Nerves

1956

Hal Salive Science Fiction and Fantasy Collection, University of Otago Library Special Collections. Every effort has been made to trace copyright ownership and to obtain permission for reproduction. If you believe you are the copyright owner of an item on this site, and we have not requested your permission, please contact us at special.collections@otago.ac.nz

New York: Ballantine Books

Lester del Rey’s Nerves (1942) is thought to be his most important work. Set in a nuclear power plant the story is semi-prophetic in that it chronicles the use of nuclear power as an energy source and the inevitable accidents that occur – think Chernobyl and Fukushima. Richard M. Powers (1921-96) began to develop his surrealist style soon after he embarked on his SF art career in the early 1950s. Influenced by the Surrealists Yves Tanguy and Joan Miró, Powers’ art heralded a shift away from the tradition of ray guns and rocket ships in SF cover art. Powers was the artist for this cover.