When Worlds Collide

Rating:
Summary: Excellent -- but certainly not perfect.
Review: After 70 years, When Worlds Collide/After Worlds Collide remains as one of the most imaginative science fiction yarns ever. I will continue to read my newly acquired copy of the stories (yes, both books are contained in the Bison printing) every few years.

But there are weaknesses. The dialogue is overwrought to the point of silliness (example: the frequent use of "Oh", as in the following quote when the valiant band of survivor/explorers are being attacked by an armed mob: "Fall back! Oh, fall back!" Can you really imagine someone saying it that way?). Also, you may forgive the social/political angle of the second book, but the denouement seems very rushed, as if the authors had to speed up to meet a deadline.

But the descriptions of Bronson Beta and its cities, by themselves, make this story well worth reading. Although flawed, this is indeed a classic.

Rating:
Summary: really good hard science fiction
Review: Better than, but close th the movie of the same name, also has the sequel book "After Worlds Collide".

Rating:
Summary: Rejoice, Fantasy and SF Fans! A Classic Returns!
Review: For many years, this classic toyur-de-force of fantasy/Science Fiction has been out of print, and surviving copies have been precious few and cost dearly. Now, kudos to Bison Frontiers of Imagination for republishing this fantastic work -- both When Worlds Collide AND After Worlds Collide in an omnibus edition! The movie -- great fun though it may be -- doesn't do the first book justice in the least, and the equally exciting and absorbing sequel is ignored. The books were written in the 1930s and apart from a few scientific miscalculations -- remember, they were only guessing at the time! -- the book is remarkably believable. The awesome spectacle of the first book is followed by the fascinating scenes set on Earth's successor planet, Bronson Beta. Oh, if only a GOOD director and producer would consider remaking the saga as a series! But having the books is a blessing! Fans & new readers alike should rejoice!

Rating:
Summary: Reprint and remake the movie.
Review: How many times can I read When Worlds Collide and After Worlds Collide? Untill I can no longer see. These two books need to be reprinted. I saw the movie in 1960. For it's time it was awsome. Can you imagine what Spielburg with todays digital and video technology could do with this movie. Armeggedon and Deep Impact, move over.

Rating:
Summary: The REAL Armageddon
Review: I discovered this one when I was in 5th grade. Buying it now, 30 years later, I was worried that it just wouldn't hold up. To my delight, it stands up to the test of time magnificently.

We've seen movies and TV specials in the past few years on the impact of some cosmic body with Earth (Deep Impact, Armageddon, Meteor). Balmer and Wylie did it decades ago, and did it on a scale and with an attention to (then-current) detail that's still staggeringly convincing, if dated, today.

Written before WWII (1933 and 34), When Worlds Collide features the destruction of the Earth in the most complete manner possible, and focuses on the efforts of a few people to find a way to escape that destruction. The manner in which they do so is brilliantly thought out and detailed, the progressive deterioration of both society and of the Earth itself is heartwrenchingly chronicled, and the final flight from the doomed planet is a classic. Yes, we have super-science, purple prose, and sometimes overly-simplistic characters (not to mention outdated concepts), but this is an example of the Golden Age that can still stand on its own. It DEFINED the disaster novel, and set the bar so high that few who came after even dared attempt the grand scale that Balmer and Wylie achieved. The sequel has its own charm, a combination of aftermath and exploration, with some eerie scenes that still give me a bit of the creeps to read.

Rating:
Summary: The REAL Armageddon
Review: I discovered this one when I was in 5th grade. Buying it now, 30 years later, I was worried that it just wouldn't hold up. To my delight, it stands up to the test of time magnificently.

We've seen movies and TV specials in the past few years on the impact of some cosmic body with Earth (Deep Impact, Armageddon, Meteor). Balmer and Wylie did it decades ago, and did it on a scale and with an attention to (then-current) detail that's still staggeringly convincing, if dated, today.

Written before WWII (1933 and 34), When Worlds Collide features the destruction of the Earth in the most complete manner possible, and focuses on the efforts of a few people to find a way to escape that destruction. The manner in which they do so is brilliantly thought out and detailed, the progressive deterioration of both society and of the Earth itself is heartwrenchingly chronicled, and the final flight from the doomed planet is a classic. Yes, we have super-science, purple prose, and sometimes overly-simplistic characters (not to mention outdated concepts), but this is an example of the Golden Age that can still stand on its own. It DEFINED the disaster novel, and set the bar so high that few who came after even dared attempt the grand scale that Balmer and Wylie achieved. The sequel has its own charm, a combination of aftermath and exploration, with some eerie scenes that still give me a bit of the creeps to read.

Rating:
Summary: My favorite sci-fi book!
Review: I first read this book (and it's sequel,"After Worlds Collide") in my early teens and it has remained a dear friend since then. I own the movie, but reading the book is the best treat. If you want to own this title, try checking Advanced Book Exchange or Bibliocity for used copies. You may have to wait for awhile, but ultimately, you'll get you copy!

Rating:
Summary: This is a perennial favorite of mine.
Review: I first read this book as a child. I have probably read it at least a dozen times. For those who are not aware of this, it is actually two books - When Worlds Collide and After Worlds Collide. I actually prefer the second. I own a copy of the movie, which was made in 1951. Even by today's standards, it is an excellent example of sci-fi cinematography. It is a crime that this is not available for purchase. Well, back to the library, I guess....

Rating:
Summary: The Grandaddy of the Disaster Genre!
Review: I first read this book more than thirty years ago. I have read it many times since and it will always remain on my list of all-time favorites. This is a book in the tradition of Verne and Wells in that it brings many basic scientific principles to life and makes them understandable to the reader.

Against the backdrop of universal disaster, Wylie and Balmer manage to tell a story that has real human dimensions. Love, hate, ingenuity, and compassion all play out here in characters that will truly engage the reader. Furthermore, the scope of adventure the book gives will compel the reader to keep turning the pages, eager to see what happens next. In this way the book is a true success. However, for the discerning reader, the story also raises some perplexing and even disturbing questions, giving it a depth that mere adventure can't.

My career as a geographer and mathematician can trace its genesis to one book, and that book is WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE. So I personally owe its authors a great deal, and so does all science-fiction because this book epitomizes the genre's greatest strengths.

Rating:
Summary: When Worlds Collide
Review: I first read this book twenty five years ago when in high school. It is an incredible piece of science fiction and was far ahead of it's time. The detail is amazing and I was completely lost in the anguish of these people as they watched the destruction of their own world and then their amazement, and joy as they explored their new home. Truly a timeless piece of literature to lose yourself in over and over again.