04-13-2015, 05:22 PM
I am going to reply to my own post. It seemed better than editing. Just finished The Martian Chronicles. I felt the same - a few really strong stories and standard pulp filler. The early part with the Martians was good, and a couple of the stories at the end were solid, but the rest was forgettable, which is probably why I had forgotten it. Of course you will all remember "There Will Come Soft Rains", which is still a classic.
Next I am tackling The October Country, which was my favorite back in the day, so I'll see if it's held up. And I notice that all the stuff I've read so far is only up to about 1955, so maybe he got stronger later. I'll see; I have several books to go.
And if you just want great pulp SF, then I would skip Bradbury and go for Philip K. Dick (all the stuff in the fairly recent Selected Stories is good) or A.E. Van Vogt (the one to read from him is Destination Universe which has several great stories).
Next I am tackling The October Country, which was my favorite back in the day, so I'll see if it's held up. And I notice that all the stuff I've read so far is only up to about 1955, so maybe he got stronger later. I'll see; I have several books to go.
And if you just want great pulp SF, then I would skip Bradbury and go for Philip K. Dick (all the stuff in the fairly recent Selected Stories is good) or A.E. Van Vogt (the one to read from him is Destination Universe which has several great stories).
the hands that guide me are invisible