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Rating: 
Summary: selections from a life's work
Review: These days, if Leiber is remembered at all, he's best known for
his sword & sorcery stories of Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser,
published over a period of many years. The Fafhrd & Grey Mouser
stories are very entertaining, and I'm glad to have them, but
Leiber did so much more than that._The Best of Fritz Leiber_, published originally by Ballentine &
Doubleday back in 1974, tried to do a good job of selecting his
"best" and most representative stories published in science
fiction and science fantasy. I would call the result a qualified success. I say this not
because there's anything wrong with the stories selected. All
the stories selected belong in such a collection. The
qualifications to success arise from three sources: 1) Several of Leiber's best stories were left out apparently for
no considerations other than those of space. I'd mention the
1968 Hugo Award-winning story "Ship of Shadows" in particular,
and perhaps his long novella, "You're All Alone." 2) Leiber wasn't a one dimensional writer: he wrote excellent
science fiction, science fantasy, and horror. Some of his very
best work was excluded because of the restriction that this
collection contain only science fiction and science fantasy.
This restriction caused them to drop stories like "Smoke Ghost,"
"The Sixty-Four Square Madhouse," "The Girl with the Hungry
Eyes," "The Black Gondolier," and "Ill Met in Lankhmar." 3) Leiber lived for another 16 years after this book was
published. This isn't a complaint. It's an observation: Leiber
surprised us by actually writing some of his better stories in
the years that followed this collection. I'll mention a few:
"Catch that Zeppelin!" and "Belsen Express." So the title of this book is a bit inaccurate. Still, it's
a good book. A pity it's out of print. I'd encourage people
who like this book to search out Leiber's story collections
to get a more complete and accurate idea of his achievement.
Rating:
Summary: selections from a life's work
Review: These days, if Leiber is remembered at all, he's best known for
his sword & sorcery stories of Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser,
published over a period of many years. The Fafhrd & Grey Mouser
stories are very entertaining, and I'm glad to have them, but
Leiber did so much more than that. _The Best of Fritz Leiber_, published originally by Ballentine &
Doubleday back in 1974, tried to do a good job of selecting his
"best" and most representative stories published in science
fiction and science fantasy. I would call the result a qualified success. I say this not
because there's anything wrong with the stories selected. All
the stories selected belong in such a collection. The
qualifications to success arise from three sources: 1) Several of Leiber's best stories were left out apparently for
no considerations other than those of space. I'd mention the
1968 Hugo Award-winning story "Ship of Shadows" in particular,
and perhaps his long novella, "You're All Alone." 2) Leiber wasn't a one dimensional writer: he wrote excellent
science fiction, science fantasy, and horror. Some of his very
best work was excluded because of the restriction that this
collection contain only science fiction and science fantasy.
This restriction caused them to drop stories like "Smoke Ghost,"
"The Sixty-Four Square Madhouse," "The Girl with the Hungry
Eyes," "The Black Gondolier," and "Ill Met in Lankhmar." 3) Leiber lived for another 16 years after this book was
published. This isn't a complaint. It's an observation: Leiber
surprised us by actually writing some of his better stories in
the years that followed this collection. I'll mention a few:
"Catch that Zeppelin!" and "Belsen Express." So the title of this book is a bit inaccurate. Still, it's
a good book. A pity it's out of print. I'd encourage people
who like this book to search out Leiber's story collections
to get a more complete and accurate idea of his achievement.
Rating: 
Summary: Fantasy & Scifi short stories
Review: To be entirely honest, i've not read all of these stories before, though a surprising number of them were curiously familiar to me; i have read more Leiber, apparently, than i had thought. So, having read and been reminded, do i enjoy Leiber? and why? For the most part, i think the answer must be a qualified "yes, i do"; there are exceptions, though. He is more fantasy than straight science fiction; the latter is what i prefer, generally. Specifics: There is a charming little story here written from the perspective of a cat (what is it about cats that forces people like Leiber or Heinlein to inflict them on normal society?); horrible subject, but beautifully handled. Several stories here that show several scenarios of the future (from the 'Fifties) after the Third World War; none of them attractive. There are a couple of tales which bother me, because they really don't seem to have a plot ~ a certain weakness for fiction! ~ and therefore do not carry my attention at all. "The Good New Days" is one of these; "The Foxholes of Mars" is another. No pleasure. But, i hasten to add, stories such as "Poor Superman" or "The Ship Sails at Midnight" or "Sanity" or "The Man Who Never Grew Young" bring a lovely amount of pleasure. Overall, fun book.
Rating:
Summary: Fantasy & Scifi short stories
Review: To be entirely honest, i've not read all of these stories before, though a surprising number of them were curiously familiar to me; i have read more Leiber, apparently, than i had thought. So, having read and been reminded, do i enjoy Leiber? and why? For the most part, i think the answer must be a qualified "yes, i do"; there are exceptions, though. He is more fantasy than straight science fiction; the latter is what i prefer, generally. Specifics: There is a charming little story here written from the perspective of a cat (what is it about cats that forces people like Leiber or Heinlein to inflict them on normal society?); horrible subject, but beautifully handled. Several stories here that show several scenarios of the future (from the 'Fifties) after the Third World War; none of them attractive. There are a couple of tales which bother me, because they really don't seem to have a plot ~ a certain weakness for fiction! ~ and therefore do not carry my attention at all. "The Good New Days" is one of these; "The Foxholes of Mars" is another. No pleasure. But, i hasten to add, stories such as "Poor Superman" or "The Ship Sails at Midnight" or "Sanity" or "The Man Who Never Grew Young" bring a lovely amount of pleasure. Overall, fun book.
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