The Flying Sorcerers

This sparkling sequel to WIZARDS OF ODD once again turns logic on its head, with a galaxy of star writers and stories. Terry Pratchett, the arch-priest of the genre, leads off with the eccentric figure of DEATH, on new and curious mission, Roald Dahl plays havoc with country superstition, and Arthur C. Clarke shows the funny side of cosmic doom. Add to these dazzling contributions from masters such as Kurt Vonnegut Jr., Angela Carter, C.S. Lewis, P.G. Wodehouse and Michael Moorcock, and you have a blend of comic fantasy, supernatural extravaganza and sf, that is almost literally in orbit. The title of the book stems from the fact that many of the stories feature characters who can fly – either under their own power or by machines – or they simply run into trouble with aerial objects of one sort or another. Bringing together some of the best fantasy available, THE FLYING SORCERERS is a gloriously bizarre, wonderfully varied collection of stories.

Contents

ix • Introduction (The Flying Sorcerers) • (1997) • essay by Peter Haining
3 • Turntables of the Night • juvenile • (1989) • short story by Terry Pratchett
17 • A Slice of Life • [Adrian Mulliner] • (1926) • short story by P. G. Wodehouse
37 • The Better Mousetrap • [Gavagan’s Bar] • (1950) • short story by L. Sprague de Camp and Fletcher Pratt
52 • Sam Small’s Better Half • [Sam Small] • (1941) • short story by Eric Knight
74 • Danse Macabre • (1963) • short story by Mervyn Peake
89 • The Shoddy Lands • (1956) • short story by C. S. Lewis
100 • Harrison Bergeron • (1961) • short story by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
110 • Possible to Rue • (1963) • short story by Piers Anthony
119 • The Right Side • (1934) • short story by John Collier
127 • Nasty • (1959) • short story by Fredric Brown
131 • The Gripes of Wraith • [Squaredeal Sam McGhee] • (1949) • short story by Nelson S. Bond [as by Nelson Bond]
147 • The Roaches • (1965) • short story by Thomas M. Disch
163 • The Lady of the House of Love • (1975) • short story by Angela Carter
188 • The Stone Thing: A Tale of Strange Parts • (1974) • short story by Michael Moorcock (variant of The Stone Thing)
194 • The Shrink and the Mink • (1983) • short story by Robert Bloch
213 • Ah Sweet Mystery of Life • (1974) • short story by Roald Dahl (variant of Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life)
225 • The Man in Asbestos: An Allegory of the Future • (1911) • short story by Stephen Leacock
241 • Female of the Species • (1937) • short story by John Wyndham (variant of The Perfect Creature)
274 • A Good Shellacking • [Cyberiada (The Cyberiad)] • (1974) • short story by Stanisław Lem?
(trans. of Wielkie lanie 1964) [as by Stanislaw Lem]
283 • From Gustible’s Planet • [The Instrumentality of Mankind] • (1962) • short story by Cordwainer Smith
292 • Specialist • (1953) • short story by Robert Sheckley
314 • The Adventure of the Martian Moons • [Sam Space] • (1997) • short story by William F. Nolan
338 • The Golden Years of the Stainless Steel Rat • [The Stainless Steel Rat] • (1993) • short story by Harry Harrison
360 • No Morning After • (1954) • short story by Arthur C. Clarke