A. E. Van Vogt "Empire of the Atom" (coll)

---------------------------------------------- "Empire of the Atom" (coll) (Clane / Empire of the Atom series) © 1950, Shasta Books --/ cool apocalyptic sf collection The Year of the Bomb gave science fiction many jitters, premonitions, "i-have-a-bad-feeling-about-this" apocalyptic (and sometimes rather apoplectic) books, and this collection is one of the more respectable of the bunch. First, it appeared entirely in "Astounding" and soon got reprinted in hardcover (a rare honor in those years), written by Van Vogt in his most productive period, and contains most (if not all) concerns and ideas associated with the newly-found destructive power of the atom. That said, it is one of the most bland and boring efforts of Van Vogt. I found it mostly predictable and unexciting, although it is still very readable due to patented Van Vogt's technique of "surprise or plot twist in every third paragraph", albeit in a very conventional setting. A mutant child escapes being killed at birth and grows up to be a scheming leader and defender of Earth against alien barbarians. One interesting note: the book describes the Temple of the Atom in the new post-apocalyptic Empire, and the order of "nuclear-science" priests. This obviously pleased John Campbell (editor of "Astounding") as a "scientology" supporter. review: 27-Jul-06 (read in 1990) ---------------------------------------------- "A Son Is Born" © Astounding Stories, May 1946 "Child of the Gods" © Astounding Stories, Aug 1946 "Hand of the Gods" © Astounding Stories, Dec 1946 "Home of the Gods" © Astounding Stories, Apr 1947 Empire of the Atom, 1957 A story of post-nuclear Moses who may (or may not) bring about the deliverance from Pharaoh-like Emperors and stuck-up Temple of the Atom priests. A mutant child is born and escapes killing at birth, destined to be brought up among Machiavellian intrigues. review: 27-Jul-06 (read in 1990) ---------------------------------------------- "The Barbarian" (Clane / Empire of the Atom series) © Astounding, Dec 1947 Empire of the Atom, 1957 The Book of A.E.Van Vogt, 1972 --/ cool sf novella Different in mood from the rest of "Empire of the Atom" bunch, this one broadens the interplanetary intrigue and gives more sense of scale and wonder. The barbaric tribes (devolving after earthlings abandoned its outer planet colonies) still use high-tech machinery and space travel, which gives an amusing and at times paradoxical atmosphere to this story. Very popular "retrograde technology evolution" idea has been widely used in the other pulps (try Alfred Coppel's "Rebel of Valkyr" where the barbarians ply the insterstellar lanes inside highly sophisticated spaceships - relics of the Empire). Pure "Planet Stories" material. review: 27-Jul-06 (read in 1990) ---------------------------------------------- READ OTHER REVIEWS FOR THIS WRITER

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