of the seemingly impossible feats of a recent story: 1--a diver in an ordinary diving dress is able to stand the pressure at three miles down; 2--(granting the above is possible) a diver shoots up three miles without stopping and still does not become a victim of the bends; 3--(granting the above two possible) a diver after shooting from such a great depth and pressure to a depth of comparatively low pressure would not be able to lower the pressure inside his dress, since it would be held so rigid that he would not be able to bend his arms; 4--a man or animal suddenly released from the enormous pressure of about three hundred tons to the square inch to atmospheric pressure, it seems, would most certainly burst before the internal pressure could equalize itself.