PLANETOID 127: Edgar Wallace's Fantasy Gferssfc Wk i rr | Lf J •*$ *> kj by Jack Sharkey N V. I s pi T? rlf> I ip r biPWi \ -jm - iPr^' Mf, v jM p», :- ' !»Jf; mkM L «f|§ |L a# A » jElMi ,fM \ v - / !|W Van! IP * \ , r? / j / / Pv* jr ;wfn 7W s»s r \ <m T >rf» »"^R 1 > * sr 11 i tfjpy . ^ Jl 1 ^ No 'embe ' Amazins- tad and Vir.tr hr lion (tliriw/ split in two by The Terran expeditionary force has landed on an alien planet. But some- thing is wrong: the scientist-leaders seem to be helping the extra-terres- trials! The suspicion mounts as this superb novelet LEFT HAND, RIGHT HAND by James H. Schmitz leads you into the beguiling world of the beyond! also: Here is a Classic Reprint that will appeal to your sense of adventure— PLANET OF THE DOUBLE SUN by Neil R. Jones and a special plus: Another article in Ben Bova's series which explores the possibilities of life in the outermost reaches of the galaxy. READ IT ALL IN NOVEMBER AMAZING! ON SALE NOW FANTASTIC, Stories of Imagination, Vol. 11, No. 11, November, 1962, is published monthly by Ziff-Davis Publishing Company, at 434 South Wabash Avenue, Chicago 5, Illinois. Subscrip- tion rates: One year United States and possessions $3.50; Canada and Pan American Union Countries $4.00; all other foriegn countries $4.50. Second Class postage paid at Chicago, Illinois and at additional mailing offices. THERE are some things that cannot organization) an age-old brotherhood be generally told — things you ought to of learning, have preserved this secret know. Great truths are dangerous to wisdom in their archives for centu- some — but factors for personal power ries. They now invite you to share the and accomplishment in the hands of practical helpfulness of their teachings. those who understand them. Behind Write today for a free copy of the the tales of the miracles and mysteries book, "The Mastery of Life.” Within of the ancients, lie centuries of their its pages may lie a new life of oppor- secret probing into nature’s laws — tunity for you. Address: Scribe N.Z.V. their amazing discoveries of the hid- SEND THIS COUPON ------ den processes of man’s mind, and the N.Z.V, mastery of life's problems. Once shroud* ! Scribe The ROSICRUCIANS (AMORC) ed in mystery to avoid their destruc- I i San Jose, California tion by mass fear and ignorance, these Please send me the free book. The Mastery J J facts remain a useful heritage for the of Life, which explains how 1 may learn to i j thousands of men and womenwho pri- i use my faculties and powers of mind. , vately use them in their homes today. Name I [ Addr << • THIS FREE BOOK | rity The Rosicrucians (not a religious ! J Woe Rosicrucians (AMORO SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A. 3 NOVEMBER 1962 FANTASTIC Volume 11 Number 11 STORIES OF IMAGINATION REG. U. S. PAT. OFF NOVELET ZIFF-DAVIS PUBLISHING COMPANT PIANETOID 127 (Fantasy Classic) William B. Ziff. Chairman of the Board By Edgar Wallace 75 - ( 1946 1953 ) William Ziff. President SHORT STORIES W. Bradford Briggs. Executive Viee President AWARENESS PUN Hershel B. Sarbln. Vice President and General Manager By David R. Bunch 71 M. T. Birmingham, Jr.. Vice President and Treasurer THE MOZART ANNUITY Robert P. Breeding. Circulation Di- By Arthur Porgcs 119 rector Charles Housman. Financial Vice President SERIAL Stanley R. Greenfield. Vice President IT'S MAGIC, YOU DOPE By Jack Sharkey 8 (Part one of two parts) Editoriol Director NORMAN M. LOBSENZ FEATURES Editor EDITORIAL 5 GOLDSMITH CEIE ACCORDING TO YOU 6 COMING NEXT MONTH 70 Ziff-Davis Publishing Company Editorial and Executive Offices Cover: Uoyd Birmingham One Park Avenue Illustrating It's Magic, You Dopel New York 16. New York ORegon 9-7200 Advertising Manager. Martin Gluekman SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE: All subscription corre- spondencc should be addressed to FANTASTIC, Cir- culation Department. 434 South Wabash Avenue. Chi- Midwestern and Circulation Office cago. Illinois. Please allow at least six weeks for 454 South Wabash Avenue change of address. Include your old address, as well as Chicago 5. Illinois now —enclosing if possible an address label from a W Abash 2-4911 recent issue. Western Office EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS must be accompanied 9025 Wilshlre Boulevard by return postage and will be handled with reenable Beverly Hills. California care: however publisher assumes no responsibility for CRestview 4-0265 return or safety of an work, photographs or manuscripts. dC\ Copyright © 19*2 by Zitt-Davli Publishing Company. All rights reserved. 4 : — rom time to time one has hopes for the psy- Fchologist. As a man who probes about the mysterious recesses of the sensory system, one likes to think he develops a certain tolerance (if not understanding) of the ways whereby man manages to stand the turmoil of the world. But just when one gets one’s hopes up—some- body lowers the boom. In this case, the boom was lowered for me by an item in a recent issue of The American Psychologist, a monthly journal of The American Psychological Associ- ation. It first reprinted a small advertisement from a Washington, D.C., newspaper, which read as follows TOUCHSTONE What 18 a touchstone? It is a stone of secret calm- ness. Finely cut and exquisitely polished onyx. Pleas- ing to the touch, psychologists say they relax nerves and soothe daily tensions. Especially appealing to the doodler, key-chain twirier, excessive smoker—just about everybody. $4.95 Then the magazine’s commentator brusquely observed that such a “tranquilizing amulet” is “tops for the man who has everything—if he will also believe anything.” Now, that seems to us to be giving short shrift, indeed, to a device that has anciently been known to bring peace to the mind, to inhibit tensions, to induce creative thought. “Rubbing stones” are common possessions of wise men in the Orient; Middle Eastern people fondle “worry beads” to the same end. And who has not occasionally been lulled into at least temporary peace of mind by caressing a smooth and intricately shaped stone found, perhaps, on a beach or by a lake. Psychologists do not seem to object much to tranquilizing drugs which in their unknown side effects may be doing serious damage to both soma and psyche. Why, then, poke fun at a tranquilizing amulet, which has been an artifact of man for thousands of years. Or do the psychologists, who are beloved of stimulus-and-response, just naturally resent anything that cuts down the intensity of the response? Let me go a step further. Let me say that the world might be a better place to be in if there weren’t so darned many stimuli to respond to. Or if there weren’t so many leaders of nations ready to respond at a hair-trigger’s notice. Perhaps every President, Premier and Party Secretary should have a tranquilizing amulet with him at the next conference on nuclear disarmament.—N.L. 5 — According to you... Dear Editor: those passably.” Very generous Is Fred Patten some kind of a of him. Of course, I wouldn’t nut? Oh, I agree with him that know what he does in that maga- Barr and Schelling are good art- zine he mentioned, because I ists (especially Schelling—he’s avoid it like the plague. better in interior work in Galaxy “On the other hand, Summers though) and Emsh and Schom- should be axed entirely,” says burg are also very good but I al- he! Some (in fact most) of Sum- most flipped with dismay when mers’ covers have been a bit he said "get rid of Birmingham sloppy, and I’d be the first to ad- and Summers.” Concerning Bir- mit it, but on interiors he can be mingham, he must be referring great if he tries. So he is a bit to the July issue of amazing untidy here too sometimes. But that cover was, I admit, a terri- his illos have an atmosphere of ble goof, and sometimes his weirdness about them, which I paints do seem to be a bit watery. believe could not be achieved by But get rid of him? Just look good clear illos like those of Ad- back at his very first cover for kins for an sf story. However, it you—November 1961 fantastic would be interesting to see what —and then ahead to one particu- a good clear Adkins or Emsh illo lar masterpiece on your April would do for a weird tale. Maybe amazing. I’m just used to seeing Summers’ Mr. Patten becomes generous type illos on weirdies ; but if oth- when he says “you can use Bir- ers would work just as well, why mingham on interiors ; he’s didn’t Adkins take advantage of shown in analog that he can do his opportunity instead of illus- : - - trating his story in a rather Summers-ish style? I hope I’ve made my point. By the way, the Aug. fantas- tic was great. Do you always on how to become save fantasies for your summer GOVERNMENT HUNTER issues ? Game Warden, Forest Ranger Bob Adolfsen 9 Prospect Ave. Aid or Assistant Type Sea Cliff, N.Y. Positions that Require Less Formal • Point made. Education. , office, Dear Miss Goldsmith -.or fac- tory machine. Prepart I have been reading fantastic now, in spare time, for outdoor man's dream job in Forestry it for about a year now and I must , Wildlife Conservation. Get the say that I think it to be a very facts.