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OtherRealms Issue 25 Part 10
Electronic OtherRealms #25
Summer/Fall, 1989
Part 10 of 17
Copyright 1989 by Chuq Von Rospach
All Rights Reserved
OtherRealms may not be reproduced without permission from Chuq Von Rospach.
Permission is given to electronically distribute this
issue only if all copyrights, author credits and return
addresses remain intact. No article may be reprinted or re-used
without permission of the author.
From Beyond the Edge
Reviews by our readers (Part 2, continued)
Limbo System [***]
Rick Cook
Baen Books $3.50 305pp
The starship Maxwell makes First Contact with an alien civilization. The
whole book is about how the contact affects the various factions on the
Maxwell and the aliens. The Maxwell crew is a misfit crew chosen more
for political reasons than competence. The aliens have not had a war for
millennia and some humans mistake this for a superior civilization when
the reality is the aliens have formalized warfare that stops short of
open fighting.
The characterization is quite good even although the characters tend
towards stereotypes. The development of the plot is well done if
predictable. With a name like Derfuerher, you know who is the main
villain and his eventual faith. On the whole this is a much more
sophisticated and realistic First Contact story than most.
-- Danny Low
Nightshade
Jack Butler
276 pp, The Atlantic Monthly Press.$18.95
Making Mars livable could provide the stuff of grand technoepic -- but
the ever-inventive Jack Butler, accomplished poet and novelist (Jujitsu
for Christ), has chosen to give us a mad jape, a stylish turn through
the labyrinths of science fiction's own self-made worlds.
The swirling action revolves around a seemingly stock figure, John
Shade, an omnicompetent immortal who lurches through the complicated
interstices of Martian politics. The plot ramifies as so many science
fiction epics do, preoccupied with skulduggery and power, but elevated
by the plain fact that here, technology is destiny. Shade's allies are
humans with brains partly replaced by digitized intelligence, and an
engaging artificial intelligence, Mandrake, who reflects on our amusing
traits: "'Nor do I observe that most humans resent the fact that their
own lives are played out chiefly in the service of DNA, of a living
stuff that is perhaps not aware of humans at all, or aware of them only
as carriers, means to an end -- peripherals, shall we say?"')
Mandrake allows the author to wax philosophical, so that the book
ricochets between spirited action and sober reflection. "'You think
forgetting is losing information, but it isn't, not unless there's
damage. Forgetting is absorption. The things you know become you. They
aren't isolated little packets of information any more."' Butler uses
science fiction's devices for gaining perspectives on ourselves with the
savvy of a longtime genre reader, fully aware of the threadbare devices
the field sometimes employs. Like much science fiction, it is not
content to take in less than everything, so we get intersections of
social, economic, personal and scientific vectors -- the real world, in
other words, not a minimalist reduction. But this future is not a dry
lecture: "Man was not made for full gravity. Think of it: You lie on
your lover, warm, for hours, and she breathes easy. Legs and arms don't
go numb from pressure, the folds in the covers don't hitch and bind.")
Through it all strides Shade, centuries-old but not solemn: "Thought is
the one genuine pleasure, but the monotonous universe keeps breaking in
with its schedules, its insistence on stupid, repetitive melodrama, and
bingo, bango, boingo, there you are in Car Chase City again.") He is
engaging, strange, emotionally rounded, and Butler brings off the
difficult task of depicting the rub of time on a personality: "You begin
to see ideas as works of art, created unaware from the guts of the
species and lasting from generation to generation. They do not so much
explain reality, as everyone thinks they are meant to, as enter it,
furthering and complicating the plot.')
But Shade is more still: a vampire. "Why vampires?" Butler asks in an
afterword, and there is some pseudoscience supplied tongue-in-cheek, as
if to say: the fantastic is fantastic, remember? We don't get away with
an abstract vampire, either. During its feeding "Ribs cracked, blood
jumped like coveys of startled birds into the air."
Dining on the innocent gives Shade a wry slant on matters human, since
he isn't. Even Mandrake's creation of the Martian ecology seems a
routine miracle. "Awe is a large flower, but a short-lived one. Besides,
when God cracks a joke or two and clearly hopes you'll ask him over for
a drink, you lose respect."
Butler serves his subtle stew with adroit bows toward the corpus of
science fiction, tangy descriptions and pithy tossoffs like Robert
Heinlein's ("Money's just a social code for available energy."),
surrealistic nods to Philip K. Dick (a category of ancient epics called
"johnwaynes"), and a headlong plot which stacks ideas on ideas to
dizzying effect. This is a great 'read.' It assumes sophisticated
readers and allows the author a poke fun at himself, seen here as the
inadvertent father of a religion, Butlerianism. Fans do have a way of
turning preachy authors into icons. "'It's just Christianity grafted
onto Zen and spliced with science fiction,"' Shade remarks.
There is tremendous lighthearted fun here, skating on a somber surface,
meditating on mortality and our technology-driven definitions of being
human. With its amusing explanations and glossary the cyclonic storyline
seems to wish to introduce Butler's considerable audience to the complex
landscape of fantastic fiction, pouring on vivid imagery and thoughtful
extrapolation, often in the same paragraph.
Butler is an accomplished author, exactly the sort who should venture
into sf, bringing their own quirky methods, while quite knowledgeable
about what the field has done and can, perhaps, do. At one point Shade
notes now much the tech of his time resembles our earlier dreams: "It
has been interesting to watch the comics and the covers of the science
fiction magazines come true. They have come so true it is difficult not
to believe the artists were visited by genuine vision, which is perhaps
why that art has risen so in the estimation of the critics." Ah, if only
it were so!
And for the book itself, as Shade says, "It is a tale of pretty horrors
and well-wrought pain, it is an archaic brocade of golden woe, a
measured piece."
-- Gregory Benford
Novelty [****]
John Crowley
A collection of four fair to excellent stories by John Crowley. The
first story, "Why the Nightingale Sings at Night", is a perfect fairy
tale/legend. "Great Work of Time", the second story, is a time travel
(or alternate universe) novella tracing many possible destinies of the
British Empire. I thought it was a great examination of how such an
empire corrupts (and is corrupted). The third story, "In Blue", was the
only one I didn't care for too much. I guess I just couldn't see why
nobody in the story's dystopian society didn't stand up and say
"Something's wrong here!" Nevertheless, I have to admit it is a well-
written story. Finally, "Novelty" traces an author's thoughts as he
plans a science fiction novel. The story-within-a-story aspects of it
appealed to me, although I can see other readers saying there isn't
enough fantasy/science fiction content. Overall, an excellent collection.
-- Chuck Koelbel
Orbital Decay
Allan Steele
Ace Books, 1989, 0-441-49851-5, 324 pp, $3.95
An extraordinary amount of hype surrounds this first novel. While early
attention has been known to ruin a new writer, Steele's talents may
actually match his cover blurbs -- someday.
In an episodic framework that owes much to Paul Bunyan myths and such
sea chanties as Mr. Roberts and The Caine Mutiny, we follow the lives of
the first hardhats in space, the "beamjacks" who work for Skycorp in
Clarke orbit. As the men and women of Olympus Station struggle to build
the first powersats for the energy-hungry America of 2016, we gradually
learn of their backgrounds, of the reasons they have fled Earth for the
unforgiving vacuum. Popeye Hooker, a former Gulf Coast shrimper, can't
forget his ex-wife, and begs the boys in the Meteorology section for a
peek at the ocean through their telescope. Only those "boys," as
everybody on Skycan knows, are really NSA spooks who could care less
about the weather as long as it's not a threat to national security.
Virgin Bruce, a St. Louis biker who can't go home again, has the hots
for Commtech Joni Lowenstein, and he is equally obsessed with silencing
the Muzak that project director Wallace has forced on everyone's ears.
Wallace, in the Humphrey Bogart "mad captain" role, plays crazy as a
loon with the blessing of the dirtside corporate bosses, while Dr.
Felapolous tries to balance the whole crew between boredom and mayhem.
Then Hydroponics engineer Jack Hamilton signs on board -- with his own
secret agenda, and a bag of marijuana seeds. Hamilton passes the pot and
other good dope on the nefarious plans of their bosses and the
government spies, and many things in orbit really do begin to decay.
No question, Steele can tell a story, although he fails to fully control
this one. Like so many first novels, the second half doesn't match the
fine beginning, and for all the intrigue and "dying man's last wish"
aspects of the plot, no real surprises materialize. In this future, the
"Grateful Dead" probably should be. While this one is well worth your
time, expect Steele to become, just a few novels down the road, the
major writer his editors already claim that he is.
-- Dean R. Lambe
Scare Care
edited by Graham Masterton
TOR, 0-312-93156-5: 416pps, $19.95
This is a unique horror anthology in that all the stories have been
donated by the authors and all the profits from the book's sale will go
to charities that look after abused and needy children. On this note
alone, I urge you to buy Scare Care.
Of the 38 stories in this anthology, all but 7 are original and written
especially for Scare Care. All the stories deal in some way with abuse,
be it mental or physical. All the stories chosen for Scare Care are
excellent and contributions by several major horror writers only enhance
this anthology i.e.: Ramsey Campbell, James Herbert, Harlan Ellison,
Steve Rasnic Tem, Brian Lumley, William Nolan, Roald Dahl, Charles Grant
and of course Masterton himself. However the real pleasure is in
discovering the less known British and American authors, several of whom
are published here for the first time. Two stories that remained with me
are: Masterton's "Changling," a horrifying lesson not to pick up a
beautiful lady in a bar and "Junk" by Stephen Laws, a chilling tale of
how not to get rid of a nuisance. Several other tales particularly
noteworthy if only for the fact they were fun to read are -- Kit Reed's
"Mommy," a disturbing yet humorous story of revenge on a parent
constantly on a diet; Celeste Sefranek's first published story,
"Printer's Devil," about an editor who likes to play practical jokes
even after his death; and "Table for None" by William Jr., a sad but
funny tale on the tribulations of ordering all you can eat.
Graham Masterton has done a superb job in putting together a superior
anthology and I understand that, due to the overwhelming response from
the authors, a sequel is planned for next year. I heartily recommend
Scare Care, a thoroughly enjoyable anthology and with the knowledge that
your money is going to a worthwhile charity.
-- Richard Weilgosh
The Silver Spike [***]
Glen Cook
Tor Fantasy 313pp $3.95
Although the Black Company never appears in this book, it is the final
book of the first Black Company series. At the end of The White Rose,
the White Rose movement broke up. The fate of the Black Company is
chronicled in the new Black Company series. This book tells the fate of
Darling, Raven and all the others who did not go with the Black Company
to the south.
In The White Rose, the Dominator is killed and his evil essence
imprisoned in a silver spike which was embedded in a godlike tree. The
problem is the spike is in plain view and the inevitable happens. A
group of thieves steal it, planning to sell it to the highest bidder.
Their plan goes awry. Any wizard powerful enough to use the spike is
also unscrupulous enough to kill for it.
The whole book is about how the spike is recovered and its eventual
disposal in a safer manner. The ending makes it very clear that this is
the final book in the series. All manner of loose ends are tied up and
all personal issues resolved. Despite this, the book stands very well on
its own. The background leading up to the beginning is explained. While
the book is best read as the last book of a series, it is possible to
read this book first without being confused by references to past events.
-- Danny Low
The Steerswoman [****]
Rosemary Kirstein
Del Rey/Ballantine Books $3.95 279pp
Rowan is a Steerswoman, dedicated to recording knowledge. She discovers
a mystery concerning some strange jewels and decides to investigate
their origin. However the wizards clearly do not want her to learn the
secret of the jewels and make several attempts to kill her. Once Rowan
and her order realizes their peril, they decide the only way to end the
menace is to discover the secret of the jewels. Most of the book is
about Rowan's quest.
The book is clearly the first book of a series. Rowan discovers the
origins of the jewels but all this discovery does is reveal another
mystery to be solved. Rowan's world is one where advanced technology has
been lost. The wizards are alchemists who have regained some of the lost
knowledge but it is the Steerswomen (and Steersmen) who are the true
bearers of the scientific spirit.
The characterization is very good. The plotting is well done. The
mystery of Rowan's world unfolds naturally from the pace of the story
and is not forced upon the reader by paragraph-long expository. This is
a sign of very good writing. The story ends properly for a series. The
issue raised in the book is resolved and the resolution naturally sets
the stage for the next book.
-- Danny Low
Tangled Webs [**]
Steve Mudd
Questar/Popular Library $3.95 248pp
The quality of this book is very erratic. At its worst, it is space
opera. At its best, it very well written drama. It is also the first
book in a series and reads like the first act of a traditional three act
play. The characters and situations are introduced. The beginning of the
conflict is the end of the act or in this case, the book.
All known human space is controlled by the Union which is slowly
expanding and absorbing any rediscovered colonies. The Union provides
peace and stability at the price of freedom and diversity. Some lost
colonies have retained or regained their interstellar technology. They
do not want to be absorbed into the Union but are too weak to openly
oppose it. They infiltrate the Union and seek out sympathizers in high
positions. This book tells how certain Union officials become involve in
their cause.
The characterization is generally good but the plotting has its flaws.
One key set of characters make a radical change in allegiance during the
book. This change happens off stage so the reader is mystified as to why
they made such a change. However the pacing is well done.
-- Danny Low
Treason
Orson Scott Card
St. Martin's, 0-312-02304-9, 275 pp, 1988, $18.95
Way back in 1979, when Card was yet an unknown, Dell published his
second novel; A Planet Called Treason. Why now, in 1988, St. Martin's
feels a need to reprint this work is beyond me. True, Card did rewrite
and revise the work and yes, a small percentage is new material. Still,
this is one that should have been left to history.
Treason is the tale of one Lanik Mueller, a young man with the inherited
ability to regenerate body parts. In fact, the Muellers are near
immortal. Unfortunately, Lanik quickly discovers he's a rad -- a genetic
mutant -- growing body parts left and right with no apparent reason.
While rads are normally placed in pens and harvested for their body
parts, which the Muellers use to trade for high technology from off
planet sources, Lanik is the son of The Mueller -- head of the clan. So,
of course, he's allowed his freedom to wander the planet at will.
Along the way, he has great adventures, gets cured, discovers the truth
behind how and why the planet was colonized and is granted great and
wondrous gifts. In fact, he becomes almost god-like. And the ending?
Well, by now you can guess for yourself.
There are few surprises here and one would be tempted to chalk this book
up as just another juvenile written by a talented author. But this is
Card we're talking about and old Card at that. I'm afraid readers who
buy this book anticipating another Speaker For The Dead or Seventh Son
will be greatly disappointed.
Hardcore Card fans are better off seeking out the Dell paperback. All
others steer clear.
-- Steven Sawicki
The World Treasury of Science Fiction [***]
ed. by David G. Hartwell
The Book of the Month Club is producing a series of anthologies
representing the best writing in the world in various genres. Apparently
the books are also being distributed through bookstores, since I spotted
a copy at my local store last week. The World Treasury of Science
Fiction weighs in at 52 stories totaling over 1200 pages. That's far too
many stories to review individually, so I'll fall back on statistics;
the ratings for individual stories fall in a normal distribution with a
mean of [***+] and a standard deviation of a half . While that's
slightly above average for a multi-author anthology, I certainly
wouldn't call it the best in the world. Speaking of the world, the
editors seem to have skipped a few geography lessons. There are no
African stories, only one from Asia (Japan), and South America is
grossly under-represented. (I guess the magical realists are being saved
for The World Treasury of Fantasy.) Of the countries left, only the
U.S., U.S.S.R., England, and France seem to have active SF communities;
the introductions to stories from other countries generally describe
those countries' Science Fiction as "derivative". What's the point of
creating an international showcase if only a handful of countries have
anything to show? Anyway, I can recommend a number of the stories on their
own merits, but in this case the whole is less than the sum of its parts.
-- Chuck Koelbel
The Year's Best Science Fiction #3
Gardner Dozois
Bluejay Books 1986, $17.95
Gardner, who has edited magazines, has managed to lose more Nebulas and
Hugos than I have fingers. I trust his judgment. In this book reside
"The Jaguar Hunter" by Lucius Shepard, "Fermi and Frost" by Frederik
Pohl, "Green Days in Brunei" by Bruce Sterling and "Sailing to
Byzantium" by Robert Silverberg. These were all nominated for the Nebula
and/or Hugo in 1986. I think "The Jaguar Hunter" with its South American
atmosphere and fantastic hero was the best story of that year. One of
James Tiptree's final stories: "The Only Neat Thing To Do," is also
here. I've said before that I enjoy short stories and I find this series
of books to give me my money's worth without having to buy all the
magazines published in a year.
-- Joyce Scrivner
------ End ------
