Another early and pretty bad issue of Galaxy. Most of the stories aren't very good.
Second Night of Summer • novelette by James H. Schmitz
An unknown alien race attacks and destroys human worlds. The attacks happen by set intervals of decades. This time careful analysis has revealed the planet where the attack will occur, and the defense is ready... Sound good, but unbelievably boring and baffling story. Exposition, exposition, not much happening. Very strange method of defense, at least so it seemed as when the extremely anticlimactic attack happened I honestly didn't care anymore. **-
Judas Ram • shortstory by Sam Merwin, Jr.
A man and a few women have been kidnapped by aliens for breeding and possibly other purposes. Another story where intriguing premise is ruined by poor execution. There are telepathy, telekinesis and other psi-powers in the mix, and the plot line seems to be very confusing and uninteresting. Was this written for Astounding and rejected? **-
Jaywalker • shortstory by Ross Rocklynne
A woman goes to a passenger space ship using wrong identifications, as she has not passed compulsory health inspection. The space travels has some pretty serious health risks... The protagonist is so unbelievably stupid and childish silly woman, that by any rights she should have kicked out from the airlock. And there are about as stupid security arrangements in the space port. (Her husband is the spaceship captain, she is pregnant, and has jealous suspicions of her husband, and wants to tell him about the pregnancy. And she apparently KNOWS that extraordinary measures risking the life of everyone on board must be taken so she and the baby will survive the trip. **
A Stone and a Spear • novelette by Raymond F. Jones
A brilliant bio scientist who would be valuable for the war effort is raising tomatoes on the countryside. Has he gone mad? And on the other hand, is the war effort going too far as more and more dangerous chemical and biological agents are being developed? Time travelers from postapocalytic future are trying to influence their past and are trying to prevent wide-scale war. There are using vegetables which make brain function more peaceful. Idea ok, more than a bit too long. **½
The Waker Dreams • shortstory by Richard Matheson
A war is going on, and some kind of monsters, rustons, are attacking and destroying equipments. Those must be fighted against by any cost. Written in the second person past tense, and not very well. Stupid idea (there are no monsters, the fights are just against rust and other sorts of decay). **
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