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sexton_blake's review
4.0
The title is a bit of a misnomer, as this definitely isn’t the best of John Wyndham. What it is, is an anthology that explicitly sets out to showcase his development as a writer between the years 1932 and 1960, and in that, it’s very successful. The first two of the twelve tales are fairly standard “Amazing Stories” style fare, but from the third onward, Wyndham’s distinctive voice starts to emerge. My favourite is PAWLEY’S PEEPHOLES (also collected in THE SEEDS OF TIME), in which a town turns the tables on time-travelling tourists who treat it like a carnival sideshow. There’s much more in the way of space and rocket ships here than a reader of the author’s novels might expect, but it’s all good entertaining stuff. Dated, of course, but fun.
lordofthemoon's review
4.0
This is a posthumous collection of Wyndham's best short stories. Wyndham has a dry and somewhat humorous tone that very much fits these stories, although I oddly heard some of his stories in an American accent, despite the man being a very British gent (and I never had the issue with any of his novels). In the collection, Close Behind Him was really rather creepy, while there's a humour and playfulness about The Perfect Creature and Pawley's Peepholes which is endearing. A good collection from an excellent author.
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