Great Classic Science Fiction

Eight Unabridged Stories

By: Stanley G. Weinbaum, Lester Del Rey, Fritz Leiber, James Schmitz, Philip K. Dick, Frank Herbert, H. G. Wells

Narrated by: Simon Vance, Barbara Rosenblat, Nick Sullivan, Robert Fass, Katherine Kellgren, Scott Brick, Stephen Thorne, Greg Itzin

Length: 7 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

This superlative collection of futuristic tales explores ground-breaking supernatural themes from the founding heroes of the science-fiction genre. The short story form is perfect for capturing the atmospheric tension of these legendary stories. The collection includes: "The Door in the Wall" by H. G. Wells, "All Cats Are Gray" by Andre Norton, "A Martian Odyssey" by Stanley G. Weinbaum, "Victory" by Lester del Rey, "The Moon Is Green" by Fritz Leiber, "The Winds of Time" by James H. Schmitz, "The Defenders" by Philip K. Dick, and "Missing Link" by Frank Herbert.

©2010 BBC Audio (P)2010 BBC Audio

Awesome collection

With all collections, there are always a few that don't ring for a win, and this one has a couple, but overall it's great, entertaining, and a great companion.

Timely Totalitarian Tales

These cautionary stories reflect George Orwell’s comment, “The moral to be drawn from this dangerous nightmare situation is a simple one. Don’t let it happen. It depends on you.” Eerily familiar and yet strange and foreign, each narrative walks (or careens) the listener down a dystopian path rife with curiosity and childlike wonder until the reveal and fear slams into you with the realization. Hear these warnings and share them broadly because the current chaos can learn from these sage writers from the past.

Great introduction to formative sci-if classics

The origins are here, of 20th century fiction thinking about extraterrestrial life- ideas tested out in these entertaining short works that show up in later classics like Dune, Star Wars, Aliens, Foundation,and many others.

excellent anthology

I love a good anthology and this one did not disappoint though a couple of the stories have been featured in other recent anthologies.

UNEVEN

some great stories and others not so great; some stories were tedious, unlistenable, while others were like a great book, my attention riveted to the words.

Pretty good

A pretty good anthology. One or two, Ehh, but for an anthology, it was enjoyable. I do appreciate that while it had some suspenseful content, it didn't have anything that strayed into horror. Some anthologies like to do that without warning, this wasn't one of them.

Performances were mostly good, though a couple were kind of lacking. But if you like classic science fiction, this one is a good listen.

Class SciFi lovers take a chance

This is in the free Plus Catalog so I took a chance because of the great authors, just lesser known stories. Some are really worth the listen. 5/5 Narration for all is exceptional. Others are 3/5, but I’ve suffered through much worse. If you like free science fiction by some of the greats you won’t be disappointed.

Great collection of Authors

Enjoyed greatly listening to all the chapters good listening, third book I enjoyed thanks for sharing your stories

Great Anthology of Classic Science Fiction

If you enjoy classic science fiction, then this is a fantastic journey tracing both the foundations of the genre and a glimpse into how the genre evolved over the years. There's a good variety of themes and styles, encompassing the whimsy of early speculative fiction, the gritty realism of mid-century atomic age narratives, and the probing, introspective sociopolitical commentary of later works.

"The Door in the Wall" by H.G. Wells is a delicate blend of fantasy and reality, delving into the human yearning for an elusive paradise, a desire juxtaposed against the dreary backdrop of a mechanistic world.

"All Cats Are Gray" by Andre Norton is an enjoyable tale of courage and resilience that masterfully contrasts the intriguing mystery of the spectral with the pragmatic, resulting in a unique take on perception and reality in the vast expanse of space.

"A Martian Odyssey" by Stanley G. Weinbaum encapsulates the spirit of exploration and challenges the understanding of life beyond Earth by blending curiosity and wonder to present a non-anthropocentric perspective on alien beings that ultimately marked a shift in how science fiction would perceive extraterrestrial life.

"Victory" by Lester del Rey is a thought-provoking post-apocalyptic tale that encapsulates the existential fear of the nuclear age while posing essential questions about human survival and morality. It manages to offer hope amidst the ruins and create a narrative that both challenges and engrosses.

"The Moon is Green" by Fritz Lieber paints a haunting picture of a dystopian world from a distinctly female perspective that explores the themes of isolation and yearning for freedom against the backdrop of a stringent, patriarchal society.

"The Winds of Time" by James H. Schmitz brings is a classic time travel story, layered with both action and contemplation that deftly navigates complex notions of destiny and causality in a thrilling journey offering escapism and philosophical musings on the paradoxes of time travel.

"The Defenders" by Philip K. Dick provides a gripping blend of existential dread and sociopolitical commentary through its exploration of war and the intrinsic nature of humanity that illustrates the fragility of societal constructs and the potential for change.

"The Missing Link" by Frank Herbert explores evolutionary biology and moral responsibility within a space exploration framework that is as evocative as it is engaging, testing the limits of humanity's understanding of itself and its place in the universe.

In summary, this is a well-curated collection that spans the rich and diverse landscape of science fiction, serving not only as a testament to the genre's past but also as a guidepost to its evolution. This anthology would appeal to both seasoned fans and newcomers looking for a comprehensive overview of classic science fiction's influential works.

A Generally Excellent Collection! 😱

5 stars is excellent.
4 stars is good.
3 stars is OK.
This 2010 production from the BBC has generally excellent stories with several truly excellent stories remarkably thought provoking in the vein of Asimov's future history series.
Favorites of mine were "Victory" by Lester Del Rey which examines the prohibitive cost of future warfare between species possessing weaponry of star-level power;
And "Missing Link" examines the problem of mature developed species (during extra stellar exploration) bringing less developed aggressive immature species into their developed species federation, and exposing these less mature cultures to planet busting technologies without creating a threat to the less mature species or to the members of the federation themselves.
And what if theses less mature species possess a unique species-specific ability (eg. telepathic control of other sentient species) or a particularly advanced development is a field of science far beyond the more mature species of the federation? What then? 😱