Unlike the majority of science fiction paperbacks that I’ve thus far presented, Citadel Twilight’s the Science Fiction Stories of Rudyard Kipling is a trade paperback, of physically larger format than a conventional paperback.
More importantly, the book’s content: Given the era during which the stories in the book were composed – the late 1880s through 1930 – Rudyard Kipling’s tales have a strikingly different literary style than “Golden Age”, let alone contemporary, science fiction. The stories emphasize descriptions of technology and physical setting far more than a narrative of action (albeit, action there is), and place less emphasis on character development than character interaction.
While I cannot characterize the stories as memorable, I certainly can characterize them as interesting.
In terms of the book’s art, none of Kipling’s stories mention, allude to, or remotely hint at a trio of flying saucers (let alone a solitary flying dinner plate) as illustrated on the cover. Perhaps this art was chosen to simply lend the book’s cover a dramatic and attractive “science fiction” air.
Otherwise, the skyline of the flaming city reminds me vastly less of London, than – perhaps?! – an early twentieth century American metropolis…
Contents
Kipling’s Major Publications – uncredited essay
About Rudyard Kipling – essay by John Brunner
“A Matter of Fact”, from The People, January 24, 1892, later in Many Inventions (1893)
“The Ship That Found Herself”, from The Idler, December, 1895, later in The Day’s Work (1898)
“.007”, first published as “.007: The Story of an American Locomotive”, in Scribner’s Magazine, August, 1897, later in The Day’s Work (1898)
“Wireless”, from Traffics and Discoveries, 1904 (possibly first published August, 1902)
“With the Night Mail”, from McClure’s, November, 1905
“As Easy As A.B.C.”, first published as “As Easy as A.B.C.”: A Tale of 2150 A.D.”, from The London Magazine, March – April, 1912, later in A Diversity of Creatures, April 17 and 27, 1917
“In the Same Boat”, from a Diversity of Creatures, April 17 and 27, 1917 (possibly first published December, 1911)
“The Eye of Allah”, from The Strand Magazine, September, 1926
“Unprofessional”, from Limits and Rewards, 1932 (possibly first published October, 1930)
“The Fairies’ Siege”, 1901, first published in John Brunner Presents Rudyard Kipling’s Science Fiction, October, 1992
Reference
The Science Fiction Stories of Rudyard Kipling, at Internet Speculative Fiction Database
