The Old Timer: The Final Heir to Mars’ Lost Glory

The Old Timer by Richard R. Smith - Shakish was the last of his kind. If the insulting Earthmen had only bothered to find out why he was a rare being they would have lived a while lot longer.

Richard Rein Smith is an American science fiction writer known for his work during the mid-20th century’s Golden Age of sci-fi. He wrote a number of action-packed short stories such as The Angry House, Compatible, The Snare, Alien Equivalent, and Pick a Crime, many of which explore classic sci-fi themes like advanced technology, alien worlds, identity, and moral conflict.

Besides his shorter works, Smith also published longer adventure novels under various pseudonyms. For example, he is credited with The Savage Stars (1981), writing as Reinsmith, in which survivors of a spaceship crash strive to build a civilization on a harsh, uncharted planet.

Though not as widely known as some of his contemporaries, Smith’s work is appreciated by fans of vintage science fiction for its bold plots, imaginative settings, and pulp-style thrills.