Authentic Science Fiction Monthly, No. 56 — page 141: what you’re looking at

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

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION RAISON @ETRE I am a science fiction fanatic, and I consider your magazine the best and always look forward to the next issue. I did not agree with Mr. J. Blair’s What was That in Authentic No. 49, and would be happy if you would publish my views why I think space travel should eventuate. 1. The world is rapidly be- coming overpopulated by the in- creasing elimination of diseases, sickness, starvation, etc., and must seek new colonies. 2._Man has wondered and gestulated about the stars since evolution of reason, and will conquer space even for no better reason than to satisfy his own curiosity. 3. Some planets, due to a difference of basic ele- ments in their composition from Earth, might be quite willing to exchange uranium for salt on a pound for pound weight basis. Who can deny the advantages to Earth such a trade would be? 4. The knowledge gained from space travel will vastly compensate any finance spent on this venture. 5. I believe space travel will do more than any action or confer- ences to unite the world when ruling powers of this little grain of sand called Earth, lost in a beach called the Universe, which in itself is only what the human eye with the aid of the most powerful telescope can discern, eventually get a true perspective of themselves and the world they aspire to dictate to. D. Stuart, c/o Empire Hotel, Roma, Q., Australia. We agree with you entirely that space travel will come about. But you have left out a very significant reason—military. 140 HOME SECTION BEST I have been reading S.F. of all types for some while, but from the time you published Space Beam, Dark Side of Venus until Authen- tic No. 42, I had completely lost touch with what, in my opinion, is “tops” in S.F. in the U.K. Of all your featured novels since No. 42 The Envied, No. 51, is unsurpassed. It is by far the best of any of your some forty-four stories. I have read much in your Projectiles about the story by R. C. Wing- field, The Mutilants, and nothing which I have read has been in its favour, though I myself found it quite interesting. Now the best of your short stories came from E. C. Tubb in the form of Death Deferred, Day of All Else by Williamson, and from G. Winslow, Dimensional Destiny. 1 like very much your stories of time travel, fourth dimension, etc., all of which have been interesting and made good reading. However, I must make one exception, that is It’s Dark Out There. After I had read this I had the feeling I had not read the end. It had an anti-climax every other line, so please try and keep this sort of story out of your magazine. From Earth to the Stars made an exquisite form of instruc- tive illustration. What’s the chance of all the types on the starship being allergic to common substances, i.e., water, wool, wood, nylon, paper, etc.? After all, they have been out for over three hun- dred years. Hundreds of years of breathing purified, sterilised, fil- tered air, of living in the plastics, metals and synthetics of their ship. Peter Wilson, Longhirst Lane, Longhirst, Morpeth, Northumberland. comiclooks.corn