Sunsets, Stars, West, Wind
Read in February 2013
An absolute five star masterpiece. I read the first half in one sitting and would have finished the second half sooner had work and sleep not gotten in the way. Looking forward to reading the other two books later this year.
The Beyond Reality Group at GoodReads read and discussed Transformation during February 2013. Click here to visit the discussion threads.
50 Short Science Fiction Tales
Edited by Isaac Asimov and Groff Conklin
Read in October 2008
The Fun They Had by Isaac Asimov — three stars (***) — stories featuring PoV from children rarely appeal to me so this was a cute story more than a good one.
Men Are Different by Alan Bloch — four stars (****) — Amazing for such a short (1-2 pages) story
The Ambassadors by Anthony Coucher — three stars (***) — Ironic paranormal plot
The Weapon by Fredric Brown — two stars (**)
Random Sample by T.P. Caravan — three stars (***) — PoV from a spoiled child who definitely needed a lot of discipline
Oscar by Cleve Cartmill — two stars (**)
The Mist by Peter Cartur — three stars (***)
Teething Ring by James Causey – four stars (****) — ; desperate house wife/traveling salesman but not your normal results
The Haunted Space Suit by Arthur C. Clarke — four stars (****) — this story will bring a smile to your face with the last sentence.
Stair Trick by Mildred Clingerman — two stars (**) — I may have to read this one again as it was a bit odd
Unwelcome Tenant by Roger Dee — three stars (***) — Interesting premises regarding human intelligence/progress or lack there of, but the ending was predictable.
The Mathematicians by Arthur Feldman — four stars (****) — sort of an alternate history told from the point of view of those who usually write history and as a father telling a bedtime story to his daughter.
The Third Level by Jack Finney — three stars (***) — somewhat ironic and humorous ending
Beautiful, Beautiful, Beautiful by Stuart Friedman — two stars (**) — utopia rejected and de-evolved
The Figure by Edward Gendon — three stars (***) — a time machine tale with a twist and a poke of human arrogance
The Rag Thing by David Grinnel — three stars (***) — sci-fi horror in a boarding house
The Good Provider by Marion Gross — three stars (***) — time travel expediency
Columbus Was a Dope by Robert A. Heinlein — four stars (****) — bar tending and philosophy but not in your normal tavern
Texas Week by Albert Hernhuter — four stars (****) — what is real? The backyard you see or envision?
Hilda by H.B. Hickey — four stars (****) — observation does not always reveal the whole experience
The Choice by W. Hilton-Young — two stars (**) — A very short time travel yarn that tries to be more expansive than it is
Not with a Bang by Damon Knight — four stars (****) — the last man on Earth finds the last woman and gets his just desserts
The Altar at Midnight by C.M. Kornbluth — four stars (****) — consequences of space travel and the penances of the inventor
A Bad Day for Sales by Fritz Leiber — three stars (***) — first mobile sales robot not programmed to deal with an apocalypse
Who’s Cribbing? by Jack Lewis — three stars (***) — frustrated author rejected for plagiarism repeatedly for his original works of scifi
Spectator Sport by John D. MacDonald — three stars (***) — a creepy time travel tale
The Cricket Ball by Avro Manhattan — four stars (****) — a delightful story of a professor/scientist’s experiment gone haywire with some British humor thrown in.
Double-Take by Winston K. Marks — two stars (**) — a technology tale about a new way to film and view movies
Prolog by John P. McKnight — one star (*) — Neanderthal man learning to speak
The Available Data on the Worp Reaction by Lion Miller — two stars (**) — Could be an early autism-like story, about a boy who creates a wondrous contraption out of junk but no one can communicate with him
Narapoia by Alan Nelson — two stars (**) — The science is that of psychology, with a twist, so not you’re typical tech heavy tale.
Tiger by the Tail by Alan E. Nourse — four stars (****) — Curiosity caught the quantum physicists, after the hypnotized housewife though.
Counter Charm by Peter Phillips — two stars (**) — Perhaps I’m just dense, but I don’t get this very short story. Perhaps I needed to live in the atomic crazed fifties to understand.
The Fly by Arthur Porges — four stars (****) — Riveting recall of a minature visitor in disguise
The Business, As Usual by Mack Reynolds — four stars (****) — Time traveller swindled by jaded gregarious future con man
Two Weeks in August by Frank M. Robinson — four stars (****) — Imaginary off-world vacations, or not? Cute story that will brighten your day.
See? by Edward G. Robles, Jr. — four stars (****) — Very imaginative alien invasion idea thwarted by the homeless.
Appointment at Noon by Eric Frank Russell — three stars (***) — Not sure this actually qualifies as a science fiction tale, but it definitely had punch.
We Don’t Want Any Trouble by James H. Schmitz — four stars (****) — This is the second short story I’ve read by Schmitz recently and he’s definitely a great writer. This short story is similar to the Thing but even more insidious.
Built Down Logicially by Howard Schoenfeld — four stars (****) — Very short, cute and crisp.
An Egg a Month from All Over by Idres Seabright — three stars (***) — Sort of creepy
The Perfect Woman by Robert Sheckley — three stars (***) — Future domestic bliss tarnished
The Hunters by Walt Sheldon — three stars (***) — People hunted to extinction with a twist
The Martian and the Magician by Evelyn E. Smith — four stars (****) — Son doesn’t want to inherit father’s magic shop and ends up inheriting much more
Barney by Will Stanton — two stars (**) — Scientist’s diary tracking his experiments successes and failures
Talent by Theodore Sturgeon — four stars (****) — Absolute power corrupts absolutely, unless it’s absolutely arrogant to the point of stupidity.
Project Hush by William Tenn — four stars (****) — Secret space race to the moon
The Great Judge by A.E. Van Vogt — three stars (***) — Definitely a warning to all scientists to take an ethics class
Emergency Landing by Ralph Wililams — three stars (***) — The night shift is either very dull or very weird.
Obviously Suicide by S. Fowler Wright — three stars (***) — And ending the anthology on a pratical note, leave it to the women to do the right thing and make the big decisions.
Cumlative rating averaged for all stories : 3.16
The Best of Robert E. Howard
Grim Lands
(Volume 2)
Edited by Rusty Burke
Illustrated by Jim & Ruth Keegan
Read in December 2008
My personal favorites from this collection would be “By This Axe I Rule!” a Kull kingship tale; “Red Nails” a Conan tale where we meet Valeria and “The Bull Dog Breed” another gritty and humorous boxing exploit of Steve Costigan.
The collection also includes many Westerns, a pirate tale told mostly on land and a few much grimmer horror tales. His poetry is also interspersed among the stories.
I definitely recommend this anthology (both volumes actually) to anyone who enjoys epic tales, high adventure and grim determination.
The Best of Robert E. Howard:
Crimson Shadows
(Volume 1)
Edited by Rusty Burke
Illustrated by Jim and Ruth Keegan
Read in November/December 2008
I was impressed with Robert E. Howard’s ability to captivate my interest and thrill me with his adventures. I especially liked his heroic battles (large and small-scale); they were some of the best and most riveting reading I’ve experienced in ages. He not only invented the sword and sorcery genre, he was the definitive master of it.
Some of my favorites include “The People of the Black Circle” (one of only two Conan stories included in this first volume of short stories); “The Fighten’st Pair” (the funniest tale I’ve read in years involving a boxer and his kidnapped dog); “The Worms of the Earth” (epic battle and struggle between Rome and the Picts); and, “The Grey God Passes.” “Sharp’s Gun Serenade” was also a hilarious romp through the Old West.
Howard’s poetry is dark and primeval most of the time, but a few poignant gems can be found like “The Song of the Last Briton”; “An Echo from the Iron Harp” and ending with the last poem, printed posthumously, the name of which escapes me.
I recommend this anthology to any fan of action adventure, sword and sorcery or pre-World War II pulp fiction that rises above the stigma that name implies.
The Best of John W. Campbell
Edited by Lester del Rey
Read in November 2008
This collection was well worth perusing. If nothing else, reading “Who Goes There?” was a thrill, especially considering it was written originally in 1938. Kudos to anyone who knows what movie (and several remakes) have been spawned from this exceptional story.
“Elimination” was one of the best time travel theory stories I’ve ever read. I highly recommend that one as well.
“Twilight” was chosen in 1970 by the Science Fiction Writers of America as one of the great classics of the genre – and it definitely is that. It’s the story of a time traveler from 3059, plopped down in 1930s America after returning from the Earth of seven millions years in the future. The Earth, and the remnants of mankind and their legacy, of that far distant future left me feeling sad, lonely and full of regret. The time traveler did leave a spark of hope behind before he returned but we are left without knowing if he was successful.
“Forgetfulness” was an interesting tale of man reaching out to colonize what appears to be a planet abandoned by a very advanced civilization. The current inhabitants seem to be peaceful and non-technological (reminded me of the Nox in Stargate SG1). They knew of the ancient civilization but nothing of the technology. It asks the question: Do you remember how to make a fire without matches or a light? Do you remember how to make a stone (flint) tool?
The rest of the collection is good as well. See my updates and comments for further thoughts on the best works of John W. Campbell.
A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge
Read in January 2009
I read this for the Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Club at GoodReads. It was the science fiction theme (space opera) selection for January 2009.
I must admit that only about a third or half of this story kept my interest. I was drawn in to the plight of Jefri and Johanna. And, by proximity, the inhabitants of the Tines world where Jefri and Johanna’s parents crash landed them and left them stranded and orphaned.
The rest of the tale, which most likely qualifies as the space opera epic, was confusing, sometimes appeared to be pointless, boring and just plain slow. As I approached the end, I admit I skimmed nearly all the parts that dealt with Ravna, Pham, the Skoderiders, the Blight and the chase to the Tines world.
If it weren’t for the uniqueness of the Tines world and the independent struggles of Jefri and Johanna, I probably would have given this a two star rating. But I love the resilience of Jefri and his ability to assimilate and adapt to Amdi, an eight-member pack of about the same maturity level as Jefri but extraordinarily gifted in mathematics. And Johanna was the rebellious teenager, convinced she was the only survivor of the crash and out to get revenge on the packs who had ambushed her family. Great drama, politics and manipulation, espionage and intrigue – all you could want to keep you riveted to the page.
The ending was a bit tragic and I was left with uncertainty as to the Blight and the Countermeasure’s struggle. I was never really given the chance to determine if the Blight or the Countermeasure were “evil” or “good” so I was ambivalent as to the Titanic struggle between the two. The only thing certain is that both the Blight and the Countermeasure destroyed billions upon billions of lives and whole swaths of civilizations in a large portion of the Galaxy. For that alone, neither of them are classified as “good” to me.
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
Read in January 2009
Warning: Spoilers
This novel was rich on many levels. It was fantasy, for it had magic and fairies, but it was also historical fiction, possibly even an alternate history of Britain during and shortly after the Napoleonic Wars. It’s pacing matched that of the times, sedate and thoughtful, rich in detail and characters.
Gilbert Norrell is a miserly magician of Yorkshire who hoards any and all books of magic he can get his hands on. His first act of magic in the novel actually results in the dissolution of a society of theoretical magicians in York for the sole purpose of making himself the only magician in Britain.
Jonathan Strange is an idle gentleman who stumbles upon his talent for magic and like a moth to the flame, flies to Mr. Norrell, the only source of magical information, and becomes his pupil. Their association lasts for several months until Strange surpasses Norrell in inventiveness and intuition and Norrell sends him to assist the army in Spain.
In Spain, Strange eventually becomes indispensable to Lord Wellington, initially by providing magic roads for the British Army to use which disappear back to a morass of mud just in time for the French Army to get bogged down in. Finally, Strange’s magic turns the tide of the Battle of Waterloo and thus ends the reign of Emperor Bounaparte.
Three background characters are pivotal to the story. The first is Emma Wintertowne, who eventually becomes Lady Pole after marrying Sir Walter Pole. But only after she is resurrected by Mr. Norrell with his second and most famous act of magic. But Norrell bargains away half of Emma’s life to the fairy he summoned to resurrect her, a fairy gentleman we know only as “the gentleman with the thistle-down hair.” This resurrection results in the enchantment and imprisonment of Lady Pole in the fairy hall of Lost-hope, doomed to dance and endless balls or participate in pointless processions.
The second supporting character also enchanted by the fairy gentleman is Sir Walter’s butler, a black man named Stephen Black. The fairy took a queer liking and attachment to Stephen and forced him to attend the same balls and processions that Lady Pole suffered. Both Lady Pole and Stephen were returned to the real world each morning, but they both suffered exhaustion and distraction from living a double life, which both were prevented from relating to others of their predicament.
The third enchanted and most tragic figure was Strange’s wife, Arabella. Because Arabella struck up a friendship with the ailing Lady Pole, she came into the sphere of the gentleman with the thistle-down hair. He immediately sought to enchant her permanently to the halls of Lost-hope. With Stephen’s reluctant assistance, he was able to pull Arabella into fairy, seemingly causing her to perish to her family and friends.
Strange was nearly mad with grief but was eventually persuaded to take a long holiday on the continent, where he met another English family, the Greysteels. It seemed he was on the path of a second marriage to Flora Greysteel, when he discovered a pathway to fairy, stumbling upon the hall of Lost-hope and learning of the fates of Lady Pole, Stephen and his wife, Arabella. The rest of the novel is Strange’s struggle to free the women. As we learn later, Stephen breaks his own and Arabella’s enchantments when the opportunity presents itself.
Two of the most interesting supporting characters were Mr. Childermass, Mr. Norrell’s strangely independent servant, and Vinculus, a seedy street sorcerer of London, run out of town by Mr. Norrell thanks to the efficient efforts of Mr. Childermass. Both of these characters provide some of the most colorful scenes and plots to the novel.
And in the background, every present in the sky, on the wind or sleeping in the stones, is the Raven King, a mythic being from Britain’s past, a king who reigned in Northern England, in fairy and in Hell. He is vital and instrumental in the return of English magic.
The ending was sad and somewhat tragic, but not unexpected.
If you enjoy historical fiction, especially of the early 19th century, you will enjoy this novel and savor it for many hours, especially curled up by the fire with a warm cup of tea.
The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander
Read in December 2008
This was published the same year I was, born that is. How did I miss this delightful tale and only stumble upon it in my mid-40s?
Taran is a precocious bored boy with visions of heroes sword-fighting in his head. He dreams of leaving the small farm where he takes care of a prophetic pig named Hen Wen and lives with Coll and Dallben.
Something frightens the bees, the chickens and the pig so much that they all escape the farm and disappear into the surrounding forest. Taran is sent to find the pig and return her home. Predictably, he gets lost in the forest following the pig and spies a band of men lead by the terrifying Horned King. Taran barely escapes and flees into the brush, eventually finding Gwydion, a prince and one of the heroes he daydreams about.
The danger and adventure are non-stop until the end of the book. Along the way, Taran makes mistakes but learns from them and demonstrates he has the talent to be an inspiring and wise leader. He meets several companions and legendary folk who aid him on his quest to reach Caer Dathyl to warn the Sons of Don about the Horned King and his army.
A fast fun read.
Read in June/July 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Jame stumbles into Tai-Tastigon, apparently deserted, after being so long on the run she’s delirious with exhaustion and fighting off her race’s healing dwar sleep. She chances upon Penari, a famous thief, as he’s trapped in a doorway by a a couple of footpads. Jame rushes to the rescue and Penari offers her a job as recompense. Too weak, confused and lost to comprehend, Jame wanders the maze of Tai-Tastigon until she collapses just inside the doorstep of the Res a’Bytrr, one of the few taverns open on the eve of the Feast of the Dead Gods.
Jame is adopted into the hearts and hearth of the tavern owner and his staff. She recovers rapidly, but is stalked by nightmares of her life before arriving at Tai-Tastigon, home to thousands of gods, their temples and followers. Jame, a Kencyr, believes in only one god, the Three-Faced God: Torrigion, That-Which-Creates; Argentiel, That-Which-Preserves; and, Regonereth, That-Which-Destroys. Honor bound and honest to a fault, Jame finds Tai-Tastigon strange and dangerous.
Unable to continue her journey to Kencyr lands due to the closing of the mountain passes and storms on the seas, Jame takes Penari up on his offer of an apprenticeship. She seeks the approval of her god through the high priest, Ishtier, in residence at the Temple of the Three-Faced God in the Lower Town. Arrogant and hateful, Ishtier is about to refuse her request, when the Three-Faced God speaks through him and gives a limited blessing to Jame.
Jame spends the rest of the story learning her craft, remembering her heritage and mastering a martial art similar to dancing, which can also entrance her audience and through which she can channel unseen forces and powers. She also seeks the answer to a burning theological questions: how can there exist so many gods? has her race, the Kencyrs, been duped by itself for three thousand years? She stalks the gods, even managing to kill one and resurrect it, before she comes to terms with her beliefs.
There are moments of poetic prose amongst the heists, action and intrigue. The characters seemed flat, though, as I never cared one whit if they were in danger, injured, kidnapped or killed.
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
Read in Dec 2008
WARNING: Spoilers
I liked everything about this book, except perhaps the ending. And I can’t even say that I particularly disliked the ending; it just made my soul ache with remorse and regret – for Ender, for humanity, for the buggers.
Ender is six years old when we meet him. He is the third son of the Wiggins and a child genius. Not surprising, consider both of his older siblings are both child prodigies, but with vastly different temperaments. The Wiggins were allowed to have a third child as part of an experiment; an effort to create the best of both of the other siblings and something to could be molded into a perfect military savior.
Continue reading “Book Review: Ender’s Game by Card (4 stars)”
