• The Case Against Tomorrow ©1957
• Ballantine Second Printing 1965
• 152 pages

There’s so much to love about golden-age science fiction like: detective stories with robots, martians with green skin, and dystopian views of the future that have proven true in ways the author didn’t quite foresee. This collection of Pohl’s short stories extrapolates the damning trends of 1950s culture into twisted visions of the future where, for instance, work becomes a holiday for consumer-weary citizens.

Unfortunately, this collection of short stories and novelettes is mediocre. There are weak stories mixed in with the innovative ones, bringing down the overall quality of the volume.

I’m still glad I read it. Pohl is a giant in the evolution of science fiction. I suspect, however, some of his other titles may outclass this collection.

• Martian Chronicles © 1958
• Bantam (1980)
• 181 pages

Ray Bradbury is lauded as one of the best science fiction writers of the 20th century. I’ve only read a couple of his books now (including the famous Fahrenheit 451), but I would have to agree. Put him and the dearly departed Asimov together in a room, and the very nature of reality might shift!

This collection of short-stories is framed by the meta-narrative of humanity’s first encounter with Mars. The stories are tragic and thoroughly human, laying bare the depravity that lies in the human soul.

Bradbury covers  a gamut of themes: racism (both human-martian, and human-human), government censorship, war, the transitory nature of human existence, and even environmentalism. The stories themselves are incredibly diverse. The only thing that remains constant is the quality and imagination that underpin each tale. Here’s an example: one of the stories features an automated house as the main character—yet he makes it work, evoking pathos in the process!

I found  this book in a box of golden age science fiction reprints at a yard sale. It’s reinforced an old adage: never judge a book by its cover—buy a book on the strength of the name. This won’t be the last Bradbury book in my collection.

• Chocky (Puffin Books) © 1968
• Penguin (1970)
• 154 pages

Chocky’s a fine science fiction tale. In it, a boy named Matthew begins to have conversations with an imaginary friend—who turns out to be more than imaginary. The back cover states that the friend, “was far too intelligent and frightening” to spring from the mind of Matthew alone.

This story pulls you in from the first couple pages. There’s an element of potential horror surrounding the plot that makes it compelling. There’s a some depth here, too. It’s interesting to hear about the family dynamics of Matthew’s mother. Wyndham could have made much more use of that side-story.

On the whole, this book ranks just slightly above average. The climax was a bit of a let down for me. Still, I love Wyndham, so it was a pleasant read. If you’re not a Wyndham fan, there are other more interesting books to begin with.

• Neuromancer © 1984
• Ace Books
• 271 pages

I decided to brush up on my sci-fi history by reading this archetypal Hugo, Nebula, and Philip K. Dick award winning Cyberpunk novel. I’ve already read Pattern Recognition and Spook Country, so I knew a bit of what to expect. What I found was Gibson in his raw unpolished brilliance. You would expect a twenty-five year old book about the future to feel dated. However, aside from a few exceptions, it felt remarkably current. This novel lives up to its reputation.

The prose is dreamlike, blurring the lines between action and reflection—much like the plot blurs the lines between real and virtual reality. You need to pay attention while reading it to keep track of the characters, but the payoff is worth it. The story stays with you once the book’s back on the shelf.

Few things are more satisfying than reading a classic that exceeds your expectations.

• Watchmen © 1995
• DC Comics
• 416 pages

This was the first graphic novel I’ve read—and I’m hooked. This was a superhero story unlike anything I’ve read before. Most of the superheroes had no “super” in them at all. The cast was a mixed up group of people who used to get a kick out of dressing up and fighting crime (with one rather blue exception).

The writing has depth. I loved the way Moore used parallel stories from different media to inform the main plot. This, led to characters who felt like real people. The cast is flawed, and you’re never quite sure who to be sympathetic towards.

The ending . . . well, to quote the dearly departed Robert Jordan, “RAFO”.