The collection includes Garret's novelette ''Despoilers of the Golden Empire,'' a
pulp magazine
Pulp magazines (also referred to as "the pulps") were inexpensive fiction magazines that were published from 1896 until around 1955. The term "pulp" derives from the Pulp (paper), wood pulp paper on which the magazines were printed, due to their ...
yarn mixing space travel and classic swashbuckling themes to the point where the space-travelling characters fight with swords, bringing to mind the adventures of
Flash Gordon
Flash Gordon is the protagonist of a space adventure comic strip created and originally drawn by Alex Raymond. First published January 7, 1934, the strip was inspired by, and created to compete with, the already established ''Buck Rogers'' ...
, or the
Barsoom
Barsoom is a fictional representation of the planet Mars created by American pulp fiction author Edgar Rice Burroughs. The first Barsoom tale was serialized as ''Under the Moons of Mars'' in pulp magazine '' The All-Story'' from February to Jul ...
stories of
Edgar Rice Burroughs
Edgar Rice Burroughs (September 1, 1875 – March 19, 1950) was an American writer, best known for his prolific output in the adventure, science fiction, and fantasy genres. Best known for creating the characters Tarzan (who appeared in ...
. The story is later revealed to be a mistelling of the history of conquistador
Francisco Pizarro
Francisco Pizarro, Marquess of the Atabillos (; ; – 26 June 1541) was a Spanish ''conquistador'', best known for his expeditions that led to the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire.
Born in Trujillo, Cáceres, Trujillo, Spain, to a poor fam ...
. First published in March 1959, the story was designed as an early
April Fools' Day
April Fools' Day or April Fool's Day (rarely called All Fools' Day) is an annual custom on the 1st of April consisting of practical jokes, hoaxes, and pranks. Jokesters often expose their actions by shouting "April Fool " at the recipient. ...
prank. It was re-published in collections such as ''Takeoff!'' and in a later anthology entitled '' Analog's Lighter Side'' edited by
Stanley Schmidt
Stanley Albert Schmidt (born March 7, 1944) is an American science fiction author and editor. Between 1978 and 2012 he served as editor of ''Analog Science Fiction and Fact''.
Biography
Schmidt was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. He graduated from th ...
.
Reception
''
Thrust
Thrust is a reaction force described quantitatively by Newton's third law. When a system expels or accelerates mass in one direction, the accelerated mass will cause a force of equal magnitude but opposite direction to be applied to that ...
'' called Garrett "one of the more under-rated writers in the field" of science fiction, noting that the collection features "Most of the odd little bits of his humorous writing".
Spider Robinson
Spider Robinson (born November 24, 1948) is an American-Canadian science fiction author. He has won a number of awards for his hard science fiction and humorous stories, including the Hugo Award 1977 and 1983, and another Hugo with his co-author ...
reviewed ''Takeoff!'' for ''
Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact
''Analog Science Fiction and Fact'' is an American science fiction magazine published under various titles since 1930. Originally titled ''Astounding Stories of Super-Science'', the first issue was dated January 1930, published by William Cl ...
'', and commented that "If you are a newcomer to or a very casual reader of SF, you may miss a lot of the jokes ..but the well-read fan will find a lot of laughs here," and further noted that the illustrations by
Kelly Freas
Frank Kelly Freas (August 27, 1922 – January 2, 2005) was an American people, American artist known for his work in science fiction and fantasy, with a career spanning more than 50 years. He was known as the "Dean of Science Fiction Artists" ...
are "as always, a joy."Tom Easton likewise reviewed ''Takeoff!'' for ''Analog'', praising it as "a collection of parodies, pastiches, reviews in verse, and groaners guaranteed to rouse at least a grin."
In ''
Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine
''Asimov's Science Fiction'' is an American science fiction magazine edited by Sheila Williams and published by Dell Magazines, which is owned by Penny Press. It was launched as a quarterly by Davis Publications in 1977, after obtaining Isaac ...
'',
Baird Searles
William Baird Searles (1934–1993) was a science fiction author and critic. He was best known for his long-running review columns for the magazines ''Asimov's'' (reviewing books), '' Amazing'', and ''Fantasy & Science Fiction'' (reviewing films, ...
noted that although "there are moments when Garrett descends to that level between freshman and junior, a lot of it is amusing even if I didn't do a lot of thigh slapping and gut busting."
''
Amazing Stories
''Amazing Stories'' is an American science fiction magazine launched in April 1926 by Hugo Gernsback's Experimenter Publishing. It was the first magazine devoted solely to science fiction. Science fiction stories had made regular appearance ...
'' lauded it as "a delightful collection which people who know Randall Garrett have awaited for years," while ''
Space Gamer/Fantasy Gamer
''The Space Gamer'' was a magazine dedicated to the subject of science fiction and fantasy board games and tabletop role-playing games. It quickly grew in importance and was an important and influential magazine in its subject matter from the la ...
'' stated that it "provide(s) an entertaining chance to enjoy some more works of a writer whose works are beginning to gain well deserved recognition as classics."
Reviews
*Review by Donald M. Hassler (1986) in
Fantasy Review
''Fantasy Newsletter'', later renamed ''Fantasy Review'', was a major fantasy fanzine founded by Paul C. Allen and later issued by Robert A. Collins. Frequent contributors included Fritz Leiber and Gene Wolfe.
Publication history
The first iss ...