The Complete Novels of Olaf Stapledon gathers the major imaginative fictions through which Stapledon transformed the scientific romance into a vehicle for metaphysics, evolutionary history, and moral inquiry. From the planetary panoramas of Last and First Men and Star Maker to the intimate strangeness of Odd John and Sirius, these novels combine visionary scale with lucid, essayistic prose. Written between Wellsian speculation and later "hard" science fiction, they read less as adventures ...

This novel's title character is a dog named Sirius with human-like intelligence. The humans in his life go to great lengths to prevent Sirius from becoming a circus-type wonderdog, and instead, they seek to develop Sirius's character much like a family would create and foster that of a human child.

In "Olaf Stapledon: Complete Novels," readers are presented with a comprehensive collection that showcases the visionary narratives and speculative thought that define Stapledon's literary prowess. This anthology includes seminal works such as "Last and First Men" and "Star Maker," where Stapledon deftly combines philosophical inquiry with imaginative storytelling. His distinctive style, marked by grand ideas and sweeping temporal perspectives, reflects the zeitgeist of the early 20th cent...

William Olaf Stapledon (10 May 1886 – 6 September 1950) — known as Olaf Stapledon — was a British philosopher and author of several influential works of science fiction.Stapledon's writings directly influenced Arthur C. Clarke, Brian Aldiss, Stanisław Lem, John Gloag, Naomi Mitchison, C. S. Lewis, Vernor Vinge, John Maynard Smith, and indirectly influenced many others, contributing many ideas to the world of science fiction. The "supermind" composed of many individ...

This bold exploration of the cosmos ventures into intelligent star clusters and mingles among alien races for a memorable vision of infinity. Cited as a key influence by science-fiction masters such as Doris Lessing, this classic has left its mark not only in modern literature but also in the fields of social anthropology and philosophy.

Olaf Stapledon's 'Last and First Men' is a groundbreaking science fiction novel that takes readers on a journey through the future evolution of humankind over two billion years. Written in a philosophical and speculative style, Stapledon constructs a vivid and imaginative narrative that explores the rise and fall of different human civilizations on Earth. His visionary work delves into themes of technological advancement, social progress, and the ultimate fate of humanity, offering a thoug...

Last and First Men: A Story of the Near and Far Future is a science fiction novel written in 1930 by the British author Olaf Stapledon. A work of unprecedented scale in the genre, it describes the history of humanity from the present onwards across two billion years and eighteen distinct human species, of which our own is the first and most primitive. Stapledon's conception of history is based on the Hegelian Dialectic, following a repetitive cycle with many varied civilizations rising fro...

In "Olaf Stapledon: Complete Novels," readers are invited into the expansive and thought-provoking universe crafted by one of science fiction's founding figures. This collection showcases Stapledon's distinct literary style, characterized by his philosophical depth and imaginative storytelling, which often merges poetic language with grand speculative concepts. Spanning themes such as humanity's future, extraterrestrial life, and the evolution of consciousness, the narratives challenge rea...

Star Maker is a science fiction novel by Olaf Stapledon, published in 1937. The book describes a history of life in the universe, dwarfing in scale Stapledon's previous book, Last and First Men (1930), a history of the human species over two billion years. Star Maker tackles philosophical themes such as the essence of life, of birth, decay and death, and the relationship between creation and creator. A pervading theme is that of progressive unity within and between different civilizations....

Beyond the Unexplored Space: The Philosophy & Science-Fiction Works of Olaf Stapledon gathers the visionary range of a writer who transformed speculative fiction into a vehicle for metaphysical inquiry. Moving from cosmic histories and future anthropology to meditations on mind, community, and extinction, the volume reveals Stapledon's austere yet exalted prose: panoramic, philosophical, and frequently sublime. Its literary context lies between Wellsian scientific romance, modernist experi...

Sirius is Thomas Trelone's great experiment - a huge, handsome dog with the brain and intelligence of a human being. Raised and educated in Trelone's own family alongside Plaxy, his youngest daughter, Sirius is a truly remarkable and gifted creature. His relationship with the Trelones, particularly with Plaxy, is deep and close, and his inquiring mind ranges across the spectrum of human knowledge and experience. But Sirius isn't human and the conflicts and inner turmoil that torture him ca...

This novel explores the theme of the superman in the character of John Wainwright, whose super-normal human mentality inevitably leads to conflict with normal human society and threatens the destruction of the utopian colony founded by John and other superhumans.