The World That Couldn’t Be by Clifford D. Simak

"The World That Couldn’t Be" is a 1958 science fiction novelette by Clifford D. Simak. It is about a farmer who tries to save his crops by hunting a very dangerous alien beast.

Another Dangerous Hunting Story
Hunting stories, especially dangerous ones, have long provided fodder for short stories. In fact one of my favorite all-time short stories is "The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell. Here is another tense but great story in that fine genre of “kill-or-be-killed.”

Non-spoiler Summary in a Nutshell

Something has been eating Duncan’s crops, and that is not only bad for business but endangers the livelihood of him and the alien tribe he supports. The offender must be stopped! However, the offender is a Cytha – the most feared beast on all of Layard – and the aliens beg him not to hunt it. Safety be damned! Duncan gets a local guide and the hunt is on. There is a bit of a problem though, the Cytha seems to be getting smarter and more lethal the longer they chase it. Will Duncan figure out why the locals are so afraid of the Cytha? Maybe, if he can stay alive long enough to at least see the beast – and that proves to be incredibly difficult.

Interesting Tidbits About This Story:

• Page Count: 37
• Word Count: 14,244
• You can learn more about American science fiction author Clifford D. Simak at Wikipedia.

Where You Can Find The World That Couldn’t Be:

• This short story was first published in the January 1958 issue of Galaxy Science Fiction.
• You can read "The World That Couldn’t Be" for free online at Project Gutenberg.
• It is also collected in Clifford D. Simak’s book Off-Planet – which is out of print but you can still find used copies at Amazon.com or on eBay.

If you liked "The World That Couldn’t Be" then you may also enjoy “Duel on Syrtis” by Poul William Anderson – about a renowned hunter who goes to Mars to get a trophy Martian.

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