J Kathleen Cheney's "Afterimage" (novelette, murder mystery, free)

DeVane Michaelson, a rich lawyer, is murdered. Suspects include his secretary Veronica he's been having a love affair with, & his wife Manisone. Detective William Greene will unravel the case, with help.

Throughout the story, we see references to "Purists", a terrorist organization opposed to body implants, something common in the universe of the story. But these references are only a minor distraction; this is a proper murder mystery & an easy read.

Fact sheet.

First published: JBU, #24 (April 2010).
Download full text from Webscription.
Rating: A.

Stoney Compton's "Trappers" (novelette, free): Man vs alien fight to death

Story it reminded me most, at least early parts of it, was Ralph Williams' "Cat & Mouse" (download), though the plot is much closer to Fredric Brown's "Arena" (download).

Fast light read, but very Cambellian - white man wins over everything, though the win over incomparably superior alien here is not complete.

Readers familiar with US history might see the context better, but it should be accessible to all. Author refers to '20s & '30s assuming reader will know the centuries, & some nouns didn't mean anything to me.

Story summary.

A couple of super-advanced aliens have been studying earth for centuries from orbit. They located a gold mine in the mountains, & are now down to pick up the metal as fuel for their ship.

Their mine will be found by Caleb Pasco too, an old man who has been trapping beaver in the mountains for 40 years. Both want gold - so there is a fight...

Fact sheet.

First published: JBU, #24 (April 2010).
Download full text from Webscription.
Rating: A.

Free fiction: 4 stories from JBU, #24 (April 2010)

Three originals at Webscription.

Another story from the issue, a reprint, Stanley G Weinbaum's "Parasite Planet" (download), has been online elsewhere a long time.

Related: Stories from Jim Baen's Universe.

Bud Webster's tribute to William Tenn

In JBU, #24 (April 2010).
Note: This is the last issue for JBU. I'm not sure how long this article will stay online at link above, but I suppose it'll be there for at least 2 months that a typical JBU issue stays current?

Noteworthy parts:

1. Some stories named.
   
   Of the ones I've read among the ones he names, two are especially good: "Child's Play" (download MP3) is in a sort of tribute to Henry Kuttner & C L Moore, & "Down Among the Dead Men" (download text scans as part of a larger package) is an interesting team building story for managers.
2. I used to think that "Of Men & Monsters" was his only novel. Webster lists another one too, "A Lamp For Medusa".
3. A few authors named. I've read all except Goulart - had not even heard his name; Webster says he was a humorist.
   
   PS: Robert Sheckley is often described as a humorist but only one of his half dozen odd stories I've read - "Hunting Problem" (download) - has actually worked for me. Anyone care to suggest a few really funny titles? (I've read that famous story about TV reality show where a man has to escape his own staged killers - that one didn't work for me).
4. There is a Tenn bibliography at end.

Related: Stories of William Tenn.