One of the great human tales of the passion for exploration and the price paid by those left behind.Īverage. A riveting tale of peril, panic, despair, perseverance, and unstopping rain on Venus. To their dismay, astronauts land on a planet the same day that the Messiah comes. A rural man south of the United States is barely effected by the end of the world up north.Īverage. In a story written before the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, Black people prepare for vengeance on the white people who are about to land on their planet.

A heartbreaking story of astronauts last conversations as they float to their deaths following an explosion of their rocket ship. Spoiled children are spending way too much time in their new playroom, recreating the African Veldt and its wildlife. 6 great / 10 good / 3 average / 0 poor / 0 DNF. He has enough money to send only one member of the family. A junkyard owner watches the Rockets and dreams of a trip to Mars. “The Rocket.” Another family story of heartbreaking beauty. And they are playing with imaginary friends.

Beneath the not-at-all-watchful eyes of their parents, young children have started playing a new game. “Zero Hour.” A sinister take on the games that children play. A married couple flee their dystopian present full of war in favor of 1938 Mexico. “The Fox and the Forest.” Luscious in the environment and terrifying in suspense. He takes the structure of science fiction to tell an eternal story of husbands and wives and fathers and sons and work and family. “The Rocket Man.” The quiet human story of a Rocket Man’s relationship with his family. The final conversations of astronauts lost in space after an accident dredge the raw feelings of lost opportunities, seething angry, and unfinished business. “Kaleidoscope.” Tragic, painful, and undeniably human. By the time their parents notice and care, it may be too late. Spoiled children keep playing in a ‘virtual reality’ version of the African Veldt. “The Veldt.” This is a well known classic, but one that feels as fresh as ever. Some of the truly great stories in this collection are: While the language and circumstances may seem quaint to a modern reading, the messages and emotions are truly timeless. More than that, it is worth thinking about. Almost every word of this collection is worth reading. Some of Bradbury’s all time classics are here as well as his most important themes: Mars, Rockets, Family, and Midwestern Americana. This reads like the gems from a lifetime of writing Science Fiction and yet it is merely stories from 1947 through 1951. It is easy to forget that this isn’t a “Best of Ray Bradbury” collection.

Buy a copy from Amazon and support this blog. AVERAGE STORY: 4.16 6 great / 10 good / 3 average / 0 poor / 0 DNF.

Bradbury the illustrated man