The Alternate Asimovs
by Isaac Asimov
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A collection of early science fiction drafts consisting of three items: Grow Old With Me, the original version of the novel Pebble in the Sky, never published in this form ; "The End of Eternity", an unpublished 20,000 word novella that was extensively revised before appearing as the novel The End of Eternity ; "Belief", two versions of a short story.Tags
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The title for this books is a little misleading, as you'd think it would be similar to the What If...? series of Marvel Comics, but its not.
As an effort to enlighten readers to the writing process, Asimov contributed some of his manuscripts pre-plot-changing-edits, presenting them in their more original form, as well as providing commentary on things such as which version he liked better.
The three works included are "Grow Old With Me" (which became Pebble in the Sky), the 20k short story "The End of Eternity" (which became a novel by the same name), and the short story "Belief", both Asimov's and the editor's choice.
This book does not have universal appeal to the casual science fiction reader, as it is mostly a collection of stories show more that later were drastically edited and turned into novels (or in the case of "Belief", another short story).
I would recommend this book, however, to die hard science fiction fans, or aspiring writers interested in the editing process (though make sure to pick up a copy of Pebble in the Sky and The End of Eternity). show less
As an effort to enlighten readers to the writing process, Asimov contributed some of his manuscripts pre-plot-changing-edits, presenting them in their more original form, as well as providing commentary on things such as which version he liked better.
The three works included are "Grow Old With Me" (which became Pebble in the Sky), the 20k short story "The End of Eternity" (which became a novel by the same name), and the short story "Belief", both Asimov's and the editor's choice.
This book does not have universal appeal to the casual science fiction reader, as it is mostly a collection of stories show more that later were drastically edited and turned into novels (or in the case of "Belief", another short story).
I would recommend this book, however, to die hard science fiction fans, or aspiring writers interested in the editing process (though make sure to pick up a copy of Pebble in the Sky and The End of Eternity). show less
Ever wondered how stories came to be in the form that they are. then wonder no more as Asimov goes through a couple of his better known books and a short story to show how they changed between his original conception of the story and what got published.
There's not enough space to include the full texts of both versions but the major differences between the finished version of _The End of Eternity_ and the 'original' version are presented - the published version does win out quite handily!.
There's not enough space to include the full texts of both versions but the major differences between the finished version of _The End of Eternity_ and the 'original' version are presented - the published version does win out quite handily!.
Asimov is my favorite Sci-Fi author. This is a collection of some of his short stories with alternate endings. Not necessarily better, just different. I tend thi think that Asimov usually made the right choices.
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Isaac Asimov was born in Petrovichi, Russia, on January 2, 1920. His family emigrated to the United States in 1923 and settled in Brooklyn, New York, where they owned and operated a candy store. Asimov became a naturalized U.S. citizen at the age of eight. As a youngster he discovered his talent for writing, producing his first original fiction at show more the age of eleven. He went on to become one of the world's most prolific writers, publishing nearly 500 books in his lifetime. Asimov was not only a writer; he also was a biochemist and an educator. He studied chemistry at Columbia University, earning a B.S., M.A. and Ph.D. In 1951, Asimov accepted a position as an instructor of biochemistry at Boston University's School of Medicine even though he had no practical experience in the field. His exceptional intelligence enabled him to master new systems rapidly, and he soon became a successful and distinguished professor at Columbia and even co-authored a biochemistry textbook within a few years. Asimov won numerous awards and honors for his books and stories, and he is considered to be a leading writer of the Golden Age of science fiction. While he did not invent science fiction, he helped to legitimize it by adding the narrative structure that had been missing from the traditional science fiction books of the period. He also introduced several innovative concepts, including the thematic concern for technological progress and its impact on humanity. Asimov is probably best known for his Foundation series, which includes Foundation, Foundation and Empire, and Second Foundation. In 1966, this trilogy won the Hugo award for best all-time science fiction series. In 1983, Asimov wrote an additional Foundation novel, Foundation's Edge, which won the Hugo for best novel of that year. Asimov also wrote a series of robot books that included I, Robot, and eventually he tied the two series together. He won three additional Hugos, including one awarded posthumously for the best non-fiction book of 1995, I. Asimov. "Nightfall" was chosen the best science fiction story of all time by the Science Fiction Writers of America. In 1979, Asimov wrote his autobiography, In Memory Yet Green. He continued writing until just a few years before his death from heart and kidney failure on April 6, 1992. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Series
Belongs to Publisher Series
Signet SF (AE5370)
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Contains
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The Alternate Asimovs
- Original title
- The Alternate Asimovs
- Original publication date
- 1986
- People/Characters
- Anders Horemm; Genro Manfield; Nöys Lambent; Twissell
- Important places
- Eternity
- Dedication
- To Kate Medina and Jennifer Brehl, the latest of a long line of editors who have painstakingly guided me (and sometimes bullied me) through the intricacies of the writer's craft.
- Original language
- English
- Disambiguation notice
- Contents:
Introduction
Grow Old With Me (original version of the novel Pebble in the Sky)
The End of Eternity (original version of the novel The End of Eternity)
Belief (first version)
Belief (pub... (show all)lished version)
Final Word
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- 239
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- 135,564
- Reviews
- 5
- Rating
- (3.22)
- Languages
- English, French, Italian, Spanish
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 8
- ASINs
- 1
