Posts tagged ‘science fiction’
MY BUDDY ELMO
I’ve mentioned Elmo in the past. He exists as a figment of my imagination. One that I’ve grown to know over the years since he was first created. He began life as a short story, but due to his thirst for adventure, he grew into a novella, Elmo’s Sojourn. In this story he is a retired Los Alamos scientist experimenting in his cellar when he stumbles on a method of space travel through wormholes. This novella will be available as an eBook released next February by Melange Books. For those who can’t wait, Elmo’s Sojourn is already available now in an anthology, Curious Hearts, also published by Melange Books.
I decided for Elmo to have more adventures, but during his earlier years while working at Los Alamos resulting in another novella, Elmo’s Invention. In this episode he sets out to invent a time machine. His machine works, but not as he had anticipated and results in a caustic response from the public. This novella is in the editing process and will hopefully find a home.
I will continue to follow Elmo into his youth.
READING THE MASTERS OF SCIENCE FICTION
While riding the train to work, my neighbor would read science fiction. Long retired now, he asked me if I would like science fiction books. I, of course, was more than enthusiastic and bags of books came my way and found a home in my study much to my wife’s displeasure. If you saw my study you would understand her fear for it is overflowing with books read and to be read.
Recently, I began reading these classic works. The authors include the likes of Lester Del Rey, Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein and Ursula Le Guin to name a few. Most were published in the fifties and sixties costing as little as fifty cents.
The novel I would like to discuss is one I recently finished reading, The Door Into Summer by Robert A. Heinlein. This book was interesting in that it dealt with the future, a future which is already our past.
Heinlein published this novel in 1956 so it was probably written in the early fifties. The setting of the book is 1970 and the main character travels, via suspended animation, to the year 2000, both needing the author’s speculation of what life would be like in those years.
His take of the not too distant future of 1970 is most interesting. There is talk of a nuclear war with the United States being the target, but it is handled as no more than a minor inconvenience. The year of the war isn’t given and neither is the adversary. My thinking is that it could only be Russia who developed their bomb in 1947. Also, in 1970, robots are beginning to take over the mundane tasks in both domestic and commercial settings. When he gets to the year 2000 he finds society completely changed. The story deals with more of the social rather than the technological changes, but there is a scientist dabbling with time travel which plays an important part of the story for it allows travel into the past. However, this can only be accomplished with great risk for the scientist can set the length of time but cannot control whether the subject goes forward or backward in time.
What amazes me is how the author envisions both years, to compare reality to what he predicts. The world today is full of robot used by industry but nothing like the talking androids, human-like creatures, created by the minds of Asimov and Dick. Time will tell.
I enjoy reading ‘dated’ science fiction and see the author’s take on the future and compare it to what has come to pass.
THE PASSING OF RAY BRADBURY
THE PASSING OF A GIANT
As a writer of science fiction, I felt a profound sadness today with news of the death of Ray Bradbury at the age of 91.
Not long ago my science fiction reading group read Fahrenheit 451, one of his most popular works. I had read it when I was much younger, and now attempting to write science fiction, was in awe of the quality of the writing. He also, as many science fiction writers do, invented devices for his story that exist today.
What prompted me to write this little piece was my wife. I told her of his death and she said, “I’m sorry.”
I’m sure all of us that have enjoyed his work feel sorrow at his passing.
UPDATE NEW PUBLICATION
My consistent readers,
Two new stories can come your way for only 99 cents.
Cat’s Eyes and Second Chance were recently published by Books to Go Now.
So far the stories are only available on amazon.com, but that should change soon.
When the stories are available on the Books to Go Now website, if you don’t have a nook or kindle you can have them delivered to your computer in pdf format.
Let me know if you enjoy these stories.
NEW PUBLICATION
My consistent readers,
I have a novella being published by Mélange Books in an anthology coming out on July 23.
In spite of the cover, which I have included, it is a work of science fiction, but I can see why they chose this story for the anthology. I hope you buy it and find it interesting.
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