This book consists mostly of synopses. Thus, serves well only as a reservoir and a round-up of plots. The Author ingores evolution of the genre and omits theoretical papers, in the result each chapter follows somewhat obscured, temporary and chaotic logic. There is Ketterer at least, but very briefly summarized. No Kermode. No Brummett and others. The profit: vast choice of plots, can’t deny that (one to mention is the lack of non-English writers, there are few, Lem, thanks for that. But no Strugatsky brothers?) I got irritated by few obsessively repated sentences. After 100 pages of reading you begin to take account of sentences like: “Few SF stories have embraced the concept of a divine plan as completely as…”, as really repetitive. Nevertheless, the book contains very good, interesting insights, only you have to look for them carefully.
science fiction 