Destiny Doll

A group of space travelers is trapped on a planet that lured them to land. The story involves their adventures on the planet and the discovery of friendly aliens, robots, and not-so-friendly life forms. As with much of Simak's work, there is the alternate reality possibility toward the end of the story.

According to {{A|Muriel R. Becker}}'s interview with the author in "Clifford D. Simak, a primary and secondary bibliography" (1980), pp. xxxii-xxxiii: * [Simak:] Now, the problem with ''Destiny Doll'' was a real one. ''Galaxy'' had bought it, and it was supposed to be published in serial form in a companion magazine edited by {{A|Lester del Rey}}. Lester foresaw that the companion, ''Worlds of Fantasy'', would not last long enough to allow serialization. He asked me to condense "Reality Doll," its magazine title, to a shape that would go into one issue (the fourth), which incidentally, did turn out to be the last published. That meant cutting it. So I sat for a long time thinking whether or not I should cut that much or give him back the money he had paid for it. I needed the money so I cut it in half and ruined it absolutely. No question about it. If you read the book and then you read "Reality Doll," you can see what had had to be done. Ironically, "Reality Doll" was nominated for a Nebula. I wrote and said if it was to be considered, I wish they'd wait and consider the book. But ''Destiny Doll'' was never nominated.