SCIENCE FICTION IDEALS
by "SPACE-RAY"
No. 1 -- The Perfect Science Fiction Story
Have you ever read a science fiction story that you could honestly call absolutely perfect? Obviously, you haven't; even in the best there must be some minor flaw in science, or in plot, or in something.
What are the qualities that a story must have to be perfect? Opinions differ considerably, but there are certain qualities on which most science fiction readers will agree that a story must have. Any science fiction story could be classified with reference to the science part of it, and to the fiction part. Good science fiction must be good literature. A really great scientific idea may be thrown away by the story being written as one of the blood-and-thunder type. Three stories that most science fiction fans think finely written are The Moon Pool by Merritt, Smith's The Skylark Of Space, and The Exile of the Quiet Sun by Richard Vaughan. Each of these has many points but a large percentage of these are dependent on the way they are written, and that is what makes them classics. Some stories that have a good plot and original situations are poorly written with mediocre characterization and indifferent description; others that are well written are often based on the old mad-scientist and insect-army ideas.
In the scientific part of the story the same kind of things can often be seen. The scientific fact may be inaccurate and deductions made at variance with modern views without reasons for such deviations being given. Science should be accurate in present day known details while deductions should be truly logical, and the scientific basis of the story original.
Comparatively few writers can really successfully combine good writing with good science. Especially in the efforts of new authors does the science tend to swamp the action, or the action so predominate that the science is almost entirely neglected. The smooth flow of the story is rudely disturbed, and a discordant note of harshness is introduced that is very detrimental.
There are three main qualities that a science fiction author should possess: an ability to write a story which holds interest throughout in which real characters are created, and which is written in a style of real merit; a good knowledge of all the chief branches of science; and the ability to combine science and fiction so that a harmonious whole is obtained. And so the perfect story must be written by someone whose abilities in these three qualities is at the point of perfection. Unfortunately this is never the case in practice so that a 100% perfect story has yet to be written. Such a story must have a good style, good action, accurate, original, and plausible science, all fused into a plausible and original plot. Few people agree on the order of these factors, but the majority must insist on good style and all that goes with it, occupying first place. The position of the other factors is definitely a matter of personal opinion, and so the analysis of the perfect science fiction story must end here.
Thank: Charles D. Hornig and also the members of the Muskogee SFL for the greeting-cards
received from them at the beginning of the year.
Congratulate:
Its member J.E. Barnes on obtaining a Scholarship to Oxford University.
(Data entered by Judy Bemis)