Hugo Gernsback

 

Who is Hugo Gernsback and why are the Hugo Awards named after him?   Good question since I had never heard of Gernsback until I decided to read the Hugo Award winners.   

Hugo Gernsbacher, born August 16, 1884 in Luxembourg immigrated to the United States in 1904 to New York.  Hugo was fascinated by electricity and invented a dry battery which he patented upon arriving in the United States.   He established a radio and electrical supply house called Electro Importing Company and developed a small portable radio transmitter called the Telimco Wireless Telegraph.    He went on to patent 80 inventions. 

 

Long story short, Gernsback  published a magazine for electrical experimenters called Modern Electronics which was later taken over by Popular Science.   To fill up some empty space in the magazine, he decided to write a futuristic story which ran in 12 installments.

That story was later published in 1926 as a novel called "Ralph 124C 41+"  which was set in the 27th century and is still available today.  He started a number of magazines including the first magazine dedicated exclusively to science fiction called  "Amazing Stories." the magazine of scientifiction in 1926. 

First Issue April 1926

Hugo coined the term scientifiction which later went on to be known as Science Fiction.  Thanks to the beauty of the internet I found an original pdf of an article of Gernback's called Plausibility in Scientifiction on Mumpsimus (thank you, Matthew)

 

click on link to read "Plausability in Scientifiction" 

Gernsback unfortunately went bankrupt and lost control of Amazing Stories. He quickly bounced back and went on to publish three more magazines:  Air Wonder Stories, Science Wonder Stories and Science Wonder Quarterly.

Air Wonder and Science Wonder were merged into one magazine Wonder stories in 1930 and sold it in 1936 to Beacon Publications where it continued to be published for 20 more years. 

Gernsback is lauded as the father of science fiction.  The first annual Science Fiction Achievement awards was awarded back in 1953 with retro awards handed out for the years 1946 in 1996, retro award 1951 given in 2001 and 1954 retro award presented in 2006.  The award were unofficially called the "Hugo's" until the name was officially changed and use beginning in 1993.    In 1960 he was given a special Hugo Award as "The Father of Magazine Science Fiction."  The Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame was founded in 1996 and Hugo Gernsback was one of the first inductees along with Jack Campbell (1908-2006), A.E. van Vogt's (1912-2000) and John W. Campbell Jr. (1910-1971)

Hugo Gernsback died in New York on August 19, 1967 at the age 83.    

If you want to know more about Hugo Gernsback, his electronic accomplishments, all about his magazines and his life, you find everything you want to know here and  here.

The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan

 

 

 

The Eye of the World

By 

Robert Jordan 

Book 1 in Wheel of Time Series 

Back cover:  "The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and go, leaving memories that become legend.  Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth returns again.  In the Third Age, an Age of Prophecy, the World and Time themselves hang in the balance.  What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow."

I read "The Eye of the World" as part of the Dare Challenge by Heather J.   Honestly, I thought I had read it before but discovered I hadn't.   That is what comes from being a voracious reader.  After a while all the covers at the store start to look the same or old books get new covers and suddenly you are very confused as to what you read and didn't read.  I actually quite enjoyed the story and the Prologue Teaser for Book 2 at the end of the book sounds very enticing so will probably go on to read book 2. 

"The Eye of the World" is book one in a epic fantasy series by Robert Jordan.  Jordan died while writing the last book in the series and Brandon Sanderson was chosen to complete the series.  The last book has been turned into 3 and Book 12 "The Gathering Storm" came out in October.  Book 13 "Towers of Midnight" will be released in the fall and the final book #14 "Memory of Light" in fall of 2011.  Should I decide to read the rest of the series, it will probably take me that long to finish them.    

What's it all about Alfie? (if Michael Caine, Dionne Warwick or Burt Bacharach come to mind, welcome to my world.) Three young men of the town of Edmond's Field in Two Rivers, a backwater town in a far corner of the Kingdom  - Rand, Matt and Perrin -  are thrust into a quest when they each individually see a mysterious man on horseback watching them.  No one else can see him.  He is dressed in black and gives off an aura of evil.  Soon after, they are surprised by the mysterious appearance of a beautiful, yet powerful woman in their town - Moiraine who is an Aes Sedai and her companion and guard Lan who is a warder.

An Aes Sedai has the One Power which is power drawn from the True Source which is the driving force of the universe, which turns the Wheel of Time.  Got that?   In other words, a truly powerful witch.  And only women can be Aes Sedai because all the males (saidins) were driven crazy and tainted by evil by the Dark One at the Time of Madness which is all explained in the prologue.  And the reason why it is important is no man since that time has been able to wield the One Power....  Until now. 

Moiraine senses something in the boys but before she is able to determine if it's just one or all three, the village is attacked by the Dark One's minions - Trollocs.    The Villagers think it is because of Moiraine and want her to leave, even though she fought and protected most of the village.  However, she knows it is because of the boys.  The Dark Lord fears one or all three boys may be the end of him, so they must be killed.    Each boy has been visited in his dreams by Ba'alzamon who wants them to turn to the dark side.  The boys must leave the village and travel with her to Tar Valon where they will be safe with the Aes Sedai and the Warders.  Plus, they will be able to figure out why the Dark One wants the boys.   Thus the start of a long, harrowing, event filled adventure  to Tar Valon.  

If you haven't read the book yet and enjoy reading epic fantasies, then you will enjoy this book.   And perhaps the first story will be so enticing and the characters so engaging,  you'll be prompted to read the 2nd, then the 3rd and so on and so on.  

Thank you to Heather for Daring me to read the book. I thoroughly enjoyed it.   She just finished reading it again herself and her review can be found here.    Heather will also be talking about the book tonight on That's How I Blog on Blog Talk Radio tonight at 7 pm PST/10 pm EST.   Come join in on the conversation. 

Pages:  814

Publisher:  Tor

Genre:  Epic Fantasy

Other Thoughts:  

Kay's Bookshelf:

"When it comes of the characters, I very much liked the way Jordan chose to treat women. There are no damsel in distress in this book. The women are just as willing to go the needed lengths as men are; they are also, magic-wise, the more powerful, since they are the only ones able to touch the True Source. Quite a cool concept for a novel set in a medieval-like world."

 Adam of The Wertzone:

"The story is engrossing and the depth of detail refreshing, if overdone at times. The characters are interesting, the world building excellent and the fresh spins on old ideas are well-done. The book hints at countless more mysteries to come, and makes you want to pick up the second (and much better) book, which is its main goal, after all."

Fantasy on the mind!

 

Josephine Wall's Periwinkle 

Fantasy books have been on my mind lately.   Fantasy books entertain my mind as I travel to far away places, introduce me to mythical creatures, take me on fanciful quests and experience battles with  knights, dragons, elves, ogres, warriors, heroes,  apprentices and the fight between Good and Evil.   Edgar Rice Burroughs Barsoom Series,  Margaret Weis's Dragonlance, Charles DeLint's Newford, Mercedes Lackey Valdemar Books,  Christopher Stasheff's Warlock, Piers Anthony's Xanth  and Incarnations of Immortality,  and of course, Mary Stewart's Merlin trilogy and J.R.R. Tolkien's Hobbit and Lord of the Rings are a few that come to mind that I enjoyed reading way back. 

The Fantasy Genre has grown over the past twenty - thirty years with many, many sub genres including 


Romance Fantasy
Fairy Tales
Alternative History
Arthurian Fantasy
Comic Fantasy
Dark Fantasy
Epic Fantasy
Fairy Tales and Mythology
Heroic Fantasy
High Fantasy
Mystery Fantasy
Magic Realism
Modern Fantasy
Sword and Sorcery

I sort of fell away from the Fantasy and Science Fiction genres for a decade or more and recently rediscovered some old authors whom I actually skipped reading for one reason or another way back when.  I just finished reading The Mists of Avalon by Marian Zimmer Bradley and the very first book in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series The Eye of the World.   I thoroughly enjoyed both and maybe because of age or maybe wisdom appreciated the stories more than I would have at the age of 20.    There are many authors who have stood the test and time and new authors that time is now testing.     There's an interesting list from Mania.com who they consider the top 20 Fantasy writers of all time.

1.  J.R.R. Tolkein
2.  Robert E. Howard
3.  Terry Pratchett
4.  Piers Anthony
5.  Michael Moorcock
6.  Fritz Leiber
7.  Roger Zelazny
8.  Raymond Feist
9.  Terry Brooks
10.  Neil Gaiman
11.  George R.R. Martin
12.  Tanith Lee
13.  Lord Dunsany
14.  Robert Jordan
15.  Marian Zimmer Bradley
16.  Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
17.  David Eddings
18.  J.K. Rowling
19.  R.A. Salvatore
20.  Katherine Kurtz

I have read at least one book from everyone on the list or have one of their books on my TBR pile waiting to be read.  All except for  Lord Dunsany, whom supposedly influenced Tolkien, Eddings, Moorcock and Gaiman. His Fifty One Tales are on Project Gutenberg so I will be checking him out.

Do you agree with the list and if you don't, who do you think should be considered a top fantasy writer?

First Hugo Award winner - The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester

The Demolished Man 

By  

Alfred Bester

Back cover:  "In 2301 A.D., guns are only museum pieces and benign telepaths sweep the minds of the populace to detect crimes before they happen.  In 2301 A.D., homicide is virtually impossible--but one man is about to change that.   In this classic science fiction novel, the first to win the prestigious Hugo award, a psychopathic business magnate devises the ultimate scheme to eliminate the competition and destroy the order of his society.  Hurtling from the orgies of a future aristocracy to a deep space game preserve, and across the densely realized subcultures of psychic doctors, grifters, and police, The Demolished Man is a masterpiece of high-tech suspense, set in a world in which everything has changed except for the ancient instinct for murder."

Back in 1953 when I was barely a twinkle in my daddy's eye, Alfred Bester won the very first hugo award for best novel, The Demolished Man.   The people in Bester's futuristic world are peepers, they can read each other's minds.   There are 3 different classes of Espers - the most common are class 3 types that can hear what others are thinking at the moment, Class 2 peepers can read a bit deeper and hear inner thoughts    Class 1 espers  can go even deeper picking up on peoples most inner urges before they even think about them.  Which is the reason why Class 1 espers are all involved in law enforcement and the government.   Bester is able to show some of the conversations the higher evolved peepers have in their minds, thinking at each other and conversing as they think, whether it's chaotically or cohesive.   For example when characters gather for a party (pg 30)

Frankly                     Canapes?                       Why
   Ellery                     Thanks       delicious     yes,
      I                           Mary, they're        Tate,
       Don't                                         I'm
         Think                                   treating
           You'll          Canapes?              D'Courtney.
 We            Be                                       I
brought         Working                                Expect
  Galen           For                                     him
    along          Monarch                                   in
       to           Much   Canapes?                           town
help him celebrate     Longer.                                 shortly.
                He's      The 
          just taken his Guild
                         is   exam
                      just       and
                     about         been
                     to              classed

Much like any social gathering when folks start arriving, conversations are random and chaotic. However, these conversations all take place telepathically.   Which makes for some rather interesting reading until the characters start to think in cohesive patterns. 

So what happens when someone decides to break the law. Usually the level 1 espers are able to catch the person before they do. Then they are subject to "demolition".  However, one man finds a way around that.  Ben Reich is the owner of Monarch Enterprises, a cartel whose rival is Craye d'Courtney.  Reich has been having nightmares about a man without a face and it is driving him crazy.  He takes it into his head that he has to kill Craye when he misreads Crayes acceptance of the merger as refusal.  He goes to a songwriter who teaches him a song that he won't be able to get out of his head for a month.  

"A tune of utter monotony filled the room with agonizing, unforgettable banality.  It was the quintessence of every melodic cliche' Reich had ever heard.  No matter what melody you tried to remember, it invariably led down the path of familiarity to "Tensor, Said the Tensor."  Then Duffy began to sing.


Eight, sir; seven, sir;
Six, sir; five, sir;
Four, sir; three sir;
two sir; one!
Tenser, said the Tensor
Tenser, said the Tensor 
Tension, apprehension 
and dissension have begun. 


"Oh my God!"  Reich exclaimed.

"I've got some real gone tricks in that tune," Duffy said, still playing.  "Notice the beat after 'one? That's a semi-cadence. Then you get another beat after 'begun.' That turns the end of the song into a semi-cadence, too, so you can't ever end it.  The beat keeps you running in circles, like:  Tension, apprehension, and dissention have begun.  RIFF. Tension, apprehension, and dissention has begun. Riff..."


"You little devil! Reich started to his feet, pounding his palms on his ears.  "I'm accursed. How long is this affliction going to last?"


"Not more than a month."  (pg 43)

So Reich has this tune running through his head throughout to distract the level 1 peepers while he goes about planning and committing the murder.  However, he doesn't count on a witness, nor Lincoln Powell, the Police prefect.   Despite the song, Lincoln is able to detect what Reich has done telepathically, but it isn't admissible in court. So he has to use old fashioned police techniques to make his case.    Which leads back to the witness who was Craye's daughter who walked in as Reich killed her father.  She runs off and disappears.  Both Reich and Lincoln search for her.  When she is discovered she is found to be psychologically traumatized, cannot speak and doesn't remember anything.  Reich has the opportunity to kill her but doesn't.   Then Lincoln rescues her and attempts to telepathically reach her, while Reich does everything he can to cover his tracks or so his thinks, while going increasingly crazy.  


When Lincoln thinks he has a solid case against Reich, it has to be given to old man Mose who will make the final decision.  Who is old man Mose:

"Old Man Mose himself occupied the entire circular wall of the giant office.  His multitudinous eyes winked and glared coldly.  His multitudinous memories whirred and hummed.  His mouth, the cone of a speaker, hung open in a kind of astonishment at human stupidity.  His hands, the keys of a multiflex typewriter, poised over a roll of tape, ready to hammer out logic.  Mose was the Mosaic Multiplex Prosecution Computer of the District Attorney's Office, whose awful decisions controlled the preparation, presentation, and prosecution of every police case." (pg 169) 

Just when Mose after several false starts comes up with a 97% probability that Reich is guilty, Lincoln is told Craye accepted Reich's offer to merge thus wiping out the motive for murder which he thought was entirely for financial reasons.  

How is he going to take down Reich now?   Will Reich get away with the murder.   Will Craye's daughter ever recover her memory?  What is demolition?   For the answers, you'll have to read the book.  I thoroughly enjoyed the story and have to say it has withstood the test of time. 

Alfred Bester (1913-1987) also wrote "Tiger, Tiger," which was released in the U.S. as "The Stars My Destination", plus many short stories.   He wrote the non fiction book "The Life and Death of a Satellite" in 1966.   I'm looking forward to reading both. 

Pages:  243
Publisher: Vintage Books (Random house division)
Genre: Science Fiction


Carl of Stainless Steel Droppings:
"The Demolished Man builds in suspense right up to the shocking conclusion. Ever the master, Bester manages to leave hints in the denouement that perhaps more is going on than initially meets they eye. This is a book that deserves discovery by those who have not read this classic author. It is a captivating read that does not disappoint."


g.n.a.t at A Novel Read:
"Bester clinches the book in the final few pages. Again, he doesn't lay out the details, but he hints just enough to really force the reader to read again and go back and reevaluate the whole story.  If you're a Science Fiction fan, like classic sci fi, and have never read Alfred Bester, go out and buy his books now! They're worth it"