Isaac Asimov

In the seventies Asimov was the writer that all Spanish publishers wanted to publish, or so it seemed. Bruguera, Plaza & Janes, Alianza Editorial, Vertex, Edhasa ... Bruguera was the one who took the cat to water, at least in regard to his work of science fiction, closely followed, surely, for Alliance, not took to specialize in their popular books.

Thus, during that decade, Asimov was an author who seemed to be everywhere in the Spanish libraries. And in the eighties, this trend appeared to decrease. It was the science fiction writer who published that publishers do not even have the slightest interest in publishing science fiction. And it was the science fiction writer known even by readers who did not have the slightest interest in reading science fiction.

For over twenty years in Spain Asimov was synonymous with science fiction. Insurance genre fans who saw him otherwise (although I think a bit, how many were started in science fiction by Asimov's work in the sixties, seventies and much of the eighties?), But in the wide world that lies beyond the fandom, things were otherwise. If a layman in case you'd say science fiction, had a good chance that their reaction was "Isaac Asimov" or, if it was a little more to the parrot, "Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke. "

Time passed and soon the situation to reverse. Reversal that began in the mid-eighties and that helped, no doubt, questionable quality and little to Asimov's novels published from those years.

And, as the Spanish tend to be creatures of extremes, Asimov did not take long to go from being the author of science fiction, the man who by his mere presence defined the genre, a literary void whose importance for the development of CF had been all but irrelevant. And that was not enough. No it was not enough, there was also that hate him, as if we had done something personal.

Because the arguments that were used to revile Asimov ranging from the purely literary (which would make sense, no doubt) to direct pilgrims. Refute its importance as a writer focusing on his shortcomings as a writer was a defensible and arguable position, but deny the bread and salt with the reasoning that the "preponderance public" to call it had somehow obscured the authors really relevant was so stupid and pointless. As if Asimov was responsible for the publishers (and we also assume that readers, because I can not believe that an employer will pull twenty years selling a product that the public not to buy) publish it again and again, or more popular beyond gender would be the product of a conspiracy on his part to any others.

If the editors considered a safe bet to Asimov and preferred to publish it to him rather than try his luck with others ... Asimov's fault was it? Need I really ask that question?

I confess that right now I'm not sure what Asimov status among fans of the genre. If we had a minimally logical behavior would have reached the place he really belongs: a figure of undeniable historical value for understanding the evolution of science fiction and a competent writer with interesting work and a remarkable milestone. Neither giant that some worship or the nullity others wanted to see, anyway.

Although I suspect that we have a minimally logical behavior and Spanish fans continue to oscillate between these two foci, adoration and contempt.

Fan, finally, after all, comes from fanatic, do not forget. In fact, for many years there has been a few people with some intellectual relevance-favorite of fans, who have insisted that we should forget.

As never insisted, however, was the obvious fact that so many fans among the sector more nerdy of science fiction fans as the most gafapasta. But that is another story, I fear, and I'm not even sure it told another time.

EDIT: My memory has played tricks. Tyrann was not the title of The Stars, Like Dust in any of its editions in Castilian. It was like Horace L. Gold decided to title when the serialized in Galaxy magazine. I corrected that detail in the body of the article (while leaving the original text crossed out, for that loyalty) and take this note to explain why editing.

The work of Asimov's science fiction has long been published in our country, certainly since the late fifties of last century. Throughout this period has passed, of course, for a number of different publishers.

The consequence is that the titles of their books (and also of their stories) have varied over time and sometimes it is easy to muster a mess and not be clear if this novel has appeared as "X" is actually "Y" or it is quite another.

One of the most emblematic novels of Asimov's The Caves of Steel. The first issue that I have news in Castilian was translated under the title of The Caves of Steel. It's a Mexican edition (publisher Tlacoquemecatl) and quite close in time to the original publication in English, specifically 1955.

In Spain appear first editions labor summit with "glorious" translation of F. Sesena, the same as Marvel comics translated by the same publisher and head of the most colorful battle oath of Captain America: this "and a ham with frills!" That launched him into the face of a supervillain when he asked her to surrender.

Be entitled Troglodytes of tomorrow and remember that, when it fell into my hands (have been about ten years) expected a prodigious cave filled with sticks and stones in the midst of fierce fighting ruined cities in the distant future. What I found, of course, had nothing to do.

Martínez Roca reeditaría in the eighties as Caves of Steel, regaining the title of the Mexican edition, and the same would Bibliópolis with editing, thus becoming almost "official" translation of the original title.

The only issue it tried to maintain something close to the English title was made by Ballantine Books, the novel appeared as The Caves of Steel, but the title and in brackets could read The caves of steel.

A Guijaradó in the sky could be read in Castilian for the first time as Earth vs. the Galaxy. What, again, promised a fast-paced war story that does not appear anywhere within the book covers. The following issues in Castilian, however (Martínez Roca, and Bibliópolis Readers Circle) have respected the original title.

The Stars, Like Dust has also appeared under different titles. Since starring in the sand to powder Martínez Roca Bibliópolis stars. And I could swear (but I speak from hearsay and I can not say) that there was a Castilian edition under the title of Tyrann strong.

And while we are talking about science fiction, I can not resist commenting on Murder in the Convention. The original title of this novel is Murder at the ABA, where the ABA is an American Booksellers Association. When Asimov, who appears as a character in his novel, ask him what he doing, he replied that it was sent to his publishers to write a novel which he has only been given the title: Murder at the ABA. Why would the translator to translate the title of the novel and tell him that Asimov had ordered his editors to write a novel entitled Murder in the Convention? No, far better to let the English title and, in a footnote on page, explaining that this is the novel that the reader is reading.

There are many ways to load a joke, but it borders on the sublime, no doubt.

The interest of Louis G. Prado Asimov's work and was evident at the time when, through Bibliópolis, republished Caves of Steel. It was perhaps an experiment, a way to check if you have had interest from Spanish readers to the work of science fiction of the Good Doctor.

And it should have because, at first and then Bibliópolis Alamut, has continued to publish the work of science fiction of Asimov. In a format also makes it very appealing to the reader: what Americans call omnibus.

Thus, the Empire Trilogy have the first three novels asimovianas. In The complete robot collected almost all his stories of robots (I stress "almost" because, after the publication of that book it Asimov who wrote a story about robots.) Finally, in the different volumes of relatively complete grouping will Asimov was compiling anthologies of his own work.

Clearly, this edition of Alamut intended to be as complete and consistent as possible, combining the individual works in a way that is relevant together in a single volume and provide the public at a price not insignificant, given the number of pages per volume we talked about. New translations and uniformity of style in the publication design makes it particularly interesting this year.

Is the issue "final" in Castilian asimoviana science fiction? Hopefully. Unfortunately this is unlikely. Not because of Alamut, I hasten to add, but difficult to achieve the rights of all material. For example, it is desirable to collect a volume Caves of Steel, The Naked Sun and "mirror image", grouping and all original material played by Elijah Baley and R. Daneel. However, if memory serves me, the rights of The Naked Sun is now in the hands of another publisher. Something similar happens with the original Foundation trilogy, in the hands of the Idea Factory who, as one would expect, has squeezed the product published in three volumes, one volume at a price Alamut could have collected these stories and no doubt would have worked well in the market. Can we see? I suspect that in the short term, no.

However, Luis G. Prado has been characterized, among other things, being able to think long term. Without wishing immediate sales success (finally, after all, Alamut is not an NGO and aims to be profitable) has focused on creating an editorial that more or less, can still see over the years.

Would not surprise me that sooner or later (will be late, surely, taking into account the rights of the case) we were to meet all of Asimov's science fiction, or at least its most classical texts, all material prior to his return gender in the eighties-released in omnibus format of Alamut.

Meanwhile there are these, so far, four volumes, with its clear vocation (I would say that accomplished) to be the definitive edition of the science fiction narrative asimoviana.

An interesting, useful and I am sure, commercially profitable. Little more can you ask. Well, yes, posts to be fetish, a hardcover edition. Although, who knows, with time ...