Pioneers of Wonder: Conversations With the Founders of Science Fiction

Rating:
Summary: Science fictional scholarship
Review: As a long-time reader and somewhat a student of the science fiction genre, I thought I knew a lot about its beginnings. Now, I know a lot more, thanks to this book which covers the period between Hugo Gernsback's creation of the field (or at least the term for it) and John W. Campbell's ascension at Astounding/Analog magazine. There were indeed editors before Campbell who did a lot to shape what has become today's sci-fi conglomerate, and they are profiled (and some even interviewed) here along with some early authors of whom many modern SF readers and viewers are unaware. As a bonus, we get a look at the early publishing of SF books (at one time it was all in magazines), the earliest of SF movies, historical studies of the field, and the author's own account of how he was seduced by science fiction in an experience that will mirror those of many of us who came to it by reading rather than TV and movies.

Rating:
Summary: Science fictional scholarship
Review: As a long-time reader and somewhat a student of the science fiction genre, I thought I knew a lot about its beginnings. Now, I know a lot more, thanks to this book which covers the period between Hugo Gernsback's creation of the field (or at least the term for it) and John W. Campbell's ascension at Astounding/Analog magazine. There were indeed editors before Campbell who did a lot to shape what has become today's sci-fi conglomerate, and they are profiled (and some even interviewed) here along with some early authors of whom many modern SF readers and viewers are unaware. As a bonus, we get a look at the early publishing of SF books (at one time it was all in magazines), the earliest of SF movies, historical studies of the field, and the author's own account of how he was seduced by science fiction in an experience that will mirror those of many of us who came to it by reading rather than TV and movies.

Rating:
Summary: What happened?
Review: Eric Davin is a left wing nut case. Any thing he writes is really bad. I dont like the book. You would have to pay me to read it twice. I think he might still be upset that the USSR went capitalist. Poor Baby.

Rating:
Summary: Informative book on the leading sf magazine of 1929-1934
Review: This book consists of interviews with many surviving authors and editors of early 1930's science-fiction, specifically those appearing in Science Wonder Stories, later Wonder Stories. It contains valuable information on an often overlooked aspect of science-fiction, i.e., Hugo Gernsback's continued domination of science-fiction after losing control of Amazing Stories.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful journey into the beginning of Science Fiction
Review: This book is a fascinating look into the beginning of Science Fiction. It brings back memories of that first encounter with the wonder of future speculation, some things we now take for granted, yet at this time were just in the imagination of these pioneers. It was the foundation of all that came and at that time so fragile in it's birth. These are voices of the beginning of what is now considered "main stream".