The Man with 9 Lives / A Touch of Infinity

Ace Double Book, cover code D-413. One side of this 1960 paperback includes an original short novel, “The Man With Nine Lives.” A pulpy revenge fantasy, its shifting narrative focus and stylistic variations still reveal an early sophistication. The reverse title is a collection of stories including an introduction by the author and these tales: Run for the Stars (1957); Back to the Drawing Boards (1958); Life Hutch (1956); The Sky Is Burning (1958); Final Trophy (1957); Blind Lightning (1956). While long on macho angst and short on narrative or character depth, the themes that form the basis of so much of his later work -- alienation, violence and justice -- are already apparent.