Tag: Planets

Isaac Asimov – The Science Fictional Solar System | Review

Title: The Science Fictional Solar System

Author: Isaac Asimov

Type: Fiction

Page Count: 324

Rating: 3.75/5

This book made me feel kind of old, purely due to the nature of it. It’s essentially a short story collection that’s themed around the solar system, with a short story for each of the planets as well as the sun. The reason I feel old is that it was published when Pluto was still a full planet, and I remember those days. I’m literally so old that the planets have changed.

I’ve got used to enjoying Asimov’s little introductory essays, and they’re just as fascinating here as they are elsewhere. He also prefaces each story with a few notes on how scientific research has changed since the stories were written and to analyse whether the short stories still held up with the latest scientific thinking.

There are some cracking authors here too, including a piece by Arthur C. Clarke. Asimov has a story in there himself, too. All of the stories had something different to offer, and in fact what was quite interesting was that they covered such a wide variety of topics while still retaining an overall cohesive feel. It’s difficult to do that, and Asimov was pretty harsh on himself when it came to his abilities as an editor, but I think he did a pretty solid job.

It’s also kind of cool because this was published in 1982, and a bunch of the stories were 30+ years old. That meant that the introductory essays were written pretty much in between when the stories were written and the modern day, making them a nice little bridge.

So overall then, I’d definitely recommend giving this book a go, especially if you’re into science fiction and you want to read a bunch of new authors. I certainly enjoyed it and I’m looking forward to reading more of Asimov’s stuff.

Learn  more about The Science Fictional Solar System.


Lucy Hawking and Stephen Hawking – George’s Secret Key to the Universe | Review

Title: George’s Secret Key to the Universe

Author: Lucy Hawking and Stephen Hawking

Type: Fiction/Non-Fiction

Page Count/Review Word Count: 316

Rating: 4*/5

 

Lucy Hawking and Stephen Hawking - George's Secret Key to the Universe

Lucy Hawking and Stephen Hawking – George’s Secret Key to the Universe

 

This book was okay but not great. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but it did defy my expectations in one key way and so that alone was enough for me to give it a 4/5. The thing that really stood out to me was the fact that it mixed flat-out fiction with a blend of science that should bring physics to life to little kids.

In fact, you could almost split the book into two separate releases, but they do work well when combined together. The first of those is the non-fiction stuff, including the descriptions of each of the planets in the solar system and some information on their orbits, gravity and other attributes. The good thing about this is that it also includes some high-quality photography that helps to blow your mind with the sheer size and scale of space.

The second aspect of this book is the fictional part, which follows the story of a boy called George who makes friends with someone whose father owns a supercomputer called Cosmos. The cool thing about Cosmos is that it can take George and the gang anywhere they want to in space, a bit like a cross between a computer and the Tardis. But there are people who want to take advantage of it, and George finds this out to his cost.

Overall, there’s nothing necessarily revolutionary about this book, but it is decent enough – and it’s sure to put a small on your face, especially if you have kids who are into science. The illustrations are nicely done, too. They don’t feel like an afterthought, but rather like a vital part of the book. I’m glad that it’s a part of my collection.

 

Stephen Hawking

Stephen Hawking

 

Click here to buy George’s Secret Key to the Universe.