The Alien MEGAPACK® Read online

  Contents

  COPYRIGHT INFO

  A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER

  The MEGAPACK® Ebook Series

  THROUGH MUD ONE PICKS A WAY, by Tim Sullivan

  LABORATORY, by Jerome Bixby

  BEULAH, by Talmage Powell

  ALIEN STILL LIFE, by John Gregory Betancourt

  DEAD RINGER, by Lester del Rey

  ESCAPE TO EARTH, by Manly Banister

  LESSON IN SURVIVAL, by Frank Belknap Long

  SCIENTIFIC METHOD, by Chad Oliver

  THE BEES OF DEATH, by Robert Moore Williams

  THE BIG FIX, by Richard Wilson

  THE CARNIVORE, by Katherine MacLean

  THE LARGE ANT, by Howard Fast

  “THIS WORLD IS OURS!” by Emil Petaja

  RAINBOW JADE, by Gardner E. Fox

  A CITY NEAR CENTAURUS, by Bill Doede

  THE MENACE FROM ANDROMEDA, by Arthur Leo Zagat & Nat Schachner

  THE BIRDS OF LORRANE, by Bill Doede

  CONES, by Frank Belknap Long

  ALIEN OFFER, by Al Sevcik

  THE GOOD NEIGHBORS, by Edgar Pangborn

  THE SOUTH WATERFORD RUMPLE CLUB, by Richard Wilson

  THE TEACHER FROM MARS, by Eando Binder

  BELIEVE IN TANGIBLES, by Everil Worrell

  A LITTLE KNOWLEDGE, by Charles V. De Vet

  TRADER’S RISK, by Roger Dee

  UTTER SILENCE, by Edward Wellen

  COPYRIGHT INFO

  The Alien MEGAPACK® is copyright © 2016 by Wildside Press, LLC. All rights reserved. Cover art copyright © 2016 by Mik38 / Fotolia.

  * * * *

  The MEGAPACK® ebook series name is a trademark of Wildside Press, LLC. All rights reserved.

  * * * *

  “Through Mud One Picks a Way,” by Tim Sullivan, was originally published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Nov./Dec. 2013. Copyright © 2013 by Tim Sullivan. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  “Laboratory,” by Jerome Bixby, was originally published in If, December 1955.

  “Beulah,” by Talmage Powell, was originally published in Amazing Stories, July 1977. Copyright © 1977 by Talmage Powell. Reprinted by permission of the author’s estate.

  “Alien Still Life,” by John Gregory Betancourt, was originally published online in 2009. Copyright © 2009, 2016 by John Gregory Betancourt. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  “Escape to Earth,” by Manly Banister, was originally published in Science Fiction Quarterly, November 1957.

  “Dead Ringer,” by Lester del Rey, was originally published in Galaxy Science Fiction, November 1956. Reprinted by permission of the author’s estate.

  “Lesson in Survival,” by Frank Belknap Long, was originally published in Thrilling Wonder Stories, December 1952. Copyright © 1952 by C B S Publications, Inc., renewed 1980 (renewal # RE0000045893). Reprinted with the kind permission and assistance of Lily Doty, Mansfield M. Doty, and the family of Frank Belknap Long..

  “Scientific Method,” by Chad Oliver, was originally published in Science-Fiction Plus, August 1953.

  “The Bees of Death,” by Robert Moore Williams, was originally published in Fantastic Adventures, October 1949.

  “The Big Fix,” by Richard Wilson, was originally published in Infinity Science Fiction, August 1956.

  “The Carnivore,” by Katherine MacLean, was originally published in Galaxy Science Fiction, October 1953, under the pseudonym “G. A. Morris.”

  “The Large Ant,” by Howard Fast, was originally published in Fantastic Universe, February 1960.

  “This World Is Ours!” by Emil Petaja, was originally published in Imagination, July 1952.

  “Rainbow Jade,” by Gardner E. Fox, was originally published in Weird Tales, September 1949.

  “A City Near Centaurus,” by Bill Doede, was originally published in Galaxy Science Fiction, October, 1962.

  “The Menace from Andromeda,” by Arthur Leo Zagat & Nat Schachner, was originally published in Amazing Stories, April 1931.

  “The Birds of Lorrane,” by Bill Doede, was originally published in Galaxy Magazine, August 1963.

  “Cones,” by Frank Belknap Long, was originally published in Astounding Stories, February 1936. Copyright © 1936 by Conde Nast Publications, Inc. Copyright renewed in 1963 (renewal # RE000309944). Reprinted with the kind permission and assistance of Lily Doty, Mansfield M. Doty, and the family of Frank Belknap Long.

  “Alien Offer,” by Al Sevcik, was originally published in Amazing Science Fiction Stories, January 1959.

  “The Good Neighbors, was originally published in Galaxy Magazine, June 1960.

  “The South Waterford Rumple Club,” by Richard Wilson, was originally published in Galaxy Magazine, December 1967. Copyright © 1967 by Richard Wilson. Reprinted by permission of the author’s estate.

  “The Teacher from Mars,” by Eando Binder, was originally published in Thrilling Wonder Stories, February 1941. Copyright © 1941, renewed 1968 by Eando Binder. Renewal # R449297. Reprinted by permission of the estate of Otto O. Binder.

  “Believe in Tangibles,” by Everil Worrell, is original to this publication and copyright © 2016 by Wildside Press LLC.

  “A Little Knowledge,” by Charles V. De Vet, was originally published in Science Fiction Stories, November 1959.

  “Trader’s Risk,” by Roger Dee, was originally published in Galaxy Science Fiction, February 1958.

  “Utter Silence,” by Edward Wellen, was originally published in Infinity Science Fiction, February 1957.

  A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER

  Aliens have been a major theme in science fiction literature from the very beginnings of the genre...though they seem to have morphed over the decades from humanoids (six-limbed and blue though they might be!) to the utterly incomprehensible to noncorporeal energy beings over the years—to everything in between! This collection focuses on aliens as depicted in many different forms over many different decades. While in no way comprehensive (and I’m not sure a “definitive” book of alien stories could ever be assembled), I think this one is, at the very least, a lot of fun.

  Enjoy!

  —John Betancourt

  Publisher, Wildside Press LLC

  www.wildsidepress.com

  ABOUT THE SERIES

  Over the last few years, our MEGAPACK® ebook series has grown to be our most popular endeavor. (Maybe it helps that we sometimes offer them as premiums to our mailing list!) One question we keep getting asked is, “Who’s the editor?”

  The MEGAPACK® ebook series (except where specifically credited) are a group effort. Everyone at Wildside works on them. This includes John Betancourt (me), Carla Coupe, Steve Coupe, Shawn Garrett, Helen McGee, Bonner Menking, Sam Cooper, Helen McGee and many of Wildside’s authors…who often suggest stories to include (and not just their own!)

  RECOMMEND A FAVORITE STORY?

  Do you know a great classic science fiction story, or have a favorite author whom you believe is perfect for the MEGAPACK® ebook series? We’d love your suggestions! You can post them on our message board at http://wildsidepress.forumotion.com/ (there is an area for Wildside Press comments).

  Note: we only consider stories that have already been professionally published. This is not a market for new works.

  TYPOS

  Unfortunately, as hard as we try, a few typos do slip through. We update our ebooks periodically, so make sure you have the current version (or download a fresh copy i
f it’s been sitting in your ebook reader for months.) It may have already been updated.

  If you spot a new typo, please let us know. We’ll fix it for everyone. You can email the publisher at [email protected] or use the message boards above.

  The MEGAPACK® Ebook Series

  If you enjoyed this ebook, check out more volumes in Wildside Press’s great MEGAPACK® series…more than 300 in all!

  THE GOLDEN AGE OF SCIENCE FICTION

  1. Winston K. Marks

  2. Mark Clifton

  3. Poul Anderson

  4. Clifford D. Simak

  5. Lester del Rey (vol. 1)

  6. Charles L. Fontenay

  7. H.B. Fyfe (vol. 1)

  8. Milton Lesser (Stephen Marlowe)

  9. Dave Dryfoos

  10. Carl Jacobi

  11. F.L. Wallace

  12. David H. Keller, M.D.

  13. Lester del Rey (vol. 2)

  14. Charles De Vet

  15. H.B Fyfe (vol. 2)

  16. William C. Gault

  17. Alan E. Nourse

  18. Jerome Bixby

  19. Charles De Vet (Vo. 2)

  20. Evelyn E. Smith

  21. Edward Wellen

  22. Robert Moore Williams

  23. Richard Wilson

  24. H.B. Fyfe (vol. 3)

  25. Raymond Z. Gallun

  26. Homer Eon Flint

  27. Stanley G. Weinbaum

  28. Edward Wellen

  29. Katherine MacLean

  30. Roger Dee

  31. Sam Merwin

  32. Frederik Pohl

  33. Kris Neville

  34. C.M. Kornbluth

  35. Keith Laumer

  36. George O. Smith

  THE GOLDEN AGE OF WEIRD FICTION

  1. Henry S. Whitehead

  2. George T. Wetzel

  3. Emil Petaja

  4. Nictzin Dyalhis

  5. David H. Keller

  6. Clark Ashton Smith

  7. Manly Banister

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