Men, Martians and Machines

The people of the Solar System have broken the light-speed barrier, and exploration ships are going out in all directions, manned by - you guessed it! - Men, Martians, and Machines (Robots). This set of linked stories describes a part of the epic voyage of the Marathon, powered by the Flettner Drive, seeking new worlds for humanity to spread onto. One planet is inhabited by only machines, survivors perhaps of a civilization in which the machine-makers had perished. Another contains a race of master hypnotists, who make the crew see only what they wish to see! Included is the classic, oft-anthologized novella Jay Score.

"One of my own all-time favorites, is Men, Martians and Machines... I re-read this one at least once a year, with as much delight and amusement as I got from it the first time."
- Bud Webster

"A rousing inventive space adventure; and the first story remains a technical marvel. I know of few surprise-ending stories in any category that are so rereadable and so absolutely fair - and what other trick short ever had enough un-tricky meat to it to serve as the foundation for a series?" - Anthony Boucher in the Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction

"A substantial space opera." - Galaxy

"Good fun to read, an old and popular formula, happily applied."
- P. Schuyler Miller in Astounding