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A collection of the early works of Theodore Sturgeon, acclaimed Grand Master of Science Fiction—featuring forewords by Ray Bradbury and Arthur C. Clarke
Although Theodore Sturgeon's reach was limited to the lengths of the short story and novelette, his influence was strongly felt by even the most original science fiction stylists—including Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke, and Gene Wolfe. Written from 1937 to 1940, the stories here showcase Sturgeon's masterful knack for clever, O. Henry-ish plot twists, sparkling character development, and almost archetypal, “Why didn't I think of that?” story ideas. Early Sturgeon masterpieces include “It,” a story about the violence done by a creature spontaneously born from garbage and mud, and “Helix the Cat,” about an inventor's bizarre encounter with a disembodied soul and the cat that saves it.
Featuring more than forty stories, The Ultimate Egoist is a timelessly entertaining tour through the early career and unique genius of this legend of science fiction.
Theodore Sturgeon
Theodore Sturgeon (1918 - 1985) Theodore Sturgeon was born Edward Hamilton Waldo in New York City in 1918. Sturgeon was not a pseudonym; his name was legally changed after his parents' divorce. After selling his first SF story to Astounding in 1939, he travelled for some years, only returning in earnest in 1946. He produced a great body of acclaimed short fiction (SF's premier short story award is named in his honour) as well as a number of novels, including More Than Human, which was awarded the 1954 retro-Hugo in 2004. In addition to coining Sturgeon's Law - '90% of everything is crud' - he wrote the screenplays for seminal Star Trek episodes 'Shore Leave' and 'Amok Time', inventing the famous Vulcan mating ritual, the pon farr.
More by Theodore Sturgeon
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