Science Fiction of the 20th Century : An Illustrated History
 

Two things should be mentioned right away: first, that this is a book of science fiction art, not fantasy (there are no dragons, no unicorns, no elves), and second, that with the exception of a few science fiction movie posters, the art featured within are book covers and magazine covers.

This book itself is a work of art. It's large, it's heavy (printed on thick glossy paper), it's very colorful and has very fancy graphic designs. The layout is easy to see, eye-catching, and well spaced. Some of the featured covers are full-page. Most pages have two or three covers, a few have four. In other words, the pictures are never crowded together, and remain large enough to show detail.

Many of the covers are astounding. There are assorted rockets, saucers, aeroplanes, even a few flying globes. There are furry aliens, tentacled aliens, winged aliens, reptilian aliens, aquatic aliens, some tiny humanoid aliens. Heroes in skintight clothing, heroes in coverall jumpsuits, heroes in metallic spacemechs, heroes in Roman Centurion gear (go figure), heroes in clanky armorlike spacesuits. The women, especially in the earlier pulps and books, tend to be either scantily clad or in skintight clothing, and most are in various states of distress (being carried off by aliens). There are vistas of deserts, oceans, mountain ranges, desolate moonscapes, fantastic alien forests, fabulous spaceports. Many moons hang in the sky, and fantastic ringed planets.

Among the magazines included are Analog, Asimov's, Fantasy & Science Fiction, Argosy, Astounding, Amazing Stories, Planet Stories, Science Wonder Stories, Locus. And more. Book covers range from forgotten novellas to bestselling classics. Movie posters from B-movie creature features to contemporary blockbusters. There really is a lot of art in this book.

The narrative, which is actually extensive, mostly follows the history of the sci-fi magazines and their circulation. The data is informative, but when the art is this beautiful, you won't be reading the small print except to see who did the drawing anyway. You'll lose yourself in this book!

There is only one reason I took one star from the review: some of the art is not identified. The publishers really ought to be ashamed of themselves for overlooking this, in an art book of all things. The entries are identified (although some of the artists' names have been lost, the publisher or sources are named), but the graphics of the cover (of this book) and the chapter introductions are not identified. Shame, shame! The chapter introduction plates are breathtaking, as are the inside-cover and dustjacket art.

This is a book of dreams and imagination. Normally I'd call this a "coffee table book" but not this time. HIDE this book and hoard it for yourself. It's a treasure.

This fascinating book is 100 percent sciencefiction/fantasy memories. I was especially intrigued because it was a birthday gift from my son, and I was one of the writers for Weird Tales magazine and a Brown University veteran-student during the late 1940's. Superb Magazine Cover Photos.

At first, I did a lot of skimming and admiring the book covers, but I recommend you read the book in chronological order, from beginning to end. Robinson's Science Fiction of the 20th Century is thoroughly researched and very well written. Delightfully, exciting and wonderfully informative, Robinson's book contains hundreds of superb, full-color photographs of science fiction and fantasy magazine covers, (wherever did they find them? and they are printed even sharper and more brilliant than when new!).

You will enjoy the beautiful, digitally-created science fictions pulp covers, many enlarged two times actual dimensions. (The average size of early pulp magazines was 6"x8", but they varied, depending on the availability of paper stock during four wars and the fluctuating prices of the pulp paper.)

Writers of Yesterday

Science Fiction of the 20th Century dates from the beginning of science fiction and fantasy genre, to the present revival in books, TV, Movies and Magazines!

The author, Frank M. Robinson gives fascinating and informative data on science fiction writers of past and present. He even reports that Hugh Heffner of Playboy fame, was a sci-fi addict. Playboy magazine has published outstanding science fiction stories and authors, such as Arthur C. Clarke and Ray Bradbury.

Final Notes

Robinson's book gave me an exhaustive, warm and nostalgic visit to fond friends, illustrations, covers, and writers of yesterday, and today.

Robinson's book even stimulated me to forage in my attic where I found a treasure chest of dozens of stories that I had written and published decades ago. I typed them into my computer, formatted them, edited, and now have a new book titled, Really Weird Weird Tales!, a compilation of science fiction and fantasy stories for a huge market, now reborn.

Having just received the book earlier today let me emphatically express that this is a fantastic work, beautifully illustrated, meticulously manufactured, and what I've read is very well written. This book emanates the kind of vital and exciting energy that I find to be most compelling in a "coffee table book." It really rouses interest in the subject matter it presents.

I've checked out other coffee table books on sci-fi, and some have looked good but none come close to this.