Fiction, 1979

Science-fiction stories from the late 1950s. A curious blend of humour, sharp writing, good ideas and impenetrable stodge. Which means that some stories are light, others lose their thread somewhat; in The Waging of Peace, for example, there’s some smart satire on the consumer economy, snuffed and stuffed with some period representation of women, then a boys’ own battle, both of which get caught up in a baggy action piece. Overall, these stories are readable, enjoyable but because of the problems with them, just a little too disposable.