Synopsis
A shapeshifting robot comes to Earth to find the best mathematician.
History
First publication: Astounding, August 1940
This was his first written sf story, but was not published until 1940.
1941 RetroHugo finalist for best novelette.
Review
Van Vogt excelled in these early stories at coming up with very strange aliens and technologies, in this case a shape-shifting robot, for one. This story captures the unbridled imaginatiion of the 1930s with the focus on real science and math. In this case math. All presented in an engaging way. Once again the idea is the focus, but I like the robot as a character. Excellent classic Golden Age SF. Recommended.
Videos
We have the story in these editions:
The Great SF Stories 2 (1940), edited by Isaac Asimov, Martin H. Greenberg, paperback, DAW Books, 1979-08-00
Transfinite: The Essential A. E. Van Vogt, hardcover, NESFA Press, 2003-04-00
Astounding Science-Fiction, August 1940, edited by John W. Campbell, Jr., magazine, Street & Smith, 1940-08-00
Away and Beyond, hardcover, Pelligrini & Cudahy, 1952-00-00
