A Bertram Chandler - Guest Book

I have recently started to read his novels in a random fashion. I like the style especially the Aussie dialog coming from Brisvegas its tops. Readin his books only a hand full. It prompt me to seach for info on the man. Great site glad its here Nigel Perrett 11/15/2012 10:09:32 AM "Out of the frying pan and into the washing up water" from Matilda's Stepchildren
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 John W Campbell During the second world war Chandler's favourite magazine was Astonding. In 1944 he called on John Campbell in New York in his capacity as a Faithful Reader. Campbell mentioned he was short of material and Chandler's first story "This Means War" was written during his trip back to England across the Atlantic.
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 Kangaroos Don't Smoke Long, long ago, when the emus flew And koala bears had tails, Before that bloke called Captain Cook Had landed in New South Wales, Before that hound, the dingo, found Trees south of Capricorn, Before the rabbits sexual habits Made graziers forlorn; Long, long before steam, sail or oar Surged under The Bridge's span, There passed a race who left no trace -- The true, Marsupial Man.
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 Astounding, April 1948 - New Wings It's "any port in a storm" but if the ports too harsh, the refugees may never quite get the courage to try again for another port --
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 Void 3 1976 - Kelly Country A tale of an alternative Australia where the outlaw Ned Kelly survived at Glenrowan.
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 Naked And now, at long, long last A dark-skinned, silver-haired, indubitably mammalian wench with, in the background, a snarling cat’s face and with the shadow of a rocketship railing over the girl’s naked body. A B Chandler writing about Book Covers
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 The Streaker - A.B. Chandler My heart leapt up when I beheld A streaker in the street, A bushy-pussied brunette With a figure nudely neat
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 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.
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 "... out on the Galactic Rim things are very iffy and if you fart really hard your're liable to blow yourself on to an Alternate Time Track." A. Bertram Chandler
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 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.

I have recently started to read his novels in a random fashion. I like the style especially the Aussie dialog coming from Brisvegas its tops. Readin his books only a hand full. It prompt me to seach for info on the man. Great site glad its here

Nigel Perrett 11/15/2012 10:09:32 AM

"Out of the frying pan and into the washing up water"

from Matilda's Stepchildren

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

John W Campbell

During the second world war Chandler's favourite magazine was Astonding. In 1944 he called on John Campbell in New York in his capacity as a Faithful Reader. Campbell mentioned he was short of material and Chandler's first story "This Means War" was written during his trip back to England across the Atlantic.

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

Kangaroos Don't Smoke

Long, long ago, when the emus flew
And koala bears had tails,
Before that bloke called Captain Cook
Had landed in New South Wales,
Before that hound, the dingo, found
Trees south of Capricorn,
Before the rabbits sexual habits
Made graziers forlorn;
Long, long before steam, sail or oar
Surged under The Bridge's span,
There passed a race who left no trace
-- The true, Marsupial Man.

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

Astounding, April 1948 - New Wings

It's "any port in a storm" but if the ports too harsh, the refugees may never quite get the courage to try again for another port --

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

Void 3 1976 - Kelly Country

A tale of an alternative Australia where the outlaw Ned Kelly survived at Glenrowan.

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

Naked

And now, at long, long last
A dark-skinned, silver-haired, indubitably mammalian wench with, in the background, a snarling cat’s face and with the shadow of a rocketship railing over the girl’s naked body.

A B Chandler writing about Book Covers

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

The Streaker - A.B. Chandler

My heart leapt up when I beheld
A streaker in the street,
A bushy-pussied brunette
With a figure nudely neat

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

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.

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

"... out on the Galactic Rim things are very iffy and if you fart really hard your're liable to blow yourself on to an Alternate Time Track."

A. Bertram Chandler

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

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.