The World Beyond the Hill: Science Fiction and the Quest for Transcendence

by Alexei Panshin

  218 “Amazing Stories! Harry Bates, “Editorial Number One,” in Alva Rogers, A Requiem for Astounding (Chicago: Advent, 1964), p. x.

  219 “thought variant”: F. Orlin Tremaine, quoted in Alva Rogers, op. cit., p. 18.

  220 In January, Startling Stories was created: Henceforth, for the sake of simplicity, magazine issues will be dated by their cover or off-sale date rather than their actual date of publication, generally one to three months earlier.

  221 “Either you: Hugo Gernsback, “The Prophets of Doom” (unpublished address dated October 25, 1963), p. 2.

  222 “To-day there: Sir James Jeans, The Mysterious Universe (New York: Macmillan, 1930), p. 158.

  223 “Quantum mechanics: Albert Einstein, letter to Max Born dated December 12, 1926, quoted in Ronald W. Clark, Einstein: The Life and Times (New York and Cleveland: World, 1971), p. 340.

  224 “Now my: J.B.S. Haldane, Possible Worlds (New York and London: Harper, 1928), p. 298.

  225 “one morning: J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit (Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1938), p. 13.

  CHAPTER 10: MASTERY OF TIME AND SPACE

  226 “Wells has: Hugo Gernsback, introduction to H.G. Wells, The War of the Worlds, in Amazing Stories, August 1927, p. 423.

  227 “A being: Olaf Stapledon, Last and First Men, in Stapledon, Last and First Men & Star Maker (New York: Dover, 1968), p. 13.

  228 “Our aim: Ibid, p. 9.

  229 “ethereal vibrations: Ibid, p. 236.

  230 “Drenched for: Ibid, p. 243.

  231 “general spiritual: Ibid.

  232 “Recently an: Ibid, pp. 217-218.

  233 “But one: Ibid, p. 246.

  234 The principal author of The Skylark of Space: our account of the life of E.E. Smith is primarily based on the chapter on Smith in Sam Moskowitz, Seekers of Tomorrow (Cleveland and New York: World, 1966).

  235 The Skylark of Space begins: The Skylark of Space has appeared in a number of variant forms. Where possible, reference is made to the most familiar edition, the Pyramid paperback, which is somewhat abridged. Where necessary, however, reference is made to the original magazine serial.

  236 “Petrified with: E.E. Smith, The Skylark of Space (New York: Pyramid, 1958), p. 5.

  237 “the wide: Ibid, p. 7.

  238 “the firm: Ibid.

  239 “ ‘That bath: E.E. Smith and Lee Hawkins Garby, The Skylark of Space, in Amazing Stories, August 1928, p. 392.

  240 “ ‘She flies!’: Ibid, p. 414.

  241 “ ‘A fellow: Ibid, p. 392.

  242 “ ‘You are: E.E. Smith, Skylark Three (New York: Pyramid, 1968), p. 197.

  243 “the object: E.E. Smith, The Skylark of Space New York: Pyramid, 1958), p. 37.

  244 “At one: Ibid, p. 85.

  245 “The scene: Ibid, pp. 87-88.

  246 “Suddenly the: Ibid, p. 88.

  247 “nothings”: Ibid, p. 90.

  248 “ ‘Keep on: Ibid, p. 92.

  249 “ ‘A strange: Smith and Garby, The Skylark of Space, Amazing Stories, September 1928, p. 548.

  250 “Well clear: E.E. Smith, Skylark Three, p. 26.

  251 “ ‘I’m scared: Ibid, p. 200.

  252 “ ‘Know you: Ibid, pp. 51-52.

  253 “ ‘Doctor Seaton: Ibid, p. 107.

  254 “a genus: Philip Francis Nowlan, Armageddon 2419 A.D. (New York: Ace, 1972), p. 191.

  255 “a vacuum: Ibid.

  256 “the most: Ibid, p. 189.

  257 “My formative: Edmond Hamilton, quoted in the introduction to Hamilton, “The Pro,” in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, October 1964, p. 21.

  258 “the gigantic: Edmond Hamilton, “Crashing Suns,” in Hamilton, Crashing Suns (New York: Ace, 1965), p. 8.

  259 “ ‘For the: Ibid, p. 11.

  260 “ ‘If we: Ibid, p. 13.

  261 “etheric vibrations”: Ibid, p. 12.

  262 “even more: Ibid, p. 15.

  263 “They were: Ibid, pp. 24-25.

  264 “ ‘It was: Ibid, p. 54.

  CHAPTER 11: THE LAWS OF CHANCE

  265 “The Skylark: John W. Campbell, in Dick Eney, ed., The Proceedings; Discon (Chicago: Advent, 1965), p. 124.

  266 “What use” John W. Campbell, Invaders from the Infinite (New York: Ace, 1961), pp. 152-153.

  267 “Tellus”: E.E. Smith, Galactic Patrol (New York: Pyramid, 1964), p. 42, et passim. Tellus was the Roman goddess of the earth. The adjective “Tellurian” is used as early as page 9 of the novel.

  268 “lenticular jewel”: Ibid, p. 11.

  269 “ ‘The Lens: Ibid, p. 15.

  270 “the Savage”: Aldous Huxley, Brave New World (New York: Bantam, 1968), p. 104, et passim.

  271 “The supernormals: Olaf Stapledon, Odd John (New York: Berkley, 1965), p. 190.

  272 “The word: Ibid, p. 7.

  273 “Despite the: E.E. Smith, Gray Lensman (New York: Pyramid, 1965), p. 45.

  274 “I sometimes: Clifford D. Simak, quoted in Sam Moskowitz, Seekers of Tomorrow (Cleveland and New York: World, 1966), pp. 268-269.

  275 “He-Who-Came-Out-of-the-Cosmos”: Clifford D. Simak, “The World of the Red Sun,” in Isaac Asimov, ed., Before the Golden Age (Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1974), p. 206.

  276 “150,000,000 galaxies: Donald Wandrei, “Colossus,” in Isaac Asimov, ed., op. cit., p. 461.

  277 “He had: Ibid, p. 482.

  278 “ ‘I do: Ibid, pp. 487-488.

  279 “Her lips: Ibid, p. 497.

  280 “Hawk Carse: Anthony Gilmore, “Hawk Carse,” in Astounding Stories, November 1931, p. 166.

  281 “Sometimes I: H.P. Lovecraft, “The Whisperer in Darkness,” in Lovecraft, The Colour Out of Space and others (New York: Lancer, 1964), p. 150.

  282 “an older: C.L. Moore, “Shambleau,” in Moore, The Best of C.L. Moore (New York: Ballantine, 1975), p. 29.

  283 “He knew: E.E. Smith, Galactic Patrol (New York: Pyramid, 1966), p. 223.

  284 “Life there: Jack Williamson, The Early Williamson (Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1975), p. x.

  285 “Here is: Jack Williamson, “Scientifiction, Searchlight of Science,” in The Early Williamson, p. xvi.

  286 “the Mother”: Jack Williamson, “The Moon Era,” in Asimov, ed., op. cit., p. 312, et passim.

  287 “ ‘The new: Jack Williamson, “Born of the Sun,” in Asimov, ed., op. cit., p. 535.

  288 “more like: Jack Williamson, The Legion of Space (New York: Pyramid, 1969), p. 68.

  289 “What a: Ibid, p. 173.

  290 “Two little: Ibid, p. 185.

  291 Wells published a highly revealing preface: This same preface saw publication one year earlier in the British edition of this novel collection, published under the title The Scientific Romances of H.G. Wells (London: Gollancz, 1933). The British edition also included Men Like Gods, omitted from Seven Famous Novels.

  292 “Anyone can: H.G. Wells, “Preface,” in Wells, Seven Famous Novels (New York: Knopf, 1934), p. viii.

  293 “Dick Jarvis: Stanley G. Weinbaum, “A Martian Odyssey,” in Weinbaum, The Best of Stanley G. Weinbaum (New York: Ballantine, 1974), p. 1.

  294 “ ‘Weighed about: Ibid, pp. 3-4.

  295 “ ‘Our minds: Ibid, p. 9.

  296 “ ‘That queer: Ibid, p. 15.

  297 “ ‘We are: Ibid, p. 24.

  298 “ ‘might be: Ibid, p. 26.

  299 “conflicting possible: Jack Williamson, The Legion of Time (New York: Pyramid, 1967), p. 23.

  300 “ ‘The world: Ibid, p. 19.

  301 “ ‘Probability, in: Ibid, p. 24.

  302 “It must: C.L. Moore, “Jirel Meets Magic,” in Moore, Jirel of Joiry (New York: Paperback Library, 1969), p. 28.

  303 “ ‘We talk: Murray Leinster, “Sidewise in Time,” in Asimov, ed., op. cit., p. 553.

  304 “ ‘Certainty is: Jack Williamson, The Legion of Time, p. 37.

  305 “ ‘I start: Stanley Weinbaum, “The Lotus Eaters,” in Weinbaum, op. cit., p. 259.

  306 “
‘Oscar, I: Ibid.

  307 “ ‘An animal: Ibid, p. 261.

  308 John W. Campbell was born: Our account of the early life of John W. Campbell, Jr. is primarily based on the chapter on Campbell in Sam Moskowitz, Seekers of Tomorrow (Cleveland and New York: World, 1966).

  309 “ ‘Man can: John W. Campbell, Invaders from the Infinite, p. 191.

  310 “They had: John W. Campbell, The Black Star Passes (New York: Ace, 1972), p. 250.

  311 “ ‘The swiftest: John W. Campbell, Invaders from the Infinite, p. 139.

  312 “ ‘Here’s an: John W. Campbell, The Mightiest Machine (New York: Ace, 1972), p. 50.

  313 “the Outsiders”: John W. Campbell, “The Last Evolution,” in Campbell, The Best of John W. Campbell (New York: Ballantine, 1976), p. 4, et passim.

  314 “ ‘The end: Ibid, p. 14.

  315 “pure force: Ibid, p. 20.

  316 “They stand: John W. Campbell, “Twilight,” in Campbell, op. cit., p. 26.

  317 “And now: Ibid, p. 39.

  318 “The city: John W. Campbell, Jr., “Night,” in Campbell, Who Goes There? (Chicago: Shasta, 1951). This composite quotation draws together examples from a continuing theme. The individual sentences are to be found on pages 216, 214, 214, 215, 230, and 220.

  319 “the one: Ibid, p. 229.

  320 “In many: John W. Campbell, Jr., “Introduction,” in Campbell, Cloak of Aesir (Chicago: Shasta, 1952), pp. 10-11.

  321 slave traders trekking through the jungles of Saturn: “The Drums” by Clifton B. Kruse, Astounding Stories, March 1936.

  322 “ ‘Seun is: John W. Campbell, “Forgetfulness,” in Campbell, The Best of John W. Campbell, p. 190.

  CHAPTER 12: UNIVERSAL PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION

  323 “When I: John W. Campbell, in Dick Eney, ed., The Proceedings; Discon (Chicago: Advent, 1965), p. 123.

  324 “He was: Frederik Pohl, The Way the Future Was: A Memoir (New York: Del Rey, 1978), p. 88.

  325 “Every word: Ibid, pp. 87-88.

  326 “Fred, you: Ibid, p. 91.

  327 “When I: Catherine Crook de Camp, “Preamble,” in L. Sprague de Camp and Catherine Crook de Camp, Footprints on Sand (Chicago: Advent, 1981), p. viii.

  328 “Does evolution: John W. Campbell, “Editor’s Page: Mutation,” Astounding Stories, January 1938, p. 151.

  329 “Mutant issues”: Ibid.

  330 “In each: Ibid.

  331 “genuine, fundamentally: Ibid.

  332 “To many: Isaac Asimov, “Introduction,” in Asimov, ed., Before the Golden Age (Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1974), p. xv.

  333 “His sense: Harry Harrison and Brian W. Aldiss, “Introduction,” in Harrison and Aldiss, eds., The Astounding-Analog Reader, Vol. One (Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1972), pp. ix-x.

  334 “I have: John W. Campbell, “Editor’s Page: Invitation,” Astounding Science-Fiction, October 1939, p. 5.

  335 “Nature is: John W. Campbell. The earliest use of this Campbellian maxim of which we are aware was Campbell, “Editor’s Page: “ ‘—but are we?’ ”, Astounding Science-Fiction, January 1946, p. 6.

  336 “I made: R. Buckminster Fuller, quoted in his obituary, “Buckminster Fuller, Futurist Inventor, Dies at 87,” The New York Times, July 3, 1984, p. 17.

  337 “The new: John W. Campbell, “Editor’s Page: Editorial Mutants,” Astounding Science-Fiction, December 1938, p. 6.

  338 “The old: John W. Campbell, “Editor’s Page: Science-Fiction,” Astounding Science-Fiction, March 1938, p. 37.

  339 “We presuppose: Ibid.

  340 “Three mad: John W. Campbell, “Who Goes There?”, in Campbell, The Best of John W. Campbell (New York: Ballantine, 1976), pp. 301-302.

  341 “The place: Ibid, p. 290.

  342 “Copper stared: Ibid, pp. 308-309.

  343 “literature of: Howard Phillips Lovecraft, Supernatural Horror in Literature (New York: Dover, 1973), p. 15.

  344 “A certain: Ibid.

  345 “ ‘This isn’t: John W. Campbell, “Who Goes There?”, in Campbell, op. cit., p. 314.

  346 “I once: Isaac Asimov, “Introduction: The Father of Science Fiction,” in Harry Harrison, ed., Astounding: John W. Campbell Memorial Anthology (New York: Random House, 1973), p. xiv.

  347 “The trouble: Edmond Hamilton, letter to Alexei Panshin, September 1, 1970.

  348 Simak told his wife: According to Sam Moskowitz in his chapter on Simak in Seekers of Tomorrow (New York and Cleveland: World, 1966), p. 273.

  349 This was L. Ron Hubbard: Of the biographies of Hubbard which have appeared since his death, the best account of his early life is to be found in Bare-Faced Messiah: The True Story of L. Ron Hubbard by Russell Miller (New York: Henry Holt, 1987), and the best account of his later years in L. Ron Hubbard: Messiah or Madman? by Bent Corydon and L. Ron Hubbard, Jr. (Secaucus, N.J.: Lyle Stuart, 1987).

  350 on March 13, 1911: In Miller, Bare-Faced Messiah, an alternate date of March 11, 1911 is suggested, p. 12.

  351 “Now you: L. Ron Hubbard, lecture circa 1952, quoted in Corydon and Hubbard, L. Ron Hubbard, p. 229. Ellipses in Corydon and Hubbard.

  352 For the claim that Hubbard: The story is told by Hubbard in the introduction to his novel Battlefield Earth (New York: St. Martin’s, 1982), pp. vi-vii, and also in Charles Platt, Dream Makers, Vol. II (New York: Berkley, 1983), pp. 181-182.

  353 “I’m damn: John W. Campbell, letter to L. Ron Hubbard, dated January 23, 1939, in Perry A. Chapdelaine, Sr., Tony Chapdelaine and George Hay, eds., The John W. Campbell Letters, Vol. 1 (Franklin, Tenn.: AC Projects, 1985), p. 44.

  354 In June 1938, Isaac Asimov: This account of the relationship between Asimov and Campbell is based upon a number of statements by Asimov, but chiefly upon Isaac Asimov, In Memory Yet Green: The Autobiography of Isaac Asimov 1920-1954 (Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1979), pp. 194-197, etc.

  355 “delight mingled: Isaac Asimov, ed., Before the Golden Age, p. 296.

  356 “Many years: Isaac Asimov, In Memory Yet Green, p. 202.

  357 “Dogs. They: John W. Campbell, “Twilight,” in John W. Campbell, Jr., Who Goes There? (Chicago: Shasta, 1951), pp. 197-198.

  358 “Your story: John W. Campbell, quoted from memory in Lester del Rey, The Early Del Rey,Vol. 1 (New York: Ballantine, 1976), p. 21.

  359 “I want: John W. Campbell, quoted in ibid, p. 22.

  360 “He was: Lester del Rey, Ibid, p. 33.

  361 “When I: Frederik Pohl, op. cit., p. 87.

  362 “If I: Isaac Asimov, In Memory Yet Green, p. 202.

  363 patrician named L. Sprague de Camp: Our account of the relationship of Campbell and de Camp is chiefly based on an unpublished manuscript by L. Sprague de Camp entitled “Campbell and I.”

  364 “Well, just: Henry Kuttner, quoted by de Camp in ibid, p. 4.

  365 “if intelligent: L. Sprague de Camp, “Design for Life,” in Astounding Science-Fiction, June 1939, p. 103.

  366 “ ‘We know: L. Sprague de Camp, “Living Fossil,” in Groff Conklin, ed., A Treasury of Science Fiction (New York, Crown, 1948), p. 109.

  367 “the laws: Fletcher Pratt and L. Sprague de Camp, The Incomplete Enchanter (Philadelphia: Prime Press, 1950), p. 8.

  368 The tale usually told: Alva Rogers, A Requiem for Astounding (Chicago: Advent, 1964), p. 64, gives the typical version.

  369 “Fortean phenomena”: This phrase is not used in Sinister Barrier, but Charles Fort is cited in a concocted newspaper clipping that precedes the story. Eric Frank Russell, Sinister Barrier (New York: Paperback Library, 1964), p. 5.

  370 L. Ron Hubbard would tell another story: L. Ron Hubbard, “Introduction,” in Hubbard, Battlefield Earth, p. viii.

  371 “I can: John W. Campbell, “Editor’s Page: Unknown,” Astounding Science-Fiction, February 1939, p. 72.

  372 “One of: Ibid

  373 “I edit: John W. Campbell, quoted by Theodore Sturgeon in Earl Kemp, ed., The Proceedings; Chicon III (Chicago: Advent, 1963), p. 122.

  374 �
� ‘Einstein’s Theory: E.E. Smith, The Skylark of Space (New York: Pyramid, 1958), p. 55.

  375 “the granddaddy: L. Sprague de Camp, Lest Darkness Fall (Philadelphia: Prime Press, 1949), p. 4.

  376 “ ‘I was: Ibid, pp. 1-2.

  377 “He was: Ibid, p. 48.

  378 “Could one: Ibid.

  379 “ ‘I’m going: Ibid, p. 172.

  380 “ ‘The end: Ibid.

  381 “For sheer: John W. Campbell, “Editor’s Page: Addenda,” Astounding Science-Fiction, July 1939, p. 7.

  CHAPTER 13: SHIFTING RELATIONSHIPS

  382 “If the: Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Nature,” in Brooks Atkinson, ed., The Selected Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson (New York: Modern Library, 1964), p. 5. Emerson here seems to be drawing upon Abu-Hamid ibn-Muhammad Al-Ghazzali (1058-1111), the theologian turned Sufi, who wrote in his Confessions: “To prove the possibility of inspiration is to prove that it belongs to a category of branches of knowledge which cannot be attained by reason. It is the same with medical science and astronomy. He who studies them is obliged to recognise that they are derived solely from the revelation and special grace of God. Some astronomical phenomena only occur once in a thousand years; how then can we know them by experience?” Al-Ghazzali, in Claud Field, ed., The Confessions of Al Ghazzali (Lahore, Pakistan: Sh. Muhammad Ashraf, n.d.), p. 61. This may well be a reference to the supernova of 1054—four years before Al-Ghazzali’s birth—which gave rise to the Crab Nebula.

  383 “ ‘What do: conversation between Campbell and Asimov, in Isaac Asimov, In Memory Yet Green (Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1979), p. 295.

  384 “We talked: Ibid.

  385 “Light after: Robert Heinlein, “Universe,” in Groff Conklin, ed., The Best of Science Fiction (New York: Crown, 1946), p. 604.

  386 “The thought-variants: Isaac Asimov, ed., Before the Golden Age (Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1974), p. 498.

  387 “I became: Isaac Asimov, in Isaac Asimov and Martin H. Greenberg, eds., Isaac Asimov Presents the Great Science Fiction Stories: Volume 1, 1939 (New York: DAW Books, 1979), p. 229.

  388 Let’s begin with that first inadequate story: “Cosmic Corkscrew” is summarized in Isaac Asimov, The Early Asimov: Book One (Greenwich, Conn.: Fawcett Crest, 1974), p. 10, and again in Asimov, In Memory Yet Green, pp. 170-171.