DIY History | Transcribe | Hevelin Fanzines | Unique Tales, v. 1, issue 1, June 1937

Transcribe
Translate

Unique Tales, v. 1, issue 1, June 1937

Page 8

8             UNIQUE TALES

                MEDITATIONS
                         by
      The Phantasy Philosopher

  Being the forerunner of a series of articles devoted to philosophic contemplations on topics pertinent to the field of Phantasy. 

   By the way of explanation, be it known that whereas certain debatable topics of interest to the phantasy enthusiast may appear in these columns, personal opinions on questions which definitely have two sides, while not taboo, will be eliminated insofar as is convenient.

   As a fitting beginning to this corner, we shall consider the answer of Thomas O'Conor Sloane, Editor of Amazing Stories, to a query having to do with the future of science-fiction in general. He believes that "science-fiction will not be dead for a long time. H.G. Wells made a great success of it; we are not in the least apprehensive about it. We wish we received more real science-fiction stories. The supply is hardly equal to the demand in our case at least. We have stories enough on hand to carry us a long way, but we wish there was more science in them."
   That last clause is one with which, I can safely say, many fans are in accord. The lack of science in a branch of literature known as "Scientific Fiction" is a problem worthy of consideration by us all. Which leads us to this little bit of wisdom: "It would be better for all concerned were the higher-ups in the realm of our chosen literature to bear in mind that a comma, not a hyphen,  is the mark of punctuation within the phrase, 'Science-Fiction'."
   I have on file a letter from an active fan who, when comparing modern s-f with that of several years ago, asked me this question: "Why do you think stories like 'Rebirth' and 'SOS in Space' are so

Saving...

8 UNIQUE TALES MEDITATIONS by The Phantasy Philosopher Being the forerunner of a series of articles devoted to philosophic contemplations on topics pertinent to the field of Phantasy. By the way of explanation, be it known that whereas certain debatable topics of interest to the phantasy enthusiast may appear in these columns, personal opinions on questions which definitely have two sides, while not taboo, will be eliminated insofar as is convenient. As a fitting beginning to this corner, we shall consider the answer of Thomas O'Conor Sloane, Editor of Amazing Stories, to a query having to do with the future of science-fiction in general. He believes that "science-fiction will not be dead for a long time. H.G. Wells made a great success of it; we are not in the least apprehensive about it. We wish we received more real science-fiction stories. The supply is hardly equal to the demand in our case at least. We have stories enough on hand to carry us a long way, but we wish there was more science in them." That last clause is one with which, I can safely say, many fans are in accord. The lack of science in a branch of literature known as "Scientific Fiction" is a problem worthy of consideration by us all. Which leads us to this little bit of wisdom: "It would be better for all concerned were the higher-ups in the realm of our chosen literature to bear in mind that a comma, not a hyphen, is the mark of punctuation within the phrase, 'Science-Fiction'." I have on file a letter from an active fan who, when comparing modern s-f with that of several years ago, asked me this question: "Why do you think stories like 'Rebirth' and 'SOS in Space' are so