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The Road to Science Fiction #4
The Road to Science Fiction 4: From Here to Forever
Now in Paperback!
The Road to Science Fiction is a six-volume anthology that covers the development of this genre from its earliest prototypes to the current day. Created originally to provide anthologies for use in classrooms in the late 1970s, these volumes became mass-market sellers.
Between an ancient Roman's trip to the moon and the fantastic tales of H.G. Wells lies a journey through time and space and an awesome evolution in scientific thinking. From Gilgamesh's search for immortality to Edgar Allan Poe's balloon trip in the year 2848 these and other key works are gathered together for the first time in one anthology, complete with revealing commentary on the authors, their eras, and the role each played in establishing what we today recognize as science fiction.
Volume 4 From Here to Forever covers the period from 1950-1992, illustrating how science fiction can be as concerned with language and character as much as traditional fiction and anything in the mainstream. Includes stories by Jorge Luis Borges, Richard Matheson, C. M. Kornbluth, Jack Vance, and Pamela Zoline.
The Road to Science Fiction is a six-volume anthology that covers the development of this genre from its earliest prototypes to the current day. Created originally to provide anthologies for use in classrooms in the late 1970s, these volumes became mass-market sellers.
Between an ancient Roman's trip to the moon and the fantastic tales of H.G. Wells lies a journey through time and space and an awesome evolution in scientific thinking. From Gilgamesh's search for immortality to Edgar Allan Poe's balloon trip in the year 2848 these and other key works are gathered together for the first time in one anthology, complete with revealing commentary on the authors, their eras, and the role each played in establishing what we today recognize as science fiction.
Volume 4 From Here to Forever covers the period from 1950-1992, illustrating how science fiction can be as concerned with language and character as much as traditional fiction and anything in the mainstream. Includes stories by Jorge Luis Borges, Richard Matheson, C. M. Kornbluth, Jack Vance, and Pamela Zoline.
558 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1982
4 people are currently reading
122 people want to read
About the author
James E. Gunn
265 books118 followersAmerican science fiction author, editor, scholar, and anthologist. His work from the 1960s and 70s is considered his most significant fiction, and his Road to Science Fiction collections are considered his most important scholarly books. He won a Hugo Award for a non-fiction book in 1983 for Isaac Asimov: The Foundations of Science Fiction. He was named the 2007 Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.
Gunn served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, after which he attended the University of Kansas, earning a Bachelor of Science in Journalism in 1947 and a Masters of Arts in English in 1951. Gunn went on to become a faculty member of the University of Kansas, where he served as the university's director of public relations and as a professor of English, specializing in science fiction and fiction writing. He is now a professor emeritus and director of the Center for the Study of Science Fiction, which awards the annual John W. Campbell Memorial Award for best novel and the Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award at the Campbell Conference in Lawrence, Kansas, every July.
He served as President of the Science Fiction Writers of America from 1971–72, was President of the Science Fiction Research Association from 1980-82, and currently is Director of The Center for the Study of
Science Fiction. SFWA honored him as a Grand Master of Science Fiction in 2007.
Gunn began his career as a science fiction author in 1948. He has had almost 100 stories published in magazines and anthologies and has authored 26 books and edited 10. Many of his stories and books have been reprinted around the world.
In 1996, Gunn wrote a novelization of the unproduced Star Trek episode "The Joy Machine" by Theodore Sturgeon.
His stories also have been adapted into radioplays and teleplays:
* NBC radio's X Minus One
* Desilu Playhouse's 1959 "Man in Orbit", based on Gunn's "The Cave of Night"
* ABC-TV's Movie of the Week "The Immortal" (1969) and an hour-long television series in 1970, based on Gunn's The Immortals
* An episode of the USSR science fiction TV series This Fantastic World, filmed in 1989 and entitled "Psychodynamics of the Witchcraft" was based on James Gunn's 1953 story "Wherever You May Be".
Gunn served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, after which he attended the University of Kansas, earning a Bachelor of Science in Journalism in 1947 and a Masters of Arts in English in 1951. Gunn went on to become a faculty member of the University of Kansas, where he served as the university's director of public relations and as a professor of English, specializing in science fiction and fiction writing. He is now a professor emeritus and director of the Center for the Study of Science Fiction, which awards the annual John W. Campbell Memorial Award for best novel and the Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award at the Campbell Conference in Lawrence, Kansas, every July.
He served as President of the Science Fiction Writers of America from 1971–72, was President of the Science Fiction Research Association from 1980-82, and currently is Director of The Center for the Study of
Science Fiction. SFWA honored him as a Grand Master of Science Fiction in 2007.
Gunn began his career as a science fiction author in 1948. He has had almost 100 stories published in magazines and anthologies and has authored 26 books and edited 10. Many of his stories and books have been reprinted around the world.
In 1996, Gunn wrote a novelization of the unproduced Star Trek episode "The Joy Machine" by Theodore Sturgeon.
His stories also have been adapted into radioplays and teleplays:
* NBC radio's X Minus One
* Desilu Playhouse's 1959 "Man in Orbit", based on Gunn's "The Cave of Night"
* ABC-TV's Movie of the Week "The Immortal" (1969) and an hour-long television series in 1970, based on Gunn's The Immortals
* An episode of the USSR science fiction TV series This Fantastic World, filmed in 1989 and entitled "Psychodynamics of the Witchcraft" was based on James Gunn's 1953 story "Wherever You May Be".
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 30, 2012
This is a great anthology - a quick shimmy through (some of) the contents :
Born of Man and Woman · Richard Matheson · who wrote I Am Legend which is a must-read for any horror fan - this one is a from-the-point-of-view-of-the-grisly-monster-in-the-cellar thing, very horripillating.
The First Canticle [from “A Canticle for Leibowitz”] · Walter M. Miller, Jr. - great but RTFN (= read the frighteninglygood novel)
Flowers for Algernon · Daniel Keyes · most anthologised story ever - but this deserves as many readers as that ridiculous gangnam video has had viewers
The Library of Babel · Jorge Luís Borges · he wouldn't have demurred at being described as a science fiction writer, I think, he had a respect for genres - this is a mindbender - Borge is Mycroft Holmes to Philip Dick's Sherlock, I think and Philip was an acidhead so you can see where that gets us
Light of Other Days - Bob Shaw · get your hankies out, this is moving stuff - one of those brilliant ideas which occur sometimes to second-rank sf writers, and I bet the others get a little bit jealous - "why didn't I think ofthat??
The Heat Death of the Universe · Pamela A. Zoline · in the 60s sf temporarily became speculative fiction and this is a prime slice of the obliqueness and literariness which came flying in through the windows much to the discomfiture of the traditional aliens'n'timetravel gang
The Dance of the Changer and the Three · Terry Carr · brilliant evocation of very alien life - mostly the damned aliens are men in suits, you know it, i know it, but not here.
The Last Flight of Dr. Ain · James Tiptree, Jr. · argh, one of her greatest shockers - this woman was so brilliant
The Island of Doctor Death and Other Stories · Gene Wolfe · a headscratcher from the main man of pomo sf - it loses me, I confess - I should get this guy
Angouleme · Thomas M. Disch · another mood piece, but you may miss the aliens, by now I think I do too
Air Raid · John Varley · an all time favourite, as exciting as it is brilliant, not only kick ass but kick every other body part then put them in a bag and bugger off to the future with them
Particle Theory · Edward Bryant · my namesake - great psychological story - hello Edward!
These Road To Science Fiction anthologies are all good, but I particularly love & recommend no 3 and no 4.
Born of Man and Woman · Richard Matheson · who wrote I Am Legend which is a must-read for any horror fan - this one is a from-the-point-of-view-of-the-grisly-monster-in-the-cellar thing, very horripillating.
The First Canticle [from “A Canticle for Leibowitz”] · Walter M. Miller, Jr. - great but RTFN (= read the frighteninglygood novel)
Flowers for Algernon · Daniel Keyes · most anthologised story ever - but this deserves as many readers as that ridiculous gangnam video has had viewers
The Library of Babel · Jorge Luís Borges · he wouldn't have demurred at being described as a science fiction writer, I think, he had a respect for genres - this is a mindbender - Borge is Mycroft Holmes to Philip Dick's Sherlock, I think and Philip was an acidhead so you can see where that gets us
Light of Other Days - Bob Shaw · get your hankies out, this is moving stuff - one of those brilliant ideas which occur sometimes to second-rank sf writers, and I bet the others get a little bit jealous - "why didn't I think ofthat??
The Heat Death of the Universe · Pamela A. Zoline · in the 60s sf temporarily became speculative fiction and this is a prime slice of the obliqueness and literariness which came flying in through the windows much to the discomfiture of the traditional aliens'n'timetravel gang
The Dance of the Changer and the Three · Terry Carr · brilliant evocation of very alien life - mostly the damned aliens are men in suits, you know it, i know it, but not here.
The Last Flight of Dr. Ain · James Tiptree, Jr. · argh, one of her greatest shockers - this woman was so brilliant
The Island of Doctor Death and Other Stories · Gene Wolfe · a headscratcher from the main man of pomo sf - it loses me, I confess - I should get this guy
Angouleme · Thomas M. Disch · another mood piece, but you may miss the aliens, by now I think I do too
Air Raid · John Varley · an all time favourite, as exciting as it is brilliant, not only kick ass but kick every other body part then put them in a bag and bugger off to the future with them
Particle Theory · Edward Bryant · my namesake - great psychological story - hello Edward!
These Road To Science Fiction anthologies are all good, but I particularly love & recommend no 3 and no 4.
July 29, 2019
While I didn't love ALL the stories, there were quite a few that I really really liked. Less than 10% were books is already read.
Read
February 23, 2016Z powodu posuchy nowych antologii sf na polskim rynku zacząłem czytać "starocie". Część 4. jest trochę słabsza od trójki, jednak 30 lat po wydaniu trzyma wysoki poziom i da się czytać, a to jest ważne. Jest parę dobrych opowiadań. O dziwo spodobał mi się Lem, którego ogólnie nie mogę strawić, chyba to przez jego styl pisarski i dużo niezrozumiałych słów. Też już wiem, że Diuny nie przeczytam, ledwo przebrnąłem przez nią. Gregory Benford zawsze na wysokim poziomie mimo, że ostatnio mało publikuje. Dużo jest antologii autorów obecnych typu George R.R. Martin. Ale 3/4 opowiadań wg mnie to średniaki.
April 30, 2013
This was the last of the original group of books. It is less about history and more about what the editor considers good short stories. Unfortunately many of the stories are not good because they are "New Wave" or "Speculative Fiction". These type of stories should be in poetry books since they rarely have plots and don't have characters most people that read Science Fiction can identify with. "Flowers for Algernon", "Nobody Bothers Gus" and "This Tower of Ashes" are favorite from this book.
September 24, 2011
Some of these short stories are fantastic, others so-so, and a couple not my cup o' speculation...but those just don't get read.
Overall - there are six-seven stories which make this entire thing worth reading.
Overall - there are six-seven stories which make this entire thing worth reading.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews