Five Superb SFF Fix-Up Novels

A celebration of the SFFnal tradition of transforming short works into
more commercially viable novels.

https://reactormag.com/five-superb-sff-fix-up-novels/
--
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My tor pieces at https://www.tor.com/author/james-davis-nicoll/
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In article <uvrgkf$h0v$1@reader1.panix.com>,
jdnicoll@panix.com (James Nicoll) wrote:

> Five Superb SFF Fix-Up Novels
>
> A celebration of the SFFnal tradition of transforming short works into
> more commercially viable novels.
>
> https://reactormag.com/five-superb-sff-fix-up-novels/

I have read four of them (and several short stories that ended up in
_Accelerando_).

--
"We have advanced to new and surprising levels of bafflement."
Imperial Auditor Miles Vorkosigan describes progress in _Komarr_.
�-----------------------------------------------------
Robert Woodward robertaw@drizzle.com

On 4/18/2024 11:09 AM, James Nicoll wrote:
> Five Superb SFF Fix-Up Novels
>
> A celebration of the SFFnal tradition of transforming short works into
> more commercially viable novels.
>
> https://reactormag.com/five-superb-sff-fix-up-novels/

"A Canticle For Leibowitz" is pretty good, I have not read the other four.

I would add "Ender's Game" to this list.

Lynn

In article <uvrsj3$2e3pk$1@dont-email.me>,
Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:
>On 4/18/2024 11:09 AM, James Nicoll wrote:
>> Five Superb SFF Fix-Up Novels
>>
>> A celebration of the SFFnal tradition of transforming short works into
>> more commercially viable novels.
>>
>> https://reactormag.com/five-superb-sff-fix-up-novels/
>
>"A Canticle For Leibowitz" is pretty good, I have not read the other four.
>
>I would add "Ender's Game" to this list.

That's not a fixup. That's an expansion of a single short work into a
novel, like Flowers for Algernon or Second Game. I cannot offhand
think of an example where the novel was as good as the novella, although
I suppose there must be at least one.
--
My reviews can be found at http://jamesdavisnicoll.com/
My tor pieces at https://www.tor.com/author/james-davis-nicoll/
My Dreamwidth at https://james-davis-nicoll.dreamwidth.org/
My patreon is at https://www.patreon.com/jamesdnicoll

James Nicoll wrote:
> In article <uvrsj3$2e3pk$1@dont-email.me>,
> Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:
>> On 4/18/2024 11:09 AM, James Nicoll wrote:
>>> Five Superb SFF Fix-Up Novels
>>>
>>> A celebration of the SFFnal tradition of transforming short works into
>>> more commercially viable novels.
>>>
>>> https://reactormag.com/five-superb-sff-fix-up-novels/
>>
>> "A Canticle For Leibowitz" is pretty good, I have not read the other four.
>>
>> I would add "Ender's Game" to this list.
>
> That's not a fixup. That's an expansion of a single short work into a
> novel, like Flowers for Algernon or Second Game. I cannot offhand
> think of an example where the novel was as good as the novella, although
> I suppose there must be at least one.
>

I think a case could be made that Dickson's "Soldier, Ask Not" novel is
as good as the novella. I don't think so myself, but I am glad the
novel was written.

William Hyde

On 4/18/24 6:04 PM, James Nicoll wrote:
> In article <uvrsj3$2e3pk$1@dont-email.me>,
> Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:
>> On 4/18/2024 11:09 AM, James Nicoll wrote:
>>> Five Superb SFF Fix-Up Novels
>>>
>>> A celebration of the SFFnal tradition of transforming short works into
>>> more commercially viable novels.
>>>
>>> https://reactormag.com/five-superb-sff-fix-up-novels/
>>
>> "A Canticle For Leibowitz" is pretty good, I have not read the other four.
>>
>> I would add "Ender's Game" to this list.
>
> That's not a fixup. That's an expansion of a single short work into a
> novel, like Flowers for Algernon or Second Game. I cannot offhand
> think of an example where the novel was as good as the novella, although
> I suppose there must be at least one.

Maybe...
Budrys - Michaelmas and Rogue Moon
McIntyre - Dreamsnake (unless Dreamsnake is a fix-up?)
de Camp - Lest Darkness Fall (though I admit I'm less familiar with the
shorter version)

Tony

On 2024-04-18, James Nicoll <jdnicoll@panix.com> wrote:
> In article <uvrsj3$2e3pk$1@dont-email.me>,
> Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:
>>On 4/18/2024 11:09 AM, James Nicoll wrote:
>>> Five Superb SFF Fix-Up Novels
>>>
>>> A celebration of the SFFnal tradition of transforming short works into
>>> more commercially viable novels.
>>>
>>> https://reactormag.com/five-superb-sff-fix-up-novels/
>>
>>"A Canticle For Leibowitz" is pretty good, I have not read the other four.
>>
>>I would add "Ender's Game" to this list.
>
> That's not a fixup. That's an expansion of a single short work into a
> novel, like Flowers for Algernon or Second Game. I cannot offhand
> think of an example where the novel was as good as the novella, although
> I suppose there must be at least one.

Depending on your definitions, _Startide Rising_ as an expansion of
"The Tides of Kithrup". From what I can gather, the longer work was always
envisioned with much of it written, but the novella/novelette was
published two years earlier.

Again depending on your definitions, there's several Ace doubles that
were improved when they got expanded later, IMO. You've been reading Brunner;
I think several of his improved.

Chris

On 18/04/2024 11.09, James Nicoll wrote:
> Five Superb SFF Fix-Up Novels
>
> A celebration of the SFFnal tradition of transforming short works into
> more commercially viable novels.
>
> https://reactormag.com/five-superb-sff-fix-up-novels/

I was glad to see the Nourse, which was my first encounter with fix-ups,
and for which I've always had a soft spot in my heart.

Another example is _Masters of the Vortex_ (a/k/a _The Vortex Blaster_).
<http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?1203>

--
Michael F. Stemper
There's no "me" in "team". There's no "us" in "team", either.

On 4/24/24 9:07 AM, Michael F. Stemper wrote:
> On 18/04/2024 11.09, James Nicoll wrote:
>> Five Superb SFF Fix-Up Novels
>>
>> A celebration of the SFFnal tradition of transforming short works into
>> more commercially viable novels.
>>
>> https://reactormag.com/five-superb-sff-fix-up-novels/
>
> I was glad to see the Nourse, which was my first encounter with fix-ups,
> and for which I've always had a soft spot in my heart.
>
> Another example is _Masters of the Vortex_ (a/k/a _The Vortex Blaster_).
> <http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?1203>
>

I forgot about that one!

While we're on the topic, is Triplanetary a fix-up?
- Tony

On 24/04/2024 14.24, Tony Nance wrote:
> On 4/24/24 9:07 AM, Michael F. Stemper wrote:
>> On 18/04/2024 11.09, James Nicoll wrote:
>>> Five Superb SFF Fix-Up Novels
>>>
>>> A celebration of the SFFnal tradition of transforming short works into
>>> more commercially viable novels.
>>>
>>> https://reactormag.com/five-superb-sff-fix-up-novels/
>>
>> I was glad to see the Nourse, which was my first encounter with fix-ups,
>> and for which I've always had a soft spot in my heart.
>>
>> Another example is _Masters of the Vortex_ (a/k/a _The Vortex Blaster_).
>> <http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?1203>
>>
>
> I forgot about that one!
>
> While we're on the topic, is Triplanetary a fix-up?

Not really.

The original novel, or maybe novella, was heavily revised to make it fit
into the Lensman universe. The "Dawn" and "The World War" sections were
written specifically to accompany the revised version.

--
Michael F. Stemper
Nostalgia just ain't what it used to be.

In article <v0bma0$2gai3$1@dont-email.me>,
Tony Nance <tnusenet17@gmail.com> wrote:
>On 4/24/24 9:07 AM, Michael F. Stemper wrote:
>> On 18/04/2024 11.09, James Nicoll wrote:
>>> Five Superb SFF Fix-Up Novels
>>>
>>> A celebration of the SFFnal tradition of transforming short works into
>>> more commercially viable novels.
>>>
>>> https://reactormag.com/five-superb-sff-fix-up-novels/
>>
>> I was glad to see the Nourse, which was my first encounter with fix-ups,
>> and for which I've always had a soft spot in my heart.
>>
>> Another example is _Masters of the Vortex_ (a/k/a _The Vortex Blaster_).
>> <http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?1203>
>>
>
>I forgot about that one!
>
>While we're on the topic, is Triplanetary a fix-up?
>- Tony
>

The Gnome/Pyramid version, yes. The original magazine version no.

However, thinking on it further, it may stretch the definition of fix-up
as I don't believe the new material was ever published separately.
--
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What's not in Columbia anymore..