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Science Fiction Stories #28
The End of the World
HOW WILL THE WORLD COME TO AN END?
In this new collection, six great science-fiction writers present outstanding fiction base upon the coming cataclysm. How will it happen? Can humanity survive?
ROBERT A. HEINLEIN says the end can be predicted--it may be soon! ARTHUR C. CLARKE says men can survive--if given the time! EDMOND HAMILTON says Time must be the conqueror and man the conquered! PHILIP K. DICK, ALFRED COPPEL, and AMELIA REYNOLDS LONG all present their own startling vision in the most strikingly different science-fiction ever gathered under on cover.
Contents:
The Year of the Jackpot by Robert A. Heinlein
Last Night of Summer by Alfred Coppel
Imposter by Philip K. Dick
Rescue Party by Arthur C. Clarke
Omega by Amelia Reynolds Long
In the World's Dusk by Edmond Hamilton
In this new collection, six great science-fiction writers present outstanding fiction base upon the coming cataclysm. How will it happen? Can humanity survive?
ROBERT A. HEINLEIN says the end can be predicted--it may be soon! ARTHUR C. CLARKE says men can survive--if given the time! EDMOND HAMILTON says Time must be the conqueror and man the conquered! PHILIP K. DICK, ALFRED COPPEL, and AMELIA REYNOLDS LONG all present their own startling vision in the most strikingly different science-fiction ever gathered under on cover.
Contents:
The Year of the Jackpot by Robert A. Heinlein
Last Night of Summer by Alfred Coppel
Imposter by Philip K. Dick
Rescue Party by Arthur C. Clarke
Omega by Amelia Reynolds Long
In the World's Dusk by Edmond Hamilton
159 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1956
37 people want to read
About the author
Donald A. Wollheim
297 books36 followersDonald Allen Wollheim was a science fiction writer, editor, publisher and fan. He published his own works under pseudonyms, including David Grinnell.
A member of the Futurians, he was one of the leading influences on the development of science fiction and science fiction fandom in the 20th century United States.
In 1937, Wollheim founded the Fantasy Amateur Press Association. The first mailing was distributed in July of that year and included this statement from Wollheim: "There are many fans desiring to put out a voice who dare not, for fear of being obliged to keep it up, and for the worry and time taken by subscriptions and advertising. It is for them and for the fan who admits it is his hobby and not his business that we formed the FAPA."
Wollheim was also a member of the New York Science Fiction League, one of the clubs established by Hugo Gernsback to promote science fiction. When Wollheim published a complaint of non-payment for stories against Gernsback, Gernsback dissolved the New York chapter of the club.
Wollheim's first story, "The Man from Ariel," was published in the January 1934 issue of Wonder Stories when Wollheim was nineteen. Wollheim was not paid for the story and when he began to look into the situation, he learned that many other authors had not been paid for their work, publishing his findings in the Bulletin of the Terrestrial Fantascience Guild. Gernsback eventually settled the case with Wollheim and other authors out of court for $75, but when Wollheim submitted another story to Gernsback, under the pseudonym "Millard Verne Gordon," he was again not paid. One of Wollheim's short stories, "Mimic" was made into the feature film of the same name, which was released in 1997.
He left Avon Books in 1952 to work for A. A. Wyn at Ace Books. In 1953 he introduced science fiction to the Ace lineup, and for 20 years edited their renowned sf list. Ace was well known for the Ace Doubles series which consisted of pairs of books, usually by different authors, bound back-to-back with two "front" covers. Because these paired books had to fit a fixed total page-length, one or both were usually heavily abridged to fit, and Wollheim often made many other editorial alterations and title changes — as witness the many differences between Poul Anderson's Ace novel War of the Wing-Men and its definitive revised edition, The Man Who Counts. It was also during the 1950s he bought the book Junk by William S. Burroughs, which, in his inimitable fashion, he retitled Junkie.
In 1965 Wollheim published an unauthorized Ace edition of The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien in three volumes — the first mass-market paperback edition of Tolkien's epic. This was done because Wollheim believed the Houghton Mifflin hardcover editions failed to properly assert copyright. In a 2006 interview, Wollheim's daughter claimed that Tolkien had angered her father by saying that his magnum opus would never be published in so ‘degenerate a form’ as the paperback book. However, Tolkien had previously authorized a paperback edition of The Hobbit in 1961, and eventually supported paperback editions of The Lord of the Rings and several of his other texts. In any case, Ace was forced to cease publishing the unauthorized edition and to pay Tolkien for their sales following a grass-roots campaign and boycott by Tolkien's U.S. fans. In 1993 a court found that the copyright loophole suggested by Ace Books was incorrect and their paperback edition found to have been a violation of Tolkien's copyright under US law.
After leaving Ace he founded DAW Books in 1971, named by his initials, which can claim to be the first mass market specialist science fiction and fantasy fiction publishing house. In later years, when his distributors, New American Library, threatened to withhold distribution of Thomas Burnett Swann's Biblical fantasy How are the Mighty Fallen (1974) because of its homosexual con
A member of the Futurians, he was one of the leading influences on the development of science fiction and science fiction fandom in the 20th century United States.
In 1937, Wollheim founded the Fantasy Amateur Press Association. The first mailing was distributed in July of that year and included this statement from Wollheim: "There are many fans desiring to put out a voice who dare not, for fear of being obliged to keep it up, and for the worry and time taken by subscriptions and advertising. It is for them and for the fan who admits it is his hobby and not his business that we formed the FAPA."
Wollheim was also a member of the New York Science Fiction League, one of the clubs established by Hugo Gernsback to promote science fiction. When Wollheim published a complaint of non-payment for stories against Gernsback, Gernsback dissolved the New York chapter of the club.
Wollheim's first story, "The Man from Ariel," was published in the January 1934 issue of Wonder Stories when Wollheim was nineteen. Wollheim was not paid for the story and when he began to look into the situation, he learned that many other authors had not been paid for their work, publishing his findings in the Bulletin of the Terrestrial Fantascience Guild. Gernsback eventually settled the case with Wollheim and other authors out of court for $75, but when Wollheim submitted another story to Gernsback, under the pseudonym "Millard Verne Gordon," he was again not paid. One of Wollheim's short stories, "Mimic" was made into the feature film of the same name, which was released in 1997.
He left Avon Books in 1952 to work for A. A. Wyn at Ace Books. In 1953 he introduced science fiction to the Ace lineup, and for 20 years edited their renowned sf list. Ace was well known for the Ace Doubles series which consisted of pairs of books, usually by different authors, bound back-to-back with two "front" covers. Because these paired books had to fit a fixed total page-length, one or both were usually heavily abridged to fit, and Wollheim often made many other editorial alterations and title changes — as witness the many differences between Poul Anderson's Ace novel War of the Wing-Men and its definitive revised edition, The Man Who Counts. It was also during the 1950s he bought the book Junk by William S. Burroughs, which, in his inimitable fashion, he retitled Junkie.
In 1965 Wollheim published an unauthorized Ace edition of The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien in three volumes — the first mass-market paperback edition of Tolkien's epic. This was done because Wollheim believed the Houghton Mifflin hardcover editions failed to properly assert copyright. In a 2006 interview, Wollheim's daughter claimed that Tolkien had angered her father by saying that his magnum opus would never be published in so ‘degenerate a form’ as the paperback book. However, Tolkien had previously authorized a paperback edition of The Hobbit in 1961, and eventually supported paperback editions of The Lord of the Rings and several of his other texts. In any case, Ace was forced to cease publishing the unauthorized edition and to pay Tolkien for their sales following a grass-roots campaign and boycott by Tolkien's U.S. fans. In 1993 a court found that the copyright loophole suggested by Ace Books was incorrect and their paperback edition found to have been a violation of Tolkien's copyright under US law.
After leaving Ace he founded DAW Books in 1971, named by his initials, which can claim to be the first mass market specialist science fiction and fantasy fiction publishing house. In later years, when his distributors, New American Library, threatened to withhold distribution of Thomas Burnett Swann's Biblical fantasy How are the Mighty Fallen (1974) because of its homosexual con
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
March 20, 2022
It's a rare collection that actually sticks to the theme of the title, but this one does... all 6 stories are, indeed about the world ending.... a couple from the 50s, a couple earlier. Quite a collection of authors as well!
Interestingly, none of the stories involve nuclear war or the Russians or anything, a couple are 'sun spots' and the others are just time passing.
'Year of the Jackpot' by Heinlein - This is Heinlein's version of Asimov's Psychohistory, a statistician predicts world disaster and ends up getting a wife out of the deal... not a bad story, but a bit dated with the gender roles and such.
'Last Night of Summer' by Alfred Coppel - Short-ish one to tug at the heart strings.. good for what it, but pretty predictable
'Imposter' by PKD - Not a typical Philip K Dick story.. it involves alien invasion and trying to fight them off.. this is the one that fits least well with the theme.. more of a prevented end of the world than anything. Pretty good one though, about a weapons research that is accused of being a traitor.
Rescue Party by Clarke - Sticking with aliens, they come to try to save a few humans as the world is ending (solar flare again(
Omega by A.R Long - Definitely the most creative... a researcher uses hypnosis to try to have someone mentally travel in time, and guides them to the end of the world (No disaster, just the Earth winding down and no longer supporting life.. pretty interesting.
Finally, In the World's Dusk by Edmund Hamilton - The last man on Earth tried to restart the species, to some interesting results.
I definitely liked the last two (older) stories best.. they're both pretty unique and are old enough that they're not trying to be scientifically relevant. Definitely a good collection.
Interestingly, none of the stories involve nuclear war or the Russians or anything, a couple are 'sun spots' and the others are just time passing.
'Year of the Jackpot' by Heinlein - This is Heinlein's version of Asimov's Psychohistory, a statistician predicts world disaster and ends up getting a wife out of the deal... not a bad story, but a bit dated with the gender roles and such.
'Last Night of Summer' by Alfred Coppel - Short-ish one to tug at the heart strings.. good for what it, but pretty predictable
'Imposter' by PKD - Not a typical Philip K Dick story.. it involves alien invasion and trying to fight them off.. this is the one that fits least well with the theme.. more of a prevented end of the world than anything. Pretty good one though, about a weapons research that is accused of being a traitor.
Rescue Party by Clarke - Sticking with aliens, they come to try to save a few humans as the world is ending (solar flare again(
Omega by A.R Long - Definitely the most creative... a researcher uses hypnosis to try to have someone mentally travel in time, and guides them to the end of the world (No disaster, just the Earth winding down and no longer supporting life.. pretty interesting.
Finally, In the World's Dusk by Edmund Hamilton - The last man on Earth tried to restart the species, to some interesting results.
I definitely liked the last two (older) stories best.. they're both pretty unique and are old enough that they're not trying to be scientifically relevant. Definitely a good collection.
January 23, 2020
The End of the World (1956) is a highly readable collection of short works by some of the leading figures of the 50s: Robert Heinlein, Edmond Hamilton, Philip K. Dick, and Arthur C. Clarke are the most notable contributors. All the works, including the short by the virtually unknown author Amelia Reynolds Long, have appeared in other volumes but it’s nice to have them grouped according to theme with a quality Ace edition 50s Emshwiller cover.
Wollheim gathers together a fascinating range of accounts of the end of the world — seen through the eyes of aliens, humans from the present viewing the future, the last men [...]
For the complete review: https://sciencefictionruminations.com...
Wollheim gathers together a fascinating range of accounts of the end of the world — seen through the eyes of aliens, humans from the present viewing the future, the last men [...]
For the complete review: https://sciencefictionruminations.com...
February 24, 2025
Fun at times but a bummer the rest of the way.
Want to read
June 11, 2015short stories
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews