The Early Asimov, Book I by Isaac Asimov (EPUB)

Description

User’s Reviews

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐”The Early Asimov” is a collection of some of his first published stories when writing was more of a source of extra cash while continuing his graduate studies than a profession. What makes this more than the usual Asimov Anthology is that each story is accompanied by a bit of personal history, making this into a mini-autobiography of his early years as a up-and-coming writer and beyond. Or as he describes it, “Eleven years of trying”.Not to spoil any of the stories, but among the included works you will find:- Four stories where Psychology is King (three of these form a mini series).- A precursor to the team of Powell and Donovan.- Earth vs it’s colony worlds (one of which is Aurora).- A “galactic empire” story with an intelligent non-human civilization.- A prequel to the robot story “Victory Unintentional”.- A “robot-ish” story of sorts, but “robot” in name only.Taken as a whole, it’s a Behind The Scenes look into how some of his later stories were to be. Ex: Recurring characters and themes = a better chance of a story being accepted = $$$! Also how an “all human galaxy” was a less complicated path to take. Although “Robbie” was written in 1939 and certainly would qualify as an Early Story, there technically aren’t any “robot” stories included in this collection.Some Trivia: There would seem to be three different versions of “The Early Asimov”. The first is the original single book version circa 1972. Another is the two volume version (see picture). And another is a three volume “Panther version”. I have the original and the two volume versions, and the only difference appears to be a two page introduction for volume 2 where Dr. Asimov mentions how they decided to split it into two volumes, and that the person reading the introduction should of course buy the book.

⭐Read Asimov ….have most of the fiction he wrote…. includes some early stories I did not have….Had to buy used…hate used books

⭐I loved this one and book 2. Usually I don’t enjoy authors or publishers comments, but Isaac Asimov’s were as interesting as the stories. It was wonderful to read the stories and comments. It is so sad to realize this great author is no longer with us to write more stories. I plan on locating and buying all of his Science Fiction works.

⭐If you’ve read the Foundations series there are other novels that lead up to that series. And there is one story in this book, called Mother Earth, that is part of the lead up to the Foundation series. This book consists of Asimov’s early writings and if you want to see where it all began, this is the book to began with.

⭐Though published a couple of years earlier, this collection with it’s delightful reminiscences can almost be seen to function as a sequel to the author’s wonderful

⭐, in which Dr. Asimov traces his life – and his interest in the genre that he would have so much impact on – from his birth in 1920 up through his first professional sale in 1938. That book is a collection of the stories that he loved from his personal “golden age” of the 1930s, from obscure and forgotten writers to those who retained their popularity well into the “Campbell years” and beyond, like Edmond Hamilton, Murray Leinster, Jack Williamson and Clifford D. Simak.In THE EARLY ASIMOV, we get to see Asimov’s early and halting attempts to follow those luminaries; by the end of this volume he is well on his way, despite a flurry of rejections – especially from his mentor, the great editor of ASTOUNDING, John W. Campbell Jr. He presents us with 13 previously uncollected stories, all written between 1938 and 1940 and published between 1939 and 1942; only two were published in ASTOUNDING, the class act of the field. Asimov’s star, unlike those of his contemporaries Van Vogt and Heinlein, didn’t burst forth in instant brilliance, as he is quick to admit. The stories are presented in chronoligical order of writing, not of publication, and are:”The Callistan Menace” (first published in ASTONISHING STORIES April 1940)”Ring Around the Sun” (AMAZING STORIES March 1939)”The Magnificient Possession” (FUTURE FICTION March 1940)”Trends” (ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION JULY 1939)”The Weapon Too Dreadful to Use” (AMAZING STORIES MAY 1939)”Black Friar of the Flame” (PLANET STORIES Spring 1942)”Half-Breed” (SUPER SCIENCE STORIES September 1940)”The Secret Sense” (COSMIC STORIES March 1941)”Homo Sol” (ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION September 1940)”Half-Breeds on Venus” (ASTONISHING STORIES December 1940)”The Imaginary” (SUPER SCIENCE STORIES November 1942)”Heredity” (ASTONISHING STORIES April 1941)”History” (SUPER SCIENCE STORIES March 1941)None of the stories are brilliant, though several are interesting; “Trends” and “Black Friar of the Flame”, dealing respectively with the conflict between religious intolerance and science, and galactic empire, are probably my favorites, and the two that most clearly anticipate later Asimov works. What’s best about the book, and what really elevates it to something really worth reading, is Asimov’s commentary about the stories, often humorous, typically quite modest and self-effacing, and valuable for the insights it provides into the mind of a young writer, and the state of the field in those years as World War II began.For those looking for the very best in science fiction of this period, then, probably not a priority read – you’d do better with Healy & McComas’ FAMOUS SCIENCE FICTION STORIES: ADVENTURES IN TIME AND SPACE, or one of Heinlein’s early collections. But for fans of this writer, and those interested in personal reminiscences of this now remote-seeming era, a must.

⭐I’m giving this 5 stars not just because it’s a fascinating look at the evolution of one of SF’s giants but also because:The worst story in the book is still better than 50% of the dreck I run across these days. The 5th worst is better than 75% and the best is up in the 97%+ range…The sad part is I’m not even a big Asimov fan. In my top 20 sure, but not top 10.It’s not that there aren’t great authors* these days… It’s just that I can read faster than their output. Which was of course the advantage of Dr Asimov, as long as you were willing to read whatever he wrote (especially highly entertaining non fiction) he could usually produce almost as fast as a slow reader could consume. In those days after I’d absorbed the cream of the SF world there was ALWAYS an Asimov book around.I’m catching up now …Not that there aren’t a few dozen left, but I find it unlikely (for example) that his Gilbert & Sullivan book will be interesting to me, but if anyone could manage it, he’s the guy.*A few living examples: Bujold, Weber, Turtledove, Drake, Butcher… IMHO, YMMV, not a complete list, greats have clunkers too,

⭐Thanks

Keywords

Free Download The Early Asimov, Book I in EPUB format
The Early Asimov, Book I EPUB Free Download
Download The Early Asimov, Book I 1986 EPUB Free
The Early Asimov, Book I 1986 EPUB Free Download
Download The Early Asimov, Book I EPUB
Free Download Ebook The Early Asimov, Book I