Gold: The Final Science Fiction Collection (The Final Sci Fi Coll.) [Mass Market Paperback]

Isaac Asimov (Author)

Book Description

Series: The Final Sci Fi Coll. | Publication Date: January 11, 1996

Gold is Isaac Asimov's first original collection of science fiction in over a decade. It is also his last science fiction collection, one containing all of his uncollected SF stories that have never before appeared in book form.

Gold is the final and crowning achievementof the fifty-five year career of science fiction's transcendent genius, the world-famous author who defined the field of SF for its practitioners, for its millions of readers, and for the world at large. The stories collected here for the first time range from the humorous to the profound, for Asimov was engaged until the end of his days in the work of redefining and expanding the boundaries of the literature he loved, and indeed, helped create. And there is more. For at the heart of this extraordinary compendium is the title story, "Gold," a moving and revealing drama about a writer who gambles everything on a chance at immortality-a gamble Asimov himself made. And won.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

14 new short stories, previously uncollected essays on science fiction and the craft of writing, and the Hugo Award-winning title novella about a writer who gambles everything on a chance at immortality. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

Asimov, who died in 1992 and whose influence can hardly be exaggerated, is ill-served by this work, two-thirds of which consists of book introductions and editorials he wrote for Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine. The fiction included here, though a decidedly mixed bag (several pieces are short-shorts whose long-term value is dubious), includes two of Asimov's most important late stories, "Cal" and the title story. "Cal" is one of several tales here in which a robot's use of a word processor has unexpected consequences, but it stands above the others (such as "Fault-Intolerant") because Cal is as vibrant as the humans in the story. The Hugo-winning "Gold," meanwhile, in which a "compu-drama" director agrees to adapt an SF novel to the new medium, is by itself worth the price of this book. The two nonfiction sections, by contrast, are sloppily compiled ("Suspense" is the first part of a two-part editorial not continued here, for instance). Additionally, several of the editorials, by referring to stories published in the magazine but not here, have lost much of their effectiveness. A volume of Asimov's uncollected fantasy stories is promised by HarperPrism for 1996; one wishes that this book had included those stories instead of the nonfiction here. Even so, however, this collection presents enough valuable insight into Asimov's work to mitigate disappointment.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Harper Voyager (January 11, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061054097
• ISBN-13: 978-0061054099
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,977,645 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BRAVO!!!, July 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Gold: The Final Science Fiction Collection (The Final Sci Fi Coll.) (Mass Market Paperback)

Masterpiece of a collection. I escpecially liked that story, "Alexander the God," which was cataclysmically cool, not to mention just about every single other story which probably should have gotten Hugos. This book should win a Hugo. When I finished this book, I wanted to stand up and cheer. Isaac Asimov was and still is the greatest science fiction writer EVER.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Thanks, Isaac, September 30, 2001

By 

Michael J. Mazza - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Gold: The Final Science Fiction Collection (The Final Sci Fi Coll.) (Mass Market Paperback)

"Gold" is, according to the book's cover, the final science fiction collection from Isaac Asimov. One of the genre's most revered figures, Asimov died in 1992. "Gold" contains both short stories and a bunch of short essays. While the material in "Gold" does not quite reach the level of Asimov's best work, the book is still worth reading.

Part One of "Gold" sandwiches 13 short stories in between two longer tales of about 40 pages each. I found most of the shorter tales to be fairly forgettable, but the longer ones are fine pieces. The first of the two longer tales, "Cal," is a cleverly written tale of a robot who wants to be a writer. This is a moving tale which effectively returns to one of Asimov's great themes (the place of robots in human-dominated society). The second of the longer tales, "Gold," is a compelling story of a science fiction writer who hires a director to make a "compu-drama" out of one of his books. This thoughtful story is an interesting commentary on two things: (1) the relationship of science fiction to canonical "high" literature, and (2) the relationship of science fiction books to science fiction in other media.

The short essays are a mixed bag, but the best of them are delightful. They are full of amusing and enlightening anecdotes, often about other classic SF writers of Asimov's generation. Some of Asimov's essay topics include women and SF, religion and SF, the SF short-short story, plagiarism, and the background to the names of some of his fictional characters. Asimov's essay on book reviewing is particularly interesting; I think that everyone who participates in the Amazon review program should read this essay (entitled "Book Reviews," it's on pages 369-374 of the paperback edition).

Finally, a personal note. Isaac Asimov was one of my childhood icons, and many of his classic stories had a profound influence on me. I will also never forget the opportunity I had to hear him speak in person at a New York City convention: he was as delightful and charming in person as he is in print. If you are a fan of Asimov or of that great generation of SF writers in general, don't miss "Gold."

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Science Fiction Roots, November 26, 1997

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This review is from: Gold: The Final Science Fiction Collection (Hardcover)

In this collection of science fiction short stories and stories about science fiction short stories, Isaac Asimov once again writes with that distinctive style of his. Mr. Asimov has always had a clarity of thought and expression that few have been able to match. Wether it be the 500 word essay or 200,000 word novel, Mr. Asimov is able to grab your interest in the opening sentences of each story. This book is a combination of science fiction shorts and essays, some memorable, others. . ."interesting". Although Gold is billed as Isaac Asimov's "final" science fiction collection, I wouldn't be surprised if more undiscovered and unpublished works of Isaac Asimov were to come out in the years ahead. Though not his best material, you'll like this book if you like Asimov.