was very surprised by this; a tight story with a very intelligent, logical progression. The characters are done well enough to tell them apart. It is rushed in places, and it could have been expanded, I think. There are some brief but very well-done rough action sequences. (See below.) I was slightly lost during the discussion of the immune test they devised with the dog blood. Enough that it drew me out of the narrative. But that may be my own lack of scientific knowledge. Still, it was great fun from beginning to end.
Two excerpts that stood out to me:
The opening paragraphs:
The place stank. A queer, mingled stench that only the ice-buried cabins of an Antarctic camp know, compounded of reeking human sweat, and the heavy, fish-oil stench of melted seal blubber. An overtone of liniment combated the musty smell of sweat-and-snow-drenched furs. The acrid odor of burned cooking-fat, and the animal, not-unpleasant smell of dogs, diluted by time, hung in the air.
Lingering odors of machine oil contrasted sharply with the taint of harness dressing and leather. Yet, somehow, through all that reek of human beings and their associates--dogs, machines, and cooking--came another taint. It was a queer, neck-ruffling thing, a faintest suggestion of an odor alien among the smells of industry and life. And it was a life-smell. But it came from the thing that lay bound with cord and tarpaulin on the table, dripping slowly, methodically onto the heavy planks, dank and gaunt under the unshielded glare of the electric light.
(excerpt from later in the story)
Connant stopped at the bend in the corridor. His breath hissed suddenly through his throat. "Great God--" The revolver exploded thunderously; three numbing, palpable waves of sound crashed through the confined corridors. Two more. The revolver dropped to the hard-packed snow of the trail, and Barclay saw the ice-ax shift into defensive position. Connant's powerful body blocked his vision, but beyond he heard something mewing, and, insanely, chuckling. The dogs were quieter; there was a deadly seriousness in their low snarls. Taloned feet scratched at hard-packed snow, broken chains were clinking and tangling.
Connant shifted abruptly, and Barclay could see what lay beyond. For a second he stood frozen, then his breath went out in a gusty curse. The thing launched itself at Connant and the powerful arms of the man swung the ice-ax flat-side first at what might have been a head. It scrunched horribly, and the tattered flesh, ripped by a half-dozen savage huskies, leaped to its feet again. The red eyes blazed with an unearthly hatred, an unearthly, unkillable vitality.
If you like this kind of writing, be sure to put this story on your list.
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Reviews with images
This short story was the basis for the 1951 science fiction movie classic, ’The Thing’!
An excellent, short sci-fi read!
Top reviews from other countries
Luis
Excelente
Reviewed in Mexico on February 6, 2024
Luis
Reviewed in Mexico on February 6, 2024
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