Gutenberg Sci-Fi accusations

Robert Crowther Jan 2022
Last Modified: Feb 2025

In the introduction to the article on Gutenberg Sci‐Fi I wrote that most of the writing was ‘hardcore’ sci‐fi. This covers up a truckload of differences between the downloads. This stuff is forever called ‘Sci‐Fi’, a dumpground meaning ‘pulp fiction which is not a Western, Detectives, Pornography, Romance or Gangsters’. Here’s a list of what it is. Or what I say it is,

Notes,

Title/Author PsychFiSciFiSocFi HistoricalSocFi AlternativeSocFi FutureOperaFantasy
Flatland, Edwin Abbot Abbot yy
Industrial Revolution, Poul Anderson y
One Shot, James Blish yy
The Push of a Finger, Alfred Bester yyy
The Blue Behemoth, Leigh Brackett y
The Citadel, Algis Budrys y
Die, Shadow!, Algis Budry yy
RUR, Karel Capek yy
The Eyes Have It, Philip K. Dick y
The Hanging Stranger, Philip K. Dick yyy
The Piper in The Woods, Philip K. Dick yy
The Gun, Philip K. Dick yy
Heel!, Philip Jose Farmer yyy
Deathworld, Harry Harrison yyy
The Misplaced Battleship, Harry Harrison yyy
Planet Of The Damned, Harry Harrison yyy
Special Delivery, Damon Knight y
The Ego Machine, Henry Kuttner y
The Pirates of Ersatz, Murray Leinster yyy
A Pail of Air, Friz Lieber yy
Dr. Kometevsky’s Day, Friz Lieber yy
The Snowbank Orbit, Friz Lieber yy
The 64‐Square Madhouse, Friz Lieber yy
Riya’s Foundling, Algis Budrys yy
The Marching Morons, Cyril Kornbluth yyy
With These Hands, Cyril Kornbluth yyy
The Luckiest Man in Denv, Cyril Kornbluth yyy
West of the Sun, Edgar Pangborn y
Angel’s Egg, Edgar Pangborn yy
Wolfbane, Frederik Pohl and Cyril Kornbluth yyy
The Blue Star, Fletcher Pratt yyy
Ask a Foolish Question, Robert Sheckley yy
Keep Your Shape, Robert Sheckley yyy
The Game of Rat and Dragon, Cordwainer Smith y
First Lensman, Doc E.E. Smith yy