"Fantastic Magazine, January-February, 1954"

Fantastic Magazine, January-February, 1954

Four out of five stars

 Overall, this issue is similar to nearly every issue of magazines containing fantasy and science fiction. There are some good stories, one or two that are great and one or two that are a struggle to complete. When looking at the cover I could predict what would be the best story in this issue and I was correct. It is “The Dwarf” by Ray Bradbury.

The main premise of the story is the dwarf that is a talented writer and regularly goes to the fun house to stand in front of a mirror that makes him look to be of normal height. A woman named Aimee recognizes his talents and wants to do the dwarf a favor by buying him a similar mirror that he can put in his residence so that he does not have to spend the dime of entrance fee into the fun house. In typical Bradbury style there are twists and the conclusion includes some significant ambiguity to be filled in by the imagination of the reader. Nobody does that better than Bradbury.

 The second story, “Scream At Sea,” by Algis Budrys is also first rate. A man (Harry Meglow) that has always seemed to be able to keep one step ahead of the law hurriedly boards a tanker leaving Venezuela, taking the position of cook’s helper. The tanker contains high-octane gasoline and when it is well out of sight of land, the ship explodes, with all but Meglow and a cat killed. Meglow’s luck holds as he manages to end up on a raft with the cat and plenty of food and water. However, things begin to go wrong and at the end only the cat is rescued.

 The other stories are average, with the exception of “The Odyssey of Henry Thistle,” which was a struggle to read. “The Sisters” is quite ghoulish and in many ways a good story to read over the Halloween evening.