This eighth volume of the complete children’s sci-fi series features a history-obsessed admiral and trouble at a dragon’s birthday party. Norby and Yobo’s Great Adventure The illustrious Adm. Boris Yobo wants to travel through time to discover the origins of a treasured family heirloom. And since Norby is the only way to time travel, he and Jeff become Admiral Yobo’s companions on a supposedly innocent weekend trip that turns into a dangerous adventure. Norby and the Oldest Dragon Jeff Wells is feeling decidedly out of sorts, and not even the prospect of the Grand Dragon’s birthday party on the planet Jamyn can cheer him up. In fact, that’s part of the problem. Jeff had wanted to stay at the Space Academy for the weekend. Instead, his sometimes-bossy personal robot, Norby, is making him pack for what he is sure will be an adventure-free trip. Boy, does he turn out to be wrong!

A Space Academy student and his time-travelling robot stop an evil villain from taking over the Solar System in this children’s sci-fi classic. Fourteen-year-old Jeff Wells, a cadet at the Space Academy on Mars, is in danger of being kicked out unless he can improve his grades. With a little help from the academy’s commandant, Jeff finds a robot named Norby to help him study. But Norby’s no ordinary robot. He has the only mini-anti-gravity device in existence. Norby’s special abilities suddenly come in handy when a villain named Ing targets Jeff’s older brother in his quest to conquer the Solar System. When Ing takes over Manhattan Island, renaming it “the Kingdom of Ing,” Norby and Jeff put studying aside to teach Ing a lesson!

This tenth volume of the complete children’s sci-fi series features a time-travelling space odyssey and a spring break vacation gone terribly wrong. Norby and the Court Jester On spring break from the Space Academy, Jeff Wells and his robot, Norby, head to the planet Izz for a toy and game fair. They look forward to seeing Princess Rinda and her little robot, Pera. But when Norby receives a telepathic message from Pera—part of which is “help!”—Norby and Jeff are sure that trouble awaits. And whatever’s going on, it’s most likely thanks to the evil Ing, the new Court Jester on the planet Izz. Norby and the Terrified Taxi In an adventure that changes the course of Earth’s history, Jeff Wells and his robot, Norby, are catapulted through time and space to find a dangerous and bad-mannered prankster, Garc the Great. In their search for Garc, Jeff, Norby, and their colleagues are trapped by a powerful alien Connector Ring. Now all they have to do is escape, find Garc, save the human race, and return to Earth in the correct time frame!

The entertainment world lost many notable talents in 2019, including television icon Doris Day, iconic novelist Toni Morrison, groundbreaking director John Singleton, Broadway starlet Carol Channing and lovable Star Wars actor Peter Mayhew. Obituaries of actors, filmmakers, musicians, producers, dancers, composers, writers, animals and others associated with the performing arts who died in 2019 are included in this edition. Date, place and cause of death are provided for each, along with a career recap and a photograph. Filmographies are given for film and television performers.

Provides an introduction to American pulp fiction during the twentieth century with brief author biographies and lists of their works.

This new, one-volume autobiography spans Asimov's life for the first time--condensed from three volumes by the author's wife, who also shares excerpts from letters he wrote to her. Although she concludes this work with a shocking revelation about her husband's death, the volume is clearly intended to be a celebration of a wonderful, creative life. Illustrations. National ads

Much literature for children appears in the form of series, in which familiar characters appear in book after book. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, authors began to write science fiction series for children. These early series generally had plots that revolved around inventions developed by the protagonist. But it was the development and use of rocket and atomic science during World War II that paved the way for interesting and exciting new themes, conflicts, and plots. While much has been written about the early juvenile science fiction series, particularly the Tom Swift books, comparatively little has been written about children's science fiction series published since 1945. This book provides a broad overview of this previously neglected topic. The volume offers a critical look at the history, themes, characters, settings, and construction of post-1945 juvenile science fiction series, including the A.I. Gang, the Animorphs, Commander Toad, Danny Dunn, Dragonfall Five, the Magic School Bus, and Space Cat. The book begins with an introductory history of juvenile science fiction since 1945, with chapters then devoted to particular topics. Some of these topics include the role of aliens and animals, attitudes toward humor, the absence and presence of science, and the characterization of women. A special feature is an appendix listing the various series. In addition, the volume provides extensive bibliographical information.

This encyclopedia is the most up-to-date, concise, clear and affordable guide to all aspects of science fiction, from its background to generic themes and devices, from authors (established and new) to films. Science fiction has evolved into one of the most popular, cutting-edge and exciting fiction geners, with a proliferation of modern and classic authors, themes and ideas, movies, TV series and awards. Arranged in an A-Z format, and featuring a comprehensive index and cross-referencing system, The Mammoth Encyclopedia of Science Fiction is also the most accessible and easy to use encyclopedia of its kind currently available.

Arguably the greatest science fiction writer who ever lived, Isaac Asimov also possessed one of the most brilliant and original minds of our time. His accessible style and far-reaching interests in subjects ranging from science to humor to history earned him the nickname “the Great Explainer.” I. Asimov is his personal story—vivid, open, and honest—as only Asimov himself could tell it. Here is the story of the paradoxical genius who wrote of travel to the stars yet refused to fly in airplanes; who imagined alien universes and vast galactic civilizations while staying home to write; who compulsively authored more than 470 books yet still found the time to share his ideas with some of the great minds of our century. Here are his wide-ranging thoughts and sharp-eyed observations on everything from religion to politics, love and divorce, friendship and Hollywood, fame and mortality. Here, too, is a riveting behind-the-scenes look at the varied personalities—Campbell, Ellison, Heinlein, Clarke, del Rey, Silverberg, and others—who along with Asimov helped shape science fiction. As unique and irrepressible as the man himself, I. Asimov is the candid memoir of an incomparable talent who entertained readers for nearly half a century and whose work will surely endure into the future he so vividly envisioned.