Skylark vs. Thought
| Fanfiction | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Skylark vs. Thought |
| Author(s): | Milton A. Rothman |
| Date(s): | Printed August 1938 |
| Length: | |
| Genre: | Science Fiction |
| Fandom: | E.E. Smith's Skylark/John W. Campbell's Invaders from the Infinite |
| External Links: | Hosted online by fanac.org (Fantascience Digest #6 pp. 6-10 |
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Skylark vs. Thought was a 1938 fanfic written by Milton A. Rothman. It was billed as a sequel to E.E. Smith's Skylark and John W. Campbell's Invaders from the Infinite, making it a very early and rare example of fanfiction set in a pro author's universe. At the time, "fanfiction" and "fanart" nearly always referred to original works printed in fan magazines instead of professional ones.
In the story, Burton J. Cherney asks a supercomputer to show him a battle between two spaceships: the Skylark from Skylark and the Thought from Invaders of the Infinite. He's shown scenes of Richard Seaton and Crane meeting Arcot, Morey and Wade in space and engaging in a battle that ends with two projections from their ships fighting each other by throwing galaxies. The universe is destroyed, and Cherney's supercomputer explains that "Seaton and Arcot both went crazy". It adds that it had suddenly remembered they couldn't exist in the same universe, since the Thought travels faster than light while following Einstein's theories, while the Skylark ignores them.
Response
"Skylark Vs. Thought" by MAR was all right. But why doesn't MAR attempt to write a serious story? True, the idea is novel, but I don't give a hang about it. If you're going to publish fiction, publish those that are written seriously like "Good Company," "The Eyes of Paul Cordney," "The Mother," etc. I hope you get what I mean.John Giunta, letter printed in Fantascience Digest Vol.2 No.1 (Nov.-Dec. 1938)