*Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror: A real favourite author featured this time, with four new additions to our inventory by Alfred Bester. There are many words for his style that spring to mind: original, innovative, dynamic, pyrotechnic, avant-garde… I could go on. His first two novels from the 1950s, The Demolished Man and Tiger! Tiger! (both featured here) remain classics of the genre and there is nothing quite like them. His career, involving writing for radio, TV and comics kept him out of the sci-fi field for long periods, but he returned with more novels (also excellent) in the 1970s and 1980s and he also leaves behind a strong legacy of short stories. For me, he’s right up there with contemporary American authors such as Roger Zelazny, Kurt Vonnegut and Philip K Dick. If you haven’t come across him, try Tiger! Tiger! (my personal favourite) and I’m sure you’ll be hooked. Highly recommended.
PICTURED: ALL BY ALFRED BESTER
THE DEMOLISHED MAN Penguin 1966 1st UK PB VG £6
EXTRO Metheun 1976 1st UK PB GD/VG £4
STARBURST Sphere 1973 2nd UK PB VG £5 Short stories
TIGER! TIGER! Penguin 1967 1st UK PB VG/FN £15 SOLD