Fairly nice issue. A lot of space is taken by a serial
The Telzey Toy • [Telzey Amberdon] • novelette by James H. Schmitz
A kind of retreat of the Island of Dr Moreau. A rich man has an island where he creates artificial lifeforms for his nefarious purposes. These lifeforms are based on biological androids which are commonly used for stage plays, who have not been really capable or independent though before the refinements made by the inventor. Then he catches a young beautiful female telepath, who has more or less by accident gotten some inkling of his secrets. He makes a perfect copy of her including all her memories, brings the original and the copy together, and doesn't tell which is which. Pretty good story. The main problem is that by the end the telepathic abilities of heroine seem to grow to deus ex machina like level, and seem able to do almost anything. ****-
Homage • shortstory by Stephen Robinett [as by Tak Hallus ]
A man who has lived most of his live on a colony planet is coming for a visit to earth. However, it seems that he won't have any immunity against earth diseases. Nicely written with bittersweet tone. Immunology in the story is totally ridiculous, but a good story anyway. ***½
The Enemy • shortstory by M. R. Anver
A member until recently hostile of alien race is the only survivor of very strange accident on an alien planet. Can he be trusted? And what caused the violent death of several humans? Pretty average story, nothing really surprising. ***-
Sprog • novelette by Jack Wodhams
A man learns to make ”scientific horoscopes” which are 100% accurate. He has some problems to get anyone, even the defense ministry to be interested in his invention. Then he attracts the attention of a man who is heavily into horse racing and betting. Things are naturally not so easy...Far too much space is used for uninteresting details of horse racing and betting systems – cutting much of that clutter would have made a better story. **½
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