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Isaac Asimov Presents the Great SF Stories #3
Isaac Asimov Presents The Great SF Stories 3
"Mechanical Mice" by Maurice A. Hugi
* ""—And He Built a Crooked House—"" by Robert A. Heinlein
"Shottle Bop" by Theodore Sturgeon
"The Rocket of 1955" by C. M. Kornbluth
* "They" by Robert A. Heinlein
"Evolution's End" by Robert Arthur
"Microcosmic God" by Theodore Sturgeon
"Jay Score" by Eric Frank Russell
* "Universe" by Robert A. Heinlein
"Liar!" by Isaac Asimov
* "Solution Unsatisfactory" by Robert A. Heinlein
"Time Wants a Skeleton" by Ross Rocklynne
"The Words of Guru" by C. M. Kornbluth
"The Seesaw" by A. E. van Vogt
"Armageddon" by Fredric Brown
"Adam and No Eve" by Alfred Bester
"Solar Plexus" by James Blish
"Nightfall" by Isaac Asimov
"A Gnome There Was" by Henry Kuttner and C. L. Moore
* "By His Bootstraps" by Robert A. Heinlein as "Anson MacDonald"
"Snulbug" by Anthony Boucher
"Hereafter, Inc." by Lester del Rey
* The five stories by Robert A. Heinlein were not printed in this volume because arrangements for their use could not be made. Martin Greenberg and Isaac Asimov's notes for each are included where the stories would have appeared.
* ""—And He Built a Crooked House—"" by Robert A. Heinlein
"Shottle Bop" by Theodore Sturgeon
"The Rocket of 1955" by C. M. Kornbluth
* "They" by Robert A. Heinlein
"Evolution's End" by Robert Arthur
"Microcosmic God" by Theodore Sturgeon
"Jay Score" by Eric Frank Russell
* "Universe" by Robert A. Heinlein
"Liar!" by Isaac Asimov
* "Solution Unsatisfactory" by Robert A. Heinlein
"Time Wants a Skeleton" by Ross Rocklynne
"The Words of Guru" by C. M. Kornbluth
"The Seesaw" by A. E. van Vogt
"Armageddon" by Fredric Brown
"Adam and No Eve" by Alfred Bester
"Solar Plexus" by James Blish
"Nightfall" by Isaac Asimov
"A Gnome There Was" by Henry Kuttner and C. L. Moore
* "By His Bootstraps" by Robert A. Heinlein as "Anson MacDonald"
"Snulbug" by Anthony Boucher
"Hereafter, Inc." by Lester del Rey
* The five stories by Robert A. Heinlein were not printed in this volume because arrangements for their use could not be made. Martin Greenberg and Isaac Asimov's notes for each are included where the stories would have appeared.
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 4, 1980
3 people are currently reading
188 people want to read
About the author
Isaac Asimov
4,473 books27.4k followersWorks of prolific Russian-American writer Isaac Asimov include popular explanations of scientific principles,
The Foundation Trilogy
(1951-1953), and other volumes of fiction.
Isaac Asimov, a professor of biochemistry, wrote as a highly successful author, best known for his books.
Asimov, professor, generally considered of all time, edited more than five hundred books and ninety thousand letters and postcards. He published in nine of the ten major categories of the Dewey decimal classification but lacked only an entry in the category of philosophy (100).
People widely considered Asimov, a master of the genre alongside Robert Anson Heinlein and Arthur Charles Clarke as the "big three" during his lifetime. He later tied Galactic Empire and the Robot into the same universe as his most famous series to create a unified "future history" for his stories much like those that Heinlein pioneered and Cordwainer Smith and Poul Anderson previously produced. He penned "Nightfall," voted in 1964 as the best short story of all time; many persons still honor this title. He also produced well mysteries, fantasy, and a great quantity of nonfiction. Asimov used Paul French, the pen name, for the Lucky Starr, series of juvenile novels.
Most books of Asimov in a historical way go as far back to a time with possible question or concept at its simplest stage. He often provides and mentions well nationalities, birth, and death dates for persons and etymologies and pronunciation guides for technical terms. Guide to Science, the tripartite set Understanding Physics, and Chronology of Science and Discovery exemplify these books.
Asimov, a long-time member, reluctantly served as vice president of Mensa international and described some members of that organization as "brain-proud and aggressive about their IQs." He took more pleasure as president of the humanist association. The asteroid 5020 Asimov, the magazine Asimov's Science Fiction, an elementary school in Brooklyn in New York, and two different awards honor his name.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_As...
Isaac Asimov, a professor of biochemistry, wrote as a highly successful author, best known for his books.
Asimov, professor, generally considered of all time, edited more than five hundred books and ninety thousand letters and postcards. He published in nine of the ten major categories of the Dewey decimal classification but lacked only an entry in the category of philosophy (100).
People widely considered Asimov, a master of the genre alongside Robert Anson Heinlein and Arthur Charles Clarke as the "big three" during his lifetime. He later tied Galactic Empire and the Robot into the same universe as his most famous series to create a unified "future history" for his stories much like those that Heinlein pioneered and Cordwainer Smith and Poul Anderson previously produced. He penned "Nightfall," voted in 1964 as the best short story of all time; many persons still honor this title. He also produced well mysteries, fantasy, and a great quantity of nonfiction. Asimov used Paul French, the pen name, for the Lucky Starr, series of juvenile novels.
Most books of Asimov in a historical way go as far back to a time with possible question or concept at its simplest stage. He often provides and mentions well nationalities, birth, and death dates for persons and etymologies and pronunciation guides for technical terms. Guide to Science, the tripartite set Understanding Physics, and Chronology of Science and Discovery exemplify these books.
Asimov, a long-time member, reluctantly served as vice president of Mensa international and described some members of that organization as "brain-proud and aggressive about their IQs." He took more pleasure as president of the humanist association. The asteroid 5020 Asimov, the magazine Asimov's Science Fiction, an elementary school in Brooklyn in New York, and two different awards honor his name.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_As...
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
August 25, 2009
A cynic once said something like "The Golden Age of science fiction is about sixteen."
But they're wrong. 1941 was the heart of the Golden Age of science fiction. And this book is the proof.
If you've read a fair selection of classic SF, some of these stories will doubtless be familiar to you. Others probably won't be. In any case, these are some of the all-time classics of the genre.
Each story is introduced by Isaac Asimov, and he provides some interesting (and tantalizing) commentary. I can't help but wonder, for example, why he included Fredric Brown (one of my favorite writers) as an author whose personality was different from his stories (as opposed to authors who resembled their stories, some of whom he also lists). I was surprised and pleased to see that Asimov was, like me, a fan of Robert Arthur as well - although I have to admit that Arthur's story may be the weakest one in the book (though still worth reading!).
There are no stories by Robert Heinlein in this collection, apparently because he (or his wife) wouldn't allow it. Since this book was published in 1980 and Heinlein lived until 1988, Heinlein must have been aware of this. Nonetheless Asimov listed the titles of the Heinlein stories that he would have included in the book, and commented on them. I've often wondered about the relationship between Asimov and Heinlein, and this book only adds to the mystery.
There's a tendency to think of old science fiction as being corny and simplistic. In fact, the best authors of the Golden Age had a sophistication and brilliance which is rarely seen in modern genre authors. If you're not familiar with Golden Age SF, I recommend The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, volume I, which is the definitive collection. But if you get a chance to buy any of The Great SF Stories, grab them! I know I will.
But they're wrong. 1941 was the heart of the Golden Age of science fiction. And this book is the proof.
If you've read a fair selection of classic SF, some of these stories will doubtless be familiar to you. Others probably won't be. In any case, these are some of the all-time classics of the genre.
Each story is introduced by Isaac Asimov, and he provides some interesting (and tantalizing) commentary. I can't help but wonder, for example, why he included Fredric Brown (one of my favorite writers) as an author whose personality was different from his stories (as opposed to authors who resembled their stories, some of whom he also lists). I was surprised and pleased to see that Asimov was, like me, a fan of Robert Arthur as well - although I have to admit that Arthur's story may be the weakest one in the book (though still worth reading!).
There are no stories by Robert Heinlein in this collection, apparently because he (or his wife) wouldn't allow it. Since this book was published in 1980 and Heinlein lived until 1988, Heinlein must have been aware of this. Nonetheless Asimov listed the titles of the Heinlein stories that he would have included in the book, and commented on them. I've often wondered about the relationship between Asimov and Heinlein, and this book only adds to the mystery.
There's a tendency to think of old science fiction as being corny and simplistic. In fact, the best authors of the Golden Age had a sophistication and brilliance which is rarely seen in modern genre authors. If you're not familiar with Golden Age SF, I recommend The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, volume I, which is the definitive collection. But if you get a chance to buy any of The Great SF Stories, grab them! I know I will.
March 1, 2015
This third volume presents the best of 1941 as selected by Asimov and Greenberg, excepting stories by Heinlein for which they were unable to secure reprint rights. Included are classics by Asimov himself, Sturgeon's "Microcosmic God" and "Shottle Bop," and a nice pair by Eric Frank Russell, one of them under a pseudonym. My favorites are forgotten classics by Kuttner & Moore, Kornbluth, and Boucher's "Snulbug." Asimov's introductory essays are as delightful as always.
July 25, 2007
This was a great series, where Asimov picked out the best/his favorite SF stories from 1939 into the early 1960's. I remember that 1941 and 1942 in particular were excellent years.
January 21, 2025
Media finale: 3,29/5 stelle
February 18, 2017
[FIRST READING: * * * * *]
First off, it was a very large gaffe indeed that they were unable to include any of the Heinlein stories. And I have no idea what that Robert Arthur story is doing here (or even how it got published in the first place)--good grief, what a corny piece of crap. But "Shottle Bop" was a lot of fun--as was "Microcosmic God" (the strange thing about "Shottle" is that, though I remember having read it, I remembered hardly a thing about the plot--just him being in that shop, which was kinda like Kuttner's "What You Need"). The Ross Rocklynne thing dragged on for days, but Kornbluth's "Guru" was nice and horrific--like some classic oldtime horror story that somehow found its way into the pages of a scifi mag. "Seesaw" is of course another classic--with an ending guaranteed to be a new twist at the time (thanks to Edwin Hubble and all his insight). And Fredric Brown's "Armageddon" was typically devilish and delightful. Although "Nightfall" fairly swept one up in its near-hysteria, I couldn't help wondering (upon this rereading) if the experience of darkness really would've been so alien to a people, since it seems to be something that would be easy enough to create; but I suppose the real madness came from the realization at the end that their nightfall really wasn't dark at all (and what all of that implied). Maybe the best thing of all here is "A Gnome There Was"--a hoot from start to finish. And "Snulbug" similarly proved to be good for a veritable host of snickers.
First off, it was a very large gaffe indeed that they were unable to include any of the Heinlein stories. And I have no idea what that Robert Arthur story is doing here (or even how it got published in the first place)--good grief, what a corny piece of crap. But "Shottle Bop" was a lot of fun--as was "Microcosmic God" (the strange thing about "Shottle" is that, though I remember having read it, I remembered hardly a thing about the plot--just him being in that shop, which was kinda like Kuttner's "What You Need"). The Ross Rocklynne thing dragged on for days, but Kornbluth's "Guru" was nice and horrific--like some classic oldtime horror story that somehow found its way into the pages of a scifi mag. "Seesaw" is of course another classic--with an ending guaranteed to be a new twist at the time (thanks to Edwin Hubble and all his insight). And Fredric Brown's "Armageddon" was typically devilish and delightful. Although "Nightfall" fairly swept one up in its near-hysteria, I couldn't help wondering (upon this rereading) if the experience of darkness really would've been so alien to a people, since it seems to be something that would be easy enough to create; but I suppose the real madness came from the realization at the end that their nightfall really wasn't dark at all (and what all of that implied). Maybe the best thing of all here is "A Gnome There Was"--a hoot from start to finish. And "Snulbug" similarly proved to be good for a veritable host of snickers.
May 16, 2019
7/10. Pues eso, relatos cortos de autores clásicos
Merged review:
6/10. Media de los 45 libros leídos del autor : 8/10
Otro de mis autores icónicos de juventud, De hecho mis dioses en la CF eran dos : Asimov y Heinlein. ¿Cuál prefería?. Buena pregunta. Difícil pregunta.
El caso es que me lo pasaba como un enano leyendo las aventuras heinlenianas, sin plantearme eso que leí luego sobre que si era militarista, fascista o lo que os de la gana. Me lo pasaba de maravilla leyéndole.
Eso sí, no me atrevo a leerle ya de adulto, previendo una posible decepción. Me quedo con los recuerdo de la juventud y que no me los quite –ni me los amargue- nadie con otras consideraciones socio-políticas.
Aquí tenemos una novela corta que es de lo que menos me ha gustado del autor.
Merged review:
6/10. Media de los 45 libros leídos del autor : 8/10
Otro de mis autores icónicos de juventud, De hecho mis dioses en la CF eran dos : Asimov y Heinlein. ¿Cuál prefería?. Buena pregunta. Difícil pregunta.
El caso es que me lo pasaba como un enano leyendo las aventuras heinlenianas, sin plantearme eso que leí luego sobre que si era militarista, fascista o lo que os de la gana. Me lo pasaba de maravilla leyéndole.
Eso sí, no me atrevo a leerle ya de adulto, previendo una posible decepción. Me quedo con los recuerdo de la juventud y que no me los quite –ni me los amargue- nadie con otras consideraciones socio-políticas.
Aquí tenemos una novela corta que es de lo que menos me ha gustado del autor.
May 3, 2023
Selección de relatos publicados en el año que da título al volumen. Ese año la ciencia ficción estadounidense produjo grandes cuentos de autores que empezaban a descollar entonces (Sturgeon, Heinlein, Asimov etc...) por lo que me parece un tomo imprescindible no sólo por su calidad (que es evidente) si no, también por su importancia como reflejo de la historia del género.
January 30, 2021
THE GREAT SF STORIES VOLUME 3, 1941 IS RATED 76%.
17 STORIES : 4 GREAT / 7 GOOD / 4 AVERAGE / 1 POOR / 0 DNF
If 1941 “may have been one of the greatest years science fiction ever had” as this anthology’s back cover indicates, it needed a better book to prove it. Not because the stories aren’t good, but because six of the seventeen stories are fantasy. In an anthology of Great Science Fiction! Don’t give me any of that “SF means Science Fiction and Fantasy.” The legal title of this anthology - on the inside of the book - is “The Great Science Fiction Stories.”
Let us ignore the preponderance of Fantasy here and focus on the Science Fiction. There were four of the greatest SF stories of all time in this book. There would have been more if they had been able to get the publication rights for any of the Robert Heinlein stories that Asimov and Greenberg wanted to include.
"Microcosmic God" by Theodore Sturgeon. The story is one that could have gotten stereotypical as a not-quite-mad scientist creates a civilization of tiny people to help him invent things. But almost every sentence of this tale is spilling with invention and creativity. It is sprawling in its reach, full of action, and written in a charming way.
"Jay Score" by Eric Frank Russell. Modern internet commentators made find areas of this story ‘problematic,” but this is a superb action-pack SF story with a multiracial crew (in 1941!) that even includses Martians.. Most people remember this for the surprise last line, which is spoiled by Asimov’s description, but the adventure and the crew interactions make this Great.
"Adam and No Eve" by Alfred Bester. Golden Age SF emphasized “Sense of Wonder,” but it could also be a cautionary tale. The devastation of scientific hubris is a theme of many SF stories. Rarely are they this powerful.
"Nightfall" by Isaac Asimov. Considered by many to be the “Greatest Science Fiction Story Ever Written.” This story is one of the greatest examples of ‘world-building’ in SF and also a rivetingly constructed story. Has far more humanity and action than the normal Isaac Asimov story, but also embodies the writers biggest strength. He made very interesting stories about educated people sitting and talking about ideas.
***
THE GREAT SF STORIES VOLUME 3, 1941 IS RATED 76%.
17 STORIES : 4 GREAT / 7 GOOD / 4 AVERAGE / 1 POOR / 0 DNF
"Mechanical Mice" by Maurice A. Hugi
Good. An inventor pulls invention ideas from the future and ends up fighting for his life against a machine that he cannot understand.
"Shottle Bop" by Theodore Sturgeon
Good. Fantasy/Horror. A man’s visit to a mysterious NYC ‘bottle shop’ starts wacky and humorous before pivoting to the terrifying and horrific. Very well written, but not SciFi.
"The Rocket of 1955" by C. M. Kornbluth
Good. Short-short story of a faked rocket launch and the consequences.
"Evolution's End" by Robert Arthur
Average Readable tale of young lovers, kept apart by the Masters with their giant brains. Readable, but a silly ending that you will see coming long before the story gets there.
"Microcosmic God" by Theodore Sturgeon
Great. A wildly inventive tale of a brilliant inventor-scientist, his banker, and the civilization of small people that he has created in this laboratory. Ridiculous amounts of fun and with the creativity that a lesser author wouldn’t reach in his six-book series.
"Jay Score" by Eric Frank Russell
Great. A multi-racial spaceship’s crew finds themselves hurtling towards a sun. A surprising member of the crew will risk their life to save everyone.
"Liar!" by Isaac Asimov
Good. Susan Calvin, Roboticist, investigates a robot that is able to read minds. Classic ‘Three Laws of Robotics” story.
"Time Wants a Skeleton" by Ross Rocklynne
Good. Time travel, space cops and robbers, a mysterious skeleton on an asteroid, and lots of jockeying for the power to avoid becoming that skeleton.
"The Words of Guru" by C. M. Kornbluth
Good. Horror Fantasy. A young boy is given power and ushered into a demonic world.
"The Seesaw" by A. E. van Vogt
Average. A man walks into a far future weapons shop - transplanted to the present - and find himself at the center of a ongoing conflict. Vogt is playing with ideas that he will do better in future stories.
"Armageddon" by Fredric Brown
Average. Fantasy. Young boy saves the world from Satan during a live magic show.
"Adam and No Eve" by Alfred Bester
Great. One of the greatest science fiction stories ever written. A heart-rending story of the devastation wrought by scientific hubris.
"Solar Plexus" by James Blish
Good. Trapped within a spaceship that has merged with a human being, a scientist tries to find a way to avoid becoming ‘spare parts.’
"Nightfall" by Isaac Asimov
Great. “If the stars should appear one night in a thousand years, how would men believe and adore, and preserve for many generations the remembrance of the city of God!”
"A Gnome There Was" by Henry Kuttner and C. L. Moore
Average. Fantasy. A labor organizer becomes a Gnome.
"Snulbug" by Anthony Boucher
Poor. Fantasy. A man summons a demon who gets him a newspaper from the future.
"Hereafter, Inc." by Lester del Rey
Average. Fantasy. A man goes about his day, but this isn’t what Heaven should be like.
17 STORIES : 4 GREAT / 7 GOOD / 4 AVERAGE / 1 POOR / 0 DNF
If 1941 “may have been one of the greatest years science fiction ever had” as this anthology’s back cover indicates, it needed a better book to prove it. Not because the stories aren’t good, but because six of the seventeen stories are fantasy. In an anthology of Great Science Fiction! Don’t give me any of that “SF means Science Fiction and Fantasy.” The legal title of this anthology - on the inside of the book - is “The Great Science Fiction Stories.”
Let us ignore the preponderance of Fantasy here and focus on the Science Fiction. There were four of the greatest SF stories of all time in this book. There would have been more if they had been able to get the publication rights for any of the Robert Heinlein stories that Asimov and Greenberg wanted to include.
"Microcosmic God" by Theodore Sturgeon. The story is one that could have gotten stereotypical as a not-quite-mad scientist creates a civilization of tiny people to help him invent things. But almost every sentence of this tale is spilling with invention and creativity. It is sprawling in its reach, full of action, and written in a charming way.
"Jay Score" by Eric Frank Russell. Modern internet commentators made find areas of this story ‘problematic,” but this is a superb action-pack SF story with a multiracial crew (in 1941!) that even includses Martians.. Most people remember this for the surprise last line, which is spoiled by Asimov’s description, but the adventure and the crew interactions make this Great.
"Adam and No Eve" by Alfred Bester. Golden Age SF emphasized “Sense of Wonder,” but it could also be a cautionary tale. The devastation of scientific hubris is a theme of many SF stories. Rarely are they this powerful.
"Nightfall" by Isaac Asimov. Considered by many to be the “Greatest Science Fiction Story Ever Written.” This story is one of the greatest examples of ‘world-building’ in SF and also a rivetingly constructed story. Has far more humanity and action than the normal Isaac Asimov story, but also embodies the writers biggest strength. He made very interesting stories about educated people sitting and talking about ideas.
***
THE GREAT SF STORIES VOLUME 3, 1941 IS RATED 76%.
17 STORIES : 4 GREAT / 7 GOOD / 4 AVERAGE / 1 POOR / 0 DNF
"Mechanical Mice" by Maurice A. Hugi
Good. An inventor pulls invention ideas from the future and ends up fighting for his life against a machine that he cannot understand.
"Shottle Bop" by Theodore Sturgeon
Good. Fantasy/Horror. A man’s visit to a mysterious NYC ‘bottle shop’ starts wacky and humorous before pivoting to the terrifying and horrific. Very well written, but not SciFi.
"The Rocket of 1955" by C. M. Kornbluth
Good. Short-short story of a faked rocket launch and the consequences.
"Evolution's End" by Robert Arthur
Average Readable tale of young lovers, kept apart by the Masters with their giant brains. Readable, but a silly ending that you will see coming long before the story gets there.
"Microcosmic God" by Theodore Sturgeon
Great. A wildly inventive tale of a brilliant inventor-scientist, his banker, and the civilization of small people that he has created in this laboratory. Ridiculous amounts of fun and with the creativity that a lesser author wouldn’t reach in his six-book series.
"Jay Score" by Eric Frank Russell
Great. A multi-racial spaceship’s crew finds themselves hurtling towards a sun. A surprising member of the crew will risk their life to save everyone.
"Liar!" by Isaac Asimov
Good. Susan Calvin, Roboticist, investigates a robot that is able to read minds. Classic ‘Three Laws of Robotics” story.
"Time Wants a Skeleton" by Ross Rocklynne
Good. Time travel, space cops and robbers, a mysterious skeleton on an asteroid, and lots of jockeying for the power to avoid becoming that skeleton.
"The Words of Guru" by C. M. Kornbluth
Good. Horror Fantasy. A young boy is given power and ushered into a demonic world.
"The Seesaw" by A. E. van Vogt
Average. A man walks into a far future weapons shop - transplanted to the present - and find himself at the center of a ongoing conflict. Vogt is playing with ideas that he will do better in future stories.
"Armageddon" by Fredric Brown
Average. Fantasy. Young boy saves the world from Satan during a live magic show.
"Adam and No Eve" by Alfred Bester
Great. One of the greatest science fiction stories ever written. A heart-rending story of the devastation wrought by scientific hubris.
"Solar Plexus" by James Blish
Good. Trapped within a spaceship that has merged with a human being, a scientist tries to find a way to avoid becoming ‘spare parts.’
"Nightfall" by Isaac Asimov
Great. “If the stars should appear one night in a thousand years, how would men believe and adore, and preserve for many generations the remembrance of the city of God!”
"A Gnome There Was" by Henry Kuttner and C. L. Moore
Average. Fantasy. A labor organizer becomes a Gnome.
"Snulbug" by Anthony Boucher
Poor. Fantasy. A man summons a demon who gets him a newspaper from the future.
"Hereafter, Inc." by Lester del Rey
Average. Fantasy. A man goes about his day, but this isn’t what Heaven should be like.
March 20, 2019
Un'ottima selezione di racconti degli anni d'oro della Fantascienza, uno spunto sia per scoprire chicche di autori noti al grande pubblico che per scoprire scrittori più di nicchia, ma non per questo meno interessanti dal punto di vista letterario
September 19, 2022
Después de leerlo hace muchos años he vuelto a este libro para comprobar que el sentido de la maravilla que transmiten sus relatos no ha desaparecido. Pequeñas joyas, sorprendentes primeros relatos de autores que más tarde se consagrarían, temas que se trataban por primera vez en la ciencia ficción y que hoy ya no impresionan, todo reunido en una selección imprescindible.
Comprendo que hay mucha nostalgia en mi opinión, pero creo que es un libro para disfrutar leyendo.
Comprendo que hay mucha nostalgia en mi opinión, pero creo que es un libro para disfrutar leyendo.
April 17, 2017
Edited by Isaac Asimov, stories by various authors, some are a bit dated but a great collection (even though the Heinlein stories were not actually included), part of a series of 25 from 1939 to 1963
Read
December 30, 2016Inasmuch as I am a born-again SF fan, it is only right, I think, to look backward as well as forward to find new material to read. You could hardly do better than looking toward a couple of old masters, Isaac Asimov and Martin Greenburg, for a collection of tales from the Golden Age. It must have been a mammoth project, 25 years of the best stories. I found this in a used book store somewhere, and figured it would be good reading. I tend to enjoy the older stories better than today's fare for some reason.
And what a collection! Even without the five entries of Robert Heinlein (left out for legal issues) it's still a pretty amazing grouping. Some of the more memorable would be Sturgeon's "Shottle Bop" and "Microcosmic God"…he was an incredible visionary and his stories cross genres with disdain. Astounding! Also hugely entertaining is the oh-so-short story "The Rocket of 1955" which packs so much tension in so few words that it left me breathless. I admit I went back and read it several times to savor the impact over and over.
The gem of the lot, though, is Asimov's own original version of "Nightfall". It was later expanded into a full length novel (with Robert Silverberg, if I'm not mistaken) and I reckon I'll have to read that too, but the basic premise is that a planet is, by its proximity to several stars, perpetually in daylight. Legends persist, however, of "stars" that will appear when darkness falls, and of how civilization crumbles. Your characters are based in an observatory, and are well aware that such an event is imminent, and what, if anything, they can do to prepare for it. Simple? Yes, and that's why it's so brilliant.
Stories like these are what made that age truly Golden, and Asimov and Greenburg are justly regarded as legends for having collected them all. Now I suppose it's up to me to locate the other 24 volumes…I have already located the 25th, publishing, sadly, just after Asimov's untimely death. If the present state of SF is built upon the Foundation (caps intended, if you've read Asimov, you understand) of the past, then the bedrock is solid, and it will endure. This stuff is timeless. My highest recommendation!
And what a collection! Even without the five entries of Robert Heinlein (left out for legal issues) it's still a pretty amazing grouping. Some of the more memorable would be Sturgeon's "Shottle Bop" and "Microcosmic God"…he was an incredible visionary and his stories cross genres with disdain. Astounding! Also hugely entertaining is the oh-so-short story "The Rocket of 1955" which packs so much tension in so few words that it left me breathless. I admit I went back and read it several times to savor the impact over and over.
The gem of the lot, though, is Asimov's own original version of "Nightfall". It was later expanded into a full length novel (with Robert Silverberg, if I'm not mistaken) and I reckon I'll have to read that too, but the basic premise is that a planet is, by its proximity to several stars, perpetually in daylight. Legends persist, however, of "stars" that will appear when darkness falls, and of how civilization crumbles. Your characters are based in an observatory, and are well aware that such an event is imminent, and what, if anything, they can do to prepare for it. Simple? Yes, and that's why it's so brilliant.
Stories like these are what made that age truly Golden, and Asimov and Greenburg are justly regarded as legends for having collected them all. Now I suppose it's up to me to locate the other 24 volumes…I have already located the 25th, publishing, sadly, just after Asimov's untimely death. If the present state of SF is built upon the Foundation (caps intended, if you've read Asimov, you understand) of the past, then the bedrock is solid, and it will endure. This stuff is timeless. My highest recommendation!
October 18, 2015
This volume contains several legendary stories. Among them are: Shottle Bop, by Theodore Sturgeon; Microcosmic God, also by Sturgeon; and Nightfall, by Asimov. All three stories deserve the fame they have garnered, and have been anthologized again and again.
It's tough to pick a favorite, but my favorite story here is probably "Adam and No Eve," by Alfred Bester. It's at least as good as "Nightfall," in my estimation. And perhaps it seems a bit better because I had never read it before. That gave it the advantage of novelty.
The worst story here was "A Gnome There Was," by Kuttner and Moore. I hate to say that, because I usually like their work and I generally love C.L. Moore's stories. But this is simply a contemporary fairy tale with a twist ending. Moore and Kuttner clearly intended this to be a light, comic piece, but it was heavy on slapstick and light on subtlety. So I didn't enjoy it.
Of the first three volumes in "The Great SF Stories," I feel this was the best. It will be interesting to see what undiscovered treasures the subsequent volumes hold. Only 22 more volumes to go!
It's tough to pick a favorite, but my favorite story here is probably "Adam and No Eve," by Alfred Bester. It's at least as good as "Nightfall," in my estimation. And perhaps it seems a bit better because I had never read it before. That gave it the advantage of novelty.
The worst story here was "A Gnome There Was," by Kuttner and Moore. I hate to say that, because I usually like their work and I generally love C.L. Moore's stories. But this is simply a contemporary fairy tale with a twist ending. Moore and Kuttner clearly intended this to be a light, comic piece, but it was heavy on slapstick and light on subtlety. So I didn't enjoy it.
Of the first three volumes in "The Great SF Stories," I feel this was the best. It will be interesting to see what undiscovered treasures the subsequent volumes hold. Only 22 more volumes to go!
July 17, 2018
Adoro los viajes temporales y sobretodo la idea de que se crucen la misma persona, conociendo el futuro y el pasado, viviendo en el propio presente. Es interesante como el autor sabe guiarte en el proceso intelectual de entender la situación y dejando siempre la incógnita de que fue primero, ¿el huevo o la gallina?
El gran fallo o al menos no he acabado de entender, es la situación inicial de esta paradoja. Pues si algo está claro de que se puede viajar en el tiempo e interactuar con uno mismo, no se explica cuál es el detonante que hace que el bucle de vueltas y vueltas, dejándote con la duda del verdadero trasfondo de la historia.
Este es uno de esos libros que dejan tus neuronas un poco alborotadas, intentando descubrir un secreto que el propio autor no te revela y que deberás imaginar, por tus propios medios. En todo momento piensas en cuantos saltos habrá hecho el personaje y si ese será realmente el flujo temporal a seguir, pues si se dispone de una maquina del tiempo para ir y venir cuando y donde quieras, podrías llenar toda tu propia línea temporal contigo mismo.
Otra apasionante historia del tiempo y el espacio, que te hará pensar mientras la disfrutas.
El gran fallo o al menos no he acabado de entender, es la situación inicial de esta paradoja. Pues si algo está claro de que se puede viajar en el tiempo e interactuar con uno mismo, no se explica cuál es el detonante que hace que el bucle de vueltas y vueltas, dejándote con la duda del verdadero trasfondo de la historia.
Este es uno de esos libros que dejan tus neuronas un poco alborotadas, intentando descubrir un secreto que el propio autor no te revela y que deberás imaginar, por tus propios medios. En todo momento piensas en cuantos saltos habrá hecho el personaje y si ese será realmente el flujo temporal a seguir, pues si se dispone de una maquina del tiempo para ir y venir cuando y donde quieras, podrías llenar toda tu propia línea temporal contigo mismo.
Otra apasionante historia del tiempo y el espacio, que te hará pensar mientras la disfrutas.
August 1, 2012
Terzo volume coi migliori racconti di fantascienza classica raccolti da Isaac Asimov.Se il libro dedicato al 1939 aveva il pregio di essere il primo e di raccogliere i racconti che hanno "aperto un'era" e se il volume del 1940 aveva il sapore di un qualcosa di transizione, questa nuova/vecchia raccolta rappresenta la dimostrazione di quanto quegli anni abbiano rappresentato il seme da cui tutto si è sviluppato.Idee incredibilmente attuali nonostante risalgano a quasi settant'anni fa, stili leggibili e gradevoli, storie assolutamente senza tempo.Certo, non tutti i racconti hanno retto al passare degli anni, ma la maggior parte merita veramente una lettura da parte di qualunque appassionato.Segnalo in particolare "Snulbug" di Anthony Boucher, "Cade la notte" di Isaac Asimov, il gradevolissimo "Armageddon" di Fredrick Brown e "Aldilà, inc." di Lester del Rey.Peccato per i racconti di Heinlein: il libro ne avrebbe previsti quattro, ma motivi di diritti non ne hanno permesso la pubblicazione; una non piccola pecca per un libro altrimenti perfetto nel suo genere.
October 26, 2013
Otra recopilación sabiamente seleccionada por Isaac ASIMOV y Martin H. GREENBERG, donde aparecen varios de los nombres más reconocidos de la ciencia ficción. Relatos cándidos, de una ingenuidad encantadora, de repente atinadamente profética, o al menos, no tan desencaminados. Los títulos incluidos en esta selección son:
‘Ratones mecánicos’ de Maurice A. HUGI
‘El cohete de 1955’ de C. M. KORNBLUTH
‘Dios microcósmico' de Theodore STURGEON
‘Jay Score’ de Eric Frank RUSSELL
‘Universo’ de Robert A. HEINLEIN
‘Solución insatisfactoria’ de Anson MacDONALD
‘Las palabras de Guru’ de Kenneth FALCONER
‘Visto y no visto’ de Alfred E. van VOGT
‘Adan sin Eva’ de Alfred BESTER
‘Anochecer’ de Isaac ASIMOV
‘Había una vez un gnomo’ de Catherine L. MOORE y Henry KUTTNER
‘Por sus propios medios’ de Robert A. HEINLEIN
‘Snulbug’ de Anthony BOUCHER
‘Más Allá S.A.’ de Lester del REY
‘Ratones mecánicos’ de Maurice A. HUGI
‘El cohete de 1955’ de C. M. KORNBLUTH
‘Dios microcósmico' de Theodore STURGEON
‘Jay Score’ de Eric Frank RUSSELL
‘Universo’ de Robert A. HEINLEIN
‘Solución insatisfactoria’ de Anson MacDONALD
‘Las palabras de Guru’ de Kenneth FALCONER
‘Visto y no visto’ de Alfred E. van VOGT
‘Adan sin Eva’ de Alfred BESTER
‘Anochecer’ de Isaac ASIMOV
‘Había una vez un gnomo’ de Catherine L. MOORE y Henry KUTTNER
‘Por sus propios medios’ de Robert A. HEINLEIN
‘Snulbug’ de Anthony BOUCHER
‘Más Allá S.A.’ de Lester del REY
January 22, 2014
Volume curato da Asimov e dedicato all'anno 1941, che fu uno dei più difficili e tragici della nostra storia. Il maresciallo Rommel condusse le sue truppe dall'Italia all'Africa; la corazzata tascabile tedesca Bismarck fu affondata dalla Marina britannica; la Germania invase l'Unione Sovietica; Churchill e Roosevelt firmarono la "Carta Atlantica"; aerei giapponesi attaccarono Pearl Harbour e gli Stati uniti dichiararono guerra al Giapppone. Il 1941 è considerato una delle annate più significative della fantascienza: sono qui proposti i racconti che più hanno segnato quel periodo, partendo da Eric Frank Russel, fino ad arrivare allo stesso Asimov, a Fredric Brown, Lester del Rey e molti altri.
December 19, 2024
Quella era davvero l'età dell'oro della fantascienza se in un solo anno sono usciti tutti questi bei racconti! L'unica cosa che non capisco è perché includere alcune storie che sono chiaramente fantasy o horror e non fantascienza. Per questo manca una stellina.
I miei 5 racconti preferiti sono:
R.Heinlein - Per Qualche Millennio in Più
I.Asimov - Cade la Notte
T.Sturgeon - Dio Microcosmico
C Kornbluth - le Parole di Guru
R.Rocklynne - il Tempo Vuole uno Scheletro
I miei 5 racconti preferiti sono:
R.Heinlein - Per Qualche Millennio in Più
I.Asimov - Cade la Notte
T.Sturgeon - Dio Microcosmico
C Kornbluth - le Parole di Guru
R.Rocklynne - il Tempo Vuole uno Scheletro
September 21, 2018
Good collection of the year's best science fiction from 1941
When this excellent 25 volume anthology series edited by Asimov and Greenberg came out back in the 1980s, I bought and read all of them I could find but a few volumes went out of print before I could buy them. All these years later, I'm finally tracking them down on eBay. I highly recommend the entire series - IF you can find them!
When this excellent 25 volume anthology series edited by Asimov and Greenberg came out back in the 1980s, I bought and read all of them I could find but a few volumes went out of print before I could buy them. All these years later, I'm finally tracking them down on eBay. I highly recommend the entire series - IF you can find them!
April 5, 2014
Me encanta todo lo relacionado con viajes en el tiempo y paradojas
August 13, 2014
Flipante.
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