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{{work}}
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{{Infobox book
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{{quote|''"[[Badass Boast|What you hold in your hands is more than a book. If we are lucky, it is a revolution.]]"''|From "Introduction: Thirty-Two Soothsayers" (1967), [[Harlan Ellison]]}}
| title = Dangerous Visions
| image =
| caption =
| author =
| central theme =
| elevator pitch = A collection of short works that were, at the time, too controversial to publish in any other medium.
| genre = Science fiction
| publication date = 1967
| source page exists =
| wiki URL =
| wiki name =
}}
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{{quote|''"[[Badass Boast|What you hold in your hands is more than a book. If we are lucky, it is a revolution.]]"''
|From "Introduction: Thirty-Two Soothsayers" (1967), [[Harlan Ellison]]}}


Harlan Ellison doesn't think small. The fact that the above page-quote--the first paragraph of his original introduction to the book--is, if anything, an ''understatement'', says a helluva lot.
Harlan Ellison doesn't think small. The fact that the above page-quote—the first paragraph of his original introduction to the book—is, if anything, an ''understatement'', says a helluva lot.


⚫
For those of you who came into the movie late, I'll bring you up to speed: in the 1960s, [[Harlan Ellison]] had the idea of putting together a science-fiction anthology. But not just any ordinary anthology—his mad scheme was to collect stories from the best writers in the field. And not just ANY stories—he wanted stories that were, well, too ''dangerous'' to get printed anywhere else.

⚫
For those of you who came into the movie late, I'll bring you up to speed: in the 1960s, [[Harlan Ellison]] had the idea of putting together a science-fiction anthology. But not just any ordinary anthology--his mad scheme was to collect stories from the best writers in the field. And not just ANY stories--he wanted stories that were, well, too ''dangerous'' to get printed anywhere else.


To cite just one example, from Damon Knight's afterword to "Shall the Dust Praise Thee?":
To cite just one example, from Damon Knight's afterword to "Shall the Dust Praise Thee?":
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''Dangerous Visions'' (1967) won a truckload of awards, and Harlan got a special citation at the 26th World SF Convention for editing "the most significant and [[The Gadfly|controversial]] SF book published in 1967". And it's gone on to be perhaps ''[[Famed in Story|the]]'' [[Famed in Story|most influential science-fiction anthology of all time]].
''Dangerous Visions'' (1967) won a truckload of awards, and Harlan got a special citation at the 26th World SF Convention for editing "the most significant and [[The Gadfly|controversial]] SF book published in 1967". And it's gone on to be perhaps ''[[Famed in Story|the]]'' [[Famed in Story|most influential science-fiction anthology of all time]].


It had a sequel anthology, ''[[Again, Dangerous Visions]]'' (1971), and there were and sometimes apparently ''are'' plans for ''The Last Dangerous Visions'', but... well, [[Berserk Button|Harlan doesn't like to talk about it]] (though [[Christopher Priest]] is [http://web.archive.org/web/20000902203835/http://sf.www.lysator.liu.se/sf_archive/sf-texts/Ansible/Last_Deadloss_Visions,Chris_Priest happy to]).
It had a sequel anthology, ''[[Again, Dangerous Visions]]'' (1971), and there were and sometimes apparently ''are'' plans for ''The Last Dangerous Visions'', but... well, [[Berserk Button|Harlan doesn't like to talk about it]] (though [[Christopher Priest]] is [https://web.archive.org/web/20000902203835/http://sf.www.lysator.liu.se/sf_archive/sf-texts/Ansible/Last_Deadloss_Visions,Chris_Priest happy to]).

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{{tropelist}}
=== Tropes Associated with the Anthology Itself: ===
== Tropes Associated with the Anthology Itself ==
* [[All-Star Cast]]: [[Harlan Ellison]]. [[Isaac Asimov]] (introductions). [[Philip Jose Farmer]]. [[Philip K. Dick]]. [[Robert Silverberg]]. [[Robert Bloch]]. [[Fritz Leiber]]. [[Larry Niven]]. [[Poul Anderson]]. [[Creator/Damon Knight|Damon Knight]]. [[John Brunner]]....
* [[All-Star Cast]]: [[Harlan Ellison]]. [[Isaac Asimov]] (introductions). [[Philip Jose Farmer]]. [[Philip K. Dick]]. [[Robert Silverberg]]. [[Robert Bloch]]. [[Fritz Leiber]]. [[Larry Niven]]. [[Poul Anderson]]. [[Creator/Damon Knight|Damon Knight]]. [[John Brunner]]....
** And ''[[Again, Dangerous Visions]]'' has [[Ursula K. Le Guin|Ursula K Le Guin]], [[Kurt Vonnegut]], [[Ray Bradbury]] (with a poem!), [[Piers Anthony]], [[Gahan Wilson]], [[Ben Bova]]...
** And ''[[Again, Dangerous Visions]]'' has [[Ursula K. Le Guin|Ursula K Le Guin]], [[Kurt Vonnegut]], [[Ray Bradbury]] (with a poem!), [[Piers Anthony]], [[Gahan Wilson]], [[Ben Bova]]...
*** AAAAND the lineup for ''[[The Last Dangerous Visions]]'' included [[Orson Scott Card]], [[Cordwainer Smith]], [[Dune|Frank Herbert]], [[Michael Moorcock]], [[Gordon R. Dickson]]...
*** AAAAND the lineup for ''[[The Last Dangerous Visions]]'' included [[Orson Scott Card]], [[Cordwainer Smith]], [[Dune|Frank Herbert]], [[Michael Moorcock]], [[Gordon R. Dickson]]...
* [[Doorstopper]]: ''[[Dangerous Visions]]'' has a nice bulk to it. ''[[Again, Dangerous Visions]]'' was released in two volumes (although it can also be found as one). And ''The Last Dangerous Visions'' would have had to be released in at least '''THREE''' volumes.
* [[Doorstopper]]: ''Dangerous Visions'' has a nice bulk to it. ''[[Again, Dangerous Visions]]'' was released in two volumes (although it can also be found as one). And ''The Last Dangerous Visions'' would have had to be released in at least '''THREE''' volumes.
* [[Most Writers Are Male]] And White: Despite being a progressive, forward-looking, radical collection of stories, the gender and racial diversity among the writers in this anthology is only incrementally better than in SF anthologies of the golden age.
* [[Most Writers Are Male]] And White: Despite being a progressive, forward-looking, radical collection of stories, the gender and racial diversity among the writers in this anthology is only incrementally better than in SF anthologies of the golden age.
* [[Public Domain Character|Public Domain Story]]: [[Berserk Button|Don't tell Harlan]], but you can find most of these stories somewhere online, if you know where to look....
* [[Public Domain Character|Public Domain Story]]: [[Berserk Button|Don't tell Harlan]], but you can find most of these stories somewhere online, if you know where to look....
** Although, aside of the questionable legality of doing so, most of these stories don't have Harlan's intros or the writers' afterwords, which are such an integral part of the feeling of the book. Just buy it on Amazon or [[Abe Books]].
** Although, aside of the questionable legality of doing so, most of these stories don't have Harlan's intros or the writers' afterwords, which are such an integral part of the feeling of the book. Just buy it on Amazon or [[Abe Books]].
* [[What Could Have Been]]
* [[What Could Have Been]]
** ''The Last Dangerous Visions''. See: [[Vaporware]] and [http://web.archive.org/web/20000902203835/http://sf.www.lysator.liu.se/sf_archive/sf-texts/Ansible/Last_Deadloss_Visions,Chris_Priest this essay.]
** ''The Last Dangerous Visions''. See: [[Vaporware]] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20000902203835/http://sf.www.lysator.liu.se/sf_archive/sf-texts/Ansible/Last_Deadloss_Visions,Chris_Priest this essay.]
** Ellison, from "Introduction: Year 2002":
** Ellison, from "Introduction: Year 2002":
{{quote|"[[Isaac Asimov|Isaac]]...was too [[Out-of-Character Moment|uncharacteristically]] and idiotically humble to write a ''story'' for [[Dangerous Visions|the book]], on the wholly bogus grounds that he was a geezer, couldn't write "the new thing," and didn't want to embarrass himself."}}
{{quote|"[[Isaac Asimov|Isaac]]...was too [[Out-of-Character Moment|uncharacteristically]] and idiotically humble to write a ''story'' for the book, on the wholly bogus grounds that he was a geezer, couldn't write "the new thing," and didn't want to embarrass himself."}}


⚫
== Tropes found in the Stories in ''Dangerous Visions'' ==

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⚫
=== Tropes found in the Stories in ''Dangerous Visions'': ===
The tropes found in each story (as well as in the introductions and afterwords) are listed under the story in question.
The tropes found in each story (as well as in the introductions and afterwords) are listed under the story in question.


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{{quote|''"But--" Words were useless, but the bitterness inside him forced the words to come from him. "But why? I am God!"''
{{quote|''"But--" Words were useless, but the bitterness inside him forced the words to come from him. "But why? I am God!"''
''For a moment, something akin to sadness and pity was in the eyes of the Usurper. Then it passed and the answer came. "I know. But I am Man. Come!"'' }}
''For a moment, something akin to sadness and pity was in the eyes of the Usurper. Then it passed and the answer came. "I know. But I am Man. Come!"'' }}
** [[Humans Are Bastards]]
** [[Humans Are the Real Monsters]]
** [[Outgrown Such Silly Superstitions]]
** [[Outgrown Such Silly Superstitions]]


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** [[Person of Mass Destruction]]: Cassiday.
** [[Person of Mass Destruction]]: Cassiday.
** [[Shout-Out]]: The title is one to a line from ''[[King Lear]]'':
** [[Shout-Out]]: The title is one to a line from ''[[King Lear]]'':
{{quote|''[[Jerkass Gods|As flies to wanton boys]], are we to the gods--''<br />
{{quote|''[[Jerkass Gods|As flies to wanton boys]], are we to the gods--''
''[[For the Evulz|they kill us for their sport]].'' }}
''[[For the Evulz|they kill us for their sport]].'' }}


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** [[Humans Are Morons]]
** [[Humans Are Morons]]


* '''"Riders of the Purple Wage" by [[Philip Jose Farmer]]''' ([[Hugo Award]] for best novella)
* '''"Riders of the Purple Wage" by [[Philip José Farmer]]''' ([[Hugo Award]] for best novella)
** [[Awesome McCoolname]]: Having one of these is a requirement for being in the story.
** [[Awesome McCoolname]]: Having one of these is a requirement for being in the story.
*** Chibiabos Elgreco Winnegan. Falco Accipter. Omar [[Bacchae|Bacchylides]] Runic. Benedictine Serinus Melba. Rousseau [[Noble Savage|Red Hawk]]. [[Pinkerton Detective|Pinkerton]] [[Edgar Allan Poe|Legrand]]. [[Hugo Gernsback|Huga]] [[H. G. Wells|Wells]]-[[Edgar Rice Burroughs|Erb]] [[Robert A. Heinlein|Hein]][[Theodore Sturgeon|stur]][[Ray Bradbury|bury]] ([[Lampshade Hanging|even the other characters remark on]] [[Overly Long Name|how ridiculously long his name is]]).
*** Chibiabos Elgreco Winnegan. Falco Accipter. Omar [[Bacchae|Bacchylides]] Runic. Benedictine Serinus Melba. Rousseau [[Noble Savage|Red Hawk]]. [[Pinkerton Detective|Pinkerton]] [[Edgar Allan Poe|Legrand]]. [[Hugo Gernsback|Huga]] [[H. G. Wells|Wells]]-[[Edgar Rice Burroughs|Erb]] [[Robert A. Heinlein|Hein]][[Theodore Sturgeon|stur]][[Ray Bradbury|bury]] ([[Lampshade Hanging|even the other characters remark on]] [[Overly Long Name|how ridiculously long his name is]]).
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** [[Religious Horror]]
** [[Religious Horror]]
** [[Scary Amoral Religion]]
** [[Scary Amoral Religion]]
** [[What Do You Mean It Wasn't Made on Drugs?]]: In-story: '''GOD'''. Out-of-story, subverted--Ellison even writes that he wanted "a story to be written about, and under the influence of (if possible), LSD. What follows...is the result of such a hallucinogenic journey."
** [[What Do You Mean It Wasn't Made on Drugs?]]: In-story: '''GOD'''. Out-of-story, subverted—Ellison even writes that he wanted "a story to be written about, and under the influence of (if possible), LSD. What follows...is the result of such a hallucinogenic journey."


* '''"The Jigsaw Man" by [[Larry Niven]]'''
* '''"The Jigsaw Man" by [[Larry Niven]]'''
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** [[All Myths Are True]]
** [[All Myths Are True]]


* '''"The Recognition" by J.G. Ballard'''
* '''"The Recognition" by [[J. G. Ballard]]'''
** [[Circus of Fear]]
** [[Circus of Fear]]


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[[Category:Science Fiction Literature]]
[[Category:Science Fiction Literature]]
[[Category:Dangerous Visions]]
[[Category:Dangerous Visions]]
[[Category:Literature of the 1960s]]
[[Category:Literature]]

Latest revision as of 18:40, 8 May 2021

Dangerous Visions
Central Theme:
Synopsis: A collection of short works that were, at the time, too controversial to publish in any other medium.
Genre(s): Science fiction
First published: 1967
v · d · e

"What you hold in your hands is more than a book. If we are lucky, it is a revolution."

—From "Introduction: Thirty-Two Soothsayers" (1967), Harlan Ellison

Harlan Ellison doesn't think small. The fact that the above page-quote—the first paragraph of his original introduction to the book—is, if anything, an understatement, says a helluva lot.

For those of you who came into the movie late, I'll bring you up to speed: in the 1960s, Harlan Ellison had the idea of putting together a science-fiction anthology. But not just any ordinary anthology—his mad scheme was to collect stories from the best writers in the field. And not just ANY stories—he wanted stories that were, well, too dangerous to get printed anywhere else.

To cite just one example, from Damon Knight's afterword to "Shall the Dust Praise Thee?":

"This story was written some years ago, and all I remember about it is that my then agent returned it with loathing, and told me I might possibly sell it to the Atheist Journal in Moscow, but nowhere else."

It also features introductions to each story by Harlan, who talks about the writer, and an afterword by the writer about the story. This gives the reader an immense feeling of the community surrounding science-fiction, and was part of why the anthology was so well-received.

Dangerous Visions (1967) won a truckload of awards, and Harlan got a special citation at the 26th World SF Convention for editing "the most significant and controversial SF book published in 1967". And it's gone on to be perhaps the most influential science-fiction anthology of all time.

It had a sequel anthology, Again, Dangerous Visions (1971), and there were and sometimes apparently are plans for The Last Dangerous Visions, but... well, Harlan doesn't like to talk about it (though Christopher Priest is happy to).

Tropes used in Dangerous Visions include:

Tropes Associated with the Anthology Itself

"Isaac...was too uncharacteristically and idiotically humble to write a story for the book, on the wholly bogus grounds that he was a geezer, couldn't write "the new thing," and didn't want to embarrass himself."

Tropes found in the Stories in Dangerous Visions

The tropes found in each story (as well as in the introductions and afterwords) are listed under the story in question.

"But--" Words were useless, but the bitterness inside him forced the words to come from him. "But why? I am God!"
For a moment, something akin to sadness and pity was in the eyes of the Usurper. Then it passed and the answer came. "I know. But I am Man. Come!"

As flies to wanton boys, are we to the gods--
they kill us for their sport.

Harlan's story is a sequel to "A Toy for Juliette". So Bloch writes the profile of Harlan preceding the story...

  • "Lord Randy, My Son" by Joe L. Hensley

Harlan's introduction to Joe L. Hensley is one giant rollicking ride of undistilled hilarity.

  • A Pair of Bunch: "Incident in Moderan" and "The Escaping" by David R. Bunch
  • "The Doll-House" by James Cross

"[Jonathan Brand] was lying there propped on his elbows, a blade of grass in his mouth, watching half a dozen of the older, more sophistocated giants of the science fiction field dousing each other with beer from quart bottles on the lawn of Damon Knight's home.
"Kindness forbids my explaining why Jim Blish, Ted Thomas, Damon and Gordy Dickson were cavorting in such an unseemly manner..."

"We've been slaves to our tools since the first caveman made the first knife to help him get his supper. After that there was no going back, and we built till our machines were ten million times more powerful than ourselves. We gave ourselves cars when we might have learned to run; we made airplanes when we might have grown wings; and then the inevitable. We made a machine our God."

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