Alfred Bester is a great master of fiction

Alfred Bester was a successful screenwriter of television series and radio shows, editor and screenwriter of comic books. But, despite achievements in all these areas, he was remembered by many as the author of science fiction.

Who is Bester?

Alfred was among the few authors who started writing in the genre of science fiction. Shortly before his death, the Association of Science Fiction writers of America honored Bester with the honorary title of "Great Master." In 2001, Alfred Bester's name was added to the "Hall of Fame" list.

The writer was born in New York on December 18, 1913 in the family of the owner of a shoe store. The parents of his father James were immigrants from Austria. Mother Bella was born in Russia, and came to America in her youth. The family adhered to traditional Judaism. Later, the mother accepted the Catholic faith. Alfred, balancing between the two religions, grew up as an atheist.

Alfred Bester studied at the University of Pennsylvania. His specialization was psychology. He studied "excellent", paid attention to the study of the humanities. Being an excellent sportsman, Alfred played in a football team and, from his words, was the most successful fencer. After university, he entered the Columbia Law School, but a year later he left it.

In one New York company he found a job as a clerk and, with his inherent energy, undertook to equip his personal life. In 1936 he married the successful actress Rolly Gulko, with whom he lived until his death on September 30, 1987. Bester permanently lived in New York. In the mid-fifties, he lived in Europe for a little over a year, but then he and Rolly moved to Pennsylvania.

How did his career begin?

The first of his creations Bester brought to the journal Wonder Stories. For three years of collaboration with science fiction publications Alfred wrote fourteen stories. The career of the young author went uphill.

In the early 40s, M. Weissinger, editor of the magazine, was invited to work for the popular company National Periodicals, where superhero comics Superman and Batman settled. Their adventures and offered to do Weissinger. He not only accepted the offer, but also brought a group of his own authors to the company, including Alfred Bester.

The frenetic pace of the comic industry captured Bester. Here, in contrast to the periodical literature, it was necessary daily to invent new stories, dialogues, scripts. But this work was paid much better.

Of course, it is difficult to assess Bester's personal contribution to "superhero cycles". Since the work on comics was a team creativity - they were written by several authors, and in the work there were sometimes dozens of serials. Comics provided work not only for Alfred, but also for his wife. She voiced big roles in the radio version of Superman.

Rolly and prompted Alfred that managers are looking for the author of scenarios for detective radio shows and offer a lot of money for work. The company conducted several detective shows, so it was necessary to work at a furious pace. But Bester had this experience behind him, thanks to comic books. In addition, a group of writers led by a professional in his case, Walter Gibson.

In 1948 for Bester appeared another project - artistic television shows. Televisions were then still exotic, so most often recall his later work - the series "Tom Corbett", which appeared on the screens for several years on different channels. In 1950, Bester returned to the science fiction magazine.

Back to the roots

Alfred Bester marked his return to the genre with a fantastic story "Oddi and Id." In 1959, it was published in the August issue of Astounding magazine, undividedly leading the world of fiction. But Campbell's new editorial policy caused the "escape" from the magazine of many remarkable authors.

This led to the creation of new publications, and Campbell was immediately faced with two rather serious challenges by the magazines F & SF and Galaxy Science Fiction. Alfred Bester has new sites for publications.

Work on radio and television took a lot of time, so Alfred wrote a little. During this time, he improved his skills. His stories acquired a brilliant sense of rhythm, lightness and fire energy and would have done honor to any edition of a fantastic genre.

The edition of F & SF publishes Bester's two stories - "Choice" and "On Time and Third Avenue." In 1952, the Galaxy magazine began a partial publication of the novel, written by Alfred Bester, "A Man Without a Face."

Way to the top

The release of Bester's first novels, The Man Without a Face and The Tiger! Tiger! "Is comparable to the effect of a bomb exploding. Still would. A psychologist by training, Alfred awarded his heroes with the quintessence of certain traits of character.

Deep psychological stories, raising the eternal moral principles and problems - freedom, law, truth, forgiveness, responsibility. Not a single superfluous word is all sharpened and as subordinate as possible to the idea. In each sentence there is tension, like a tightly compressed spring. Books seem to have energy that attracts, and it's simply impossible to tear yourself away from reading.

"A person without a face" opens the world to the reader, where progress in evolution has come to pass, which divided mankind into telepaths-espers and non-telepaths. It would seem that the world is on the brink of destruction and chaos. But espers use their abilities only for the benefit of society.

In the center of events is the owner of the largest corporation, which every night tormented by nightmares, where he is pursued by a man without a face. The culprit of agonizing dreams, he considers his rival and decides to kill. But how to do this? After all, such thoughts can not be ignored by telepaths.

The novel "Tiger! Tiger! "Represents another stage in evolution - the ability to teleport, juggling (moving by force of thought). Those who are deprived of these abilities are considered to be scarcely a scum of society. A spaceship with an "ordinary" crew crashes. The only survivor of the ship, a mechanic, lives for half a year among the wreckage and sends signals of disaster to the space. But they are ignored.

The survivor finds the goal - to survive and take revenge on him who threw him to destruction. Not possessing extraordinary abilities, and having only the power in reserve, he realizes that only well-planned actions will help him achieve the desired.

Vicious stories, a mixture of detective and fantasy, intrigue, lively dialogues, irony keep the reader in suspense from the first to the last line of the novel. Given that the books were written in the fifties of the last century, you understand that the title "Great Master" deservedly received a wonderful science fiction writer Alfred Bester.

Author's books

For forty years of creative activity, Alfred has published less than ten novels. But every book Bester became an event. Almost at the same time with the first two books he wrote the novel "Who is he?".

In the late 50's, Alfred invited to the post of editor a solid magazine Holiday. Bester accepts their offer and works in the publishing house until the closing of the magazine. During this period he publishes only the journalistic book "Life and Death of a Satellite" and stories.

And fans of fiction are waiting in the meantime a new novel. But, missing for many years, as if not noticing their impatience Bester. Alfred, a collection of stories that kindles readers' interest, pauses in the career of a science fiction writer.

After a huge, almost twenty years, break comes in 1975, "The Devil's Interface." Five years later, the novels "Golem100" and "Deceivers" come out from under his pen. In 1991 and 1998, the books "Gentle Violence of Passion" and "Psycholawka" are published.

Alfred Bester wrote more than sixty stories, stories and essays, which were published in various publications. The author's works were published in several collections. Despite the fact that his works were written more than fifty years ago, they are still in great demand today. And also included in the list of the best novels in the genre of fiction, confirming the honorary title of its creator.