This is a very black, dark book. This is not a book for kids, nor is it a book for people who haven't read anything by Ellison previously. Harlan Ellison is one of those rare writers that can finish a story so powerfully, that you'll feel like you've been literally stabbed in the heart. Like many of Ellison's short story collections, he deals with a specific theme. In this book, he writes short stories about gods, in all their myriad shapes and forms. Gods of machines, pain, rocks, speed, revenge, among others. Of the 19 stories in this collection, let me tell you what I consider to be the best. THE WHIMPER OF WHIPPED DOGS: Ellison's award-winning retelling of the Kitty Genovese incident. Never heard of Kitty Genovese? Don't worry, after reading this chilling tale, you'll make sure you remember. BASILISK: A traitor to his country comes home and finds that he is not welcome. A little confusing at first, but you'll soon get the hang of it. PRETTY MAGGIE MONEYEYES: Don't let the strange title deceive you. This is Ellison in TOP form. Ever wondered what gods reside at the casinos and what they have in mind. It's not PRETTY, I can assure you. ERNEST AND THE MACHINE GOD: An easy-to-visualize story about a girl in a car-accident and her meetings at a gas station. ADRIFT OFF THE ISLETS OF LANGERHANS . . . : Another award-winning story about a man trying to find the geographical location of his soul. THE DEATHBIRD: Still another award-winner. This one is Ellison's retelling of Genesis. This story has a very innovative structure to it. You'll see what I mean, when you buy this book.

This collection groups nineteen of Ellison's stories dealing with subjects such as gods spirits and suchlike. In former times, people created numerous gods and spirits for just about every aspect of their lives. Gods for thunder the moon and the sea. Spirits and Ghosts living in caves, rivers etc. What if we still felt the need to invent and invoke such gods and spirits today? What would they be like? A god for machines? A spirit in a slot machine? A demon ruling over violent crime? These are the subjects that Ellison deals with in this collection of stories.

The book straddles the boundaries between science fiction, fantasy and horror and as such it will not satisfy SF purists but it does contain a number of very powerful stories. The opening tale, "The Whimper of Whipped Dogs" is a shocking and worrying take on the cruelty of city violence. It is followed by "Along the Scenic Route" in which modern day knights in armour fight their jousts to the death on the public highway. Those two, along with "Ernest and the MachineGod", "Basilisk" and "Deathbird" are my favourites but they are not the only stories to leap off the page and grab hold of your imagination. There are some weaker tales here too but they are outnumbered by the good ones.

I'd not recommend this as an introduction to Ellison. The anthology "The Essential Ellison" fills that role perfectly but, if you read and enjoyed that, you will like this book. If you like this book, I'd recommend Ellen Datlow's themed anthology "Alien Sex" though not her rather weak follow up.

In "Deathbird Stories", Harlan Ellison summons a variety of deities and demons that spring from the ghetto to the battlefield to a dying Earth. Bookended by 2 great pieces, Ellison tackles the creation of gods for the late 20th century, effectively blending fanatasy, horror and faith. Beginning with the gripping "Whimper of Whipped Dogs" to his magnum opus, "The Deathbird" (in which he combines "Old Yeller" with a retelling of the book of Genesis) with a mixture of the bizaare (Shattered Like a Glass Goblin) to the very good (Paingod) in between.

The Bluejay Books hardcover is THE essential version of these stories to have, with meticulously edited text and the great cover painting of the Deathbird.
I highly recommend this sadly out-of-print collection to anyone with a equal feel for sci-fi/fantasy and religion.

I read this book over 25 yrs ago,living in a small northern Michigan town there were no "prepaired childbirth" classes This was the best information avaible! I had no pain and no fear It was truly a wonderful experience. Even my husband didn't think I was in labor because I didn't act like the women in the movies! My daughters will soon be needing this book and alas I lent my copy to someone and never got it back I hope they will reprint this book and make it avaible to all women so they too may have a wonderfull delivery without drugs!

I guess I am the second generation of mothers who have read this book. A friend gave me an old copy 5 years ago before the (natural) birth of my first child, and I read it again last year after the (natural) birth of my second child. It made childbirth a wonderful experience. Now I want to buy a copy of this short paperback that should cost about $10 for my expecting sister, and it's out of print and selling for up to $200?!!?? Publishers, obvously there is a market for this book. Please reprint it!

I read this book already believing that childbirth didn't necessarily have to be the horrible painful experience most people warn you about..and reading this book just confirmed all my beliefs. When I had my first child, my labor from beginning to end was only 3.5 hours, contractions, while powerful, DID NOT HURT, and I pushed only 4 times to give birth to my beautiful healthy daughter, all without medication of any kind. It was a great experience, and I firmly believe that much of the pain people feel is caused by their own fears and their reaction to that fear, ie, tensing up. I recommend this book to everyone I know who is having a baby!

In my 25 years as a VO talent and instructor (author of How To Make Money in Voice-Overs Even if You Don't Live in NY or LA) THIS is the best VO book I've ever read. Harlan not only entertains with hilarious stories --one after another-- that every professional talent can relate to... he mixes his entertainment with more "how to" facts than the straight "how to" VO books! He's direct, to the point, informative, and entertaining, all at the same time! I recommend it for talent of ALL levels. In fact, I want to make it available at my future VO workshops. Harlan --what you did here was amazing! Thank you for the laughs.. and for another fabulous resource to recommend to those who ask me about getting into voiceovers!

As a working voice over artist in New york City, I found Harlan Hogan's book to be the perfect research between auditions. Advice from one of the nations top in-demand VO personalities has proved invaluable, as I can now more clearly project my career and future focus. He brings this seemingly elusive industry into plain view, and provides readers with a witty, humorous and quite human journey along the way. Mr. Hogan's book is a must-read for anyone with professional aspirations, or even a passing fancy in any aspect of acting, entertainment, broadcasting, communications or advertising.

This book is a great read! Whether you are looking for expert advice on how to break into the voice over industry or just some entertaining inside information on the radio and voice over industry this book seems to hit the mark!

For as competitive as the industry is, it is AMAZING how very generous Harlan is with the free advice, inside information and how to gain the competitive edge...the only way he could give you any more assistance is by getting you a gig and doing the voice for you :)

Enjoy!

. . . because I, the Harlan Ellison worshipper, for one, believe he's immortal. For those of you who haven't read this book (those of you who haven't seen anything) the introduction describes two of his personal calamities, an earthquake and a heart attack, in intense, frightening clarity and his usual style -- heck, ten words from Harlan Ellison is worth the purchase price of this book!

Anyway, how could someone who writes like this be mortal? He's just stringing us along again when he says he's discovered his mortality.

The stories, which of course are the core of the book, jump out and hurt you . . . they catapult you into someotherplace where nothing is quite stable, and when you're back in the comfy-chair you wonder if you'll ever be the same again, with awe, and the gnawing bittersweet recognition that you will not . . .

But you want more.

Do not read this book if you are afraid of changing forever. Do not read this book unless you can either afford an! addiction or can get to a very good library.

Disclaimers aside . . . read this book.

Such a fine, fine, fine collection. From beginning to end I found every aspect impressive, not only the writing, but also the author's vast knowledge of every subject imaginable (that he would describe something so obscure as the workings of the Dodge Main plant in Hamtramck, Michigan, circa 1950, with such insight and accuracy, leads me to believe that he knows everything about everything... and that he can convey that knowledge in such a way as to advance his stories...). One story in particular, "The Museum on Cyclops Avenue," I have read, and read aloud to great audience reaction, and read again. A book that is a pleasure to read, and a pleasure to own.

Let me put it like this: If you're serious about your fantasy fiction, you must purchase, read, and keep this book. Harlan Ellison's talent is showcased in about two-dozen stories that are all straight outta the park home-runs. I'm not just whistling Dixie. The man is that good. Read and you shall see the light as Ellison effortlessly weaves mindblowing yarns like the "The Man Who Rowed Christopher Columbus Ashore," and the hilarious teleplay, "Crazy As A Soup Sandwich." Added for effect is the absolutely phenomenal mystery fantasy "Mefisto In Onyx," a story about which I'd heard raves almost a full year before actually getting my hands on an anthology in which it was collected (and according to sources, "Mefisto" will be produced for the big-screen starring Samuel L. Jackson). And as if "Mefisto" wasn't enough of a cerebral rush, the reader is treated to one of Ellison's trademark deity dramas, the beautiful, painfully poetic , "Scartaris, June 28th." There is something here for every reader. The adventurous, "Museum On Cyclops Avenue," and the perfectly haunting horror story, "She's A Young Thing And Cannot Leave Her Mother," the kind of horror story 95% of writers attempt but seldom pull off successfully. When Ellison wants to slip you up, you will stop midway through a story and contemplate the meanings and ramifications of the images his blistering prose has evoked. Or at the end of a story you might find yourself closing the book with a shuddered gasp. Or anytime during a read you might find yourself chuckling. Nervously. Whichever nerve is touched, rest assured, Slippage will touch you.

This book is a MUST HAVE if you enjoyed watching "The Godfather" movies. I have a hard time putting that book down at night, but I have to get some sleep sometimes ;o)At last, we can figure out how they managed, with great ingenuity, to create all those "murders" wich seem so "real" in the films. What strucked me the most is to learn the skepticism of Paramount about the success of the first movie at the box office. I greatly admire Mr. Coppola's tenacity towards Paramount in wanting to keep his own choice of actors. He had to fight for his choices: actors, locations... not to mention the stress he had to endure at the thought of being fired at any moment during the making of the first movie. Not a very good atmosphere for the creation of a masterpiece, to say the very least! But Mr. Coppola kept on going against all odds. "Hats off" Mr. Coppola.

Since the original Godfather film is about to turn 30 later this year, I thought, this would be a perfect time to highlight this book. Originally written to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the first film's release, Legacy is a facinating read, that tells the entire story of how the three films came to be. Written in an easy going style, from author, Harlan Lebo, the book takes us through the trials that Director Francis Ford Coppala had to endure in order to get the films made. Things were especially difficult for Coppala with the making of the first film. At this point, I should also add that the book is a wonderful companion to the DVD box set that was released last year. It expands and then some on the commentary tracks heard on the discs. Another plus for the book is the inclusion of some 125 black and white photos from the archives of Paramount Pictures. The whole book will transport readers back to relive these films in a thoroughly enjoyable manner. The book has 284 pages. Highly recommended read

Simply outstanding. Take the book leave the cannolli.

This is an exhaustive collection packed with short fiction of very high quality. Ellison writes with authority about the shadows and their denizens. However, his stories are best digested in small doses as the disturbing and powerful prose deserves reflection. Highly recommended. The only discernible weakness to Ellison's fiction is his insistence on creating only worlds of unremitting darkness. One would hope such a talent could sprinkle some beauty into his horror.

This is simply the most thorough and compelling compilation of Ellison's works. Period. It runs the gamut of all his works, from the early days, until the date of the compilation's publication. By far, its a must have for anyone who appreciates Ellison. PERIOD.

This truly is a godsend for those folks who always heard about Ellison's work, but were thwarted upon realizing that 90% of his written output is out-of-print. This tome was long-delayed [...] but thankfully delivered into the eager hands of any who wish to experience the vivid freedom of HE's pen. Ellison remains the classic "angry young man" of speculative fiction, even after all these years, and this compendium harbors so many of the highlights that make him, quite possibly, America's greatest living short-story writer.

There really is no way to put an exacting finger on what Ellison writes. It is certainly not your run-of-the-mill sci-fi, not cheap-shock horror, and not suspense dreck. It's thoughtful, highly engaging, sometimes allegorical, and always thought-provoking stuff that you just don't find in modern writers anymore. Almost like a prickly cross between George Orwell and Lewis Carroll. He is most certainly still ahead of his time, and will most likely require decades after his passing for the world to truly catch up to him and realize what a treasure he is.

So start here if you're curious about Ellisonia, then after your appetite is whetted and your curiosity piqued, track down the stuff in its original form so you can experience all of the good stuff, not merely highlights from a superb & lengthy career.

This is vital American literature.

... than you simply do not posses the ability to be moved. Harlan Ellison has written over 1700 stories encompassing over 60 books. His best stories and essays open you up to the man's heart. He is brutally honest and always has an opinion. It's hard to put his writing under science fiction because although he has written many SF stories; he has also written horror, dark fantasy, "mainstream" fiction and of course, non-fiction. In the end, these classifications are just to place the book somewhere to make the bookseller's life a bit easier. This is the book to get if you are new (what took you so damn long?) to Ellison. It will introduce to some of his best stories and burning critical essays. He is without a doubt one of the best living short story writers we have. Get it and prove me wrong! -E.L.

Like anyone interested in science-fiction I had heard of Harlan Ellison but could never find any sort of book that would fairly summerize his talents and save me the trouble of tracking down his best stories among the many volumes available. Unfortunately this is not that book, a lot of his best stuff is in here but a lot more is still left out, notably (for me) "The Beast That Shouted Love At the Heart of the World", however if you want one volume to serve as a sort of introduction to as many sides of the author as they could cram in, this is probably your best bet. A thousand pages and not a wasted page among them, sure you get some early stuff that is just amateurish or just plain normal genre fiction, but then it's a "retrospective" and not a greatest hits package (though that would be nice too), most of the stories are good and some, like "Deathbird" or "Repent Harlequin, Said the Ticktockman" are simply mindblowing and well worth any effort made to get a hold of them. And I'm leaving out a lot more, this guy has more "awesome" stories that most people should be allowed. Even the essays and other articles are revelatory, showing the passion and fire that courses behind all his stories without the fictional settings hiding them. He's at his best when speaking plainly but he can weave a darn good yarn at the same time. Get this if you have any passing interest in the man and while it shouldn't be your only Ellison purchase, it's a good a place to start as any

This is one of the best collections of a single authors work in all of SF. Ellison is one of the best writers of science fiction writing today. (I know he does not like the term science fiction. I'm writing this review though, and I like it.)

Ellison has written over 1700 stories, essays, other works in his career. He has thoughts of all kinds on lots of differing topics. And there is one thing to say, he is never boring. You might disagree with Harlan Ellison, but you will be entertained and you will think after reading his thoughts.

This is a great book and I would highly recommend it to one and all.

BLAST OFF is not only a beautiful book to behold it is researched by and with the help of fans who love the space toys of the 30's, 40's and 50's. The team at Dark Horse has given space toy fans a bookmark in the history of childhood toys.

BLAST OFF includes photos and information on toys inspired from the space heroes of Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon to the Space Opera heroes of Space Patrol, Tom Corbett, Rocky Jones and other role models of the 1950's. There are chapters on the English toys and the robots from Japan along with well-researched sections and chapters on the makers of the space toys of our childhood, Archer, Marx and Pyro. Many of the toys displayed in this book are rare and hard to find items that have not been seen before now.

However, the backbone of the book is the interviews with collectors and fans of space toys. Why we remember and kept these playthings of our childhood is as interesting as the fantastic photos and ads that are generously spread throughout the book.

I found that I would move back and forth between chapters, reading about the toys that I remembered but had not seen in many years. It brought back many good memories along with information and research that should be saved and shared with future generations.

A must have book for any science fiction or space toy collector. Thank you Dark Horse Books and the creative team of Mark, Steve and Mike for bringing us this fantastic slice of childhood back to life. I hope BLAST OFF stays in print for many years to come as a reference point in the history of not just toys but SPACE TOYS!!!!

Blast Off! does what other collector's books only pretend to do. Collector books usually center around value guides, and pass themselves off as glorified shopping lists for toy shows and antique malls. Other books forego any knowledge of the subject whatsoever, and go with photographic essays of the nostalgia craze. A third sort of book tells long stories about growing up in some bygone era. All three sorts of books have, understandably a small readership and limited popular appeal.

The authors of Blast Off!, on the other hand, did the hard work of writing a real book, somehow combining it with the best photos and graphics I've seen in a collector's book, and sprinkling in enough anecdotes and oral histories to keep it interesting. This book is a major effort from an accomplished team: a knowledgeable collector, a lively writer, and an avid fan and history buff--the last being Mike Richardson, publisher of Dark Horse comics and owner of the Things from Another World sci-fi comic shops.

Blast Off! launches itself as an overview/ intro to the golden age of space toys, but its appeal is really wider than that. This is a book collectors will want, not simply to locate market values for haggling at the junk shop, but to remind them what they like about their hobby. Beautiful and imaginative graphics evoke the promise and wonder of the space age, but the book is so lively and informative I had to read it twice: once to read the captions and look at the pictures, and again just enjoying the text.

It's impossible to overstate how great this book is. The photographs are incredibly clear and bright, and the subject matter is drawn from endlessly rich collections. Books like this tend to fall through the cracks--not really appealing to the general reader, and yet not in-depth enough for the collector. But a reader from the first category who casually glances at this book may find a new interest, and seasoned collectors may find rarities they didn't know existed. Every era has volumes that define it; for the space age, that would be Blast Off!

BUY THIS BOOK!!! "Why?", you may ask. Well, aside from being the definitive book on space toys, BLAST
OFF! gives you more color photos of incredible space toys than you have ever seen at one time and in one place.
We all have fond memories of some space toy from our childhood. Trying to recapture our past, we may even
buy back one or two of these toys at a swap meet or toy show.
Going one step further, we now start buying books, magazines, or auction catalogues featuring space toys. All
these serve as our mental guide to what's "out there".
Initially, this method succeeds; eventually, however, it fails because the photos we've assembled are in black and
white while our memory of these toys is in true, living color.
Enter S. Mark Young with his book, BLAST OFF! Any space toy you ever had or read about, along with others you've never seen before, is photographed here in color so real that you can almost reach into the page and take out whatever wind-up rocket, disintegrator pistol, or bubble helmet your heart desires.
And, for those fans starved for information, wait until you read the chapter on Archer Plastics! Did you know that
the first Archer space playset and the first Marx space playset debuted at the same time? The year was 1952.
So, don't wait, don't hesitate, order your copy now. Be the first kid on your block to own a copy of S. Mark
Young's BLAST OFF!

Many, many years ago I happened to hear an audio tape of Harlan Ellison reading the first part of his "I, Robot" script for a Science-Fiction convention, so I was very happy to see that what may well be the most infamous unproduced script in Hollywood history is available in print. The artwork in this illustrated screenplay is by Mark Zug, and consists of both color paintings and black & white character sketches that help to flesh out your mental images.

Ellison takes several of Isaac Asimov's classic Robot short stories and weaves them into the life story of Susan Calvin, told in flashbacks to a reporter at the funeral for Stephen Byerley, First President of the Galactic Federation. Consequently, Ellison avoids the traditional pitfall of omnibus movies, such as "Tales from the Crypt," "The Twilight Zone" or "Creepshow," where whatever is used to link the segments together is of no importance to the overall film.

Ellison's introductory essay is certainly not as vitriolic as his story about what happened to his Star Trek script "The City on the Edge of Forever," but it does recount the bizzaro world of movie making. Both the essay and the script are testaments to Ellison's affection for Asimov. A special treat is Ellison's revelation as to the casting he had in mind when he wrote the script: Joanne Woodward as Susan Calvin, George C. Scott as Reverend Soldah, Martin Sheen as Robert Bratenahl, and Keenan Wynn and Ernest Borgnine as Donovan and Powell.

You may come to this book as a fan of Ellison or of Asimov or of both. Regardless of your point of origin I think it is important that you have read the original Asimov Robot stories before you read the script. The stories are Asimov's but the adaptation is Ellison's, and you have to know the original tales to appreciate the inspired organization of this script.

Despite the many complaints that I, Robot was never filmed, I think this screenplay attempt shows why it wasn't. It doesn't have the punch needed for a high budget flick to bring in the crowds, sorry. The idea of robots is trite to audiences, and the 'surprise' that the leader of their govt. is a robot in disguise... which Star Trek episode WAS that? :) The main character, Ms. Calvin, is as sexless as a marble statue, and audiences could get more sex in 5 minutes of Dallas or Days of Our Lives. In short, the screenplay's Asimov roots really hurts it, Asimov can't handle sex and real human emotions and himself thinks like a robot, and this screenplay can't get around it. I could see Martin Sheen as the reporter, but I already saw that one :) Who would play Dr. Susan? Meryl Streep? :) Sorry, this movie would bomb like Blade Runner. If it were rewritten yet again, by a screenwriter who knows how to please crowds, it might still fly, but then, Asimov purists might wrinkle up their noses. So there you go :)

Although I'm not much of a fan of Science Fiction this book really appealed to me. It has everything, emotional struggle, action, romance, and an ending that ranks among some of the best of all time. It is quite possibly my favourite book even though it's a screenplay. If you can't find it here get it anywhere. It deserves, and needs to be read by as many people as possible.