New Worlds Science Fiction No. 24

About this issue

This issue features James White's novelette "The Conspirators," concerning experimental animals aboard a starship who have evolved intelligence and developed a telepathic escape plot. The story depicts a black cat named Felix engaged in covert communication with smaller intelligent creatures, working to sabotage the ship's communications systems before crash-landing on a suitable planet. When one of the conspirators is electrocuted during the operation, Felix must act quickly to conceal the body from a human crew member, using his role as a pet cat as cover. The issue also contains short stories by Lester del Rey ("Idealist"), Kenneth Bulmer ("All Glory Forgotten"), John Christopher ("Escape Route"), Dan Morgan ("Jerry Built"), and Burgess Browne ("Fire"), alongside the concluding installment of Cyril M. Kornbluth's serial "Takeoff." John Newman contributes an article titled "Radiac." Features include editorial commentary by John Carnell, a film review, and book reviews by Leslie Flood.