Most Popular Books by Alfred Bester

ufeff"Dazzlement and enchantment are Bester''s methods. His stories never stand still a moment." —Damon Knight, author of Why Do Birds Alfred Bester took science fiction into hyperdrive, endowing it with a wit, speed, and narrative inventiveness that have inspired two generations of writers. And nowhere is Bester funnier, speedier, or more audacious than in these seventeen short stories—two of them previously unpublished—that have now been brought together in a single volume for the first time. Read about the sweet-natured young man whose phenomenal good luck turns out to be disastrous for the rest of humanity. Find out why tourists are flocking to a hellish little town in a post-nuclear Kansas. Meet a warlock who practices on Park Avenue and whose potions comply with the Pure Food and Drug Act. Make a deal with the Devil—but not without calling your agent. Dazzling, effervescent, sexy, and sardonic, Virtual Unrealities is a historic collection from one of science fiction''s true pathbreakers. "Alfred Bester was one of the handful of writers who invented modern science fiction. " —Harry Harrison Alfred Bester (1913-1987) was the author of two of science fiction''s seminal works, The Demolished Man and The Stars My Destination. He also wrote some fast-moving, sizzling short stories that were very highly regarded; many of them are included in the 17 stories showcased in Virtual Realities; two were never before published. Highlights include "Disappearing Act," in which shell-shocked soldiers vanish from their hospital ward; "Hobson''s Choice," in which a statistician uncovers a disturbing population trend in post-nuclear Kansas; "Time Is the Traitor," wherein powerful business people manipulate their most valuable consultant; and "The Devil Without Glasses," a conspiracy tale with an X-Files feel. The science fiction and literary classic "Fondly Fahrenheit" stars wealthy Vandaleur and his mad android who has an unfortunate habit of turning murderous when the temperature gets too hot... All reet!

ufeff“Bester’s two superb books have stood the test of time. For nearly sixty years they’ve held their place on everybody’s list of the ten greatest sf novels” —Robert Silverberg Before his untimely death in 1987, Alfred Bester had established himself as one of the world’s greatest science fiction writers. From radio to television, short fiction to full-length novels, he created a body of work that will be continued to be enjoyed by generations of readers for all time. Now, Redemolished brings together, for the first time in one volume, the full range of his genius: The never before printed, complete 3,000 word prologue of his classic novel The Demolished Man (Winner of the first Hugo Award); The extraordinace-fiction tale, “Hell is Forever,” and Bester’s shocking pre-cyberpunk stories, such as “The Four Hour Fuge.” Included in this special edition are Bester’s writings on such noted celebrities as Woody Allen, Rex Stout, and Isaac Asimov.

In this pulse-quickening novel, Alfred Bester imagines a future in which people "jaunte" a thousand miles with a single thought, where the rich barricade themselves in labyrinths and protect themselves with radioactive hit men--and where an inarticulate outcast is the most valuable and dangerous man alive.

ufeff#4 in the Millennium SF Masterworks series, a library of the finest science fiction ever written. The first Hugo Award winner for best novel in 1953. “One of the all-time classics of science fiction.”—Isaac Asimov “Bester''s two superb books have stood the test of time. For nearly sixty years they’ve held their place on everybody’s list of the ten greatest sf novels” —Robert Silverberg In a world policed by telepaths, Ben Reich plans to commit a crime that hasn’t been heard of in 70 years: murder. That’s the only option left for Reich, whose company is losing a 10-year death struggle with rival D’Courtney Enterprises. Terrorized in his dreams by The Man With No Face and driven to the edge after D’Courtney refuses a merger offer, Reich murders his rival and bribes a high-ranking telepath to help him cover his tracks. But while police prefect Lincoln Powell knows Reich is guilty, his telepath''s knowledge is a far cry from admissible evidence. Alfred Bester was among the first important authors of contemporary science fiction. His passionate novels of worldly adventure, high intellect, and tremendous verve, The Stars My Destination and the Hugo Award winning The Demolished Man, established Bester as a s.f. grandmaster, a reputation that was ratified by the Science Fiction Writers of America shortly before his death. Bester also was an acclaimed journalist for Holiday magazine, a reviewer for the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction and even a writer for Superman.

Lights. Camera. Madness. In the glittering chaos of 1950s live television, star-studded dreams and nervous breakdowns go hand in hand-and no one knows this better than television writer Boyd Lindstrom. When Boyd wakes up in a Manhattan hotel room, hungover and with no memory of the past three days, he thinks it''s just another rough night. But when he discovers his apartment has been rented to strangers, his wife has disappeared, and everyone in his life insists he''s a stranger too... Boyd realizes he''s not just forgotten something-he''s been erased. With the same razor-sharp wit and psychological bite that made The Demolished Man a sci-fi classic, Alfred Bester plunges into a noir-tinged mystery of identity, paranoia, and the manic pace of mid-century media. Who He? is a fast-paced descent into a world where reality is up for grabs and the only thing more dangerous than losing your mind... is finding out who''s behind it. A forgotten gem from a Grand Master of science fiction-equal parts mind-bending thriller and scathing satire.

Alfred Bester''s first science fiction novel since The Stars My Destination was a major event-a fast-moving adventure story set in Earth''s future. A band of immortal-as charming a bunch of eccentrics as you''ll ever come across-recruit a new member, the brilliant Cherokee physicist Sequoya Guess. Dr. Guess, with group''s help, gain control of Extro, the supercomputer that controls all mechanical activity on Earth. They plan to rid Earth of political repression and to further Guess''s researches-which may lead to a great leap in human evolution to produce a race of supermen. But Extro takes over Guess instead and turns malevolent. The task of the merry band suddenly becomes a fight in deadly earnest for the future of Earth. .

“Alfred Bester was, and remains, long after his passing, the preeminent Class Act of imaginative literature. Bester was the mountain, all the rest of us merely climbers toward that peak.” —Harlan Ellison “Alfred Bester was one of a handful of writers who invented modern science fiction.” —Harry Harrison, author of The Stainless Steel Rat Alfred Bester took readers where none had gone before in his seminal fifties novel, The Stars My Destination— the story of a young man''s desperate journey from adolescence to most-wanted-man of the 25th century. In The Deceivers, Bester reinvented the space opera for the late 20th century. The hero is Rogue Winter—King of the Maori Commandos... His lover is the beautiful Demi Jeroux, who has been kidnapped by... The villainous, demonic Manchu Duke of Death. Rogue must search through the entire solar system to find the missing Demi Jeroux, from the Paradise of Carnal Pleasures to the bloody torture chambers of Triton. It is in the subterranean chambers beneath the surface of Triton that the key to the whole adventure lies. Buried here is the sole source of the newly discovered Meta-crystals, which hold the secret to unlimited energy for all mankind. Demi Jeroux is merely a pawn in the Duke of Death''s gambit to seize control of the crystals and place the entire solar system at his mercy. Rogue''s final confrontation with the Duke will determine not only the fate of his beloved, but the future of the system and its freedom from the evil Manchu Empire.

ufeff“A dark acid curio, brisk, fast, memorable, a rare improvisational duet from two of our best.”—Greg Bear “Alfred Bester was one of the handful of writers who invented modern science fiction.” —Harry Harrison, author of Adventures of the Stanless Steel Rat “Let there be light, and let there always be Roger Zelazny.”—Philip José Farmer, author of To Your Scattered Bodies Go From Publishers Weekly: This odd novel, left incomplete when Bester died in 1987, was finished by Zelazny, who himself died in 1995. In his introduction, Bear refers to Bester (The Deceivers) and Zelazny (Donnerjack) as masters of SF jazz, geniuses of improvisation, and the book has that feel to it. The plot is full of bizarre twists and turns. Neat ideas surface and disappear in an eyeblink and characters transform radically from one page to the next. Alf Noir, an investigative reporter, is sent to Rome to look into the mysterious Black Place of the Soul-Changer and its enigmatic proprietor, Adam Maser. Alf discovers that Maser is a Psychbroker, a sort of pawnbroker of the spirit, dealing in emotions, talents and psychological traits. Want more courage, the ability to see into the infrared, an understanding of ancient Persian? Maser will trade it to you for your mind-reading ability, or a rare coin, or perhaps for the secret of the collective unconscious. Alf discovers that Maser isn''t human, but a highly evolved cat from the far future. Nothing is what it seems and no one can be trusted, not even Maser''s sexy assistant, an evolved snake with whom Alf has an affair. There''s much fun to be had here, but the book doesn''t represent either writer in top form. Bester''s style in the first part of the novel seems dated, and things don''t gel until Zelazny takes over halfway through the book. Vintage has brought Bester''s finest work back into print, and for this it deserves praise, but this novel is most likely to appeal to Zelazny''s much larger readership.

"Very few writers of any kind have anything like his inventiveness, audacity, and sparkling language."--Poul Anderson Alfred Bester, one of the great names and contemporary science fiction, author of the classic novels The Stars My Destinationand The Demolished Man, has produced what can only be called another revolution in science fiction, once again transcending the boundaries of the conventional in favor of the brilliant. In the American mega-city of the future, a group of charming ladies is meeting regularly to entertain themselves. One of their most diverting games is an attempt to raise the Devil through ancient rituals. Of course they don''t believe they''ll actually succeed. Nor do they, precisely; for rather than summoning an old demon, these enchanting ladies manage to create a new one: Golem 100, a manifestation of the collective unconscious that goes on a rampage of rape, torture, and murder. Only the ladies don''t see the connection between the grim events and what they have done... and the Golem continues to grow.... Three people join forces to track down the monster: Gretchen Nunn, a woman whose vision extends beyond its normal senses; Blaise Shima, her chemist lover, and the doubting Police Subadar Ind''dni. Their hunt leads them through real and subliminal worlds of dazzling visual and verbal intensity, as Bester presents a new form of narration in a mad race through a text that has become a series of graphic images laced with dialogue. As the hunters venture deeper and deeper into the Golem''s subworld, the chase becomes more thrilling--and the monster''s true identity becomes a secret some would prefer not to have revealed. Science fiction, fantasy, psychological thriller, innovative literature, Golem 100fulfills Alfred Bester''s promise as a significant writer for our time and beyond.

Discover the remarkable anthology "The Unseen Blushers & The Push Of A Finger" by Alfred Bester, a collection that masterfully blends science fiction with thought-provoking narratives. In "The Unseen Blushers," Bester takes readers into the colorful world of pulp fiction writers who gather in a dimly lit restaurant, spinning tales for a cent a word while dreaming of literary fame. With the arrival of a mysterious newcomer and his peculiar gadget, the story delves into time travel and the quest for genius, blurring the lines between reality and fiction. This captivating tale captures the essence of the pulp era, offering insights into artistic ambition and the timeless allure of storytelling. In "The Push Of A Finger," Bester presents a gripping narrative where journalist John Carmichael becomes entangled in a web of secrecy and control within a future society that values stability above all. As Carmichael uncovers the hidden world of prognostication in Manhattan City, he faces the chilling implications of forecasting and media influence. This story resonates with themes of information power and societal balance, exploring the complex relationship between transparency and security. With its rich characters and compelling themes, this anthology invites readers to reflect on the nature of creativity and the impact of information in shaping our world. A must-read for fans of science fiction and those fascinated by literary history, "The Unseen Blushers & The Push Of A Finger" offers a unique glimpse into the imaginative worlds crafted by one of the genre''s most celebrated authors.

Our 64th issue is a bit of a celebration—our American holiday, Thanksgiving, is nearly upon us, so we have a couple of other seasonally appropriate stories which I hope you will enjoy. (I trust our international readers will enjoy them as much as we do here.) Our acquiring editors have been busy. Michael Bracken has an original tale by Andrew Welsh-Huggins, and Barb Goffman has a turkey tale from modern master John M. Floyd. Cynthia Ward is off again this week, but she will have more for us shortly. Not enough? Well, we have gone back to the pulps for stories by Alfred Bester, George O. Smith, and Arthur J. Burks. Plus a novel by mystery superstar Mary Roberts Rinehart. Plus a long-lost fantasy by British author Sydney J. Bounds, which appears here for the first time. And another long-unseen story by the late and much-missed Larry Tritten. Here’s this issue’s lineup: Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “Dumbass Is Dumbass,” by Andrew Welsh-Huggins [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “The Loser Takes All,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “Button’s and Bo’s,” by John M. Floyd [short story] “Thubway Tham’s Thanksgiving Dinner,” by Johnston McCulley [short story] “The Adventure of the Coffee-Pot,” by Hal Meredeth [short story] The Red Lamp, by Mary Roberts Rinehart [novel] Science Fiction & Fantasy: “In Video Veritas,” by Larry Tritten [short story] “The Grey Mage,” by Sydney J. Bounds [short story] “The Unseen Blushers,” by Alfred Bester [short story] “The Death Crystal,” by George O. Smith [novelet] “The Vanishers,” by Arthur J. Burks [novelet]

Alfred Bester skewers the 20th Century in this piercing science fictional look back at our age from a remote future. Join the Artsy-Crafty Kid, Jane Tarzan, Edward G. Robinson, and other characters on an adventure beyond our wildest reality!