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Aural Delights Nov 2008

The A Bertram Chandler Story UFO is now available as an audio podcast from Starship Sofa Aural Delights No 48
























     
I discovered ABC in 1971 when I encountered a copy of INTO THE ALTERNATE UNIVERSE at a friend's house, and was immediately hooked. I acquired 4 more (All Grimes novels) from my brother in law. I now have 35 books, and every time I come across one at a second hand bookstore is like finding buried treasure.
I hope to have all his work one day.
This site is a joy...more buried treasure!

Jerry F.Kolbe 1/13/2012 10:50:17 PM

Early Life

A Bertram Chandler was born on March 28, 1912 in Aldershot in the county of Hampshire, in England. Most of his early years were spent in the town of Beccles in Suffolk.
Every time I come to this website I find it better than before, ( I was the first person to sign the guest book over 8 years ago,). You are doing a great honor for both the man and his works and you well deserve a round of "pink gins" from all of us Chandler fans.


Thank you!!!!

Charlie Stauffer 3/18/2010 8:18:10 PM

The Rim Worlds

Surely you have been there!
Thank you for the site. ABC is one of my favorites and have read his work for a long time, used to wait for the next one to come out. My wee library is in a seperate building from the main house and will have a board above the door with the famous quote as soon as I can get around to it.

Mike Melick 11/7/2008 9:04:29 AM

Thrilling Science Fiction December 1972 - The Last Citizen

Mr Chandler always manages to add an extra "something" to his stories; an emotional scope that few authors achieve. He does this at times with a single phrase; a lone sentence. So we ask you - please don't read ahead of yourself in this story. Leave the last paragraph to the end.
David, the new version of the site looks great!

Except for the purple octopi from the next galaxy but three...

steve davidson 9/9/2008 10:05:00 AM

Other Worlds - Grimes Among the Gourmets

John Grimes is reminiscing with Kitty Kelly again, and this time the conversation turns to food!
I can't tell you when I first read about John Grimes but I know it was one of the Ace Doubles from the 1960's. It 40 years later and I prize those books. I don't know what the far future will be like but I like to think that somewhere,there is a place in time or other dimensions that Grimes universe lives. I just finished reareading The Big Black Mark and I want to go visit Botony Bay. "Jack" Chandlers been dead now for 24 years but in many ways like this he is immortal. I'm 59 now and for the rest of my life I get to rearead these stories that breathe life and live in my mind. Star Trek is to busy at times. The Lord of the Rings to fantastic.... but Commodore Grimes and his career seem plausible. I often wonder what would have happened it he and CS Forrester met. My one regret with all these stories and novels is that there is no complete edition to buy and read. I think that the think I like most about these stories is the humaness. We tend to idolize heros and these books show that that much of the time its the challenge that makes the man, and sometimes luck. Call it Grimes Luck.
It's too bad that Jack Chandler did not have time write a few more of these tales. But as with other writers like Gordon Dickson, Keith Laumer, each man or woman has their time.

We were in luck Captain Chandler was with us to share his unique view of the the world.

Jack... Bless Your Hide. If this be Liberty Hall... then I would shake your hand.

My name says I'm a Welshman,my genes say I'm
Northern Europena but as a born American as you are an Australian. I want to send you greeting from the United States to where or when or in what dimension of Universe God may have put you soul.

Gnight Mate


Wes Prichard 9/3/2008 2:48:26 AM

Analog, September 1970 - The Wandering Buoy

Actions - even enormously sophisticated - do not reveal the motivation that led to them. And even actions can be hair-raisingly mysterious.
The Hallichecki (sp?) were quite the villainous species (avian in origin) in "Space Mercenaries", a book I read im the mid-60's as a child. The bit of tech I liked was the psionic jammer, which was a bit of cat's brain in some sort of vial that raised havoc with the Hallichecki's psi powers. Find the primal fear and broadcast toward that seemed to be a good solution toward psi-powered species, like the Greys of UFO lore, if lore it be.

I also enjoyed how the blockaded planet was similar to Israel of that time, which was surrounded by hostile powers. The planet's name escapes me as it has been over 40 years since I read the book but it was an oasis of humanity in a hostile environment, which is a pretty good conflict situation to begin with but that conflict gets amplified by the nature of the Hallichecki, which resembles the worst of the Nazi/Communist tyrannies trying to stamp out free societies. Chandler, having seen the two World Wars, the Great Depression and the Cold War, does a fine job in bringing the raw emotions of the 20th century into a future setting in "Space Mercenaries". It gets a thumbs up as a good read for those interested in lesser-known works. I do wish this universe of Chandler's had been more fleshed out with further stories but only 3 were ever written as it turns out. What he did write was mighty fine though!

R.A. Pennington 7/30/2008 3:02:35 AM

To Sea

A Bertram Chandler left school at the age of 16 as an apprentice Sun Shipping Company (known to its personnel as the Bum Shipping Company) of London.
I have enjoyed the RIM series since the 1960s - and I am ordering the SFBC series to read on my airplane trips. It seems to me that ABC was a good person and a good writer. I would love to have met him and spoken with him. That's the problem with life - you cannot meet and interact with the number of fascinating (and genuinely good people) like ABC. Here's to ABC ...

Dan 1/10/2008 3:48:57 AM

A Bertram Chandler was one of those writers who never became a real "star". His fans are myriad, his books always sold, and long will he be remembered. But he was never a star writer. He did not win the prestigious American Awards, he wasn't reviewed by critics, he was just loved by those who read him.

Joe Billings
Mr Chandler was a gentleman who was always a pleasure to meet.
So happy to see this fine writer getting his due somewhat..


Peter Greenwood 10/11/2007 1:16:24 AM

Analog, August 1976 - The Far Traveller

Commander Grimes was at the eye of a storm; meaning that no matter which way he moved...
Great website, and quite a tribute to an unusual man. I'm a big Grimes fan, which of course makes me a big Chandler fan. I'll bet if ABC conjured "autobiographical notes" for himself, we'd discover a shirt-tail relationship to one "R. Chandler," mid 20th Century (old calendar) teller of sensational tales.

Ron Legro 9/28/2007 9:09:14 AM

Fantastic Adventures, June 1948 - The Tides of Time

They say that time is relative - but what if time is one of your relatives!
Baen has a second bundle of Grimes eBooks up. A low price for a lot of great adventures--Free Trader, Matilda's Stepchildren and more!

Fred Kiesche 9/25/2007 4:10:15 AM

Amazing, February 1961 - When the Dream Dies

It was Kemp's dream, although we shared part of it... It was a dream that is not unknown among spaceman as they ply their trade out and away from the well serviced shipping routes. It was a dream that some few spacemen have made come true.