Best Ever Printed (1939)
by Isaac Asimov

Letter published in Amazing Stories, January 1939.

4128946Best Ever Printed1939Isaac Asimov

Best Ever Printed

Sirs:

I thought Festus Pragnell's "Ghost of Mars" the best story Amazing has ever printed since coming under your new regime. The characterization was vividly real, the picture of social conditions sound, and the ending was as effective as any I have ever come across. The "happy ending" is not always the best.

"Master of Telepathy" was prolific Binder's best since "Blue Beam of Pestilence," and was almost as good as "Ghost of Mars."

But there were a few disappointing tales as well. Two, especially, I did not like at all and these were 'Prince Deru Returns" by Harl Vincent and "Kiss of Death" by Neil R. Jones. The first is an example of the blood and thunder story which I think it is about time science fiction outgrew.

The Jones yarn was a great disappointment for he is one of my favorites. There are few stories I liked better than the Jameson scries. (By the way, do you intend printing a few more of these?) However, you cannot please every one so perhaps there were others who liked these stories as much as I disliked them.

I. Asimov.
174 Windsor Pl., Brooklyn, N. V.

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was legally published within the United States (or the United Nations Headquarters in New York subject to Section 7 of the United States Headquarters Agreement) before 1964, and copyright was not renewed.

Works published in 1938 could have had their copyright renewed in 1965 or 1966, i.e. between January 1st of the 27th year after publication or registration and December 31st of the 28th year. As this work's copyright was not renewed, it entered the public domain on January 1st, 1967.


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