Virtual Unrealities

i "e;Dazzlement and enchantment are Bester's methods. His stories never stand still a moment."e;-Damon Knight, author of Why Do BirdsAlfred Bester took science fiction into hyperdrive, endowing it with a wit, speed, and narrative inventiveness that have inspired two generations of writers. And nowhere is Bester funnier, speedier, or more audacious than in these seventeen short stories-two of them previously unpublished-that have now been brought together in a single volume for the first time. Read about the sweet-natured young man whose phenomenal good luck turns out to be disastrous for the rest of humanity. Find out why tourists are flocking to a hellish little town in a post-nuclear Kansas. Meet a warlock who practices on Park Avenue and whose potions comply with the Pure Food and Drug Act. Make a deal with the Devil-but not without calling your agent. Dazzling, effervescent, sexy, and sardonic, Virtual Unrealities is a historic collection from one of science fiction's true pathbreakers. "e;Alfred Bester was one of the handful of writers who invented modern science fiction. "e;-Harry HarrisonAlfred Bester (1913-1987) was the author of two of science fiction's seminal works, The Demolished Man and The Stars My Destination. He also wrote some fast-moving, sizzling short stories that were very highly regarded; many of them are included in the 17 stories showcased in Virtual Realities; two were never before published. Highlights include "e;Disappearing Act,"e; in which shell-shocked soldiers vanish from their hospital ward; "e;Hobson's Choice,"e; in which a statistician uncovers a disturbing population trend in post-nuclear Kansas; "e;Time Is the Traitor,"e; wherein powerful business people manipulate their most valuable consultant; and "e;The Devil Without Glasses,"e; a conspiracy tale with an X-Files feel. The science fiction and literary classic "e;Fondly Fahrenheit"e; stars wealthy Vandaleur and his mad android who has an unfortunate habit of turning murderous when the temperature gets too hot... All reet!