Showing results by author "Poul Anderson" in All Categories

Renowned sci-fi writer Poul Anderson came up with a gem of an idea for this story. Is Simon Delgatty human or alien? His quest to rescue his kidnapped human father is thwarted when he himself becomes a prisoner. His training at the Psychotechnic Institute is put to the test as he tries to thwart a megalomaniac’s evil plan and rescue his father. Even the FBI gets involved in the form of a beautiful young agent.

In 100 B.C., the Cimbrian hordes thunder across the dawn of history, clashing violently with the formidable Roman legions. Under the leadership of Chief Boierik and his son Eodan, these desperate pagan tribes battle fiercely for a land to call their own. Despite their relentless spirit, the Cimbri face devastation at the hands of the Romans, culminating in a crushing defeat at Vercellae that leaves only a handful of survivors. Among them is Eodan, a proud young chieftain who finds himself thrust into a life of slavery after losing everything his infant son murdered and his beloved wife, Hwicca...

An enterprising company has set up a mining endeavor on an asteroid to collect, process, and sell atmospheric gas products. The company, called Sword, is initially successful until an unnamed government tries to stamp out freedom and free enterprise in the Belt so the gases and minerals can be sent back to Earth, essentially trying to establish the business as a colony. Early Poul Anderson with a great finish.

An action-packed and knowledgeable sci-fi tale by multi award-winning and prolific author Poul William Anderson. The story is set in the not too distant future. Earth has been conquered and the rather too humanoid new rulers extract heavy taxes, control the industry and even reproduction... Something has to be done! But there are those who are against this.

Security takes place in a future America, where control and efficiency are emphasized, and unquestioned loyalty is required. Nobody wants a repeat of the disastrous war that happened 75 years previous, and sacrifices must be made to ensure the ultimate peace. At least that's what Dr. Allen Lancaster, a pyhsicist and Project Chief thinks, until a top secret branch of Security decides his planned vacation will be spent on a mission in space.

In Sentiment, Inc., Poul Anderson masterfully blends science fiction and psychological intrigue. The story follows a young physicist who stumbles upon a mysterious company claiming to control human emotions. As he investigates, he uncovers a web of manipulation, ethical dilemmas, and unforeseen consequences. What starts as a scientific curiosity soon becomes a fight for free will. Anderson's sharp storytelling and thought-provoking themes explore the boundaries of science and morality.

Valgolia, a planet in the Epsilon Eridani star system, conquered Earth generations ago, but their conquest was incomplete. While Valgolians made possible greater prosperity, universal health, and interstellar trade for all Earthlings, the factional frictions of Earth - race against race, religion against religion, culture against culture - continue to bedevil the Valgolian's vision of a peaceable world for all mankind.

In Sensitive Man, Poul Anderson takes us on a thought-provoking journey into the depths of human potential. What if we could harness the power of psychology to gain control over our automatic reactions—those instinctive responses driven by anger, fear, and our very biology? Imagine a world where our emotions, hormones, and even our blood pressure could be influenced by our reason and intellect. In this gripping tale, one extraordinary man stands against a power-hungry cabal bent on world domination, armed with talents that defy the norm. Join us as we explore these profound questions and...

He was the last of his race, and although he was wiser, stronger, and more intelligent than the earth men who had invaded his planet and exterminated the rest of his race, he was no match for their weapons. He survived by placating his tormentors. This Poul Anderson short story is a great study of humanity that will leave you with a lump in your throat at the end.

Imagine the surprise an immigrant tailor receives when a statue he receives in payment for his work is actually a fairy that can grant him three wishes. Perhaps he was right to attempt to turn down the wishes. Of course that's easy to say once the wishes run out. Narrated by Glenn Hascall.

X Minus One premiered in April 1955 on NBC and ran until January 1958. Like its predecessor series, Dimension X, X Minus One featured stories by the greatest names in modern science fiction: Ray Bradbury, Robert Heinlein, Clifford Simak, Robert Bloch, and many more.

Embark on a perilous journey aboard a black galleon to the fabled, fear-haunted Citadel of the Xanthi wizards. Corun, the condemned pirate of Conahur, embraces the challenge with a daring laugh. For him, this treacherous quest offers a slim chance to escape the headsmans axe and savor a few more moments of life and love—even if his heart belongs to a witch!

The way we feel about another person, or about objects, is often bound up in associations that have no direct connection with the person or object at all. Often, what we call a "change of heart" comes about simply from a change in the many associations which make up our present viewpoint. Now, suppose these associations could be altered artificially, at the option of the person who was in charge of the process.

Colin Fraser is set to marry the girl of his dreams when suddenly she changes her mind and says she is madly in love with another older man whom she had disliked. She is also acting very strangely. Colin suspects some kind of foul play and is determined to find out what is going on. He discovers that his girlfriend has been part of secret strange experiments in mind control that could have world-shaking consequences.

Riordan, a ruthless and wealthy hunter, needs one more kill to fill out his bucket list. He's faced down and brought home the wildest beasts on Earth, Venus, and even Neptune. But what he really craves is the hide of a Martian, and he'll pay any price, endure any obstacle, to hang that trophy on his wall.

"Sentiment, Inc." is a sci-fi short story by Poul William Anderson, published in 1957. The work chillingly explores themes of thought-manipulation in interpersonal relationships. What if you could control and alter associations and viewpoints of the human mind? What about the eventual consequences?

"The Chapter Ends" is a sci-fi story set tens of thousands of years in the future. What is the primary concern here is quite simply the end of human habitation on Earth and some serious decision making on what to do next... The author makes some very interesting and deep observations about human and cultural evolution.

Michael Tighe of the Psychotechnic Institute has been kidnapped by Thomas Bancroft, a politician with ties to an authoritarian movement called the Actionists. Tighe's adopted son, Simon Delgatty, sets out to find him, but is himself captured by Bancroft and taken to his base on an island off the coast of Mexico.

A man, capable of 1 million things, is unhappy without a job, without a goal and purpose in life but he is not necessarily unique…

After many years, eons, mankind has advanced and populated space to the extent that the home planet Earth, is being abandoned. This is the story of closing down our planet. How would you like to be left behind, not only the richest but the only man on earth.