Revised for The Augmented Agent and Other Stories, Underwood-Miller, 1986.
Reprinted in Chateau d'If and Other Stories, Spatterlight, 2012

Reprinted in Son of the Tree, Spatterlight, 2012

Quotes:

“It’s catching,” said the pilot vehemently. “Look, kid, I know. I’ve ferried out to all the stations, I’ve seen ’em come and go. Each station has its own kind of weirdness, and you can’t keep away from it.” He chuckled self-consciously. “Maybe that’s why I’m so batty myself...Now take Madeira Station. Gay. Frou-frou.” He made a mincing motion with his fingers. “That’s Madeira. You wouldn’t know much about that...But take Balchester Aerie, take Merlin Dell, take the Starhome ”

When Jean reached the Hotel Atlantide in Metropolis she wore a black dress and black pumps which she felt made her look older and more sophisticated. Crossing the lobby she kept wary look-out for the house detective. Sometimes they nursed unkind suspicions toward unaccompanied young girls. It was best to avoid the police, keep them at a distance. When they found that she had no father, no mother, no guardian, their minds were apt to turn to some dreary government institution. On several occasions rather extreme measures to ensure her independence had been necessary.

Comment: According to foreverness the story was based on an idea of the editor. According to www.isfdb.org Station Abercrombie and Cholwell’s Chickens were revised (fix-up) as Monsters in Orbit, 1965.

Republished in Golden Girl and Other Stories, Spatterlight, 2012

Foreverness writes that the author commented on this story as “Horrible! Horrible!”.

Republished in Sail 25 and Other Stories, Spatterlight, 2012.

From Wikipedia: “The Houses of Iszm is a science fiction novella by Jack Vance, which appeared in Startling Stories magazine in 1954. It was reissued in book form in 1964 as part of an Ace Double novel, together with Vance’s Son of the Tree . The story published in Startling Stories is about 22,000 words while the version that appears in the Ace Double still less than novel length at about 30,000 words. The Houses of Iszm was re-published as a stand-alone volume in 1974 by Mayflower. ” (more on Wikipedia)

Republished by Spatterlight in 2012.

Comment:

A mystery story, set on a planet with marine life.

Quotes:

Fletcher tried to recall the line-up of barges along the dock. If Mahlberg, the barge-tender, had been busy with repairs, Raight might well have gone out himself. Fletcher drew himself a cup of coffee. “That’s where he must be.” He sat down. “It’s not like Raight to put in free overtime.”

Ahead shone the Bio-Minerals mast-head light, climbing into the sky as the barge approached. Fletcher saw the black shapes of men outlined against the glow. The entire crew was waiting for him: the two operators, Agostino and Murphy, Mahlberg the barge-tender, Damon the biochemist, Dave Jones the steward, Manners the technician, Hans Heinz the engineer.

Republished in Chateau d’If and Other Stories, Spatterlight 2012.

Quote:

Dickerman gingerly performed introductions: “Duke Gassman, Duke Holox...” and finally: “I present to you my successor, Mr. Milton Hack of Zodiac Control. He is an expert military strategist, as well as an economic authority; with your cooperation he will solve the various problems of Sabo.”

Republished as “Milton Hack from Zodiac” in Chateau d’If and Other Stories, Spatterlight, 2012.

Quote:

The scouts approached at breakneck speed, at the last instant flinging their horses sidewise. Long shaggy legs kicked out, padlike hooves plowed through the moss. The scouts jumped to the ground, ran forward. “The way to Ballant Keep is blocked!”

Republished as The Miracle Workers by Spatterlight, 2012.

Comment: It’s a bit unclear to what genre this story exactly belongs (unless one reads SF simply as Speculative Fiction).

Quote:

The affair had occurred five years previously. The house was abandoned and perhaps inevitably there was talk of haunting. Jean explicitly corroborated these reports. The group had been jocular, skylarking, inviting ghosts to the feast: all ostensibly casual and careless, but all inwardly thrilling to the spooky look of the house, and the memory of the macabre killing. Jean had noticed a flickering of red light at the window of the living room. She had assumed it to be a reflection of the fire, then had looked again. There was no glass in the window. Others noticed; there were squeals and squeaks from the girls. All rose to their feet. Inside the living room, clearly visible, hung a body, twisting and writhing, clothed in flames. And from within came a series of agonized throat-wrenching sobs.

Republished in Sail 25 and Other Stories, Spatterlight, 2012.

According to Foreverness the story was written at Amazing Stories’ editor’s request to fit an illustration. (ref) Presumably the cover, for which the ISFDB hosts an image here.

Republished in Sail 25 and Other Stories, Spatterlight, 2012.

Comments:

Wikipedia on Dragon masters:

It won the Hugo Award for Best Short Story in 1963. The story describes a human society living under pre-industrial conditions that has bred lizard-like intelligent aliens to function as warriors, and an encounter with a ship from the alien planet, containing both the same aliens, and humans bred by them for similar purposes. (accessed 15 March 2019)

Quote:

The apartments of Joaz Banbeck, carved deep from the heart of a limestone crag, consisted of five principal chambers, on five different levels. At the top were the reliquarium and a formal council chamber: the first a room of somber magnificence housing the various archives, trophies and mementos of the Banbecks; the second a long narrow hall, with dark wainscoting chest-high and a white plaster vault above, extending the entire width of the crag, so that balconies overlooked Banbeck Vale at one end and Kergan’s Way at the other.

The original publication in Galaxy came with a map.

The Dragon Masters in Galaxy, Internet Archive:

• https://archive.org/stream/Galaxy_v20n06_1962-08#page/n7/mode/2up

Republished by Spatterlight, 2012: The Dragon Masters.

Later expanded as The Blue World and as such published by Ballantine Books May 1966.

Quote:

   “I’ve got to see you, Mr. Burke—you or one of the scientists. One of the top scientists.” The man’s voice faded, then strengthened as if he had turned his head away from the mouth-piece as he spoke.
   “If you could explain your problem,” said Burke cautiously, “I might be able to help you.”
   “No,” said the man. “You’d tell me I was crazy. You’ve got to come out here. I promise you you’ll see something you’ve never imagined in your wildest dreams.”

Republished in Chateau d’If and Other Stories, Spatterlight, 2012.

Comments:

According to Foreverness Vance wrote the story in Tahiti. (ref)

Nebula Award for Best Novella.
Hugo Award for Best Novelette

Quote:

Castle Hagedorn occupied the crest of a black diorite crag overlooking a wide valley to the south. Larger, more majestic than Janeil, Hagedorn was protected by walls a mile in circumference and three hundred feet tall. The parapets stood a full nine hundred feet above the valley, with towers, turrets and observation eyries rising even higher. Two sides of the crag, at east and west, dropped sheer to the valley. The north and south slopes, a trifle less steep, were terraced and planted with vines, artichokes, pears and pomegranates. An avenue rising from the valley circled the crag and passed through a portal into the central plaza. Opposite stood the great Rotunda, with at either side the tall Houses of the twenty-eight families.

Republished The Last Castle, Spatterlight 2012.

→ The 1966 version at the Internet Archive

First published in the collection Rhialto the Marvellous, which contained:

• Foreword (original to the publication)
• The Murthe (original to the publication)
• Fader’s Waft (original to the publication)
• Morreion (first published 1973)

Republished in Rhialto the Marvellous, Spatterlight 2012.