The book's title says almost everything other than to:
- identify the period covered but this survey which in fact is 1895 (commencing with H G Wells) and 1966, for reasons adequately set out in a helpful introduction;
- define what 'science fiction' actually comprises - particularly given the term was not usually widely used until some decades after Wells' times. One unhelpful suggestion is to say that SF is 'what we point to when we say it' (per Damon Knight);
- make clear that this is not a 'best 100 books': rather the books are chosen as being most typical of a point in time or of a trend.

As such, notwithstanding having thought I had read a lot of SF a long time ago, of the 100 books featured, I had read only 7 of them. And of the 100 or so authors (some books considered have co-authors, and (with the exception of HG Wells who is favoured with 4 books featured - not to hard to argue with that) one author appears under both his real name and separately under a non de plume - the latter is the name that will be most familiar to even those who are not big SF readers), I have read books by some 21 of them. Given the comment above that this is a not a' best of' survey, neither result should not surprise too much, I suppose.

The book takes the format of chapters, in roughly chronological order, dealing with different themes, covering some 4 or more books in each chapter. Ashley also provides at the end of each commentary as to a book, a short (and relevant) biography of the author. I found the placement of the biographies at the end of the discussion helpful - placing the biography at the beginning, which is a very common approach, tends to stultify the flow of the text - after all we came here to learn of the books and less so the authors.

Each of the discussions also reference yet other books, which may be contrasted with the main theme or texts under consideration. And amongst them I was able to identify yet other authors and books I have encountered.

One curious aspect is the number of authors of featured books who one (or at least I) would not usually associate with SF. Indeed a number of such authors have books featured though they are the only example of SF in their oeuvre. Examples include Saki, E M Foster, G K Chesterton, Rudyard Kipling, J J Connington amongst others.

Ashley does not shy away from commenting that a number of the books reviewed display themes and attitudes that would not be tolerated or at least would be frowned on if writing today. But he is equally of the view that the books in question remain of historical interest today.

having read so few of the featured books, am I now motivated to rush out and see if I can read all the rest? No. The survey was interesting in its own right. But it also made clear to me some books which, whilst SF, perhaps tending more to the fantasy spectrum (even though Ashley was not intending to include pure fantasy) are not likely to be my cup of tea.

But it has encouraged me to read some more if I were to find them at a decent price in a friendly second hand store or the local library, including:
Conan Doyle's The Lost World
J G Ballard's The Drowned World
John Beynon's (aka under his non de plume John Wyndham) Planet Plane.

I would be very interested to read a US version of the same!

3 stars because it is very readable, but probably only of interest to someone who is interested in SF, and the lineage of SF at that.

Big Ship

12 September 2022 ( )