Things From Outer Space

ORIGINAL MASS MARKET. STORIES OF THINGS FROM SPACE. Mostly very, very bad things that want to harm humans and destroy Earth. Or take it for their own. Original stories and reprints of classics from the scary side of science fiction!

THE THINGS ARE COMING . . .

As we all know, in space, no one can hear you scream. Which doesn’t mean that anyone is safe just because they’re standing on the soil of planet Earth, because if a thing from out there drops in, screaming probably won’t save you.

Earth has spawned myriad unpleasant life forms which are bad news for humans, ranging in size from the Ebola virus to the great white shark up to the Tyrannosaurus Rex (extinct, fortunately for us)—and that’s just one planet. What even more deadly life forms might the billions of planets in our galaxy have spawned? And suppose the things are intelligent and capable of crossing space and coming here . . .

Considering that very possibility are the masters of science fiction starring in this book, including Robert Silverberg, David Drake, Sarah A. Hoyt, James H. Schmitz, Fritz Leiber, Robert Sheckley, Murray Leinster and John W. Campbell, as well as classic stories of extraterrestrial horrors by H.P. Lovecraft, George Allan England and more.

E.T. might have been happy eating Reese’s Pieces, but other visitors from the void might have less dainty appetites. And there are probably worse things than merely being eaten . . .

Cover Art by Alan Pollack

Paperback

This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental.

First printing, October 2016

Distributed by Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020

Printed in the United States of America

ISBN-13: 978-1-4767-8166-2
eISBN: 978-1-62579-523-6

Copyright 2016 by Hank Davis

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form.

A Baen Books Original
Baen Publishing Enterprises
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Riverdale, NY 10471
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Electronic version by Baen Books
https://www.baen.com

Copyrights of Stories

“Things for the Memories” by Hank Davis © 2016 by Hank Davis. Published by permission of the author.

“Who Goes There?” by John W. Campbell, Jr. originally appeared in Astounding Stories, © 1938 by Street and Smith Publications. Reprinted by permission of the author/’s estate and the estate’s agent, Barry M. Malzberg.

“Who Rhymes There?” by Randall Garrett originally appeared as “Parodies Tossed” in Science Fiction Stories, May, 1956. © 1956 by Columbia Publications, Inc.

“The Things” by Peter Watts originally appeared in Clarkesworld Magazine, January 2010. © 2010 by Peter Watts. Reprinted by permission of the author.

“”The Colour Out of Space” by H. P. Lovecraft. Reprinted by permission of Lovecraft Holdings, LIC.

“As It Lays” by David Afsharirad appears here for the first time. © 2016 by David Afsharirad. Reprinted by permission of the author.

“Amanda and the Alien” by Robert Silverberg originally appeared in Omni, May 1983. © 1983 by Robert Silverberg. Reprinted by permission of the author.

“We Don’t Want Any Trouble” by James H. Schmitz, originally appeared in Galaxy, June 1953. © 1953 by Galaxy Publishing Corporation. Reprinted by permission of the author’s estate and Barry N. Malzberg, agent for the estate.

“And Your Little Dog, Too” by Sarah A. Hoyt appears here for the first time. © 2016 by Sarah A. Hoyt. Published by permission of the author.

“Riding the White Bull” by Caitlin R. Kiernan originally appeared in Argosy Magazine, January-February 2004. (d) 2004 by Caitlin R. Kiernan. Reprinted by permission of the author.

“The Monster from Nowhere” by Nelson S. Bond, originally appeared in Fantastic Adventures, July 1939. Copyright 1939 by Ziff-Davis Publishing Company. Reprinted by permission of the author’s estate .

“Sitting Duck” by Daniel F. Galouye, originally appeared in If: Worlds of Science Fiction, July 1959. © 1995 Digest Productions Corporation. Reprinted by permission of Spectrum Literary Agency for the author’s estate.

“The Mind Spider” by Fritz Leiber originally appeared in Fantastic Science Fiction Stories, November 1959. © 1959 by Ziff-Davis Publishing Company. Reprinted by permission of Richard Curtis Associates for the author’s estate.

“The Thing from—Outside” by George Allen England first appeared in Science and Invention, April 1923. The story is in the public domain.

“The Space Horde” by Chad Oliver, originally published in Amazing Stories, February 1958. © 1958 by Ziff-Davis Publishing Company. Reprinted by permission of for the author’s estate.

“The Leech” by Robert Sheckley originally appeared in Galaxy, December, 1952. © 1952 by Galaxy Publishing Corporation. Copyright renewed . Reprinted by permission of the Donald Maass Literary Agency for the author’s estate.

“Rough Beast” by Roger Dee Aycock, writing as Roger Dee, originally appeared in Analog, March, 1962. © 1962 by Conde Nast, Inc. All attempts to locate the holder of rights to this story have been unsuccessful. If a holder will get in touch with Baen Books, payment will be made.

“Love Me True” by Gordon R. Dickson, originally appeared in Analog, October 1961. © 1961 by Conde Nast. Reprinted by permission of David Wixon for the author’s estate.

“Devolution” by Edmond Hamilton, originally appeared in Amazing Stories, December 1936. © 1936 Teck Publications. Reprinted by permission of Spectrum Literary Agency for the author’s estate.

“Operation Stinky” by Clifford D. Simak original appeared in Galaxy, April 1957. © 1957 by Galaxy Publishing Corporation. Reprinted by permission of David Wixon for the author’s estate.

“Hunting Ground” by David Drake originally appeared in Superhorror 1976. © 1976 by David Drake. Reprinted by permission of the author.