Virtual Unrealities: The Short Fiction of Alfred Bester"Dazzlement and enchantment are Bester's methods. His stories never stand still a moment." —Damon Knight, author of Why Do Birds Alfred Bester took science fiction into hyperdrive, endowing it with a wit, speed, and narrative inventiveness that have inspired two generations of writers. And nowhere is Bester funnier, speedier, or more audacious than in these seventeen short stories—two of them previously unpublished—that have now been brought together in a single volume for the first time. Read about the sweet-natured young man whose phenomenal good luck turns out to be disastrous for the rest of humanity. Find out why tourists are flocking to a hellish little town in a post-nuclear Kansas. Meet a warlock who practices on Park Avenue and whose potions comply with the Pure Food and Drug Act. Make a deal with the Devil—but not without calling your agent. Dazzling, effervescent, sexy, and sardonic, Virtual Unrealities is a historic collection from one of science fiction's true pathbreakers. "Alfred Bester was one of the handful of writers who invented modern science fiction. " —Harry Harrison |
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Page 44
... picked up his cigarette lighter , flicked it and dropped it into the wastepaper basket . The voice of the operator buzzed in the phone . Warbeck shouted , " I want a policeman ! " Then he kicked the flaming basket into the center of the ...
... picked up his cigarette lighter , flicked it and dropped it into the wastepaper basket . The voice of the operator buzzed in the phone . Warbeck shouted , " I want a policeman ! " Then he kicked the flaming basket into the center of the ...
Page 61
... picked up the bill by a corner , and ran back into the picture gallery where the art dealer still stood staring glassily at the orange flame . Aquila flut- tered the bill before the sightless eyes . " Listen , my ancient , " Aquila ...
... picked up the bill by a corner , and ran back into the picture gallery where the art dealer still stood staring glassily at the orange flame . Aquila flut- tered the bill before the sightless eyes . " Listen , my ancient , " Aquila ...
Page 83
... picked up his spade and followed the first clown into the cemetery . The first clown was a tall man , gaunt , with a bitter ex- pression but a sprightly manner . " Is she to be buried in Christian burial that wilfully seeks her own ...
... picked up his spade and followed the first clown into the cemetery . The first clown was a tall man , gaunt , with a bitter ex- pression but a sprightly manner . " Is she to be buried in Christian burial that wilfully seeks her own ...
Contents
Disappearing Act | 3 |
Oddy and Id | 22 |
Star Light Star Bright | 38 |
Copyright | |
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Virtual Unrealities: The Short Fiction of Alfred Bester Alfred Bester,Roger Zelazny Limited preview - 1997 |
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Addyer Alceste Alfred Bester android answered Aquila arms Arno asked Bauer BBDO began Bellanby Bester Boyne Bruxton Buchanan CALIFORNIA/SANTA CRUZ called Carpenter Charles Claudia Clifton Webb Corque Coven cried CRUZ The University damn Dimmock dollars Dominie door dreams experts eyes face Finney County Fisher Frankie frogman Galatea Gardner Gaul girl Granville Grssh Hallmyer Halsyon hand Hassel head hell Herod hundred Jinny Krane Kruger laughed Linda listen living looked LOUIS JOURDAN Macy Manwright Mayo Migg minute Miss Clinton Miss Garbo muttered never night nodded Professor Muni science fiction shot shouted Sima Simmons smiled stared Stars My Destination stopped Strapp street Stuart Buchanan talk tell There's thing told took trying turned University Library UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA/SANTA Valera Vandaleur Violet voice waited Warbeck Ward What's