Tales Beyond Time Explained

Tales Beyond Time
Author:edited by L. Sprague de Camp and Catherine Crook de Camp
Illustrator:Ati Forberg
Cover Artist:Ati Forberg
Country:United States
Language:English
Genre:Fantasy and science fiction
Publisher:Lothrop Lee & Shepard
Release Date:1973
Media Type:Print (Hardback)
Pages:159
Oclc:00672965
Preceded By:3000 Years of Fantasy and Science Fiction
Followed By:Creatures of the Cosmos

Tales Beyond Time: From Fantasy to Science Fiction is an anthology of fantasy and science fiction short stories, edited by American writers L. Sprague de Camp and Catherine Crook de Camp. It was first published in hardcover by Lothrop Lee & Shepard in 1973,[1] and in paperback by William Morrow;[1] a large print edition followed from G. K. Hall & Co. in 1974. It was the second such anthology assembled by the de Camps, following their earlier 3000 Years of Fantasy and Science Fiction (1972). The book collects ten tales by various authors, with an overall introduction and bibliography by the de Camps.

Contents

Reception

Elizabeth Haynes in Library Journal notes that as an attempt "to introduce readers to fantasy and science fiction, ... this collection, intended for a younger age group then [sic] Asimov's Tomorrow's Children (Doubleday, 1966), will find a place in most collections." She notes that "[s]ome of the tales are tragic or sad, others are scary, and a few are fun. ... Most of the stories ... are not readily available in anthologies."[2]

Mary Virginia Gaver in Instructor writes: "Adult in tone and yet sixth grade in reading level, this excellent collection should be popular with children; a brief bibliography of "Longer stories too good to be missed" is an excellent guide to further reading by teachers and children alike."[3]

A brief review in Amra noted all the stories in the collection as "appropriate for introducing younger readers to the field."[4]

Theodore Sturgeon, in The New York Times, likened the book to a similar volume of excerpts from juvenile novels from which he had once allowed children to select gift books. "The same sort of thing might well be done with TALES BEYOND TIME, ... and if it leads one to Lloyd Alexander and his priceless time cat Gareth (as only one example) it's a gift-giver's bonus.[5]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Laughlin, Charlotte . Daniel J. H. Levack . De Camp: An L. Sprague de Camp Bibliography . San Francisco . Underwood/Miller . 1983 . 114.
  2. Haynes, Elizabeth. Review in Library Journal, v. 98, no.13, July 1973, page 2192.
  3. Gaver, Mary Virginia. Review in Instructor, v. 83, no. 1, August/September 1973, page 74.
  4. Review in Amra v. 2, no. 60, September 1973, page 21.
  5. Sturgeon, Theodore. Review in The New York Times, February 24, 1974, page 311.