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A collection of the best science fiction short stories of the 20th century as selected and evaluated by critically-acclaimed author Orson Scott Card.
Featuring stories from the genre’s greatest authors: Isaac Asimov • Arthur C. Clarke • Robert A. Heinlein • Ursula K. Le Guin • Ray Bradbury • Frederik Pohl • Harlan Ellison • George Alec Effinger • Brian W. Aldiss • William Gibson & Michael Swanwick • Theodore Sturgeon • Larry Niven • Robert Silverberg • Harry Turtledove • James Blish • George R. R. Martin • James Patrick Kelly • Karen Joy Fowler • Lloyd Biggle, Jr. • Terry Bisson • Poul Anderson • John Kessel • R.A. Lafferty • C.J. Cherryh • Lisa Goldstein • Edmond Hamilton
In much of the science fiction of the past, the twenty-first century existed only in the writers’ imaginations. Now that it’s here, it’s time to take a look back at the last one hundred years in science fiction through the works of the most celebrated and acclaimed authors of the century—to see where we’ve been and just how far we’ve come.
Along with a critical essay by Orson Scott Card reassessing science fiction in the twentieth century, Masterpieces includes short fiction by writers who have forged a permanent place for science fiction in the popular culture of today…and tomorrow. It offers a glimpse of the greatest works that mixed science with fiction in trying to figure out humanity’s place in the universe. Featuring bold, brave, and breathtaking stories, this definitive collection will stand the test of time in both this century and those to come.
Publisher : Ace; Reprint edition (March 2, 2004)
Language : English
Paperback : 432 pages
ISBN-10 : 0441011330
ISBN-13 : 978-0441011339
Item Weight : 13.6 ounces
Dimensions : 5.9 x 0.9 x 9 inches
4.5
Reviewer: RedCrow97
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Quality Sci-Fi stories
Review: I have not read the book yet; This, like the other Sci-Fi books I had ordered as used books at very decent prices; include many wonderful stories by a number of classic Science Fiction authors. Included among these books, some stories written hundreds of years ago. I have a bit more time available these days, and can spend more time reading. With many familiar classic authors and some new ones, this book and the others I ordered around the same time will no doubt be quite enjoyable.
Reviewer: Megan
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: A small collection of mostly good stories
Review: This is a small collection of what Card finds to be some of the most influential sci fi across the ages (Golden, New Wave, Media Generation). The book, if you factor out the essays, is probably about 350 pages long, so a fairly quick read for a decent price.Most of the stories were amazing in some way, although there are a few that are so bad that it scratches my head that I can’t imagine why Card would include them, such as Ellison’s “Repent, Harlequin!” I suppose not all experimental stories are good ones. But then, how do you explain the inclusion of Niven’s “Inconstant Moon”?As with all such anthologies, it comes down to your personal opinion. If you happen to like Card’s work, you’ll probably like a good number of the stories here, since the things a writer reads influences what they write. If you’re going in blind and don’t happen to like experimental fiction much, a lot of the New Wave stories will fall flat. The “quality” of experimental stories (that survive long enough to make it into anthologies) are often dependent on the temperament of the reader.The rest of the stories are amazing, though, and worth it.You’ll just have to read for yourself.
Reviewer: John M. Ford
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Orson Scott Card’s Favorite Science Fiction Stories
Review: These twenty-seven science fiction stories are those Orson Scott Card found memorable, enjoyable and influential. Card stratifies his collection by three eras of twentieth century science fiction: The Golden Age (beginning of the century to the mid-1960s); The New Wave (mid-1960s to mid-1970s); and The Media Generation (mid-1970s and onward). Readers interested in the genre’s history might consult Adam Roberts’Â
Reviewer: Real Name – Real Name
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Great Anthology!
Review: Very impressed! I’m new to science fiction and I have discovered some great writers in this collection. 100 Stars!
Reviewer: Larry Schweinhart
Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars
Title: A couple of gems, the rest ho-hum
Review: The best science fiction of the century ought to be better than this. A few were good, most were not. The book did include my favorite sci-fi short story about bears discovering fire, actually about people discovering bears discovering fire.
Reviewer: Jane Ryder
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Classics old and new
Review: This is a great collection of stories, both classics I’ve read before and some more recent authors I hadn’t encountered. I’d have to say all of the stories are good, but some of them stand out as exceptional, including “Sandkings” by George R.R. Martin, “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” by Ursula K. LeGuin, and the goofy but strangely affecting “Bears Discover Fire” byTerry Bisson.This is a collection by true masters of the genre and covers all types of SF, from soft and hard science to almost-horror, ethical explorations to straight-up space opera, so whatever your preferences you’ll find something to enjoy. I’ve encountered quite a few of these in other collections, like the Science Fiction Hall of Fame, but that’s not a failing on the part of Orson Scott Card — the stories deserve to be included in a collection called “Masterpieces.” I do wish Card would have talked about why he chose each piece, rather than simply introducing each story with the author’s publishing history, but that’s a small quibble for such a great anthology.
Reviewer: Paul G B Howorth
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
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Review: Awesome collection of stories
Reviewer: Steven Lee
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
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Review: I am really after Heinlein’s short stories, but this book opens the doors for other authors as well
Reviewer: A. K.
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
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Review: excellent
Reviewer: Amazon Customer
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
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Review: A wonderous collection of short stories.
Reviewer: Richard Owen
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
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Review: The book itself is well bound and printed, and contains a nice mix of stories, which I’ve listed below:Call Me Joe – Poul Anderson, “All You Zombiesâ” – Robert A. Heinlein, Tunesmith – Lloyd Biggle Jr., A Saucer of Loneliness – Theodore Sturgeon, Robot Dreams – Isaac Asimov, Devolution – Edmond Hamilton, The Nine Billion Names of God – Arthur C. Clarke, A Work of Art – James Blish, Dark They Were, and Golden Eyed – Ray Bradbury, “Repent, Harlequin!” Said the Ticktockman – Harlan Ellison, Eurema’s Dam – R.A. Lafferty, Passengers – Robert Silverberg, The Tunnel Under the World – Fredrik Pohl, Who Can Replace a Man? – Brian W. Aldiss, The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas – Ursula K. Le Guin, Inconstant Moon – Larry Niven, Sandkings – George R.R Martin, The Road Not Taken – Harry Turtledove, Dogfight – William Gibson & Michael Swanwick, Face Value – Karen Joy Fowler, Pots – C.J. Cherryh, Snow – John Crowley, Rat – James Patrick Kelly, Bears Discover Fire – Terry Bisson, A Clean Escape – John Kessel, Tourists – Lisa Goldstein, One – George Alec EffingerDevolution considers one possibility as to where life on Earth may have come from. The characters are well written and the plot is beautifully delivered.In The Nine Billion Names of God, Clarke imagines what might happen if a religious body decided to use computers in order to achieve its endgame.What if humans created robots to do their work for them, then disappeared? What would happen to the robots? Who Can Replace a Man? attempts to answer this question.Dogfight is classic Gibson: there’s a sprawling, seedy metropolis, a highly-motivated main charcter, and plenty of emotional heft.Speaking of emotional helf: Bears Discover Fire and A Clean Escape are both passionate, engaging stories that hook the reader in nicely.I enjoyed some of the stories far more than others, but they all contribute to the collection, and I’m glad I read them. I’m not the biggest fan of Orson Scott Card, but his introduction sectionsâboth to the individual authors and book itselfâare worth reading too.
