Science Fiction: An Illustrated History by Sam J. Lundwall is like a time-machine taking the reader back to 1977 and looking backward from there. First, 95% of the the illustrations (mostly cover artwork) is in black & white. Yes, there are occasional color illustrations…but not many. But the strength of Science Fiction: An Illustrated History is Lundwall’s commentary on the development of the Science Fiction genre. Did you know the first Science Fiction magazine appeared in Sweden in 1916? Did you know that SF was being published in Europe, Latin America, Asia, Russia, and Australasia as well as the U. S. and British areas in the early 20th Century?
My favorite chapter in Science Fiction: An Illustrated History is “Galactic Patrol.” Lundwall takes a deep dive into the work of E. E. Smith, Edmond Hamilton’s Captain Future series, the 100 million copy bestselling Perry Rhodan ACE Books series, A. Bertram Chandler’s “Rim World” series, and Gregory Kern (E. C. Tubb) who wrote the popular Cap Kennedy paperbacks.
While contemporary SF isn’t included in Science Fiction: An Illustrated History, this is a fascinating international reference book about how SF took over the world. If you are a Science Fiction fan, you’ll learn a lot about the genre you thought you knew by reading this book. GRADE: A
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Origins — 6
Tales from the crypt — 14
Science fiction at the crossroads — 36
The eternal bliss machine — 60
Nightmares — 82
Monsters and such — 102
Robots and mechanical men — 122
Galactic patrol — 150
The human angle — 170
Adventures in the pulp jungle — 186
Bibliography — 204
Index — 205
Sadly, Lundwall isn’t the most trustworthy of historians at any level, as such critics as James Blish and Damon Knight have been quick to point out (his coverage of English-language writers tended to be so shaky that they had little faith in his coverage of European writers where they had less background to question Lundwall’s statements and assertions). SCIENCE FICTION: WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT, his previous book in English, was remarkably full of errors and questionable assertions along with simply oddly strong opinions, and this didn’t endear him to most US and UK readers, at least (even I knew where he was deviating from reality when I picked up a copy when I was 14yo or so).
But it’s interesting to go throught, to be sure. I haven’t looked at it nor pidked it up since about when it was published, and unlike the SF:WIAB volume, I’ve never owned a copy.
Todd, I knew about SCIENCE FICTION: WAHT IT’S ALL ABOUT and its many flaws. SCIENCE FICTION: AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY seems more straightforward. Plenty of pictures!
Sorry for typos, particularly toward the end…under the weather.
Todd, hope you feel better soon!
Gracias. Fits and starts!