Seeds of Life

Last updated
Seeds of Life
Seeds of life.jpg
Dust-jacket from the first edition
Author John Taine
Cover artistRic Binkley
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Genre Science fiction
Publisher Fantasy Press
Publication date
1951
Media typePrint (hardback)
Pages255
OCLC 1621852

Seeds of Life is a science fiction novel by American writer John Taine (pseudonym of Eric Temple Bell). It was first published in 1951 by Fantasy Press in an edition of 2,991 copies. The novel originally appeared in the magazine Amazing Stories Quarterly in October 1931.

Contents

Plot introduction

The novel concerns the creation of a superman using radiation.

Reception

Reviewing the 1951 edition, Groff Conklin praised the novel as "a superb tale" despite "a style that can only be forgiven because of its age (1931) and characterization and a plot that can hardly be forgiven at all." [1] Also writing in 1951, Boucher and McComas noted that "even today it can still compete as one of the better treatments" of its theme. [2] P. Schuyler Miller found the novel "top notch . . . full of the outrageously daring flights of the imagination which are the Taine trademark" as well as "plenty of the biting satire which we can also expect of a Taine book." [3] New York Times reviewer Basil Davenport criticized the novel for its dubious science and "lack of a single clear narrative line," saying the novel "appeals only to the nerves." [4]

Everett F. Bleiler found the opening segment of the novel to be "fascinating," but that as a whole "it suffers from formal defects, inadequate development at times, superfluity at others, weak characterizations, and problems with tone." Still, he concluded, "the novel is well worth reading for its virtues." [5]

Seeds of Life was originally published in the Fall 1931 Amazing Stories Quarterly Amazing stories quarterly 1931fal.jpg
Seeds of Life was originally published in the Fall 1931 Amazing Stories Quarterly

Related Research Articles

<i>The Undesired Princess</i>

The Undesired Princess is a 51,000 word fantasy novella by American writer L. Sprague de Camp. It was first published in the fantasy magazine Unknown Worlds for February 1942. It was published in book form by Fantasy Publishing Company, Inc. in 1951. The book version also includes the 10,000 word fantasy short story "Mr. Arson", first published in Unknown for December 1941. The book was bound together with Stanley G. Weinbaum's The Dark Other in the omnibus collection Fantasy Twin by the same publisher in 1953. The title story was also published in paperback by Baen Books in 1990 together with David Drake's story The Enchanted Bunny, under the combined title The Undesired Princess & the Enchanted Bunny.

<i>The Legion of Space</i> 1934 novel by Jack Williamson

The Legion of Space is a science fiction novel by the American writer Jack Williamson. It was originally serialized in Astounding Stories in 1934, then published in book form by Fantasy Press in 1947 in an edition of 2,970 copies. A magazine-sized reprint was issued by Galaxy in 1950, with a standard paperback following from Pyramid Books in 1967. The first British edition was published by Sphere Books in 1977. The Legion of Space has been translated into German, French, Italian and Japanese . It has also appeared in the omnibus Three from the Legion, which compiles the novel and all but one of its sequels.

<i>Iceworld</i> 1953 novel by Hal Clement

Iceworld is a science fiction novel by American writer Hal Clement. It was published in 1953 by Gnome Press in an edition of 4,000 copies. The novel was originally serialized in the magazine Astounding in 1951.

<i>The Forgotten Planet</i> 1954 novel by Murray Leinster

The Forgotten Planet is a science fiction novel by American writer Murray Leinster. It was released in 1954 by Gnome Press in an edition of 5,000 copies. The novel is a fix-up from three short stories, "The Mad Planet" and "The Red Dust", both of which had originally appeared in the magazine Argosy in 1920 and 1921, and "Nightmare Planet", which had been published in Science Fiction Plus in 1953.

<i>The Forbidden Garden</i> (novel) 1947 novel by Eric Temple Bell

The Forbidden Garden is a science fiction novel by author John Taine. It was first published in 1947 by Fantasy Press in an edition of 3,029 copies.

<i>The Bridge of Light</i> 1929 novel by Alpheus Hyatt Verrill

The Bridge of Light is a science fiction novel by American writer A. Hyatt Verrill. It was originally published in the Fall 1929 edition of the pulp magazine Amazing Stories Quarterly. It was subsequently republished in book form in 1950 by Fantasy Press in an edition of 2,556 copies.

<i>The Moon Is Hell!</i>

The Moon Is Hell! is a collection of science fiction stories by American writer John W. Campbell Jr. It was published in 1950 by Fantasy Press in an edition of 4,206 copies. The title story deals with a team of scientists stranded on the Moon when their spacecraft crashes, and how they use their combined skills and knowledge to survive until rescue, including building shelter from meteor showers, and creating their own oxygen from Lunar rock. The second story, "The Elder Gods", Campbell rewrote, on a short deadline, from a story by Arthur J. Burks purchased for Unknown but later deemed unsatisfactory. It originally appeared in that magazine under the pseudonym Don A. Stuart. The title of the eponymous story is generally reported without the exclamation point, although the punctuation is used for the title of most editions of the collection itself.

<i>The Crystal Horde</i> 1952 novel by Eric Temple Bell

The Crystal Horde is a science fiction novel by American writer John Taine. It was first published in book form in 1952 by Fantasy Press in an edition of 2,328 copies. The novel is substantially rewritten from a version that originally appeared in the magazine Amazing Stories Quarterly in 1930 under the title White Lily.

<i>The Black Star Passes</i>

The Black Star Passes is a collection of science fiction short stories by American author John W. Campbell Jr. It was first published in 1953 by Fantasy Press in an edition of 2,951 copies. The book is the first in Campbell's Arcot, Morey and Wade series, and is followed by the novels Islands of Space and Invaders from the Infinite. The stories originally appeared in the magazines Amazing Stories and Amazing Stories Quarterly, and were "extensively edited" for book publication, with Campbell's approval, by Lloyd Arthur Eshbach.

<i>G.O.G. 666</i> 1954 novel by Eric Temple Bell

G.O.G. 666 is a science fiction novel by author John Taine. It was first published in 1954 by Fantasy Press in an edition of 1,815 copies.

<i>Under the Triple Suns</i> 1955 novel by Stanton A. Coblentz

Under the Triple Suns is a science fiction novel by American writer Stanton A. Coblentz. It was first published in 1955 by Fantasy Press in an edition of 1,528 copies.

<i>Islands of Space</i> 1957 science fiction novel by John W. Campbell Jr.

Islands of Space is a science fiction novel by American writer John W. Campbell Jr. It was first published in book form in 1957 by Fantasy Press in an edition of 1,417 copies. The novel originally appeared in the magazine Amazing Stories Quarterly; the text was "extensively edited" for book publication, with Campbell's approval, by Lloyd Arthur Eshbach. A paperback edition was published by Ace Books in 1966. In 1973, Islands was included in a Doubleday omnibus of all three "Arcot, Wade, and Morey" novels. A German translation appeared in 1967 as Kosmische Kreuzfahrt, and an Italian translation was published in 1976 as Isole nello spazio.

<i>The Heads of Cerberus</i> 1919 novel by Gertrude Barrows Bennett

The Heads of Cerberus is a science fiction novel by American writer Francis Stevens. The novel was originally serialized in the pulp magazine The Thrill Book in 1919, and it was first published in book form in 1952 by Polaris Press in an edition of 1,563 copies. It was the first book published by Polaris Press. A scholarly reprint edition was issued by Arno Press in 1978, and a mass market paperback by Carroll & Graf in 1984.

<i>The Abyss of Wonders</i> 1953 novel by Perley Poore Sheehan

The Abyss of Wonders is a science fiction novel by American writer Perley Poore Sheehan. It was first published in book form in 1953 by Polaris Press in an edition of 990 copies. It was the second and final book published by Polaris Press and included an introduction by P. Schuyler Miller. The novel originally appeared in the magazine Argosy in 1915.

<i>The Time Stream</i> 1931 novel by Eric Temple Bell

The Time Stream is a science fiction novel by American writer John Taine. The novel was originally serialized in four parts in the magazine Wonder Stories beginning in December 1931. It was first published in book form in 1946 by The Buffalo Book Company in an edition of 2,000 copies of which only 500 were ever bound. It is the first novel to see time as a flowing stream.

<i>The Blind Spot</i> 1921 novel by Austin Hall

The Blind Spot is a science fiction novel by American writers Austin Hall and Homer Eon Flint. The novel was originally serialized in six parts in the magazine Argosy beginning in May 1921. It was first published in book form in 1951 by Prime Press in an edition of 1,500 copies, though fewer than 800 were actually bound, and the remainder are assumed lost. The sequel, The Spot of Life, was written by Hall alone.

<i>The Iron Star</i> 1930 novel by Eric Temple Bell

The Iron Star is a science fiction novel by American writer John Taine. It was first published in 1930 by E. P. Dutton.

<i>Drome</i> (novel)

Drome is a fantasy novel written and illustrated by John Martin Leahy. Originally serialized in the magazine Weird Tales in five parts beginning January 1927, it was first published in book form in 1952 by Fantasy Publishing Company, Inc. in an edition of 1,000 copies.

<i>The Incomplete Enchanter</i>

The Incomplete Enchanter is a collection of two fantasy novellas by American writers L. Sprague de Camp and Fletcher Pratt, the first volume in their Harold Shea series. The pieces were originally published in the magazine Unknown in the issues for May and August 1940. The collection was first published in hardcover by Henry Holt and Company in 1941 and in paperback by Pyramid Books in 1960.

<i>The Other Side of Here</i> 1936 novel by Murray Leinster

The Other Side of Here is an science fiction novel by American writer Murray Leinster, first published as a five-part Astounding Stories serial in 1936, under the title "The Incredible Invasion". It was first published in book form, in a "thorough revision", as one side of an Ace Double, in 1955. While no further American editions have been issued, the novel has been translated into Italian, Spanish, French and German. The novels tells the story of "an invasion from the fourth dimension", foiled by an insurrection against the invaders' home government.

References

  1. "Galaxy's 5 Star Shelf," Galaxy Science Fiction, November 1951, p.97.
  2. "Recommended Reading," F&SF , December 1951, p.88
  3. Miller, P. Schuyler. "The Reference Library," Astounding Science-Fiction , October 1951, pp.143.
  4. "Realm of the Spacemen", The New York Times , October 7, 1951
  5. E. F. Bleiler, Science-Fiction: The Gernsback Years, Kent State University Press, 1998, p.425

Sources