In Search of Wonder
Encyclopedia
In Search of Wonder: Essays on Modern Science Fiction is a collection of critical essays by Damon Knight
. Most of the material in the book was originally published between 1952 and 1955 in various science fiction
magazines including Infinity Science Fiction, Original SF Stories, and Future SF. The essays were highly influential, and contributed to Knight's stature as the foremost critic of science fiction of his generation. The book also constitutes an informal record of the "Boom Years" of science fiction from 1950-1955.
In the opening chapter, Knight states his "credos", two of which are:
Perhaps the most famous essay in the book is "Cosmic Jerrybuilder: A. E. van Vogt", a review of the 1945 magazine serialization of A.E. Van Vogt's The World of Null-A
, in which Knight "exposed the profound irrationality lying at the heart of much traditional science fiction".
In 1956 Knight was awarded a Hugo
as "Best Book Reviewer" based largely on the essays reprinted in this book.
On criticism:
On science fiction writers:
On science fiction novels:
On British writers:
The second edition (Advent, 1967) included the additional chapters:
"Symbolism" is chapter-long essay on the symbolism in James Blish
's short story Common Time
, first published in a 1967 issue of Science Fiction Forum.
declared that "Damon Knight sets an as yet unequalled standard" for sf criticism and praised Knight both for "his exact appreciations of the well done" as well as "how influential [he] was when summing up the subtle but suddenly obvious flaws in work that had seemed pretty good."
Damon Knight
Damon Francis Knight was an American science fiction author, editor, critic and fan. His forte was short stories and he is widely acknowledged as having been a master of the genre.-Biography:...
. Most of the material in the book was originally published between 1952 and 1955 in various science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
magazines including Infinity Science Fiction, Original SF Stories, and Future SF. The essays were highly influential, and contributed to Knight's stature as the foremost critic of science fiction of his generation. The book also constitutes an informal record of the "Boom Years" of science fiction from 1950-1955.
In the opening chapter, Knight states his "credos", two of which are:
- That science fiction is a field of literature worth taking seriously, and that ordinary critical standards can be meaningfully applied to it: e.g., originality, sincerity, style, construction, logic, coherence, sanity, garden-variety grammar.
- That a bad book hurts science fiction more than ten bad notices.
Perhaps the most famous essay in the book is "Cosmic Jerrybuilder: A. E. van Vogt", a review of the 1945 magazine serialization of A.E. Van Vogt's The World of Null-A
The World of Null-A
The World of Null-A, sometimes written The World of Ā, is a 1948 science fiction novel by A. E. van Vogt. It was originally published as a three-part serial in Astounding Stories...
, in which Knight "exposed the profound irrationality lying at the heart of much traditional science fiction".
In 1956 Knight was awarded a Hugo
Hugo Award
The Hugo Awards are given annually for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was officially named the Science Fiction Achievement Awards...
as "Best Book Reviewer" based largely on the essays reprinted in this book.
Quotes
On defining science fiction:- "Science fiction ... means what we point to when we say it." (1st ed., p. 1)
On criticism:
- "Why should anybody rip a bad work of art to shreds? Why, to find out how it is made." (1st ed., p. 14)
On science fiction writers:
- A. E. van VogtA. E. van VogtAlfred Elton van Vogt was a Canadian-born science fiction author regarded by some as one of the most popular and complex science fiction writers of the mid-twentieth century: the "Golden Age" of the genre....
"is no giant; he is a pygmy who has learned to operate an overgrown typewriter." (1st ed., p. 50)
- "[Ray] BradburyRay BradburyRay Douglas Bradbury is an American fantasy, horror, science fiction, and mystery writer. Best known for his dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451 and for the science fiction stories gathered together as The Martian Chronicles and The Illustrated Man , Bradbury is one of the most celebrated among 20th...
's subject is childhood and the buried child-in-man; his aim is to narrow the focus, not to widen it; to shrink all the big frightening things to the compass of the familiar: a spaceship to a tin can; a Fourth of July rocket to a brass kettle; a lion to a Teddy bear." (1st ed., p. 77)
On science fiction novels:
- I Am Legend by Richard MathesonRichard MathesonRichard Burton Matheson is an American author and screenwriter, primarily in the fantasy, horror, and science fiction genres. He is perhaps best known as the author of What Dreams May Come, Bid Time Return, A Stir of Echoes, The Incredible Shrinking Man, and I Am Legend, all of which have been...
"is full of good ideas, every other one of which is immediately dropped and kicked out of sight." (1st ed., p. 51)
- "The Blind SpotThe Blind SpotThe Blind Spot is a science fiction novel by authors Austin Hall and Homer Eon Flint. The novel was originally serialized in six parts in the magazine Argosy beginning in May, 1921. It was first published in book form in 1951 by Prime Press in an edition of 1,500 copies, though fewer than 800 were...
, by Austin HallAustin Hall (writer)Austin Hall was an American short story writer and novelist. He began writing when, while working as a cowboy, he was asked to write a story. He wrote westerns, science fiction and fantasy for pulp magazines.-Works by Austin Hall:...
and Homer Eon FlintHomer Eon FlintHomer Eon Flint was a writer of pulp science fiction novels and stories.He began working as a scenarist for silent films in 1912. In 1918 he published "The Planeteer" in All-Story Weekly. His "Dr...
, is an acknowledged classic of fantasy, first published in 1921; much praised since then, several times reprinted, venerated by connoisseurs - all despite the fact that the book has no recognizable vestige of merit." (1st ed., p. 14)
On British writers:
- "The only thing worse than a bad American novel is a bad British one." (1st ed., p. 71)
Contents
Following is a list of chapters in the first edition (1956).- Introduction by Anthony BoucherAnthony BoucherAnthony Boucher was an American science fiction editor and author of mystery novels and short stories. He was particularly influential as an editor. Between 1942 and 1947 he acted as reviewer of mostly mystery fiction for the San Francisco Chronicle...
- Author's Note
- Critics
- The Classics
- Chuckleheads
- CampbellJohn W. CampbellJohn Wood Campbell, Jr. was an influential figure in American science fiction. As editor of Astounding Science Fiction , from late 1937 until his death, he is generally credited with shaping the so-called Golden Age of Science Fiction.Isaac Asimov called Campbell "the most powerful force in...
and His Decade - Cosmic Jerrybuilder: A. E. van VogtA. E. van VogtAlfred Elton van Vogt was a Canadian-born science fiction author regarded by some as one of the most popular and complex science fiction writers of the mid-twentieth century: the "Golden Age" of the genre....
- Half-Bad Writers
- One Sane Man: Robert A. HeinleinRobert A. HeinleinRobert Anson Heinlein was an American science fiction writer. Often called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was one of the most influential and controversial authors of the genre. He set a standard for science and engineering plausibility and helped to raise the genre's standards of...
- AsimovIsaac AsimovIsaac Asimov was an American author and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books. Asimov was one of the most prolific writers of all time, having written or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000...
and Empire - More Chuckleheads
- When I Was in Kneepants: Ray BradburyRay BradburyRay Douglas Bradbury is an American fantasy, horror, science fiction, and mystery writer. Best known for his dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451 and for the science fiction stories gathered together as The Martian Chronicles and The Illustrated Man , Bradbury is one of the most celebrated among 20th...
- The Vorpal Pen: Theodore SturgeonTheodore SturgeonTheodore Sturgeon was an American science fiction author.His most famous novel is More Than Human .-Biography:...
- Anthologies
- Genius to Order: KuttnerHenry KuttnerHenry Kuttner was an American author of science fiction, fantasy and horror.-Early life:Henry Kuttner was born in Los Angeles, California in 1915...
and MooreC. L. MooreCatherine Lucille Moore was an American science fiction and fantasy writer, as C. L. Moore. She was one of the first women to write in the genre, and paved the way for many other female writers in speculative fiction.... - Kornbluth and the Silver Lexicon
- The Jagged Blade: James BlishJames BlishJames Benjamin Blish was an American author of fantasy and science fiction. Blish also wrote literary criticism of science fiction using the pen-name William Atheling, Jr.-Biography:...
- Overalls on Parnassus: Fletcher PrattFletcher PrattMurray Fletcher Pratt was an American writer of science fiction, fantasy and history, particularly noted for his works on naval history and on the American Civil War.- Life and work :...
- Microcosmic MoskowitzSam MoskowitzSam Moskowitz was an early fan and organizer of interest in science fiction and, later, a writer, critic, and historian of the field.-Biography:...
- New Stars
- Curiosa
- The Giants
- Pitfalls and Dead Ends
- What next?
- Bibliography
- Index
The second edition (Advent, 1967) included the additional chapters:
- Half Loaves
- Amphibians
- B-R-R-R!
- Decadents
- Britons
- Symbolism
"Symbolism" is chapter-long essay on the symbolism in James Blish
James Blish
James Benjamin Blish was an American author of fantasy and science fiction. Blish also wrote literary criticism of science fiction using the pen-name William Atheling, Jr.-Biography:...
's short story Common Time
Common Time
"Common Time" is a science fiction short story written by James Blish. It first appeared in the August 1953 issue of Science Fiction Quarterly and has been reprinted several times: in the 1959 short-story collection Galactic Cluster; in The Testament of Andros ; in The Penguin Science Fiction...
, first published in a 1967 issue of Science Fiction Forum.
Reception
Reviewing the second edition, Algis BudrysAlgis Budrys
Algis Budrys was a Lithuanian-American science fiction author, editor, and critic. He was also known under the pen names "Frank Mason", "Alger Rome", "John A. Sentry", "William Scarff", and "Paul Janvier."-Biography:...
declared that "Damon Knight sets an as yet unequalled standard" for sf criticism and praised Knight both for "his exact appreciations of the well done" as well as "how influential [he] was when summing up the subtle but suddenly obvious flaws in work that had seemed pretty good."