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Isaac Asimov Presents the Best Science Fiction of the 19th Century: The Birth of Science in Fiction
Isaac Asimov Presents the Best Science Fiction of the 19th Century The Birth of Science in Fiction Author:Isaac Asimov (Editor), Martin H. Greenberg (Editor), Charles G. Waugh (Editor) Anthology of 15 stories from the 19th century, stories written in a time which is considered the 'birth' of the genre. From wooden 'robots' to time travellers, from apocalypse by fire to alchemical potions, the stories cover all the SF topics. These stories are not so much 'sci fi' as it's now considered, so muc... more »h as they're intriguing in exploration of how the same eternal questions and challenges persist for humanity regardless of the surrounding technology. Lots of whiz-bang gadgetry and such, and good sci-fi writers describe all of that vividly, but the story isn't ABOUT the whiz-bang gadgetry: it's always about PEOPLE and how they react & respond to different circumstances.
Contents:
Introduction: The First Century of Science Fiction (1981) • essay by Isaac Asimov;
The Sandman (1943) / E. T. A. Hoffmann (trans. of Der Sandmann 1816);
The Mortal Immortal (1833) / Mary Shelley;
A Descent Into the Maelstrom (1841) / Edgar Allan Poe;