Fanthorpe makes High look like Shakespeare, and Fanthorpe produced over one hundred novels under various names, mostly for Badger Books. But there are lots of contenders. I read one novel in which every spaceship has an American Indian aboard because that way if they encouner aliens, they have someone who knows sign language.

---- Barry Haworth <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Worst science fiction writer you've ever read? Now that *is* a challenge.
>
> Probably the worst writer I've read, and re-read, is Philip E High. I
> read and enjoyed his book "The Time Mercenaries" many years ago, but
> almost everything else of his I've ever read has been pretty bad. I
> keep reading them, though, whenever I come across a new one.
>
> Barry
>
> 2009/12/10 Dennis Fischer <[log in to unmask]>:
> > Fanthorpe was the single worst science fiction writer I have ever read (and that's saying something).  Perhaps it would be better that Peggy skip re-acquainting herself with that story, or re-read Heinlein's Red Planet instead.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ________________________________
> > From: John T <[log in to unmask]>
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Sent: Wed, December 9, 2009 4:10:39 AM
> > Subject: Re: [SF-LIT] book title?
> >
> > Hi Peggy in Tampa,
> >
> > Here's what I could find on your question...  at least it fits the
> > parameters, except it's a novelette, not novel.. but it was published prior
> > to 1970 :)
> >
> >
> > Title: The Flight of the Valkyries
> > Author: R. L. Fanthorpe
> > Year: 1958
> > Storylength: novelette
> > Publications:
> >   a.. Supernatural Stories, No. 14, (Feb 1958, John S. Manning, Badger,
> > #SN14, 2/-, 160pp, pb, magazine) Cover: Ray Theobald
> >
> > John T - in Bradenton, just south of Tampa :)
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Peggy Callahan" <[log in to unmask]>
> > To: <[log in to unmask]>
> > Sent: Tuesday, November 10, 2009 8:30 AM
> > Subject: [SF-LIT] book title?
> >
> >
> >> Hi all,
> >>
> >> I got a question from a library patron:
> >>
> >> "When I was in High School (1971-1975) I read an SF/Fantasy novel that had
> > "of the Valkyre" or "of the Valkyries" in the title. I'd love to read it
> > again but can't remember complete title or author's name.
> >>
> >> It was about people on an airplane that had been lost or re-routed to
> > another planet. These ppl slowly realized they were there for observation.
> > They finally escaped by making a boat/canoe which some of them used to go
> > downstream and under a fence.
> >>
> >> Once there, they found that their captors looked like giant spiders (or
> > had machines like spiders?), and one of the ppl got somehow stuck behind
> > one, which pulled him to his death.
> >>
> >> The book made a big impression on me and I've always wanted to reread it,
> > but haven't had luck in finding it, b/c I can't remember the correct title.
> > Can you help?"
> >>
> >> Any ideas?  Let me know and thank you!
> >>
> >> Peggy in Tampa--
> >> curiouser and curiouser!
> >>          -- Lewis Carroll
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
>
>
>
> --
> I am a Statistician. One False move and you're a Statistic.