I’m a sucker for a book like Planet Stories wonderful Before They Were Giants. James L. Sutter collects the first published stories of Piers Anthony, Greg Bear, Ben Bova, David Brin, Cory Doctorow, William Gibson, Nicola Griffith, Joe Haldeman, China Mieville, Larry Niven, Kim Stanley Robinson, Spider Robinson, R. A. Salvatore, Charles Stross, and Micahel Swanwick. If you’re a science fiction fan, you’re going to want this book. If you’re an aspiring writer, you’ll find plenty to learn from the initial efforts of these now established writers. If you just want to read some solid SF stories, Before They Were Gaints will provide you with hours of enjoyment. GRADE: B+
Is there a mystery collection similar to this?
I’m sure there have been collections of the first mystery story established authors published, but off the top of my head I can’t think of the titles. I’ll root around in my basement later.
Sounds like a winner to me.
I’m pretty sure Rick bought this book, too, Jeff.
Evan, I think there are mystery collections like this but can’t remember the title(s) offhand.
I many have bought a collection like this from you many moons ago, Jeff.
I have it here at hand but you beat me to reading it, George. Of course that’s not surprising, since you read so fast. I’m sure I’ll enjoy it as much as you did. Did you have a favorite story?
I knew right after reading Kim Stanley Robinson’s first story, “In Pierson’s Orchestra,” many years ago in ORBIT 18 that he was going to be a great writer, Rick.
It may or may not be their first ever stories, but Bob Randisi edited a series starting with FIRST CASES: FIRST APPEARANCES OF CLASSIC PRIVATE EYES. There were at least four volumes.
We should address this question to Marv Lachman and Steve Lewis, Jeff.
Yes, the First Cases books had the same premise, and I enjoyed them – the first 2 that I read, anyway.
I’ll have to check out those FIRST CASES books, Rick. I don’t think I’ve ever seen them.
As I remember them, George, some of them were basically novelists who later wrote a short story featuring their series character while others may have written the story before the novel. Still, I read three of them so there must have been something of interest.
If you and Rick liked FIRST CASES, that’s good enough for me, Jeff. I’ll track them down.
Lawrence Block’s OPENING SHOTS (2000) has been reprinted as a B&N instant remainder, and is pretty widely available in their stores. It was sequeled thus:
Following on the heels of the successful first volume of this series, the stories in this stellar field include: “Final Rites” by Doug Allyn; “Don’t Kill a Karate Fighter” by William Chambers; “Entrapped” by Harlan Coben; “Yellow Gal” by Michael Collins; “Together” by Jeffery Deaver; “The Rough Boys” by Harlan Ellison; “Tole My Cap’n” by Joe Gores; “Layover” by Ed Gorman; “A Bunch of Mumbo-Jumbo” by Jan Grape; “The Cure” by David Handler; “Till Tuesday” by Jeremiah Healy; “Village of the Dead” by Edward D. Hoch; “Chalk” by Evan Hunter; “It’s a Wise Child Who Knows” by Stuart Kaminsky; “Who Killed Cock Robin?” by H. R. F. Keating; “Medford & Son” by Dick Lochte; “Thieves’ Honor” by John Lutz; “Not All Brides Are Beautiful” by Sharyn McCrumb; “Manslaughter” by Joyce Carol Oates; “You Don’t Know What It’s Like” by Bill Pronzini; “The Disappearance of Penny” by Robert J. Randisi; “A Victim Must Be Found” by Henry Slesar; “Blue Rose” by Peter Straub; “A Bad Night for Burglars” by Lawrence Block
Steven Silver and MH Greeberg did sf, fantasy and horror first sales with WONDROUS BEGINNING, MAGICAL BEGINNINGS and HORRIBLE BEGINNINGS…but those books (and they hardly the first in the field) are getting to be a while back, in 2003…how time scurries.
Thanks, Todd! I knew you’d come through for us. I have OPENING SHOTS around here somewhere.
Greenberg, of course.
Damon Knight, Martin Greenberg, and Joseph Olander offered FIRST VOYAGES in 1981:
ix • Introduction (First Voyages) • (1981) • essay by Damon Knight
1 • The Isolinguals • (1937) • shortstory by L. Sprague de Camp
21 • The Faithful • (1938) • shortstory by Lester del Rey
33 • Black Destroyer • [Space Beagle] • (1939) • novelette by A. E. van Vogt
67 • Life-Line • (1939) • shortstory by Robert A. Heinlein
87 • Ether Breather • [Ether Breather] • (1939) • shortstory by Theodore Sturgeon
103 • Proof • (1942) • shortstory by Hal Clement
123 • Loophole • (1946) • shortstory by Arthur C. Clarke
131 • Tomorrow’s Children • [Tomorrow’s Children • 1] • (1947) • novelette by Poul Anderson and F. N. Waldrop
161 • That Only a Mother • (1948) • shortstory by Judith Merril
173 • Scanners Live in Vain • [The Instrumentality of Mankind] • (1950) • shortstory by Cordwainer Smith
213 • Time Trap • (1948) • novelette by Charles L. Harness
245 • Defense Mechanism • (1949) • shortstory by Katherine MacLean
255 • Angel’s Egg • (1951) • novelette by Edgar Pangborn
295 • Come On, Wagon! • (1951) • shortstory by Zenna Henderson
307 • Walk to the World • (1952) • shortstory by Algis Budrys
321 • Beyond Lies the Wub • (1952) • shortstory by Philip K. Dick
331 • My Boy Friend’s Name Is Jello • (1954) • shortstory by Avram Davidson
337 • T • (1956) • shortstory by Brian W. Aldiss
345 • Prima Belladonna • [Vermilion Sands] • (1956) • shortstory by J. G. Ballard
361 • April in Paris • (1962) • shortstory by Ursula K. Le Guin
…and I’m pretty sure THAT’s not the first, but might be…
Ah. Knight on his lonesome did a 1963 version of this antho as simply FIRST FLIGHT, for Lancer:
7 • Introduction (First Flight) • (1963) • essay by Damon Knight
9 • The Isolinguals • (1937) • shortstory by L. Sprague de Camp
27 • The Faithful • (1938) • shortstory by Lester del Rey
36 • Black Destroyer • [Space Beagle] • (1939) • novelette by A. E. van Vogt
67 • Life-Line • (1939) • shortstory by Robert A. Heinlein
85 • Ether Breather • [Ether Breather] • (1939) • shortstory by Theodore Sturgeon
99 • Loophole • (1946) • shortstory by Arthur C. Clarke
105 • Tomorrow’s Children • [Tomorrow’s Children • 1] • (1947) • novelette by Poul Anderson and F. N. Waldrop
132 • That Only a Mother • (1948) • shortstory by Judith Merril
142 • Walk to the World • (1952) • shortstory by Algis Budrys
154 • T • (1956) • shortstory by Brian W. Aldiss
Of course, Todd! I should have remembered Damon Knight’s FIRST FLIGHT. I have a copy of that, too.
You’re quite welcome, George. I have a nagging sense someone did one in crime fiction before Block, too…
The Mystery Writers of America put out a book of first stories, MAIDEN MURDERS, back in 1952.
Maiden Murders: First Murder Stories of Ace Mystery Writers, introduction by John Dickson Carr: Stuart Palmer; Harry Stephen Keeler; Lawrence G. Blochman; Veronica Parker Johns; Day Keene; August Derleth; David Alexander; Jerome and Harold Prince; William Campbell Gault; Kenneth Millar
I haven’t read it. The only way I knew it existed is that I recall that when FIRST FLIGHT came out, some critic mentioned MAIDEN MURDERS as a sort of precursor.
Thanks, Steve! I’ll try to track down MAIDEN MURDERS. Sounds like a great book.