M33 in Andromeda
|
Cover of the first edition | |
| Author | A. E. van Vogt |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Geissmann |
| Country |
 United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | science fiction short stories |
| Publisher | Paperback Library |
Publication date | April 1971 |
| Media type | Print (Paperback) |
| Pages | 252 pp |
| OCLC | 2702716 |
M33 in Andromeda is a collection of six science fiction stories by A. E. van Vogt first published in April 1971.
Contents
- "Siege of the Unseen" (as "The Chronicler" in Astounding Science Fiction, October 1946)
a short story told in eyewitness accounts in court tell a grim story of a man who discovers a third eye on his forehead after a car accident removes the skin covering it. Instead of getting it re-covered he attempts to get it to see. The better he is able to get it to work the more this parallel universe begins to creep into his own. Where everyone has a third eye.
- "Discord in Scarlet" (Astounding Science Fiction, December 1939)
a short story where a ship called the spaceship Beagle which is flying between our galaxy and Andromeda Galaxy runs into an alien lifeform. The life form is a sentient creature that survived the end and rebirth of the universe. It can control nearly all aspects of its body, survive in the vacuum of space, asexually reproduce, pace through all but the most super dense materials, and eat nearly anything. The crew are able to trick it to leave the ship.
- "M33 in Andromeda" (Astounding Science Fiction, August 1943)
returning once again to the spaceship Beagle as it finally makes it to the Andromeda galaxy. As it approaches they are bombarded by messages after messages to not come any closer and to go home. the sociologists on board proposes that maybe something is just trying to get them to go home and not to keep them from there. They press onwards and discover that every planet in the galaxy is covered in rain forests. with the same species on each one. underneath the rain forests they find ruins of civilizations. They discover that the entire galaxy (or maybe just the areas around the suns) is covered in this mist. The mist is a sentient creature that lives off the "life energy" of other creatures. It was originally a self-replicating puff of vapor over a swamp but now embraces the galaxy. To get more life energy it converts whole planets into rain forest worlds. That's why it tried to get the Beagle to leave so it could follow it back to our galaxy and take it over. When the crew figure this all out they set up the means to destroy the mist.
- "The Expendables" (Worlds of If, September 1963)
- "Heir Unapparent" (as "Heir Apparent" in Astounding Science Fiction, June 1945)
The emperor of the world, who seized control 50 years ago with the aid of a super-weapon that he designed, is dying. He has been poisoned and has 48 hours to live. With his remaining time he has to find out who did it, stop a military take-over and keep his heir apparent (his granddaughter) from taking over.
- "The Weapon Shop" (Astounding Science Fiction, December 1942)
Publication history
1971 - New York: Paperback Library, #65-584, 252 pp. (only edition)