Jackpot

[a:EC Tubb 17093421 EC Tubb https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] (15 October 1919 – 10 September 2010) was a British writer of science fiction, fantasy and western novels. The author of over 140 novels and 230 short stories and novellas, Tubb is best known for The Dumarest Saga (US collective title: Dumarest of Terra), an epic science-fiction saga set in the far future. [a:Michael Moorcock 16939 Michael Moorcock https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1424079041p2/16939.jpg] wrote, “His reputation for fast-moving and colourful SF writing is unmatched by anyone in Britain.”Much of Tubb's work was written under pseudonyms including Gregory Kern, Carl Maddox, Alan Guthrie, Eric Storm and George Holt. He used 58 pen names over five decades of writing, although some of these were publishers' house names also used by other writers: Volsted Gridban (along with John Russell Fearn), Gill Hunt (with John Brunner and Dennis Hughes), King Lang (with George Hay and John W Jennison), Roy Sheldon (with H. J. Campbell) and Brian Shaw. Tubb's Charles Grey alias was solely his own and acquired a big following in the early 1950s.The old system of trading beads and glass to the natives might still be a worthwhile project on alien worlds, but a lot would depend on what the natives offered in trade.This short story sees a mysterious object being traded to humans, who are visitors on an alien planet. Unfortunately, the items traded doesn't give them the jackpot or wealth and fame they first thought. In fact, it's downright dangerous!An enjoyable Tubb tale. Well formed, and thought provoking. One of his better yarns from the early 1960s.Get a copy here.