Lost Tales of Wonder: A Collection of Forgotten Stories

The Golden Age of Science Fiction would have looked very different if not for the pulp stories predecessors. Science Fiction existed before the pulps, especially in the works of Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, and Olaf Stapleton but American science fiction, as a legitimate genre began with the founding of Amazing Stories in 1926. It was the first English language magazine devoted solely to science fiction. Amazing Stories found competition with other pulps: Weird Tales, Astounding Stories, and Wonder Stories printing their idea of science fiction and fantasy. Early science fiction pulp stories centered around scientific inventions and technological breakthroughs. This “gadget” fiction lead the way until the late thirties. A new branch of science fiction began emerging in the years leading up to World War II. These authors began exploring time and the ability to manipulate, bend, distort, and reinvent it. Futurism took over as the main component of science fiction. The scientific advancement and progress of mankind took center stage. More literary novels set in the future expounded on advanced utopias or decaying dystopias. Isaac Asimov said that dropping the atom bomb in 1945 made science fiction acceptable. While the launching of Sputnik 1 in 1957 narrowed the gap between the science fiction of the time and reality. The pulp magazines devoted to science fiction began folding in rapid succession. The science fiction outlets that survived began focusing on otherworldly beings. Alien visitors, both benign and those bent on world domination dominated the era. Soon, Hollywood came calling and “flying saucer” films took over drive-in theaters across the country. This collection of stories spans the life of the science fiction pulp magazines. From the twenties, into the fifties. This is but a small sampling of stories from the ‘forgotten’ writers of early American science fiction. These stories are presented as originally written, unedited and with the original artwork.