Back to photostream

General Zapped An Angel - Howard Fast - cover artist Karel Thole

Ace paperback - published 1970 - 1st paperback edition

Howard Fast (1914-2003) was a celebrated and controversial American writer who, upon occasion, wrote science-fiction stories. 'The General Zapped an Angel",first published in 1969, is a collection of 8 stories - seven of which had never been previously published. The exception is the story " The Mouse" which was featured in the November 1969 issue of The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction.

 

In this reader's oppinion a science-fiction short story that keeps your interest and shows a commendable a degree of originality and creativity is a rare commodity indeed. The fact that the stories in this collection meet my subjective criteria is a detail I find quite amazing. I would go so far to say that this relatively slim volume would be an excellent text for anyone foolish enough to aspire to write short fiction.

 

-The Mouse: Just what would happen if aliens infused a common field mouse with intelligence - and then left him as an abandoned experiment?

 

-"The Wound": Using atomic weapons to release underground oil deposits may disturb more than sand and gas.

 

-"The Movie": Some folks find reel life more real that, well, real life.

 

-"The Mohawk": A Mohawk Indian parks himself in front of St. Patrick's Cathedral for some deep meditation much to the consternation of the local parish priest.

 

-"The Insects": Our friends the bugs start broadcasting a disturbing message "You must stop killing us".

 

-"The Vision of Milty Boil": A very short, extremely wealthy contractor keeps building vast high rise apartment buildings with lower and lower ceiling heights.

 

-"Tomorrow's Wall Street Journal": Would you like a copy...well the Devil will give you one for a price.

 

-"The General Zapped an Angel": One day in Vietnam a US General shot one of God's angles from a helicopter gun ship and then...

 

-"The Interval": If our earthly landscape was one big elaborate movie set what would happen when the show was over?

1,853 views
5 faves
1 comment
Uploaded on August 20, 2011
Taken on August 18, 2011