Strangers and Beggars gathers together for the first time seventeen stories — one of them previously unpublished — by new talent, James Van Pelt, showcasing his explorations in science fiction, fantasy and horror. Human, compassionate and imaginative, Strangers and Beggars is a must-have collection from one of science fiction's most interesting newcomers.
Jim Van Pelt's first collection, Strangers and Beggars, was voted one of the Best Books of 2003 by the American Library Association. Now, in this new collection, Van Pelt continues to explore the ever-changing boundaries of science fiction, fantasy and horror. Van Pelt is one of the best writers of speculative fiction writing today. The Last of the O-Forms is an important collection filled with stories that transport us to far-flung worlds and to the harder-to-find inner worlds that define the human condition. Finalist for the 2007 Colorado Blue Spruce Award for fiction.
Mixing straight-forward science fiction ideas, such as search for habitable planets, the terra-forming of Venus, and a time-traveling substitute teacher, along with fantasy concepts, such as saving the Earth from nuclear destruction through supernatural sacrifice, a teen werewolf agonizing over attending prom on the night of the full moon, or a young boy who denies his polio by listening to a radio magician, to tales of horror where a pair of fathers have both lost sons, or an inn so vast that a man may never find his wife, The Radio Magician and Other Stories showcases James Van Pelt's wide-ranging talent as a tale spinner of the fantastic.
