Not quite “Complete”
In 2015, Open Road Media began publishing the series The Complete Short Fiction of Clifford D. Simak, which aimed to reprint all of his short stories and novellas. The series is edited by David W. Wixon, a friend of Simak’s and the executor of his literary estate. I have really enjoyed reading this series and would recommend it to any science fiction fan. There has been, however, one frustrating aspect to reading this series. Though projected to be 14 volumes, Open Road inexplicably stopped after publishing Volume 12 in 2017, leaving two books worth of stories left unreleased. Tired of waiting for Volume 13, I have decided to take matters into my own hands and track down Simak’s remaining short stories and novellas. Luckily, most of these works are in the public domain and can be read for free if you can find them online. Many of the old science fiction pulp magazines have been scanned by the Internet Archive. The same is not true, however, for other genres of pulp fiction. Below are the results of my best efforts in tracking down what’s left of Simak’s complete short fiction.
Science Fiction
Rule 18 (3 stars)
Short story originally published in Astounding Science Fiction, July 1938
In the 25th century, Earth has a football rivalry with Mars. A coach uses science to find a loophole in one of the league’s hard and fast rules. This is a well-written lighthearted piece, but contains some unfortunate racial stereotypes not uncommon for the 1930s.
Available at the Internet Archive
Clerical Error (2.5 stars)
Short story originally published in Astounding Science Fiction, August 1940
An error by a shipping clerk on Earth leaves a scientific outpost on Jupiter stranded without the precious metal it needs to survive, forcing them to launch a hunt for the element on the planet’s surface. This is a rather run-of-the-mill adventure story that just happens to be set on another planet.
Available at the Internet Archive
Masquerade, a.k.a. Operation Mercury (3 stars)
Short story originally published in Astounding Science Fiction, March 1941
An outpost of Earthmen who run a power station on Mercury have to deal with the local inhabitants, shape-shifting beings composed of pure energy. There’s also some confusing stuff about a “space warp” that just seems unnecessary to the plot, which is essentially a thriller along the lines of John Carpenter’s The Thing.
Available at the Internet Archive
Shadow of Life (3.5 stars)
Short story originally published in Astounding Science Fiction, March 1943
A group of archaeologists is conducting a dig on Mars, where the ruins of a great city are all that remain of an extinct Martian civilization, except for a lingering “Martian ghost.” One of the archaeological team is abducted by an alien and taken to other star systems where an evil is revealed that threatens life on Earth. Admirable for its ambitious story, but it kind of loses steam in the end.
Available at the Internet Archive
Infiltration (4 stars)
Short Story originally published in Science Fiction Stories, July 1943
A midwestern county fair sports a sideshow tent devoted to purported Martian animals. Everyone is sure it’s just a hoax until one of the creatures gets loose. Good old-fashioned monster-movie fun.
Available at the Internet Archive
Lobby (4 stars)
Short story originally published in Astounding Science Fiction, April 1944
A story about atomic power, written before Hiroshima. In the near future, one company has discovered the secret to safe and inexpensive atomic energy. The existing power industries, however, will do everything in their power to keep the new technology from being implemented. Remarkably prescient in its depiction of the political behavior of the oil industry.
Available at the Internet Archive
Mr. Meek Plays Polo (4.5 stars)
Short story originally published in Planet Stories, Fall 1944
Sequel to “Mr. Meek - Musketeer,” 1944
Mr. Meek, bookkeeper turned space tourist, stops for fuel at a Wild Western colony on the ring rocks of Saturn, where he is roped into participating in a “space polo” grudge match. A successful comedic effort in an interesting setting.
Available at the Internet Archive
Short story originally published in Startling Stories, November 1949
Earth explorers discover strange planets in another star system. Remnants of a technological civilization are present, including a mysterious planet-sized machine, but no inhabitants remain to tell the story of the beings who left these artifacts behind. The scientists investigate in an attempt to reconstruct the details of the alien culture.
Available online at the Luminist Archives
Short story originally published in Fantastic Adventures, January 1951
Eventually incorporated into Simak’s 1952 novel City. Thousands of years in the future, after mankind has left the Earth, the planet belongs to robots, dogs, and other animals, who barely remember the existence of man. In this installment of the City saga, ants also become a major player in the planet’s future.
Short story originally published in Space Science Fiction, September 1952
In a future world where all of man’s material needs have been satisfied and work is irrelevant, the biggest challenge to mankind is finding a way to occupy one’s time that fulfills the need for dignity and meaning. An interesting dystopia with a surprising twist towards the end.
Available at the Internet Archive
Short story originally published in Future Science Fiction, March 1953
In a future in which mankind is just one insignificant inhabitant of a diverse galaxy, an interplanetary team of explorers discovers archaeological evidence of the first humans who left Earth thousands of years earlier. A human member of the team hopes the find will shed light on the glory and purpose of mankind. This story is quintessential Simak, a philosophical reconciling of his interest in futuristic sci-fi and his love for a pastoral Midwestern lifestyle.
Available at the Internet Archive
Short story originally published in The Magazine of Science Fiction and Fantasy, November 1953
Available at the Internet Archive
Novella originally published in Galaxy Science Fiction, June 1957
Humorous story about three space travelers who are held captive when their spaceship/computer falls in love with them. Mildly funny at first, but it goes on way too long.
Available at the Internet Archive
Novella originally published in Galaxy Science Fiction, January 1958
Previously reviewed at Old Books by Dead Guys
Available at Project Gutenberg
Novella originally published in Amazing Stories, October 1960
The narrator is a prospector on the Moon, where there is a sort of Wild West colony of those who hunt down valuable minerals, as well as lichens with medicinal properties. In addition to the lichens, there is life on the Moon in the form of glittering energy beings who are content to offer themselves as pets for the humans. The story involves a treasure hunt into the mysterious Tycho crater. This is a suspenseful adventure tale, but its fanciful depiction of the Moon seems pretty farfetched for 1960, demonstrating just how little we knew about the Moon before the Apollo missions.
Available at the Internet Archive
Short story originally published in Analog Science Fiction, March 1961
Available at the Internet Archive
Short story originally published in HKLPLOD #4, Summer 1963
Originally published in a rare fanzine, this story was rediscovered in later years, but has only been republished in Russian translation. I haven’t been able to find a copy.
Short story originally published in Galaxy Magazine, April 1969
The narrator, a small-town lawyer, is consulted when his Uncle George inexplicably comes into possession of buckets of diamonds, a valuable painting, and other unusual objects. Although George is accused of theft, no one can figure out where the riches came from or prove that they are not his rightful property. A fun story with some interesting sci-fi twists.
Available at the Internet Archive
Short story originally published in the collection Astounding: John W. Campbell Memorial Anthology, edited by Harry Harrison, 1973
Eventually incorporated into later editions of Simak’s novel City. Follows “The Trouble with Ants” (see above). Taking place tens of thousands of years in the future, this story reveals the fate of Jenkins, the robot protagonist of City. Read the novel, one of Simak’s best.
Novella originally published in the collection Threads of Time, edited by Robert Silverberg, 1974
A woodsy area in Wisconsin serves as a vacation destination for a small community of professors and writers, but no one knows anything about the inhabitants of one conspicuous lodge. When the caretaker is found dead, however, it launches an investigation into the lodge, where some mysterious artifacts are found. Elements of mystery, horror, and science fiction are entwined into an ingenious story full of intriguing ideas.
Available at the Internet Archive
Non-Science Fiction
Jazz (2.5 stars)
Poem originally published in The Fig-Leaf, December 1922
This brief poem was Simak’s first published literary work. He was 18 years old at the time. The Fig-Leaf was a 32-page booklet published in Lancaster, Wisconsin. Maybe a high school publication?
A copy of the poem (but not The Fig-Leaf) is available online at
https://www.sffchronicles.com/threads/549645/page-32#post-2152473 (scroll down)
A Bomb for No. 10 Downing
Originally published in Sky Fighters, September 1942
Presumably a World War II thriller. I haven’t been able to find a copy.
Smoke Killer
Originally published in Lariat Story Magazine, May 1944
A Western story. I haven’t been able to find a copy.
The Fighting Doc of Bushwack Basin
Originally published in .44 Western Magazine, November 1944
A Western story. I haven’t been able to find a copy.
simak smoke killer in Lariat is a Luminist Archive Pulp section
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