(Found) Short Story Book with 'Shock' in Title -Alien Weapon Would Attack Your Brain

[Mark P]

I'm pretty sure it had the word 'Shock' in the title. I was about 10 years old in 1979 when I read this short story in my hometown public library. It was a very disturbing book that probably shouldn't have been in the Children's section. It was about a small crew of astronauts that land on a planet that had a weapon. The weapon would target your brain and you would die and excruciating painful death. The book also had black and white pictures throughout the pages that made it look like they were from a movie and one of the pictures had one of the crew holding their head and screaming in pain as they were being attacked by the weapon and dying. I thought the book might have been called "Brain Shock" but Google is of no help.

 

[otistdog]

Was this a collection of short stories, or a story in a collection? Perhaps "Shock I: Thirteen Tales to Thrill and Terrify"? It was originally published in the 60s but republished in 1969. There are also two other collections "Shock II" and "Shock III".

 

[Mark P]

Was this a collection of short stories, or a story in a collection? Perhaps "Shock I: Thirteen Tales to Thrill and Terrify"? It was originally published in the 60s but republished in 1969. There are also two other collections "Shock II" and "Shock III".

Not the one, thanks for looking into it tho!

 

[otistdog]

(Oops. I had meant to say that it was republished in 1979. No matter if it's not the right one.)

Here is ISFDB's list of every story with "shock" in the title published in the 20th century. Perhaps you'll spot it there.

I also recommend that you look over the standard advice for book search questions, to see if you can recall anything else.

 

[Ravensquawk]

(Oops. I had meant to say that it was republished in 1979. No matter if it's not the right one.)

Here is ISFDB's list of every story with "shock" in the title published in the 20th century. Perhaps you'll spot it there.

I also recommend that you look over the standard advice for book search questions, to see if you can recall anything else.

Looks like the list's most recent stories are 1996, so it leaves out the 2006 superlative story that will instantaneously set off coruscating wavefronts of delight in me any time I think of "science fiction" and the word "shock".

That is the superb "Bow Shock" by Gregory Benford.

It is stellar. (Figuratively, and kinda literally, since it about an astronomical event, told from the point of view of an astronomer, and written by a real life astronomer.)

Since it definitely isn't anything like the story in the question, I didn't leave a reply, but the instant I read the word "shock", I sure as helll thought of it.

Well worth the read.

 

[Mark P]

Looks like the list's most recent stories are 1996, so it leaves out the 2006 superlative story that will instantaneously set off coruscating wavefronts of delight in me any time I think of "science fiction" and the word "shock".

That is the superb "Bow Shock" by Gregory Benford.

It is stellar. (Figuratively, and kinda literally, since it about an astronomical event, told from the point of view of an astronomer, and written by a real life astronomer.)

Since it definitely isn't anything like the story in the question, I didn't leave a reply, but the instant I read the word "shock", I sure as helll thought of it.

Well worth the read.

You are the MAN! I found my title and it was not 'Shock' but rather 'Storm' with the title being 'Brain Storm' published in 1977 which I found on the most helpful website you listed The Internet Speculative Fiction Database -Thank you sir!!