Astounding Science Fiction, British Edition — page 127: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

BRASS TACKS 125 your story selections immensely.— John Zieniewicz, Marine Salvage, New London, Connecticut. A type of detail that is critically impor- tant to a marine salvage effort! Nat- urally, Zieniewicz would spot it! ee ree te Dear JWC: “Enough Rope”’ is clearly the best story in the December issue. It tickled me all over. And it’s good to see Wing Alak again. This series should cer- tainly be continued! By all the gods, I swear I’ll give up my subscription if you don’t do all you can to keep it going. No, that’s a little exaggerated ; but I certainly love the Anderson model of the Galactic Patrol. Highly valid, as well as great fun; far better than the somewhat similar “Bureau of Slick Tricks.” The final instalment of “‘Mission of Gravity” comes in for second place. The gravity research is left pretty vague, but that’s not too bad with the story as “Mesklinocentric” as it is. The humans in the story are almost entirely in the background; typical of Clement. In spite of the derogatory things I’ve said at times about his aliens, I do like them very much. My main complaint had been that they weren’t alien in nature; but I realize now that it wasn’t a fault but a virtue of his writing that made them so understandable. My apologies, Hal. I'd put the “Solution Delayed” at third. Definitely a twist. Glad to see somebody do it. “‘Survival’—that title gets around, doesn’t it?—is a neat though unassum- ing yarn. Don Green—a newcomer? Deserves encouragement. That atten- tion to exact detail is very welcome. Editorial—always the first thing I look for when the magazine comes—as interesting as usual. It has the flavor of a personal conversation, and editorial personality comes through clearly and strongly. This monthly glimpse is rather frustrating; it always makes me wish I knew you personally. But we can’t all be chummy with the editor, and there are worse frustrations than that one. On the switchover in scoring—I can’t offhand remember what it was, and all my back issues are packed away preparatory to a cross-country move. As I recall, it was O.K.; but how about giving a resumé for the benefit of those who don’t remember, or didn’t see, the original explanation? Uh, look. Now I have something to say which isn’t nearly as complimen- tary as the above, but it needs saying. WHAT in the nine planets and twenty moons is wrong with your artists? Or do you really like that stuff? I know for a fact that one of the authors— Anderson—could have done a better job illustrating his story. Orban is still fairly good, especially by comparison ; but van Dongen is not living up to his earlier promise at all. Miller and Dreany are just plain clumsy. Can’t you do something about it? Oh, well; in relation to what I see in other mags whose names I needn’t mention, your illustrations are models of clarity, decorativeness, and appropri- ateness. Some random gripes: Is Isaac Asi- mov ever going to write another Foun- dation story? Is van Vogt going to write anything? How about talking de Camp into another Viagens Interplan- etarias, preferably on Krishna? A sequel to “The Specter General” would be welcome, too. I’m sorry to see the “Astounding” part of the title played up again, but I can understand the need to distinguish between maga- zines on a newsstand. Ye gods, does EVERYBODY use that format? As a subscriber, I didn’t realize at first what the situation was. But I wish Comichooksnco im