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What Were the First SciFi Stories You Read?

7/23/2014

I was recently asked to recall the first science fiction story I ever read. That question really got the WayBack machine whirring. There are so many books. I can picture them whizzing by as I go back in time. As we finally slow, I see three images – Red Planet,Tunnel in the Sky, and Men, Martians and Machines. Red Planet and Tunnel in the Sky are juvie (Young Adult) books written by Robert Heinlein. These books appealed to me because they featured bright, resourceful young protagonists who struggle to overcome dangerous situations and dismissive authoritarian adults. The protagonists always save the day through ingenuity, persistence, and by bending the rules. I still enjoy these themes.

Men, Martians, and Machines had a more traditional SciFi motif. Written by the British author Eric Frank Russell, this straight adventure series revolves around an exploratory spacecraft and its crew. I just re-read this book a few months ago and I still enjoyed it.

I am sure there are other stories lurking amongst the mental cobwebs, but these are the earliest stories I remember. What are your earliest SciFi memories?

Red Planet, the original 1949 version that was “sanitized” by Scribners. In this story, two friends at a Mars boarding school uncover a plot by the colonial administrator to prevent the annual colony migration which is necessary to avoid life-threatening Mars winter. They also learn that the administrator is planning to sell Willis their volleyball-sized pet bouncer, to the London Zoo. The bouncer turns out to be a juvenile Martian. The boys rescue Willis and set off, skating cross-country on the frozen Martian canals to warn their parents. This image happens to be a 1949 Scribner's cover.

Tunnel in the Sky, published in 1955 by Scribners. This is a story of a student who wants to become a professional colonist. As part of his Advanced Survival class, he and his classmates are teleported to another planet for a 2-10 day survival trial. They become stranded and the story tracks the two-year social and personal development of the students as they struggle to survive without technology. The group is eventually rescued but the rescue is tainted because these self-sufficient young adults are treated as kids by the rescuers.

Men, Martians, and Machines by Eric Frank Russel. Published in 1955. The book contains a series of shorter works describing the travails of the crew of the space exploration ship, Upsadaska City as they battle against the hostile life forms on the various planets they visit. I especially liked the taciturn but helpful humanized robot, jay Score (was he the original Mr. Spock?) and the chess-obsessed Martians.

You may be interested in the following SciFi Writing Topics…
6 Tech-based Writing Prompts
5 Books for Aspiring SciFi Writers

…and general SciFi articles.
SciFi Writers – The Shamans of Modernity
SciFi and the Dangerfield Effect
SciFi Authors and Editors as Agents of Change
What Would Your Robot Say?
What Were the First SciFi Stories You Read?
Earth Day – April 22, 2014

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Radio and the Fabric of our Lives

7/17/2014

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Montgomery Ward radio, circa 1936.

Up North Stories. I borrowed this tombstone style radio from a colleague for a photography project and it brought back a lot of memories. This particular model (Model number 62-185) was manufactured around 1936 by Montgomery Ward and Company (remember Monkey Wards?) in Chicago, Illinois.

The date reminded me of stories my Mom would tell about listening to the radio. On Friday evenings, her family would go down the road to Aunt Nellie’s house on Helmer Lake and both families would sit close to the radio and listen to programs from far away. It was an important social event. They listened to variety shows and serials sponsored by soap companies (hence the name “soap operas”).

Mom is gone now so I cannot ask her what programs they listened to most, but she told us about the Jack Benny Show and Fibber McGee and Molly. The Shadow was so disturbing that some people wouldn't listen to it.

Radio transformed America because it brought strangers and strange ideas right into the American home, the bedrock of the American gestalt. Radio personalities from far off cities were discussed as if they were members of the community and some, like they were family members.

Radio continued to be important even after TV became available. The radio brought us news throughout the day--local happenings, breaking events, weather, and sports. I remember my Dad and uncles listening to Detroit Tiger games on the radio. My father-in-law did too. My Mom had the radio playing in the kitchen almost all the time.

AM signals didn’t travel far during the day but when the sun went down, we would get signals from all over. My favorite stations were WOWO in Ft. Wayne, CKLW out of Windsor Ontario, and of course WLS from Chicago. They played rock and roll and Top 40 songs all night. This was our “secret” vice. My Dad didn’t like “Rock and Roll crap.” His derision made the music even more delicious. More importantly, we could listen to our heart's content using an inexpensive transistor radio and an ear phone. Many of us strung wires in our bedroom to improve reception. We got even better reception with the car radio.

Ah, the car and the car radio. Two freedom machines, one inside the other. We could go where we wanted and play our music out loud! We could howl with Wolfman Jack, drum along with Wipeout, and sing with everything. Sometimes we even sang the right words! And who could forget submarine races and making out while the radio played in the background? (Mom would be saying “Oh my!” right about now.)

Multiband dial with station call signs

When I looked closely at the dial of this old radio, I was surprised to see radio station call letters printed on the dial. No manufacturer would do that today. Things change too quickly. I am also struck by the amount of empty space between the stations. Those of us who use the scan button to find new stations know it takes forever to scan through the frequencies. In cities, there is almost no space between signals. There are more frequency gaps Up North, but they too are filling up.

Radio has been with us for a long time. Today we have many radio options--FM, AM, satellite radio, and internet radio just to name a few. We can listen to radio stations from around the world in real time. We also get uber-local information from the same device. Radio has changed a lot since my Mom’s time but it's still woven into the fabric of our lives.

You may be interested in these Up North Story posts
New Feature: Up North Stories
Skinny Dip
Radio and the Fabric of our Lives
Early Reading Experiences

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New Feature - Up North Stories

7/15/2014

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I am pleased to present Up North Stories, a series of conversational vignettes describing life in a Northern tier state. Some of these stories will be personal, some general. Some stories will remind you of where you live, and others will be decidedly alien. It’s all good.

You see I come from a family of storytellers. When we get together, we sit at the kitchen table and share stories and experiences. Some stories are as familiar as an old pair of boots that fit perfectly because we have traveled the long road together. We may all know the story by heart, but the telling is the important thing. The shared laughter, love, and exasperation bind us together into a patchwork quilt of shared experience. And like a quilt, the interlocked pieces are stronger and more comforting than any individual element. Our stories remind us of who we are and how we are connected. They remind us that we are family.

Welcome to the kitchen table. You too can participate by posting a comment or by sending me a message. It’s all good.

You may be interested in these Up North Story posts
New Feature: Up North Stories
Skinny Dip
Radio and the Fabric of our Lives
Early Reading Experiences

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SciFi Writers - The Shamans of Modernity

7/11/2014

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From http://www.old-picture.com

The mention of Shamanism in contemporary culture usually evokes stereotypical images of witch doctors, new age spiritualists, and traditional healers. So what do shamanism, with its 10,000 year old religious and cultural traditions and modern science fiction have in common?

In its simplest incarnation, shamanism is a form of animism practiced by some traditional cultures. These cultures believe that the world is filled with willful spirits that have the ability to cause mishaps, pain, and loss. Traditional cultures were helpless in the face of these spirits and they employed individual and group rituals to appease or neutralize them. Shamans were the spiritual soldiers of these cultures. They warned of dangers; they were the spiritual guardians of the community; and they served as the spiritual compass.

The social forces within our contemporary world are not significantly different from those found in traditional cultures. Our world is shaped by science and technology – whimsical and willful modern-day spirits that can be helpful or cause total chaos. Members of our global village often feel powerless in the face of these pervasive technologies and most of us have only a rudimentary knowledge of the benefits, limitations, and social impact of these technologies, these spirits. Despite this lack of knowledge, our community is often asked through legislative referenda, to judge the social, scientific, and moral impact of cutting-edge technologies. Decisions that have significant future consequences are being made by members who barely have the technological wherewithal to program their DVR. Within this community, Shamans of Modernity, through their science stories help us to better understand the spirit world of modern technology and how these technologies interact and shape our community. Like the traditional Shamans, the Shamans of Modernity act as intermediaries between the human world and the spirit worlds. Unlike the traditional shamans, SF writers cannot compel the spirits to do their will.

The Wikipedia entry on Shamanism tells us that “The shaman […] enters supernatural realms or dimensions to obtain solutions to problems afflicting the community. Shamans may visit other worlds/dimensions to bring guidance to misguided souls and to ameliorate illnesses of the human soul caused by foreign elements.” SF writers as Shamans of Modernity, perform a similar service by transplanting parts of our culture to other worlds so that they can be examined in a non-threatening way. In Charlie Jane Anders post on io9 Lorenzo DiTommaso, a religion professor at Concordia University, tells us “Science fiction is great for proposing answers to huge questions, without being stymied by "theological firewalls," or having to stick to the rigor of formal philosophy.” In the same post, James McGrath, a Butler University theologian who writes for the Exploring Our Matrix blog tells us that “Science fiction provides a great way of asking what theological and philosophical ideas from the past still make sense in our modern context, of winnowing out those that do not, and of exploring ways to adapt and update those that … require a bit of tweaking.” One debated etymology of the word “shaman” is “one who knows.” In my estimation, the Shaman of Modernity is “one who illuminates.” The Shamans of Modernity are not expected to provide the answers – asking questions and exploring alternatives are important (and sometimes troubling) services that should be valued by every community.

In our increasingly interconnected world, we are constantly confronted by others - others who outwardly resemble us but do not believe or act like us. Unfortunately, our reaction to “otherness” has not changed significantly in the past 10,000 years. By traveling to other worlds, the Shamans of Modernity show us the “human face” of the others, placing them into a social context that can make them less (or more) threatening. Their stories often have meaning in our modern world. The Shamans of Modernity have shown us what it feels like to have your culture destroyed by an advanced civilization whose benevolent intent is to uplift the ignorant savages and “improve” their lives. They have described the rise of the Corporations and Super PACs who buy legislators and expect them to pass laws favoring them and their ideological dogma. They told us stories about surveillance and identity theft before they became part of the daily lexicon. Increasingly, the Shamans of Modernity have been exploring how it feels to live an age of unchecked biotechnology and bioengineering advances. By employing the strongest of the shamanic traditions, the Shamans of Modernity provide an allegorical framework for examining our world, our attitudes, and our mores. Their stories help us to understand the consequences of our individual and collective choices.

So how do they do it? To be effective, Shamans of Modernity must understand the society they live in – its ethical, social, and belief structures. They need to be grounded in the “now” so that their exploration of other worlds and other times has relevance to their global village. Do they get it right? Not hardly! But SF is the literature of ideas; it is an illuminating force that penetrates the dark areas of our Id, giving the unseen spirits that lurk there shape, form and understanding.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Our outwardly sophisticated, globally interconnected society is fragmented into nano-techno-bio-eco-geo-ethno-ideo-whatever subcultures. The inhabitants of these villages have the same primitive fears of the unknown, unforeseeable, and uncontrollable spirits their earliest ancestors possessed. Shamans of Modernity, through their allegorical stories, spiritual voyages to other universes, and their ability to humanize the unknown, help us all to better understand who we are and where we stand within our societies.

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My Intro for the Far Orbit Anthology

7/8/2014

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It all started with a letter…

Yes, that letter. The letter from Elizabeth Bear. The one published in ClarkesWorld Issue 68 (May 2012). Her open letter to Science Fiction.

After reading her letter, we could have applauded like many others and blithely wandered off with our hands in our pockets. Instead, we decided to do something. This is the result – a new anthology that is fun to read and embodies many of the elements found in classic, Grand Tradition science fiction. In short, we decided put our money where our heart is.

So what is Grand Tradition science fiction? I am not going to give you the Wikipedia answer, I am giving my answer. Your mileage may vary.

Grand Tradition stories were full of ideas, optimism, inspiration and respect for science. Grand Tradition SF showed us that science was cool. Like many others, I chose a career in science because it was the most exciting thing in my universe. The wonder of discovery; the satisfaction that comes from building new things; and the knowledge that you can make a difference through intellect (or cleverness), hard work and perseverance, are heady of experiences. There are no magic wands, fairy godpeople, or Miracle Max inventions. Grand Tradition stories inspired many of our current technologies and it continues help scientists understand how these technologies might interact with the real world.

Grand Tradition stories were fun to read. In her open letter to SF, Elizabeth Bear asks why “[SF seems] to think that nothing fun can have value.” I obviously agree with her sentiments. I am sorry to say that a derisive public wrote off Grand Tradition SF as mere escapism - as if escapism was something unsavory. This escapist “drek” taught me about Dyson Spheres, red-shift, general relativity, and put entire cultures and belief systems under the intellectual microscope. Not too bad for escapist literature.

Grand Tradition Stories embodied a sense of adventure and expectation. I realize that adventure is a relative term. One man’s adventure may be a normal day to another. Communicating this sense of adventure is the important thing. Readers of Grand Tradition stories have a gleeful expectation that interesting things are about to happen; that “normal” events will not remain that way for long.

And finally, the best Grand Tradition stories had a strong human element. Great SF is not just about gizmos and spaceships, it’s about us and how we are shaped by, and relate to our environment. Human elements are the Velcro that make stories stick in our brain. They make them enjoyable, approachable, and memorable.

The stories in this volume embody one or more of these elements.

The Far Orbit anthology is truly a labor of love but no matter how much I express my ardor, it’s all about the stories. We endeavored to provide a broad mix of SF stories by established, award-wining authors and newly emerging authors. Their stories embody a variety of SF motifs including those from 1940s pulp-fiction, realistic hard SF, noir fiction, spaceship fiction, alien encounters, and action-adventure. The range of subjects is astonishing and includes slimy alien babysitters, an angry sentient bear, walking plants, alien bunnies, and a barbecue. If that is not enough to pique your interest, the anthology also features a cello-playing assassin, high-stakes poker emancipation, space ship crashes/rescues, an alien artifact, and fights with space pirates. We hope every SF fan can find a favorite within these pages.

So here it is, our latest creation. We obviously want the Far Orbit anthology to be successful for financial reasons but just as importantly, we know a successful approach will be emulated by more conservative publishers. The net result could be a future where there is a wider variety of Grand Tradition story choices and story markets – good things in my estimation.

This anthology isn’t just about us and our desires; it’s also about you, the new SF reader, the SF fan, the aspiring (or established) writer. Let me know what you think of this anthology and where we should go from here. I will be “listening” at: farorbit@worldweaverpress.com

Bascomb James
Anthologist, Far Orbit: Speculative Space Adventures

Other Far Orbit posts featured on this blog:

Musings on NASA’s Asteroid Retrieval Project and Sam Kepfield’s “Open for Business”
Bear Essentials by Julie Frost
Composition in Death Minor by K.G. Jewell
Spaceman Barbecue by Peter Wood
Far Orbit Interview on SciFi4Me.com
Great News from Sporadic Reviews!
Guest Blog on Fantasy Café (they wanted to hear about Grand Tradition SciFi
Good Choice Reading Interviews Far Orbit Authors Tracy Canfield, Jacob Drud, and Kat Otis
My intro for the Far Orbit Anthology
Launch Day!!!
Inspiration… perspiration… exhilaration…

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SciFi and the Dangerfield Effect

7/2/2014

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Comedian Rodney Dangerfield

I just read Simon Kewin’s blog illustrating how some people have a stereotypical dislike of science fiction, and I was reminded about an incident that happened a few years ago.

I was walking with a colleague along the one of the labyrinthine back corridors of a major medical center and he asked me how I got interested in my career field. I told him that as a child, I read a lot of stories about scientists who did important things, solved important problems, and made the world a better place. Being a scientist was uber-cool and I gravitated toward scientific studies in school.

“What kind of stories did you read?” he asked.

“I read action-adventure stories as most young boys will, some biographies too. But mostly I read a lot of science fiction.”

At this point we heard a snort of derision from a nurse who was following closely and eavesdropping on our conversation. She quickly opened the gap as if the conversation had somehow become unsavory.

I call this the Dangerfield Effect after the American Comedian whose catchphrase was, "I don't get no respect!" Paradoxically, generations of scientists, engineers, and inventors have attributed their interest in science and the “science of making stuff” to SciFi stories.

We all want people to love us and respect what we do. Maybe if we told the SciFi derisionists we wrote about sociology, political intrigues, the long term effects of public policy, and the role of technology in social change, we might get some respect. Maybe if we portrayed ourselves as the literary underdogs, or the little group who could... Maybe...? **Sigh** Maybe not. Rodney, I feel for you, man.

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What Were the First SciFi Stories You Read?

Radio and the Fabric of our Lives

New Feature - Up North Stories

SciFi Writers - The Shamans of Modernity

My Intro for the Far Orbit Anthology

SciFi and the Dangerfield Effect

@BascombJ

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What Were the First SciFi Stories You Read?

Radio and the Fabric of our Lives

New Feature - Up North Stories

SciFi Writers - The Shamans of Modernity

My Intro for the Far Orbit Anthology

SciFi and the Dangerfield Effect

​@BascombJ

Archives

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@BascombJ