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OtherRealms Issue 27 Part 04
Electronic OtherRealms #27
Spring, 1990
Part 4 of 11
Copyright 1990 by Chuq Von Rospach
All Rights Reserved.
OtherRealms may be distributed electronically only in the original
form and with copyrights, credits and return addresses intact.
OtherRealms may be reproduced in printed form only for your personal use.
No part of OtherRealms may be reprinted or used in any other
publication without permission of the author.
All rights to material published in OtherRealms hereby revert to the author.
Mark of the Werewolf
Jeffrey Sackett
Bantam Horror; 0-553-28450-9; 323 pages; Feb. 1990; $3.95
This latest novel from Sackett is a highly innovative variation of the
werewolf theme, almost like 'The Werewolf Meets Dr. Mengele'. A white
supremacist group, The White Homeland Party, headed by Frederick Bracher
is devoted to eliminating all non-white trash that does not conform to
the Aryan standards of purity.
After his 'storm-troopers' are murdered by a werewolf, Bracher comes up
with a brilliant idea, to try and reproduce the invincibility of the
werewolf. Laying a trap, Bracher kidnaps Janos Kaldy, a werewolf who for
the past 3000 years has been trying to find peace in death. Bracher
hopes to isolate the virus or enzyme that causes lycanthropy and thus
create his 'lycanvolk'. He then will turn these manufactured werewolves
into a conquering army that he can use as a weapon in the race war.
Sackett's use of flashbacks to explain Kaldy's 3000 year old search for
death is exceptionally well done. During this time-travel we meet such
notable personna as: Nostradamus, Merlin the Magician, Jesus Christ and
the Wallachian Prince. The ending is simply superb.
Mark of the Werewolf is filled with plenty of action and adventure. It
is well-written thriller with characters that are rich, varied and
totally believable. Sackett's greatest skill here is his ability to
create a sense of empathy for Kolady's helplessness and sensitivity for
what he's about to 'father'. I strongly recommend Mark of the Werewolf
as I do his previous novel Blood of the Impaler. His new novel about
goblins will be out this summer from Bantam -- look for it.
-- Richard Weilgosh
A Mask for the General [***]
Lisa Goldstein
Bantam, 1987, $3.95, 224pp
2021: A delapidated, computerless America is ruled under martial law by
"the General". In Berkeley, one source of passive resistance to the
dictatorial regime is the "tribes", young people who wear animal masks
and defy curfew to meet and dance. Layla, a prestigious maskmaker,
believes her totem, the heron, guides her through dreams; she plans to
make a mask for the General to help him rediscover his "soul". Mary, a
young runaway, wishes only to survive; but the price of that may be
higher than she plans.
This book's basically mystical theme is at odds with a prosaic, reportorial
style. It reminds me most of LeGuin's The Eye of The Heron --
presumably a compliment, though I don't see Eye as LeGuin's best work.
In both novels there is a superficially Sixties look, but the
dispassionate feel of the Eighties. Perhaps this is where the literary
perspective of the 1960's is going: a minimalist portrait of a maximal age.
-- David Shea
The Mathematical Tourist: Snapshots of Modern Mathematics [***-]
Ivars Peterson
As the title implies, this is a fast tour through some of the more
interesting research in mathematics today. The individual topics are
covered from a basic, general viewpoint (this is, after all, intended
for nonmathematicians) and are very up-to-date (an entry in one table
was made in 1988, the same year the book was published). Some of the
topics covered are prime factorization of large numbers,
four-dimensional (and higher-dimensional) geometry, topological
manifolds, Penrose tilings, and fractals. For all of these, the author
also includes some explanation of why the problems are interesting, at
least to mathematicians. The explanations are surprisingly
non-technical; I don't think anything beyond high-school geometry is
needed to understand most of the book. While that will probably get the
book a wider audience, I thought that assuming a little more background
(say, trigonometry or experience with personal computers) might have
made some sections much more interesting. There is a bibliography for
readers who want to go deeper into some topic, but it only seems to
point to other popularizations. If you get seriously interested in
fractals, you'll have to look them up on your own. The only reason I
didn't rate this book higher was that I had seen all of the material
already, either in class or in science magazines; I guess I wanted
something I hadn't seen before.
-- Chuck Koelbel
Mona Lisa Overdrive [*****]
William Gibson, Bantam
The sequel to Neuromancer and Count Zero is finally out in paperback.
Quick review: It's great! The series started with an excellent book in
Neuromancer and got better with each volume. Mona Lisa Overdrive ties up
all the loose ends from the first two books (some ends are tied tighter
than others, but they're all there) and ends Gibson's exploration of
cyberspace and the sprawl. The plot involves four parallel threads
revolving around the daughter of a Yakuza, an artist, a stim star (Angie
Mitchell, from Count Zero), and a prostitute (Mona Lisa). Molly and the
Finn (two of Gibson's favorite characters from Neuromancer and other
stories) also appear, along with many other characters from the first
two books. The plot is complex enough that it can't be summarized here;
suffice it to say that there is a lot of action before the four threads
finally wind together at the end of the book. Highly recommended, along
with Neuromancer and Count Zero.
-- Chuck Koelbel
Only Begotten Daughter
James Morrow
William Morrow, 1990, 321 pages, $19.95 cloth)
The startling jacket copy for Only Begotten Daughter promises "a novel
that has something to offend everyone!" -- a boast one wouldn't
ordinarily expect to see outside of the horror racks.
But considering the startling story between the covers of James Morrow's
new book, that notice can only be considered fair warning. Only Begotten
Daughter is not a horror novel, but it is often a novel of horrors -- a
discomfiting, chaotic, brutally cynical, rub-your-nose-in-the-dirt story
of the Messiah's Second Coming. But this isn't quite the Second Coming
the revelationists have been expecting: the Messiah's name is Julie
Katz, and she doesn't know why she's here, or what to do with her divine
power.
It's probably an insurmountable challenge for a reviewer to try to
capture in a few hundred words the captivating delirium of this
careening runaway carousel of a book. Only Begotten Daughter is full of
jarring, radical images -- the devil smoking Pall Malls and plotting his
moves on a portable computer, a bizarre Last Supper of pizza, public
executions with hedge clippers, Jesus in Hell and wholly ignorant of his
impact on history. In some respects, Morrow seems to have written a
manic Satanic Verses for the Judeo-Christian world.
Yet, at the same time, Morrow's novel is suffused with a peculiar
innocence, an earnest inquiry into the nature of godhood, and an
enduring if battered optimism about the importance of love. These three
elements of the tale are embodied most clearly in Morrow's endearing,
bewildered heroine, who faces not only the ordinary trials of human
existance, but temptation from Satan, persecution as the Antichrist, and
a poignant, frustrating search for her Mother's sign and guidance.
Juxtaposing lyrical interludes which could be outtakes from Disney's
Little Mermaid with hellish spectacles worthy of de Sade, Only Begotten
Daughter defies ready categorization -- neither fantasy nor black
comedy, parable nor prophecy. But it is clearly no mere exercise in
idol-toppling and totem-skewering. If the narrative makes us flinch,
it's only because it is itself so unflinching in its dissection of human
foibles and cruelty.
Ultimately, Morrow has given us a frank and fascinating novel which
provokes, rather than offends -- a remarkable work of fiction with the
power to disturb our complacency, and challenge us to consider anew the
thorny questions of life and faith.
-- Michael P. Kube-McDowell
The Paladin [****}
C. J. Cherryh
Baen, $3.95, 383pp, 0-671-65417-9
This is fiction at its best. Cherryh, best know for characterization,
raises the art to new heights. While The Paladin is labeled a fantasy,
there's no magic, no mythical beasts, no cute elves or dwarves. What
there is, is actually a quite simple story of a youth and a teacher --
but told with all the art and skill of a master story teller.
The story is oriental in flavor and revolves around Shoka, former
swordmaster to the old emperor. Vowing to fight no more, Shoka takes
exile on a mountain top far from the political upheaval surrounding the
installment of the old emperor's son. One day a youth seeks Shoka out
and demands justice. From here the story grows as Shoka is forced to deal
with issues he thought long forgotten. Their relationship is real -- it
grows, it flounders, it is fraught with hidden meanings and hidden emotion.
Page after page, Cherryh will amaze you with the way she sets scenes,
revealing inner depths to characters that are deep to begin with. It's a
story of secrets and revelations, of growth and needs, of revenge,
justice and dealing with the hand life deals.
The ending is powerful and somewhat surprising. A fitting conclusion to
a powerful work.
-- Steven Sawicki
Pavane [*****]
Keith Roberts
Ace, 1966, 285pp, 441-65430-095
Welcome to England in the Twentieth Century. Cargo is hauled by great
coal-burning road locomotives, because the Pope has banned internal
combustion. Messages are relayed by chains of giant semaphore stations,
since Mother Church forbids electricity. To tame defiant England, the
Inquisition is coming, with damnation for"heretics" and indescribable
brutality even for the faithful; blocking its path are only a mad monk
and a defiant young countess. And here and there, the last remnant of
the People of the Hills engrave their mysterious symbol ...
Out of print for too long, Roberts' haunting novel transcends easy
categorization. To tag it with a facile label such as "alternate
history" would be to define Niagara Falls as a movement of water.
Compellingly human at every level, Pavane has a malevolent beauty
comparable only to the first volume of Gormenghast. As C S Lewis wrote
of Lord of the Rings: "Here is a book that will break your heart." One
caution: this intense book is not for the timid reader.
-- David Shea
Pool of Radiance [*]
James M. Ward and Jane Cooper Hong
TSR Inc. $3.95 316 pg.
This novel has an interesting background. It is based on an AD&D game
module that was made into a very popular computer role playing game by
SSI. This novel appears to be effort to capitalize on the popularity of
the computer game (note the ad in the back of the book.) The game was a
long, rich and detailed adventure. This book is an abbreviated digest of
some of the highlights of the game. It does not even maintain the
premise of the game very well.
Having demolished the novel as a very poor imitation of the game, how
does the story stand as a novel? The answer is still very poorly. There
are two villains in the story, Lord Cadorna and Tyranthraxus. Cadorna is
so transparently a villain that he is not creditable. You know he will
not succeed in any of his schemes to kill the main characters and will
be killed himself. Tyranthraxus, who is supposed to be the main villain,
is a minor character. This is fatal as the climax of the book is the
battle with him. The computer game, a medium not noted for good
characterization, does a better job of developing the character of
Tyranthraxus.
The game is a series of missions that are tied to together by a theme,
the reconquest of Phlan from Tyranthraxus. The theme provides rationales
for the missions and ties many of them together in a coherent story.
There is strong potential for an epic novel in the game. Unfortunately
this novel does not exploit that potential. The story emphasis is
shifted to the personal problems of the three main characters (Shal, Ren
and Tarl.) The reconquest of Phlan is something they do as a side effect
of solving their personal problems. The result is a sense that something
is missing from the story. This is not a book worth reading even for the
hard core AD&D fan.
-- Danny Low
Sailing to Byzantium/Seven American Nights [****]/[*****]
Robert Silverberg / Gene Wolfe
In this Tor Double, the theme is "fantastic travels". Silverberg's
protagonist is a twentieth-century man traveling in a far-future world
where anything is possible for the inhabitants. Wolfe's hero is an Arab
in a post-holocaust Washington, DC. I liked both stories, despite their
very different treatments. Wolfe's story gets a higher rating for a more
"real" atmosphere and slightly better characters. Highly recommended for
both stories.
-- Chuck Koelbel
Sassinak [****]
Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Moon
Baen Books $4.95 333 pg.
This is a competently done book but suffers from several serious
problems. The first is continuity. There are three distinct stories in
this book. There is the origins story, an early career episode and the
beginning of the main story. Any of these stories is worthy of a full
novel. Cramming all three into one book makes each story sketchy and
makes this book a collection of incomplete novelettes rather than a
novel. The main story does not end in this book but stops rather abruptly.
The biggest problem is the origins story is rather tame. The horrors are
glossed over and Sassinak really does not suffer as much as she could
have. The result is her passionate hatred of piracy is not as believable
as it could be. This hatred is also not emphasized enough in the rest of
the book. The book is the first in a series and is clearly intended to
be a female Horatio Hornblower in space epic. Just as Hornblower had
Napoleon, Sassinak has her pirate conspiracy. The book reads like a
rather sanitized juvenile despite the sex. This is not a bad book but it
is no more than average in quality.
-- Danny Low
Silent Moon
William Relling Jr.
TOR; 0-812-50708-8; 309 pages; March 1990; $4.95
This new novel by William Relling is a sequel to New Moon and
essentially is a mystery story mixed with political treachery and dark
fantasy. Not having read New Moon, I thought it wise to start there to
gain history in case the stories overlapped.
Over a six month period there has been a 40% increase in the number of
missing persons in San Francisco. Television reporter Gillian Woodbury
and her boyfriend, reporter Bud Friendly accidently discover that his
investigation of political murder and her missing persons study have
more in common than they both realized. Apparently these bodies are
being taken by a mysterious cult that worships the Dark Gods and in
return for these 'offerings' the cultists are promised immortality. The
only carry-over from the first story is ex-police Sgt. Len Malecke, who
has resigned from the police force and made it his goal to defeat the
Dark Gods.
I've been a fan of Relling's short stories for a couple of years now and
I thoroughly enjoy the first novel in this series.
Silent Moon was an entertaining, fast paced novel but I found it lacking
in a couple of areas. First the characters were rather shallow; they
didn't make me care what happened to them. The second point is that
Relling explains too much, he doesn't let the reader think for himself.
This probably will be corrected as he becomes more proficient with his
writing. Relling did however make me squirm in my chair with his vivid
depictions of the brutal murders. I like this mans' writing and will be
out there awaiting his next book.
-- Richard Weilgosh
Tales from the Planet Earth
Arthur C. Clarke
Bantam Spectra; 0- 553-34883-3; 320 pages; June 1990; $9.95
Ever since I started reading SF way back in the mid 50's, there have
been only four writers for whom I would read everything that they wrote.
Asimov, Bradbury, Heinlein and this gentleman, Arthur C. Clarke. It's
always a joy to read and reread his work knowing that I'd be treated to
mellifluous prose, fascinating and realistic glimpses into the future
and superb characterizations. Clarke's latest collection Tales from the
Planet Earth is no exception. It contains fourteen reprints two of which
are collected here for the first time: The Next Tennants and On Golden
Sea. Also included is the classic novella: The Lion of Comarre and the
equally entertaining The Road to the Sea.
Prefacing each story are introductions by Clarke detailing the history
of each tale thus adding a nice touch to this collection. This book is
also lavishly illustrated by the Hugo winning artist Michael Whelan.
Clarkes' stories are always highly entertaining and totally convincing,
mixed with crisp. wry dialogue. This is one collection that will not
disappoint his legions of fans.
-- Richard Weilgosh
The World of Crystal Walls: The Sea Hag [*]
David Drake
Baen Fantasy, 0-671-65424-1, 334pp, August 1988, $3.95
Drake, best known for his militaristic fiction, ventures here into a
fantasy world complete with dragons, knights, robot companions, damsels
in need of saving, corrupt and inept rulers and insane magician's
apprentices. Yet, where Drake's style succeeds in such books as his
Hammer's Slammers Series and his Roman based novels, here it fails.
Perhaps it's his selection of the young boy as protagonist, perhaps it's
the short, choppy chapters (one of which is only two sentences long),
perhaps it's the inclusion of the all-knowing companion. Perhaps it's
all of the above.
Blurbed as a "great new series to rival Xanth," this book is little more
than a fleshed-in outline. We follow Dennis, heir prince to Emath on his
journeys across the land. Well, not exactly journeys since he really
only goes to one other place. Encounters sometimes seem contrived and
pointless, thrown in during a rewrite of what probably should have been
a novella.
It's not Drake at his best, and yet I did find myself drawn in enough to
finish the book. It's light entertainment and Drake can do better.
Unless you're a Drake fanatic or extremely desperate, pass on this one.
-- Steven Sawicki
Wrath of Ashar [****]
Angus Wells
Bantam Books $4.50 404 pg.
This book looks like yet another high fantasy about a prophecy of a
child who will save the world from Evil. However the quality of the
writing raises this book above the crowd. This is a book that even some
one who normally does not like this type of story might enjoy.
The one element that makes this book so superior is characterization. In
a story of this type, there are certain characters whose sole purpose is
to be killed early and horribly to show the reader the depth and breathe
of the villain's evilness. Most authors would spend no effort on the
characterization of these red shirts (as they are known in Star Trek
circles.) Wells spends several paragraphs on his unfortunate character
so that when he dies, the reader feels a sense of loss. The only flaw in
Wells' characterization is that the best developed characters are the
minor ones. The main villain, Taws, is totally undeveloped. The hero,
Kedryn, is a rather bland character. The best developed character is
Borsus who is clearly fated to die and does by the end of the book.
Indeed, all the better developed characters are the ones who die in this
book.
Another element that makes this book superior is the subtle plotting.
Kedryn does not develop superhuman powers nor does it look like he ever
will. His role is one that could be accomplished by any normal human
being who is in the right place at the right time. Everything that
Kedryn does to thwart Taws is logical and the situations are well
supported by background material scattered throughout the book. Kedryn's
duel with Niloc and the consequences follow naturally from the culture
that Wells has presented. The circumstances leading to the duel are
logical. The coincidence needed for the two to meet is improbable
without the intervention of the gods; but then that is the purpose of
Kedryn being the Chosen One. The gods are intervening to place him in
the right place at the right time. Kedryn's reaction to the knowledge he
is the chosen one is realistic. As a noble raised in noblesse oblige,
his reaction is exactly what one would expect. He only wonders "Why me?"
very briefly and accepts the obligation as one that someone of his
position should take.
The story does have its share of incongruities. One character is clearly
a samurai in basically a European culture. Wells had to spent some words
explaining that away since there is nothing in Tepshen Lahl's character
that requires he be a samurai. The flaws are minor compare to the
strengths. This book is highly recommended.
-- Danny Low
The Wyvern's Spur [****]
Kate Novak and Jeff Grubb
TSR Inc. $4.95 313 pg.
This is one of those rare sequels that are better than their prequels.
This book is the sequel to Azure Bonds. However it is not necessary to
have read Azure Bonds to read this book. The events in that book only
set the background for Wyvern's Spur. Necessary background information
is presented to the reader as needed in small doses throughout the book.
The two main characters are Olive Rustkettle and Giogi Wyvernspur. Both
were minor and unsympathetic characters in Azure Bonds. Rustkettle was
immature, whining and irresponsible in that book. Wyvernspur was a
pathetic incompetent. In this book, the two have clearly matured as a
result of their experiences. Rustkettle is more responsible and
competent but still retains her roguish personality. Wyvernspur is no
longer pathetic. He is reasonably competent. His main problem is a
childlike naivete.
Wyvernspur returns home after his misadventures in Azure Bonds and
discovers that the family heirloom, the Wyvern's Spur, has been stolen.
The book is his quest to recover the spur and his discovery of the true
nature of the heirloom and his heritage. Rustkettle becomes involved
when her protege is murdered by someone who might be a Wyvernspur.
Eventually certain loose ends in Azure Bonds are tied up as a result of
the quest for the stolen spur.
TSR books tend to be adapted from AD&D games or are written to be source
material for an AD&D game. This book is written as a novel. The magic
and combat is de-emphasized in favor of story and characterization. The
characterization in this book is much better than in Azure Bonds. The
plotting is tight. The developments are logical. The author's bio
implies that Kate Novak is the principle writer of this series. The
improvements are strongly indicative of someone who will turn into a
major author. This book is highly recommended.
-- Danny Low
------ End ------
