4/6/22

Well that's a bizarre little story. On one hand, it's 1960s scifi in a nutshell, full of tensions about the 'Other Side' (obvious enough), weird but fascinating scientific gadgets and ideas, sexism, and with odd pacing and dialog. It's pretty much what I remember from other Asimov novels, although it's been a while.

Which is amusing, given that unlike what I'd guessed, in this case the movie actually game first. Based on a short by Otto Klement and Jerome Bixby, Asimov only got involved in the novelization--and then only if he was given leave to do the science properly. For the most part, he did. I don't know enough ananotomy to know if anything in particular is wrong, but it makes me want to know *more*, which I think is pretty much the entire point of the thing.

Otherwise, the entire plot is adventure driven: a (rather oddball) team must used a mostly untested technology to shrink down small enough to fit into a human bloodstream in order to remove a life threatening clot. Of course things go wrong (wouldn't be much of a book otherwise) and they end up on a rather circuitous route. Will they make it out and save the day? Of course. But what's going to go wrong first? Well that's the story!

There's a romance subplot, which is about as subtle as a brick to the face and sexist as heck. But I guess that's what they needed for the film? So it goes.

Overall, the first third or so (before they actually shrink or even know what's going on) eis boring and stilted to the extreme. Once things get going though, it's quite an enjoying ride. ( )

WHO cares about the movie. GRUMPY OLD MEN.
I loved this book because it is the grownup version of that one Magic School Bus book when they enter the body and thus it is AMAZING!!!
I like real science in my Sci-Fi and this came in. ( )

After a scientist named Benes is successfully transported into the country from enemy territory, an assassination attempt leaves him with a dangerous and inoperable clot at the base of his brain.

The situation falls under the jurisdiction of the CMDF (Combined Miniature Defense Force) run by General Alan Carter and Colonel Donald Reid. Once Benes is stabilized far underground in CMDF headquarters, a team is formed that will be miniaturized and injected into Benes’s bloodstream to destroy the clot from inside his body using a laser.

The team consists of civilian CMO Michaels, neurosurgeon Peter Duvall and his assistant Cora Peterson, special agent Charles Grant—who smuggled Benes into the country—and Captain William Owens, designer and pilot of the experimental submarine Proteus, which will carry the crew through Benes’s circulatory system. They are given one hour to complete the mission and exit Benes’s body before the miniaturization effect begins to reverse.

As if this were not dangerous enough, there is suspicion that one among the crew might be an agent for the Other Side, sent to kill Benes. Every setback and mishap causes yet another member of the team to come under scrutiny as precious time ticks away…

Contrary to popular belief, the classic film Fantastic Voyage was not based on the novel by Isaac Asimov. It’s the other way around. Otto Klement and Jay Lewis Bixby wrote the original story, which was adapted for the screen by Harry Kleiner and David Duncan. Asimov was hired on to write the novelization of the movie and he did a decent job with the material. While character development is non-existent (with the most interesting being Grant, Duvall, Michaels, and Peterson) the pacing is perfect and the challenges that plague our heroes at almost every turn maintain solid tension through to the end. ( )

I was just trying to remember when I first became a science fiction fan ... I remember reading Fantastic Voyage when I was about 13.
Borrowed the book from my school (Katong Convent in Singapore) library; and remember loving it.

It's possible I'll remember earlier books that belong in the SF genre, but for now (Jan 2016), perhaps this might serve as my first :)
I remember being fascinated by the biology and science incorporated into the narrative.
Hard" Science still has a special place in my heart ... makes it go pitter-patter ;-)

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