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Sam Merwin, Jr. (1910–1996)

Author of The House of Many Worlds

116+ Works 535 Members 16 Reviews

About the Author

Disambiguation Notice:

Samuel Kimball Merwin Jr. (1910-1996), American mystery fiction writer and science fiction author and editor. He mostly published fiction as Sam Merwin, Jr., but his pseudonyms included Elizabeth Deare Bennett, Matt Lee, Jacques Jean Ferrat, and Carter Sprague

Note that this is not the same person as Samuel Merwin (1874-1936), who is his father. Be careful not to combine them. Thanks.

Series

Works by Sam Merwin, Jr.

The House of Many Worlds (1951) 66 copies
The Stars Are Ours! / 3 Faces of Time (1955) — Contributor — 40 copies
The Time Shifters (1971) 34 copies
The White Widows (1953) 17 copies
Killer to come (1953) 13 copies
A World Apart (2016) 9 copies
Chauvinisto (1976) 9 copies
Startling Stories, Summer 1946 (1946) — Editor — 8 copies
Satellite Science Fiction October 1956 (1956) — Editor — 8 copies
3 Faces of Time (1953) 8 copies
Thrilling Wonder Stories, June 1948 (1948) — Editor — 7 copies
Startling Stories, March 1951 (2014) — Editor; Contributor — 7 copies
Fantastic Universe June-July 1953 (1953) — Editor — 7 copies
Thrilling Wonder Stories, June 1947 (1947) — Editor — 6 copies
Thrilling Wonder Stories, August 1948 — Editor — 6 copies
The Ambassador (2020) 6 copies
Startling Stories, January 1947 — Editor — 6 copies
The Final Figure (2012) 6 copies
Thrilling Wonder Stories, December 1947 (1947) — Editor — 6 copies
Fantastic Story Quarterly, Summer 1950 (1950) — Editor — 5 copies
Thrilling Wonder Stories, August 1949 — Editor — 5 copies
Thrilling Wonder Stories, June 1949 (1949) — Editor — 5 copies
Startling Stories, November 1947 (1947) — Editor — 5 copies
A Matter of Policy (1946) 5 copies
Startling Stories, January 1948 (1948) — Editor — 4 copies
Startling Stories, September 1950 (1950) — Editor — 4 copies
Thrilling Wonder Stories, August 1947 — Editor — 4 copies
Startling Stories, May 1948 (1948) — Editor — 4 copies
Thrilling Wonder Stories, June 1950 (1950) — Editor — 4 copies
The Sex War 4 copies
Regatta Summer (1974) 4 copies
Startling Stories, Summer 1945 (1945) — Editor — 3 copies
Startling Stories, Winter 1945 (1945) — Editor — 3 copies
Satellite Science Fiction December 1956 (1956) — Editor — 3 copies
Fantastic Story Quarterly, Winter 1951 (1951) — Editor — 3 copies
Startling Stories, July 1948 (1948) — Editor — 3 copies
Judas Ram (1950) 3 copies
Reel Life Films (2010) 3 copies
It's All Yours (1956) 3 copies
Wonder Story Annual 1950 (1950) 3 copies
Thrilling Wonder Stories, August 1951 (1951) — Editor — 2 copies
Startling Stories, November 1949 (1949) — Editor — 2 copies
Thrilling Wonder Stories, Fall 1945 (1945) — Editor — 2 copies
Fantastic Story Magazine, Fall 1951 — Editor — 2 copies
Thrilling Wonder Stories, Spring 1945 — Editor — 2 copies
Murder in Miniatures (1940) 2 copies
Startling Stories, January 1950 (1950) — Editor — 2 copies
Fantastic Story Quarterly, Fall 1950 (1950) — Editor — 2 copies
Startling Stories, Fall 1945 (1945) — Editor — 2 copies
The Passer (1962) 1 copy
A Knife In My Back (1950) 1 copy
Lambikin 1 copy

Associated Works

Masters of Science Fiction (1964) — Contributor — 30 copies
Galaxy Science Fiction 1950 December, Vol. 1, No. 3 (1950) — Contributor — 13 copies
Startling Stories, September 1951 (1951) — Contributor — 7 copies
Science Fiction Stories November 1956 — Contributor — 4 copies
Fantastic Story Magazine, July 1953 (1953) — Contributor — 2 copies

Tagged

Common Knowledge

Canonical name
Merwin, Sam, Jr.
Legal name
Merwin, Samuel Kimball, Jr.
Other names
Merwin, Sam
Bennett, Elizabeth Deare (pseudonym)
Lee, Matt (pseudonym)
Ferrat, Jacques Jean (pseudonym)
Flam, Vincent (pseudonym)
Sprague, Carter (show all 7)
Sprague, Carter, III
Birthdate
1910-04-28
Date of death
1996-01-13
Gender
male
Nationality
USA
Birthplace
Plainfield, New Jersey, USA
Place of death
Los Angeles, California, USA
Occupations
editor
writer
Relationships
Merwin, Samuel (father)
Awards and honors
Hugo Nominee (Professional Editor, Retro-Hugo, [1946], 1996)
Disambiguation notice
Samuel Kimball Merwin Jr. (1910-1996), American mystery fiction writer and science fiction author and editor. He mostly published fiction as Sam Merwin, Jr., but his pseudonyms included Elizabeth Deare Bennett, Matt Lee, Jacques Jean Ferrat, and Carter Sprague

Note that this is not the same person as Samuel Merwin (1874-1936), who is his father. Be careful not to combine them. Thanks.

Members

Reviews

More science fiction from 1951 and Sam Merwin's The House of many worlds contained a few surprises. Merwin was an American mystery fiction writer who also crossed over into science fiction; The House of Many Worlds is probably his best known book and is an imaginative plot driven story that rattles along to its conclusion.

Elspeth Marriner poetess and journalist is sent along with photographer Mack Fraser to cover mysterious events along the South Carolina coastline. They are directed to a house on an offshore island which proves to be a gateway to several parallel worlds. The master of the house tells them that they must deliver some important information to a rebel leader to stop a major conflict. They discover an America that has developed differently to their own country; there was a divergence in 1814 and the country to which they have been transported is called the Columbian Republic. They are equipped with a car that can power up to become an aeroplane in a country that has missed out on developing an heavier than air flying machine. This is a bargaining chip that should strengthen the hand of the rebels. The adventure begins when they arrive at the beautiful city of Baton Rouge. The story becomes more complex when a third parallel world must be visited in order to gain access to more technology to avert a catastrophe in the Columbian Republic.

Elspeth Marriner and Mack Fraser are an unlikely couple, but their different skill sets make them a good team and they gradually come to realise that they can work together. The book is subtitled an Elspeth Marriner novel and she is the strongest character, unusual in science fiction from this era. The unlikely couple are helped along the way by Juana from the mystery house who acts as an adviser, with links to the other worlds. Mack Fraser's roughneck approach to life is called into question, but he has his uses as a technical expert and muscle when needed. The novel has a more enlightened view towards racial differences, with Juana saying that the biggest problem in all the parallel worlds is the slow movement towards racial equality. Elspeth falls in love with the black general of the rebel army and one wonders if these viewpoints hindered the popularity of the novel. However let's not get too carried away, because it is an adventure story at the end of the day, easy to read, but perhaps more subtle than some. I enjoyed the story and so 3 stars.
… (more)
 
Flagged
baswood | Mar 6, 2023 |
Contents

11 • Against the Fall of Night • Arthur C. Clarke
71 • The Stubborn Men • Robert Moore Williams
74 • Humpty Dumpty Had a Great Fall • Frank Belknap Long
88 • Dormant • A. E. van Vogt
98 • Ring Around the Redhead • John D. MacDonald
110 • The Isotope Men (1933) • Festus Pragnell
131 • The Visitor • Ray Bradbury
139 • The Unspeakable McInch • Jack Vance
 
Flagged
Thomas64 | Aug 8, 2012 |
Contents

11 • The Man in the Iron Cap • Murray Leinster
68 • Through the Purple Cloud (1931) • Jack Williamson
77 • Chaos • John Russell Fearn [as Polton Cross ]
86 • Anastomosis • Clyde Beck
 
Flagged
Thomas64 | Aug 8, 2012 |
Contents

9 • Mr. Zytztz Goes to Mars • Noel Loomis
39 • Regulations • Murray Leinster
46 • Happy Ending • Henry Kuttner
56 • Memory • Theodore Sturgeon
69 • The Earth Men [The Martian Chronicles] • Ray Bradbury
78 • Climate - Incorporated • George O. Smith [as Wesley Long ]
96 • The Devil of East Lupton, Vermont • Murray Leinster [as William Fitzgerald ]
104 • The Ionian Cycle • William Tenn
119 • The Rotohouse [Oona and Jick] • Margaret St. Clair… (more)
 
Flagged
Thomas64 | Aug 5, 2012 |

Lists

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Associated Authors

Earle Bergey Cover artist
Margaret St. Clair Contributor
Henry Kuttner Contributor
Arthur C. Clarke Contributor
Edmond Hamilton Contributor
Murray Leinster Contributor
Ray Bradbury Contributor
John D. MacDonald Contributor
Ed Valigursky Cover artist
Philip K. Dick Contributor
William F. Temple Contributor
Leigh Brackett Contributor
Jack Vance Contributor
Arthur K. Barnes Contributor
Dal Stivens Contributor
Isaac Asimov Contributor
Algis Budrys Contributor
Eric Frank Russell Contributor
August Derleth Contributor
Fredric Brown Contributor
Raymond F. Jones Contributor
Cleve Cartmill Contributor
William Morrison Contributor
Mack Reynolds Contributor
Curtis W. Casewit Contributor
Jack Williamson Contributor
A. E. van Vogt Contributor
Polton Cross Contributor
James Blish Contributor
B.M. Hoffmann Contributor
Doris L. Goldberg Contributor
Herbert Harris Contributor
Bill Pronzini Contributor
James McKimmey Contributor
Art Crockett Contributor
Jeanne F. Capron Contributor

Statistics

Works
116
Also by
6
Members
535
Popularity
#46,549
Rating
½ 3.4
Reviews
16
ISBNs
21
Languages
2

Charts & Graphs