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Sparx, v. 1, issue 6, February 1948
Page 13
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BOOK REVIEWS EDISON'S CONQUEST OF MARS Serviss, Garrett Putman (1851-1929) Edison's Conquest of Mars by Garrett P. Serviss, Carcosa House, Los Angeles, 1947. Copy number 701 of the limited first edition of...fifteen hundred copies. 238mm. Illustrated by Bernard Manley, Jr., with copies of the original newspaper drawings. To an experienced science-fiction fan "Edison's Conquest of Mars" is not a particularly impressive story. But when you realize that it was written in 1898 it assumes its proper perspective. For its time, it had no equal. Wells' story on which it was based, "The War of the Worlds," was not an interplanetary. It was strictly a study of the earth, with the Martians as the menace. "Edison's Conquest" is the first modern space opera. I will not try to analyze the story in any way. I will just say that I enjoyed the story very much. It is a bit archaic, by present standards. But so does that standard classic, "Skylark of Space." If you feel that the latter is hopelessly out of date, the former will be a waste of your money, unless you are a completist. I do not begrudge the money I spent on the volume. THE BOOK OF PITATH van Vogt, A.E. (1912-) The Book of Ptath by A.E. Van Vogt, Fantasy Press, Reading, Pa., 1947. Limited first edition of 3000 copies. Illustrated by A.J. Donnell. "The Book of Ptath needs no introduction to Unknown readers. For the rest of the mob, sufice it to say that it is similar to many of Merritt's works. ((Oops, two f's in suffice, aren't there.)) To go just a bit further, it concerns an earthman, who is awakened into another world, as an embryonic god (adult, not foetus), and his mental growth to full godhood. There are two beautiful, and at times predatory women involved. More fun! Van Vogt is mediocre in this work. It is not his best, and most assuredly not his worst. The illustrations are not Donnell's best. In short the book falls a bit short of Fantasy Press' usual excellence. If you have not read the story, I would recommend that you buy the book. It is not bad fantasy. I merely warn you that it is not the best of the current crop. 13
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BOOK REVIEWS EDISON'S CONQUEST OF MARS Serviss, Garrett Putman (1851-1929) Edison's Conquest of Mars by Garrett P. Serviss, Carcosa House, Los Angeles, 1947. Copy number 701 of the limited first edition of...fifteen hundred copies. 238mm. Illustrated by Bernard Manley, Jr., with copies of the original newspaper drawings. To an experienced science-fiction fan "Edison's Conquest of Mars" is not a particularly impressive story. But when you realize that it was written in 1898 it assumes its proper perspective. For its time, it had no equal. Wells' story on which it was based, "The War of the Worlds," was not an interplanetary. It was strictly a study of the earth, with the Martians as the menace. "Edison's Conquest" is the first modern space opera. I will not try to analyze the story in any way. I will just say that I enjoyed the story very much. It is a bit archaic, by present standards. But so does that standard classic, "Skylark of Space." If you feel that the latter is hopelessly out of date, the former will be a waste of your money, unless you are a completist. I do not begrudge the money I spent on the volume. THE BOOK OF PITATH van Vogt, A.E. (1912-) The Book of Ptath by A.E. Van Vogt, Fantasy Press, Reading, Pa., 1947. Limited first edition of 3000 copies. Illustrated by A.J. Donnell. "The Book of Ptath needs no introduction to Unknown readers. For the rest of the mob, sufice it to say that it is similar to many of Merritt's works. ((Oops, two f's in suffice, aren't there.)) To go just a bit further, it concerns an earthman, who is awakened into another world, as an embryonic god (adult, not foetus), and his mental growth to full godhood. There are two beautiful, and at times predatory women involved. More fun! Van Vogt is mediocre in this work. It is not his best, and most assuredly not his worst. The illustrations are not Donnell's best. In short the book falls a bit short of Fantasy Press' usual excellence. If you have not read the story, I would recommend that you buy the book. It is not bad fantasy. I merely warn you that it is not the best of the current crop. 13
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