Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books

20 All Time Classic Sci Fi Novels - Star Maker (S.F. Masterworks)

Reviews
 

The kind of literature tha stapledon offers is a work of art. I mean that i think his main target is not to offer a plot rich story but to create a pure work of art about the beauty of the english language. He succeeds. Ok iam not a professional critic but its obvious: The man was one of the best and anybody who will read this will most certainly agree. 100% worth reading!
babis/greece

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Having greatly enjoyed Stapledon's Last And First Men, I had high expectations for this novel, generally regarded as its larger, more sophisticated sequel. Well, needless to say, I was not let down!

Where Last And First Men takes the reader on a temporal journey - from Olaf's present day, through the evolution of the human race, right into its far flung future - Star Maker adds a spatial dimension, as the protagonist's disembodied being hurtles through galaxies at beyond the speed of light, only to stop by strange (but more often than not, weirdly recognisable) planets, where he observes the inhabitants' various societies and ways of life. His aim, however, is to discover something greater: the source of the universe itself - the Star Maker. As noted by other reviewers, the conclusion, where our protaginist takes great joy in describing the Star Maker and his creations, is one of the most powerful, awe inspiring passages you're ever likely to read, and is well worth the purchase price alone.

This is so much more than Sci-Fi. The book teems with philosophy, biology, quantum physics, psychology, spiritualism, sociology... it is an absolute treat, and although some of Stapledon's 'predictions' of extra-terrestrial life might now seem clichéed (much like his cringeworthy prediction of late 20th Century politics in Last And First Men) this by no means detracts from an utterly excellent novel, jam-packed with imagination and poignancy.
Zarino Zappia

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"Star Maker", by Olaf Stapledon, is an incredible novel by an author whose contributions to science fiction are unique and serve as inspiration to many of the greatest works in the field. It was Stapledon's fourth novel and was first published in 1937. Narrated by the same voice as narrated "Last and First Men" the novel is a sequel of sorts, but at the same time it has a much larger scope and thus there is no noticeable overlap between the two novels. As with "Last and First Men", "Star Maker" is not a conventional novel, so if that is what you are looking for, you should look elsewhere. It is a philosophical journey rather than a conventional story with a traditional plot and characters.

The narrator takes the reader on a journey through the universe and through time, starting on a hill near his home, and ultimately finding the creator of the universe, i.e. the Star Maker. He witnesses the entire life of the universe, and joins with many other minds from other civilizations throughout the galaxy. It is tempting to use phrases like "for its time" when describing this book, but it is a remarkable work for any time. I am sure that some of descriptions of civilizations and their scientific achievements would change if it were written today. However, the statement that the book makes would likely remain the same.

One does not need to read "Last and First Men" (or "Last Men in London" for that matter) to read this novel. The few remarks made in the narration that reference "Last and First Men" will not cause the reader any difficulty. They pass by almost unnoticed, as the reader's focus is on the amazing scope and vision which are contained in this novel. Stapledon's works are not the easiest reads, but they are well worth the effort. The echos of Stapledon's ideas can be read in the works of numerous authors and in some of the greatest works of science fiction.

This book was tied for 13th on the Arkham Survey in 1949 as one of the `Basic SF Titles'. It also was tied for 30th on the 1975 Locus All-Time poll for Novels; and 32nd on the 1998 Locus All-Time Poll for Novels written prior to 1990. This particular edition includes a Foreword by Brian W. Aldiss, and also includes A Note on Magnitude, Time Lines, and a Glossary all created by Olaf Stapledon. This is the 21st of the SF Masterworks paperbacks released by Victor Gollancz Books. If this is an indication of the quality of work they have done throughout the series, then it is a very worthwhile series to own.

Dave_42

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Star Maker follows the disembodied viewpoint of a human man as he travels vast distances through space and time. Put simply, that seems a rather bland chassis for a plot, but it frees the author to easily fill the book with the products of his imagination regarding aliens, the universe as a whole, and our place within it. Whole sci-fi series could be written using the ideas found in a fraction of this novel.

The book dates from 1937, but even today I can think of few science fiction novels that even come close to the eventual scope and grandeur of Star Maker. Perhaps Stapledon's most impressive feat in the writing is his ability to move the reader through the tremendous timescales and distances involved without losing the thread of the story or alienating the reader with incomprehensible concepts or visualisations.

Despite the now largely out-dated science and philosophy, this book is a classic of the genre in the truest sense: a defining and inspiring collection of ideas and themes that is still a joy to read. Five stars.

J Savage

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I read this because it got such good reviews as an iconic book. It is about a chap who stands on a hillside contemplating our little world and finds himself projected through space and time to many different worlds, experiencing the beginning and end of galaxies, meeting the Starmaker, creator of everything. It's well written: "One night when I had tasted bitterness I went out onto the hill" - and good descriptions of the separate/close symbiosis of a longterm marriage. It's certainly imaginative: thought provoking descriptions of many kinds of intelligent beings, their societies and the rise and fall of their civilisations. Full of insight. Like travelling in a country where they do things differently: broadens the mind. But ultimately not involving, just endless descriptions and broad overviews of the evolution of many different species and of the universe itself. I got bored with the deluge of information and started skipping through it after a while.
I'll try his "First and Last Men" as I have already bought it and as it is more well known. Sometime, on some holiday.

Florence

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