About the author

Battle on Mercury came in today. It's worn, but in good shape for being 16 years older than I am. The dust jacket in particular has survived quite well. The endpapers are actually the only aspect of the book with significant damage--this coming from tape, glue and whatnot because of the book's library origins. This particular book is from the Irwindale Public Library, California. Between February 1, 1962 and November 10, 1977, it was checked out 16 times. It was eventually withdrawn from the library in 1999. The dust jacket boasts a bio of Erik Van Lhin, which is interesting to compare with the actual bio of Lester Del Rey:

Erik Van Lhin's literary ability is many-sided. He has written ad copy, typed manuscripts, read proof, helped manage a literary agency and, of course, written books. Though he lists swimming as a favorite pastime, this young author sticks close to writing and claims that his biggest thrill came when he learned of the sale of his first story. A native of New York City, where he attended New York University, Mr. Van Lhin did extensive research concerning the Sun's nearest neighbor before writing Battle on Mercury. Though he considers the facts he learned about the planet interesting, the most fascinating aspect of science fiction writing, says the author, is "the sympathy you feel for the aliens you create. Perhaps this means that we are learning to appreciate life for what it is and not for where it originates, or how it looks."

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