When Worlds Collide: A Novel

All those other apocalyptic books with their puny viruses and piddling nuclear wars have nothing on When Worlds Collide, which is about the smashing of Earth itself into jagged little pieces. Or it would be -- if physics respected the three-act structure. The book begins with the man who is carrying the fate of Mankind in his briefcase: And ain't nothin in the world can stop them. So what is going to happen to our planet is, to coin a phrase, written in the stars from page one.

Well, at least there'll be no more ads for Viagra. The story -- the one with some reasonable margin for error -- is about the men and women who refuse to accept this fate. It turns out, you see, that the smaller body is not only about the same size as Earth, but also very Earth-like. If their calculations are correct, it will survive the collision of the other two planets and take up an orbit of its own about the Sun.

So it's just a matter of building a ship that can make the crossing. There's just one catch: According to the blurb on the back of my mid-seventies paperback, this caveat "touch[s] off a savage struggle among the world's most powerful men for the million-to-one chance of survival. But, if you were anything other than a blurb writer, you'd probably want to read the book first before announcing it to the world. The fact is, no such thing ever happens. In fact, this is one of the curious things about this novel.

I could also have said "quaint. It has that old-timey faith in science and scientists as the saviors of our world. It comes by this honestly -- it was published in -- but it makes, at times, for some For instance, government plays no role in the building of the spaceship. It is conceived by Dr. Cole Hendron whose honorific is of the Ph, not the M, variety , and he alone gathers about him the people he believes he needs to succeed.

He alone will decide who goes and who stays. Meanwhile, the President of the United States rallies the populace to die another day. That most of "us" have several opportunities to die is determined by the fact that the invading planets make two passes of the Earth, not just one.

The first is a near miss. But even a near miss, with the combined mass of Neptune and Earth, is catastrophic. Tidal waves, earthquakes, floods, volcanic activity -- the world is torn apart. Well, all but torn apart; the actual rending comes later. In between, reduced in large part to barbarism, the remaining population finds more traditional ways to kill each other. This is great stuff. Keeping the home fires burning are Tony Drake and the chief's daughter, Eve. But theirs is a romance with serious complications. If only a hundred people can survive, how can they justify monogamy? Tony, a simpler soul than Eve, thinks he can justify it just fine; Eve is more realistic.

Enter David Ransdell, a real man's man, whose appreciation of Eve's charms is not altogether unrequited. Flipping my paperback over, we find on the front cover the bold statement: This, I'm here to tell you, isn't quite fair. Literarily, no, When Worlds Collide isn't in the same league. In terms of its vision, though, and its remarkable evocation of utter disaster, it actually is. This is a book in which shit not only happens, it obliterates practically everything. I'm going to see the movie later today, but I can already tell you, if ever there was a story ripe for a remake, this is it.

And it could be glorious. May 31, Sharon Powers rated it it was amazing Shelves: Well, you can see I gave this book 5 stars. I know, I know. It's an old book, not a "hot off the presses" book. Not a New York Times best seller. But I really loved it. I've also recently learned that Hollywood is about to turn this book into a major motion picture.

I can hardly wait. Now, to the book: First, it is pages, so not a small book. It was written by Philip Wylie and Edwin Balmer. It is the second of three books I have read by the writing team. It is discovered Well, you can see I gave this book 5 stars. It is discovered that a huge planet is racing towards the earth. As the planet hurtles towards destroying earth, a team of scientists work furiously to build a special space ship in which to escape earth and fly to a second planet not far from the one which will crash into earth , that will only pass by the earth and not hit it.

They hope to bring along enough seeds, plants, animals and humans to be able to survive on this new alien planet. As they prepare to leave earth and race in their construction of their space ship, tidal waves occur, earth quakes and hurricanes. But they face an even greater threat that the forces of nature. Groups of terrified people begin swarming their compound.

The scientists fight for their lives and have to fire back on the attacking crowd of ravaging people. I could not imagine a more terrifying end of the world scenario than the one conceived by Balmer and Wylie. The destruction of New York was especially riveting, and how one pastor could go with the scientists, but opts to stay to give comfort to the terrified for as long as he can.

I love how Balmer and Wylie portray the uncertainty of the scientists and how they wonder about such simple, taken-for-granted things as marriage and children--will love have to be set aside for the sake of procreating children for this new world? And, I can't wait for the movie to come to the big screen! I give this wonderful sci-fi classic two thumbs up! View all 4 comments. Sep 24, Brendan rated it really liked it. The plot of the book is no doubt well-known by now.

Earth finds itself in the path of two rogue planets, one of them on a collision course with Earth. Some scientists believe the other planet might just be hospitable enough to allow human habitation, the problem being how to get from here to there The first time I remember hearing the name Philip Wylie was when the University of Nebraska put out this wonderful edition of When Worlds Collide which also contains its sequel, After Worlds Collide. Some scientists believe the other planet might just be hospitable enough to allow human habitation, the problem being how to get from here to there.

Though both the language and the science in the book is dated, there's a lot about it that still rings true. However, the reason I most appreciate this book and this edition is it introduced me to Philip Wylie, and after reading it, I hunted down most everything by him I could find. Seemingly almost forgotten today, Wylie was a working writer for more than half a century, who distinguished himself in a number of genres, including science fiction, crime, and social criticism.

Later, during the Cold War, Wylie wrote a number of books featuring a post-nuclear war America, most notably in Tomorrow! Wylie himself became personally involved in Civil Defense initiatives. But what I find to be the most delightful Wylie are the "Crunch and Des" stories he wrote, mostly for the Saturday Evening Post, that you can now find in a number of modern editions.

Telling the tales of a pair of commercial fishermen in Florida, they are guaranteed to bring a smile.

When Worlds Collide - Wikipedia

So, in a nutshell, you're ever at a yard sale and see a dog-eared and yellowing book by Philip Wylie, pick it up. You'll be glad you did. This short novel is full of win! First off, it is a grand adventure story, with all the elements you would expect - travel, landscapes, interactions with people. Next, it's a disaster story like no other - real end-of-the-world stuff.

Lastly, it's science fiction - describing manned flight off-planet, weightlessness, and the rigors of take-off and landing.

Paperback Editions

All of this written before ! Yes, some of the science we know today is missing. Miniaturization, computers, radio communication through spa This short novel is full of win! Miniaturization, computers, radio communication through space. A modern version would have had several probes landing on the new planet, and the composition of the atmosphere via spectral analysis determined well in advance. The main characters are fully fleshed out, and the "love triangle" between Eve, Tony and David is a good side story to the direct plot.

Yes, some sexism is present. Also, the novel is "color blind" - very few racial descriptions are given. These are but minor quibbles in a very readable story, most of the time hard to put down. First read this and the sequel as a young teen, and my imagination is just as fired by the re-reading. Found myself thinking of this as a movie not the film.

The plot would work today, with just a few minor tweaks to update the science. Jul 22, David rated it liked it. This is dated but fun. By "dated" I don't mean the science, which veers between inaccurate and glossed over, but is convincingly told: Rather, I mean that the book reflects commonplace social attitudes of the early s about the relative abilities and characteristics of men and women, with an uncomfortable characterization of an Asian valet.

So a few interesting tidbits: It's written in The US president and the rest of government are portrayed as heroic and courageous, but ultimately ineffective compared to the efforts of the self-selected meritocracy. The amount of discussion of the necessary realities of repopulating a world is also surprising.

Finally, there are very few wasted words here- it's pages, and zips along. Apr 05, R. Written in the years immediately preceding World War II, this book and its sequel "After Worlds Collide" tell a gripping tale about the end of our planet and mankind's survival by creating "arks" capable of jumping to another planet. These books reminded me of Jules Verne's work in a way, probably because of the fantastic detail of the preparations, the events themselves, and the way the politics of the day affected the story line.

Remember, mankind had no rockets in , certainly none capable Written in the years immediately preceding World War II, this book and its sequel "After Worlds Collide" tell a gripping tale about the end of our planet and mankind's survival by creating "arks" capable of jumping to another planet. Remember, mankind had no rockets in , certainly none capable of carrying humans and everything needed for their survival into space. While actual events have dated the story for both of these books, the books remain viable not only as great adventure stories, but as a glimpse into the fears of that time.

Dec 22, Kay rated it really liked it. This is a classic - perhaps the first apocalyptical comet-asteroid-planet hits the earth saga.

When Worlds Collide

Not much is written about this example of the genre: It is omitted from many "best of" lists. I suspect this is largely due to several factors like the antiquated views of its authors. Where do I begin? Endemic racism, sexism, classism, and disdain for anyone who is not wealthy or successful, informs the writing. Also, the science in the science fiction is at times laughable. The authors, however, deserve applause for this early effort to describe such an event.

The first novel included the following tropes:

The writing is dated, archaic and stilted but the plot and over all vision is mostly well thought out. The beginning and end are exceptions - totally unbelievable. Despite plenty of cringeworthy elements this classic is worth a read. Witten in the early s, When Worlds Collide tells the story of what happens when two planets that have been set free from their own star "some millions of years ago" make their way into our solar system with first a close pass, then a direct collision course with Earth.

Seems as if it's intended as a religious parable even down to the female lead being named Eve , or at the very least, yet another indictment of man's inhumanity to man and his planet. This book was so much better than I expected. It wasn't overly deep, but it was exceedingly well paced. It opens with energy and manages to carry it without. There were a few scientific discrepancies, but that's just because it was written in , and they were very easily overlooked. The story was engaging without being overly heavy.

It was a relaxing yet quality read. I very much so look forward to reading After Worlds Collide. I can see why this book is so popular. The ideas presented are astounding and for its time and they're pretty interesting too, even now-a-days. Bison Frontiers of Imagination Paperback: Start reading When Worlds Collide on your Kindle in under a minute.

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Don't have a Kindle? Try the Kindle edition and experience these great reading features: Share your thoughts with other customers. Write a customer review. Read reviews that mention worlds collide science fiction years ago end of the world sequel after worlds high school new planet solar system collision course read this book philip wylie terrans of beta bronson beta deep impact golden age human race many people balmer and wylie edwin balmer today standards. Showing of reviews. Top Reviews Most recent Top Reviews. There was a problem filtering reviews right now.

Please try again later. Kindle Edition Verified Purchase. I really enjoyed this book, but I'm giving it 3 stars because an honest an unbiased review would find it lacking against better science fiction, both past and present. The reason I love it so much is that it thrilled me when I read it as an adolescent, so reading it now takes me back there and is like spending some time with an old friend.

When Worlds Collide: A Novel of Morocco

The premise is excellent - both frightening and exciting. Watching the literal destruction of the only world mankind has ever known, all of our familiar places, our families and friends and knowing that you are one of a few individuals who form the vanguard of the human race and its only hope for future existence. Exciting because of the opportunities that await with a whole new world to make your own in any way you wish. The execution is not bad, but the prose and a lot of the attitudes and culture are dated and will likely jar or even offend many who would read it today. It can be fun, though, if you want to approach it in a healthy and curious way, to compare and contrast our sensibilities and scientific knowledge against that of the early 's, when this book was written.

I found it surprising that the authors seemed to have a reasonably solid grasp of technologies that had not been realized yet, or were just being discovered. They took those rudimentary technologies and moved them forward in a reasonably believable and surprising way. Ignore the dated attitudes and writing style, and settle down in a pleasant place and let yourself be drawn into the story, and I think you'll find it a pleasant read, especially if you like classic science fiction.

A classic, written in and still a delight. I first read this over 30 years ago and recently acquired the Kindle addition just for fun. The book appears to be complete with few, if any, typos. The story of how mankind faces the ultimate challenge and the trials faced can be inspirational and sobering. If you can approach the story with the mindset that the science presented is almost years in the past and the culture and society is as well you should enjoy this immensely.

I recommend this to any one that has ever wondered, "What would I do? This is a book I remember really liking as a child. It seemed like the perfect time for me to reread it. It is definitely a book of the time, the s. It includes some very unfortunate terminology towards the Japanese. Given the time it was written, I feel the authors were attempting to be more open-minded about race and gender.

They pretty much miss the mark completely. If the reader can completely ignore our current sensibilities, you might enjoy this book. I enjoyed it, but I probably like it in spite of itself. The —41 newspaper comic strip Speed Spaulding , [2] an adaptation credited to the novel's authors, was more directly based on the novel. The themes of escape from a doomed planet to a habitable one also can be seen in Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster 's comic Superman.

In , the British composer Nigel Clarke wrote a large-scale work for brass band inspired by the film and likewise titled When Worlds Collide. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. For other uses, see When Worlds Collide disambiguation. Mongo, the Planet of Doom. Retrieved March 5, Retrieved from " https: Pages to import images to Wikidata.

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