Voices of Vision: Creators of Science Fiction and Fantasy Speak (Bison Frontiers of Imagination) (Paperback)

by Jayme Lynn Blaschke (Author) "Gardner Dozois began editing Asimov's Science Fiction in May of 1985 and since then has established himself as one of the foremost editors in the..." (more)
Key Phrases: Green Arrow, Science Fiction Age, Star Trek (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist
Anthologies of mainstream author interviews are common enough, but similar resources covering sf creators rarely see print, except online. Blaschke, fiction editor for RevolutionSF.com, fills something of a vacuum, then, with this outstanding collection of conversations he has had with leading sf editors and authors since 1997. He sorts the interviewees into four whimsically titled categories. "A Source of Innocent Merriment," for instance, focuses on such highly distinctive voices in speculative fiction as urban fantasist Charles de Lint, and "I Am Legend" targets genuine luminaries of the field, such as Samuel R. Delaney and Gene Wolfe. Standout interviews include those with 800-pound gorilla Harlan Ellison, displaying his usual cynicism about sf films and their fans, and perdurable grandmaster Jack Williamson, who explains how he has kept the creative fires burning since his first publication in 1928. Another section takes note of comic book creators, with Sandman author Neil Gaiman leading the pack. Must reading for devotees curious to see what makes their favorite authors tick. Carl Hays
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

“An expert savvy interviewer is a rare beast. Jayme Lynn Blaschke is just such a paragon. . . . Blaschke displays reverence, passion, and curiosity. He manages to elicit quotable moments from everyone, and dredges up insightful apercus.”—Asimov’s Science Fiction

(Asimov's Science Fiction )

“Quite likely to float the boats of SF readers of every stripe. . . . Voices of Vision involves vibrant, creative types talking about things they love (and hate), which is a pretty good way to spend an afternoon.”—Revolution SF

(Revolution SF )

"Let us hope that the University of Nebraska produces other books in the vein of Voices of Vision."—Aaron Parrett, Science Fiction Studies

(Aaron Parrett Science Fiction Studies )

“What is most engaging about this book is that it is a glimpse at the belly of the beast, so to speak—science fiction and fantasy as a business, a discipline, a means of livelihood, and a community. . . . Blaschke is an engaging interviewer. . . . Everyone will have favorites in this collection, just as everyone has favorite writers and private heroes. . . . For anyone interested in the twin genres of science fiction and fantasy, this is a treat.”—Robert M. Tilendis, Green Man Review

(Robert M. Tilendis Green Man Review )

"Voices of Vision provides a useful look at the current and recent state of science fiction and comics from a wide range of viewpoints. Blaschke provides a more personal introduction to his subjects than is possible by reading their novels, comics or the magazines they edited. The result is a look at a vibrant genre which has broadened in both scope and appeal from the days when Jack Williamson helped found the genre."—Steven H. Silver, SF Site

(Steven H. Silver SF Site )

“The quality of interviews is uniformly excellent. Blaschke asks intelligent questions and receives interesting answers, which are edited nicely for maximum impact while keeping the distinct personality of the speaker.”—Rick Klaw, LocusMag.com

(Rick Klaw LocusMag.com )

“Blaschke demonstrates that he is an insightful interviewer who is interested in asking more than just basic, run of the mill questions. . . . Blaschke’s interviews and their subjects are interesting, and while brief in length, cover a tremendous amount of ground. Voices of Vision is essential for understanding the current state of science fiction from the point of view of those who write it and publish it.”—Interzone

(Interzone )

“There aren’t many interview books around these days . . . nonetheless, such books should be encouraged because they give insight into the thinking of a variety of creators. . . . There has to be someone or more in [Voices of Vision] that has to take your fancy. So, go read.”—SF Crowsnest

(SF Crowsnest )

“The interviewer does a very fine job of enticing interesting responses from [his] subjects.”—Science Fiction Chronicle

(Science Fiction Chronicle )

"Blaschke . . . fills something of a vacuum, then, with this outstanding collection of conversations he has had with leading sf editors and authors since 1997. . . . Must reading for devotees curious to see what makes their favorite authors tick."—Booklist

(Booklist )

"Jayme knows his stuff—like any good interviewer, he''s always trying to dig below the surface—and that''s where the best answers always hide."—Brad Meltzer, New York Times bestselling author of The Millionaires and The Zero Game

(Brad Meltzer )

"Interviewing with Jayme Blaschke was an enjoyable experience. The questions were clear, well thought out, and not the run-of-the-mill interview questions. In short, it was an interview that allowed this writer to share thoughts rather than standardized facts with the reader."—Robin Hobb, author of Fools Fate and Ship of Magic

(Robin Hobb )

“Blaschke, fiction editor at RevolutionSF and Central Texas dweller, interviews the likes of Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Charles de Lint, Neil Gaiman, and Gene Wolfe in this valuable and well rounded volume.”—Austin Chronicle

(Austin Chronicle )

“It supplements brief biographical entries in reference texts and, at times, may provide ‘reality checks’ for aspiring writers, artists, and perhaps editors.”—Amelia A. Rutledge, Science Fiction Research Association

(Science Fiction Research Association )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 198 pages
• Publisher: Bison Books (April 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803262396
• ISBN-13: 978-0803262393
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,468,970 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Table of contents listing, March 25, 2005

By	Lisa Blaschke (San Antonio, TX USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The official table of contents for Voices of Vision:

Part 1: The Editors
Chapter 1. Gardner Dozois
Chapter 2. Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Chapter 3. Stanley Schmidt
Chapter 4. Gordon Van Gelder
Chapter 5. Scott Edelman

Part II: Unique Voices in Fantasy & Science Fiction
Chapter 6. Robin Hobb (aka Megan Lindholm)
Chapter 7. Patricia Anthony
Chapter 8. Charles de Lint
Chapter 9. Elizabeth Moon

Part III: The Comic Book Creators
Chapter 10. Elliot S! Maggin
Chapter 11. Frank Cho & Scott Kurtz
Chapter 12. Brad Meltzer
Chapter 13. Neil Gaiman

Part IV: Masters of Speculative Fiction
Chapter 14. Samuel R. Delany
Chapter 15. Gene Wolfe
Chapter 16. Harlan Ellison
Chapter 17. Jack Williamson

The Edelman interview is a new, never-before published piece, and the Harlan Ellison and Elizabeth Moon interviews have extensive material restored that was cut from the original published versions due to space considerations.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for any aspiring writer, May 20, 2005

By	C. H. Elliott "constant crash and burn" (Bastrop, Texas) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is a collection of interviews of editors and writers in the field of Fantasy and Science Fiction - including some of the legends.

As the title for this review states - this book would be very helpful for anyone wanting to break into the field. Several editors give hints as to what they are looking for in a prospective story. It is also helpful in that each editor gives his/her individual opinion and it can be seen that what one editor rejects, another is desperately seeking.

I had a problem reading the Harlan Ellison interview. It seems that every few paragraphs, he triggered a thought in my head that went flying off and delayed my finishing the piece.

Over and over, I kept thinking that this book would be an ideal text for a writing course. It would probably not be accepted as such, though, because it does not cost enough and would probably stay current for more than one semester.

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent insight into the working of sf/f minds, September 14, 2007

By	M. E. Patterson "Novelist/Geek" (Austin, TX USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Blaschke asks the right questions and gets the most fascinating answers. A good range of insights into the thoughts, ideas, and lives of some of the most interesting sci-fi and fantasy authors.