H.A. Hargreaves (1928–2017)

North by 2000+ is a collection of science-fiction stories originally published over several decades by author H. A. Hargreaves. I enjoyed the stories very much, particularly "Dead to the World", "Cainn", "Tee Vee Man" and "More Things in Heaven and Earth". Alhough these stories were written many years ago and there are some discrepancies between the future as Hargreaves had envisioned it and the reality as it is today, the stories do not feel dated. It is Hargreaves's exploration of human show more relationships, to one another and to the environment, in an imagined setting that makes the stories memorable. I also found Runte's commentary on "Canadian science-fiction" and how it differs from that of the British and American tradition thought-provoking.

Having experienced hits and misses with small publishers, I was genuinely surprised by the quality of the writing. I recently finished all the short stories and novelettes nominated for this year's Hugo awards, and certainly, Hargreaves's stories would not suffer in comparison. I'm glad that Five Rivers Publishing has chosen to reprint his work, as it deserves a wider audience. show less

Deceptively simple writing weaves the reader in to stories of the author's early years in the Bronx. Characters are drawn with clean, deft stokes that bring a remarkable cast to life as richly full, complex, almost heart-breakingly real people, just as their influence mapped out the makings of the author. Hargreaves' encompassing settings and spare, clear language transport the reader to a time and place that are no more, and we are improved by the journey.

I received this book as an early-reviewer copy. It was phenomenal ! The fact that these stories were written in the 70's showed what a great science fiction mind can imagine. This collection must have been mind boggling in it's initial printing. Each story was unique and even, almost 40 years later, was intriguing. Let's see more of this Canadian Sciience Fiction writing.

As a student of Canadian Studies, and a former English Literature student, I am delighted to see a Canadian classic reprinted, and appreciate the Introduction and Afterword by Robert Runté. As a once avid reader of science fiction, I enjoyed Hargreaves' stories, largely because they reminded me of much older short stories by Clarke, Asimov, and Niven. With respect to the art and the genre, when it was younger it could get away with being less sophisticated, and a single intriguing aspect of show more future life was enough to sustain a story.

Many of the stories take place in the same future history, a pleasant linking device. Like most science fiction, some of the terminology or products mentioned are now obsolete, and the stories are best enjoyed by a reader who will not be distracted by references such as the need to sync video camera tubes. There are also predictions that have not come to pass, such as the merger of Look and Life magazines, or even the continued importance of those magazines.

The most appealing aspect of the stories is the ordinary nature of the characters. These are not heroes on distant planets or ground breaking scientists - they are teachers, parole officers, pipeline workers, and lowly technicians just doing their job. The last is the hero of "Tee Vee Man." No one actually realizes how important his job is, and the story brought to mind lines from Elton John's "Rocket Man:" "It's just my job, five days a week."

Runté and others suggest that this humbleness of character, as well as the role of the northern environment in some stories, marks this collection as distinctly Canadian. Certainly the references to living in Americanada do (and whether or not that has come to pass is open to debate), but I'm inclined to think that Hargreaves is a good writer who just happens to be Canadian. Lem and Blish are others who wrote science fiction with ordinary people, though in more fantastic tales.

This collection would not appeal to everyone, but definitely worth a read for fans of the genre who appreciate its older work, and fans of Canadian literature. show less