Miles J. Breuer (1889–1945)

This collection of a short novel and 10 short stories highlights an influential early writer of science fiction who heralded from Lincoln, Nebraska. Miles J. Breuer was a medical doctor in Lincoln, who was a prominent contributor of SF stories to the early pulp magazines of the 1920s and 1930s, particularly the groundbreaking magazine Amazing Stories. Breuer had pretty much fallen off the radar of most genre fans, but the University of Nebraska Press released this collection, with show more biographical notes by UNL's Michael R. Page, in 2008, as part of their Frontiers of Imagination reprint series. Although the stories are quite dated now, I still highly recommend this collection to those wanting a look back at one of the early 20th century masters of the genre. Lincolnites in particular should find references to our city, both overt and subtle, in several of Breuer's stories. Particularly enjoyable among the shorter stories are "The Gostak and the Doshes" and "A Problem in Communication."

Originally reviewed for my local library's website: http://www.lincolnlibraries.org/depts/bookguide/srec/staffrec09-03.htm

I also appeared on an episode of local independent radio station KZUM's "Book Talk" series, interviewing this book's editor. That episode is available to listen to online at: http://www.nlc.state.ne.us/audio/BookTalk/20090218.mp3 show less