The Roman Empire

by Lacey Kat
(Copyright by the author - All rights reserved) 

In September of 2023, Rolling Stone Magazine had an article entitled, “Why Are So Many Men Obsessed With the Roman Empire?”  It addressed a trend on TikTok of women, seemingly at random, asking their husbands and boyfriends how often they think about the Roman empire, and being quite surprised to find most of them respond that they think about it on a daily basis.  While this made for a cute “what is it with men these days” filler, Mike Duncan, historian and host of the popular History of Rome podcast decided it was something worth looking into.  I don’t know if he mentions Isaac Asimov in his writings or podcasting, but “The Great Explainer” saw this trend quite a few decades ago.  

Isaac Asimov was never one to do something halfway.  If you asked him to write a pamphlet, he would give you an essay.  If you asked for an article, he would give you a book.  If you asked for a book, he would give you a series.  

The benefit of all of this is that we, the reading public, reaped the rewards of his prolific writing.  However, his editors, the ones who had to pay him per word, or pay to have his abundance of words printed, often wanted restrictions on how much Asimov included in his assignment.  Asimov hated to edit and the only thing he hated more was to have someone else edit it for him.  If a book was longer than the publishing house had in mind, Asimov wanted to be the one who trimmed it. 

Occasionally Asimov hit upon a happy medium.  A way to satisfy his desire to be complete and balance the publisher’s desire to keep a book under 400 pages.  The solution?  Asimov would write two books on the subject.

That is the case with Asimov’s history of Rome.  Realizing that he could not fit the thousand-year epic into one volume, Asimov wrote a book about the Roman Republic and then wrote a book about the Roman Empire.  This made everyone happy.

“The Roman Empire,” picks up right where the “Roman Republic” left off.  Asimov starts with a quick overview of Roman history from its founding in 753 B.C.E., to the fall of Julius Caesar, and the civil wars that followed, to the rise of Octavian, who we know better as “Augustus.”  From here, Asimov starts the tale.

As in the “Roman Republic,” Asimov deals only briefly with daily Roman life, preferring to concentrate on the battles and politics that shaped history.  He uses his indomitable narrative style to make the reader forget that these were events of over two thousand years ago.  The intrigue, backstabbing, and drama of political life could be set in any capitol today, and not just Rome of the past millennia.  This helps bring interest to what is, to most people, the dry subject of history.

Were appropriate Asimov does interject some tidbits of Roman social life, the plight of the poor, the way Rome had to deal with ruling the known world, yet being true to its Italian heritage, etc.  Asimov also uses some opportunities to show the origins of familiar phrases we still use today.  For example, when Augustus took over the Roman land and helped establish the PAX  ROMANUS (or peace of Rome), his army considered him the “Imperator,” which means “commander” or “leader.”  It is from this title that we get the word “Emperor,” in modern English.  This type of information helps remind the reader of the relevance of a people so long ago.

Asimov opens with a short history to bring those who did not read the first book up to speed.  He then opens the first chapter with the life of Augustus and a look at how he shaped the empire.  From here Asimov looks at the Emperors who followed Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero, and the rise of philosophy and cults, ending with the rise of Christianity following the life of “Joshua the Messiah,” better known in English as “Jesus Christ.”  Asimov also looks at the role the “Germans” play at this time in world history, and speculates on how Europe may have been different if the Romans had more aggressively tried to assimilate these barbaric tribes.

The end of Nero was the end of the line of Augustus, and with that, Asimov looks at the lines of emperors who followed.  In each chapter, he looks at the unique problems of the time, and how each house tried, with various successes, to rule the world, as the Romans knew it.  Once again, the parallels between the problems of the past, and events in recent history, are surprising parallels, and it brings back the old proverb, "Those who forget history are condemned to repeat it." 

The book closes with the rise of the Germanic Kingdoms and the final days of the Roman Empire.  Even if you are very familiar with the subject, Asimov’s own style and interests interject new information in this lively tomb.  

The book is roughly 250 pages long and is closed with a series of genealogies of the various houses that ruled Rome, as well as a table of dates, and an extensive index.  Though written in 1967, it stands the historical test of time and provides a better overview of history than I ever received in high school, or even my first years of college (and I was a history major).

The only problems with the book are minor ones.  First, Asimov did not include pronunciation keys in this work as he did in his previous one.  This is unfortunate because the ability to correctly pronounce Roman names adds an air of authenticity to the education you receive by reading this book.  Second, while I do understand that war and politics are more interesting than the social life of the middle class, I would like to have had a dash less court intrigue and a dash more life of the people.  I have seen less qualified authors than Isaac get quagmired in the life of the everyday citizen it is true, but some look at the life of the Roman would have helped flesh out this history that had such a profound impact on our world today.  Minor complaints, but worth noting.

There are many books on the history of Rome and given our current political situation and the Rolling Stones story on its popularity, there will be many more.  I recommend this book not as the definitive volume on the subject but as a good introduction for those who don't think of Rome too often but would like to know what all the fuss is about.  Maybe it would be a good gift for the wives and loved ones of all those men who dwell daily on the subject. 

The book is published by Houghton Mifflin and is one of their Juvenile history editions.  Even so, it is written with enough style that any aged reader will be satisfied.  It is out of print at this time but can be found in larger libraries under “937, Asimov” and of course can be found with used booksellers online.    

 Best Science Fiction Firsts, Asimov Presents

by Lacey Kat
(Copyright by the author - All rights reserved) 

(Back to the thing Asimov is most associated with, Science Fiction)

Isaac Asimov once wrote that he did not like working on anthologies because they required too much work and not enough writing. He did a few on his own, the “Hugo Award” winners for example, but
shied away from the numerous requests publishers threw his way. Fortunately for us, Isaac met Martin H. Greenberg. He was a gentleman who had an almost encyclopedic knowledge of science fiction the good Doctor had ever met, and a desire to do the “grunt work” that an anthology requires. He also had the desire to let Asimov do the writing, in the form of pre and post-notes for the various selections. This was a wedding made in publishing heaven. 

Asimov always knew the importance of anthologies, even if he did not like the work involved. Many science fiction stories were published in magazines that have long since crumbled to dust. Or they were the only work of an author who died young, lost the muse, or went on to write other types of literature. In any case, Asimov knew there was a mountain of good stories that would never see daylight again, unless he provided an outlet. He did not invent the anthology, but he understood its value in the history of creative ideas. 

“Isaac Asimov Presents the Best Science Fiction Firsts,” is what would be considered a “theme” anthology. By that, I mean that instead of being a collection of works by an author, the collection is based on an idea. In this case, the idea is “who first wrote about the science fiction idea of XYZ?” As with any concept, rules must be laid down. In the introduction, Asimov establishes his framework. The idea must be developed, not just a passing mention. He restricts this collection to short stories, as novels, and portions thereof, would be too frustrating to follow, and he eliminates myths and legends (invisibility, time travel, etc) as he is trying to give credit to the first “person” who came up with the idea. Therefore in this collection, only science fiction that was written since 1800 qualified for his cut. 

The result is a collection of twelve science fiction short stories, spanning the years from 1839 to 1966, that represent the first appearance of a Sci-Fi idea, that we take for granted now. They include, roughly in order, the first appearance of Antimatter, Cloning, Collapsed Stars, Cosmic Disasters, the Generation Starship, Home Computers, Invisibility, Tanks, and Solar Power from Satellites. The last one is from Asimov himself. 

As with all anthologies that are not, “the best of . . .” this book is a mixed bag. Some of the stories are as enjoyable now as they were a hundred years ago, while a few others are historically interesting, but would not be considered “good.” Edgar Allan Poe, for example, is considered the father of the American novel. In this collection, he is credited for the first “Cosmic Disaster” story published in 1839. While I have always admired Poe, he does not make my list of great Sci-Fi authors. Fritz-James O’Brien, on the other hand, who holds the honor of the first story of Invisibility (1859) and Microcosmic Worlds (1858), makes up for his lack of hard science by introducing a human element to his writing that science fiction writers of the 60s’ barely emulated. 

Each story starts with a brief introduction by Asimov that includes a small biography of the author, some interesting facts about the story, and a quick overview of the theme in other works. For example in Don Wilcox’s “The Voyage that Lasted 600 Years,” we are introduced to the idea of a “generation starship.” This is a vehicle that takes centuries to complete its voyage and is crewed by generations who are born, live, and die, on board. Asimov, of course, mentions Robert Heinlein’s Orphans of the Sky, but goes on to inform us that Mark Twain anticipated this idea, Russian rocket scientist Konstantin Tsiolkovsky suggested the idea in an article published in 1928, and television used the idea in the ill fates series “The Starlost.” In a brief two paragraphs, you become acquainted with the history of whatever concept the story is about. This alone is an education worth the cost of the book. 

The volume I reviewed was published by Barnes & Noble Books in 1996 and is a reprint of a 1984 Tekno-Books edition. It is generally available at most online booksellers and should be no trouble finding. This book is a must-read for any true science fiction fan or Asimov aficionado. 

 Murder at the ABA

by Lacey Kat
(Copyright by the author - All rights reserved) 

On May 25, 1975, the American Booksellers Association met in New York City. Earlier that year someone wrote a mystery about the Frankfurt Book Fair called “Murder at Frankfurt.” This inspired Larry Ashmead, an editor at Doubleday, to wonder if a murder mystery of the same sort could be written about an American book fair. Ashmead automatically thought of Isaac Asimov, who had written several mystery short stories and was intrigued by the idea of a straight-mystery (no Sci-Fi) novel. 

Asimov attended the convention, to get the local color, and when it was over he went to see Ashmead with the good news. A mystery was more than possible with a basic plot already worked out. Ashmead was pleased and said that they wanted the novel for the next ABA convention. 

“No problem,” Asimov exclaimed. “I’ll have the manuscript in your hands long before next Memorial Day.” 

“Not the manuscript, Isaac,” replied Ashmead. “The complete book. I need the manuscript by August.” 

Isaac Asimov, the writer’s writer, had to produce a finished manuscript in less than three months.  Fortunately for the reading public, the book was officially published on May 7, 1976. In time for the next ABA held that year in Chicago. 

“Murder at the ABA,” subtitled, “A puzzle in four days and sixty scenes,” takes place, fictitiously, at the ABA convention held in New York, in 1975. The book starts with an interesting premise in that its narrator is not its author. Even though the narration is in the first person. We, the readers, are told that the story’s protagonist, Darius Just, is a somewhat accomplished author whose ex-protégé, Giles Devore, is found dead. Darius is said to then team up with Isaac Asimov to write the story. Asimov even appears in the mystery but in the third person. Occasionally there are even footnotes to explain where Darius and Isaac “disagree” on some story point. While other well-known names, who may or may not have attended the actual event, are bantered about, all principal characters are fictitious. The introduction to the book stresses this in no subtle way. 

The story opens with Darius arriving just in time to help a fellow author at a press meeting for his new book. At the actual convention, Asimov was asked to help at a press meeting and, though out of state during the morning, did arrive against all odds at the appointed hour. The time of the press meeting was changed for Asimov, and in the story, the same thing happens to Darius. This sets off a chain of events that ends in the discovery of the obligatory “dead body.” Darius now has three days to figure out if it was murder or an accident, and who did what to whom. All the while the convention is going on in the background, allowing characters to enter and leave in theatrical regularity. 

As a mystery, it is a light piece of work. It moves nicely, has several red herrings, and has some pleasant characters. It is worth the time of any mystery fan. 

As an Asimov book, it has some very interesting features that make it different from any of Isaac’s previous works. Allow me to elaborate. 

First is the idea that it was written by Asimov and another writer. With Darius as the “observer” of the story, Asimov is allowed to comment on people and events that may have annoyed him during the actual ABA convention. Characters may be made up of hotel and convention staff that either amused or angered the good Doctor, and, with the pen mightier than the sword, Asimov has the opportunity to give them a poke. Not beyond self-aggrandizement, Asimov also pokes fun at himself by allowing the “Darius” character to make observations on Asimov’s ego, gregarious manners, fondness for women, and enthusiasm for food (though lack of enthusiasm for picking up the check). While very therapeutic, this also lets the wind out of the sails of those who think Asimov is too ego-driven. It is an “in” joke between the author and his readers. 

Second, this book contains much of what you do not find in an Asimov book. Female characters for one. All different types, and none the usual “hard-boiled private eye” type gals. And there is a lot of sex. Casual sex. The type an author might want when he says, “Be nice to me babe and I'll get you a part in my next book.” (Or so I have been told) This is very unusual for an Asimov story where sex is implied at best, spoken of only in the past, or desired but not acquired, tense. 

Third, there are off-color moments, profanity, and references to bodily functions. I have never liked this type of writing personally and have always enjoyed the lack of it in an Asimov story. I was surprised to find it here and not sure it was needed. Don’t get me wrong, this is not one of your modern-day, “I get paid by the four-letter word,” stories. But given Asimov’s usual style, these brief indiscretions stick out like a sore thumb. Asimov was trying something different, and for the most part, it worked, but I am glad he did not make it a habit. 

“Murder at the ABA” will never rival “Maltese Falcon” or “Death on the Nile,” as outstanding mysteries. However, it is more than a pleasant read and a lot easier to understand than “The Big Sleep,” and a lot fairer to the reader than “Murder on the Orient Express.” It is a genuine pleasure for an Asimov fan and can be appreciated by those who are murder mystery aficionados. It is filled with "in" jokes and a writer's jab at editors and publishers. It has local color, and what are now historic references to "Watergate," "Gas Shortages," drugs, and the "New Feminism." All this and a dead body to boot. Not bad for a Sci-Fi author. 

Sensuous Dirty Old Man

by Lacey Kat
(Copyright by the author - All rights reserved) 

By the early 1970s the “sexual revolution” had left the fields of Woodstock and filtered into the respectable bookshelves of the local Rexal store.  Right next to the books on proper etiquette, how to develop a winning personality, and the mysteries of the Bermuda Triangle, were books on how to be responsible for your own orgasms, how to put the spice back into your “married” relationships, and how to strip for your husband.

Two best-selling books of this era of sexual enlightenment were the Sensuous Woman by “J” and the Sensuous Man by “M”.   You will note that the authors did not give their “real” names, as this was a transitional time in the growth of American sexuality.  Retail stores might carry the books, but the government was still deporting famous Madams who dared pen their memoirs.  

Entering into this charged environment of amorous emancipation was the stalwart “Dr. A,” and his equally controversial, groundbreaking work, “The Sensuous Dirty Old Man.”   The front page biography admitted that “A” was a pseudonym for an “ordinary American who showed no signs of talent or greatness until he was over forty-five.” At forty-five, the “biography” continues, he left his youth and developed a finesse, art, experience, and the art of love.  He now wanted to pass these secrets to you.

Through extensive research, high-level sources, and reading the front of the book, one soon discovers that the mysterious “Dr. A” is in reality, Dr. Isaac Asimov.  Yes, THE Dr. Isaac Asimov, the respectable science fiction author, and Hugo winner. 

Eager to capitalize on the sex craze in the publishing world, but remitting that he “doesn’t write trash,” the good Doctor was approached by Beth Walker, of Walker & Company, on March 12, 1971.   Asimov reminded Ms. (or Mrs. At that time) that he did not know anything about sex and that the book would be short and a joke.  Beth said great but had to hound the author who still thought it was not a serious suggestion.  Even while he wrote it, in April of that year, he kept it a secret from even his future wife Janet.  However, by the time he finished it he was into the humor, and even appeared on the cover of the hardback edition with a bra on his eyes to “hide his identity.”  This was all for publicity for all the advanced work had Asimov’s name on it, and he even appeared on The Dick Cavett Show to promote his latest work.

The book is meant to be a light joke and a satire of the serious “sensuous” books already a hit.  To do this, Asimov assumes an air of mock seriousness throughout the book.  Every other page has a picture of some eminent person who is “quoted” to strengthen a point.  Actually the “quotes,” as Asimov writes, “are given from memory,” and his memory is altered to give the quote a better spin on the subject at hand.    So, for example, when citing Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s famous line on spring, Asimov “remembers” the quote as; 

“In spring, a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of what 

The older man, throughout the year, has never even once forgot.”  

Famous names and historical events are all liberally used to show why it is important to be a sensuous dirty old man, and the proper way to achieve this vaulted position.  For example, Aaron Burr was an openly Sensuous Dirty Old Man, while Alexander Hamilton was more in the closet.  Come the day of the duel, Hamilton’s fear of discovery lead to poor aim, Burr, more true to himself, had a more true aim.   The rest is history.

Asimov goes on to discuss the correct way to leer at a young woman who takes the time to properly display her attributes, how to approach her, and the health benefits of a “Dirty Old Man” lifestyle.  All this is done with a formality, use and misuse of language, and historical references that Asimov does so well.

There is nothing “dirty” about this book.  With all of today’s cries of “harassment” and “chauvinism,” it might do some ladies well to read that there is a way to be respected and admired at the same time.  Asimov was well known for his playful attention to women, and in his last biographies, he gave the impression that it was not all talk.  Still, he presented respect for the women he worked with and never addressed them in a demeaning tone.  “The Sensuous Dirty Old Man,” is a continuation of that style.  It is funny, yet informative.  It talks about sex, but you would have no problem giving this book to your mother, sister, or even your grandmother, who may have known “Dr. A” personally.

While the book is currently out of print, there are quite a few copies available on Amazon.com.  It is well worth the price as this is one of Asimov’s funniest books. 

Robots of Dawn

by Lacey Kat
(Copyright by the author - All rights reserved) 

Isaac Asimov, though best known for his science fiction work, actually stopped writing science fiction back in the late 1950s. True, he did write an occasional story and did continue to published several anthologies of his past work, however, with the exception of “The Gods Themselves,” published in 1972 (I do not include “Fantastic Voyage” for reasons that are obvious) Asimov stopped writing science fiction novels in 1957. From that point on, the bulk of his literary output was devoted to science fact and other matters more grounded in earth. In 1981,  fortunately, that was going to change.

On January 15^th, Asimov was called into the publishing offices of Doubleday by his then-editor Hugh O’Neill. O’Neill was a young man, new at his job, and not quite up to the task of dealing with the distinguished writer, so he did the only thing a man in his position could do. He turned it over to a woman. She, Betty Prashker, told Asimov that she wanted the good doctor to write a novel. A science fiction novel. A “FOUNDATION” novel.

Asimov was unsure of his ability to write novels anymore, but Betty would not hear of such nonsense and told Isaac to go home and come up with an idea. That idea was “Foundation’s Edge,” and it became Asimov’s first best-seller as tallied by the New York Times’ Best-Seller list. The doctor was back.

Even before “Foundation’s Edge” hit the bookstores the advanced buzz and presales convinced Doubleday that Asimov was still a talent in the industry. They came to him with another contract for another novel. When his latest novel (first in thirty-three years) hit the best-seller list on September 22, 1982, Asimov began to write again.

To understand the good doctor’s method of creating it is important to jump a little back in history. Please bear with me, there is a review coming, I promise.

Almost from his start, Asimov was known for his robot stories. He is the benchmark by which all modern robot stories are judged. He is even given credit for coining the term “robotics.” After a long series of short stories, Asimov wrote his first robot novel in 1954 (see Caves of Steel, reviewed this site). In 1957 he wrote a sequel (see Naked Sun, ibid) and fully intended to write a third installment making this his second trilogy (Foundation being his first of course). He got bogged down in the story after eight chapters, and finally abandoned that project, and soon novel writing in general.

Now it is twenty-four years later and the ol’ doctor has hit one out of the ballpark. “Foundation’s Edge” is a critical and commercial success and if he can write a fourth Foundation novel than a third Robot novel should be child’s play. That novel, originally entitled “World of Dawn,” was “The Robots of Dawn.”

The book opens two years after the events of “The Naked Sun.” Elijah Baley is the hero of the day, once again solving the mystery and saving the earth. He is now convinced that earthlings must leave their caves of steel and once again strike forth into the galaxy. The fifty “spacer” worlds, planets previously colonized by Man in the last galactic expansion, like space the way it is, and do not want the filthy earth men to pollute their way of life. A life heavy in robots, free of disease, and extended in years.

Baley, as said above, is the hero of the hour. His exploits on the planet Solaria, two years earlier, are well celebrated and were even the subject of a popular “hyperwave drama,” seen all over the earth and the fifty “Spacer Worlds” besides. As a result, he has been promoted to the police rank of C-7, and has been allowed to take a small group of men and women out of the domed cities of the earth to relearn the outside skills they will need if they are to push out into the stars.

As a hero, Elijah Baley is also the one thing an organized society cannot tolerate . . . an individual. The administration on earth is not happy that Baley is a hero, nor that a “Spacer World,” this time Aurora, is once again calling for his help. Earth wants Baley to fail so that they have an excuse to demote him to oblivion. A significant faction on Aurora wants Baley to fail because they want to keep earthmen isolated from the rest of the galaxy. Baley is being called off-world again and is not sure why, by whom, or for what “real” purpose. This is a mystery on several levels.

The “official” reason that Aurora has called for Plainclothesman Baley is that a high-ranking Auroran, sympathetic to the earth cause, is accused of murder. More exactly, he is being charged with the destruction of a humaniform robot by the name of Jander Panell. He is accused because Panell has suffered a mental freeze-out of a magnitude that only one man on Aurora could produce. That man is Dr. Han Fastolfe, earth’s best friend off-world, and noted roboticist. If Baley cannot solve the crime Dr. Fastolfe will be ruined, as will earth’s chance to move out of the caves and into space.

Along for the story is Plainclothesman Baley’s old partner, R. Daneel Olivaw, also a humaniform robot, his assistant Giskard, a robot in the more “traditional” sense, and the Solaria-born woman, Gladia, who we met in the previous robot novel “The Naked Sun.”

There is also a host of new characters as there is want to be in a murder mystery. These include a foppish boyfriend, an intellectual rival bent on destroying the earth, and an estranged daughter who has her own reasons for wanting to see Jander Panell and Dr. Fastolfe destroyed. Underlying all of this is something that Plainclothesman Baley cannot seem to remember. A small fact that will change the course of human civilization.

While this story takes place only two years after the one in “Naked Sun,” it was written some twenty-four years after. In those years, Asimov grew as an author and that is aptly demonstrated in this novel. The story is a classic mystery with a number of false leads, a not too confident protagonist, the element of danger, and a hot dame with “legs that go from here to there and back again.” The story moves better than his earlier robot novels and the “mystery” is only half of the story. Even with that, Asimov does not let the reader wander too far from the points of the novel. In the end, you have been given almost all the clues needed to solve the mystery yourself, a common practice in modern-day “Who-done-its,” and you are given another solution to a bigger mystery that ties well into the Asimov universe.

Another advantage to waiting twenty-four years to write the next robot novel is that times have changed along with Asimov. He has obviously grown as an author and a person by this time and has a few more experiences to draw from. His female character, Gladia, is more developed than she was in the “Naked Sun,” and he is more comfortable exploring the physical side of a relationship. At a time when a lot of science fiction was written by frustrated porn authors, Asimov injects just enough sex to make the characters believable. The love scenes are well spaced and deft, and while not vital to the plot, they help make the characters human. Important in a robot novel I thought.

According to his autobiography, “I. Asimov,” the good doctor had not yet come up with the idea of merging his Robot Universe with his Foundation storyline until after he wrote “Robots of Dawn.” There is no reason Asimov would lie on this point; however, there are tantalizing clues that would indicate that the idea was, at least subconsciously, already on his mind. For example, the Spacer Worlds, all heavily robot dependent, are very familiar with the robot legends of earth’s past. Legends we all know as Asimov’s earlier robot stories. Dr. Fastolfe refers to several of these stories in the course of the book. He also foresees his work on positronic brains leading to a better understanding of the human brain, and that leading to the development of “psychohistory.” Asimov may not yet have worked out how he was going to merge his two galaxies, but he was definitely laying the groundwork. He also makes references to the stagnation of man and the danger that he may encounter a more aggressive alien civilization that will close him off from the galaxy. This does happen in Asimov’s earlier work, “The End of Eternity.” This shows a tendency to connect his past with his own present.

A number of critics have commented that Asimov’s talent dulled with age. While that may have been true in a broad sense, this book easily demonstrates that he still had considerable talent. It is well written, tight, and has a good number of characters without abusing the reader. It is a good science fiction and a good murder mystery. The solution is an adult one and shows sophistication gained through experience. It brings back characters you may have treasured in your youth without overdrawing them or saddling them with an abundance of baggage the author himself may have collected. These are all familiar friends and you are interested in what their next adventure will be. That says a lot for friends you have not heard from in twenty-four years.

Aurora is the name of the planet on which the story takes place. It was the first planet colonized by man. It is also the Roman goddess of the morning and signaled a new dawn, or beginning, for the human race. This story also is a new dawn for Asimov novels and a bright new dawn as well. Science Fiction, Mystery, and Asimov fans, in general, will all find this book well worthwhile.

This book is still in print and readily available in most bookstores. It can also be ordered on Amazon.com

Nine Tomorrows

by Lacey Kat
(Copyright by the author - All rights reserved) 

There was a time, not so long ago, when an author was seen as either a novelist or a short story scribe. In the years before World War II, most science fiction was of the short-story variety. Tales that would fit into the pages of a single issue of one of the many pulp magazines that lined the shelves of newsstands everywhere. True, sometimes there were novelettes, and these need to be spread over several issues, but for the most part science fiction was of the concise variety, and science fiction authors had to be content with that. The big boys of publishing seldom published SF novels and almost never published hardback collections.

After the war, America found itself in what was to be called the “Atomic Age.” Those same silly
writers, who dabbled in other world fiction, were now seen as predictors of the brave new era. Publishers scrambled to put their works in print and hungered for new, not just recycled, material.

Isaac Asimov found a basically willing market for the types of stories he had been writing for well over a decade. At first, they liked his name and fame in the SF market place, but each publisher wanted fresh new material to hitch its star on, not just reprints of pulp publications. Asimov obliged them as he could with such novels as “Pebble in the Sky,” and “The Stars like Dust,” however he had written a large number of stories that he felt deserved to be immortalized in hardcover. (Remember, Pulp magazines were operated on the cheap. They were never intended to be a lasting record of authors or their work.)

Asimov found, after some work, publishers who felt his previous labors had merit, and his now-classic “Foundation Trilogy” (a collection of novelettes and short stories) and “I, Robot” (his first collection of robot stories for which he would become famous) found their way into print. The problem was that these were the only stories he had with a central theme. These were not the only stories he had written, but the others were unrelated and at that time, if you put out a collection of short stories unrelated, it meant you were washed up in the publishing world. Sort of a “Lifetime Achievement Award,” sort of thing.

Asimov took a chance on his popularity and in 1955 he went to Doubleday with the idea of publishing collections of short stories based on his name. Doubleday agreed and “The Martian Way & Other Stories” went to press. The book did well, the curse was lifted, and Asimov never again shied away from collecting his stories as he saw fit.

The second collection of such stories and the subject of this review was first published in 1959, and is entitled, “Nine Tomorrows.” It consists of nine tales (hence the name) and two poems, that deal with everything from a world that mandates your occupation, to an ugly little boy who is quite out of his element. This review will be short however because these stories are among the most reprinted of any that the good Doctor did, and two are part of his personal favorites. In the course of the reviews, I will also include where else you can find these fine stories, as “Nine Tomorrows” is not as readily available as it once was. Fortunately, however, the stories in it are.

The book opens with a quick poem entitled, “I Just Make Them Up, See!” A verse that was written in the depths of despair when Asimov’s book “Sit with Death” (later changed to “The Death Dealers,” and then to “Whiff of Death”) was soundly rejected by Doubleday. The spurn hit Asimov hard and he felt it might signal the downhill slide of his writing career. The best way to snap out of this, he thought, was to write something light, and sell it as soon as possible. So he wrote “I Just Make Them Up, See!” and sold it to Tony Boucher, of the magazine “Fantasy and Science Fiction.” Isaac felt it was the funniest poem he had ever written and included it in his autobiography, “In Joy Still Felt,” and in “The Best Science Fiction of Isaac Asimov,” volume one of “The Complete Stories,” and “Asimov Laughs Again.” It is a funny poem set up as a question asked by a fan. “Just where do you get your story ideas?” A common question I am sure and no funnier answer have I ever read.

The second entry in the book is also a quick verse entitled, “Rejection Slips.” Now you must understand that to a writer nothing is more dread than a rejection slip for work you have submitted. The more accepted you are the greater these things hurt. In January of 1957 Asimov received a particularly insulting rejection letter from Horace Gold, then editor of Galaxy, for a story, “Profession,” that he had begged Asimov to write for him. Gold was known for his penchant for insulting writers and this gave Asimov the idea to write, as a poetic satire, three sample rejection slips in the style of three of the biggest editors of science fiction magazines of the day. These were John Campbell, of “Astounding,” Tony Boucher, mentioned above, and of course, Horace Gold. It is Asimov’s way of poking fun of the idea of rejection slips, but in fairness, it was written a year after the rejection slip that spawned it. At that time Asimov was not in a fun mood. This poem can also be found in volume one of the “Complete Stories,” and the book “Science Fiction by Asimov,” Davis Publications, 1986.

“Profession,” mentioned above, deals with the idea of mechanized education, and its consequences. In an undetermined future, machines do the“educating” by first imprinting the ability to read at age eight, then, a decade later, all the additional information a person needs is imprinted on their minds based on the machine’s analysis of how best this person can be used. George Platen does not want to be what the machine says he must be, but that is the least of his problems. It turns out that he is one of a few who can’t be educated at all. What do you do when you cannot fit into society? This is a well-written look at cookie-cutter education and what should happen if a child does not fill the mold. The story is memorable even if the characters are not. The idea is one that you will discuss over coffee, particularly today when the challenges of education are far greater than the time the story was written. As well as this book, you can find the story in “The Asimov Chronicles,” volume one of the “Complete Stories,” the “Other Worlds of Isaac Asimov,” and “Baker’s Dozen: Thirteen Short Science Fiction Novels” (though this would only be considered a short story or at best a novelette).

The next story, “The Feeling of Power,” is one of my favorites and one that I appreciate as I get less than young. In the future people use computers for everything including all forms of math. You can’t add 2 + 2 without the use of a pocket computer. That is until technician Myron Aub discovers how to do math without computers, but with his mind. This is a radical idea and may save mankind in an interstellar war they are fighting. The idea for the story started when a friend of Isaac’s dared him to come up with a plot for a story on the spot. Asimov saw the adding machine on the desk and that gave him an idea of math without machines. As I progress through time I find it interesting that each current generation cannot see how the previous one got anything done. I mean living in such privative times. When I reveal that I got through college with 8088 computer, running DOS 3.1 at 7 Mhz, I am looked upon as one step above a Neanderthal. Yet I have heard stories, around the campfire, of a time when people became educated with no computers at all ! But I am sure that is just a myth. This story can also be found in “Opus 100,” “The Edge of Tomorrow,” “Robot Dreams,” volume one of the “Complete Stories,” “Isaac Asimov Presents the Greatest SF Stories 20, 1958,” and “The Best Science Fiction of Isaac Asimov.”

“The Dying Night,” is a Wendell Urth story that appeared in the collection “Asimov’s Mysteries” and I reviewed it there (it can be found here on this Blog). “I’m in Marsport Without Hilda,” is also in “Asimov’s Mysteries,” but there it is in its original form. In this volume, it is slightly sanitized at the request of the publisher who felt it had too much sex for an Asimov story. Isaac vowed never to print this version again.  These are both in the “Complete Stories,” as well as “Asimov’s Mysteries.” 

“The Gentle Vultures,” is an anti-nuclear cautionary tale that was written often in SF in the 50s and 60s. In this story, an alien race has set up a base on the far side of the moon waiting for the inevitable nuclear war that all large-primate species must engage in. Although fifteen years later the inconsiderate humans seem unwilling to destroy themselves and the Hurrians must find out why. This is a very good story of this type and I am surprised to find that Asimov only reprinted it in “Nine Tomorrows,” and volume one of the “Complete Stories.” Perhaps someday Martin H. Greenberg will assemble a collection of anti-nuclear stories of great SF authors.

“All the Troubles of the World,” is another of Asimov’s supercomputer stories. It deals with a young boy’s father who is a programmer of “Multivac.” One night the police come to arrest Ben’s father for a crime he may yet commit, as predicted by Multivac (do I see shades of “Minority Report”?). The computer, which has to deal with all of the troubles of the world, is never wrong. Until now. The story centers on the young boy’s attempt to solve the puzzle of why the world’s problem solver may suddenly be off its transistor. Asimov wrote a similar story that also dealt with Multivac going awry, but for less drastic reasons and with a less serious conclusion. This story can also be found “The Best Science Fiction Stories of Isaac Asimov,” “Complete Stories,” “Computer Crimes and Capers,” and in a stand-alone book called “All the Troubles in the World,” that was part of a collection published by Creative Education, Inc., in the 1980’s.

“Spell My Name With an S,” was the result of Isaac Asimov constantly finding his name spelled with

a Z (Azimov). In this little fantasy, the course of history is changed because a physicist by the name of Zebatinsky changes his name to Sebatinsky at the suggestion of a numerologist. It is a cute little, “what if I took the next bus” story that Asimov does so well. It can also be found in“Robot Dreams,” volume one of the “Complete Stories,” and the “Best Science Fiction of Isaac Asimov.”

The final two stories are a treat for the good doctor’s fans. They are “The Last Question,” and “The Ugly Little Boy.” These were two of Asimov’s favorite stories (the third being The Immortal Bard). “The Last Question” deals with the next ten trillion years and the answer to the last question ever asked. “The Ugly Little Boy,” deals with a neanderthal brought to the present by a time machine of sorts, and the nurse who must care for him. Although Asimov had trouble selling the story originally, it has stood the test of time and never fails to bring a tear to my eye. Both of these stories are among Asimov’s most reprinted and can be found in over fifteen of his collections including the most recent collection, “Robot Dreams.”

The only complaint I have about this volume is that it was printed before Asimov got into the habit of introducing each of his stories. There is a lot of history behind all these tales, as I have alluded to in this review, and I would like to have read more. Sometimes the story behind the story is better than the story itself. And these are all very good quality stories.


(The photo above is from the 1977 TVO production of Ugly Little Boy, which is currently available on YouTube.  Though an American author, American television and movies have been slow to adopt Asimov's stories.)

Magic: The Final Fantasy Collection

by Lacey Kat
(Copyright by the author - all rights reserved)

Oddly enough, I have found that people who love books do not staff most bookstores, particularly the big chain ones. They are staffed, as are most occupations, by people who want to make a dollar and go on to do what they really like. As a result, a minimal amount of effort is put into displaying and arranging books to be sold. This is true of used bookstores also, but less true of Internet bookshops were the search engine helps the customer more efficiently than the clerk.

A good example is the collective works of Isaac Asimov. While he is best known for his science fiction stories, this was, in fact, a very small amount of his total literary output. Yet, if you go to a bookstore and look of a book by Asimov, they will all be under science fiction, regardless of title or subject. I have found his quiz books there, his limerick collections there, his essay collections there, I even once found his annotated “Gulliver’s Travels” in the science fiction section. All because, during their orientation, bookstore employees were told that Asimov wrote science fiction.

Which brings us to the subject of this review, “Magic: The Final Fantasy Collection.”

“What,” I hear you gasp in exclamation, “Asimov wrote fantasy?”

Actually, no. In 1996, four years after Isaac Asimov’s untimely death, Harper Prism, a division of Harper Collins Publishers, decided to publish two “late” anthologies of Asimov’s work. The first was entitled “Gold,” and the second, “Magic.” “Gold” was supposed to be the final science collection, and “Magic,” a collection of Asimov’s fantasy work.

Except that Asimov did not do any fantasy work. At least none that any self-respecting fantasist would stand by. He started out with a fantasy aspect in his “Lucky Starr” stories but quickly abandoned that as the series evolved. He did a series of stories featuring a little demon named “Azazel,” but soon revealed that his little horned friend was not a demon, but a two-centimeter extraterrestrial from the vasty deep of space. The “magic” Azazel performed was simply a better understanding of technology than we had here on earth.

It is not that Asimov did not enjoy fantasy. Nor is it that he did not see its place in the development of the mind, or the pleasure of literature. It is just that in his enormous pool of talent fantasy was relegated to the shallow steps.

“So what is this collection?” you may be saying.

Funny you should ask.

“Magic,” opens with an introduction that was not written by Isaac Asimov. Remember this is not a re-issue of a previous book. It is a collection assembled around a theme someone else created. The reason I point this out is that more often than not, the best part of an Asimov collection is the introductions. That is not the case here. “The Publishers,” for that is the only name the author will sign, claim that Asimov delighted his readers by writing fantasy stories throughout his fifty-year career. While I am familiar with Asimov’s Azazel stories, and I enjoyed his ghost story about a dispossessed spirit who sued to get his haunted house back from its living tenant, I am hard-pressed to think of any other “fantasy” stories the publishers feel made a mark in the field. This is not Asimov’s fault. It would be akin to saying that Picasso was a talented cartoonist or that Gilbert and Sullivan were known for their instruction manuals. The publishers collected material for this book and the introduction is an attempt to explain why. It does an adequate job but is a harbinger of things to come.

Part One is labeled “The Final Fantasy Stories,” and starts out with eight “Azazel” stories. For those of you unfamiliar with this chapter in Asimov’s writing career, these were written in the mid to late 1980s and deal with a series of conversations between Asimov himself and his “friend,” George. They start in a calm setting, usually a meal of some sort, George is chronically out of work and out of money and seems to have a whole host of friends whom he only wishes to help. The story then shifts to the tale George tells Asimov about how his good intentions lead to trouble, for he calls on Azazel to use extraordinary technology to alter immune systems, plant false memories, provide a jobless man with the job of his life, and add warmth to a chilly relationship. The road to irony is always paved with good intentions and the original intent of George is thwarted by what his actions wrought. For example, the man who never catches a cold loses the love of his life to another man she must nurse back to health. These are quick, humorous, little stories, about nine pages, all along the same O. Henry like formula. In fact, they are too formulaic. By the third one, and remember there are eight in this book, plus another volume of stories by themselves, you get the point, have enjoyed the whimsy, and want to get on to other things. Everyone enjoys an after-dinner mint. No one wants to make a meal of them.

Perhaps sensing my desire to get on to some meatier part of the book, the publishers intersperse other fictional short works within the Azazel collection. These modern fairy tales, which use familiar settings like kings, castles, and dragons, to tell a humorous story. There is even a Black Widower story, but its only claim to fantasy, other than the usual, is that the “guest” at dinner is millionaire Bruce Wayne. An interesting twist, but hardly a subject of “fantasy.” (Other than the “Dark Knight” reference I suppose)

The next section of the book is entitled “On Fantasy,” and is a collection of essays and book introductions. These were previously published in “Asimov’ Science Fiction” magazine, and his various anthologies on magical subjects like giants, cosmic knights, and of course, J. R. R. Tolkien. These are the usual doctor’s wit and charm as well as instructional information. For example, did you know that the word “knight” is from an Anglo-Saxon word meaning “boy’ or “attendant”? On the other hand, the German homolog, Knecht, still means “servant” today. Not the stuff of Arthurian legend I grant you, but interesting never-the-less.

The final section of the book, called “Beyond Fantasy,” is devoted to the irrationality in our lives. They are all vintage Asimov and remind us that he was a famous author based on his fantasy stories. These are not new essays, nor are they printed here for the first time. They deal with the decline in American education, the rise of ignorance as right, and a look at what exactly makes intelligence. These are all classic looks at the world and are the reason Asimov was a giant in American literature.

The only other small problem with this book is that it does not have an index. Asimov made sure that his books had an index to aid in their use as information tools. Unfortunately, not all authors, or publishers for that matter, understand the importance of this simple addition. Several of the books published after Asimov’s death lack any way of quickly utilizing the information within.

One final note. One of the essays, “Lost in Non-Translation,” is listed in the copyright section of the book as copyrighted 1989. Yet it is evident from the essay that it was written much earlier, and in fact may have been the impetus for Asimov’s other classic book, “The Story of Ruth,” which came out in the mid-1970s. Having read and reviewed this book, it was interesting to see how the idea for it came about and the course the idea took from essay to hardback. I always like to watch genius in action.

This is a recent tomb, however, it had a short print run and may be hard to find. The stories are fun fluff but not the sort of thing that makes a reputation. The essays and book introductions are complete and self-contained, but simple in their approach. The final section is the reason to find this volume, however. In a time of ethnic cleansing and racial tensions, Asimov reminds us once again why we are all Homo sapiens, and more alike than different.

As I said at the top of the page, Asimov wrote a great many things, but the only thing most bookstores know about him is that he wrote science fiction. You might find this book on the science fiction shelves of your basic bookstore, or you may find a creative employee who moved it to “Fantasy.” Alternatively, you may just want to type the title in on your favorite book site. Either way, you will enjoy this book once you find it.

The Martian Way and Other Stories

by Lacey Kat
(Copyright by Author - All rights reserved)

“The Martian Way and Other Stories,” was the fourteenth book that Isaac Asimov published, and the first collection of short stories Asimov did that did not have a theme. “I, Robot,” consisted of nine connected stories; and the “Foundation” books consisted of nine connected stories. However, by 1955, Asimov had no more “connected” stories in his, at that time, fledgling portfolio.
Evidently, according to the author, putting out random collections of your work was, what we would call today, “box office poison.” These books seldom sold and were the first sign that your carrier as a writer was on the skids (who would have thought). However, having a thrust for being published, and a good relationship with editors, Asimov pitched the idea to then editor of Doubleday’s new science-fiction program, Walter I. Bradbury (referred to, in Asimov’s biographies, simply as “Brad”). To Asimov’s surprise “Brad” liked the idea and so “The Martian Way and Other Stories” came to print.

A slim work, only about 176 pages, it contains four “novelettes.” These are shorter than your standard novel but longer than a “short” story. They were written between 1952 and 1954 and originally published in “Galaxy,” “Space Science Fiction,” and “Astounding.” These were among the plethora of SF pulp and glossy magazines that filled the racks in the dawn of the “Atomic Age.”

The first story is called, of course, “The Martian Way.” Unfortunately, this being still early in Isaac’s career, he had not begun the habit of introducing his works. Later, of course, he thrilled in the habit of adding light to the works presented. Here the reading public will be in the dark. Unless, of course, you read my reviews.

“The Martian Way” was written in 1952 at the height of what would later be called “McCarthyism."
Then Senator Joseph “Tail-gunner Joe” McCarthy was stomping all across the United States rooting out Communism (a.k.a. “The Red Menace”). His simple-minded “patriotism” sickened the young Isaac Asimov and while McCarthy did not affect him directly, he knew it was only a matter of time before SF authors were rounded up and paraded before the “House un-American Activities Committee.”   So Asimov decided to fight back the only way he knew how, with an SF story. A story that deals with Martian colonists, with a problem, who were victimized by a “McCarthy-style” politician back on earth. Rather than bend to the will of narrow-minded “patriots,” they find a better solution to their problem and at the same time shame them into silence and reduce them to ridicule. He did it in 18,000 words.  The November 1952 issue of “Galaxy” featured “The Martian Way,” on the cover, with Isaac’s name misspelled. He sat back and waited for the mail he was sure his story would elicit, denouncing him or supporting him, but it never came. The story was so subtle that no one got the satire.  Still the story is a good one and has stood the test of time. Faced with a shortage of water, used not only for personal necessity but also for propulsion of spacecraft, the Mars colonists, shunned from the earth, turn to space to satisfy their needs. In an exciting and imaginative story, one that could happen in my lifetime, "The Martian Way” is used to solve the problem, for good.

The next story in the collection is called “Youth.” It deals with the simple question of what would happen if the first alien explorers were found by youngsters who, not recognizing their find, decided to keep the creatures as “pets”?  “Youth is a 10,000-word novelette that first appeared in the May 1952 issue of “Space Science Fiction,” edited by Lester del Rey. Though a sizable work, Asimov wrote it in only ten days, and that is all he had to say about it. The impetus for the story is lost with the author, as are any anecdotes about its creation. It is a very clever story, and without spoiling the ending, let me just say that Asimov was never credited for that episode of the “Twilight Zone.”

“The Deep” is an unusual story for Asimov for it deals with a totally alien world and culture. In his later writings, only humanoid characters would populate the Asimov universe. In these earlier times, Isaac explored the possibility of other life forms and other ways of life.  The story centers on a planet that orbits a slowly dying sun. The civilization, unable to move to another planet, is forced to dig toward the only source of energy left, the molten core. As that too slowly cools, the society makes one final effort at survival.   It is interesting on several levels. First, it is a product of its time, December of 1952. The technological references, while SF, are clearly pre-transistor. Second, Asimov invents a society were even “mother love” is considered obscene. At a time when “soulless Communism” was the threat and “mom and apple pie” were American virtues, no editor would dare risk his magazine’s reputation on such a radical story idea. As a matter of fact Tony Boucher of “Fantasy and Science Fiction,” did reject it. However “Galaxy” bought and ran it. Today the idea seems tame, but back then it was a different world.

“Sucker Bait” is the final story in the collection and its history sheds some light on the publishing world of that time.  It was, at that time, not unusual for a publishing house to call some of its writers in and present them with a project. They would give the diverse authors the same set of facts, and then ask them each to write their own story, based on those facts. For example once, in 1957, Larry Shaw, of “Infinity,” called in Asimov, Harlan Ellison, and Randall Garrett, to his office and gave them the title, “Blank.” Each author was to write a story with that title. These stories were collected and published in his magazine, with the appropriate ad campaign.  In 1953, Twayne Press had the idea of producing what it called “Twayne Triplets” (I am sure only for the love alliteration). The idea was to create a planet with a particular astronomical or chemical situation, and then have three different authors write three different stories all based on that planet as background. Asimov loved the idea but was afraid that the other two authors might not live up to their end of the deal and he might be stuck with an unused story (sacrilege to a professional writer). Asimov (who may have know more than he let on) secured the serial rights to his story, as a hedge against trouble. It paid off for one of the authors pulled out of the contract and Twayne Press folded.  “Sucker Bait” was the result of this ill-fated venture, and it deals with a teenage human computer who is on a ship sent to investigate what happened to a space colony over a hundred years ago. The theme of the story, as the crew sets out to solve the mystery, is that a genius is useless if he cannot see beyond his own training. This would be a theme the Renaissance Asimov would visit a number of times. Each member of the science party is an unquestioned authority in his own field, but it is up to an unstable “Nummonic” to put all of the pieces together.

“The Martian Way, and Other Stories,” is well worth the time of any reader. As science fiction, it
explores different worlds, cultures, and adventures. As the early work of Asimov, it adds insight into his early career and ideas he would come back to again and again, and as mystery and adventure, it never lets the reader down.

Although this book was first published in 1955 it is still available, new, from Amazon.com for under $16.00.

The Kite that Won the Revolution

by Lacey Kat
(Copyright by the Author - all rights reserved)

(Known for his science fiction, Issac Asimov's actual literary output covered a vast array of topics.  In this review I will be looking at one of the good Doctor's historical output.) 


On June 27th, of 1962, Isaac Asimov was having lunch with Austin Olney. Austin was the head of the Juvenile Division of Houghton Mifflin Company. This was a publishing firm based in Boston. Austin and Isaac had been friends and professional associates since 1957 and it was not uncommon for Asimov to have lunch with people who might buy his work.

On this date, Austin had an idea for a new project for Isaac. Houghton Mifflin was busy putting out a series of juvenile books that dealt with American history. They were being edited by Sterling North who, at that time, was a book reviewer for the New York Post (and no stranger to Asimov, the writer of books). Mr. Olney wanted Isaac to do one of the series. After some thought Isaac suggested a book on Benjamin Franklin, with a strong look at his scientific discoveries. Austin agreed and that book became “The Kite That Won the Revolution.”

Asimov started writing the book in December of 1962 and finished it by the end of the year. On January 15 Isaac received a badly edited manuscript back from the series editor, the aforementioned Sterling North. Isaac understood the need to sometimes edit any work, or even any one of his. However, because of some past bad experiences with over-enthusiastic editors (who may not have understood the subject or point of Asimov’s current project), The good Doctor preferred to do the editing himself. If the editor or publisher did not like this, Asimov felt they did not have to buy his work. If a story was to be judged, Asimov wanted it to be judged on his work, not another’s editing.

Asimov went to Austin Olney and told him that while North’s series was good, his editing made “The Kite,” no longer a work of Asimov. As such he wanted the manuscript back. Austin came up with a better idea. Houghton Mifflin would publish the book as tomb unto itself, and not part of North’s series. This satisfied Asimov, it satisfied Austin, and it satisfied Houghton Mifflin. The only person it did not satisfy was Sterling North who called Asimov and screamed at him in a rather “high-pitched voice.”

You cannot please everyone, and you can seldom please editors.

“The Kite that Won the Revolution,” was published in 1963 and it did only moderately well as an independent book. It may have done better as part of the North series, but Asimov was pleased that he stuck by his principles and produced a work that was his own.

It is unfortunate that “The Kite,” did not do well and has been all but lost in the dustbins of publishing history. Let me tell you about the book and see if you agree with me.

“The Kite,” referred to in the title of this small but enlightening work, is the famous one flown by Ben Franklin. “The Revolution,” that it won was, of course, the American Revolution of 1776. It is here that Asimov begins his tale. He starts with the beginning of the fighting, in Concord, Massachusetts, in April of 1775. Asimov then moves to the battle of Bunker Hill, in June of the same year. This was the first important battle for the “colonists/ soon to be independents, because, although they lost, they put up a good fight against a better equipped, better trained, professional army. Asimov continues to relate the American’s valiant, though often un-victorious, efforts until the arrival of the French in 1778.

It is at this point that Asimov departs from his history lesson to teach a little about history. To do ventures to explain, rather well, how seemingly unrelated events connect to form our modern world. This was a device used most effectively twenty years later by the Science Editor of the BBC, James Burke, in his series for television, “Connections.”

Let me explain.

Asimov leaves the battlefield and the American Revolution with several questions hanging in the air. The main one was why the French, who were in no position, either financially or philosophically, to support the Americans, never the less did so. To answer that, the good Doctor first takes the young reader back forty or fifty million years, to a forest of pine trees on the northern coast of Europe. These trees produced enormous amounts of sap that hardened with contact with the air. This resin, (from the Greek word meaning “to flow”) hardened and was buried under the soil and the Baltic Sea. The resin took on a reddish-yellow color and became known as “amber.” Amber (or Bernstein in German) became prized for its color and ease in shaping into works of art. In 600 B.C.E., the Greek philosopher Tales found that by rubbing amber it would attract pieces of fluff, just like some rocks would attract pieces of iron. He wrote about this in his journals and decided that rocks that attract must have “souls.”

From here Asimov projects us to the 1500s and an Englishman by the name of William Gilbert. He was playing with the new invention, the compass. He found that when you rubbed amber it would attract the needle of a compass just like the “magnetic” force of a lodestone (natural magnet). Because the Latin name for amber was electrum, things that would attract when rubbed were called “vis electrica” or “the force of amber.” From this, we get the term “electricity.” Get the connection?

Asimov then details the discoveries of electricity from the 1500s to 1706 in his usual lively style. By the sixth chapter, he is ready to introduce us to the subject of his book, Benjamin Franklin. Franklin was the only important scientist that the American colonies produced in their 169 from Jamestown to 1776. While singular in nature, however, Asimov shows how he was more than responsible for the French intervention in the American Revolution, and the final defeat of the British and the establishment of both the United States and of Canada.

“The Kite,” in the title is the kite Franklin flew to prove that the lightning in the sky was the same electricity that would be scientists had been producing by rubbing amber here on earth. For this, he became a respected scientist from a less than respected area of the new world. The other scientific accomplishments, along with his well-developed personal style, made him a revered and admired man in most of Europe. It was this respect that lead the French to help America, even though the principals of “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness,” were not the principals of the French monarchy. All this is detailed in the rest of the book.

The only problem that I had with this intriguing history lesson is that it is indeed a “juvenile” book. The jacket says for ages eleven and up. However, I found that even a child in the fourth grade would have no trouble and that anyone over the age of fourteen would find this a quick read.

I found this interesting because while Asimov wrote a number of “juvenile” books, many reviewed in this section; he never seemed to talk down to his audience. His “Lucky Starr” stories and his books on chemistry and astronomy were always accessible to any reader. This book, however, is overly juvenile for most adults and that is too bad. It contains a wealth of information on the development of science in the “Age of Reason,” and most textbooks seldom approach this subject. I had no problem reading “The Kite,” because I was familiar with the author, however, older students and most adults would find it too elementary to hold their interest. Perhaps Isaac should have written an edition for the older members of his audience.

That said I can still recommend this book to anyone who can find it. The catalog number is “B Fr” in the Juvenile section of the library. You may have it in yours, and I would suggest making an effort to find out. An adult can finish it in one sitting, and a child in a couple of nights. It will educate both readers.

A small postscript;

Asimov was a big fan of Ben Franklin’s, and in 1974 he wrote several fantasy stories involving conversations between Isaac and Ben (The Dream; Benjamin’s Dream; Benjamin’s Bicentennial Blast) for the “Saturday Evening Post.  Later he used Franklin in his book “Norby and the Queen’s Necklace.” 

50 Short Science Fiction Tales

by Lacey Kat
(Copyright by the Author - All Rights Reserved)

"50 Short Science Fiction Tales" is a collection of short-short stories, edited by Asimov, from a wide selection of good and great science fiction authors of the late forties and fifties. (1940s and 50s, in case this review survives that long). Each tale is approximately a thousand words (four to five pages), with minor exceptions, and meets the challenge of creating an alien world, establishing characters, and getting to the punch, all in the same amount of space most stories use to describe the weather. In our hectic world, these "bite-size" bits of sci-fi are a welcome diversion while waiting in line, or for your next appointment.

This was Isaac Asimov's second anthology, published in 1963, and followed his successful "The Hugo Winners" in ‘62. He was aided in his selection of tales by Groff Conklin, who became a personal friend of the good doctor, and was noted for his evaluation of the merits of science fiction as well as his science and technical writings. A chain smoker, he died in 1968.

The only problem with this clever little collection, from an Asimov's fan point of view, is the lack of Asimov. Other than the introduction, he is nowhere to be found. This still being in his developmental period, Asimov had not yet come of the habit of opening and/or closing each piece with his usual observations. In this case that is a bigger than normal loss as this collection has many authors that may have been forgotten over the span of fifty years. Also, while these were all written considerably before my time, some in publications no longer available, some of the stories seem very familiar. It would be interesting to know if they were dramatized on TV or the ideas for later films. Asimov recognized the importance of historical context, and in his later anthologies, he included extensive wordage in the form of introductions, forewords, and afterwords. That is why I look for his name on the cover, and I am sure many fans feel the same way.

A quick footnote: In his autobiography, "I. Asimov," Isaac said that he recognized the need for introductions after his first anthology, and "never again" did he let collections lie there without a single editorial word from him. Apparently, he forgot about "50 Short Science Fiction Tales."

Published in 1963 by Macmillian Publishing Company, it was reprinted by Scribner Paperback in 1997 and is generally available.

Asimov Book Review - The Gods Themselves

By Lacey Kat
(Copyright by the author - All rights reserved)

There is more to being a prolific writer than just writing, although that is one of the primary rewards.  A prolific writer needs to have something to write about and to do that the writer needs to have ideas.  Not only ideas but the ability to turn an idea into a written piece in a reasonable amount of time.

For example, on January 23, 1971, Isaac Asimov was attending a Science Fiction Convention in New York, with his intended, Janet Jeppson.  At a panel discussion, two noted science fictions authors, Lester del Rey, and Bob Silverberg discussed science fiction and the need for the story to outweigh the science.  Bob worried that some in the industry worried less about the human aspect of science fiction, and more about the trivial matters of, to use his example, plutonium-186.  Asimov immediately laughed at this for there cannot be plutonium-186, and most members of the audience knew it.  After the talk, Asimov approached Silverberg and said that while there cannot be plutonium-186 he would show what a real science-fiction writer could do and write a story about the impossible element.  Silverberg said, “you write it and I’ll include it in my next anthology,”   and a story was born.  In one shot Asimov turned an off-handed example in a panel discussion into his next, and some say his best, science fiction novel, “The Gods Themselves.”

Now it must be remembered that Asimov had all but left science fiction over a decade before.  His last science fiction novel (excluding “Fantastic Voyage,” which he wrote based on the screenplay and not on his own) was “Lucky Starr and the Rings of Saturn.”  This was part of his juvenile series and was published in 1958.  His last adult novel was “The Naked Sun,” (Reviewed on this blog) and that was published in 1957.  True, Asimov had written several short stories during that time and had crafted several anthologies of his past work, but for the last dozen years the good doctor had been concentrating on his non-fiction endeavors.

On February 6, 1971, Asimov sat down to craft a short story based on the idea of plutonium-186.  He was considerably older than the last time he wrote science fiction and his views on the world had also changed... considerably.  Gone was the wide-eyed enthusiasm of his youth, and in its place was a skeptical view of mankind, and its ability to see beyond its immediate gratification.  Remember, this was the early 1970s.  The problems of nuclear reactors were becoming apparent, there were gas shortages looming, and pollution and overpopulation were topics of the day.  To Asimov science was the answer, but would people listen? 

Isaac’s “short” story involved the discovery of what seemed a cheap “free” source of energy.  After the planet becomes dependent on it, a young scientist discovers that the use of this new energy source may lead to the destruction of our solar system.  Will humanity give up its way of life, or will they put it off to the next generation? 

“The Gods Themselves,” is from the Friedrich Schiller quote:   “Against stupidity, the gods themselves contend in vain.”   At this time of his life, Asimov was less positive about the fate of mankind.

The five-thousand-word length, originally sought, soon bloomed to ten-thousand-words as Asimov felt a true thrill with writing science fiction again.   The hallmark of a true writer.  Anthology be damned, he was going to let the story write itself out completely.    By the time he finished, on February 28th, it was twenty thousand words long, four times what it was supposed to be.  This made it too long for inclusion in the original anthology, but Doubleday publishers like the idea so much they asked Asimov to expand it to novel length.  Asimov at first said no.  It was a good story as told and to expand it would just be padding.  Then, thinking on his feet, Asimov came up with the idea of telling the story from two different points of view.  The new energy source in the original story was possible because of communication with another universe.  What if the second part of the book dealt exclusively with that universe?  Then the third part of the story could be in another setting and change the downbeat ending to an upbeat one.  Doubleday said “great,” and now Asimov had to make it work.

Just a side note.  Lest you start to feel sorry for Bob Silverberg, having to put out his anthology sans Asimov, not to worry.  To make up for the loss of “Gods,” Isaac wrote “Take a Match,” and Bob used that.  Asimov was a man of his word and could almost always be trusted to come through. 

While Isaac was known for his science fiction, his universes were almost exclusively populated by humans.  He had dabbled with aliens in some of his short stories, but he never tried to make a completely alien civilization before.  Now he had to.  The market had also changed in the last thirteen years.  The sexual revolution was in full swing and publishers wanted sex in their stories.  Part two of “Gods” would revolve around an alien universe with alien sex. In fact, it would be populated by creatures that had three sexes, not just horny humanoids with pointy ears.  This was beyond anything Asimov had attempted before.

The book was finally finished on September 7th, 1971, and it looked like it was going to be published without being serialized in any prominent science fiction magazine.  This was because “Analog” had lost editor John Campbell some months before, and Ben Bova had not yet taken the reigns.  In an usual twist, both “Galaxy” and “If” published the book in three parts over three successive months.  This was because both related magazines published on alternate months, and each section of “Gods” could stand alone as a short story/novelette.  The April 1972 edition of “If” contained the story of the tri-sexed aliens, and reportedly sold out on the newsstand.  An interesting commentary on the state of science fiction fans in the early 1970s.

The book was published in 1972, and was widely successful.  In 1973 it won both the “Nebula” and “Hugo” awards for best novel.  While this author feels that the awards were given primarily to honor Asimov’s past contributions, “The Gods Themselves” proved that the good doctor was still at the top of his form.

All from a casual remark about the illogic of plutonium-186.

That is what it takes to be a prolific writer.

Now on to the review.

“The Gods themselves,” is divided into three sections of increasing length and complexity.  The first section, entitled, “Against stupidity . . .” (See quote reference above) focus on the “discovery” of a passage to another universe with laws different from our own.  In the “para-universe,” nuclear attractions are stronger so that any element that comes from then to us soon becomes unstable and highly radioactive.

The section uniquely begins with chapter 6, which Asimov explains, is intentional.  It bounces between the “present” when Peter Lamont, a young Ph.D. discovers that the “Electron Pump,” that now supplies earth with its power, was not the result of Frederick Hallam, but was given to him by intelligence outside of this universe, and the “past,” when a young Hallam finds that a bottle of “stable” tungsten metal has become unstable and radioactive.  It is an interesting way of telling the story, and one that I have never encountered before.  Rather than being a simple “flashback,” Asimov moves the reader back and forth through twenty years chapter by chapter depending on the readers need to know.  Hallam is now the savior of mankind and edits history so that he gets sole credit for the Electron Pump.  Any effort to examine it, or check for problems, is suppressed.   Lamont, with the help of a linguistic expert, discovers that the Electron Pump is dangerous to the laws of our universe and continuing use may result in the destruction of the sun or our entire area of the galaxy.  Because Lamont cannot conclusively prove his ideas, and because the Pump is the easy solution to mankind’s problems, no one will help Lamont explore his ideas and stop the destruction of man.

The next section of the book is entitled, “. . . the gods themselves . . .” and takes place in the parallel universe.  It focuses on Dua, Odeen, and Tritt, members of a triad that these creatures need to form in order to reproduce.  Odeen is called a “Rational” and his job is to learn and contact others.  Tritt is called a “Parental,” and his job is to tend to the children, family, and sex.  He acts more on instinct than thought.  Dua, who Asimov refers to as a “she” is an “Emotional,” and it is her job to bind with the rational and parental to allow procreation.  All three must “melt” for this to occur.

Dua is an unusual “Emotional” because she has a large amount of “Rational” in her makeup.  She, along with Odeen and Tritt, are “Soft Ones,” capable of undefined shapes and moving through solid objects.  Their teachers are the revered “Hard Ones.”  They seem to run the planet and are looked upon as gods.  The exact relationship between the Soft and Hard Ones is not revealed until the end of the section.

In this universe, nuclear forces are much stronger.  Suns are smaller because anything approaching the size of our sun would be too densely packed and would go nova.  With smaller, cooler suns, the night sky has only seven visible stars.  The planets own star is cooling down and energy is the food of the “Soft Ones.” As a result, the birth rate has been declining and a new source of energy is needed.  Enter the “Positron Pump.”   The “Hard Ones” have communicated with our universe and are using the pump to bring energy into their universe.  They know that the Pump will make our sun unstable, but they want this as they hope to use the force of our sun going nova to provide them with energy, independent of their own star, for a million years.   It is the “Emotional,” Dua, who discovers this plot and objects to the destruction of other life forms for what she sees as selfish gain.  It is Dua who has warned us of the danger of our “Electron Pump.”

The final section of the book is entitled “. . .canted in vain?” and here Asimov attaches a question mark to the original quote.  His intent, in the first story, was to end on a negative note, reflecting his pessimism at the current state of selfish humanity.  By the time the book was completed, Asimov decided to end on a much more positive note, remembering that individuals can sometimes save the group from itself.

The story starts on our moon sometime later (the first two sections occur roughly simultaneously in the two universes).  It centers on the actions of Ben Denison, an engineer from earth, and Selene Lindstrom L, a native of the moon.  Earth is in a slow decline creatively with more energy put into the Electron Pump, and less energy put into other endeavors.  The moon is the current cutting edge of science, and Denison wants to migrate to the moon to be a part of that.  Politics, as usual, are woven through the story.  The moon wants more independence, and earth sees the moon as only one of her “colonies” beholden to the mother planet.  Life is hard on the moon with limited resources, and Asimov goes out of his way to paint a society free from the “puritanical norms” of the earth.  Nudity is common, though not necessary to the plot, children are born out of wedlock, and sex is more or less free.  Once again, having little to do with the story, and in no way connected to the sex lives of the para-universe.

Denison is aware of the theories about the problems caused by the “Electron Pump,” but Hallam still controls earth science any attempt to question his gift to man is met with professional banishment.  Denison has come to the moon to test his theories and look for a solution.  For some reason no one has been able to set up and “Electron Pump” on the moon and Denison believes that the para-universals need a strong planetary magnetic field to find the area to make the passage between universe.  The moon has no magnetic field, so no door, so no “Electron Pump.”
  With the help of Selene, Denison must try and find a solution to the energy crisis, and the problems it is causing, before running afoul of both the earth establishment and the lunar revolutionaries who want the moon to become a separate world from earth.  And all of this before the sun, and this arm of the galaxy, is destroyed.

Unlike Asimov’s earlier works, the portrait of scientist as savior is not as clear as he once painted it.  The years have shown Isaac how harsh and self-centered scientists can be, and he portrays that in this book.  In the end, it is science that saves the day, but it must fight the pettiness that is in each man regardless of his chosen field.

The book is well written in a somewhat unusual Asimov style.  Any hangups or ignorance of sex he displayed in his earlier works is obviously gone.  This book shows a more mature writer, one that has seen his ideals of youth tested and strained.  Yet it still shows hope for the world if they would only listen.


Still in print, “The Gods Themselves,” can be found in most major bookstores or online at Amazon.com.