Anatomy of Wonder by Neil Barron

 In addition to reading science fiction, I love reading non-fiction books about the field.  This includes various histories of the field (such as Mike Ashley's histories of the sf magazines), biographies (Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein, and others), interviews (Charles Platt's Dreammakers) and overview/reviews books like Neil Barron's seminal work-Anatomy of Wonder.


Is Barron's book worth tracking down?  Let's take a look and see.

The Patterns of Chaos by Colin Kapp

In the uncertain shadows against a broken wall the figure of a young man lay in foetal position, only partially aware of the devastation which raged around him. Such consciousness as he bore was almost entirely consumed by a battle of equally desperate proportions deep within his skull. 
From Goodreads.


Patterns of Chaos was originally published in three parts in Worlds of IF in 1972.  It was serialized in three parts.  One of my favorite stories in the classic science fiction magazine was another Kapp story.  It was called "Mephisto and the Ion Explorer" from one of the last issues of that magazine.  I can't tell you what the story was about anymore but it remains in my memories as one of my favorite stories of that time.  I plan on reading it again.


How does "The Patterns of Chaos" hold up over time?  Click on "Read More" to find out.