Originally published as two separate books, Jules Verne's eerily prescient tale of mankind's first visit to the Moon is properly presented here in one complete volume.  From the Earth to the Moon (first published in 1865) opens just after the close of the Civil War, the Baltimore Gun Club embarks on a massive project: to build a cannon and with it, launch a projectile to the Moon. Club President Impey Barbicane and armorer Captain Nicholl of Philadelphia feud over the feasibility of the project, and nearly duel each other to death, until French poet Michel Ardan intervenes. The three then wind up as shipmates on the adventure of a lifetime, a voyage to the Moon!  Around the Moon (published in 1870) picks up our intrepid trio just after their launch. After leaving the atmosphere, they have a close encounter with a near-Earth asteroid, then suffer intoxication from an atmospheric problem (not unlike that which would later befall the crew of Apollo 13), explore the Moon, and eventually make their way back to Earth.  Verne's remarkable vision—from setting the launch site in Florida to calculating the length of the journey to a post-mission splash-down—is only slightly tempered by his use of private funding for the voyage, rather than a government project. But as we've seen in the decades since the Apollo voyages, private/corporate funding does indeed look to be the way of the future into space, so once again, Verne shows his predictive abilities were running full steam ahead.  Author Jules Verne (1828-1905) started life as a lawyer, but soon quit the profession to devote himself to writing, to the world's greater benefit. His first produced play, Les Pailles rompues (The Broken Straws), debuted in Paris in 1850, the year before he received his law license. His first published short story, "L'Amérique du Sud. Etudes historiques. Les Premiers Navires de la Marine Mexicaine" ("The First Ships of the Mexican Navy"), was published in Musée des families in 1851. His first published novel, Cinq semaines en ballon (Five Weeks in a Balloon)—the first of his Voyages Extraordinaires, and the first of more than 50 novels—finally appeared in 1863. Today, Verne is remembered as one of the founders of science fiction, and is one of the most translated authors in the world.

From the Earth to the Moon, and, Around the Moon

Literature & Fiction

Verne. Jules

Classics

Fantastic Books

Trying to cure his insomnia, Londoner Graham falls into a drug-induced coma in 1897... and wakes up 203 years later. He discovers a world in turmoil, a world shocked at his awakening, a world... that he owns. Thus begins H.G. Wells' classic tale of a man out of time. Thrust into this new world, Graham becomes a symbol both for those who want to keep him as a figure head to maintain the status quo, and the rebels who want him to overthrow the government. While dealing with these political factions, Graham also tours the world of the future, showing us the wonders and horrors Wells imagined. Violent struggle, however, will be the outcome, with the very future hanging in the balance. Wells originally published "When the Sleeper Wakes" in 1899, but a decade later, he called it "one of the most ambitious and least satisfactory of my books." He took "the opportunity afforded by [the 1910] reprinting to make a number of excisions and alterations," which resulted in this much more satisfactory book, "The Sleeper Awakes." British author Herbert George Wells (1866-1946) was at home in many genres, including history, politics, and social commentary, as well as the fiction for which he is best remembered today. He was one of the fathers of modern science fiction, and was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature four times (in 1921, 1932, 1935, and 1946). He is the author of such enduring classics as "The Time Machine" (1895), "The Island of Doctor Moreau" (1896), "The Invisible Man" (1897), and "The War of the Worlds" (1898). His career continued through his last novel, "You Can't Be Too Careful" (1941). Simultaneously, his non-fiction career ran from a "Text-Book of Biology" (1893), through a discussion of "Marxism vs Liberalism" (1945).

The Sleeper Awakes

Wells., H.G

Literary

First there was Jar Jar Binks Must Die, the Hugo-Award finalist collection of essays discussing science fiction film which Analog called "intelligent and entertaining" and F&amp;SF called "terrific." Then came Shh! It's a Secret, the comedy science fiction novel that Publishers Weekly called "a freewheeling, laugh-out-loud satire." Now Daniel M. Kimmel is back with Time On My Hands, his quirky take on time travel, lost love, divided loyalties, and the eternal search for really good scotch. Time On My Hands investigates the myriad time travel troubles over which most science fiction readers have pondered, but it presents a fresh take on the time travel novel by adhering to the Aristotelian Unity of Time: it all takes place within a single day. In the book, Professor Price tells the story of how he came to be in possession of a time travel device (which he may or may not have invented), and how he found his future hiding in his past. But the discovery of time travel will necessitate far more than just building a really cool machine: it'll take the efforts of many people to figure out how to talk about time travel, the requirements necessary to be an ethical time traveler, and just whose office it is when my yesterday becomes your tomorrow without the courtesy of a knock on the door. Film critic and professor Daniel M. Kimmel has taught film and media classes at Emerson College, Boston University, and Suffolk University. His book on the history of FOX TV, The Fourth Network, received the Cable Center Book Award. His other books include a history of DreamWorks, The Dream Team, and I'll Have What She's Having: Behind the Scenes of the Great Romantic Comedies. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Rochester (where much of Time On My Hands is set) and his law degree from Boston University.

Time On My Hands: My Misadventures In Time Travel

Science Fiction & Fantasy

Kimmel, Daniel M.

Science Fiction

Fiore is the (chemically enhanced) muscle; Zeus is the (super-genius) brains. Together, they're out to become the greatest interstellar bounty hunters ever. But along the path to fame and fortune, they'll accumulate contacts, partners, and enemies without even meaning to. It's all part of the job, when you're chasing the biggest bounty ever, and picking up the strangest milks in the galaxy.Brian Koscienski and Chris Pisano are the drunken comic book monkeys behind Fortress Publishing, and the authors of Scary Tales of Scariness and Sciency Tales of Science Fiction. "Brian Koscienski and Chris Pisano are mad geniuses.... The Biggest Bounty is... something of a cross between Alice in Wonderland and Grand Theft Auto, with a good helping of crazy humor thrown in. The best comparison I can think of is some of the wackier works of Ron Goulart or Christopher Moore.... If you're in the mood for a madcap ride through the galaxy's seamy underworld, this is the book for you." --Don Sakers, Analog Science Fiction and Fact"Like two mad scientists sharing a single beautiful mind, Brian Koscienski and Chris Pisano continue the legacy of comedic giants like Abbott and Costello... Martin and Lewis... Wilder and Pryor... Cagney and Lacey.... In The Biggest Bounty, Pisano and Koscienski deliver a tongue-in-cheek-de force that will take you to new worlds and leave you either clawing out your eyes or coming back for more. Either way, you surely won't forget this magical mystery tour of farce and ingenuity." --Jon Sprunk, author of The Shadow Saga series

The Biggest Bounty: A Zeus and the Pink Flower Novel

Koscienski, Brian

Pisano, Chris

Want something to read while you sit down for just a few minutes on the bus or in a waiting room? Here’s just the thing—forty authors, forty stories, mostly under 2,000 words, mostly reprints. Grouped according to their themes—artificial intelligence, technology, space, time travel, space aliens, the arts and media, religion, strange relationships, and reviving the past. There are even a few shaggy dogs.
Just remember—one sitting, one read! Others are waiting!
Includes First-Time-in-Print stories by film critic Daniel M. Kimmel, film-maker Douglas van Belle, mystery writer Brendan DuBois, SETI pioneer H. Paul Shuch, and software engineer Steven Popkes! Also, a bonus micro-story by David Brin!
Stories by: Gregory Benford, Lloyd Biggle, David Brin, Michael A. Burstein, James L. Cambias, Brenda Cooper, Dave Creek, Robert Dawson, Paul Di Filippo, S.B. Divya, Brendan DuBois, Marianne Dyson, Michael F. Flynn, Jeff Hecht, Liam Hogan, Daniel M. Kimmel, Nancy Kress, Edward M. Lerner, Paul Levinson, J.D. MacDonald &amp; Debra Doyle, Leslie Starr O’Hara, Steven Popkes, Cat Rambo, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Don Sakers, James Sallis, Stanley Schmidt, Holly Schofield, Darrell Schweitzer &amp; Lee Weinstein, H. Paul Shuch, Alex Shvartsman, Steven H Silver, Bud Sparhawk, Douglas Van Belle, James Van Pelt, Jo Walton, Gerald Warfield, Lawrence Watt-Evans, Jay Werkheiser, and Fran Wilde.
Reviews:
"The stories are expertly crafted, highly entertaining and perfect for the stated purpose..." --Amazing Stories
"I thoroughly enjoyed this premise: supershort stories you can enjoy while taking care of very personal business." --True Review

Science Fiction for the Throne: One-Sitting Reads

Up the Rainbow: The Complete Short Fiction of Susan Casper

Susan Casper (1947-2017) had a comparatively limited, but very intense writing career. She collaborated with some of the biggest names in the field, attempted truly daring and innovative fiction, and then slipped away from writing as quietly as she’d originally started. As Michael Swanwick says in his introduction, the reason she stopped writing is a mystery. There came a point when she simply stopped, apparently satisfied with what she had accomplished. 
This collection of literary gems contains the two dozen stories that comprise Susan Casper’s fiction output, as well as several of her in-depth trip reports. It has been lovingly assembled by her husband, the multi-award winning author and editor Gardner Dozois. 
"Worthy reading for any fan of science fiction or darker fantasy." —Publishers Weekly 
"…the stories deliver a powerful kick; Casper had the ability to bring the stuff of dreams and nightmares vividly into contact with everyday life.… If you’re a lover of short fiction, this is one that belongs on your must-read list.” —Analog 
“Whether she was writing about travel or over-protective mothers, unicorns or Pre-Raphaelite painters, Susan Casper always had something new and fascinating to say.” —Connie Willis 
“A vivid and compelling range of stories! A wonderful collection.” —Nancy Kress 
“Susan Casper’s work is witty, well-observed, with a bite that you can never quite forget.” —Pat Cadigan 
“I have only one problem with Susan Casper’s fiction: there isn’t enough of it. This long-overdue collection, edited by her husband, multiple Hugo Award-winner Gardner Dozois, is an act of love—and love this deep should be shared. If you’ve never read Susan’s work, you’re in for a treat.” —Kristine Kathyrn Rusch 
“With a sly sense of humor and a profound sense of the tragic, Susan Casper crafted stories that show us the wonder and terror of our everyday lives.” —James Patrick Kelly 
“An impressive collection by an even more impressive lady.” —Mike Resnick 
“From the dark and disturbing to the amusing and uplifting, this collection of tales reveals the evocative depths of Susan Casper’s vivid imagination.” —Sheila Williams 
“Beautifully written and beautifully observed.” —Samuel R. Delany 
“Finally, Susan Casper’s powerful, wry, and provocative short fiction is available in one volume: a must-have collection that captures the essence of her brilliant, wild talent.” —Jack Dann 
“Susan’s stories capture you with the first word and hold on with bloody claws until the last.” —Eileen Gunn 
“Up the Rainbow is a very gorgeous single-author collection from the unfortunately late Susan Casper, and the SF field has lost a Talent. Fortunately her husband, Gardner, was able to collect her fiction and nonfiction into this massive and very worthwhile volume, reminding us all that Susan could certainly shine.” —True Review

casper-susan

United States

Susan Casper (1947-2017) had a comparatively limited, but very intense writing career. She collaborated with some of the biggest names in the field, attempted truly daring and innovative fiction, and then slipped away from writing as quietly as she’d originally started. As Michael Swanwick says in his introduction, the reason she stopped writing is a mystery. There came a point when she simply stopped, apparently satisfied with what she had accomplished.This collection of literary gems contains the two dozen stories that comprise Susan Casper’s fiction output, as well as several of her in-depth trip reports. It has been lovingly assembled by her husband, the multi-award winning author and editor Gardner Dozois.“Whether she was writing about travel or over-protective mothers, unicorns or Pre-Raphaelite painters, Susan Casper always had something new and fascinating to say.” —Connie Willis“A vivid and compelling range of stories! A wonderful collection.” —Nancy Kress“Susan Casper’s work is witty, well-observed, with a bite that you can never quite forget.” —Pat Cadigan“I have only one problem with Susan Casper’s fiction: there isn’t enough of it. This long-overdue collection, edited by her husband, multiple Hugo Award-winner Gardner Dozois, is an act of love—and love this deep should be shared. If you’ve never read Susan’s work, you’re in for a treat.” —Kristine Kathyrn Rusch“With a sly sense of humor and a profound sense of the tragic, Susan Casper crafted stories that show us the wonder and terror of our everyday lives.” —James Patrick Kelly“An impressive collection by an even more impressive lady.” —Mike Resnick“From the dark and disturbing to the amusing and uplifting, this collection of tales reveals the evocative depths of Susan Casper’s vivid imagination.” —Sheila Williams“Beautifully written and beautifully observed.” —Samuel R. Delany“Finally, Susan Casper’s powerful, wry, and provocative short fiction is available in one volume: a must-have collection that captures the essence of her brilliant, wild talent.” —Jack Dann“Susan’s stories capture you with the first word and hold on with bloody claws until the last.” —Eileen Gunn“Up the Rainbow is a very gorgeous single-author collection from the unfortunately late Susan Casper, and the SF field has lost a Talent. Fortunately her husband, Gardner, was able to collect her fiction and nonfiction into this massive and very worthwhile volume, reminding us all that Susan could certainly shine.” —True Review

Fantasy

The Jim Dandy Traveling Amusement Fair is a small carnival on the road. The carnies--a family of oddballs, grifters, students, and a retired grandmother--are making their way in the world, but just barely.Their latest encampment may be haunted... or it may just be dirty local politics. But one thing is certain: the carnival will never be the same.Demonic possession, earthly threats, and a guardian dragon spirit will combine to make The Red Carnival one the locals--and the reader--will never forget. "At times dark and unsettling, Casper's novel holds the same wonderful prose and love of the uncanny as her published short fiction." --Library Journal"Susan let me read parts of The Red Carnival. I remember when she was nearing the end, she said to me, 'At times, I was writing this book so slowly but now, it's like I can't write fast enough.' She wrote this book with the kind of enthusiasm and love that every writer wants to have for their own work. I kept waiting for her to sell it--she never did. I wish she had because it deserved to be read. I'm so glad it's getting an audience now. I wish I could hug Susan and tell her what a great book she wrote and what a fine, gifted, and beautiful writer she is." --Pat Cadigan (Hugo- and World Fantasy Award-winner)"Take it from a guy who wrote a four-book series about a carnival, Susan Casper knew her stuff. The Red Carnival is a remarkable blend of power and sensitivity." --Mike Resnick (Nebula- and 5-time Hugo Award-winner)"The Red Carnival is so intensely atmospheric that you look up from the book expecting to see the bozo, the ten-in-one, the hootchy kootchy tent. Susan Casper's harrowing novel explores the most terrifying of all ideas: that not only can any one of us be tortured by evil, any one of us can become it. Casper understands not only how fragile human beings are, but how strong. And you will never again look at a carnival the same way." --Nancy Kress (6-time Nebula and 2-time Hugo Award winner)"The Red Carnival continues a great American literary tradition, dark fantasy novels about wandering carnivals. Casper's novel belongs on the same shelf as Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes and Charles G. Finney's The Circus of Dr. Lao." --Allen M. Steele (3-time Hugo Award winner)"Susan Casper was a damn good short story writer. And lucky for us, in addition to the recent publication of her collected short fiction, we now have The Red Carnival, a previously unpublished dark fantasy novel from her fine creative mind." --Ellen Datlow (Bram Stoker and World Fantasy Lifetime Achievement Award honoree; winner of 8 Hugo Awards, 9 World Fantasy Awards, and 4 Bram Stoker Awards)

The Red Carnival

Genre Fiction

Earth is gone, blown to bits in battle with the alien Sejiedi. Now the remnants of humanity fight on, in uneasy alliance with the Galactic League--their only purpose to avenge their world, their only pride the Honor of the Wing. But League politics will not tolerate pride in a refugee people, and the White Wing is under insidious attack. A powerful enemy attempts to brand one unit of the Wing as traitors, discrediting the entire human race. But the Honor of the Wing is not so easily compromised.... "A powerful story by a strong new talent." --Gordon R. Dickson "A clever, dynamic plot filled with intrigue, danger, and surprises." --Locus

White Wing

Lewitt, Shariann

Shwartz, Susan

The Bend at the End of the Road

Barry N. Malzberg's fiction earned him the 1973 John W. Campbell Memorial Award, nominations for the Philip K. Dick and Theodore Sturgeon Awards, as well as two Hugo and six Nebula Award nominations. Born in 1939, he earned a degree from Syracuse University, worked for the New York City government, and made his first professional fiction sale in 1966. He wrote fiction in a variety of genres under several pseudonyms, and also worked as an agent, editor, and reviewer.
But he is perhaps best known for his essays. His two earlier collections of essays, The Engines of the Night (1982) and Breakfast in the Ruins (2007) both won the Locus Award, and both were finalists for the Hugo Award.
Collected here are nearly fifty of Malzberg's latest essays. They may upset you, may depress you, may shock you, but they will make you think, and lead you to a different view of the world. Also included are introductions by Mike Resnick and Paul Di Filippo.
"The impressions and insights that abound in these columns make this book indispensable for any fan of science fiction." --Publishers Weekly
"...it is very hard not to argue with Barry Malzberg's The Bend at the End of the Road--and it was just as hard to stop reading it.... it is often strikingly written and shot through with sharp observations of and confrontations with the marginal culture and economic status that has often constrained the field's aspirations. It is this merging of the interesting and insightful with the depressive and depressing that makes the collection as exasperating as it is fascinating.... the writing is dense with allusions from all over the literary-cultural landscape, products of a mind that frantically connects everything to everything. A single page of one essay contains a crescendo of references: nine writers, four composers, four books, two media franchises, plus Donald Trump, Tammany Hall, and ComicCon. Prose like this can be, despite the general atmosphere of futility and disappointing, exhilarating." --Russell Letson in Locus, June 2018
"Incisive, wise, mordant, informed by a deep understanding of science fiction in all its aspects--a book of indispensable essays." --Robert Silverberg, SFWA Grand Master
"Elegies and rants, a prose that Mencken might envy, seemingly eidetic recall for everything that has ever happened in science fiction's garish, slightly down-at-the-heels cabaret, plus an outlook on life as clear-eyed and weary-hearted as Edward Hopper's--you'll find them all in The Bend at the End of the Road. Barry Malzberg is sf's institutional memory, and in these pages, he transports us back to those thrilling days of yesteryear, when the stars were our destination and every story seemed a door into summer. But he also casts a cold eye on the fiction and fandom de nos jours. Here, then, is a full house of wise, provocative, and plangent essays--read 'em and weep." --Michael Dirda, Pulitzer Prize-winning literary journalist
"In this book, Barry Malzberg will tell you what science fiction once was, why it changed, what it changed into, and why it's no longer what it could have been. He won't talk down to you. He'll expect you to pay attention and use your intelligence. And, as he says, 'linear argument or exposition can be a bitch.' So he'll walk you around the subject, leading you gradually into his argument and his viewpoint. It's an important one. Along the way, you'll learn the names of authors you'd love and work that will consume you. And by the end, you'll have read the most important book about science fiction published in the last decade." --John-Henri Holmberg, Swedish author, critic, publisher, and translator

MALZBERG, Barry N.

Essays & Correspondence

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Books by Fantastic Books

See the best price to sell, buy or rent books by the Fantastic Books publisher. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

From the Earth to the Moon, and, Around the Moon

The Sleeper Awakes

Time On My Hands: My Misadventures In Time Travel

The Biggest Bounty: A Zeus and the Pink Flower Novel

Science Fiction for the Throne: One-Sitting Reads

Up the Rainbow: The Complete Short Fiction of Susan Casper

Up the Rainbow: The Complete Short Fiction of Susan Casper

The Red Carnival

White Wing

The Bend at the End of the Road