Visions of Wonder: The Science Fiction Research Association Anthology [Hardcover]

David G. Hartwell (Editor), Milton T. Wolf (Editor), Science Fiction Research Association (Corporate Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1996

At last, here is a definitive classroom reading anthology of modern science fiction--endorsed by the Science Fiction Research Association. The book includes SF in all its modern diversity, from Golden Age writers, to latter-day titans and current popular writers.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The Science Fiction Research Association sponsored two previous anthologies of contemporary sf in the 1970s and 1980s. This book, designed for classroom use, covers the range of current sf and fantasy topics, concerns, and approaches published in the last ten years. The editors offer 32 short stories and nine essays by established and new authors, including Anne McCaffrey, Greg Bear, Kate Wilhelm, Terry Bisson, Ursula K. Le Guin, Robert Jordan, Joanna Russ, William Gibson, and Andre Norton. A broad-ranging anthology; highly recommended for sf collections.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 798 pages
• Publisher: Tor Books; 1st edition (November 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312862245
• ISBN-13: 978-0312862244
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 6.5 x 2.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,746,532 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good, but peculiar., June 28, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Visions of Wonder: The Science Fiction Research Association Anthology (Hardcover)

Actually it is quite intent on the reader saying it's peculiar. Ostensibly for sf classes it nevertheless says its for non-academics like myself. Actually the choices weren't as peculiar as I'd expected. It is slanted towards recent stories though. Science fiction is starting to throw the old authors off too much for my taste. For instance the first story I read in this was Bears Discover Fire by Bisson. Although good ,maybe even great, the sf sites on the web made it sound like the best short science fiction story ever. I feel bad that I expected that because it is enjoyable even if it isn't the best. Still there were good stories (including Bears...)in here & good essays. I have no interest in reading any Delaney, but his essay was interesting. Especially when he talked about the proper way to visualize spaceports in the original Foundation trilogy. I always thought I was visualizing them wrong. Knight's essay appealed to my love of history, & of what I know educated men of the past snickered as much at tales of distant lands in much the same way some snicker at sf. Meanwhile Merril's had a trippy Beatles' feel that was uninformative, but amusing. Worth reading, but maybe not worth buying considering the price. One last thing I'm sad to see how few comments anthologies receive. I hope that's not because noone's reading them. Outside magazines like F&Sf, Sf Age, Analog, & Asimov anthologies are the thing for sf short stories. I hope that "message" didn't ruin my review since this was largely a book about short fiction & anthologies.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Feeble effort, October 21, 2007

By 

John D. Burlinson "whoa_boy" (Austin, TX United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Visions of Wonder: The Science Fiction Research Association Anthology (Hardcover)

The best in this anthology (e.g. "Island of Dr. Death", "Mr. Boy", "Sur" and "Souls") can easily be found elsewhere. Most of the remainder should never have been born, let alone exhumed. The critical essays, with one exception, (Joanna Russ') define the abc's of meretriciousness -- absurd, boring, challenged ... It's a shame, really, since Hartwell has edited one of the best anthologies of this type -- "The Dark Descent". If you haven't tried that one, best check it out and leave this one behind.