Status
Available
Call number
Publication
New York : Ballantine, 1986, c1968.
Description
Fourteen short stories designed to please mystery fans & science fiction devotees. Including "Anniversary," "Obituary" & "Starlight"
User reviews
LibraryThing member Jiraiya
This collection contains: The Singing Bell; The Talking Stone; What's in a Name; The Dying Night; Pate de Fois Gras; The Dust of Death; A Loint of Paw; I'm in Marsport Without Hilda; Marooned Off Vesta; Anniversary; Obituary; Star Light; The Key; and The Billiard Ball.
In some ways the first short
The talking stone was the next story. I am of the opinion that the rest of the collection can't match this, hence the final rating of 2/5. The story is taut, there's no waste, there's no place for red herrings.
The rest of the stories vary their protagonists. Gone is the reassuring presence of Wendell Urth. There's even one mystery that's not science fiction, but the mystery is flat and all sizzle.
From The Dying Night onwards, I read the rest of the book in a blur, quickly, to be done with it. The quality failed to recapture my interest and imagination. Some of the stories are too technical, others are obtuse, others still, forgettable. That's my take on 'Asimov's Mysteries'.
In some ways the first short
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story in this collection, The Singing Bell,is the best. That's because some thought has gone into the plot to make the murderer cunning. Or maybe I just like the style? It reminds me of Nightfall and Other Stories.The talking stone was the next story. I am of the opinion that the rest of the collection can't match this, hence the final rating of 2/5. The story is taut, there's no waste, there's no place for red herrings.
The rest of the stories vary their protagonists. Gone is the reassuring presence of Wendell Urth. There's even one mystery that's not science fiction, but the mystery is flat and all sizzle.
From The Dying Night onwards, I read the rest of the book in a blur, quickly, to be done with it. The quality failed to recapture my interest and imagination. Some of the stories are too technical, others are obtuse, others still, forgettable. That's my take on 'Asimov's Mysteries'.
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LibraryThing member Optinik
this book is another collection of short stories, but this time, sci-fi mysteries. with all of Asimov's usual thrill, these stories are brilliant, if a little similar.
LibraryThing member sgerbic
Reviewed Sept 2003
A complementation of Asimov’s mysteries most of which I have read many times before. I read this book during lunch breaks many stories are highly technical, the “Billard Ball,” “The Key,” and “Pate de Fois Gras” which usually just bores me. I skip over these areas
7-2003
A complementation of Asimov’s mysteries most of which I have read many times before. I read this book during lunch breaks many stories are highly technical, the “Billard Ball,” “The Key,” and “Pate de Fois Gras” which usually just bores me. I skip over these areas
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and move on the to the mysteries. All the stories are about men withthe exception of the story, “I’m in Marsport with Hilda.” Asimov writes about an alto ego (?) Wendell Urth whom will not travel (also something Asimov disliked). Actually hated to fly, and when he did take vacations he always took his typewriter with him. 7-2003
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LibraryThing member Hamburgerclan
This one's a nice collection of science fiction mysteries, written by Dr. Isaac Asimov. Well, mostly. One tale, "Marooned Off Vesta", isn't a mystery tale, but rather it's included because its sequel, "Anniversary", is one. Another tale, "A Loint of Paw", isn't a mystery either--it's a courtroom
--J.
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drama that is simply a set up for a pun. But since it's only two pages long, I don't feel cheated. All in all, this book is good, classic science fiction, well worth reading.--J.
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LibraryThing member aethercowboy
Asimov did not feel challenged by writing science fiction and mysteries, so he came to a conclusion that he should write science fiction mysteries. Most authors avoided such activities as it became very easy to cheat when writing science fiction mysteries (or for that matter, fantasy mysteries), as
He instead wrote mysteries in which all things that could be used as surprise solutions were instead brought forth up front or never used or discussed. From this he managed to write several intriguing mysteries, some humorous, and some serious.
Several of the stories feature Wendell Urth, a claustrophiliac expert on extraterrestrial conditions, sort of a mixture between Asimov himself and Mycroft Holmes.
Nevertheless, if you are a fan of Asimov, or a fan of science fiction and mystery, I highly recommend this book to you.
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there were certain deus ex machinas that could be used to shock the audience.He instead wrote mysteries in which all things that could be used as surprise solutions were instead brought forth up front or never used or discussed. From this he managed to write several intriguing mysteries, some humorous, and some serious.
Several of the stories feature Wendell Urth, a claustrophiliac expert on extraterrestrial conditions, sort of a mixture between Asimov himself and Mycroft Holmes.
Nevertheless, if you are a fan of Asimov, or a fan of science fiction and mystery, I highly recommend this book to you.
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LibraryThing member jjmcgaffey
Nothing wonderful, but all pretty good. I tend to dislike Mycroft-style mysteries, with a stay-at-home know-it-all (or any kind of know-it-all, actually), and four of the thirteen form a series with that kind of detective - though I liked him in the last one. I liked the Vesta pair, too, and the
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library one. Dying Night was depressing, Marsport was too weird (though I liked the solution - amusing), the last one - billards - was neat. The two with scientists killed by subordinates were also rather depressing, though the one that got away with it kind of deserved it. There were quite a few with rather flimsy evidence - the first story got around it by saying they could 'psyche-probe' if they had sufficient reason to suspect, most of the others they obviously confessed (aside from the ones that got away with it). It was a fun read, I might reread it. Nothing that really caught me, though. Show Less
LibraryThing member szarka
Great hard science-fiction stories from one of the masters!
LibraryThing member burnit99
A mostly enjoyable collection of Isaac Asimov's science fiction mysteries. There is one clunker, but most are fine, and "I'm in Marsport Without Hilda" is a comic gem with a hoot of an ending.
LibraryThing member DirtPriest
A fine collection of mysteries penned in response to a perceived lack of mystery stories in the SF genre. Several have been reprinted widely, at least I have multiple copies of, say, Marooned off Vesta and I'm in Marsport Without Hilda. Still, each has some commentary about them. Asimov makes the
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valid point that it is easy to deceive the reader with bogus science in the way that Christie hides key information. However, the reader feels cheated as they may not expect the key to the solution resting on residual charge left by a transmogrifier. There is none of that here, just a series of whodunits that can be enjoyed by the most dyed in the wool Miss Marple reader. Show Less
LibraryThing member leslie.98
Maybe even 4 stars for me, but I think that these stories are of much more interest to a chemist than to the general public. Certainly, "What's in a Name?" was hilarious to me but made my mom wrinkle her brow. Some of the stories are more heavily slanted towards science fiction than others but all
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have a decent crime story. Show Less
LibraryThing member pdow
Good stories, and great introductions by Asimov.
LibraryThing member Cheryl_in_CC_NV
Ok, another short story collection. I'm a fan of Asimov, for the most part, but not of mysteries, at all - so all-in-all all I can say is ok.
Language
Original publication date
1968
1959 (Anniversary)
1967 (The Billiard Ball)
1956 (The Dust of Death)
1956 (The Dying Night)
1957 (I'm in Marsport without Hilda)
1966 (The Key)
1957 (A Loint of Paw)
1938 (Marooned off Vesta)
1959 (Obituary)
1956 (Pâté de Foie Gras)
1955 (The Singing Bell)
1963 (Star light)
1955 (The Talking Stone)
1956 (What's in a Name)
ISBN
0449210758 / 9780449210758