Paul Di Filippo

“ The first recursive SF novel still provides plenty of chuckles today
“Recursive science fiction” is defined as science fiction which takes as its subject matter, at least partially, all the various themes, personages and history of the genre itself. It’s a rarefied subset of the field, but irresistible to fans when well done—and Brown was certainly a clever and facile pioneer. The immense fondness SF fans had for this novel persisted for several generations, although Brown is probably better known today among mystery readers, for his many detective books. ”

“ That will certainly mean that she’ll be gone when an experimental moon rocket crashes and explodes on the Borden property, sending Keith Winton through a dimensional rift into a strange and nearly incomprehensible world. A world made all the crazier because of certain deceptive similarities. ”

“ Barely escaping with his life, he survives till the safety of the dawn, and begins to educate himself in the new universe.
Its history, apparently, deviated from ours in 1903, when a scientist fooling with his wife’s sewing machine invented a spacedrive. Soon the habitable planets of the solar system were colonized. But voyaging beyond our Sun brought mankind into deadly conflict with the Arcturians. Now, all public affairs revolve around the stalemated war, with Earth’s forces led by the polymath genius and warrior, Doppelle, and his mechanical sidekick Mekky. ”