Chapter XI (3)

I like your magazine. By this, I do not mean that it is the
best Science Fiction periodical, for it assuredly is not;
but it is the most reliable. I am sure when I pick up your
magazine that I shall find therein consistently interesting
stories. I have yet to find a story that failed to hold my
attention; on the other hand, I have yet to find a
masterpiece. Of all the Editors, you have shown yourself the
shrewdest judge of public taste, but also the least
interested in the advancement of Science Fiction.

Your authors are among the leading lights in Science
Fiction; yet, strangely, the days when they submit their
offerings to Astounding Stories seem to be "off days." Not
one of them has given us a story to equal his best for the
other magazines. For instance, Ray Cummings has yet to write
a story for you as entertaining as "The Girl in the Golden
Atom" or his others. Speaking of Cummings, I wish he would
take a course in grammar. His grammatical atrocities--such
as sentences without predicates--are eye-wracking.

The main purpose of this letter, however, is to offer a
fervent plea for reprints. I am unalterably opposed to your
short-sighted policy in regard to the reprinting of old
Science Fiction tales long out of print. You made an utterly
asinine statement when you declared that 99 per cent of your
readers have already read these classics. [We did not say
that. We said: "Would it be fair to 99 per cent of our
Readers to force on them reprint novels they have already
read, or had a chance to read?"--Ed.] I am willing to wager
that the percentage is nearer 10 per cent. For instance, can
a baby read magazines? You seem to grant them this strange
ability.

Most of the stories that should be reprinted were published
from eight to fifteen years ago, in one other magazine. That
automatically excludes all those who have not been constant
Readers of that one magazine. In the second place, the
average Reader of your magazine is under twenty-one (I am
eighteen myself). When the science classics were published,
we were anywhere from four to ten years of age. In the third
place, relatively few of these stories were published in
book form, and these few have for years been out of print.
Try to buy "The Moon Pool," the greatest Science Fiction
story ever written, in book form. In the fourth place, even
those who were old enough to understand them did not become
interested in Science Fiction until several years ago. In
the fifth place, the few who have read them--and they are
very few--would welcome the chance to re-read them. In the
sixth place, and this is the most important reason of all,
not one of the stories you have published is worth
re-reading, or is even a sixteenth as good as some of the
old stories.

Take a sporting offer. If you don't, I won't think much of
you. Publish just one of the Science Fiction classics,
preferably A. Merritt's "Through the Dragon Class," which so
many of your Readers have clamored for and see how
gratifying is its reception. If it does receive their
acclaim, you could reprint one story in each issue.--J.
Vernon Shea, Jr., 1140 N. Negley Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa.

"_Right Formula_"

Dear Editor:

I have been a satisfied and silent reader of your magazine,
and while I'm still satisfied, I wish to break my silence.

A letter by C.E. Bush, of Decatur, Ark., in the January
issue has caught my attention. Miss Bush apparently does not
care whether the stories contain science or not. I believe
she wants the author to leave out the scientific
explanations of the various machines and forces used in the
story. To me, an "improbable" story is much more interesting
if the author succeeds in making it seem perfectly
plausible. The author needs to give technical explanations
now and then to do this; and a good author can weave these
facts into the fiction in such a manner that they are not
dry.

For some reason, the letter by M. Clifford Johnston, of
Newark, N. J., antagonizes me. I am willing to admit that
there are--or were--one or two stories that showed a
definite lack of scientific explanation in certain parts,
yet I do not believe that all the issues can be condemned
because of these few stories. Mr. Johnston is apparently the
opposite of Miss Bush. He, from the "sound" of his letter,
revels in scientific explanations. On the whole I've enjoyed
practically every story, and am thankful to you for your
magazine. I believe that most of the authors have found the
right formula for mixing their explanations with the story
so that such technical discussions are complete without
being dry.

I enjoy the novelettes more than either the short stories or
the serials. The serials are all right, but a month is too
long to let the hero or heroine suffer. Imagine how WE
suffer, too, from the suspense!

If either Miss Bush or Mr. Johnston feel that they have been
misunderstood and wronged in any way I shall be glad to
either apologize or vindicate myself in a personal letter to
them.

May Astounding Stories continue to improve!--Ben Smith, Box
1542, Butte, Montana.

_Fiction's the Thing!_

Dear Editor:

Hurrah for Mr. Lorenzo's letter in January's "The Readers'
Corner"! For a half year already, all other Science Fiction
magazines have had to struggle along without my patronage,
also. For the same reason as Mr. Lorenzo gives, I want to
heartily congratulate you, Mr. Editor, on your magazine.

I have read Science Fiction stories since the first magazine
of its kind ever appeared in print. They started out good,
but in the last few years have utterly degenerated into a
collection of dry, drawn-out lectures.

Also, C. E. Bush's letter should be rated as 100 per cent
correct. We want FICTION mixed with some science, and above
all a good plot and lots of action; and if your authors feel
so inclined, let them weave a romance into the stories, too.
"We read stories to be amused, not for technical
information." I am a radio operator, but I wouldn't think of
reading a story for information on the latest transmitter
design.

Mr. Editor, your choice of authors is par excellence. I
can't too highly emphasize this, because we don't want the
authors who write for other Science Fiction magazines. Why?
Because they can't even write a story that has a semblance
of coherence or plot to it, and never any action. If you
should ever use any of these writers, I shall give up
Science Fiction altogether. Please, Mr. Editor, continue to
run Astounding Stories yourself, and don't heed the request
of a minority who want dead authors to write dead stories in
our magazine.

"The Pirate Planet" is the fastest moving, best written
interplanetary story I have ever read, and I've read scores.
C. W. Diffin surpasses himself. "Vagabonds of Space" was
great. Isn't a sequel possible?

I have your January issue before me, and although I haven't
read it yet, I'm delighted to see Murray Leinster with us
again. He's excellent. I can't figure out how you can afford
so many top-notch authors in each issue, but keep it up,
because it's the life of your magazine. As Mr. Addison says
in his letter, "Why ruin a truly great magazine by catering
to a misguided minority?" and printing flops by cheap
writers, who are ruining other Science Fiction magazines?

Forgive me for so much repetition, Mr. Editor; run your
magazine "as is" and I'll continue to be an interested
reader.--P.C. Favre, 124 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, N.Y.

_For Blushers_

Dear Editor:

I noticed in a letter in the December number of Astounding
Stories that one of your Readers thinks your covers too
gaudy. In fact, he blushes when he buys it. If he feels that
way about it, why doesn't he subscribe to it and take the
cover off when he reads it? I believe that the majority of
your Readers like your covers and illustrations, and are not
afraid to let people see them reading Astounding Stories.

I wish that you could have a long novelette like "The
Ape-Men of Xloti" in every issue of "our" magazine. The
longer stories are most always the more interesting. That is
one of the reasons why I like book-length serials.

Why should Five-Novels Monthly get all the breaks? I am sure
that you as the Editor of "our" magazine think Astounding
Stories the best magazine published by Mr. Clayton. I should
think that you would like to see it published in as good an
edition as F. N. M. I am pretty sure that the majority of
your Readers would not mind paying five cents more for many
more pages of fiction, smooth-cut edges, and a better grade
of paper.--Jack Darrow, 4225 N. Spaulding Avenue, Chicago,
Illinois.

"_The Readers' Corner_"

All Readers are extended a sincere and cordial invitation to "come over in 'The Readers' Corner'," and join in our monthly discussion of stories, authors, scientific principles and possibilities--everything that's of common interest in connection with our Astounding Stories.

Although from time to time the Editor may make a comment or so, this is a department primarily for _Readers_, and we want you to make full use of it. Likes, dislikes, criticisms, explanations, roses, brickbats, suggestions--everything's welcome here; so "come over in 'The Readers' Corner'" and discuss it with all of us!

_The Editor._

* * * * *

End of Project Gutenberg's Astounding Stories, March, 1931, by Various