Science Fiction Adventures (UK) #4

Science Fiction Adventures, No. 4 (1958)

This issue presents two lead novellas. "Mission to Oblivion" by John Victor Petersen (author with Civil Aviation Administration background) depicts Earthmen confined to segregated zones on the planet Mag under strict regulations forbidding interracial contact—violation means imprisonment, memory erasure, or death. The story opens with protagonist Hill Barris, a communications expert who has served ten years on Mag, racing to rescue injured crew from the crash-landing starship Star of Kenya. "The World That Almi Made" by Harry Harrison concerns Brek on Dwod IV, where the only contract escape involves eliminating a Profession man—a dangerous undertaking others pursue. The issue includes short stories: "The Reluctant Traitor" by Ralph Burke, "Final Voyage" by Basil Wells, and "The Gates of Pearl" by David Mason. An editorial note discusses space satellites' limited commercial impact on science-fiction magazine circulation and the field's growing cultural respectability.