Magic: The Final Fantasy Collection [Mass Market Paperback]

Isaac Asimov (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 16, 1997

Isaac Asimov and science fiction are one and the same to millions of readers.He was the field's transcendent genius, its reigning prophet, its genial patriarch, and its most prolific author. But Asimov also wrote fantasy, and invariably of an enduring quality. Magic is his final original collection, containing all of his uncollected fantasy stories that have never before appeared in book form.

In addition, this farewell collection of Asimov's writings also includes his thoughts on the genre of fantasy itself. Here are the fascinating musings of a wide ranging intelligence, discussing everything from Tolkien to Spielberg, from Unicorns to King Arthur, from the difference between maidens and damsels to the speed of Seven League Boots - scientifically calculated at last!

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Fantasy wasn't Asimov's forte, but that's not to say that this lightweight, posthumous gathering of previously uncollected stories and essays won't amuse casual readers and please the completist. The fiction here, mostly satirical, resembles Asimov's SF, depending on a clever idea that is clearly presented in a well-built story. Most of the stories concern George and his demon (or perhaps extradimensional alien) servant Azazel, whose plans to help George's friends always go awry. The book also contains two modern fairy tales, as well as a Black Widowers piece that barely qualifies as fantasy. Overall, the nonfiction holds up better, dealing with topics from unicorns to symbolism; many of the essays comment on, or provide context for, the stories. There's some criticism, too, and despite his dislike of critics, Asimov himself proves a capable one as he analyzes the work of, among others, Robert E. Howard, L. Sprague de Camp, J.R.R. Tolkien and, of greatest interest, himself.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

"Final" volumes of the prolific Asimov's various works probably will be forthcoming for some time yet but should always be considered seriously because of the number of his admirers who want to read all of his work. This final collection is, like Caesar's Gaul, divided in three parts. One consists of short fiction, mostly the George and Azazel stories, which are always good fun and sometimes wry takeoffs on familiar fairy tales. In the second are essays on the raw materials of fantasy (magic, legend, folklore, etc.) and a moving tribute to the late Judy-Lynn Del Rey, cofounder of Del Rey Books. The third is made up of essays, too, this time on the techniques of fantasy writing as Asimov sees them; as always, his views may raise some hackles among fantasy writers and fans but will seldom bore them. Roland Green --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Harper Voyager (March 16, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061054127
• ISBN-13: 978-0061054129
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,152,893 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Technically Magic, March 23, 2003

By 

Andrew McCaffrey "The Grumpy Young Man" (Satellite of Love, Maryland) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Magic: The Final Fantasy Collection (Mass Market Paperback)

Like GOLD, the previous "final collection" of Asimov's work from HarperCollins, MAGIC is divided into three separate sections: The Final Fantasy Stories, On Fantasy, and Beyond Fantasy. As a compilation, I found this to be a decent, if not exactly exciting, read. Asimov usually isn't a spectacular writer, but he can be an interesting and engaging one. Even if I didn't fall in love with any of the short pieces presented here, I can't say that I hated any of them either.

The first section contains the fictional content, and is made up of eleven short stories relating to the fantasy genre. Unfortunately, a full eight of these are Asimov's George-and-Azazel tales, which are enjoyable enough, but they dominate the book and are rather formulaic. An entry from Asimov's Black Widowers mystery series (which certainly would certainly seem to fit more under the mystery genre rather than the fantasy) and a couple of delightful fairy tale stories complete this segment. The worst charge that could be leveled at any individual story is that it's a bit dull, and the best ones are fun entertainment. They're amusing diversions, but nothing much more.

The second section contains non-fiction, Asimov's thoughts on various aspects of the fantasy genre. There aren't any earth-shattering revelations, but Asimov had a very enjoyable prose style that quickly and carefully brings his point of view across. Here he writes about Tolkien, applies scientific knowledge to traditional fairy tales (there's a humorous section where he calculates the speed of Seven League Boots, which strongly reminded me of the "how fast does Santa travel on Christmas Eve?" email that now seems to be a holiday staple), and discusses the origins of the genre and many of its staples.

The third section is entitled "Beyond Fantasy", as presumably the title "Things That Have Nothing To Do With Fantasy But We Wanted To Include Anyway" wouldn't fit on the page. That alternate title fairly accurately describes the contents of this section, as it tackles subjects as far ranging as "Ignorance In America" to evolution to translating ancient texts from their various ancient tongues. They aren't exactly the sorts of essays that one might expect to find in a fantasy anthology, but they make for fascinating reading all the same. Asimov's philosophies and beliefs always come across as commonsensical notions that have been explained to you by an expert. There are only seven short entries in this final group, and I wish there had been more, as I found this to be the most interesting section. Of course, as mentioned, the majority of these were so unrelated to the main topic that one should probably just be grateful that they were included in the first place.

No Asimov-completist's library will be whole without this volume, and even people with little interest in fantasy will probably find a few things to enjoy here. I read this book while making a transatlantic journey, and it was a great way to fill those deadening hours of airplane travel. MAGIC isn't a book that demands much from the reader, but it makes for very enjoyable light reading that is still head and shoulders above the average work of most other writers.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Magic The Final Fantasy Collection Isaac Asimov, February 19, 2000

By 

"shaeun" (San bernardino,, Ca USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Magic: The Final Fantasy Collection (Mass Market Paperback)

Isaac Asimov was always a pioneer in writing. Here is his foray into the then-new area of Fantasy. Azazel, the 2 inch extra-dimesional being, and the well-meaning George star in most of the stories. Like the proverbial genie, George helps his family and friends realize their dreams and wishes which they come to find aren't what they really wanted. Also contains a few of Isaac's witty essays on fantastic creatures and figures. A must read for fantasy readers.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent ramblings by the master of science fiction., December 24, 1996

By A Customer

This review is from: Magic: The Final Fantasy Collection (Hardcover)

"Magic" by Isaac Asimov is truly that. At the start of the book, the short stories are captivating. The second part consists of a collection of stories about a little two-inch demon that all Asimov readers are familiar with. Finally, it wraps up with several insightful musings by the author himself. In one tome, the reader is bathed in Isaac Asimov's best science fiction, fantasy, and thoughts. It is well worth the price just to have in a complete Asimov collection, but it's thoughtful, well planned shifts from one subject to the other seems as if the compiler was led by an expert conductor