Store of the Worlds
The Stories of Robert Sheckley
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- $22.99
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- $22.99
Publisher Description
Jonatham Lethem and Alex Abramovich present over 25 darkly satirical sci-fi short stories by “one of science fiction’s seminal humorists, a precursor to Douglas Adams” (New York Times).
Robert Sheckley was an eccentric master of the American short story, and his tales—whether set in dystopic cityscapes, ultramodern advertising agencies, or aboard spaceships lighting out for hostile planets—are among the most startlingly original of the 20th century. Today, as the new worlds, alternate universes, and synthetic pleasures Sheckley foretold become our reality, his vision begins to look less absurdist and more prophetic.
This retrospective selection, chosen by Jonathan Lethem and Alex Abramovich, brings together the best of Sheckley’s deadpan farces, proving once again that he belongs beside such mordant critics of contemporary mores as Bruce Jay Friedman, Terry Southern, and Thomas Pynchon.
“Let’s say you are a devoted fan of Kurt Vonnegut’s books, love the sardonic comeuppance stories of John Collier and Roald Dahl, own all of Edward Gorey’s little albums and enjoy watching reruns of ‘The Twilight Zone.’ Where else can you find similar instances of sly, macabre wit, of such black-humored, gin-and-tonic fizziness in storytelling? . . . Robert Sheckley.” —The Washington Post
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
The late Sheckley (1928 2005) was known for a dark satirical style that keeps some of the more dated material in this retrospective collection fresh. At his sharpest, as in the alien-invasion tale "Shape," Sheckley could mix complicated world-building and nuanced politics into a 15-page story. Many of the 26 inclusions such as the title story, which explores the intersection of the many-worlds theory and upper-middle-class ennui could be passed off as contemporary. Despite the poorly aged gender politics of the classic "Seventh Victim," arguably Sheckley's most famous short work, it offers humor that still rings true. Editors Lethem and Abramowitz provide an insightful introduction but otherwise let the individual stories stand on their own (not even providing their dates or provenance). That would be frustrating for a lesser author, but in Sheckley's case, it only helps highlight the timelessness of his ideas.
