Humans on the space frontiers may have enough problems
with befuddled bureaucrats, rules that don't fit the
realities of very dangerous situations, and general rear-
echelon incompetence without bringing in unfriendly
aliens, but it's that kind of universe. On the other hand,
as master satirist Christopher Anvil makes clear, the
aliens are anything but omnipotent and have plenty of
problems of their own. * Here for the first time the
stories and short novels of the war with the Outs are
collected into a novel-length chronicle. The Outs had
mental powers they could use to make humans see illusions
and convince them to change sides. Obviously, they were
unbeatable-until some troublesome humans found their
Achille's heel. * Another set of aliens arrive to conquer
the Earth with the promise of eternal youth and
healthfulness, and might have won, if some humans weren't
too plain ornery not to be suspicious. * Who's the best
human envoy to deal with aliens who can read minds and
learn anything their opponents know-the man who knows
little or nothing, of course, including why he was sent
there. * When an investigator was hired to find out the
reason for the strange events in a palatial mansion, he
quickly solves the case-until he wakes up and finds that
his solution was only a dream and the case is still
unsolved. And the same thing happens again every night. *
These and other stories of human/alien conflict fill this
large volume by the master of wryly sardonic science
fiction adventure.