BASIL WELLS
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William L. Crawford (1911-1984), founder of the Fantasy Publishing Co. Inc., was instrumental in getting two book collections of Wells' short fiction published. The first of these, Planets of Adventure, was published in 1949 and collected 15 stories - several of which were also published in the magazine Fantasy Book, which Crawford himself edited. Planets of Adventure was well received and was described by one reviewer as "a collection of fifteen splendid stories...imaginative fiction at its very best." Doorways to Space, published in 1951, assembled a further 15 tales - all previously unpublished. In 1976 Basil Wells self-published two limited edition booklets of own short fiction. Little Monsters and Silverskin and Other Little Monsters included a selection of old and previously unpublished stories.
A great number of Basil Wells' stories remain uncollected, but I myself have at least partly rectified this with the publication in 2016 of a paperback anthology of 11 science fiction stories dating from the 1950s (information on this book can be found at the bottom of this page). The five collections detailed below showcase some of Wells' best writing and come highly recommended.
PLANETS OF ADVENTURE
by Basil Wells
Published by Fantasy Publishing Co. Inc., 1949
Table of Contents
"Empire of Dust"
"The Twisted Men"
"The Hairy Ones"
"Prison Rats"
"Gateways"
"Quest of Thig"
"Power for Darm"
"A Knight for Miss Merkins"
"Caverns of Ith"
"Wall of Darkness"
"The Swift People"
"World of Misters"
"Planet of New Men"
"Crusader"
"Scrambled World"
DOORWAYS TO SPACE
by Basil Wells
Published by Fantasy Publishing Co. Inc., 1951
Table of Contents
Other Worlds
"The Lurkers of Burm"
"The Singer"
"Barren World"
"Planet of Mist"
"Lord of the Desert Planet"
"The Aliens"
"Space Woman"
"Rebellion on Venus"
Alien Earth
"The Sudden Forest"
"The Elfin Hills"
"Conquest"
"Chrysalid"
"The Chair"
"Martyr from Mars"
"Exiles of the Forbidden Planet"
LITTLE MONSTERS
by Basil Wells
Published by Wells Books (private press), 1976
This collection was self published by Wells and limited to 500 copies, of which 50 of were signed by the author.
Wells dedicated this collection to "all those authors, past and present, who strive to keep alive that fresh sense of speculation and wonder that we all possessed in our youth."
Table of Contents
Introduction by Lynn A. Hickman and Basil Wells
"The Giant"
"Gift of U'Thang"
"Axtan of the Kags"
"The Serenity of Hroon"
"Tinikin"
"Tears for a Plast"
SILVERSKIN & OTHER LITTLE MONSTERS
by Basil Wells
Published by Wells Books (private press), 1976.
This collection was self published by Wells and limited to 500 copies.
Table of Contents
Introduction by Basil Wells
"The Rebel Slug"
"The Munk Hour"
"Silverskin" (a short novel)
FINAL VOYAGE AND OTHER SCIENCE FICTION STORIES
by Basil Wells
Published by Richard Simms Publications, 2016.
Table of Contents
Introduction by Richard Simms
"Under Martian Sands"
"Monster No More"
"Ship of the Fog Seas"
"Stalemate"
"The Pioneers"
"Memorium"
"Second Sight"
"Sole Survivor"
"Moment of Truth"
"Utility Girl"
"Final Voyage"