Assassins from Tomorrow

Assassins from Tomorrow, by Peter HeathAssassins from Tomorrow front
Prestige Books, 1967
Price I paid: 90¢

The mystery of the Kennedy assassination has attracted many amateur investigators—but none quite like young Mark Brown, the brilliant but footloose young son of America’s leading theoretical physicist. Like others, Mark Brown had only a theory to work on. Unlike others, his theory led him straight into trouble—and into even deeper mystery…

Mark Brown needed help—and that help could only come from Jason Starr and Adam Cyber, the Mind Brothers. The three made up a team of scientific brains unmatched in human history—but the problem they faced was enormous. The complexities included a mysterious artificial satellite and a weird organization called “Sutra”…and the only thing certain was that at least one of the three would die. The biggest question was whether the Earth would die, too….

Continue reading “Assassins from Tomorrow”

City Wars

City Wars by Dennis PalumboCity Wars front
Bantam Books, 1979
Price I paid: 75¢

Chicago vs. New York

For decades after the great wars, Chicago re-armed to defend what was left. Never knowing when an enemy city would strike.

In a world obsessed with fear and violence, Cassandra and Jake were programmed to kill. Neither had ever experienced love.

Now they were drawn together on a combat mission against New York…a city where no human was left alive.

Continue reading “City Wars”

The End of Man?

The End of Man? by Olof Johannesson (Hannes Alfvén)The End of Man front
Award Books, 1969
Price I paid: 90¢

Panic broke out. The computers had stopped working! There was no heat, no food, no communication. The death toll was long past the million mark.

No one knew what caused the breakdown. Was it human error, or a plot devised by the computers themselves?

Whatever the cause, when it was over most of the human population of the earth had perished. It was the dawn of a new era—when the computers ruled. And since the machines had learned to reproduce themselves without man’s help, there was no need for even a single human being.

So the nightmare battle began—between the few surviving humans and the super-being of their own creation—The Big Computer!

Continue reading “The End of Man?”

The Legion of Space

The Legion of Space by Jack WilliamsonThe Legion of Space front
Pocket Books, 1977 (Originally published 1947)
Price I paid: 75¢

They were the Legion, the small body of fighting men that had been chosen to defend the new democracy after the overthrow of the despotic interplanetary Empire.

Now, in the 30th century, an alien solar system is about to invade the human planets and the golden age ends abruptly in an outbreak of terror, suffering, and—worst of all—deadly treason that has allied itself with the dreaded monsters of Barnard’s Planet.

Sworn to protect mankind, John Star and his band of legionnaires must find AKKA, the mysterious weapon that guards the solar system, and rescue the beautiful young woman who keeps the weapon’s secret inscribed on her flesh. To succeed, they will have to brave the dangers of the sinister Medusa World, the black spider-ship, and the Belt of Peril where death and madness lurk.

Continue reading “The Legion of Space”

The Pollinators of Eden

The Pollinators of Eden by John BoydThe Pollinators of Eden front
Dell Publishing Co., 1969
Price I paid: 90¢

Blond and beautiful Dr. Freda Caron had been waiting patiently for her fiancé, Paul, to return from The Planet of the Flowers. But Paul had unaccountably requested an extended tour of duty, and had sent in his stead his handsome assistant, Hal Polino, along with an exquisite new breed of talking tulip.

Freda, methodical scientist that she was, was not quite sure what do with either of them—especially when the tulip was as heterosexual as Hal.

That’s when she began the experiments…

Continue reading “The Pollinators of Eden”

Doomstar

Doomstar by Edmond HamiltonDOOMSTAR front
Belmont Tower Books, 1966
Price I paid: 75¢

By mid-afternoon the brilliant intense sun shone on barren space. It had blasted each of its four planets out of existence.

SOMEONE HAD FOUND A WAY TO POISON A STAR!

Someone had to be found who could prevent the takeover or destruction of the entire universe by the madman who’d engineered the disaster.
The choice fell on Johnny Kettrick, banned from the Cluster World for space piracy. Now he was to be sent back there to search out the Doomstar—to find it before it burned out another world!

Continue reading “Doomstar”

The Penetrator #39: Cruise Into Chaos

The Penetrator #39: Cruise Into Chaos by Lionel DerrickThe Penetrator 39 front
Pinnacle Books, 1980
Price I paid: 75¢

Modern-day pirates in World War II U-boats are slipping stealthily through the peaceful waters between Los Angeles and Acapulco, attacking and robbing unwary cruise ships—completely eluding the Coast Guard. But Mark Hardin picks up the scent as he goes about demolishing one of the deadliest and best-planned Mafia scams of all time.

Once again it will take more than the impossible to daunt the Penetrator as he strikes out to prove that he too has the power to make waves.

Continue reading “The Penetrator #39: Cruise Into Chaos”

The Night of Kadar

The Night of Kadar, by Garry KilworthThe Night of Kadar front
Avon Books, 1978
Price I paid: 95¢

After roving through space for centuries, a starship unburdens its cargo of human embryos on a harsh new world. They quickly grow to maturity in the ship’s artificial womb. A lifetime of Earth memories is programmed into their dreams.

But before their indoctrination is complete, an alien intruder infiltrates and destroys the system…and the reason for their odyssey is never learned.

Now, on a verdant island surrounded by quicksand, Othman, wanderer, dreamer, and self-proclaimed leader of the Earthling band, builds a mighty bridge to span the ocean of molten mud that keeps them from the world beyond.

He has to face the deadly toll his quest will take on the delicate ecology of the planet—or the revolt of his beautiful, strong-willed wife, Silandi. And he has yet to discover the hidden knowledge locked deep within their hearts.

Continue reading “The Night of Kadar”

The Mind Brothers

The Mind Brothers by Peter HeathThe Mind Brothers front
Prestige Books, 1967
Price I paid: 90¢

Jason Starr, genius, found himself the focal point of a complex Communist plot against America…and as a thoroughly discredited scientist, there seemed to be nothing he could do about it.

Not until he was joined by Adam Cyber, that is. Adam Cyber: last man—or superman—to survive in that bleak future; and Jason Starr’s Mind Brother. Cyber returned through millenia to try to change Earth’s course. And when the Mind Brothers met, computers went crazy, all predictions were worthless—and a new kind of spy was born!

Continue reading “The Mind Brothers”

The Mountains of the Sun

The Mountains of the Sun by Christian LéourierThe Mountains of the Sun front
Berkley Publishing, 1973
Price I paid: 75¢

Berkley’s International Science Fiction program is proud to introduce France’s premier young s-f master with an adventure in Earth’s future. After the catastrophic death of civilization, human colonists of Mars return to “the mother planet” to discover a primitive society operating in bloody conflict with nature. The planetwide adventures of this group of colonists—grown soft and decadent in the artificial, low-gravity colonies on Mars—is one of the most exciting adventures of today’s international world of science fiction.

Continue reading “The Mountains of the Sun”