H. Beam Piper
Personal Information
Description
Henry Beam Piper was born in Altoona, Pennsylvania, in 1904, and died, an apparent suicide, in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, in 1964. Piper's first published story, "Time and Time Again" (Astounding Science Fiction, April 1947), was adapted for radio and aired on the NBC program Dimension X on 12 July, 1951, and again on the NBC program X Minus One on 11 January, 1956. His historical essay "Rebel Raider," published in True: The Men's Magazine in 1950, inspired the fictional teleplay Willie and the Yank, a three-part mini-series which aired on Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color in January 1967 (and was later released theatrically as Mosby's Marauders). His first novel was the 1953 mystery Murder in the Gunroom and his science-fiction novel Little Fuzzywas nominated for a Hugo Award in 1963. Piper made his living working for the Pennsylvania Railroad and was a member of the National Rifle Association (NRA), the New York Authors' Club, and the Hydra Club. Piper occasionally attended the annual World Science Fiction Convention, attending the 1957 WorldCon in London with his wife. He also attended the 1962 WorldCon in Chicago and the 1963 WorldCon in Washington, DC. After Piper's death, the intellectual property rights to his fiction were acquired by Ace Books (now an imprint owned by Penguin Random House). The late author Jerry Pournelle was granted the right by Piper himself (and acknowledged by Ace) to publish stories set in Piper's fictional settings but, despite decades-long rumors of a sequel to Space Viking, apparently decided not to take advantage of this opportunity. In the early 1980's, Ace commissioned two sequels to Piper's Fuzzy novels, William Tuning's Fuzzy Bones and Ardath Mayhar's Golden Dream: A Fuzzy Odyssey, before Piper's own unpublished sequel, Fuzzies and Other People, was discovered (by Piper's protegé of sorts, Mike Knerr) and published (by Ace) in 1984. More recently, John Scalzi wrote Fuzzy Nation, an officially-authorized "reboot" of Little Fuzzy. Author and Piper biographer John F. Carr, who edited four collections of Piper's short stories also published by Ace in the 1980's, has authored several sequels to Piper's Paratime novel Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen and more recently has written other novels set both in Piper's Paratime and Terro-human Future History settings. Carr has also edited The Rise of the Terran Federation, an anthology of Piper's early Terro-human Future History yarns and new, Piper-inspired stories of the same era written by others. Source
Books
Space Viking
When his wife is murdered on his wedding day, Lucas Trask launches himself on a quest for revenge. Using his personal fortune, he buys a spaceship and becomes a Space Viking, raiding worlds while hunting for his wife's killer. But raiding is not his destiny, and he gradually becomes a trader, starting to build a galactic empire. Before he can achieve his new goals, however, he must still deal with his wife's killer. A thrilling intergalactic saga!
The Answer
The battle is still raging, and it’s out-and-out war. Jake, the other Animorphs, and Ax have found a way to slow the Yeerks down, but now the Yeerks have decided the best way to win is to just destroy everything and everyone who gets in their way. Just when things look more than hopeless, Jake and the others discover help where they least expected: Taxxons. Creatures so foul and heartless it’s almost hard to believe that they are capable of having any feelings. But Jake and the others soon discover that the Taxxon resistance has its own problems with the Yeerks. And, for once, it looks like Earth may have a chance....
Where Do We Go From Here? Book 2
Introduction - essay by Isaac Asimov Country Doctor - novelette by William Morrison The Holes Around Mars - short story by Jerome Bixby The Deep Range - short story by Arthur C. Clarke The Cave of Night - short story by James E. Gunn Dust Rag - short story by Hal Clement Pâté de Foie Gras - short story by Isaac Asimov Omnilingual - novelette by H. Beam Piper The Big Bounce - short story by Walter Tevis [as by Walter S. Tevis] Neutron Star - novelette by Larry Niven Appendix - essay by Isaac Asimov
Murder in the gunroom
Jeff Rand, a private detective, is skeptical when he is employed by Gladys Fleming to evaluate her recently acquired gun collection, which happens to contain a dark secret. The more facts he uncovers, the more interesting the story becomes. Gun dealers, butlers, wives and cops all become suspects in the investigation of a mysterious death. The book is rich with detailed descriptions of the many different guns that star in this tale. This is the only murder-mystery written by Piper, who was mostly known for his science fiction novels.
Isaac Asimov Presents The Great SF Stories 9 (1947)
Little Lost Robot - novelette by Isaac Asimov Tomorrow's Children - novelette by Poul Anderson and F. N. Waldrop [as by Poul Anderson] Child's Play - novelette by William Tenn Time and Time Again - short story by H. Beam Piper Tiny and the Monster - novelette by Theodore Sturgeon E for Effort - novelette by T. L. Sherred Letter to Ellen - short story by Chan Davis The Figure - short story by Lawrence L. LeShan [as by Edward Grendon] With Folded Hands ... - novelette by Jack Williamson The Fires Within - short story by Arthur C. Clarke Zero Hour - short story by Ray Bradbury Hobbyist - novelette by Eric Frank Russell Exit the Professor - short story by Henry Kuttner and C. L. Moore [as by Lewis Padgett] Thunder and Roses - novelette by Theodore Sturgeon
One Hundred
Jackie Sees a Star by Marion Zimmer Bradley All Cats are Gray by Andre Norton Song in a Minor Key by C. L. Moore Travel Diary by Alfred Bester Pythias by Frederik Pohl The Good Neighbors by Edgar Pangborn The Sound of Silence by Barbara Constant The Intruder by Emil Petaja An Ounce of Cure by Alan Edward Nourse Longevity by Therese Windser The Ghost of Mohammed Din by Clark Ashton Smith Of Time and Texas by William F. Nolan Native Son by Thelma Hamm Evans Gorgono and Slith by Ray Bradbury The Eyes Have It by Philip K. Dick The Putnam Tradition by Sonya Dorman Gods of the North by Robert E. Howard Small World by William F. Nolan Nightmare on the Nose by Evelyn E. Smith Collector's Item by Robert F. Young Crossroads of Destiny by H. Beam Piper The Hoofer by Walter M. Miller, Jr. Doorstep by Keith Laumer The Jovian Jest by Lilith Lorraine Dream World by R. A. Lafferty Shatter the Wall by Sydney Van Scyoc The Big Engine by Fritz Leiber Misbegotten Missionary by Isaac Asimov The One and the Many by Milton Lesser The Glory of Ippling by Helen M. Urban Where There's Hope by Jerome Bixby 2BR02B by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. Disqualified by Charles L. Fontenay No Strings Attached by Lester del Rey Zeritsky's Law by Ann Griffith Say Hello for Me by Frank W. Coggins Navy Day by Harry Harrison The Undersea Tube by Lucile Taylor Hansen Probability by Louis Trimble No Shield from the Dead by Gordon R. Dickson I'll Kill You Tomorrow by Helen Huber The Secret of Kralitz by Henry Kuttner Never Stop to Pat a Kitten by Miriam Allen deFord More than Shadow by Dorothy Quick The Monkey Spoons by Mary Elizabeth Counselman Witch of the Demon Seas by Poul Anderson The Piebald Hippogriff by Karen Anderson The Vampire of Wembley by Edgar Wallace Riya's Foundling by Algis Budrys Ask a Foolish Question by Robert Sheckley Flight From Tomorrow by H. Beam Piper Robots of the World! Arise! by Mari Wolf The Worlds of If by Stanley G. Weinbaum The Adventurer by C. M. Kornbluth Decision by Frank M. Robinson The Waker Dreams by Richard Matheson A Matter of Proportion by Anne Walker One-Shot by James Blish McILVAINE'S Star by August Derleth The Man with the Nose by Rhoda Broughton Operation Haystack by Frank Herbert The Nothing Equation by Tom Godwin The Man Who Saw the Future by Edmond Hamilton Common Denominator by John D. MacDonald The Natives by Katherine MacLEAN The Lonely by Judith Merril The Street That Wasn't There by Clifford D. Simak and Carl Jacobi Food for Friendship by E. C. Tubb Half Around Pluto by Manly Wade Wellman Project Hush by William Tenn Time Enough At Last by Lynn Venable Bride of the Dark One by Florence Verbell Brown The Cosmic Express by Jack Williamson The Next Logical Step by Ben Bova They Twinkled like Jewels by Philip José Farmer Shandy by Ron Goulart Tight Squeeze by Dean C. Ing Extracts from the Galactick Almanack by Laurence Janifer Postmark Ganymede by Robert Silverberg Hot Planet by Hal Clement The Tenth Scholar by Steve Rasnic Tem and Melanie Tem A Little Journey by Ray Bradbury Strain by L. Ron Hubbard The Time of Cold by Mary Carlson The Customs Lounge by Annie Proulx I, Executioner by Ted White and Terry Carr and many more
Little Fuzzy
Little Fuzzy is the name of a 1962 science fiction novel by H. Beam Piper, and is now in public domain. Synopsis: One day Jack Holloway, prospector on the planet Zarathustra, finds what seems to be a small monkey with golden fur; these new introductions (for the first brings a family) are tiny hunters, and prove to be curious and capable tool users. Why is this so important to the new human settlers? - Because a planet inhabited by a sapient race cannot be monopolized by the Zarathustra Company. Little Fuzzy is generally seen as a work of juvenile fiction. It was nominated for the 1963 Hugo Award for Best Novel. More on Wikipedia at
Four-Day Planet
Fenris isn't a hell planet, but it's nobody's bargain. With 2,000-hour days and an 8,000-hour year, it alternates blazing heat with killing cold. A planet like that tends to breed a special kind of person: tough enough to stay alive and smart enough to make the best of it. When that kind of person discovers he's being cheated of wealth he's risked his life for, that kind of planet is ripe for revolution.
Hunter Patrol
Many men have dreamed of world peace, but none have been able to achieve it. If one man did have that power, could mankind afford to pay the price?
Isaac Asimov Presents The Great SF Stories 19 (1957)
Introduction - essay by Martin H. Greenberg Strikebreaker - short story by Isaac Asimov Omnilingual - novelette by H. Beam Piper The Mile-Long Spaceship - short story by Kate Wilhelm Call Me Joe - novelette by Poul Anderson You Know Willie - short story by Theodore R. Cogswell Hunting Machine - short story by Carol Emshwiller World of a Thousand Colors - short story by Robert Silverberg Let's Be Frank - short story by Brian W. Aldiss The Cage - short story by A. Bertram Chandler The Education of Tigress McCardle - short story by C. M. Kornbluth (variant of The Education of Tigress Macardle) The Tunesmith - novelette by Lloyd Biggle, Jr. A Loint of Paw - short story by Isaac Asimov Game Preserve - short story by Rog Phillips Soldier - novelette by Harlan Ellison The Last Man Left in the Bar - short story by C. M. Kornbluth
Federation
At last, the long awaited novel featuring both famous crews of the starships Enterprise in an epic adventure that spans time and space. Captain Kirk and the crew of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) are faced with their most challenging mission yet—rescuing renowned scientist Zefram Cochrane from captors who want to use his skills to conquer the galaxy. Meanwhile, ninety-nine years in the future on the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D), Picard must rescue an important and mysterious person who safety is vital to the survival of the Federation. As the two crews struggle to fulfill their missions, destiny draws them closer together until past and future merge—and the fate of each of the two legendary starships rest in the hands of the other vessel…
EMPIRE!
Null-ABC
There's some reaction these days that holds scientists responsible for war. Take it one step further: What happens if "book-learnin'" is held responsible...? A startling science fiction novel by H. Beam Piper (author of the classic LITTLE FUZZY) and John J. McGuire!
Graveyard of Dreams
This new collection of H. Beam Piper's shorter work includes five of his finest stories: "Graveyard of Dreams," "Genesis," "Operation R.S.V.P.," "The Answer," and "Last Enemy."
Isaac Asimov Presents The Great SF Stories 10 (1948)
Introduction - essay by Martin H. Greenberg Don't Look Now - short story by Henry Kuttner He Walked Around the Horses - novelette by H. Beam Piper The Strange Case of John Kingman - short story by Murray Leinster That Only a Mother - short story by Judith Merril The Monster - short story by A. E. van Vogt Dreams Are Sacred - novelette by Peter Phillips Mars Is Heaven! - short story by Ray Bradbury Thang - short story by Martin Gardner Brooklyn Project - short story by William Tenn Ring Around the Redhead - short story by John D. MacDonald Period Piece - short story by John R. Pierce [as by J. J. Coupling] Dormant - short story by A. E. van Vogt In Hiding - novelette by Wilmar H. Shiras Knock - short story by Fredric Brown A Child Is Crying - short story by John D. MacDonald Late Night Final - novelette by Eric Frank Russell