Inside the Funhouse: 17 Sf Stories About Sf edited by Mike Resnick

SF collection containing sf stories which are about sf. For most part pretty interesting collection.

A Galaxy Called Rome • (1975) • novelette by Barry N. Malzberg
Comments about a science fiction story, and what kind of plot points would be possible. Ok, fairly nice, not necesserely in my taste. ***½
 Who's Cribbing? • (1953) • shortstory by Jack Lewis
Every story an author is trying to submit turns out to be a copy of an older one. Not very original. ***-
 The Merchant of Stratford • (1979) • shortstory by Frank Ramirez
A time traveller goes to meet Shakespeare. He is nothing like expected, of course. ****
 One Rejection Too Many • (1978) • shortstory by Patricia Nurse
A time traveller tries to get a story published in IASFM. Without having too much of success. OK, average story. ***
 The Pinch Hitters • (1979) • shortstory by George Alec Effinger 
A few sf authors find themselves in the bodies of 50' baseball players. Ok, nothing really special. ***-
 Mute Inglorious Tam • (1974) • shortstory by Frederik Pohl and C. M. Kornbluth
A serf in early middle-ages dreams of some science fictional stuff. Not much room for imagination at that era, however. ***?
 The Curse of Mhondoro Nkabele • (1978) • novelette by Eric Norden 
A native Senegalese read 30's and 40's pulp stories when he was growing up. When he moves to US, he writes more of that kind of stuff. First he hasn't too much succes with editors, but he has some unusual means of persuation...Very good story. ****-
 The Pro • (1964) • shortstory by Edmond Hamilton
Science fiction author's son is on the first moon expedition. Melancholic, nice story. ***+
The Reunion at the Mile-High • (1989) • shortstory by Frederik Pohl
Alternative world where nuclear weapons were not developed at all, but biological research has advanced a lot, and science fiction authors are highly respected. Good one. ***½
 The World Science Fiction Convention of 2080 • (1980) • shortstory by Ian Watson
SF-con in postapoacalyptis world. OK very short story, ***
His Award-Winning Science Fiction Story • (1988) • shortstory by Mike Resnick
Characters of a story comment the quality and style of writing. Ok, nothing really special. ***-
 The Monkey's Finger • (1953) • shortstory by Isaac Asimov 
Science fiction author tries to prove him can write more creative stories than a monkey connected to a computer. Ok, average Asimov. ***+
 Hapgood's Hoax • (1990) • shortstory by Allen Steele
Science fiction author sets up a ufology cult and gets rich. Very good story. ****
 Waterspider • (1964) • novelette by Philip K. Dick
Timetravellers from the future kidnap Poul Anderson from a con in 50's. Pretty good and fun story, probabply best in the collection. ****
 Hark! Was That the Squeal of an Angry Thoat? • shortstory by Avram Davidson 
I didn't get this one at all. Totally baffled. *
 Corridors • (1982) • shortstory by Barry N. Malzberg
Malzberg whining about who horrible it is write science fiction is, why it ruins marriages and turns writers to alcoholismn while they are attending conventions. Similar charade his presented in his book, Breakfast in the Ruins. Typical attitude for alcoholic loser: the fault is always somewhere else. No one pours alcohols down from the author throat, and I believe that few male author have been raped on conventions by beautiful female fans.Prety well written piece, however. ***½

246 pp.