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Product Description
A final collection of original short fantasy stories assembles previously uncollected tales, stories about the two-centimeter demon Azael, several fairy tales, and a humorous adventure about Batman's old age from the grandmaster of science fiction.
Isaac Asimov and science fiction are one and the same to millions of readers. He was the field's transcendent genius, its reigning prophet, its genial patriarch, and its most prolific author. But Asimov also wrote fantasy, and invariably of an enduring quality. Magic is his final original collection, containing all of his uncollected fantasy stories that have never before appeared in book form. Wry and witty, they carry his unique, personal stamp of rationalism and logic.
These stories are fascinating musings of a wide-ranging intelligence, discussing everything from Tolkien to Spielberg, from unicorns to King Arthur. Magic is the last word on fantasy by the renowned science fiction author.
Though Isaac Asimov had fun writing all his works, these are the stories he wrote for fun. They are an essential part of his irreplaceable legacy.
From the Back Cover
Isaac Asimov and science fiction are one and the same to millions of readers. He was the field's transcendent genius, its reigning prophet and its most prolific author. But Asimov also wrote fantasy. 'Magic' is his final original collection, containing all of his fantasy stories that have never before appeared in book form. Wry and witty, they carry his unique, personal stamp of rationalism and logic.
This final collection of Asimov's best loved fantasy stories assembles his most popular tales of the two centimetre demon Azazel, with his tiny red horns and technological expertise so far beyond our own as to seem like magic.
'Magic' is the last word on fantasy by the renowned science fiction author. Though Isaac Asimov had fun writing all his works, these are stories he wrote for fun. They are an essential part of his irreplaceable legacy.
"Asimov's career was one of the most formidable in science fiction"
THE TIMES
"A talent of galactic proportions"
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
"Asimov displayed one of the most dynamic imaginations in science fiction"
DAILY TELEGRAPH
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Customer Reviews
The essays included here give a glimpse of who Issac Asimov was as a writer, and also, as a person. He gives his opinions freely, but is fully aware that you can't be right all of the time, nor does he claim to be. As a budding writer myself, I found it particularly useful to see that side of the author that you rarely get to see apart from in an autobiography.
Magic just goes to show what a truly 'intelligent' man Issac Asimov was. [once you have read the book you will appreciate the joke, I hope]
The first section contains the fictional content, and is made up of eleven short stories relating to the fantasy genre. Unfortunately, a full eight of these are Asimov's George-and-Azazel tales, which are enjoyable enough, but they dominate the book and are rather formulaic. An entry from Asimov's Black Widowers mystery series (which certainly would certainly seem to fit more under the mystery genre rather than the fantasy) and a couple of delightful fairy tale stories complete this segment. The worst charge that could be leveled at any individual story is that it's a bit dull, and the best ones are fun entertainment. They're amusing diversions, but nothing much more.
The second section contains non-fiction, Asimov's thoughts on various aspects of the fantasy genre. There aren't any earth-shattering revelations, but Asimov had a very enjoyable prose style that quickly and carefully brings his point of view across. Here he writes about Tolkien, applies scientific knowledge to traditional fairy tales (there's a humorous section where he calculates the speed of Seven League Boots, which strongly reminded me of the "how fast does Santa travel on Christmas Eve?" email that now seems to be a holiday staple), and discusses the origins of the genre and many of its staples.
The third section is entitled "Beyond Fantasy", as presumably the title "Things That Have Nothing To Do With Fantasy But We Wanted To Include Anyway" wouldn't fit on the page. That alternate title fairly accurately describes the contents of this section, as it tackles subjects as far ranging as "Ignorance In America" to evolution to translating ancient texts from their various ancient tongues. They aren't exactly the sorts of essays that one might expect to find in a fantasy anthology, but they make for fascinating reading all the same. Asimov's philosophies and beliefs always come across as commonsensical notions that have been explained to you by an expert. There are only seven short entries in this final group, and I wish there had been more, as I found this to be the most interesting section. Of course, as mentioned, the majority of these were so unrelated to the main topic that one should probably just be grateful that they were included in the first place.
No Asimov-completist's library will be whole without this volume, and even people with little interest in fantasy will probably find a few things to enjoy here. I read this book while making a transatlantic journey, and it was a great way to fill those deadening hours of airplane travel. MAGIC isn't a book that demands much from the reader, but it makes for very enjoyable light reading that is still head and shoulders above the average work of most other writers.
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