''Magic'' (1996) is a collection of short stories and essays by American writer
Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov ( ; 1920 – April 6, 1992) was an American writer and professor of biochemistry at Boston University. During his lifetime, Asimov was considered one of the "Big Three" science fiction writers, along with Robert A. Heinlein and ...
, all within (or concerning, in the latter case) the
fantasy genre
Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy literature and dra ...
, collected and released after his death. The first seven stories are part of his
Azazel series, while the remainder are three more traditional medieval fantasies and one mystery story from Asimov's
Black Widowers The Black Widowers is a fictional men-only dining club created by Isaac Asimov for a series of sixty-six mystery stories that he started writing in 1971. Most of the stories were first published in ''Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine'', though a few ...
series.
Contents
* "Introduction", essay
* "Part One: The Final Fantasy Stories", short stories:
** "To Your Health" (1989), ''
Azazel
In the Bible, the name Azazel (; he, עֲזָאזֵל ''ʿAzāʾzēl''; ar, عزازيل, ʿAzāzīl) appears in association with the scapegoat rite; the name represents a desolate place where a scapegoat bearing the sins of the Jews during ...
'' series
** "The Critic on the Hearth" (1992), ''Azazel'' series
** "It's a Job" (1991), ''Azazel'' series
** "Baby, It's Cold Outside" (1991), ''Azazel'' series
** "The Time Traveler" (1990), ''Azazel'' series
** "Wine Is a Mocker" (1990), ''Azazel'' series
** "The Mad Scientist" (1989), ''Azazel'' series
** "The Fable of the Three Princes" (1987), novelette
** "March Against the Foe" (1994), ''Azazel'' series
** "Northwestward" (1989), ''
Black Widowers The Black Widowers is a fictional men-only dining club created by Isaac Asimov for a series of sixty-six mystery stories that he started writing in 1971. Most of the stories were first published in ''Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine'', though a few ...
'' series
** "Prince Delightful and the Flameless Dragon" (1991)
* "Part Two: On Fantasy", essays:
** "Magic" (1985)
** "Sword and Sorcery" (1986)
** "Concerning Tolkien" (1991)
** "In Days of Old" (1985)
** "Giants in the Earth" (1985)
** "When Fantasy Became Fantasy" (1982)
** "The Reluctant Critic" (1978)
** "The Unicorn" (1986)
** "Unknown" (1987)
** "Extraordinary Voyages" (1978)
** "Fairy Tales" (1985)
** "Dear Judy-Lynn" (1986)
** "Fantasy" (1984)
* "Part Three: Beyond Fantasy", essays:
** "Reading and Writing" (1990)
** "The Right Answer" (1996)
** "Ignorance in America" (1989)
** "Knock Plastic!" (1989)
** "Lost in Non-Translation" (1972)
** "Look Long Upon a Monkey" (1974)
** "Thinking About Thinking" (1975)
* "Copyright Notices", essay
External links
''Magic''at the
Internet Speculative Fiction Database
The Internet Speculative Fiction Database (ISFDB) is a database of bibliographic information on genres considered speculative fiction, including science fiction and related genres such as fantasy, alternate history, and horror fiction. The ISFD ...
Short story collections by Isaac Asimov
1996 short story collections
Fantasy short story collections
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