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Destination: Universe!
Collection of short stories. First published in 1952. It contains the following stories:
Far Centaurus (1944)
The Monster (1948)
Dormant (1948)
The Enchanted Village (1950)
A Can of Paint (1944)
Defence (1947)
The Rulers (1944)
Dear Pen Pal (1949)
The Sound (1950)
The Search (1943)
Far Centaurus (1944)
The Monster (1948)
Dormant (1948)
The Enchanted Village (1950)
A Can of Paint (1944)
Defence (1947)
The Rulers (1944)
Dear Pen Pal (1949)
The Sound (1950)
The Search (1943)
160 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1952
8 people are currently reading
511 people want to read
About the author
A.E. van Vogt
638Ìýbooks439ÌýfollowersAlfred Elton van Vogt was a Canadian-born science fiction author regarded by some as one of the most popular and complex science fiction writers of the mid-twentieth century—the "Golden Age" of the genre.
van Vogt was born to Russian Mennonite family. Until he was four years old, van Vogt and his family spoke only a dialect of Low German in the home.
He began his writing career with 'true story' romances, but then moved to writing science fiction, a field he identified with. His first story was Black Destroyer, that appeared as the front cover story for the July 1939 edtion of the popular "Astounding Science Fiction" magazine.
van Vogt was born to Russian Mennonite family. Until he was four years old, van Vogt and his family spoke only a dialect of Low German in the home.
He began his writing career with 'true story' romances, but then moved to writing science fiction, a field he identified with. His first story was Black Destroyer, that appeared as the front cover story for the July 1939 edtion of the popular "Astounding Science Fiction" magazine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
October 12, 2019
van Vogt is a firehose of sci-fi creativity. A little weird, a little raw, and like real life the pieces don't always, or even usually, fit together nicely. But his raw imagination, wildly inventive ideas and talent for instilling a sense of wonder and mystery (and some confusion) were unequaled in his time, as I believe they still are today. This collection is the first published anthology of his short, early fiction. There are some gems, especially The Monster, The Enchanted Village and The Rulers, which really give a good taste for his masterful style in many of his more acclaimed novels.
Far Centaurus (3.5) - A crew of deep space explorers from Earth destined for Alpha Centauri are in for a shock when they arrive hundreds of years later. van Vogt evokes feelings of loneliness, despair and desperation among the crew, mixing in some funky, surreal tech and a bit of time travel to boot.
The Monster (5.0) Considered among van Vogt's best shorts, and I must concur. This turns the typical alien invasion story on its head with some unexpected surprises. Love it!
Dormant (3.5) - A Lovecraftian tale of ancient alien mystery and doom set on a tiny Pacific island shortly after WWII, reflecting the growing fear and uncertainty around atomic weapons.
The Enchanted Village (4.5) - An astronaut crash lands on Mars and discovers a deserted alien village with a mind of its own. This story oozes eerie desolation and desperation.
A Can of Paint (3.0) - A funny little story which I think demonstrates van Vogt's view of the unlimited potential as man stands on the threshold of exploring the universe, yet warranting some caution and maybe a willingness to swallow our pride.
Defence (4.0) - A very short short showing a glimpse of the unknown alien dangers awaiting man as we journey out into the galaxy, sometimes even hidden in plain sight.
The Rulers (4.5) - A fine example of the character of many of van Vogt's well regarded longer novels. Quick paced, this follows the protagonist as he deftly evades the pursuit of enigmatic and pervasive enemies while attempting to uncover the truth of the nefarious conspiracy he suddenly finds himself in the middle of. Precipitated as it would seem by a mysterious mind altering drug known as the "h drug".
Dear Pen Pal (3.0) - Cute story with a nice twist, told via a series of letters from an alien pen pal on the other side of the galaxy.
The Sound (3.0) - Odd title, and odd theme. Not sure I really got this one. The story follow a boy pursued by alien saboteurs disguised as humans, attempting to gain access to some highly protected technology that could be decisive in the war being waged against them and stymie human plans for galactic expansion.
The Search (3.0) - Time travel van Vogt style. Another head scratcher. Unfortunately, most of the story the protagonist is in a haze of amnesia, trying to piece together his life, and that doesn't help in piecing together a very disjointed story. I'm left with a heavy feeling of fatalism.
Far Centaurus (3.5) - A crew of deep space explorers from Earth destined for Alpha Centauri are in for a shock when they arrive hundreds of years later. van Vogt evokes feelings of loneliness, despair and desperation among the crew, mixing in some funky, surreal tech and a bit of time travel to boot.
The Monster (5.0) Considered among van Vogt's best shorts, and I must concur. This turns the typical alien invasion story on its head with some unexpected surprises. Love it!
Dormant (3.5) - A Lovecraftian tale of ancient alien mystery and doom set on a tiny Pacific island shortly after WWII, reflecting the growing fear and uncertainty around atomic weapons.
The Enchanted Village (4.5) - An astronaut crash lands on Mars and discovers a deserted alien village with a mind of its own. This story oozes eerie desolation and desperation.
A Can of Paint (3.0) - A funny little story which I think demonstrates van Vogt's view of the unlimited potential as man stands on the threshold of exploring the universe, yet warranting some caution and maybe a willingness to swallow our pride.
Defence (4.0) - A very short short showing a glimpse of the unknown alien dangers awaiting man as we journey out into the galaxy, sometimes even hidden in plain sight.
The Rulers (4.5) - A fine example of the character of many of van Vogt's well regarded longer novels. Quick paced, this follows the protagonist as he deftly evades the pursuit of enigmatic and pervasive enemies while attempting to uncover the truth of the nefarious conspiracy he suddenly finds himself in the middle of. Precipitated as it would seem by a mysterious mind altering drug known as the "h drug".
Dear Pen Pal (3.0) - Cute story with a nice twist, told via a series of letters from an alien pen pal on the other side of the galaxy.
The Sound (3.0) - Odd title, and odd theme. Not sure I really got this one. The story follow a boy pursued by alien saboteurs disguised as humans, attempting to gain access to some highly protected technology that could be decisive in the war being waged against them and stymie human plans for galactic expansion.
The Search (3.0) - Time travel van Vogt style. Another head scratcher. Unfortunately, most of the story the protagonist is in a haze of amnesia, trying to piece together his life, and that doesn't help in piecing together a very disjointed story. I'm left with a heavy feeling of fatalism.
September 15, 2010
4.0 stars. I have only read the first four stories in the collection so the rating/review below will be for the stories listed (I will update the rating/review as I read additional stories). Overall, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed these stories as I did not think I was going to like them as much as I did (my guess going in was 2 or 3 stars). It certainly exceeded my expectations and I would recommend this collection and intend to read more short fiction by A.E. Van Vogt.
Far Centaurus (4.0 stars): Great short story that describes the 500 year journey of four astronauts from Earth to Alpha Centauri, accomplished by means of an "Eternity Drug" that puts the crew to sleep for 50 years at a pop and from which the awake periodically to check the instruments before returning to sleep. The first half of this story was really amazing and would have gotten 5 stars as the atmosphere created by Van Vogt of the 500 year journey to Alpha Centauri was superb. The end of the story was a little weaker but still good enough to get 4 stars overall.
The Monster (3.0 stars): Pretty cool story about an alien race visiting a long dead Earth and finding more than they bargained for.
Dormant (5.0 stars): This was a brilliant short story that is hard to describe without giving spoilers so I will just say it is about aliens, war, communication and the dangers of atomic weapons. I loved it.
Enchanted Village (3.5 to 4.0 stars): Another surpisingly good short story about the last survivor of the first manned expedition to Mars. I kind of saw the ending coming, but it was still a very good story.
Far Centaurus (4.0 stars): Great short story that describes the 500 year journey of four astronauts from Earth to Alpha Centauri, accomplished by means of an "Eternity Drug" that puts the crew to sleep for 50 years at a pop and from which the awake periodically to check the instruments before returning to sleep. The first half of this story was really amazing and would have gotten 5 stars as the atmosphere created by Van Vogt of the 500 year journey to Alpha Centauri was superb. The end of the story was a little weaker but still good enough to get 4 stars overall.
The Monster (3.0 stars): Pretty cool story about an alien race visiting a long dead Earth and finding more than they bargained for.
Dormant (5.0 stars): This was a brilliant short story that is hard to describe without giving spoilers so I will just say it is about aliens, war, communication and the dangers of atomic weapons. I loved it.
Enchanted Village (3.5 to 4.0 stars): Another surpisingly good short story about the last survivor of the first manned expedition to Mars. I kind of saw the ending coming, but it was still a very good story.
May 12, 2025
This is a collection of short stories by (1912 � 2000), once one of the leading SF writers, but now largely forgotten. I read it as a part of the monthly reading for May 2025 at The Evolution of Science Fiction group. This book was first published in 1952.
Contents:
Far Centaurus (1944) a sub-light first interstellar expedition faces problems on its way to Alpha Centauri, finally reach their goal only to find I’ve actually read this story as a 1945 Retro-Hugo nominee and was disappointed. 2*
Dormant (1948) a giant boulder (weighing about two million tons) was first discovered by the Japanese during WW2, and now (after the war) visited by the US destroyer. They found out that the stone has moved. Now we shift to POV of the stone, which is stranded on this planet, as it tries to communicate . New ideas for its time. 3.25*
The Enchanted Village (1950) a ship landing on Mars is destroyed and a pilot, who is the sole survivor, ends up in a Matrian village. The village can create food and drink, but now it is tuned for the long-absent Martians and the pilot needs water and food. An interesting case of a non-competent man in Campbellian SF. I enjoyed the idea. 4*
A Can of Paint (1944) a man lands on Venus and finds a cube with a handle, when touching the handle, it telepatically informs him "I contain paint", when he tries to use it, the paint gets on his body and he cannot find a way to take it off. While it was criticized for stupid ideas that ships flying to Venus will fall to the Sun (by in 1945), its main idea lies in how to get off the paint and in this I think it is a good story. 4*
Defence (1947) a flash fiction about the first ship to the Moon, which activated the title. 2.5*
The Rulers (1944) - I actually thought that it was from the McCarthyism years, not WW2. A man, who has "a habit of reading people's thoughts and feelings, by a detailed and instantly analyzed understanding of the language of facial and other expressions", a psychomedician and a government agent with superior reactions. He is investigating an obscure group of "Rulers", who have guided mankind for thousands of years - a spy thriller, rolling but forgettable. 3*
Dear Pen Pal (1949) a collection of letters from a being incarcerated at an Aurigaen prison (a high temperature planet with radioactive inhabitants). The author of letters asks to exchange photos 2*
The Sound (1950) a settlement built around a spaceship under construction. The main character is a nine-year-old boy. He is kidnapped by Yevd spies � aliens with a supernatural ability to affect light waves, creating illusions and blending with humanity under a guise. They use him to get through an anti-Yevd barrier and follow to their goal. The boy, as a god boy scout, helps the authorities to stop saboteurs. I guess I’d love it as a teen. 3*
The Search (1943) a travelling salesman recovers in a hospital with a mild amnesia. He repeats his route to find out what has happened. Soon he finds out that there was a young woman selling fountain pens for a dollar each � pens with gallons of ink inside and able to change colors at will � this sounds like a version of one popular but now almost unused magic shop trope � where a shop opens selling impossible things. However, soon its gets weirder and at the same time more boring. It ended up quite weakly. 2*
Overall, I was surprised by the fact that I actually liked some of the stories
Contents:
Far Centaurus (1944) a sub-light first interstellar expedition faces problems on its way to Alpha Centauri, finally reach their goal only to find I’ve actually read this story as a 1945 Retro-Hugo nominee and was disappointed. 2*
Dormant (1948) a giant boulder (weighing about two million tons) was first discovered by the Japanese during WW2, and now (after the war) visited by the US destroyer. They found out that the stone has moved. Now we shift to POV of the stone, which is stranded on this planet, as it tries to communicate . New ideas for its time. 3.25*
The Enchanted Village (1950) a ship landing on Mars is destroyed and a pilot, who is the sole survivor, ends up in a Matrian village. The village can create food and drink, but now it is tuned for the long-absent Martians and the pilot needs water and food. An interesting case of a non-competent man in Campbellian SF. I enjoyed the idea. 4*
A Can of Paint (1944) a man lands on Venus and finds a cube with a handle, when touching the handle, it telepatically informs him "I contain paint", when he tries to use it, the paint gets on his body and he cannot find a way to take it off. While it was criticized for stupid ideas that ships flying to Venus will fall to the Sun (by in 1945), its main idea lies in how to get off the paint and in this I think it is a good story. 4*
Defence (1947) a flash fiction about the first ship to the Moon, which activated the title. 2.5*
The Rulers (1944) - I actually thought that it was from the McCarthyism years, not WW2. A man, who has "a habit of reading people's thoughts and feelings, by a detailed and instantly analyzed understanding of the language of facial and other expressions", a psychomedician and a government agent with superior reactions. He is investigating an obscure group of "Rulers", who have guided mankind for thousands of years - a spy thriller, rolling but forgettable. 3*
Dear Pen Pal (1949) a collection of letters from a being incarcerated at an Aurigaen prison (a high temperature planet with radioactive inhabitants). The author of letters asks to exchange photos 2*
The Sound (1950) a settlement built around a spaceship under construction. The main character is a nine-year-old boy. He is kidnapped by Yevd spies � aliens with a supernatural ability to affect light waves, creating illusions and blending with humanity under a guise. They use him to get through an anti-Yevd barrier and follow to their goal. The boy, as a god boy scout, helps the authorities to stop saboteurs. I guess I’d love it as a teen. 3*
The Search (1943) a travelling salesman recovers in a hospital with a mild amnesia. He repeats his route to find out what has happened. Soon he finds out that there was a young woman selling fountain pens for a dollar each � pens with gallons of ink inside and able to change colors at will � this sounds like a version of one popular but now almost unused magic shop trope � where a shop opens selling impossible things. However, soon its gets weirder and at the same time more boring. It ended up quite weakly. 2*
Overall, I was surprised by the fact that I actually liked some of the stories
May 6, 2025
No science fiction grandmaster divides critics more than A. E. van Vogt. There seem to be two distinct schools. In a 1945 essay, “Cosmic Jerrybuilder: A.E. van Vogt,� Damon Knight took van Vogt to task with an acerbity that reminds me of Mark Twain’s essay on James Fennimore Cooper’s “literary offenses.� Knight was especially critical of The World of Null-A, claiming that the novel suffers from lapses in logic that make it incoherent. Philip K. Dick offers a more positive view in a 1974 Vertex interview with Arthur Byron Cover. Dick agrees with Knight that The World of Null-A is incoherent, but he argues that the incoherency is a feature rather than a bug. He says its fuzzy logic makes the novel's world realistically messy.
The ten stories in Destination: Universe! provide a good sample of van Vogt’s magazine writing in the 1940s, which could be used to support both sides of the debate. Knight cites “A Can of Paint� for its ignorance of orbital mechanics. But in “A Pen Pal,� in which an alien with plans to conquer Earth transfers his consciousness into someone who will not live long enough for it to succeed, the coincidences in the plot might support PKD’s view.
“Far Centaurus,� the first story in Destination, has more drama than its plot plausibly can hold. A slower-than-light spacecraft with its crew in cryogenic stasis suffers a mechanical failure that kills one of the crew. Another may have gone homicidally insane. When they get to Centaurus, they find it already inhabited by people who arrived via FTL, which was invented while they were underway. They are told they won’t be happy colonists because nobody on Centaurus will be able to stand their old-school body odor. Sadly, van Vogt does not treat this event for humor. Then, by a lucky piece of timing, a wormhole opens that will take them back to Earth before they left. Whew. All problems solved. Bad writing or the weirdness of reality? You decide, but I am with Damon on this one.
The ten stories in Destination: Universe! provide a good sample of van Vogt’s magazine writing in the 1940s, which could be used to support both sides of the debate. Knight cites “A Can of Paint� for its ignorance of orbital mechanics. But in “A Pen Pal,� in which an alien with plans to conquer Earth transfers his consciousness into someone who will not live long enough for it to succeed, the coincidences in the plot might support PKD’s view.
“Far Centaurus,� the first story in Destination, has more drama than its plot plausibly can hold. A slower-than-light spacecraft with its crew in cryogenic stasis suffers a mechanical failure that kills one of the crew. Another may have gone homicidally insane. When they get to Centaurus, they find it already inhabited by people who arrived via FTL, which was invented while they were underway. They are told they won’t be happy colonists because nobody on Centaurus will be able to stand their old-school body odor. Sadly, van Vogt does not treat this event for humor. Then, by a lucky piece of timing, a wormhole opens that will take them back to Earth before they left. Whew. All problems solved. Bad writing or the weirdness of reality? You decide, but I am with Damon on this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 14, 2017
An interesting collection of short stories by Van Vogt written with his customary simple writing but great ideas and a flair for making things stand off the page. Every story makes you think it'll go one way and it does, in it's own way.
Not many authors could craft a story about an alien tin of paint and be interesting; Van Vogh manages it just fine.
Not many authors could craft a story about an alien tin of paint and be interesting; Van Vogh manages it just fine.
April 4, 2016
This book made a huge impression on me as a youth.
February 28, 2008
The book that made me an avid science fiction reader
December 13, 2018
I do miss the balls-out sci fi of the golden age. Go spaceships! Go aliens!
Now if the characters would just stop patting women patronizingly on the head. And thinking of us as decorative. sheesh! I guess I should appreciate that it's OK for me to be utile in this day and age. Although it did bring up the memory of the head ref mansplaining to me the rules of backstroke turns when I was stroke judging summer league. And the fact that they complained about my judging subsequent to me... let's just say... resisting be mansplained to? Never crossed my mind that they could have been related until I was reading some mild misogyny. That's what literature is for?
It was interesting to me that in "The Search" there were the beginnings of multiverse theory. Differential actions "produced a probability world." I didn't realize that the idea extended back that far.
Now if the characters would just stop patting women patronizingly on the head. And thinking of us as decorative. sheesh! I guess I should appreciate that it's OK for me to be utile in this day and age. Although it did bring up the memory of the head ref mansplaining to me the rules of backstroke turns when I was stroke judging summer league. And the fact that they complained about my judging subsequent to me... let's just say... resisting be mansplained to? Never crossed my mind that they could have been related until I was reading some mild misogyny. That's what literature is for?
It was interesting to me that in "The Search" there were the beginnings of multiverse theory. Differential actions "produced a probability world." I didn't realize that the idea extended back that far.
January 5, 2013
A wonderful collection of short stories by Van Vogt. Many of them clearly set the stage for themes or characters in Null-A and the War Against the Rull.
December 13, 2022
I was talking to a friend about reading Destination: Universe! “My copy is a sixth edition� I said “with a nice Richard Powers cover. Not worth any money.� But the thing is: there is more than one way to measure the worth of a book. Books by A E van Vogt are not common in my slice of the secondary market. Even though no story in this collection was written after 1950, they show off the inventiveness of an SFWA grandmaster. So this book is worth a lot and I am privileged to have read it. SF this old can be a lot of fun, despite the various anachronisms of the day that creep in. (“You are upset darling-go shopping and spend $500.00 on yourself.� Ouch.) Good stories in the puzzle solving tradition of classic science fiction, if you can forgive the zanier aspects.
December 18, 2013
In his brief (one page) introduction to this volume, Van Vogt states: “Science fiction, as I personally try to write it. glorifies man and his future.� He was surely one of the most ‘Campbell-ian� authors.
The edition I read (Panther Science Fiction 1972 reprint) didn’t contain any bibliographic information, so I’m going to put that in here just for my own reference.
Far Centaurus - 4/5
Astounding Science Fiction - January 1944.
A group of brave pioneers set out on the first interstellar voyage. The five hundred year journey drives some of them insane! 4 out of 5
The Monster - 4/5
Astounding Science Fiction - August 1948.
Visitors to a long dead earth decide to revive one of its ‘primitive� lifeforms before they occupy the planet. They might regret it� 4 out of 5
Dormant - 3/5
Startling Stories - November 1948.
Van Vogt’s glorified men meet Lovecraft-ian horror. Who will come out on top? 3 out of 5
The Enchanted Village - 4/5
Other Worlds Science Stories - July 1950.
The first mission to Mars crashes on arrival. The only survivor finds salvation in an abandoned martian village. Of course, it is set up to sustain martian life, so some adjustments will need to be made� 4 out of 5
A Can Of Paint - 2/5
Astounding Science Fiction - September 1944.
Lightly comic tale of misunderstandings and mistakes. 2 out of 5
Defence - 2/5
Avon Fantasy Reader - 1947.
A short-short story of misplaced confidence. 2 out of 5
The Rulers - 2/5
Astounding Science Fiction - March 1944.
Espionage, derring-do and futuristic mind-control drugs. 2 out of 5
Dear Pen Pal - 3/5
The Arkham Sampler - Winter 1949.
Predictable story of alien correspondence with ulterior motives. 3 out of 5
The Sound - 4/5
Astounding Science Fiction - February 1950.
The most archetypal Van Vogt entry in this collection - young male protagonist faces near-insurmountable odds among some inventively askew world-building. 4 out of 5
The Search - 4/5
Astounding Science Fiction - January 1943.
A man trying to discover the cause of his amnesia gives Van Vogt opportunity to have a lot of fun with mixed up time-lines. Possibly my favourite story in the book. 4 out of 5
The edition I read (Panther Science Fiction 1972 reprint) didn’t contain any bibliographic information, so I’m going to put that in here just for my own reference.
Far Centaurus - 4/5
Astounding Science Fiction - January 1944.
Excitement blazed inside me: and consciousness came of the glory of this trip we were making, the first men to head for far Centaurus, the first men to dare aspire to the stars.
A group of brave pioneers set out on the first interstellar voyage. The five hundred year journey drives some of them insane! 4 out of 5
The Monster - 4/5
Astounding Science Fiction - August 1948.
The two-legged one’s adjustment to a new situation, his grasp of realities, was abnormally rapid. No Ganae could have equalled the swiftness of the reaction.
Visitors to a long dead earth decide to revive one of its ‘primitive� lifeforms before they occupy the planet. They might regret it� 4 out of 5
Dormant - 3/5
Startling Stories - November 1948.
Maynard pictured himself walking along this monster-inhabited, night-enveloped island. And the shuddery thrill that came was almost pure unadulterated pleasure.
Van Vogt’s glorified men meet Lovecraft-ian horror. Who will come out on top? 3 out of 5
The Enchanted Village - 4/5
Other Worlds Science Stories - July 1950.
The village had to adjust to him. He doubted if he could seriously damage it, but he could try. His own need to survive must be placed on as sharp and hostile a basis as that.
The first mission to Mars crashes on arrival. The only survivor finds salvation in an abandoned martian village. Of course, it is set up to sustain martian life, so some adjustments will need to be made� 4 out of 5
A Can Of Paint - 2/5
Astounding Science Fiction - September 1944.
Great things were expected of Venus. But not so great as this. Kilgour stopped his pacing. A race that could develop a perfect paint. anything perfect, was going to prove worth knowing.
Lightly comic tale of misunderstandings and mistakes. 2 out of 5
Defence - 2/5
Avon Fantasy Reader - 1947.
So the little boogies have got you at last, pal. Can’t take the tension of the first attempt to land on the moon. Relax, boy, relax. We’re almost there.
A short-short story of misplaced confidence. 2 out of 5
The Rulers - 2/5
Astounding Science Fiction - March 1944.
’Science,� the plump man was saying, ‘has made such strides since the war that it’s already possible to foresee a time when everything we do, or use in any way, will be either completely artificial, artificially enhanced, supernatural, or better than the original.�
Espionage, derring-do and futuristic mind-control drugs. 2 out of 5
Dear Pen Pal - 3/5
The Arkham Sampler - Winter 1949.
I wouldn’t say that we’re a superior race. We have certain qualities which apparently your people do not have.
Predictable story of alien correspondence with ulterior motives. 3 out of 5
The Sound - 4/5
Astounding Science Fiction - February 1950.
The Yards were a suburb of Solar City, and that massive metropolis in its artificial tropical setting was a vision that had no parallel in the human-controlled part of the Galaxy. Its buildings and its parks extended to every hazy horizon.
The most archetypal Van Vogt entry in this collection - young male protagonist faces near-insurmountable odds among some inventively askew world-building. 4 out of 5
The Search - 4/5
Astounding Science Fiction - January 1943.
’Mind you� - the admission came almost reluctantly - ‘they’ve got some wonderful things. The government isn’t kidding when it says that after this war we’re going to live like kings and queens.�
A man trying to discover the cause of his amnesia gives Van Vogt opportunity to have a lot of fun with mixed up time-lines. Possibly my favourite story in the book. 4 out of 5
June 18, 2011
Make that 3.5 stars, hovering on 4. I did really enjoy this collection of short stories, but because there were a few that I found too dated and/or a little silly, I chose to rate it at 3 stars/3.5 stars.
All of the stories in this collection are from the 1940's up to 1950 and the collection was released in 1952. Most of the original tales were published in 'Astounding Science Fiction,' among others. The copy I read was a paperback release from 1964.
In general, van Vogt is a huge influence on science fiction writers that came later, in the 60's to today. After reading this collection, I could certainly see his influence over such shows as Star Trek, the Twilight Zone, etc. and his hand touching the words of people like Harlan Ellison and Phillip K. Dick. That's a pretty far-reaching influence, considering that Ellison and Dick are also primary influences on many contemporary science fiction authors. I think it would be worth more people's time to go back and read more of the 'founding fathers' of science fiction.
My favorite story in the collection was "The Enchanted Village." Written in 1950, it plays with what would later become a meme among shows like The Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, etc. by placing a single protagonist in an impossible situation and then solving it with an unexpected twist.
"A Can of Paint" is also an interesting story, and I think was left undone in many ways. It feels rushed and incomplete, but the underlying idea is fantastic. I'm surprised I haven't seen that idea of 'paint' repeated in other science fiction.
Several of the stories also belie the post WWII trauma that weighed heavily on the American psyche. Stories like "The Monster," "Dormant," and "Defense" play upon post-war fear and paranoia in many ways while lightly exploring the Nature of Man and cultural understanding.
Overall, the collection presents an excellent opportunity to read excellent 'vintage' science fiction and revel in the aspects of it that have influenced modern literature, the aspects that are humorously dated, and enjoy the moments of brilliance.
All of the stories in this collection are from the 1940's up to 1950 and the collection was released in 1952. Most of the original tales were published in 'Astounding Science Fiction,' among others. The copy I read was a paperback release from 1964.
In general, van Vogt is a huge influence on science fiction writers that came later, in the 60's to today. After reading this collection, I could certainly see his influence over such shows as Star Trek, the Twilight Zone, etc. and his hand touching the words of people like Harlan Ellison and Phillip K. Dick. That's a pretty far-reaching influence, considering that Ellison and Dick are also primary influences on many contemporary science fiction authors. I think it would be worth more people's time to go back and read more of the 'founding fathers' of science fiction.
My favorite story in the collection was "The Enchanted Village." Written in 1950, it plays with what would later become a meme among shows like The Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, etc. by placing a single protagonist in an impossible situation and then solving it with an unexpected twist.
"A Can of Paint" is also an interesting story, and I think was left undone in many ways. It feels rushed and incomplete, but the underlying idea is fantastic. I'm surprised I haven't seen that idea of 'paint' repeated in other science fiction.
Several of the stories also belie the post WWII trauma that weighed heavily on the American psyche. Stories like "The Monster," "Dormant," and "Defense" play upon post-war fear and paranoia in many ways while lightly exploring the Nature of Man and cultural understanding.
Overall, the collection presents an excellent opportunity to read excellent 'vintage' science fiction and revel in the aspects of it that have influenced modern literature, the aspects that are humorously dated, and enjoy the moments of brilliance.
July 25, 2020
I first read this book in elementary school in the neighbourhood of 45 years ago. I loaned out that copy and never got it back, but I always remembered it fondly. Many years later, I found another copy in a used bookstore. Alas, you can’t go home again...
Don’t get me wrong. Van Vogt was one of the giants on whose shoulders other later sci-fi authors would stand. His place as a pioneer of the genre is well deserved and the plots of the short stories here (all copyrighted in the 1940s) remain serviceable even by today’s standards. Many of the themes can be recognized as the bread-and-butter of the modern sci-fi universe.
That being said, reading these stories is very much like watching an old black-and-white sci-fi ‘B� movie: Stilted dialogue, untroubled by character development or the confines of actual science. ...When in doubt, make up a few multi-syllable words to explain some unbelievable advanced scientific apparatus.
In order to enjoy this read - which I still did - you have to be willing to look beyond the execution of the stories and into the possibilities of the plot ideas if they’d been presented in a more contemporary style. It’s also interesting from the ‘time capsule� point of view as you see little glimpses of 1940s social norms applied throughout these tales.
Recommended only for hard-core fans of the genre.
Don’t get me wrong. Van Vogt was one of the giants on whose shoulders other later sci-fi authors would stand. His place as a pioneer of the genre is well deserved and the plots of the short stories here (all copyrighted in the 1940s) remain serviceable even by today’s standards. Many of the themes can be recognized as the bread-and-butter of the modern sci-fi universe.
That being said, reading these stories is very much like watching an old black-and-white sci-fi ‘B� movie: Stilted dialogue, untroubled by character development or the confines of actual science. ...When in doubt, make up a few multi-syllable words to explain some unbelievable advanced scientific apparatus.
In order to enjoy this read - which I still did - you have to be willing to look beyond the execution of the stories and into the possibilities of the plot ideas if they’d been presented in a more contemporary style. It’s also interesting from the ‘time capsule� point of view as you see little glimpses of 1940s social norms applied throughout these tales.
Recommended only for hard-core fans of the genre.
November 26, 2017
These are the only A E van Vogt stories I've read. The author wrote in 1500-word chunks and made sure something gripping happened in each one, which is likely to be a fruitful approach although I haven't tried it. He's also been described as "a midget using a giant's typewriter", in that he uses scale in terms of space and time to wow his readership but in the end it's all fluff and doesn't mean anything. It's like he's gone through a history book, changed all the names to something spacy-sounding and added a nought to the end of the dates. Having said that, it's quite memorable and has a few interesting ideas which have stayed with me.
December 5, 2016
I read random articles in Wikipedia while I'm at work, and that's how I learned about A.E. van Vogt. I'm not a big fan of science fiction, but I wanted to try other genres for a change. When I found this book in a used books store, I bought it.
There are some stories in this book that I really enjoyed. My favorites are Dear Pen Pal and Far Centaurus. A Can of Paint was also interesting. Some of the stories, nah. I can't even remember what happened in some of those stories.
Maybe sci-fi is just not for me.
There are some stories in this book that I really enjoyed. My favorites are Dear Pen Pal and Far Centaurus. A Can of Paint was also interesting. Some of the stories, nah. I can't even remember what happened in some of those stories.
Maybe sci-fi is just not for me.
May 23, 2019
I think this is one of the first SF books I ever read. We were staying at a cottage near the beach and someone had left this book on the shelf. It's a collection of A E van Vogt's short stories, some are a bit dated but most still have interesting premises. Consider "Far Centaurus" where a crew flying 500 years through space in suspended animation arrives at their destination only to find that it's been colonized by humans for hundreds of years. Or what happens when an AI robot bomb has no idea what it is? Fun stuff and it got me hooked on SF
March 12, 2013
This book is a collection of ten short science fiction stories by A.E. van Volt. Each story is a stand-alone story and can be read in any order. I was not very familiar with van Volt’s writing and did not know any of these stories but I enjoyed them very much. Each story was very different from each other and very creative. I found it to be a great introduction to van Volt’s fiction.
May 28, 2017
Destination: Universe is a collection of late 40's/early 50's hard science fiction short stories by A.E. Van Vogt. The prose is clumsy and the plotting is often second rate, but the ideas are so far out and crazy that it's worth a read. Most of the stories originally appeared in John W. Campbell's Astounding.
June 1, 2015
1981 grade B+
short stories
short stories
May 20, 2025
Rating 3.5 stars. This collection of short stories had some variety, featured some interesting characters, and had a bit of humour to some. However, the science elements were often fuzzy or made up, the world building was often vague, and only one story had a strong female character.
The focus of many of the 10 stories in this collection was humans encountering something strange or alien. The stories include,
"Far Centaurus"-a trio of space travellers travel, while in cold sleep, faster than the speed of light. They discover other, even faster travellers, then head into a black hole to return home.
"The Monster"-An alien species knows as the Ganae arrive on earth to find it empty of all life. They reconstruct human history and discover a future man who hints at complex ideas.
"Dormant"-A giant boulder is discovered, then we get the POV of the boulder.
"The Enchanted Village"-Bill, a space traveller, ends up on Mars alone where he finds an empty village that provides food, drink, showers, and rest. However, the village is set to cater to Martians, with poisonous substances. Bill teaches the village to meet his need, but it transforms him in strange ways.
"A Can of Paint"-Kilgour lands on Venus and finds a can of paint that squirts all over him. He tries to analyse it, then gets a message that the paint is a test of his intelligence. Kilgour figures out a way to remove the paint, allowing humans the right to visit Venus.
"Defense"-short story about a human who lands on the moon, triggering deadly weapons to hit earth.
"The Rulers"-Latham, who can read minds and body language, is hunted by the 13 rulers who use the H drug to get people to comply with what they want. He escapes them till the end, when he has to outsmart them.
"Dear Pen Pal"-Skander, in prison on an alien planet, sends letters to an unsuspecting man trying to convince him to use a metal plate to take a picture of himself. The picture allows Skander to change places with the pen pal.
"The Sound"-A young boy, Diddy, helps humans defend themselves and attack the dangerous aliens, Yved. The Yved have few weaknesses but Diddy is able to turn human defences on them, as directed by adults guiding him in secret.
"The Search"-Drake is sold an unusual pen. He goes hunting for the seller, Selanie, and finds himself a time traveller, encountering different characters and Selanie in different periods of her life.
My favorite stories were "The Enchanted Village" and "A Can of Paint." A couple of the stories were hard to follow because they lacked world building to pull the events together. Also, as a feature of the time period they were written in, women were either nonexistent or subservient to male characters. The author uses some creative ideas and interesting characters but made up much of the science elements in the stories. The prose was clear.
The focus of many of the 10 stories in this collection was humans encountering something strange or alien. The stories include,
"Far Centaurus"-a trio of space travellers travel, while in cold sleep, faster than the speed of light. They discover other, even faster travellers, then head into a black hole to return home.
"The Monster"-An alien species knows as the Ganae arrive on earth to find it empty of all life. They reconstruct human history and discover a future man who hints at complex ideas.
"Dormant"-A giant boulder is discovered, then we get the POV of the boulder.
"The Enchanted Village"-Bill, a space traveller, ends up on Mars alone where he finds an empty village that provides food, drink, showers, and rest. However, the village is set to cater to Martians, with poisonous substances. Bill teaches the village to meet his need, but it transforms him in strange ways.
"A Can of Paint"-Kilgour lands on Venus and finds a can of paint that squirts all over him. He tries to analyse it, then gets a message that the paint is a test of his intelligence. Kilgour figures out a way to remove the paint, allowing humans the right to visit Venus.
"Defense"-short story about a human who lands on the moon, triggering deadly weapons to hit earth.
"The Rulers"-Latham, who can read minds and body language, is hunted by the 13 rulers who use the H drug to get people to comply with what they want. He escapes them till the end, when he has to outsmart them.
"Dear Pen Pal"-Skander, in prison on an alien planet, sends letters to an unsuspecting man trying to convince him to use a metal plate to take a picture of himself. The picture allows Skander to change places with the pen pal.
"The Sound"-A young boy, Diddy, helps humans defend themselves and attack the dangerous aliens, Yved. The Yved have few weaknesses but Diddy is able to turn human defences on them, as directed by adults guiding him in secret.
"The Search"-Drake is sold an unusual pen. He goes hunting for the seller, Selanie, and finds himself a time traveller, encountering different characters and Selanie in different periods of her life.
My favorite stories were "The Enchanted Village" and "A Can of Paint." A couple of the stories were hard to follow because they lacked world building to pull the events together. Also, as a feature of the time period they were written in, women were either nonexistent or subservient to male characters. The author uses some creative ideas and interesting characters but made up much of the science elements in the stories. The prose was clear.
January 11, 2023
One of the great reformers of the space opera genre, Canadian-American A.E. van Vogt took the juvenile trappings of Edmond Hamilton and combined them with the wit of Henry Kuttner and the social and psychological depth of Olaf Stapledon. As a novelist van Vogt was good, but his true legacy lies in his short stories and novellas (his best known novel was a novella fix-up). "Destination: Universe!" was his second story collection and contains a few of the most surprising and witty short stories of SF history.
My two favourites are "Far Centaurus" (1944) and "A Can of Paint" (1944), both originally published in Astounding. The first concerns the dramatic and historic voyage to Alpha Centauri. During most of its 500-year trip, the crew is in hibernation. When they reach Alpha Centauri, they are greeted by a human civilisation looking upon them as barbaric relics from the past. The explanation: during their trip, humanity has developed a ship capable of making the same trip in three hours and have colonised Alpha Centauri.
"A Can of Paint" describes the tribulations of the first human visitor to Venus. Upon his arrival near a Venusian city he discovers a can, which telepathically informs him: "I am a can of paint" and proceeds to squirt part of its contents on him. He is unable to remove the paint, which continues spreading on his body and threatens to suffocate him. Amused rather than terrfied, he contacts the Venusians, who inform him that the paint is an IQ test. If one can figure out how to remove it, one is deemed intelligent enough to deal with the planet's inhabitants.
This book is a fantastic read for friends of intelligent yet entertaining SF. Unfortunately the Swedish translation from 1954 which I read uses a rather old-fashioned and stilted language, even for the fifties.
My two favourites are "Far Centaurus" (1944) and "A Can of Paint" (1944), both originally published in Astounding. The first concerns the dramatic and historic voyage to Alpha Centauri. During most of its 500-year trip, the crew is in hibernation. When they reach Alpha Centauri, they are greeted by a human civilisation looking upon them as barbaric relics from the past. The explanation: during their trip, humanity has developed a ship capable of making the same trip in three hours and have colonised Alpha Centauri.
"A Can of Paint" describes the tribulations of the first human visitor to Venus. Upon his arrival near a Venusian city he discovers a can, which telepathically informs him: "I am a can of paint" and proceeds to squirt part of its contents on him. He is unable to remove the paint, which continues spreading on his body and threatens to suffocate him. Amused rather than terrfied, he contacts the Venusians, who inform him that the paint is an IQ test. If one can figure out how to remove it, one is deemed intelligent enough to deal with the planet's inhabitants.
This book is a fantastic read for friends of intelligent yet entertaining SF. Unfortunately the Swedish translation from 1954 which I read uses a rather old-fashioned and stilted language, even for the fifties.
April 6, 2021
M-am trezit brusc şi m-am întrebat: „Oare cum suportă Renfrew toate astea?�
Probabil mă mişcasem, fiindcă am văzut negru în faţa ochilor de durere şi am leşinat. Nu ştiu cât timp am rămas aşa. Următorul lucru de care mi-am dat seama a fost că motoarele navei funcţionau.
De data aceasta, mi-am recăpătat încet cunoştinţa. Stăteam foarte liniştit, resimţind greutatea anilor mei de somn şi eram hotărât să urmez întocmai procedura stabilită de Pelham, cu mult timp înainte.
Nu voiam să leşin din nou.
Întins pe patul meu, mă gândeam: Ce prostie să îmi fac griji pentru Jim Renfrew! El nu avea să iasă din starea lui de imobilitate încă cincizeci de ani.
Am început să privesc cadranul luminat al ceasului din tavan. Înainte arătase 23:12; acum era 23:22. Cele zece minute stabilite de Pelham ca interval între pasivitate şi trecerea la acţiune se terminaseră.
Cu grijă, am întins mâna spre marginea patului. Clic! Degetele mele au apăsat pe buton. S-a auzit un bâzâit uşor şi maseurul automat a început să-mi frece cu blândeţe corpul gol. Întâi, mi-a frecţionat braţele, apoi picioarele şi în continuare tot restul trupului. Pe măsură ce înainta, simţeam cum pelicula fină de ulei cu care mă ungea îmi pătrundea în pielea uscată.
De nenumărate ori mi-a venit să ţip din cauza durerii provocate de întoarcerea la viaţă. Dar, după o oră, am fost în stare să mă ridic şi să aprind luminile.
Probabil mă mişcasem, fiindcă am văzut negru în faţa ochilor de durere şi am leşinat. Nu ştiu cât timp am rămas aşa. Următorul lucru de care mi-am dat seama a fost că motoarele navei funcţionau.
De data aceasta, mi-am recăpătat încet cunoştinţa. Stăteam foarte liniştit, resimţind greutatea anilor mei de somn şi eram hotărât să urmez întocmai procedura stabilită de Pelham, cu mult timp înainte.
Nu voiam să leşin din nou.
Întins pe patul meu, mă gândeam: Ce prostie să îmi fac griji pentru Jim Renfrew! El nu avea să iasă din starea lui de imobilitate încă cincizeci de ani.
Am început să privesc cadranul luminat al ceasului din tavan. Înainte arătase 23:12; acum era 23:22. Cele zece minute stabilite de Pelham ca interval între pasivitate şi trecerea la acţiune se terminaseră.
Cu grijă, am întins mâna spre marginea patului. Clic! Degetele mele au apăsat pe buton. S-a auzit un bâzâit uşor şi maseurul automat a început să-mi frece cu blândeţe corpul gol. Întâi, mi-a frecţionat braţele, apoi picioarele şi în continuare tot restul trupului. Pe măsură ce înainta, simţeam cum pelicula fină de ulei cu care mă ungea îmi pătrundea în pielea uscată.
De nenumărate ori mi-a venit să ţip din cauza durerii provocate de întoarcerea la viaţă. Dar, după o oră, am fost în stare să mă ridic şi să aprind luminile.
February 6, 2022
I haven't read a whole lot of Van Vogt but find on the whole that he works better at shorter length - I have read many excellent short stories of his but none of the novels I have read stick in my mind.
This book contains many memorable stories. The opening story "Far Centaurus" tell of the first voyage to another start and the unexpected things found there, "The Monster" describes explorers on a dead world who awaken something they find hard to handle, "Dormant" and "Defence" describe ancient weapon systems, "Dear Pen Pal" is correspondence with a twist in the tale.
This is a volume I have read multiple times over the years, and I expect I will pull it out again from time to time.
This book contains many memorable stories. The opening story "Far Centaurus" tell of the first voyage to another start and the unexpected things found there, "The Monster" describes explorers on a dead world who awaken something they find hard to handle, "Dormant" and "Defence" describe ancient weapon systems, "Dear Pen Pal" is correspondence with a twist in the tale.
This is a volume I have read multiple times over the years, and I expect I will pull it out again from time to time.
October 18, 2024
If you know van Vogt, you know the themes he tends to explore, "the superman among us". Most, though not all, of the short stories here are variations on that theme. Also the story "Far Centaurus" which is an early SF meditation about "the wait problem" in interstellar flight.
I find van Vogt very uneven. Some of his stores like "Black Destroyer" and "Empire of the Atom" are favorites, many others are repetitive discussions of his central theme. The stories here, likewise, vary in quality, but they are all short, and van Vogt is usually better in a short story. If you like his other work, you'll probably like this. If not, not.
I find van Vogt very uneven. Some of his stores like "Black Destroyer" and "Empire of the Atom" are favorites, many others are repetitive discussions of his central theme. The stories here, likewise, vary in quality, but they are all short, and van Vogt is usually better in a short story. If you like his other work, you'll probably like this. If not, not.
December 3, 2019
Un des meilleurs recueils de nouvelles d'Alfred Elton Van Vogt, un maître de l'âge d'or et un de mes écrivains préférés. Une imagination débordante et un rythme échevelé, focalisé sur les idées et l'histoire. Ce recueil contient, entre autres, "Le monstre", avec un revirement de situation stupéfiant. Bien sûr, j'ai adoré.
March 14, 2025
Je l'avais déjà lu, en fait ! Et j'adore la science-fiction américaine des années 70. Tout n'est pas délicat (la première histoire parle d'un pot de peinture) mais c'est l'aventure sans complexe ! Rien de mieux pour passer un bon après midi.
Already read it but it was a pleasure. I like american SF from the 70s. Adventure, here we are! Good for a quiet afternoon...
Already read it but it was a pleasure. I like american SF from the 70s. Adventure, here we are! Good for a quiet afternoon...
February 12, 2021
I think this is a collection of von Vogt's early stories. It turns out that I had already read most of them. I've been looking for a story he wrote but have not found it. I like his later stories much more.
August 15, 2023
Fun short stories! This was my introduction to AE van Vogt and I am motivated to look up his other works.
My dad raves about the Weapon Shops of Isher but when I picked up this book I didn't notice it was the same author. So I'll try that book next.
My dad raves about the Weapon Shops of Isher but when I picked up this book I didn't notice it was the same author. So I'll try that book next.
December 14, 2019
A bit dated. Anthology of 10 short stories...... half of them were very good.
Author seems to have a talent for creating aliens.
Author seems to have a talent for creating aliens.
July 29, 2020
Read most of these. Some were arcane. Some were boring. A couple that were entertaining. Typical Van Vogt.
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