DIY History | Transcribe | Hevelin Fanzines | Ad Astra, v. 1, issue 5, January 1940

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Ad Astra, v. 1, issue 5, January 1940

Page 20

Page 20.     AD ASTRA

him they did. 
I don't know how many times the theme of time-travel, which originated with you ,has been used Mr. Wells. I don't believe that anyone else does either. Nor have I any conception of the number of writers who have hacked their way through the thought suggested by the "Invisible Man". As for the conception of a Martian Invasion which was used in the "War of the Worlds"-! Let's don't talk about that!
So you see,your short stories, your magnificent novels were combed for every suggestion which might make a science fiction yarn and gradually certain themes were so used so frequently and were so, identified with you, that those themes were branded as "Old fashioned", and you with them.
"Well", said those who appreciated genius, "Wait until he writes another scientifictional yarn and you will see how old fashioned he is."
You wrote that yarn. The title of it was "Star Begotten". But there was only wailing, and beating of breasts, and gnashing of teeth in the pro-Wells camp , when it appeared. This wasn't Wells! Not the Wells of the "Time Machine" and "The War of the Worlds". This fellow was only a preacher with a long, dull, fictionized sermon.
That's what "Star Begotten" was, Mr. Wells; a sermon. You weren't telling a story; you were merely teaching sociology. Perhaps I can best sum up my impressions by quoting from a report I made on it some time ago. . .
Somewhat as follows:
"------bluntly this is rotten. Usually Mr. Wells is content to let the story point the moral. But in this garrulous and monotenous mass of words he talks, and talks,until it seems that he will never run down until eternity ends and Father Time dies of fallen arches.
The story:A group of Martians, (presumably, the author does not state specifically,) send down a barrage of cosmic rays to affect a mutation which will change Earthlings into Martianlings. The chap who is supposed to be telling the story, turns out to be a mutation.
One can almost tell a period, when the author will pull a soapbox out of his hat, and with a fierce look, bleat- "Unaccustomed as I am to lectureing-ahem-" and then a bombardment of tedious words that makes the victim groan in agony. What has happened to the immortal Wells of "The First Mewn in the Moon", "The Invisible Man", and "The Food of the Gods"? A prosey reformer has taken the place of the author of the switftly moving, beautifully written novels which are due to take their place in the crowded hall of the immortals."
That wasn't very complimentary, was it? But I don't believe any stf. fan felt very complimentary when "Star Begotten" appeared. It wasn't science fiction, you know.
The motion picture "Things to Come" ,and "The Man Who Could Work Miracles" proved there still is that strange peculiar imaginative genius in you; that the Wells who just wants to argue,can be downed by a Wells who can still mix sociology with fiction so that neither gets in the way of the other.
Perhaps that Wells has gone forever. No one grows younger. Certain it is that the Wells of today is not the Wells of Yesterday.
Dont' mind Orson Welles and myself,H.G.; the truly Wellsian immensity of the cosmic concepts which you have created, have earned you life, life-long after we have become tiny particles of grit in the sands of time.

COMING IN FUTURE ISSUES: Material by Don Wilcox, Robert Moore Williams, Forest J Ackerman,EE Smith, Haggard, Korshak, Geir, Tucker,& a myriad of others! SUBSCRIBE to AD ASTRA now!

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Page 20. AD ASTRA him they did. I don't know how many times the theme of time-travel, which originated with you ,has been used Mr. Wells. I don't believe that anyone else does either. Nor have I any conception of the number of writers who have hacked their way through the thought suggested by the "Invisible Man". As for the conception of a Martian Invasion which was used in the "War of the Worlds"-! Let's don't talk about that! So you see,your short stories, your magnificent novels were combed for every suggestion which might make a science fiction yarn and gradually certain themes were so used so frequently and were so, identified with you, that those themes were branded as "Old fashioned", and you with them. "Well", said those who appreciated genius, "Wait until he writes another scientifictional yarn and you will see how old fashioned he is." You wrote that yarn. The title of it was "Star Begotten". But there was only wailing, and beating of breasts, and gnashing of teeth in the pro-Wells camp , when it appeared. This wasn't Wells! Not the Wells of the "Time Machine" and "The War of the Worlds". This fellow was only a preacher with a long, dull, fictionized sermon. That's what "Star Begotten" was, Mr. Wells; a sermon. You weren't telling a story; you were merely teaching sociology. Perhaps I can best sum up my impressions by quoting from a report I made on it some time ago. . . Somewhat as follows: "------bluntly this is rotten. Usually Mr. Wells is content to let the story point the moral. But in this garrulous and monotenous mass of words he talks, and talks,until it seems that he will never run down until eternity ends and Father Time dies of fallen arches. The story:A group of Martians, (presumably, the author does not state specifically,) send down a barrage of cosmic rays to affect a mutation which will change Earthlings into Martianlings. The chap who is supposed to be telling the story, turns out to be a mutation. One can almost tell a period, when the author will pull a soapbox out of his hat, and with a fierce look, bleat- "Unaccustomed as I am to lectureing-ahem-" and then a bombardment of tedious words that makes the victim groan in agony. What has happened to the immortal Wells of "The First Mewn in the Moon", "The Invisible Man", and "The Food of the Gods"? A prosey reformer has taken the place of the author of the switftly moving, beautifully written novels which are due to take their place in the crowded hall of the immortals." That wasn't very complimentary, was it? But I don't believe any stf. fan felt very complimentary when "Star Begotten" appeared. It wasn't science fiction, you know. The motion picture "Things to Come" ,and "The Man Who Could Work Miracles" proved there still is that strange peculiar imaginative genius in you; that the Wells who just wants to argue,can be downed by a Wells who can still mix sociology with fiction so that neither gets in the way of the other. Perhaps that Wells has gone forever. No one grows younger. Certain it is that the Wells of today is not the Wells of Yesterday. Dont' mind Orson Welles and myself,H.G.; the truly Wellsian immensity of the cosmic concepts which you have created, have earned you life, life-long after we have become tiny particles of grit in the sands of time. COMING IN FUTURE ISSUES: Material by Don Wilcox, Robert Moore Williams, Forest J Ackerman,EE Smith, Haggard, Korshak, Geir, Tucker,& a myriad of others! SUBSCRIBE to AD ASTRA now!