Authentic Science Fiction Monthly, No. 56 — page 136: what you’re looking at

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

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION FICTION MARTIN MAGNUS, _ PLANET ROVER, is a won- derful man; the Space Force cannot get on without him; he is sent to deal with all crises, and William F. Temple, who wrote this book, cer- tainly finds some for him! The publishers claim that the book has “a,scientific back- ground that is accurate in detail”—which it definitely has not. There is water on the Moon (water which emits an acrid gas), oxygen on Venus, decapods of enormous size living in underground lunar caverns and a number of other scientific absurdities. Still, the story has pace, is full of action and makes very enjoyable reading. It is pub- lished at 7s. 6d. by Frederick Muller (Ludgate House, Lon- don, E.C.4). | THE GREEN PLANTA- TIONS, by John Elton, is really a love story with science fiction trimmings. Earth is invaded, conquered and ruled by aliens who need a constant supply of a special vitamin that can be grown only on their own planet. Naturally, 135 the easiest way of overthrow- ing the aliens is to destroy their vitamin plantations, and that is the plot. Not at all a bad story, though. Published by Ward Lock (143 Piccadilly, London, W.1) at 9s. 6d. C. S. Lewis is well known for his use of science fiction to put over a bit of morality, and in THAT HIDEOUS STRENGTH he does it again. So, if you are looking for straight science fiction, this is not for you. It has many elements of fantasy and is apparently a vehicle for pre- senting in a newish light the age-old problem of what is good and what is evil. A most — interesting, but not very ex- citing, book. Recommended. Published by Pan Books (8 Headfort Place, London, S.W.1) at 2s. In TIMELINER, Charles Eric Maine seems to have wrung one more variation on his story Highway i, which first appeared in Authentic No. 39. After we published it, the author lengthened it into a radio play which the B.B.@ put out in February, 1954. It is now a novel and will soon be filmed. But in each presen- comicloooks.com