Watch out for Bug Eyed Monsters

BBC ARCHIVE
WRITTEN DOCUMENT 1962

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[Continued from previous page]


Title: Pictures Don't Lie
by Datherine Maclean [sic - this should be Kathleen Maclean]
Published Best SF by Faber & Faber Copyright 1951 by World Editions Inc.

Synopsis: Contact has been established with intelligent beings from another
world, who are kindly disposed towards the inhabitants of Earth and are about
to make a landing in a space ship. All communications have been achieved by
means of speeding up video and audio signals currently in existence on Earth
and transmitting them as very short pulses. (This is quite possible and
logical). Using this communication plus a translating machine, the space ship
is guided to its destination, reports a landing on the airfield, and then
immediately runs into trouble. It is clearly landing in a swamp full of
fantastic monsters, the atmosphere of the Earth is to the inhabitants of the
space ship, opaque; furthermore, despite messages and the assistance of
direction finding equipment, it would appear impossible for the ship to have
landed since it is nowhere in sight. Only then does the realisation dawn upon
Earth that the speeded up messages which are decodable by the aliens, do in
fact represent their natural pace of living. It means therefore that their size
is microscopic. They have indeed landed on the airfield and at the moment they
are sinking through and dying in the rapidly drying puddle out on the tarmac.

The whole thing is absolutely possible and logical.


Title: No Woman Born
by C.I Moore
Copyright 1944 Street & itnith, Publications Inc.
Pub. Best SF


Synopsis: This is an exception to our rule about robots. The central character
is a humanoid robot, but it is inhabited by a live human brain, salvaged from
the body of a world famous entertainer and ballet dancer. Her personality is
still intact, she is a woman of great determination and she decides to make a
comeback in the world of entertainment. This she does with riotous success — the
success is heightened by the realisation of the audience that she is indeed more
than human. With this however, comes the psychological problem. "I'm afraid it
isn't unhappiness, Maltzer, it's fear, I don't want to draw away from the human
race, I wish I needn't, that's why I'm going back on the stage, to keep in touch
with them while I can. But I wish there could be others like me — I'm — I'm
lonely, Maltzer".




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