Insightful for Writers
Final Gold comes in three sections, each of which is a quick read. The first is a collection of unpublished stories, some of which are nearly punchlines in length, to the point. Having read the Foundation novels (all of them, I think), it was refreshing to see how Asimov's minimalist approach to plot works in short form (rather well). Some amusing bits, such as the I in "Fault Intolerant" named Abraham Ivanov, the dispalaced author in "Cal," and the abbreviated takeover of the world by "Alexander the God."

The essays on Science Fiction and on writing of said were intriguing tidbits for writers on the inside workings of an unparrallelled, prolific writer who had his first bestseller at opus 238, or thereabouts. You have to admire the guy's persistence and hard work.

The collection of science fiction stories is certainly passable. There's nothing particularly breathtaking or outstanding here, but the consistent level of quality is fairly high. There was really only one story that I seriously disliked, and the rest were at least average or better. A number of the stories would appear to be slightly autobiographical in nature, and it's interesting to see Asimov in a more reflective mood than usual.

The essays that deal with the topic of science fiction itself have been pulled from multiple sources. Some of them are editorials from his magazine, while others have been copied from introductions to SF collections. It's this section that gives one the slight feeling that this is merely a cashing in on the popularity of a famous author. Certainly it's odd to see Asimov discussing the particulars of the individual stories and themes that are present in the book he was writing for, but for obvious reasons aren't actually included in this text. Still, despite the strange nature of how they came to be included here, his thoughts and ideas on the subject are quite welcome. Whether Asimov is reminiscing about the "Golden Age" of printed science fiction or talking about the exact role of robots or aliens in the genre, his arguments are presented clearly and the healthy dash of wit familiar to his many fans.

The final third of the collection is a subject that Asimov knew well and loved speaking and writing about. He has a lot of tips for young and hopeful science fiction authors, as well as insights into his own creative process. Asimov's approach to describing science fiction is to talk a lot about his own science fiction stories. Not just that he liked talking about his own work (which, of course, he did), but by analyzing criticism and praise of his own writings he demonstrates his own particular way of developing stories. I found this section to be fairly interesting although he had covered this topic in other areas (in particular, his autobiography and in various introductions).

My only wish was that we readers had been given some information on the selection and editing process. Presumably only a fraction of the editorials and introductions that Asimov ever wrote were included here, but we aren't actually told what the criteria were. Possibly the editor(s) wanted only essays on a certain subject, but as the umbrella seems to have been fairly wide on this collection, it's difficult to ascertain what they were looking for. It's a minor complaint of mine, to be sure, but it would have gone a long way towards explaining the somewhat haphazard manner that the collection seems to take.

I recommend skipping through GOLD, mixing the reading order so that one experiences Asimov's thoughts in a random progression rather than attempting to view it as an arranged analysis (though eventually reading every work in the collection, of course). Asimov was an author who had a lot to say (a LOT to say -- over 400 books worth) and here is what will probably serve as his final written words on and about science fiction. It's a fitting tribute.

Part One of "Gold" sandwiches 13 short stories in between two longer tales of about 40 pages each. I found most of the shorter tales to be fairly forgettable, but the longer ones are fine pieces. The first of the two longer tales, "Cal," is a cleverly written tale of a robot who wants to be a writer. This is a moving tale which effectively returns to one of Asimov's great themes (the place of robots in human-dominated society). The second of the longer tales, "Gold," is a compelling story of a science fiction writer who hires a director to make a "compu-drama" out of one of his books. This thoughtful story is an interesting commentary on two things: (1) the relationship of science fiction to canonical "high" literature, and (2) the relationship of science fiction books to science fiction in other media.

The short essays are a mixed bag, but the best of them are delightful. They are full of amusing and enlightening anecdotes, often about other classic SF writers of Asimov's generation. Some of Asimov's essay topics include women and SF, religion and SF, the SF short-short story, plagiarism, and the background to the names of some of his fictional characters. Asimov's essay on book reviewing is particularly interesting; I think that everyone who participates in the Amazon review program should read this essay (entitled "Book Reviews," it's on pages 369-374 of the paperback edition).

Finally, a personal note. Isaac Asimov was one of my childhood icons, and many of his classic stories had a profound influence on me. I will also never forget the opportunity I had to hear him speak in person at a New York City convention: he was as delightful and charming in person as he is in print. If you are a fan of Asimov or of that great generation of SF writers in general, don't miss "Gold."

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