L. W. Currey, Inc.

Bester, Alfred. THE LIGHT FANTASTIC [and] STAR LIGHT, STAR BRIGHT: THE GREAT SHORT FICTION... VOLUME I [and] VOLUME II. New York: Published by Berkley Publishing Corporation Distributed by G. P. Putnam's Sons, [1976]. Octavo, two volumes, boards and cloth. First editions. A seminal collection of short fiction, stories mostly first published in the 1950s, including "Fondly Fahrenheit," a SF horror tale from 1954 which is perhaps the darkest and finest robot story yet written, a cautionary tale that should be read and reread by those into AI. Bester's middle period stories along with novels from the same decade "are about the best SF ever published. They define the genre they inhabit." - John Clute. "The collected stories of this talented author ... Contains the early 'Hell is Forever' (1942) as well as such fifties classics as 'Fondly Fahrenheit' and 'The Men Who Murdered Mohammed.' Punchy, flamboyant tales, all." - Pringle, The Ultimate Guide to Science Fiction, second edition (1995), p. 211. Anatomy of Wonder (2004) II-117. Pringle, The Ultimate Guide to Science Fiction, second edition (1995), pp. 211 and 344. A fine set in nearly fine dust jackets, both jackets with some rubbing, THE LIGHT FANTASTIC, mostly the spine panel, STARLIGHT, STAR BRIGHT, just a bit along the lower edges of the spine and the front panel. (#169618).

Price: $100.00