[Libs-Or] Stumper

Tue Nov 10 10:54:35 PST 2015

I'm wondering if it is one of the Dorsai novellas (Childe Cycle) written by Gordon R. Dickson. See the ISFDB for all the titles at Gordon R. Dickson - Summary Bibliography

FYI, the Speculative Fiction Database has editors who compare to Clute and Nicholls (1995) The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, The Locus Index to Science Fiction (sometimes called the Contento indexes from when they were on CD-ROM.) 

I checked Clark Ashton Smith's The Immortals of Mercury, which is a collection of his stories, in Clute and Nicholls (1995.) He appears to have written mainly planetary romances (AKA space opera on a planet) that were published in Weird Tales and other pulps in the 1930s. 

I do wonder if the patron is missremembering two stories as one (computer interview and the desert planet being separate stories.) If so, he many be remembering an anthology or a collection. It may be there are connected stories. 

It also reminds me of the Jack Vance's Planet of Adventure stories, which as per ISFDB were:Planet of Adventure   
   -  1 City of the Chasch (1968) also appeared as:      
      -  Variant Title: Chasch (1986)
      -  Variant Title: The Chasch (2005)

   -  2 Servants of the Wankh (1969) also appeared as:      
      -  Variant Title: Wankh (1986)
      -  Variant Title: The Wannek (2005)

   -  3 The Dirdir (1969)
   -  4 The Pnume (1970)
   -  Tschaï 1 [French] (1971) [O] 
   -  Tschaï 2 [French] (1971) [O] 
   -  Planet of Adventure (1973) [O/1,2,3,4] also appeared as:      
      -  Variant Title: Tschai (2005) [O] 

 The Planet of Adventure stories were collected and rereleased in 1993 by Tor under Planet of Adventure (see http://www.worldcat.org/title/planet-of-adventure/oclc/28376677). If I remember correctly, there is a computer scene and a desert but I can't remember running fast. The protagonist has lots of training but not special powers. 

Marta
 Marta Murvosh, MLS
librarian and freelance writer
murvosh at yahoo.com360-610-9642 - mobile
Everett, WA - Pacific Time zone
Linkedin - Facebook - Website

      From: "Feinman, Todd" <tfeinman at ci.oswego.or.us>
 To: "'Hartley, Melissa'" <melissa.hartley at oregonstate.edu>; 'Holly Campbell-Polivka' <Hollyc at tigard-or.gov>; "'libs-or (libs-or at listsmart.osl.state.or.us)'" <libs-or at listsmart.osl.state.or.us>; "'child at wccls.org'" <child at wccls.org> 
 Sent: Monday, November 9, 2015 1:17 PM
 Subject: Re: [Libs-Or] Stumper

#yiv5800382420 #yiv5800382420 -- _filtered #yiv5800382420 {panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;} _filtered #yiv5800382420 {font-family:Calibri;panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;} _filtered #yiv5800382420 {font-family:Tahoma;panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;} _filtered #yiv5800382420 {panose-1:2 15 7 4 3 5 4 3 2 4;} _filtered #yiv5800382420 {} _filtered #yiv5800382420 {}#yiv5800382420 #yiv5800382420 p.yiv5800382420MsoNormal, #yiv5800382420 li.yiv5800382420MsoNormal, #yiv5800382420 div.yiv5800382420MsoNormal {margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;font-size:12.0pt;}#yiv5800382420 h1 {margin-right:0in;margin-left:0in;font-size:24.0pt;font-weight:bold;}#yiv5800382420 a:link, #yiv5800382420 span.yiv5800382420MsoHyperlink {color:blue;text-decoration:underline;}#yiv5800382420 a:visited, #yiv5800382420 span.yiv5800382420MsoHyperlinkFollowed {color:purple;text-decoration:underline;}#yiv5800382420 p {margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;font-size:12.0pt;}#yiv5800382420 span.yiv5800382420Heading1Char {font-weight:bold;}#yiv5800382420 span.yiv5800382420EmailStyle19 {color:black;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;}#yiv5800382420 span.yiv5800382420EmailStyle20 {color:#1F497D;}#yiv5800382420 span.yiv5800382420addmd1 {}#yiv5800382420 span.yiv5800382420EmailStyle22 {color:#1F497D;}#yiv5800382420 .yiv5800382420MsoChpDefault {font-size:10.0pt;} _filtered #yiv5800382420 {margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}#yiv5800382420 div.yiv5800382420WordSection1 {}#yiv5800382420 Here is a link to an excerpt:
https://books.google.com/books?id=c-4S3ApCsy8C&pg=PT6&dq=desert+planet+leathery+skin+powers&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CCAQ6AEwATgKahUKEwjpldSLoYTJAhXHRogKHc8VCnU#v=onepage&q=desert%20planet%20leathery%20skin%20powers&f=false       

From: Libs-Or [mailto:libs-or-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us]On Behalf Of Feinman, Todd
Sent: Monday, November 09, 2015 1:16 PM
To: 'Hartley, Melissa' <melissa.hartley at oregonstate.edu>; 'Holly Campbell-Polivka' <Hollyc at tigard-or.gov>; 'libs-or (libs-or at listsmart.osl.state.or.us)' <libs-or at listsmart.osl.state.or.us>; 'child at wccls.org' <child at wccls.org>
Subject: Re: [Libs-Or] Stumper    Could it be
The Immortals of Mercury  By Clark Ashton Smith    Best regards,    
|   | Todd Feinman Reference Librarian 503.675.2535 tfeinman at ci.oswego.or.us  706 4th Street Lake Oswego OR 97034  |

            From: Libs-Or [mailto:libs-or-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us]On Behalf Of Hartley, Melissa
Sent: Friday, November 06, 2015 4:46 PM
To: 'Holly Campbell-Polivka' <Hollyc at tigard-or.gov>; 'libs-or (libs-or at listsmart.osl.state.or.us)' <libs-or at listsmart.osl.state.or.us>; 'child at wccls.org' <child at wccls.org>
Subject: Re: [Libs-Or] Stumper    How about:  Dune / by Frank Herbert?  First published 1965.    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dune_%28novel%29       Desert planet Hot atmosphere Leathery skin Magic substance that gives powers    Melissa Hartley CDSS Valley Library Oregon State University       From: Libs-Or [mailto:libs-or-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us]On Behalf Of Holly Campbell-Polivka
Sent: Friday, November 06, 2015 4:16 PM
To: libs-or (libs-or at listsmart.osl.state.or.us);child at wccls.org
Subject: [Libs-Or] Stumper    Hi Great Brain,   I'm hoping someone can help me out with this stumper.   Here is what I know:   The juvenile science fiction book (or short story) begins with a guy being interviewed by a computer. He is sent to some sort of desert planet or desert world that is inhabited by beings with leather skin. It is very hot there, but there is a fruit he can eat that helps him tolerate the heat and also makes him be able to go very fast.   The patron is a gentleman who I would guess is in his 50s or 60s, and he read it as a kid, so I would guess it was probably published in the 1960s or before.   I did a google search and was able to find somebody else on a science fiction forum searching for what I believe may be the same book. The clue I got from that was that the person thinks the planet or world may be called something like Alpha. But I'm not sure if this is just a false lead or not. I'm wondering if the author possibly could be Robert Silverberg, and if the story may be Revolt on Alpha C, but I can't find enough of a description to find out whether it matches the patron's description, and when he reads the description, it doesn't ring a bell with him.   Any ideas?   Holly Polivka Youth Services Librarian Tigard Public Library    
DISCLAIMER: E-mails sent or received by City of Tigard employees are subject to public record laws. If requested, e-mail may be disclosed to another party unless exempt from disclosure under Oregon Public Records Law. E-mails are retained by the City of Tigard in compliance with the Oregon Administrative Rules “City General Records Retention Schedule.” PUBLIC RECORDS LAW DISCLOSURE This e-mail is a public record of the City of Lake Oswego and is subject to public disclosure unless exempt from disclosure under Oregon Public Records Law. This email is subject to the State Retention Schedule. PUBLIC RECORDS LAW DISCLOSURE This e-mail is a public record of the City of Lake Oswego and is subject to public disclosure unless exempt from disclosure under Oregon Public Records Law. This email is subject to the State Retention Schedule.
_____________________________________________________
Libs-Or mailing list
Libs-Or at listsmart.osl.state.or.us
http://listsmart.osl.state.or.us/mailman/listinfo/libs-or
Hosted by the Oregon State Library. The Library is not responsible for content.
Questions related to message content should be directed to list owner(s) or the sender of the message, by phone or email.
Technical questions? Call 503-378-8800.

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://omls.oregon.gov/pipermail/libs-or/attachments/20151110/e6130d9c/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.png
Type: image/png
Size: 18002 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <https://omls.oregon.gov/pipermail/libs-or/attachments/20151110/e6130d9c/attachment.png>