How to Read A.E. van Vogt: A Quick Starting Guide
For readers diving into the dreamlike, fast-paced science fiction of A.E. van Vogt, knowing where to start can be daunting. His stories often feature hyper-capable protagonists, strange alien entities, and complex psychological theories. If you want the absolute best entry points, we recommend starting here:
- The Standalone Route: Start with Slan (1940) or The Voyage of the Space Beagle (1950). Both are accessible, highly influential classics that showcase his style without requiring you to commit to a long series.
- The Idea-Driven Route: If you want to jump straight into his most famous philosophical concepts, start with The World of Null-A (1945), which introduces non-Aristotelian logic and galactic conspiracy.
The Empire of Isher Series
This series centers on the fascinating tension between the immortal Empress Innelda of Isher and the Weapon Shops, an organization that provides advanced weaponry to citizens with the slogan: "The right to buy weapons is the right to be free."
While publication dates can be confusing because the novels are "fix-ups" of earlier short stories, chronological order is widely considered the best way to experience this duology:
- The Weapon Shops of Isher (1951) – Introduces the Weapon Shops and sets up the conflict with the Empire.
- The Weapon Makers (1946) – Takes place approximately seven years later, focusing on the secret technologies and the ultimate destiny of the Weapon Shops.
Many omnibus editions print these two books under the title The Empire of Isher, usually arranging them in this chronological order.
The Null-A Series
The Null-A books are van Vogt's most famous and intellectually ambitious works. They revolve around Gilbert Gosseyn, a man with multiple bodies and identities who must use non-Aristotelian (Null-A) training based on general semantics to save humanity.
We recommend reading this series in publication order:
- The World of Null-A (1945)
- The Players of Null-A (1948) – Also published under the title The Pawns of Null-A.
- Null-A Three (1973) – The final book written directly by van Vogt (often listed as published in 1985 in English translations).
- Null-A Continuum (2008) – An authorized sequel penned by science fiction author John C. Wright, continuing van Vogt's narrative.
The Clane (Mutant Mage) Series
Set in a post-apocalyptic, neo-feudal solar system, this series follows Clane Linn, a mutated young nobleman who uses remnants of ancient scientific knowledge to defend his empire against barbarian invasions and alien threats. Although written out of chronological order, they should be read as follows:
- Empire of the Atom (1957) – Covers Clane's childhood, education, and rise to power.
- The Wizard of Linn (1950) – Follows Clane's space expeditions and his battle against the alien Riss.
The Slan Series
Slan is the story of Jommy Cross, a telepathic mutant (a "Slan") struggling to survive in a world where humans ruthlessly hunt his kind. For decades, it stood as a magnificent standalone novel, but a sequel was completed posthumously:
- Slan (1940)
- Slan Hunter (2007) – Co-authored by Kevin J. Anderson, based on van Vogt's notes and unfinished drafts.
What to Know Before You Start
Van Vogt was famous for his dream-logic writing style. He famously woke himself up every 90 minutes during the night to write down his dreams, using the imagery to resolve plot issues. He also wrote using John Gallishaw's rule of introducing a new twist or development every 800 words, making his plots feel chaotic but incredibly fast-paced. Finally, he popularized the "fix-up" method of taking previously published short stories and stitching them together with new material to create unified novels like The Voyage of the Space Beagle and The War Against the Rull.