Subject: "The Ultimate Guide To Science Fiction": a mini review

From: [email-masked] (S H L G Bisson)
Date: 8 Nov 90 10:21:27 GMT

"The Ultimate Guide To Science Fiction"
			    David Pringle
		   	    Grafton Books

How can you review a book that is composed of over 3000 plot synopses/reviews
of most of the SF published in the UK (with some US) in the 1970s and 80s?
I'm not sure if it is possible. I agreed with some of the comments, and 
disagreed with others, but as Mr Pringle mentions in his introduction, that's
part of the fun of a book like this.

Mr Pringle edits "Interzone", and was able to draw on the reviewers from his
magazine to aid him in the gigantic task he set himself with this volume.

The overall feel? A good book, not an "Ultimate Guide", more a "Hitchiker's
Guide" to be dipped into, or to be taken along to that second hand bookshop
or dealer's stall. For reference purposes, it can be used in conjunction with
Aldiss and Wingrove's "Trillion Year Spree" (they fit nicely together on a 
bookshelf!).

To sum up: a recommended purchase, and a good guide to a fair proportion of
the SF available at present. However, it is not really effective as a work of
reference, but is more a complement to historical and critical works.

Simon Bisson...net.jerriais..."You have a query? Hmm... Do I have an answer?"...