3 books of Gernsback reviewed in this segment. This concludes the blog page on Gernsbeck.
Cover art by Vincent DiFate
Hugo Gernsback (1884-1967) is remembered more as a publisher (of SF) and inventor, than as a writer. His three main novels, which all appear reviewed here, are supposed to be very bad. Read on to know my opinion. He published the first SF magazine, Amazing Stories, and his name is now immortalized in the annual Hugo Awards for best SF writing and art. He was born in Luxembourg, emigrating to the USA in 1904. His scientific work was mostly related to early TV broadcasting, as well as wireless radio.
I am now halfway through the Avon/Equinox Series, averaging about a book per month. In between, I am reading other books by the authors already seen here. I had to read 13 other books before I could move on and read and review this volume. Next time around I will have to read 14 books before getting to the Kenneth Bulmer story, #15 in the series. And so on. So it will take a long time to finish the actual series, unless I abandon my wider reading plan. I am really enjoying reading other books by the authors, though, and hope to continue. See the list at the top of this page (or the most recent published post), for other books I have read recently.
Ultimate World was written in 1958, but not published until 1971. It is not really SF literature, at least in the sense that I consider. It is quite entertaining, however. I think of this story as a cross between an inventor's magazine, such as a version of Popular Mechanics for the space age, and a SF TV drama by Jack Webb (think Dragnet). Yup, it is certainly one of a kind. The writing style is dry and factual, and the text is delivered in a no nonsense, straight forward delivery. The inventions pop out at us matter-of-factly at a rate of about two per page. This is the first book of the Avon/Equinox Series that had to have an introduction, this one by Sam Moskowitz, a SF writer who died when this edition was first published. He also seriously edited the story, cutting it way down and making it much more readable. Thank you, Sam!
Duke Dubois is one of the world's leading scientists, and when aliens invade Earth, he is one of the first to be exploited by the curious strangers from space. He and his wife get to experience some pretty hot 0-Gravity sex, as the aliens look on. Time flies when you're having fun, and the Duke-ster and his wife lose a day in there somewhere. We soon learn (through informative speculation from Earth scientists) that the aliens are here for research purposes, and to help us along with world peace, and to give children much higher IQs than the rest of us poor sots.
Think of an Earth scientist studying ants: this is what it is like for the aliens to watch us (we are told). And it is a pretty neat idea that Gernsback has, too. Any alien race that can find its way to Earth is obviously going to be much more advanced than we are, both scientifically and socially. No more wars--just think of it. And really cool inventions, though it will take us hundreds of years to figure them out (not those kids with high IQs, however). And there will be no contact between us and them, any more than we would talk to ants we are studying.
This oddball story will not be to everyone's taste. I had a good time with it, though. I agree with the author's basic premise, that once aliens make it here, we will be completely at their mercy. If they are warlike, we will all suddenly die or become their slaves or foot soldiers. If they are benign, they will certainly want to help us along on the road to peace and love and all that. And they will certainly be a whole lot smarter than us.
The ending is pretty strange, however. I won't give it away, but the whole premise of the aliens helping us towards peace is pretty much a pipe dream, after what happens to them. If this could happen to them, why should we even bother to try to get ahead? I feel that Gernsback shoots himself in the foot here, but oh well--it is his story, not mine. Quirky, sex-obsessed (with good reason), but recommended, with some reservations.
**1/2 stars. Reviewed July 17th/17
Page proof read on April 15th, 2019
Mapman Mike
Duke Dubois is one of the world's leading scientists, and when aliens invade Earth, he is one of the first to be exploited by the curious strangers from space. He and his wife get to experience some pretty hot 0-Gravity sex, as the aliens look on. Time flies when you're having fun, and the Duke-ster and his wife lose a day in there somewhere. We soon learn (through informative speculation from Earth scientists) that the aliens are here for research purposes, and to help us along with world peace, and to give children much higher IQs than the rest of us poor sots.
Think of an Earth scientist studying ants: this is what it is like for the aliens to watch us (we are told). And it is a pretty neat idea that Gernsback has, too. Any alien race that can find its way to Earth is obviously going to be much more advanced than we are, both scientifically and socially. No more wars--just think of it. And really cool inventions, though it will take us hundreds of years to figure them out (not those kids with high IQs, however). And there will be no contact between us and them, any more than we would talk to ants we are studying.
This oddball story will not be to everyone's taste. I had a good time with it, though. I agree with the author's basic premise, that once aliens make it here, we will be completely at their mercy. If they are warlike, we will all suddenly die or become their slaves or foot soldiers. If they are benign, they will certainly want to help us along on the road to peace and love and all that. And they will certainly be a whole lot smarter than us.
The ending is pretty strange, however. I won't give it away, but the whole premise of the aliens helping us towards peace is pretty much a pipe dream, after what happens to them. If this could happen to them, why should we even bother to try to get ahead? I feel that Gernsback shoots himself in the foot here, but oh well--it is his story, not mine. Quirky, sex-obsessed (with good reason), but recommended, with some reservations.
**1/2 stars. Reviewed July 17th/17
RALPH 124C 41 +
My e-version was copiously illustrated! Who could resist a skate through that city landscape!!
It would be far too easy to poke fun at this novel, and to laugh at it and comment on how silly it all was. One could do the same for the Hardy Boys novels, and the Superman comics. However, each of these targeted a specific audience, and did a pretty good job of gaining lifelong followers and apologists. Hugo Gernsback was after an audience who read his magazine Modern Electrics, and were enthralled by his predictions and his ideas for electronic inventions. He wasn't aiming at a general audience, at least not at first. This story was serialized in his Modern Electronics magazine throughout 1911. It wasn't until 1925 that it was published in novel form.
Ralph 124C 41 + was serialized in this magazine in 1911
My e-book version runs to 178 pages, and has many truly wonderful illustrations. However, it lacks the 1950 Foreward by SF and fantasy writer Fletcher Pratt. It can be read here, on P. 19. Mr. Pratt makes a great case for Gernsback's genius. It is certainly true that Gernsback is not the world's finest SF writer, though there is a good argument to be made that he did write the world's first SF novel (Wells and Verne fans need to read Pratt's intro.). It is obvious that the silly romance element to the story is there only as a vehicle to show us readers new invention after new invention. Ralph gets to show many of them to Alice, and after awhile our vision becomes blurry with how many times Gernsback nails down another prediction (Pratt figures that around 90 of them in this novel were accurate). In fact, the story is not much different than many melodramas from this time period, complete with a nefarious human and a Martian.
Solar energy anyone? Yup, from 1911.
Possibly the best hero-scientist in any work of fiction! What a profile!!
Attempting to save the heroine with a complete transfusion of blood.
Trying to read this book in one sitting, or quickly, would be a huge mistake. It took me a few days, and that is the best way to absorb the fun and adventure of NYC in the year 2660. Chill out and enjoy something that very few SF fans have read, let alone even heard of. Try to find an illustrated version (here is the one I read), sit back and have a great time! If you have read a lot of early SF already, the blatant sexism should not come as too much of a shock. As to the type of society in which Ralph lives (full weather control, among many other types of control), be thankful that the future is not entirely here yet.
*** stars. Reviewed August 19th/17
THE SCIENTIFIC ADVENTURES OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN
From 1915, Gernsback's final novel
Beginning in May 1915 and continuing through February 1917, 13 serialized chapters of the Scientific Adventures of Baron Munchausen appeared in the author's Electrical Experimenter Magazine. These short chapters were gathered together into this handsome edition (containing original illustrations) and published in 2006 by Apogee Books, Canada. Edited by Robert Godwin, it concludes with a wonderful essay by the editor, encapsulating the history of the Munchausen fables, as well as a good intro to Gernsback himself. The whole package is 223 pages long.
Of the three books Gernsback wrote, I enjoyed this one the most. For one thing, it has a good amount of humour in it. For another, I now know how to read Gernsback: one or two chapters at a time. It is not meant to be read as a novel, or all at one sitting. Had I been a subscriber to the magazine back in the 1915s, I would have anxiously awaited the next episode of the Baron's adventures. Gernsback wanted science in his science fiction, and so the implausible adventures are tempered with some of the best science of his day.
The main adventures occur on the moon, and then on Mars. It is quite alarming and eye-opening as to how little we knew at the time. Percival Lowell had much of the general populace convinced that there were huge canals on Mars, indicating the existence of intelligent life on the planet. Gernsback ran with this idea, and spends much of his time impressing us with how advanced and intelligent the Martians are. It is interesting to note that most astronomers of Lowell's time did not believe in the canals, and no one else could see them. However, it wasn't until the 1960s that the myth was finally laid to rest, as Martian landers and orbiters arrived at Mars (Gernsback lived until 1967).
Still, this is a fun romp through the imagination as we learn important "facts" about the Martians and their hospitality. There is no crime, no germs, no pollution; just a struggle to keep what water there is flowing. I like how Gernsback tries to account for known difficulties of living on Mars. The cities are raised high above the desert to minimize damage from low-lying sandstorms. The thin atmosphere is helped by giant air factories. The marvels are non-stop. There is no real story here, no plot or drama, just a fun uncovering of how Martians are dealing with the struggle of life on their planet. Of course Gernsback is again praising a society with one language, no religion, and every city and house (and person) more or less the same. Today it all sounds scary as hell.
I liked the edition so much that I am going to check out other SF reprints from Apogee Books. If you decide to read this book, and I recommend you do if you are a fan of early SF, or even if you wonder how it all got started, then take it slowly, keeping in mind the chapters only appeared monthly back in the day. Read a chapter now and then, instead of all at once. I enjoyed the book a lot.
*** stars. Reviewed October 20th/17
Page proof read on April 15th, 2019
Mapman Mike
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