Not a step forward in Ellison's literary development; rather, a look back at stories mostly rejected for other collections -- sort of a "B sides and bloopers" anthology. Even the author seems apologetic in his introduction: "I would not write them this way were I writing them today. Several of them I find painfully amateurish. Most of the stories were written in the late Fifties. When I was learning my craft."
From the Land of Fear is worthwhile mainly for "Soldier," a clever anti-war piece presented here both in short-story form and as a screenplay Ellison wrote for TV's "The Outer Limits." Otherwise, the collection is disposable.
