>I don't know about the old days, but a recent book called "Mind Fields" was
>created when SF/F artist Jacek Yerka created 30 paintings. Each painting
>served as an inspiration for Harlan Ellison to create 30 new short stories.
>
>Speaking of illustrated science fiction novels what does everyone think of
>"I, Robot: The Illustrated Screenplay" by Harlan Ellison. Artist Mark Zug
>created 32 paintings for the interior of the book.
>
>Bob Hobbs
Well Bob, the illustrations are good, but it's not hard to see why this
screenplay was never made into a film despite having some good writing and
scenes in it. I liked Ellison's using CITIZEN KANE as a model, but I know
the ending (involving a protagonist shouting physics equations) would go
over the head of 98% of the audience, and as movies are a popular medium
(meaning that they have to attract large audiences to recoup their
investments), the script would have to be extensively revised to play. As
someone who has enjoyed much of Ellison's work over the years, I do not
find "Mindfields" to be among Ellison's better work. There have been good
stories inspired by paintings, and Ellison is capable of being an excellent
wordsmith, but the results seem trite and overall uninspired. The romantic
grotesque work of THE DEATHBIRD STORIES, with its modern mythological
implications, is far meatier. (Now wouldn't that book be something in a
lushly illustrated edition?)
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