The Blind Spot

Last updated
The Blind Spot
The Blind Spot (novel).jpg
Dust-jacket from the first edition
Author Austin Hall and Homer Eon Flint
Illustrator Hannes Bok
Cover artist Hannes Bok
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Genre Science fiction
Publisher Prime Press
Publication date
1951
Media typePrint (Hardback)
Pages293
OCLC 7329780
Followed byThe Spot of Life 

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 74,200 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.

Contents

Plot introduction

The novel concerns an interdimensional doorway between worlds.

Reception

In In Search of Wonder , Damon Knight is critical of the novel's coherence, scientific accuracy and style: [1]

The Blind Spot, by Austin Hall and Homer Eon Flint, is an acknowledged classic of fantasy, first published in 1921; much praised since then, several times reprinted, venerated by connoisseurs - all despite the fact that the book has no recognizable vestige of merit.

Groff Conklin, however, more generously termed The Blind Spot an "honored classic" despite being "overwritten [and] leaning a little heavily on the pseudo-metaphysical." [2] Forrest J Ackerman described it in Astounding as a "luxuriantly glorious Merrittesque [fantasy] of dimensional interstices" and "a highly philosophical work." [3]

Dave Langford reviewed The Blind Spot for White Dwarf #91, and stated that "You can enjoy spotting the howlers; in this dotty pulp melodrama and trying to work out what'll happen next, information quite evidently hidden from the authors ..." [4]

Everett F. Bleiler wrote that The Blind Spot "used to be regarded as one of the classics of early science-fiction, but now it is much less esteemed." He concluded that while its opening section "evoke[s] a considerable sense of wonder," the novel "soon degenerates into a routine adventure story with loose ends." [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jupiter in fiction</span>

Jupiter, the largest planet in the Solar System, has appeared in works of fiction across several centuries. The way the planet has been depicted has evolved as more has become known about its composition; it was initially portrayed as being entirely solid, later as having a high-pressure atmosphere with a solid surface underneath, and finally as being entirely gaseous. It was a popular setting during the pulp era of science fiction. Life on the planet has variously been depicted as identical to humans, larger versions of humans, and non-human. Non-human life on Jupiter has been portrayed as primitive in some works and more advanced than humans in others.

Homer Eon Flint was an American writer of pulp science fiction novels and short stories.

Advent:Publishers is an American publishing house. It was founded by Earl Kemp and other members of the University of Chicago Science Fiction Club, including Sidney Coleman, in 1955, to publish criticism, history, and bibliography of the science fiction field, beginning with Damon Knight's In Search of Wonder.

<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>The Best Science Fiction Stories: 1951</i>

The Best Science Fiction Stories: 1951 is a 1951 anthology of science fiction short stories edited by Everett F. Bleiler and T. E. Dikty. An abridged edition was published in the UK by Grayson in 1952 under the title The Best Science Fiction Stories: Second Series. Most of the stories had originally appeared in 1950 in the magazines Fantasy and Science Fiction, Worlds Beyond, Astounding SF, Other Worlds, Galaxy Science Fiction, Fantastic Story Quarterly, Startling Stories, Collier's Weekly, Thrilling Wonder Stories and Weird Tales.

<i>The Incredible Planet</i>

The Incredible Planet is a science fiction fix-up novel by American author John W. Campbell, Jr. It was published in 1949 by Fantasy Press in an edition of 3,998 copies. The novel is a collection of three linked novelettes that were not accepted for the magazine Astounding SF. The stories are sequels to Campbell's 1934 novel The Mightiest Machine.

<i>Seeds of Life</i> 1951 novel by Eric Temple Bell

Seeds of Life is a science fiction novel by American writer John Taine. 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.

<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 fixup 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>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.

Austin Hall was an American short story writer and novelist. He began writing when, while working as a cowboy, he was asked to write a story. He wrote westerns, science fiction and fantasy for pulp magazines.

<i>Kinsmen of the Dragon</i>

Kinsmen of the Dragon is a fantasy novel by author Stanley Mullen. It was published in 1951 by Shasta Publishers in an edition of 3,500 copies. The book had originally been announced by Mullen's own Gorgon Press. The jacket art was by Hannes Bok.

<i>Empire of the Atom</i> 1957 novel by A.E. van Vogt

Empire of the Atom is a science fiction novel by Canadian-American writer A. E. van Vogt. It was first published in 1957 by Shasta Publishers in an edition of 2,000 copies. The novel is a fix-up of the first five of van Vogt's Gods stories, which originally appeared in the magazine Astounding. The remaining Gods stories are combined in the sequel The Wizard of Linn. A genealogical chart of the ruling family of the Empire of Linn is included.

<i>After 12,000 Years</i> 1929 novel by Stanton A. Coblentz

After 12,000 Years is a science fiction novel by American writer Stanton A. Coblentz. It was first published in book form in 1950 by Fantasy Publishing Company, Inc. (FPCI) in an edition of 1,000 copies, of which 750 were hardback. Lloyd Arthur Eshbach regarded this as one of the stronger titles published by FPCI. Considered one of the author's most bizarre and most interesting futuristic fantasies, the novel originally appeared in the Spring 1929 issue of the magazine Amazing Stories Quarterly. The novel was abridged for the FPCI publication. E. F. Bleiler considered the unabridged version to be superior.

<i>In Search of Wonder</i>

In Search of Wonder: Essays on Modern Science Fiction is a collection of critical essays by American writer Damon Knight. Most of the material in the original version of the book was originally published between 1952 and 1955 in various science fiction magazines including Infinity Science Fiction, Original SF Stories, and Future SF. The essays were highly influential, and contributed to Knight's stature as the foremost critic of science fiction of his generation. The book also constitutes an informal record of the "Boom Years" of science fiction from 1950-1955.

<i>Conjure Wife</i> 1943 horror novel by Fritz Leiber

Conjure Wife (1943) is a supernatural horror novel by American writer Fritz Leiber. Its premise is that witchcraft flourishes as an open secret among women. The story is told from the point of view of a small-town college professor who discovers that his wife is a witch.

<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 Best of Fredric Brown</i>

The Best of Fredric Brown is a collection of science fiction short stories by American author Fredric Brown, edited by Robert Bloch. It was first published in hardback by Nelson Doubleday in January 1977 and in paperback by Ballantine Books in May of the same year as a volume in its Classic Library of Science Fiction. The book has been translated into German and Spanish.

References

  1. Knight, Damon (1967). In Search of Wonder . Chicago: Advent.
  2. "Galaxy's 5 Star Shelf", Galaxy Science Fiction, January 1952, p.119.
  3. "Book Reviews", Astounding Science Fiction , September 1951, p.124
  4. Langford, Dave (July 1987). "Critical Mass". White Dwarf . Games Workshop (91): 11.
  5. Everett F. Bleiler, Science-Fiction: The Early Years, Kent State University Press, 1990, p.328

Sources