Asimov, Isaac: Nightfall
Nightfall
Writer: Isaac Asimov
Genre: Science Fiction/Short Story
Some of you may remember my vehemence for the book written by Robert Silverberg and inspired by Isaac Asimov’s short story of the same name, Nightfall. jeffhowell found the short story itself online and forwarded it me (those of you interested in reading it as well can just click the link above), and digitalred93 clarified that Isaac Asimov did not write the book. It was Silverberg, basing it off Asimov’s short story.
I wish I had a copy of the book to compare, because I want to say that the short story itself is in the book, in the middle section. What Silverberg did, then, is take the incidents mentioned in the short story and dramatize them in the book itself.
So what about the short story? Style not withstanding (it was written in 1941), I still love the concept. It’s cute and ironic, too, that the people of the planet of Lagash hypothesize about a planet like Earth, and call it impossible, because life could never survive on such a place (and given their understanding of their own world, it’s no wonder they think that way). This, I think, is a minor point to the story, but carries the most weight today: our understanding of the universe is based on what we know from our own world: who’s to say, except us, how life might find ways of surviving on other planets? So kudos to Asimov for that much-no matter where one stands on the debate about life on other planets, it’s important to recognize and understand that there is still much that we don’t understand about the way the universe works.
That aside, there’s also the lovely conflict between science and religion. I believe Asimov was atheist, which makes sense, as the short story proves science to triumph over religion, and it proves religion will do anything to keep their people in the dark, pun intended. Compare their religion to our religion, and it’s fun to think about: what does the book of Revelations (their book of Revelations was obviously completely different) really mean? What does it really symbolize? Can it be fantasy at all, or is there a logical basis? These are questions people have been asking for a long time, and still are. It’s important, too, to keep asking them.
So concept-wise, it’s a fun short story. Style-wise, meh. His style isn’t so bad that I won’t attempt one day to read his classics (yes, I know, I’ve never read Asimov till now, I’m horrible), but he uses a lot of methods that are out of practice today, such as info-dumping through dialogue, omniscient point of view (aka head-hopping), and those lovely things called adverbs.
But give the short story a whirl, if you’re interested and have the time. Like I said, lots of fun concepts. I warn you away from the book, however. There’s a lot of problems in it, and even if you haven’t read the short, you can predict what’s happening a mile away. Scenes aren’t dramatized that should be, and characters don’t stay true to themselves from part to part. Stuff like that bothers me, but it may not bother other people. But like I said, try the short story first. Then, if you must read the book, read it. Hell, email me: I just might mail it to you. :)
Writer: Isaac Asimov
Genre: Science Fiction/Short Story
Some of you may remember my vehemence for the book written by Robert Silverberg and inspired by Isaac Asimov’s short story of the same name, Nightfall. jeffhowell found the short story itself online and forwarded it me (those of you interested in reading it as well can just click the link above), and digitalred93 clarified that Isaac Asimov did not write the book. It was Silverberg, basing it off Asimov’s short story.
I wish I had a copy of the book to compare, because I want to say that the short story itself is in the book, in the middle section. What Silverberg did, then, is take the incidents mentioned in the short story and dramatize them in the book itself.
So what about the short story? Style not withstanding (it was written in 1941), I still love the concept. It’s cute and ironic, too, that the people of the planet of Lagash hypothesize about a planet like Earth, and call it impossible, because life could never survive on such a place (and given their understanding of their own world, it’s no wonder they think that way). This, I think, is a minor point to the story, but carries the most weight today: our understanding of the universe is based on what we know from our own world: who’s to say, except us, how life might find ways of surviving on other planets? So kudos to Asimov for that much-no matter where one stands on the debate about life on other planets, it’s important to recognize and understand that there is still much that we don’t understand about the way the universe works.
That aside, there’s also the lovely conflict between science and religion. I believe Asimov was atheist, which makes sense, as the short story proves science to triumph over religion, and it proves religion will do anything to keep their people in the dark, pun intended. Compare their religion to our religion, and it’s fun to think about: what does the book of Revelations (their book of Revelations was obviously completely different) really mean? What does it really symbolize? Can it be fantasy at all, or is there a logical basis? These are questions people have been asking for a long time, and still are. It’s important, too, to keep asking them.
So concept-wise, it’s a fun short story. Style-wise, meh. His style isn’t so bad that I won’t attempt one day to read his classics (yes, I know, I’ve never read Asimov till now, I’m horrible), but he uses a lot of methods that are out of practice today, such as info-dumping through dialogue, omniscient point of view (aka head-hopping), and those lovely things called adverbs.
But give the short story a whirl, if you’re interested and have the time. Like I said, lots of fun concepts. I warn you away from the book, however. There’s a lot of problems in it, and even if you haven’t read the short, you can predict what’s happening a mile away. Scenes aren’t dramatized that should be, and characters don’t stay true to themselves from part to part. Stuff like that bothers me, but it may not bother other people. But like I said, try the short story first. Then, if you must read the book, read it. Hell, email me: I just might mail it to you. :)