I own this other edition |
Forced to Learn
However, even while trying to avoid learning about Asimov and Vance as fallible human beings, I have not been able to prevent myself from discovering a thing or 2 about their lives as writers. First of all, here in the age of the interwebs, vast amounts of information about these two authors is right at my finger tips and impossible to completely ignore. However, my greatest downfall is that I bought a copy of Gold, the cover of which teases, "The last words from SF's grand master."
Newly released by the Dead Widowers. Original cover art by Robert Maguire. |
Asimov wrote himself into 'Gold'. Actually, the analogue of Asimov in 'Gold' is named Gregory Laborian. Similarly, although less obviously, Asimov is a character in 'Cal': the mystery writer (Mr. Northrop) who owns the robot named Cal. Northrop and Laborian are both alternate versions of Asimov that might have existed in another Reality. If Asimov could have the fun of writing himself into stories, then surely his fans should be able to do the same.
Ideal Vision
Two copies of Asimov! |
However, in some sense the Asimov's replicoid is his own "man". As an artificial life form, he began with all of the memories from the original biological Asimov, but some things were changed. For example, I imagine that Asimov's obsession with writing was toned down. The Asimov replicoid was created for a purpose, and that purpose could not have been fulfilled were the replicoid constantly writing. In the Exode Saga, the Asimov replicoid is an idealized version of Asimov, created to play a role in a story.
source |
1) a reader's opinion, arising from reading fiction written by Asimov, with
2) Asimov's personal beliefs.
In Gold, part two is called "On Science Fiction" and part 3 is "On Writing Science Fiction". In part two there is an essay called "The All-Human Galaxy". In that essay, Asimov described the struggle that he had with John Campbell over the "proper" way to depict human-alien interactions and relationships in science fiction stories. When he started writing stories set in an "all-human galaxy", Asimov did not believe that humans "need to get to the stars before" aliens. Asimov had simply discovered that by setting his stories in an all-human galaxy he did not have to keep dealing with Campbell's inconvenient beliefs and editorial judgements about aliens.
Isaac's Universe |
Future Mystery |
For the Exode Saga, the Asimov Replicoid is made use of for his ability to explore the AR Simulation. In the end, he may very well decide to remain inside that simulation, preferring that lost universe to our own. I'm already getting hints from Yōd that the Asimov replicoid might have already made that choice.
Related reading: more Amizovs
Also: more fiction with Asimov as a character
Next: a look back at The Palace of Love
visit the Gallery of Book and Magazine Covers |
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