Synopsis
An American engineering crew attempting to build a landing strip in a remote locale for use during WWII accidentally release a long-trapped malevolent alien energy being which possesses their Caterpillar D7 bulldozer and sets out to eliminate them; the machine proves a formidable opponent.
Notes
According to Locus index there are two variants of this novella; the first version published in Astounding November 1944 and reprinted many times; the revised version was published in Aliens 4, Avon, 1959, and reprinted e.g. in Killdozer!: The Complete Stories of Theodore Sturgeon, Vol. 3 (1996) and Selected Stories (2000). Made into a TV movie of the same name,in 1974.
Awards
| Year | Award | Category | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Retro Hugo Award | Best Novella | Nominee/Finalist |
| 2020 | Retro Hugo Award | Best Novella | Winner |
Publications (38)
| Date | Publication | Publisher | Type | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 1944 | Astounding Science Fiction, November 1944 | Street & Smith Publications, Inc. | MAGAZINE | 7 |
| May 1945 | Astounding Science-Fiction, May 1945 | Atlas Publishing and Distribution Co. Ltd | MAGAZINE | 2 |
| February 1946 | The Best of Science Fiction | Crown Publishers | Anthology | 155 |
| December 1952 | Famous Fantastic Mysteries Combined with Fantastic Novels Magazine, December 1952 | Popular Publications, Inc. | MAGAZINE | 54 |
| 1963 | The Best of Science Fiction | Bonanza Books / Crown Publishers | Anthology | 59 |
| September 1963 | Spectrum III | Gollancz | Anthology | 15 |
| 1964 | Spectrum III | Harcourt, Brace & World | Anthology | 15 |
| September 1964 | Spectrum III | The Science Fiction Book Club (UK) | Anthology | 15 |
| July 1965 | Spectrum 3 | Berkley Medallion | Anthology | 13 |
| 1966 | Spectrum III | Pan Books | Anthology | 13 |
| 1966 | Spectrum III | Pan Books | Anthology | 13 |
| November 1969 | Spectrum 3 | Berkley Medallion | Anthology | 13 |
| October 1970 | Aliens 4 | Avon | Collection | 7 |
| October 1970 | Aliens 4 | Avon | Collection | 7 |
| 1971 | Spectrum III | Pan Books | Anthology | 13 |
| May 1972 | Wondermakers | Fawcett Premier | Anthology | 194 |
| 1980 | The Golden Age of Science Fiction | Bonanza Books / Crown Publishers | Anthology | 155 |
| December 1981 | The Great Science Fiction Stories Volume 6, 1944 | DAW Books | Anthology | 248 |
| December 1981 | The Great Science Fiction Stories Volume 6, 1944 | DAW Books / New American Library of Canada | Anthology | 248 |
| 1984 | Isaac Asimov Presents The Golden Years of Science Fiction: Third Series | Bonanza Books / Crown Publishers | Anthology | 513 |
| December 1984 | Machines That Kill | Ace Science Fiction Books | Anthology | 1 |
| August 1987 | A Touch of Sturgeon | Simon & Schuster UK | Collection | 1 |
| October 1987 | Cinemonsters | TSR | Anthology | 186 |
| December 1987 | To Marry Medusa | Baen Books | Omnibus | |
| December 1987 | To Marry Medusa | Baen Books | Omnibus | 165 |
| December 1987 | 13 Short Horror Novels | Bonanza Books / Crown Publishers | Anthology | 383 |
| 1989 | The Mammoth Book of Golden Age Science Fiction: Short Novels of the 1940s | Robinson | Anthology | 205 |
| 1989 | The Mammoth Book of Golden Age Science Fiction: Short Novels of the 1940s | Carroll & Graf | Anthology | 205 |
| 1989 | The Mammoth Book of Golden Age Science Fiction: Short Novels of the 1940s | Carroll & Graf | Anthology | 205 |
| 1990 | Astounding Stories: The 60th Anniversary Collection (Vol. 2) | The Easton Press | Anthology | 195 |
| 1991 | Great Tales of the Golden Age of Science Fiction | Galahad Books | Anthology | 167 |
| 1991 | Science Fiction: Classic Stories from the Golden Age of Science Fiction | Galahad Books | Anthology | 167 |
| 1991 | The Mammoth Book of Golden Age Science Fiction | Jaico Publishing House | Anthology | 205 |
| May 1992 | Machines That Kill | Tor | Anthology | 1 |
| August 2000 | Science Fiction: Classic Stories from the Golden Age of Science Fiction | Galahad Books | Anthology | 167 |
| 2007 | The Mammoth Book of Golden Age Science Fiction | Robinson | Anthology | 215 |
| 2007 | The Mammoth Book of Golden Age Science Fiction | Carroll & Graf | Anthology | 215 |
| March 2010 | Science Fiction: Classic Stories from the Golden Age of Science Fiction | Galahad Books | Anthology | 167 |