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Cont. on p. 2 p. on Cont.

all the same, it was intriguing to revisit revisit to intriguing was it same, the all quarter-century ago, while at the same same the at while ago, quarter-century

but, but, — and historical detail, for example for detail, historical and that these issues were being discussed a a discussed being were issues these that

project that goes into great contextual contextual great into goes that project science fiction offers a view into the way way the into view a offers fiction science

is a dense and well-researched well-researched and dense a is Cabal nist cerns, and climate of the feminist turn in in turn feminist the of climate and cerns,

— - Femi Secret The Merrick’s Helen tion - con terms, the of overview textualized

- fic science and feminism(s) of study - con this readers, and writers interested

the task of providing a more complete complete more a providing of task the and criticism. For a new generation of of generation new a For criticism. and

of this book, others have undertaken undertaken have others book, this of the earlier concerns of feminism, genre, genre, feminism, of concerns earlier the

the ’60s and ’70s. Since the publication publication the Since ’70s. and ’60s the er who might be unfamiliar with some of of some with unfamiliar be might who er

in considering fiction from (primarily) (primarily) from fiction considering in - read a for especially informative, and ful

for me, as the work Lefanu was doing doing was Lefanu work the as me, for - use still think, I is, structure This Russ).

an exercise in historicizing the text, text, the historicizing in exercise an

Guin, Suzy McKee Charnas, and Joanna Joanna and Charnas, McKee Suzy Guin,

eodwv feminism. second-wave

nearly twenty-six years later was as much much as was later years twenty-six nearly writers ( James Tiptree Jr., Ursula K. Le Le K. Ursula Jr., Tiptree James ( writers

the theory and praxis of of praxis and theory the

environment; reading it for the first time time first the for it reading environment; amining the works of various relevant relevant various of works the amining

ence fiction encountered encountered fiction ence

of its contemporary critical and literary literary and critical contemporary its of

- ex essays longer-form four of up made if?” literature of sci- of literature if?”

firmly grounded in its time and reflective reflective and time its in grounded firmly

Love” in the genre, while the second is is second the while genre, the in Love” occurred when the “what “what the when occurred

ary Thatcher-Reagan era, this is a book book a is this era, Thatcher-Reagan ary science fiction to “The Vicissitudes of of Vicissitudes “The to fiction science productive upheaval that that upheaval productive

- reaction politically the in published visit Lefanu’s survey of the the of survey Lefanu’s visit ics ranging from the Gothic origins of of origins Gothic the from ranging ics

older than I am. Written and and Written am. I than older — on it on …it was intriguing to re- to intriguing was …it - top on chapters survey-like brief ten

though I hesitate to put too fine a point point a fine too put to hesitate I though The first half of the book consists of of consists book the of half first The

— — is Machine World the of Chinks the In at the time. the at

Initially published in 1988, Lefanu’s Lefanu’s 1988, in published Initially for folks like myself who weren’t around around weren’t who myself like folks for

ence fiction. ence in particular particular in — enre g the in past distant

- sci and feminism between interactions in Lefanu’s discussion of the not-too- the of discussion Lefanu’s in

1 ent and reading it through the history of of history the through it reading and ent tion, there remains a potential utility utility potential a remains there tion,

- pres our in am I as grounded document, - fic speculative in politics intersectional

of the self-same past it initially sought to to sought initially it past self-same the of day about the role of social justice and and justice social of role the about day

that I’d like to revisit this text as a part part a as text this revisit to like I’d that - to occurring conversations tendentious

And it is with a certain ironic awareness awareness ironic certain a with is it And feminism. Furthermore, judging by the the by judging Furthermore, feminism.

the then-present, considering the past. past. the considering then-present, the the theory and praxis of second-wave second-wave of praxis and theory the

grounded in in grounded — nism and Science Fiction Science and nism literature of science fiction encountered encountered fiction science of literature

- Femi Machine: World the of Chinks the In heaval that occurred when the “what if?” if?” “what the when occurred that heaval

Sarah Lefanu introduces the project of of project the introduces Lefanu Sarah

sidious notion of ‘post-feminism’”(7). So So ‘post-feminism’”(7). of notion sidious

and literary environment… literary and

- in the can as spirit, with resisted be can

of its contemporary critical critical contemporary its of

idea of feminism as a thing of the past past the of thing a as feminism of idea

in its time and reflective reflective and time its in

where the the where — there are others of course of others are there

is a book firmly grounded grounded firmly book a is

and and — science fiction is one of those areas those of one is fiction science

Thatcher-Reagan era, this this era, Thatcher-Reagan

as faddish and passé. I hope to show that that show to hope I passé. and faddish as

the politically reactionary reactionary politically the

in the 1970s, that seeks to dismiss them them dismiss to seeks that 1970s, the in Written and published in in published and Written

politics our and women of achievements

lie to a version of events that belittles the the belittles that events of version a to lie

to the present day. I would like to give the the give to like would I day. present the to

flowered in the 1970s and that continues continues that and 1970s the in flowered

tween feminism and science fiction that that fiction science and feminism tween

- be relationship extraordinary that chart

“[O]ne of the aims of this book [is] to to [is] book this of aims the of “[O]ne

Mandelo Brit by

Feminism and Science Fiction Science and Feminism by Sarah Lefanu Sarah by y

In the Chinks of the World Machine: Machine: World the of Chinks the In Revisiting Revisiting Revisiting In the Chinks of the World Machine her specific criteria, the analyses of Le (Cont. from p. 1) Guin’s novels in terms of their women is still quite sharp. book itself: to make an argument for the I was also pleased that — though many presence and importance of feminist in- of the examples Lefanu uses are going tervention in SF. to be familiar to readers at all conversant The ten chapters of the The ten chapters of the first section with “feminist SF” (Woman on the Edge first section are…primarily are, as previously noted, primarily sur- of Time by Marge Piercy, essays and fic- surveys.…These run-downs veys. Lefanu is not making in-depth ar- tion by Joanna Russ, etc.) — there were are a great taster for more guments, but offering brief explanations also writers under discussion here whom complex ideas about the and contexts for a series of inter-related genre and its criticism. I had never heard of before. For example, issues like the origin of science fiction in … in the chapter “Travelling Heroinism,” the Gothic tradition (and therefore its The second half of- Lefanu discusses the work of Josephine potentially subversive, woman-oriented fers more in the way of Saxton — a writer whose fiction I’ve nev- roots) and the role that utopia/dysto- Lefanu’s own criticism as er encountered, but who sounds fasci- pia has played in feminist genre writ- she explores her four cho- nating. Lefanu calls her work “difficult to sen authors ing. These run-downs are a great taster classify” (more on this idea of classifica- for more complex ideas about the genre tion in a moment); she “produces works and its criticism; it is worth noting that, of political metaphor” that explore issues in several chapters, Lefanu points the of gender, self, and internality” (31). And, reader to related and more dedicated es- more than that, they sound delightfully says on the given topics — primarily, in weird. The work of Tanith Lee (also a fact, essays written by Joanna Russ. This British author) comes up frequently as perhaps also points to the primary util- well; while I would say that US critics do ity I see for this text, particularly its first occasionally discuss Lee, Lefanu puts a half, in revisiting it: as an introduction much finer point on her contributions to H to these concepts and their significance, feminist SF. I would, having read these and a roadmap for where to go to find contexts and arguments about Tanith 2 out more. Lee’s work, be interested in seeing an es- The second half offers more in the way say that revisits her fiction not simply in of Lefanu’s own criticism as she explores terms of its particular second-wave fem- her four chosen authors: three as “good” inism but in terms of her “third wave” examples and one (Le Guin) as a “bad” work, queer work, and work that presses example. The essay on Le Guin is, for beyond the boundaries of what Lefanu is me, the most interesting of the bunch. primarily discussing here. Though I do think that Lefanu makes several strong points However, that notion of the differ- this is a useful and infor- about the fact that, while Le Guin’s science between second-wave feminism mative text, reading In the ence fiction novels are accessible in their and contemporary intersectional femi- Chinks of the World Ma- traditionally novelistic sensibilities and nism also brings me to another note — chine was an occasionally while they do “deal with” gender, they are and perhaps a different tone, for a bit. uncomfortable experience. difficult to call feminist. The Left Hand of Though I do think that this is a use- It is, in many ways, a text Darkness and The Dispossessed both fea- ful and informative text, reading In the of its time — a useful, il- ture masculinity as their primary locus Chinks of the World Machine was an oc- lustrative view of the state of selfhood; women are either absent casionally uncomfortable experience. It of the field and research on or do not fare well in the terms of their is, in many ways, a text of its time — a feminist SF during the late worlds and the text. As Lefanu con- ’80s but also a text of the useful, illustrative view of the state of the late ’80s. cludes, Le Guin “speak[s] with the voice field and research on feminist SF during of authority — although it is a voice that the late ’80s but also a text of the late ’80s. is at once self-critical and encouraging The text pervasively reflects assumptions to others — rather than against it” (146). that were often commonplace through- In this argument, Lefanu’s own sense out the otherwise variously constituted of what makes “feminist” science fic- and sometimes fractious feminisms of

tion bears a great deal of weight — but, the period: gender remains rather binary

whether or not the reader agrees with in discussion and practice, there is the n

femaleness” in the non-confrontational non-confrontational the in femaleness” herself about her discomfort with being being with discomfort her about herself

Cont. on p. 4 p. on Cont.

able, such as the “notion of an essential essential an of “notion the as such able, this, after quoting at length from Saxton Saxton from length at quoting after this,

comfort- un profoundly me make that work is not without significance” (31) – – (31) significance” without not is work

praise and comfort, aspects of the book book the of aspects comfort, and praise consistently shown interest in Saxton’s Saxton’s in interest shown consistently

used in this context. She discusses, with with discusses, She context. this in used itors, of books and magazines, who have have who magazines, and books of itors,

male identity might actually mean as it is is it as mean actually might identity male - ed SF is it that fact The it. like do others,

- fe of sense a of construction the what of essary, the point is that publishers, and and publishers, that is point the essary,

good example of these subtle undertones undertones subtle these of example good - nec be not should classification reader

is a a is Wanderground Gearheart’s Sally a free interplay between the writer and and writer the between interplay free a

The examination Lefanu makes of of makes Lefanu examination The classify and while in an ideal world with with world ideal an in while and classify

or author might fit. might author or

spots of a specific moment in time. time. in moment specific a of spots Lefanu says that her work “is difficult to to difficult “is work her that says Lefanu

lishers’ categories a book book a categories lishers’

a reflection of the struggles and blind- and struggles the of reflection a In the discussion of Saxton, for example, example, for Saxton, of discussion the In

gotiate where in the pub- the in where gotiate

to the work she is discussing, but rather rather but discussing, is she work the to science fiction as well. well. as fiction science only of specialness

necessary to pick and ne- and pick to necessary

This is not unique to Lefanu’s work, or or work, Lefanu’s to unique not is This around to the exemplary and particular particular and exemplary the to around

longer seems particularly particularly seems longer

tion of, for example, transgender women. women. transgender example, for of, tion (21), she also comes back back comes also she (21), is it what than intervening years; it no no it years; intervening

- conversa the from exclusions frequent allows fiction science what discuss rather has grown stale in the the in stale grown has

based on race and class, as well as the the as well as class, and race on based fact that genre is arbitrary and says she’d she’d says and arbitrary is genre that fact from fantasy is one that that one is fantasy from

in some cases, this resulted in divisions divisions in resulted this cases, some in though Lefanu often gestures toward the the toward gestures often Lefanu though related to and separate separate and to related

fining science fiction as as fiction science fining “woman” went relatively unchallenged; unchallenged; relatively went “woman” a book or author might fit. Interestingly, Interestingly, fit. might author or book a

…the dance between de- between dance …the my. In these arguments, the definition of of definition the arguments, these In my. tiate where in the publishers’ categories categories publishers’ the in where tiate

- autono basic women’s defending about - nego and pick to necessary particularly

in short, the debate was often often was debate the short, in — the intervening years; it no longer seems seems longer no it years; intervening the sphere

fantasy is one that has grown stale in in stale grown has that one is fantasy feriority and limited access to the public public the to access limited and feriority

fiction as related to and separate from from separate and to related as fiction - in functional women’s about narratives

lar, the dance between defining science science defining between dance the lar, also being made against the primacy of of primacy the against made being also

- particu In precision. mathematical with feminine social roles; challenges were were challenges roles; social feminine 3

ies and points of inclusion/exclusion as if if as inclusion/exclusion of points and ies out the constructed nature of masculine/ of nature constructed the out

- boundar their delineating subjects, her often primarily concerned with staking staking with concerned primarily often i

regularity with which Lefanu categorizes categorizes Lefanu which with regularity structure and functions of gender were were gender of functions and structure

struck me throughout this text is the the is text this throughout me struck ing feminist texts. Initial debates on the the on debates Initial texts. feminist ing

On a related note, something else that that else something note, related a On - includ century, twentieth the of decade

in time. in

construction of “natural” womanhood. “natural” of construction leveled at nearly any text before the last last the before text any nearly at leveled

spots of a specific moment moment specific a of spots

potential problems of such a discursive discursive a such of problems potential are, of course, criticisms that could be be could that criticisms course, of are, the struggles and blind- and struggles the

position, want more discussion about the the about discussion more want position, “woman” being somewhat narrow. These These narrow. somewhat being “woman” but rather a reflection of of reflection a rather

but I do, from a current current a from do, I but — of feminism! of pervades this text of the definition of of definition the of text this pervades work she is discussing, discussing, is she work

clearly informed by a particular thread thread particular a by informed clearly As a corollary, there is also a sense that that sense a also is there corollary, a As anu’s work, or to the the to or work, anu’s Lef

This is not unique to to unique not is This it is so directly and and directly so is it — it’s a feminist novel feminist a it’s examined, here, with some suspicion). suspicion). some with here, examined,

[…] developmental” (69). I won’t disagree that that disagree won’t I (69). developmental” in Russ’s essay on feminist utopias is is utopias feminist on essay Russ’s in

cess to the public sphere public the to cess feminist; it is illustrative, discursive, non- discursive, illustrative, is it feminist; are not women (Samuel Delany’s place place Delany’s (Samuel women not are

inferiority and limited ac- limited and inferiority

is transformed […] from feminine into into feminine from […] transformed is seemingly, a role for queer feminists who who feminists queer for role a seemingly,

about women’s functional functional women’s about

but that “it “it that but — than as “images” of women. There is not, not, is There women. of “images” as than “deliberately “feminine” “deliberately

the primacy of narratives narratives of primacy the

rather rather women as — mentions this conflict this mentions hood world” that is “dream-like” and and “dream-like” is that world” hood

also being made against against made being also

Lefanu herself herself Lefanu — - child unthreatening an of recreation specifically constituted specifically

cial roles; challenges were were challenges roles; cial

that this book “represents an imaginative imaginative an “represents book this that is about women women about is Machine World the of

of masculine/feminine so- masculine/feminine of

(68). In her conclusion, Lefanu notes notes Lefanu conclusion, her In (68). In the Chinks Chinks the In of feminism the that is this out the constructed nature nature constructed the out

“gentle, loving, caring [and] noninvasive” noninvasive” [and] caring loving, “gentle, time. Perhaps the easiest way to explain explain to way easiest the Perhaps time. ily concerned with staking staking with concerned ily

women’s “natural” modes of being as as being of modes “natural” women’s , but were not quite so at the the at so quite not were but , now me to gender were often primar- often were gender

structure and functions of of functions and structure based separatist novel that emphasizes emphasizes that novel separatist based that are recognizable and discomfiting discomfiting and recognizable are that

Initial debates on the the on debates Initial an uncritical analysis of a biologically biologically a of analysis uncritical an essentialism also crops up here in forms forms in here up crops also essentialism

it is difficult for me to read read to me for difficult is it — certainly concern of Lefanu’s, more subtle gender gender subtle more Lefanu’s, of concern

and perhaps this is someone’s utopia, utopia, someone’s is this perhaps and ductive gender essentialism is certainly a a certainly is essentialism gender ductive

— — - re misogynist, challenging While etc. While this is a discussion of utopias of discussion a is this While

but they are primarily left unremarked, unremarked, left primarily are they but loving the women of the novel share. share. novel the of women the loving

occasional mention of race or sexuality sexuality or race of mention occasional modes of communication, living, and and living, communication, of modes Revisiting In the Chinks of the World Machine of (newly validated) sentiment but… (Cont. from p. 3) deconstruct notions of essentialism from a relativistic position” (94). Of course, classed as specifically SFnal. It is as if, at there seems to be an inherent instabil- points, Lefanu seeks to avoid classifica- ity in this construction of women’s versus tion but can’t help doing it anyway when feminist science fiction writing — name- she then goes on to introduce the novels ly, that in refusing “traditional” narrative and short stories about which she writes. Though I remain uneasy forms as modes of subversion, Lefanu The occasional strain this produces in with Lefanu’s tendency has constructed another binary.1 It is the theoretical framing of the arguments toward classification and not, therefore, the question that I feel an categorization, I also can- is difficult not to notice, at least for me. antipathy towards — the question of what not deny that the act of The most obvious of these classifica- makes fiction political, or subversive, is defining boundaries (this tions, though, is the one Lefanu makes still relevant — but Lefanu’s answers incite is, this is not) produces between work she considers feminist and a certain discomfort in me. In refusing provocative and engaging work that is merely about or by women. conversations about, for what she sees to be one form of essen- This is a separation beyond simply “this example, those distinctions tialism, it rather appears that another is we might make between text is misogynist/this one isn’t;” she is being set in its place. Though encouraging “science fiction by wom- instead seeking to draw lines regarding relativism, I am not sure the text always en” and “feminist science what the texts do, what their thematic succeeds in achieving it. fiction.” freight might be, and to classify them And yet, how would I answer the accordingly. Though I remain uneasy question: if put to the task, how would I with Lefanu’s tendency toward classifi- define the lines between feminist specu- cation and categorization, I also cannot lative fiction and, well, everything else? I deny that the act of defining boundaries suspect that the first part of my answer (this is, this is not) produces provocative would be, “it’s complicated.” and engaging conversations about, for I feel a level of resistance to the idea H example, those distinctions we might that we can so simply and clearly delin- make between “science fiction by wom- eate, in defined and always-applicable 4 en” and “feminist science fiction.” This is, terms, what is relevant to the conversa- perhaps, the part of Lefanu’s argument tion on feminist theory and praxis in that remains the most debatable and sa- our genre — or even what we consider lient to current criticism: is representa- feminist theory and praxis. Helen Mer- tion alone an act of political subversion? rick’s The Secret Feminist Cabal carries If it is not, what is? When does the scale the subtitle “A Cultural History of Sci- tip from merely “aware of political is- ence Fiction Feminisms” for a reason; sues” to “conversant on those issues?” this is, I think, an important addition to …we’re certainly talking Lefanu’s distinction seems to be, in her or continuation of the conversation Le- about something when we short chapters on the matter at the close fanu begins in her book, and the direc- talk about feminisms in of section one, that what she calls “wom- tion that might be most fruitful to take speculative fiction, and en’s science fiction” remains subject to the in future work on the subject. However, the I know it when I see duality of authority/sentiment (male/ we’re certainly talking about something it approach is perhaps not female) as guiding textual principles — when we talk about feminisms in specu- as useful as one might either the writer adopts the authority hope in examining impor- lative fiction, and the I know it when I tant contributions and of the masculine, or slips entirely into see it approach is perhaps not as useful issues in the field. the sentiment of the feminine. Regard- as one might hope in examining im- less, the status quo remains unchanged: 1 This is, perhaps, familiar territory: Lefanu though using these forms intentionally often quotes Joanna Russ, in particular may “challenge” the “ideology,” “it does mentioning her classifications of science fic- not interrogate its [the binary system’s] tion with “images of women” in it — including the famous “galactic suburbia” bit. In construction” (93). However, she argues this case, it is worth noting that Russ’s own that feminist science fiction is specific later work, particularly in How to Suppress in its acts of subversion; these writers Women’s Writing, would seem to contradict

“speak neither from a position of (trans- her initial refusal of that postwar “ladies’

formed) authority nor from a position magazine fiction.” n

you fit us together, you cannot see us whole. us see cannot you together, us fit you

We hold ourselves in fragments, knowing however however knowing fragments, in ourselves hold We

into the dark with me, gift or insignia. insignia. or gift me, with dark the into

will you know what I carried carried I what know you will

Massachusetts. Massachusetts.

No more than you know my name name my know you than more No

. She lives in in lives She . Experience

blood on a woman’s hem. hem. woman’s a on blood Singing Innocence and and Innocence Singing

wine splashed to the floor, floor, the to splashed wine , and and , Showcase Winners

Or something other, haunting the vices of Rome of vices the haunting other, something Or — of Stars: Rhysling Award Award Rhysling Stars: of

and Horror, The Alchemy Alchemy The Horror, and with my lover’s ashes at my side. side. my at ashes lover’s my with

The Year’s Best Fantasy Fantasy Best Year’s The the spear-carrier of Tarchna Tarchna of spear-carrier the

publications including including publications Teiresias, like

appeared in numerous numerous in appeared

Polish the mirror, our shades swim in it it in swim shades our mirror, the Polish

stories and poems have have poems and stories

when it rotted faster than my bones. bones. my than faster rotted it when

Sonya Taaffe’s short short Taaffe’s Sonya

the pins fallen from my mantle mantle my from fallen pins the

white-faced with cinders, cinders, with white-faced

the mossy bronze of a jewel-box jewel-box a of bronze mossy the

touching only the close-cut rock, rock, close-cut the only touching

we lie in reserve, reserve, in lie we

in their warm-carved arms, arms, warm-carved their in

enfolding eternity eternity enfolding

Not like those couples couples those like Not

Taaffe Sonya by

The Etruscan Prince Etruscan The i

still has plenty to offer on that score. that on offer to plenty has still

Fiction Science and Feminism Machine:

In the Chinks of the World World the of Chinks the In Lefanu’s Sarah

Louisville, Kentucky. Louisville, figure out where we might be going next. next. going be might we where out figure

. She lives in in lives She . Truth-telling

how we got where we are if we want to to want we if are we where got we how

Joanna Russ and Radical Radical and Russ Joanna

helps to know where we’ve been and and been we’ve where know to helps

we might be going next. going be might we

We Wuz Pushed: On On Pushed: Wuz We and

and their methods. At the very least, it it least, very the At methods. their and want to figure out where where out figure to want

Fiction Speculative Fluid

as well as their problems, their contexts, contexts, their problems, their as well as got where we are if we we if are we where got

Genderqueer and Sexually Sexually and Genderqueer

with politics with and their contributions contributions their and — we’ve been and how we we how and been we’ve

Beyond Binary: Binary: Beyond of

…it helps to know where where know to helps …it

tions with classification, with gender, gender, with classification, with — and author author and Horizons

texts, and their methods. methods. their and texts,

- preoccupa and conversations past these Strange Strange for editor

their problems, their con- their problems, their

it would benefit us to seriously consider consider seriously to us benefit would it Brit Mandelo is senior senior is Mandelo Brit

contributions as well as as well as contributions

writers and readers of speculative fiction, fiction, speculative of readers and writers

with politics with and their their and —

in our own discussions, as critics and and critics as discussions, own our in

classification, with gender, gender, with classification,

swers, I remain ambivalent on. Perhaps Perhaps on. ambivalent remain I swers,

and preoccupations and with with —

- an Her book. feminist a not but book

these past conversations conversations past these

a good good a Darkness of Hand Left The Guin’s

us to seriously consider consider seriously to us

tion about what, for example, makes Le Le makes example, for what, about tion 1988. sions…it would benefit benefit would sions…it

- ques the ask to right is Lefanu evance. . London: The Women’s Press, Press, Women’s The London: . Fiction Perhaps in our own discus- own our in Perhaps

- rel its has classification end, the In field. World Machine: Feminism and Science Science and Feminism Machine: World

In the Chinks of the the of Chinks the In Sarah. Lefanu, the in issues and contributions portant y On Angela Davis’s An Autobiography Angela Davis: An Autobiography, by Angela Y. Davis, Random House, 1974 y b Minister Faust

To the nitwits of the click-and-quip To millions, the author- mediacracy, the woman is summed up intellectual Davis is a liv- by her iconic hairstyle, a hairstyle once ing hero from an era in called “a natural” and then an “Afro” be- which too many firebrands fore the concept-clippers truncated the were extinguished all-too consciousness behind the cut into the violently. slansgism “fro.” But Dr. Angela Yvonne Davis, former fugitive, former member of the Commu- nist Party, former potential denizen of death row, and very current human rights activist, is far more than a copywriter’s cute coiffure cliché. To millions, the author-intellectual Davis is a living hero from an era in which too many firebrands were extinguished all-too violently. Davis was linked romantically to Born 1944 in Birmingham, Alabama, George Jackson, a Gramsciian “organic intellectual,” author of Soledad Brother, young Davis took her parents’ social hard-time prisoner and “Field Marshall” justice activism to her marrow, joining for the BPP. In 1970, Jonathan, Jackson’s the Student Nonviolent Coordinating younger brother, attempted to free his Committee as a teenager. A brilliant brother from a Marin County court- H young student, she travelled at age 16 house; his bungled operation led to his to Germany where she studied at the own death, the deaths of three other Af- 6 Frankfurt School under the guidance of rican Americans, and a White judge. Ac- German philosopher and critical theo- cused of having supplied weapons to her rist Theodor Adorno. While studying at paramour’s brother, Davis herself became the Sorbonne in 1963, Davis received a fugitive, and at age 26 became only the word that two of her friends had been third woman in US history to be placed murdered. Rosamond Robertson and on the FBI’s Most Wanted List. Cynthia Wesley, whom Davis described On the run for weeks, living in and out as being like sisters to her, were among of safe houses until she was finally caught four African American girls butchered and imprisoned to await trial, Davis con- by White terrorists in the Birmingham ducted a firsthand analysis of the inte- church bombing. rior of what she would later call the US Upon her return to the US, Davis “prison-industrial complex.” A black star graduated with her BA magna cum laude. on Richard Nixon’s and Ronald Reagan’s After earning her Master’s Degree, Da- enemy list, Davis faced execution by toxic vis began teaching in California’s public gas; having become an international cause university system, where she earned the célèbre, Davis eventually won acquittal wrath of then-governor Ronald Reagan and her own freedom, but refused to walk for her association with the revolution- away from the horrors she’d seen behind ary Black Panther Party (BPP) and her bars for the last (and nearly the final) six- membership in the Communist Party; teen months of her life. As arguably the Reagan’s government attempted to lead advocate for prisoner rights in the have her fired. But that case of politi- United States, Davis entered electoral

Grandmother Magma cal repression disguised as employment politics as the US Communist Party’s vice

harassment would soon prove to be the presidential candidate in 1980 and 1984,

least of her problems. and published books on a variety of top- n

nary folk and even Aretha Franklin as a a as Franklin Aretha even and folk nary

Cont. on p. 9 p. on Cont.

to depend for their survival on on survival their for depend to

- ordi of thousands up sweeps that ment

the revolution thousands had had had had thousands revolution the

- move Angela” “Free growing the of and

was inhuman toil, he said. Before Before said. he toil, inhuman was

solidarity with other women prisoners, prisoners, women other with solidarity

become obsolete. Cane-cutting Cane-cutting obsolete. become

dangers of imprisonment by finding finding by imprisonment of dangers

added that his skill…needed to to skill…needed his that added

accounts of surviving the miseries and and miseries the surviving of accounts of ordinary folk… ordinary of

for the compliment but quickly quickly but compliment the for

can prison system. There are Davis’s Davis’s are There system. prison can

that sweeps up thousands thousands up sweeps that

the way he did it. He thanked me me thanked He it. did he way the

“Free Angela” movement movement Angela” “Free

- Ameri violent racist, the of bowels the

cane it was almost like an art, art, an like almost was it —

ers, and of the growing growing the of and ers, whose fall from “grace” puts her inside inside her puts “grace” from fall whose

how I admired his skill in cutting cutting in skill his admired I how

with other women prison- women other with low writer, intellectual, and militant, militant, and intellectual, writer, low

One day I remarked to a Cuban Cuban a to remarked I day One ment by finding solidarity solidarity finding by ment

- fel murdered) ultimately (and dashing

and dangers of imprison- of dangers and

her experience of the exhausting work: exhausting the of experience her

universe’s) storybook romance with a a with romance storybook universe’s)

of surviving the miseries miseries the surviving of

determination. She says the following of of following the says She determination.

professor and militant, in a (alternate (alternate a in militant, and professor

There are Davis’s accounts accounts Davis’s are There

chetes in the struggle for economic self- economic for struggle the in chetes African American female university university female American African

- ma up pick to Cuba to went others of but this is the rare story of an even rarer rarer even an of story rare the is this but

fascist onslaught, Davis and thousands thousands and Davis onslaught, fascist we haven’t read prison accounts before, before, accounts prison read haven’t we

rifles to aid anarchist Spain against the the against Spain anarchist aid to rifles this book unforgettable. It’s not that that not It’s unforgettable. book this

version of the soldiers who picked up up picked who soldiers the of version captured and incarcerated, that makes makes that incarcerated, and captured

sugar for export. Like an agricultural agricultural an Like export. for sugar location to the next, and finally being being finally and next, the to location

epic struggle to raise ten million tons of of tons million ten raise to struggle epic ing on the run, leaping from one hidden hidden one from leaping run, the on ing

evolutionary Cuba during that country’s country’s that during Cuba evolutionary r - be of narrative framing the it’s But

a pre-prison solidarity journey to early- to journey solidarity pre-prison a the Communist Party. Communist the

merely a better evening. Davis describes describes Davis evening. better a merely with the BPP and her longer devotion to to devotion longer her and BPP the with

ing work of making a better world or or world better a making of work ing

side the USA, including her brief work work brief her including USA, the side

hemisphere

- grind the and self-seduction, poetical

- out and inside experiences foundational and colonies around the the around colonies and

via pointed imagery, of privilege and and privilege of imagery, pointed via

flashbacks, Davis takes us through all her her all through us takes Davis flashbacks, 7 latifundias in and country

is a passage that speaks, eloquently and and eloquently speaks, that passage a is of personal, revolutionary praxis. Via Via praxis. revolutionary personal, of ghettoes and barrios of her her of barrios and ghettoes

first read it around twenty-five years ago, ago, years twenty-five around it read first oppressed women in the the in women oppressed American coming-of-consciousness tale tale coming-of-consciousness American i

has remained with me since the time I I time the since me with remained has cosmic ciphers of all the the all of ciphers cosmic hard-left political thriller, part African African part thriller, political hard-left

My favorite section of the book, which which book, the of section favorite My in the dungeon are micro- are dungeon the in part part — prose and a gripping page-turner gripping a and prose

The women Davis befriends befriends Davis women The

is a finely-wrought work of thoughtful thoughtful of work finely-wrought a is devotes much of the rest of her life. her of rest the of much devotes

which Davis wrote when she was only 28, 28, only was she when wrote Davis which cally, jailed women that Davis ultimately ultimately Davis that women jailed cally,

retical gobbledegook. Instead the book, book, the Instead gobbledegook. retical - metaphori than rather literally, those to

- theo or academese high of tome etrable the hemisphere and the world. And it’s it’s And world. the and hemisphere the

- impen an penned have would professor, a and colonies around around colonies and latifundias in and

readers might even assume that Davis, as as Davis, that assume even might readers the ghettoes and barrios of her country country her of barrios and ghettoes the

a dry recitation of historical facts. Some Some facts. historical of recitation dry a ciphers of all the oppressed women in in women oppressed the all of ciphers

readers that the work beneath the cover is is cover the beneath work the that readers friends in the dungeon are microcosmic microcosmic are dungeon the in friends

might seem to telegraph to to telegraph to seem might Autobiography - be Davis women The same. the doing

An An Davis’s of title unembellished The ual services instead of running industries industries running of instead services ual

conservatives. - sex own their selling by wars, waging of

praxis. praxis.

modern enemies-lists of American arch- American of enemies-lists modern mitting personal acts of violence instead instead violence of acts personal mitting

personal, revolutionary revolutionary personal,

ture widely and is a mainstay on the the on mainstay a is and widely ture - com by countries, small of instead sums

of-consciousness tale of of tale of-consciousness

- lec to continues She again. her employ the old fashioned way: by stealing small small stealing by way: fashioned old the

African American coming- American African

state system Reagan swore would never never would swore Reagan system state into the modern plantation system in in system plantation modern the into political thriller, part part thriller, political

California, Santa Cruz, part of the very very the of part Cruz, Santa California, mic caprices, these women had fallen fallen had women these caprices, mic turner — part hard-left hard-left part

ness Department at the University of of University the at Department ness - cos unknowable and unknown myriad and a gripping page- gripping a and

- Conscious of History the from retired work of thoughtful prose prose thoughtful of work tion, or innate or cultivated intellect, or or intellect, cultivated or innate or tion,

28, is a finely-wrought finely-wrought a is 28, She’s a professor now now professor a She’s Empire. and ture, - ambi familial or education, of lack For

wrote when she was only only was she when wrote - Tor Prisons, Beyond Democracy: Abolition stars aligned in another constellation. constellation. another in aligned stars

…the book, which Davis Davis which book, …the and the recent the and Holiday; Billie and Smith,

vis, but could have been hers, had Davis’s Davis’s had hers, been have could but vis,

Feminism: Gertrude “Ma” Rainey, Bessie Bessie Rainey, “Ma” Gertrude Feminism: - Da of that from different entirely were

Class; & Race Blues Legacies and Black Black and Legacies Blues the prisons, we meet women whose lives lives whose women meet we prisons, the

; Women, Women, ; autobiography an including ics, possible funder of her defense. And in in And defense. her of funder possible y A QUILTBAG, in More than One Sense Fierce Family, edited by Bart R. Leib, Crossed Genre Publications, 2014, 168 pp., $11.95. reviewed by Caren Gussoff As a writer — and reader — I imme- unfortunately unfinished. Again, the Leib did an excellent job diately give any anthology including premise is an excellent one, following an of representing a wide con- stories that speak to and about the ex- insurance adjuster processing claims in tinuum of families and of periences of diverse peoples and that post-apocalyptic Australia, and how per- subgenres. Stories run the portrays underrepresented characters in sonal tragedy moves her to connect with gamut from fantasy to hard the world’s suffering in more than an sci-fi, and there is a nice speculative fiction points simply for existing. That gave Fierce Family a leg up abstract, professional way. But the pace variation in the arrange- is rushed, and much is told rather than ments of each family unit. in my esteem, in spite of its slightly low- rent looking cover treatment (judging shown in the second half, and there are, books by cover: I cop to doing this, and seemingly, careless contradictions left in. I’m struck, in some of the other sto- while the cover image is quite nice, the ries, by how one of the two critical Fierce Family, with its typography and layout scream first time elements — non-nuclear/queer/alterna- theme of QUILTBAG fami- self-publisher to me). tively-identified families, and speculative lies — healthy families — in The anthology is not, of course, self- elements — feel tacked on, as if the char- speculative fiction, is a published at all — Crossed Genre Press’s prime example of Crossed acters could be from any sort of fam- parent magazine has been around for Genre’s mission. It’s also ily, or the actions did not need to take just about five years, and the press has an example of the press’s place in the future/in space/using magic. published, by the time of this review, at inconsistent quality. Rather than being a true intersection of least eight book-length works. Crossed spec and healthy, happy, fierce families, Genre has established, during this time, it feels like existing stories were jury- much goodwill for its inclusive, if not for rigged to fit the theme. H its uneven, tastes, and for its dedication In A.C. Buchanan’s “Growth,” for ex- to finding and publishing stories starring ample, on the earthlike planet Glar, a hu- 8 protagonists of color, who are queer (in man colony’s flawed assumptions about sexuality, identity, and/or gender), or are the nature of their new home unfold otherwise ignored in genre fiction. And through the eyes of a teenager. The teen Fierce Family, with its theme of QUILT- is smart, observant, and, we are told, BAG families — healthy families — in identifies as both male and female. Their speculative fiction, is a prime example of gender identity is also supported by Crossed Genre’s mission. It’s also an ex- their lesbian moms. However, the gen- ample of the press’s inconsistent quality. der queerness and family of two mothers None of the stories are bad. Some just is, at no point, central to the plot of the feel rough, unfinished…like incomplete story, and does not affect the character’s thoughts. The opening story, “Dinkley’s reactions, knowledge, or dealing with Ice Cream,” by Effie Seiberg, sets up a the titular “growths” that gestate inside fine, fantastic premise — ice cream that them. I can make a longwinded point, literally makes you relive childhood after reading, that there is statement go- memories — but cuts short the story with ing on by placing a pregnancy inside a a big change that the main character has character who identifies as both male not yet earned. It’s a disappointment, and female — but that is the academic in since the character herself, a strong, me. There’s no indication that this was single mother of a rambunctious and done on purpose. well-drawn daughter, could truly deserve There are standouts, of course: Rick the happy ending — we just never get a Silva’s “The Home Study,” with its clever chance to engage long enough to watch “inter-dimensional” adoption, portrays her grow. the nontraditional family both as char-

Reviews Stephanie Lai’s “Form B: For Cir- acter and as metaphor; “Mission: Extrac-

cumstances Not Covered in Previous tion,” by Mina MacLeod, is a tight little

Sections,” is another piece that feels space opera with a bad-ass QUILT- n

ness of cutting cane was work not not work was cane cutting of ness in Edmonton, Alberta. Alberta. Edmonton, in

- busi the said, Cuban this so, Even political aspirant. He lives lives He aspirant. political

activist, radio host, and and host, radio activist,

to those who had the greatest need. greatest the had who those to and misleading. and

teacher, writer, community community writer, teacher,

better housing would be available available be would housing better of oppressed people is dangerous dangerous is people oppressed of

Azania) is a Canadian Canadian a is Azania)

child care centers would multiply, multiply, would centers care child anized. Romanticizing the plight plight the Romanticizing anized.

known as Malcolm Malcolm as known

built, more hospitals constructed; constructed; hospitals more built, - utopi be to nothing is it opment:

Minister Faust (also (also Faust Minister

new schools would be be would schools new — a whole a - underdevel of meaning true the

standards of the Cuban people as as people Cuban the of standards was then that I began to realize realize to began I that then was

abroad would be used to raise the the raise to used be would abroad more than terribly hard work. It It work. hard terribly than more

that the returns from sugar sales sales sugar from returns the that thing which was really nothing nothing really was which thing

their sweat and toil. They knew knew They toil. and sweat their - some romanticized having for

ers were not being squeezed from from squeezed being not were ers In this way he subtly criticized me me criticized subtly he way this In

merely a better evening. evening. better a merely - oth for profits Also in. pitched

to make. to

making a better world or or world better a making during the cane season everyone everyone season cane the during

the sacrifices they were all willing willing all were they sacrifices the

and the grinding work of of work grinding the and any longer; longer; any trade by cane-cutter

be put into operation depended on on depended operation into put be

poetical self-seduction, self-seduction, poetical

the revolution. No one was a a was one No revolution. the

the rapidity with which it could could it which with rapidity the

imagery, of privilege and and privilege of imagery,

come qualitatively different since since different qualitatively come

industry was on the agenda, but but agenda, the on was industry

eloquently and via pointed pointed via and eloquently

- be had cane cutting of job The

sun. Mechanization of the entire entire the of Mechanization sun. a passage that speaks, speaks, that passage a

little while longer. while little have to work under the sweltering sweltering the under work to have twenty-five years ago, is is ago, years twenty-five

ance money to make ends meet a a meet ends make to money ance sons and their children would not not would children their and sons time I first read it around around it read first I time

- insur little a for machete the with was working for the day when his his when day the for working was mained with me since the the since me with mained

the book, which has re- has which book, the end up having to cut off a finger finger a off cut to having up end to do it because he knew that he he that knew he because it do to

My favorite section of of section favorite My cane season. Many of them would would them of Many season. cane old before your time. He continued continued He time. your before old

working like animals during the the during animals like working fit for human beings; it made you you made it beings; human for fit

(Cont. from p. 7) p. from (Cont. 9

An Autobiography An Davis’s Angela On

vision buoyed it up. it buoyed vision

ogy dragged it down, the integrity of its its of integrity the down, it dragged ogy

- anthol the of quality uneven the while

fierce families in speculative worlds. But But worlds. speculative in families fierce

its vision buoyed it up. it buoyed vision its

to deliver on its promise of consistently consistently of promise its on deliver to

She lives in Seattle. in lives She

it down, the integrity of of integrity the down, it

failed failed Family Fierce throughout. evenly

novels and short stories. stories. short and novels

of the anthology dragged dragged anthology the of

and that types of story were distributed distributed were story of types that and

literary and speculative speculative and literary …while the uneven quality quality uneven the …while

ogy itself maintained a pace of its own, own, its of pace a maintained itself ogy Caren Gussoff writes both both writes Gussoff Caren

- anthol the that ensuring volume, the

also carefully arranged the stories in in stories the arranged carefully also

rangements of each family unit. Leib Leib unit. family each of rangements

- ar the in variation nice a is there and

the gamut from fantasy to hard sci-fi, sci-fi, hard to fantasy from gamut the magic.

the future/in space/using space/using future/in the of families and of subgenres. Stories run run Stories subgenres. of and families of

not need to take place in in place take to need not job of representing a wide continuum continuum wide a representing of job

family, or the actions did did actions the or family, As an editor, Leib did an excellent excellent an did Leib editor, an As

could be from any sort of of sort any from be could

with another man. another with

on, as if the characters characters the if as on,

need for the main character to be in love love in be to character main the for need

elements feel tacked tacked feel —

willing to blow off the tenuous-at-best tenuous-at-best the off blow to willing

families, and speculative speculative and families,

it’s easily my personal favorite, and I am am I and favorite, personal my easily it’s

alternatively-identified alternatively-identified

so beautifully written, and so engaging, engaging, so and written, beautifully so

non-nuclear/queer/

ment syndrome, but which is so exciting, exciting, so is which but syndrome, ment the two critical elements critical two the — —

- ele family tacked-on the from suffers …in some…stories one of of one some…stories …in

“Stormrider,” by Layla Lawlor, which which Lawlor, Layla by “Stormrider,” BAG family behind the controls; and and controls; the behind family BAG y A Considered Kind of Gonzo Questionable Practices, by Eileen Gunn, Small Beer Press, March 2014, 286 pp., $16.00. reviewed by Victoria Elisabeth Garcia Questionable Practices is an intriguing tic feats. “Up the Fire Road,” a wilderness new collection from Nebula and Sense survival story with Sasquatch, grapples of Gender award-winner Eileen Gunn. with illusions and self-deceptions in- An impressively varied olio that includes deca- An impressively varied olio that includes volved in sex and love, the nature of fam- dent fantasy, rip-roaring decadent fantasy, rip-roaring aviation ilies, and the power of daytime television. aviation adventure, SFnal adventure, SFnal slice-of-life metafic- Here, a couple on a cross-country ski trip slice-of-life metafiction, tion, sly satire, and even a bit of poetry, become lost in the woods and are given sly satire, and even a bit its contents are united by the vividness shelter by a kindly but grizzled hermit, of poetry. of the authorial voice; the sharpness of who turns out to be somehow more their social, emotional, and technologi- than human. As the couple’s days in the cal insight; the limberness of their struc- woods stretch into months, each forms a tures; and the finesse with which Gunn unique, romantic bond with their wooly is able to balance narrative drive and ex- benefactor. Here, the ebb and flow of in- pressionistic flow. timacy between flawed but vivid human This collection contains twelve reprint- beings is depicted exceptionally well. The ed pieces from the years 2006 through depiction of the Sasquatch as caring, be- 2012, as well as two original stories nevolent, but unmistakably otherworld- (“Chop Wood, Carry Water” and “Phan- ly, is also very well done. tom Pain”). Though not every piece will Eventually, the couple’s time in the please every reader, the best works posi- Sasquatch’s world comes to an end. In Though not every piece tively crackle with verve and intelligence. a less inventive writer’s hands, the story, H will please every reader, Most serious readers will find something most likely, would also come to an end the best works positively to fall in love with here. here — but Gunn pushes the narrative 10 crackle with verve and In her earlier work, Gunn often wrote further, and shows us the encounter’s intelligence. Most serious about the ways human beings and digital consequences back in the workaday, ur- readers will find something technology influence one another. The ban world. The story finishes in a bright to fall in love with here. new collection includes further explora- swirl of love, tawdriness, renewal, and tion of this theme. “Hive Mind Man,” comedy. An emotionally honest story, written in collaboration with Rudy built on a chassis of strong SFnal think- Rucker, wittily captures the information- ing, and powered by an engine that runs al and commercial horror vaccui of the on high-octane gonzo,1 and it’s an abso- internet, as well as the magical thinking, lute delight, and not to be missed. the flights of narcissism, and the gold- Not all of Gunn’s stories rely on hu- rush mentality of the e-business world mor, however. In “Chop Wood, Carry that supports and exploits it. Along the Water,” we follow the inner life a golem way, the story pillories the absurdity and who hauls tombstones for a rabbi in the cheerful sociopathy of the corpo- 16th century Prague. Here, the tone is rate world with precision and ease, and as cool and solid as the clay from which manages to feel at once both breezy and the golem was shaped, and the reader is harrowing. While this is achievement pulled in, not by conventional drama or The book also contains enough, the story’s true magic lies in the genre pyrotechnics, but by the starkly two gorgeous elven effortless way that in the end, Gunn and alien quality of the golem’s attempts to fantasy stories, written in Rucker distill from these blackly humor- understand himself, the human world, collaboration with Michael ous and techno-dystopian precursors a and the nature of his own Jewishness, or Swanwick. final note that is sweet, genuine, loving, lack thereof. and warmly utopian. It’s a wonderful The book also contains two gorgeous piece of work. elven fantasy stories, written in collabora-

Several of the stories in this collection tion with Michael Swanwick. In the post-

demonstrate similarly graceful gymnas- apocalyptic coming-of-age story “Armies n

“Inside Baseball” quality to several of the the of several to quality Baseball” “Inside , and elsewhere. and , Review

Kids” in this review. review. this in Kids” prising, therefore, that there is a distinct distinct a is there that therefore, prising, Indiana Indiana the , Polyphony in

analyzing or evaluating “No Place to Raise Raise to Place “No evaluating or analyzing

fiction has been published published been has fiction - sur be not should It fiction. original

a conflict of interest, I will refrain from from refrain will I interest, of conflict a

but agile little dog. Her Her dog. little agile but

fantastical literature, as well as for her her for as well as literature, fantastical

tion. In order to avoid the appearance of of appearance the avoid to order In tion.

Aegard, and a chunky chunky a and Aegard,

edge of and insight into speculative and and speculative into insight and of edge

, where it received a proper publica- proper a received it where , Flurb

comics creator John John creator comics

- knowl her for renowned is Gunn writer, bought the story for his online magazine, magazine, online his for story the bought

Seattle with her husband, husband, her with Seattle

bottles had been cleared away, Rudy Rucker Rucker Rudy away, cleared been had bottles A noted editor and critic as well as a a as well as critic and editor noted A

Victoria Garcia lives in in lives Garcia Victoria

the streamers, cake crumbs, and half-empty half-empty and crumbs, cake streamers, the best in the collection. the in best

their copies by mail.) Then, not long after after long not Then, mail.) by copies their

strongly cathartic, the story is among the the among is story the cathartic, strongly

friends who contributed to the zine received received zine the to contributed who friends

tifully wrought, emotionally sharp, and and sharp, emotionally wrought, tifully

who showed up for the party. (Out-of-state (Out-of-state party. the for up showed who

- Beau time. and consciousness, memory, inkjet printer and handed out to the folks folks the to out handed and printer inkjet

interplay of love, trauma, perception, perception, trauma, love, of interplay was simply run off at home on our elderly elderly our on home at off run simply was

never sold or distributed to the public: it it public: the to distributed or sold never positions, the reader is able to see the the see to able is reader the positions,

birthday. The zine was was zine The birthday. in honor of my 35 my of honor in

- juxta and rhythms their through and th

for a small, private zine that he assembled assembled he that zine private small, a for

is depicted as a medley of fragments, fragments, of medley a as depicted is

written in 2007, at my spouse’s request, request, spouse’s my at 2007, in written

in the collection. Here, a soldier’s life life soldier’s a Here, collection. the in Place to Raise Kids,” a very short piece, was was piece, short very a Kids,” Raise to Place

tom Pain,” the second original story story original second the Pain,” tom of the more gonzo stories in this book. “No “No book. this in stories gonzo more the of

a special and personal connection to one one to connection personal and special a - “Phan in found be can narrative tary

gonzo mode, I should disclose that I have have I that disclose should I mode, gonzo - fragmen of use powerful similarly A

e on the subject of Gunn’s Gunn’s of subject the on e we’r While 1

reward multiple re-readings. multiple reward

with sufficient depth and ambiguity to to ambiguity and depth sufficient with recommended.

wonderful piece, and utterly unique, unique, utterly and piece, wonderful faceted, inventive, and rich, it is highly highly is it rich, and inventive, faceted,

cidedly solid final blow. It’s a perfectly perfectly a It’s blow. final solid cidedly - multi Ambitious, wonderful. is whole

- de and powerful a deliver and sound, But that caveat aside, the book on the the on book the aside, caveat that But

recommended. both psychologically and aesthetically aesthetically and psychologically both clever and rewarding.) rewarding.) and clever

and rich, it is highly highly is it rich, and its fragments coalesce in a way that feels feels that way a in coalesce fragments its however, will most likely find both pieces pieces both find likely most will however, 11

multifaceted, inventive, inventive, multifaceted,

gently disorienting and a bit dreamlike, dreamlike, bit a and disorienting gently ers who have the necessary touchstones, touchstones, necessary the have who ers

is wonderful. Ambitious, Ambitious, wonderful. is

about maturation and memory. At times times At memory. and maturation about i

- (Read it. of out much get to able be not

…the book on the whole whole the on book …the

almost imperceptibly into a narrative narrative a into imperceptibly almost Howard Waldrop, and K.W. Jeter may may Jeter K.W. and Waldrop, Howard

pernatural menace, the piece develops develops piece the menace, pernatural son and Bruce Sterling, China Miéville, Miéville, China Sterling, Bruce and son

- su of elements crisply-rendered with - Gib William by work specific of or tion,”

and folkloric resonance of Christmas Christmas of resonance folkloric and - “tuckeriza tradition community’s fiction

quality. Combining the nostalgic glitter glitter nostalgic the Combining quality. insiders: Readers unaware of the science science the of unaware Readers insiders:

this one has a bit more of a slipstream slipstream a of more bit a has one this Quartet” is likewise written primarily for for primarily written likewise is Quartet”

ration, is another dark fantasy, though though fantasy, dark another is ration, find it rather alienating. “The Steampunk Steampunk “The alienating. rather it find

- collabo Swanwick a also Tree,” Winter readers unfamiliar with these authors may may authors these with unfamiliar readers

a brilliant piece. “Trains That Climb the the Climb That “Trains piece. brilliant a elegance, and intellectual crunch, but but crunch, intellectual and elegance,

sible and as gorgeous as it is brutal. It’s It’s brutal. is it as gorgeous as and sible their lives as writers. The story has charm, charm, has story The writers. as lives their

- incomprehen as is that the limits and rewards of of rewards and limits the

a totalitarian framework framework totalitarian a hamburgers and discussing discussing and hamburgers

find ways of living within within living of ways find New Jersey, looking for for looking Jersey, New

three young people as they they as people young three a turnpike in an alternate alternate an in turnpike a several of the pieces. the of several

bloody. The story follows follows story The bloody. wick as they drive down down drive they as wick Baseball” quality to to quality Baseball”

there is a distinct “Inside “Inside distinct a is there cotizing, destabilizing, and and destabilizing, cotizing, - Swan and Delany weights

surprising, therefore, that that therefore, surprising, - nar turns by is encounter - heavy SF real-life follows

fiction. It should not be be not should It fiction. effect on the humans they they humans the on effect reviewed journal. The story story The journal. reviewed

well as for her original original her for as well

to perceive motion, their their motion, perceive to , a peer- a , Fiction Science of

fantastical literature, as as literature, fantastical

of humor and their ability ability their and humor of

The International Review Review International The

into speculative and and speculative into

alien, down to their forms forms their to down alien, Foundation: Foundation: in published

knowledge of and insight insight and of knowledge

ironclad tradition. Deeply Deeply tradition. ironclad of-life piece that was first first was that piece of-life

is renowned for her her for renowned is

ture of fury, caprice, and and caprice, fury, of ture Area, March 2005” is slice- is 2005” March Area,

as well as a writer, Gunn Gunn writer, a as well as

- mix a by driven hoard, the Joyce Kilmer Service Service Kilmer Joyce the A noted editor and critic critic and editor noted A

a nigh-invincible invading invading nigh-invincible a and Samuel R. Delany at at Delany R. Samuel and

of Elfland,” the fae folk are are folk fae the Elfland,” of pieces. “Michael Swanwick Swanwick “Michael pieces. y An Animal Bride Tale in Post-Cultural Guise The Crane Wife, by Patrick Ness, Penguin Press, January 23, 2014, 320 pp., $26.95. reviewed by Gord Sellar Stories about love can be like blind- at its carving from authentically folds, concealing the complexity of our expensive wood, not balsa or bam- Stories about love can be lives and relationships, or they can be boo or whatever chopsticks were like blindfolds, concealing like mirrors, revealing to us things we made of, and it was a whole world the complexity of our lives might not otherwise see, or be willing more serious than the businesslike and relationships, or they to see. Case in point: the differences be- rods you saw fired on the Olym- can be like mirrors, revealing to us things we might tween the Japanese story of The Crane pics coverage of smaller nations. not otherwise see, or be Wife and its European equivalent, The This was an arrow for killing. willing to see. Swan Maiden. These tales share a structure common enough to have warranted The rescued crane flies off into the a shared taxonomy (Aarne–Thompson night, but the next day a woman walks #402, to be precise) but their implied into George’s life: an artist named Ku- lessons differ subtly. The Swan Maiden miko, who turns his world upside down. seems to be about male marital posses- Still, the novel is not really about Ku- siveness and a kind of romantic sadism; miko, any more than the crane wife and but in the version of The Crane Wife swan maiden tales are about their epony- that inspired Ness — and was famously mous animal wives: it is about the social set to music by the band The Decem- and romantic lives of George, his daugh- berists (whom Ness recommends as ter Amanda, and the people closest to “the greatest band in the world” in his them. These individuals Ness draws with It is in its engagement afterword to The Crane Wife) — the hus- a disarming — though at times simulta- H with this darkness that it band’s voraciousness, possessiveness, neously discomfiting — candor and vivid- becomes clear how Ness’s and sadism seem economic rather than ity. Just as magic often has a dark price in book aspires to being 12 marital: he locks his wife into a room to fairy tales, in The Crane Wife the human a mirror rather than a weave wondrous silk. capacity for love seems impossible to sep- blindfold. To adapt such a tale to a modern, arate from human flaws like selfishness, Western setting is ambitious, and in irrationality, possessiveness, and cruelty. many ways Ness rises to the occasion. Ness’s characters are very believable, if The opening of the novel, where George at times also unlikeable.... And that goes is woken in the night by the cry of a as much for the classic brokenhearted, wounded crane outside is masterful — its lonely “nice guy” type that George is as length, its breathlessness, the supreme for any of them. (Who hasn’t met a “nice confidence of its very slow pacing — and guy” who is, deep down, a very troubled, we are brought into George’s world at cruel person?) It is in its engagement the moment of its transfiguration pri- with this darkness that it becomes clear Ness’s ability to breathe marily by a wealth of evocative detail: how Ness’s book aspires to being a mirror life into characters in just The arrow was long, extraordi- rather than a blindfold. a few short lines is un- narily so, at least four feet, and the It is difficult, though, to come to terms mistakable, yet Kumiko more it resolved in the man’s vi- with Kumiko. Where other characters remains a cipher. One sion, the more he could see that are richly drawn, and even her art is de- cannot help but wonder scribed in gorgeous detail, she remains why the author opted for it was some kind of terrifyingly this kind of distancing, proper arrow, too, with crisply frustratingly distant, mysterious and instead of particularizing cut feathers fletched up in three vaguely-outlined, from everywhere and her as Japanese, or bicul- evenly-spaced rows around one nowhere in particular at once: on meet- tural, or utterly British, or end and a glinting, shiny arrow- ing her, George “couldn’t have put a fin- whatever. head easily the width of two of ger on her nationality just then if you’d his fingers on the other. There was asked him,” and her age is “as difficult to

something weirdly ancient about fix as her origins”; later, she claims to be

it as well, something that hinted from “all over,” and speaks in an accent n

or marital relationships between people people between relationships marital or

so confidently, without fear of of fear without confidently, so Cont. on p. 15 p. on Cont.

flaws and weaknesses play out in sexual sexual in out play weaknesses and flaws “America is,” they would say, and and say, would they is,” “America

of an Animal Bride tale is how human human how is tale Bride Animal an of

rol wasn’t nearly cheap enough. enough. cheap nearly wasn’t rol

however. As I suggested above, the point point the above, suggested I As however.

- pet cheap outrageously their that

miko and the others was unavoidable, unavoidable, was others the and miko

ticians, all the while complaining complaining while the all ticians,

- Ku between contrast some Perhaps

- poli insane apparently for voted

ity of the Western Swan Maiden tale. tale. Maiden Swan Western the of ity

irony-hating Jesus-praisers who who Jesus-praisers irony-hating

- availabil the given especially odd, seems

ots were all of them passport-less, passport-less, them of all were ots

of Japanese-ness in Kumiko therefore therefore Kumiko in Japanese-ness of

- compatri million 300 his course)

tale: the conscious avoidance avoidance conscious the tale: Japanese a

that, George aside (of course, of of course, (of aside George that,

George. And after all, the Crane Wife is is Wife Crane the all, after And George.

to budge from their assumption assumption their from budge to

ful.... I was a bit baffled, right alongside alongside right baffled, bit a was I ful....

ners (usually women). women). (usually ners

times, were surprisingly difficult difficult surprisingly were times,

- power and enduring more supposedly

possess supernatural part- supernatural possess

who had visited America several several America visited had who

love-at-first-sight grows into something something into grows love-at-first-sight

beguiling, impossible-to- beguiling,

of them highly educated, many many educated, highly them of

how his (admittedly) almost adolescent adolescent almost (admittedly) his how

people (usually men) and and men) (usually people

These people, friends even, many many even, friends people, These

that even George can’t explain why or or why explain can’t George even that relationships between between relationships

Britain) emphasizes several times: several emphasizes Britain) . At times, it is clear clear is it times, At . relationship lifelike out in sexual or marital marital or sexual in out

flaws and weaknesses play play weaknesses and flaws Ness (himself an American living in in living American an (himself Ness and also allow for a particularized and and particularized a for allow also and

Bride tale is how human human how is tale Bride might carry us beyond such stereotypes stereotypes such beyond us carry might see Americans as homogenous, a point point a homogenous, as Americans see

…the point of an Animal Animal an of point …the

enchanting; to long for a figure who who figure a for long to enchanting; gentle annoyance at how so many Brits Brits many so how at annoyance gentle

slightly more graspable, and thus more more thus and graspable, more slightly paid to George’s American-ness, and his his and American-ness, George’s to paid

long for a Kumiko whose human side is is side human whose Kumiko a for long inescapable given the degree of attention attention of degree the given inescapable

terious” Asian female. It’s difficult not to to not difficult It’s female. Asian terious” tural, like Aarne–Thompson #402), is is #402), Aarne–Thompson like tural,

- “mys the especially and male Western - transcul perhaps (or post-cultural ically

like George and Kumiko and George like the white, white, the — - emphat being her of irony The whatever.

ist stereotypes abound regarding couples couples regarding abound stereotypes ist anese, or bicultural, or utterly British, or or British, utterly or bicultural, or anese,

- imperial and gender, racial, West, the in - Jap as her particularizing of instead ing,

i it’s hard not to feel a little disappointed: disappointed: little a feel to not hard it’s

- distanc of kind this for opted author the

Japanese Manic Pixie Dream Bird. Still, Still, Bird. Dream Pixie Manic Japanese

cipher. One cannot help but wonder why why wonder but help cannot One cipher.

some kind of stereotypical stereotypical of kind some not least, at

is unmistakable, yet Kumiko remains a a remains Kumiko yet unmistakable, is

depict her in such a vague way. She is, is, She way. vague a such in her depict

into characters in just a few short lines lines short few a just in characters into

apparent “Japanese-ness” by opting to to opting by “Japanese-ness” apparent

Indeed, Ness’s ability to breathe life life breathe to ability Ness’s Indeed,

sorts of missteps regarding Kumiko’s Kumiko’s regarding missteps of sorts

teacher of his, are vividly humanized. humanized. vividly are his, of teacher

Possibly Ness hoped to avoid these these avoid to hoped Ness Possibly lifelike relationship. relationship. lifelike

- school long-ago a and husband, rent

for a particularized and and particularized a for

“Jazz. Meryl Streep.” Streep.” Meryl “Jazz.

- cur ex-wife’s George’s like appearances,

stereotypes and also allow allow also and stereotypes

“The New Yorker,’ he would reply. reply. would he Yorker,’ New “The

is frustrating: even those with very brief brief very with those even frustrating: is might carry us beyond such such beyond us carry might

other character character other every with contrast the to long for a figure who who figure a for long to thing that followed. followed. that thing

a mystery to George and the others, but but others, the and George to mystery a and thus more enchanting; enchanting; more thus and - any to rebuttal or contradiction

slightly more graspable, graspable, more slightly to be be to supposed is Kumiko course, Of art.

whose human side is is side human whose alize Kumiko, in the end, relate to her her to relate end, the in Kumiko, alize

not to long for a Kumiko Kumiko a for long to not

- re that details particularizing only The

Asian female. It’s difficult difficult It’s female. Asian

way of forcing her to take it along. along. it take to her forcing of way especially the “mysterious” “mysterious” the especially

sinuated itself into her voice as a a as voice her into itself sinuated white, Western male and and male Western white,

George and Kumiko and George the the — - in and leave to her wanted hadn’t

regarding couples like like couples regarding every place she may have travelled travelled have may she place every

stereotypes abound abound stereotypes name but also neither or any, as if if as any, or neither also but name

gender, and imperialist imperialist and gender,

and possibly Japanese like her her like Japanese possibly and

…in the West, racial, racial, West, the …in

alese/Canadian? But also English, English, also But alese/Canadian?

- African/Nep South ish/Maltese?

- Span French/Russian? French?

lates silently: lates

- specu he though place, cannot George y Feminist Icon in a Chain Mail Bikini Red Sonja, Volume 1: Queen of the Plagues, by Gail Simone and Walter Geovanni, Dynamite Entertainment, March 2014, 160 pp., $19.99. reviewed by Cynthia Ward

If you looked at the accompanying crossover. I even assumed they’d stopped If you looked at the ac- cover of Red Sonja, Volume 1: Queen of the publishing Red Sonja comics. But in the companying cover of Red Plagues before you started reading this second decade of the new millennium, Sonja, Volume 1: Queen review, your eyes probably popped with I discovered I’d missed generations of of the Plagues before you shock or narrowed with anger. The odds Red Sonja comics, from a variety of li- started reading this review, of either reaction went up if you were un- censees. Still, I remained uninterested your eyes probably popped happy with a certain professional journal in revisiting the character, since — in all with shock or narrowed because it recently sported a controver- the decades following her creation in with anger. sial cover. 1973 — few women have penned stories Your reaction to this particular cover about her. (The only ones I know of are might not be entirely negative if you Clara Noto, Christy Marx, Louise Si- grew up reading the 1970s comics that monson, and Marie Javins, and while featured the original chick in a chain you’ll find the names of Danette Cou- mail bikini: the indomitable sword-and- to, Cat Yronwode, and a certain Cindy sorcery character Red Sonja. In those Ward on the splashpage of Conan the years, I thought her chain mail bikini Barbarian #115, none received a writing was the stupidest-looking costume ever credit.) to appear in a comic book (where there’s Then I heard Red Sonja was gaining never a shortage of competition). Yet I a new writer: Gail Simone, who “first And even when an artist was also inspired. I wanted to learn fenc- came to fan attention through Women sexed her up, Red Sonja 1 H was the strongest female ing, and she was supreme with a sword. in Refrigerators a website founded in character I encountered And even when an artist sexed her up, 1999 by a small group of comics fans, 14 with any regularity as a Red Sonja was the strongest female including Simone…to [identify] female teen. character I encountered with any regu- superheroes who had been killed, raped, larity as a teen. or otherwise [put through] traumatic This fierce, take-no-shit swordswom- indignities as a plot device for a male an debuted in Conan the Barbarian #23 character.”2 I’d heard good things about as the more reasonably-dressed creation Simone’s comics scripting, but hadn’t of writer Roy Thomas and artist Barry tried her work. So I picked up (or, more Smith (now Barry Windsor-Smith). accurately, downloaded) her first Red They based her on a ferocious, take-no- Sonja graphic novel. prisoners swordswoman created by pulp To be honest, I thought I was down- author Robert E. Howard, Conan’s cre- loading Simone’s first issue of Red Sonja. I even assumed they’d ator, in the non-Conan historical ad- I didn’t have the time to read a whole stopped publishing Red venture “The Shadow of the Vulture.” graphic novel. But I did read the whole Sonja comics. But in the Howard’s Red-Sonya-with-a-y spends thing, which collects all six issues of the second decade of the new the story repeatedly saving the life of the Queen of the Plagues story arc, and in a millennium, I discovered putative hero, a sword-swinging macho single sitting, because I couldn’t stop I’d missed generations of blockhead who never gets an opportu- turning those virtual pages. Red Sonja comics, from a nity to return the favor. Queen of the Plagues is a reboot, jet- variety of licensees. Still, I appreciated the comics about her tisoning four decades of increasingly I remained uninterested literary “daughter,” Red-Sonja-with-a-j, confused continuity with a new vision in revisiting the character, and kept up with her doings until writer of Red Sonja and a mercifully rape- since — in all the decades following her creation in Roy Thomas left Marvel Comics, when free new origin story. While fresh, the 1973 — few women have I moved on to The Uncanny X-Men and storyline and characterizations manage

penned stories about her. Joanna Russ. I never saw the Red Sonja the tricky feat of remaining true to the movie, and I missed such capitalist-excess original Marvel Comics penned by Roy

silliness as the Red Sonja/Spider-Man Thomas. Bucking the current trend of n

pathetically but unflinchingly. unflinchingly. but pathetically lives in Saskatchewan. in lives

- sym treated are Rachel, “frenemy” her among other venues. He He venues. other among

, , Interzone and , Magazine life, including his daughter Amanda and and Amanda daughter his including life,

ground below. ground Science Fiction, Apex Apex Fiction, Science relationships of the women in George’s George’s in women the of relationships

creatures confined, for a brief time, to the the to time, brief a for confined, creatures Asimov’s Asimov’s in appeared ness, and naiveté. Likewise, the fractured fractured the Likewise, naiveté. and ness,

West. His work has has work His West.

in the skies, but among flawed, desperate desperate flawed, among but skies, the in - kind generosity, overbearing become to

2006 graduate of Clarion Clarion of graduate 2006

nary beings of transcendent perfection perfection transcendent of beings nary ances out what sometimes threatened threatened sometimes what out ances

Saskatchewan. He is a a is He Saskatchewan.

- imagi among not practiced is love how

- bal that richness and depth of kind a

up in Nova Scotia and and Scotia Nova in up

qualities, eternally part of the problem of of problem the of part eternally qualities,

youth that changed his life his changed that youth give him him give —

in Malawi and grew grew and Malawi in

it, both traits are also inescapably human human inescapably also are traits both it,

west, and of the singular event in his his in event singular the of and west,

Gord Sellar was born born was Sellar Gord

suggests that while we may wish to deny deny to wish may we while that suggests - North Pacific the in schooling and hood

Wife Crane The relationships. our break of George’s past George’s of - child his of glimpses —

press upon, obscure, and sometimes even even sometimes and obscure, upon, press women). In this context, the excavations excavations the context, this In women). relationships.

tion of how both selfishness and need need and selfishness both how of tion sometimes even break our our break even sometimes to-possess supernatural partners (usually (usually partners supernatural to-possess

- explora thoughtful a is result The press upon, obscure, and and obscure, upon, press (usually men) and beguiling, impossible- beguiling, and men) (usually

both selfishness and need need and selfishness both

ful exploration of how how of exploration ful

(Cont. from p. 13) p. from (Cont.

The result is a thought- a is result The

An Animal Bride Animal An

- entertain an and voice compelling a has the various villains. various the

Cont. on p. 16 p. on Cont.

quential art itself ). Writer Gail Simone Simone Gail Writer ). itself art quential fairly one-dimensional presentation of of presentation one-dimensional fairly

(or at least to the digital ARC) and a a and ARC) digital the to least at (or - se transformed has technology of tion

included script, to make it to the page page the to it make to script, included - evolu the (and years early the in Sonja

1970s reprint. 1970s

citizenry’s brown skin, described in the the in described skin, brown citizenry’s to the styles of the men who drew Red Red drew who men the of styles the to

for a a for Plagues the of

problems include the failure of the local local the of failure the include problems non-exploitive illustrations owe little little owe illustrations non-exploitive

Queen Queen mistake won’t You

hero-worshipping teenage girls). Other Other girls). teenage hero-worshipping vanni’s strong, distinctive, and generally generally and distinctive, strong, vanni’s geous, deadly warrior. deadly geous,

of starry-eyed superlatives from the the from superlatives starry-eyed of

reliant loner and a coura- a and loner reliant - Geo Walter Artist reprint. 1970s a for

original, a strong, self- strong, a original, age,” though it issues as one of a stream stream a of one as issues it though age,” Plagues the of Queen mistake won’t You

Sonja is, like the 1970s 1970s the like is, Sonja - cleav excellent the of she “O like line loner and a courageous, deadly warrior. deadly courageous, a and loner

…the new team’s Red Red team’s new …the

stop reading when you hit an in-jokey in-jokey an hit you when reading stop the 1970s original, a strong, self-reliant self-reliant strong, a original, 1970s the

and-sorcery dialogue, you’ll probably probably you’ll dialogue, and-sorcery And the new team’s Red Sonja is, like like is, Sonja Red team’s new the And

one (if you’ve no familiarity with sword- with familiarity no you’ve (if one complexity of storyline or protagonist. protagonist. or storyline of complexity

- every please won’t dialogue humorous pulp-adventure tale, without sacrificing sacrificing without tale, pulp-adventure

mostly just rings false. The patches of of patches The false. rings just mostly paced, swashbuckling (and yes, bloody) bloody) yes, (and swashbuckling paced,

intended to reveal a lack of education, education, of lack a reveal to intended and material. They also tell a good, fast- good, a tell also They material. and

The opening dialogue from a bit player, player, bit a from dialogue opening The humor-tinged approach to the characters characters the to approach humor-tinged

sequently performs impossible heroics. heroics. impossible performs sequently retain the original comics’ respectful and and respectful comics’ original the retain

- sub thigh the through stabbed character ly) bleak reboots, Simone and Geovanni Geovanni and Simone reboots, bleak ly)

but they don’t guarantee perfection. A A perfection. guarantee don’t they but - clueless sometimes (and unremittingly

gaging and egalitarian pulp adventure, adventure, pulp egalitarian and gaging

- en an for make developments These

identification characters. identification

into damned fine young-adult reader- young-adult fine damned into

bodyguar ds, grow and change and turn turn and change and grow ds,

new origin story. story. origin new

as Red Sonja’s not-always- Sonja’s Red as superfluous superfluous

and a mercifully rape-free rape-free mercifully a and

pair of wannabe-warrior sisters, assigned assigned sisters, wannabe-warrior of pair

a new vision of Red Sonja Sonja Red of vision new a

merely to motivate a dudebro. And a a And dudebro. a motivate to merely

confused continuity with with continuity confused

Too, no woman ends up dead or hurt hurt or dead up ends woman no Too, decades of increasingly increasingly of decades

everyone is expected to take up arms. arms. up take to expected is everyone a reboot, jettisoning four four jettisoning reboot, a

for a besieged city to fight, for example, example, for fight, to city besieged a for is is Plagues the of Queen

undergone since 1973. When it’s time time it’s When 1973. since undergone

ration reflects the changes society has has society changes the reflects ration

- collabo pair’s The plot. to approach ing Feminist Icon But it seems Simone and Geovanni may (Cont. from p. 15) share my dim view of the chain mail bikini. They replace it with rather less re- The exception is Dark Annisia, who is vealing garb early in the graphic novel, less a villain than a force of nature. A trag- and they put Sonja and Annisia in plate ic antagonist, she is haunted by her past armor for their final clash. This is hardly the first time and possibly insane. Three years ago, she Despite the vexatious aspects of Queen I’ve seen dreadlocks on and Red Sonja were sisters of the sword: of the Plagues, I’m looking forward to Gail a Caucasian (or, for that Simone and Walter Geovanni’s future matter, nonhuman) comics gladiators matched in skill, strength, and or movie antagonist, and determination. Scheduled to fight to the volumes of Red Sonja. I’m looking for I suppose this is intended death, they were sprung from slavery on other comics by Simone. I even plan to to be taken as a symbol the eve of destruction. When they finally check out Red Sonja: Berserker, penned by of badassness. But many meet again, Annisia has a major mad on horror superstar Nancy A. Collins, creator people “read” dreadlocks for her former comrade. Love can turn of the badass vampire-hunter Sonja Blue as “black” and read an- easily to hate, and Annisia was in love (hmmm). And, for all the sexist imagery tagonist as “villain” and with Red Sonja (did I mention there’s a and past and present baggage, if I had read villain as “evil” and bit of a Xena-and-Gabrielle vibe to the teenage daughters or sons, I’d find Queen read “dark” as “black” graphic novel?). Fortunately, Annisia’s of the Plagues more fit for their eyes than and “evil.” antagonism is considerably more com- many a young-adult title that comes to plicated than love gone wrong; and she my mind. has become, if anything, an even more Notes dangerous opponent for Red Sonja. Per- 1 http://lby3.com/wir/. haps less fortunately, the nature of Red 2 Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Sonja’s love for Dark Annisia remains Gail_Simone. precisely ambiguous. 3 Comics Buyer’s Guide Presents: 100 Sexiest Also less fortunate is the antagonist’s Women in Comics, 2011, Krause Publications. H As for Red Sonja’s chain nomenclature of “Dark,” especially in mail bikini: It’s still the combination with her dreadlocks. This 16 stupidest-looking costume I’ve ever seen in a comic is hardly the first time I’ve seen dread- book. locks on a Caucasian (or, for that matter, nonhuman) comics or movie antagonist, and I suppose this is intended to be taken as a symbol of badassness. But many people “read” dreadlocks as “black” and read antagonist as “villain” and read villain as “evil” and read “dark” as “black” and “evil.” Meanwhile, white protagonists never seem to sport dreads. So Dark An- nisia, for all her ghost-pale skin and hair, is coded as “black bad guy.” It’s a very dis- appointing lapse. Despite the vexatious As for Red Sonja’s chain mail bikini: aspects of Queen of the It’s still the stupidest-looking costume Cindy Ward is co- Plagues, I’m looking I’ve ever seen in a comic book (although author with Nisi Shawl forward to Gail Simone it’s technically not as stupid as Conan’s of Writing the Other: and Walter Geovanni’s loincloth-only approach to battle), and A Practical Approach future volumes of Red it’s undoubtedly a good part of the rea- (Aqueduct Press, 2005). Sonja. I’m looking for son the character was ranked first in Her stories can be found other comics by Simone. Comics Buyer’s Guide’s misbegotten mas- in numerous anthologies turbatory aid, the “100 Sexiest Women and magazines. She lives in Comics” issue.3 I doubt that bikini in California.

will ever go away, for the same reason

Superman’s iconic costume never will. n

tially has ceremonial significance) leads leads significance) ceremonial has tially - con or design” “abandoning by come

Cont. on p. 18 p. on Cont.

- ini that fact (a twin working-class a has - out an such engineering deliberately

In Book 1, a prince’s discovery that he he that discovery prince’s a 1, Book In men like himself ” (iv). The paradox of of paradox The (iv). ” himself like men

case may be) lost. be) may case assure that “there should be no more more no be should “there that assure

ogy, now tragically (or comically, as the the as comically, (or tragically now ogy, the destruction of self, is intended to to intended is self, of destruction the

- technol and science advanced more our

uction, and the final experience of of experience final the and uction, destr may be) lost. be) may

magic is revealed to be the remnants of of remnants the be to revealed is magic that only he could see” (iii). This self- This (iii). see” could he only that (or comically, as the case case the as comically, (or

time, and what the characters take to be be to take characters the what and time, the planet, which stands “on a precipice precipice a “on stands which planet, the technology, now tragically tragically now technology,

“fallen” (86) future versions of our own own our of versions future (86) “fallen” advanced science and and science advanced cy,” in order to somehow save all life on on life all save somehow to order in cy,”

to be fantasy settings are revealed to be be to revealed are settings fantasy be to the remnants of our more more our of remnants the - ascendan “scientific technician’s the of

magic is revealed to be be to revealed is magic fiction in which what initially appear appear initially what which in fiction nation of years spent undoing the work work the undoing spent years of nation

the characters take to be be to take characters the

conventions of that subgenre of science science of subgenre that of conventions - culmi the also is transformation This

our own time, and what what and time, own our

are framed by the the by framed are Boatmen Stone The of

metaphorical. metaphorical.

“fallen” future versions of of versions future “fallen”

cifically, the events narrated in the body body the in narrated events the cifically,

suggested that this language is not just just not is language this that suggested

tings are revealed to be be to revealed are tings

- spe More consequences.) far-reaching flies away screaming (iv). It will later be be later will It (iv). screaming away flies

appear to be fantasy set- fantasy be to appear

why one man’s actions could have such such have could actions man’s one why

longer tell the difference,” and the bird bird the and difference,” the tell longer

in which what initially initially what which in

part of some larger movement, or, if not, not, if or, movement, larger some of part

their gazes merge “so that he could no no could he that “so merge gazes their subgenre of science fiction fiction science of subgenre

entist. (We never learn whether he was was he whether learn never (We entist.

tact with everything” (iv). A bird lands, lands, bird A (iv). everything” with tact the conventions of that that of conventions the

- sci this of actions the by averted sibly are framed by by framed are Boatmen - con into coming grasses, the and leaves

- pos collapse, environmental and change The Stone Stone The of body the a thin film all over his skin, touching the the touching skin, his over all film thin a

implied to be some version of climate climate of version some be to implied …the events narrated in in narrated events …the unnamed scientist’s “consciousness lay in in lay “consciousness scientist’s unnamed

scenario, never specified, but strongly strongly but specified, never scenario, not a technical process. By the end, this this end, the By process. technical a not

is structured around a post-apocalyptic post-apocalyptic a around structured is

a laboratory, we’re told that his dying is is dying his that told we’re laboratory, a

tors’ own powers” (209-210), the novel novel the (209-210), powers” own tors’

mation (iii). While the changes begin in in begin changes the While (iii). mation

- ances the of because come to was that

- transfor a as redefined immediately is

erences to a “precipice” or “cataclysm… or “precipice” a to erences

17 a “senior technician” is dying, but death death but dying, is technician” “senior a

- ref the by suggested As genre. of level

“The Ancestor’s Tale.” We are told that that told are We Tale.” Ancestor’s “The

feature a different focal character) at the the at character) focal different a feature i

tention with its enigmatic prologue, prologue, enigmatic its with tention

the novel (whose four main sections each each sections main four (whose novel the

- at my captured immediately , Boatmen

This prologue, however, also unifies unifies also however, prologue, This

The Stone Stone The novel, first Tolmie’s Sarah

come relevant as the novel proceeds. novel the as relevant come

- be also will ” himself like men more “no

The ambiguity of reference in the phrase phrase the in reference of ambiguity The

low, “close to a millennium” later (68). (68). later millennium” a to “close low,

- fol that novel the of sections main four

of self is a motif that unifies each of the the of each unifies that motif a is self of

a fox’s world” (168). This relinquishing relinquishing This (168). world” fox’s a

into silence as she strives “to be a fox, in in fox, a be “to strives she as silence into

fully written passages… written fully

world (15-16) to a woman poet’s descent descent poet’s woman a to (15-16) world

recur in a series of beauti- of series a in recur

with first his castle and then the entire entire the then and castle his first with

of the individual ego will will ego individual the of

description of a prince’s identification identification prince’s a of description

beyond the boundaries boundaries the beyond

of beautifully written passages, from the the from passages, written beautifully of tension of consciousness consciousness of tension

the individual ego will recur in a series series a in recur will ego individual the logue to describe the ex- the describe to logue

consciousness beyond the boundaries of of boundaries the beyond consciousness language used in the pro- the in used language

The heightened, poetic poetic heightened, The the prologue to describe the extension of of extension the describe to prologue the

The heightened, poetic language used in in used language poetic heightened, The

central tensions in the rest of the novel. novel. the of rest the in tensions central

natural world, turns out to be one of the the of one be to out turns world, natural

trol (289), whether over the self or the the or self the over whether (289), trol

eviewed r Foster Thomas by

by Sarah Tolmie, Aqueduct Press, 2014, 312 pp., $20. pp., 312 2014, Press, Aqueduct Tolmie, Sarah by Boatmen Stone The

cience and Fantasy in Post-Apocalyptic Tension Tension Post-Apocalyptic in Fantasy and cience S y Science and Fantasy in Post-Apocalyptic Tension world-view, a “picture of the truth as… (Cont. from p. 17) never complete” (21); the emergence of a new concept of progressive, open-ended to the twin’s insight into the pr actical time rather than static or cyclic models; function of relics of the ancestors stored and the literal launching of new voyages in the palace, and specifically of a com- of exploration (in this case, to reconnect The boatmen turn out pass. That discovery in turn leads to the three main cities that fell “into divi- to be legible as navi- the reinterpretation of the titular stone sion” [86] between the time of the pro- gational aids, once the boatmen, enigmatic examples of the logue and the novel proper). techniques for reading lost technical knowledge of the ances- Within the framework of this post- them are reinvented. The tors, which allows these statues to float apocalyptic recovery of science and its statues therefore stand off the coast of the prince’s city. The kickstarting of historical progress away as a synechdoche for the boatmen turn out to be legible as navi- from a medieval-style social order, The shift from feudal myster- gational aids, once the techniques for Stone Boatmen moves far beyond the ies to scientific, technical reading them are reinvented. The statues generic hybridity typical of this kind knowledge. therefore stand as a synechdoche for the of narrative, which usually combines shift from feudal mysteries to scientific, dystopian science fiction and medieval technical knowledge. Such mysteries, historical fantasy or romance, though and their unveiling as misunderstood the novel does have its share of princes, products of science, are conventional in guilds, bird-priests or animal familiars, this kind of post-apocalyptic narrative, oracles, doppelgangers, and clairvoyance. which is well-trodden territory indeed, The novel moves from the anthropologi- for genre readers. cal SF of book One, “The Book of the However, it is both the unique treat- New Ceremonies”; to the sea adventure ment of these conventions and the Tolmie’s novel performs unusual range of narrative forms and and exploration narrative of Book Two; H the remarkable feat of traditions synthesized within it that to the unconventional female kunstlerro- maintaining a perma- distinguish Tolmie’s novel from its pre- man or narrative of developing into an 18 nent tension between decessors in this subgenre. Rather than artist in Book Three, “The Rose Poet,” tradition (thematized as treat science as the truth behind the which shifts the narrative focus to women ritual) and modernity or characters and, somewhat ambiguously, modernization. appearance of magic, Tolmie’s novel performs the remarkable feat of main- suggests that the emergent moderniza- taining a permanent tension between tion of the fictional setting results in new tradition (thematized as ritual) and mo- opportunities for gender equality. The dernity or modernization. On her blog, new mobility that allows the poet Rose Tolmie, a scholar of medieval literature, to travel by sea from one of the novel’s has described the novel as an attempt three main cities to another also allows to imagine what it would feel like to be her to abandon cross-dressing as a man, The novel…restages the part of a Renaissance, but I believe this in order to become a priest, in favor of history of European moder- comment fails to fully capture the com- the public performance of her gendered nity, dramatizing a shift plexities of The Stone Boatmen (at least to perspective, as a court poet. to democratic or “horizon- the extent that being part of a Renais- By far the most original aspect of the tal” social structures; the sance sounds like something to celebrate novel, generically speaking, is found in emergence of a fictive new uncritically). The novel in fact restages the fourth section, “The Treasure,” fo- culture…whose nonhierar- the history of European modernity, dra- cused on Rose’s daughter Fjorel, who chical, abecedarian form achieves fame as an oracle. Tolmie’s embodies modern, demo- matizing a shift to democratic or “hori- cratic principles even as its zontal” social structures; the emergence author’s note expresses her fascination open-endedness embodies of a fictive new culture, “the Book of the with medieval dream vision poetry, like a scientific world-view. New Ceremonies,” which treats the ritu- Piers Plowman (the source of the book’s als of the lower classes as worthy of doc- epigraph). Fjorel’s dream visions, how- umentation, and whose nonhierarchical, ever, are usually technical in nature. She abecedarian form embodies modern, dreams the plans for an automated loom

democratic principles (51, 197) even as (185) and through her visions recovers

its open-endedness embodies a scientific acupuncture techniques for facilitating n

This scene locates within tradition and and tradition within locates scene This empiricism. The birds are not holy, but but holy, not are birds The empiricism.

Cont. on p. 20 p. on Cont.

open the book’s meaning to the future? future? the to meaning book’s the open that it is in fact only a form of scientific scientific of form a only fact in is it that

books reify the truth, or does reading reading does or truth, the reify books bles divination, Mahar comes to believe believe to comes Mahar divination, bles

gous to “enacting a rite” (41-42). Do Do (41-42). rite” a “enacting to gous - resem initially governance of form this

- analo way a in being,” into master “the the city might be governed” (85). While While (85). governed” be might city the

guing that only the act of reading brings brings reading of act the only that guing themselves and so, correspondingly, how how correspondingly, so, and themselves principles of sustainability. of principles

- ar reader, the is it insists Azul but itself, the world, in effect by by effect in world, the mine…how it was that the birds ruled ruled birds the that was it mine…how

living in rather than using using than rather in living the master is, Nerel thinks it is the book book the is it thinks Nerel is, master the - deter “to order in priests of caste a by

responsibilities imposed by by imposed responsibilities master saith” (41). When Azul asks who who asks Azul When (41). saith” master on observation of the behavior of birds birds of behavior the of observation on

tension with the limits and and limits the with tension

using a book that repeats the phrase “the “the phrase the repeats that book a using cated in favor of an “art of rule” based based rule” of “art an of favor in cated

technical means exists in in exists means technical

Nerel teaches Azul the rules of grammar grammar of rules the Azul teaches Nerel - abdi king last city’s This history. its in

recovered scientific and and scientific recovered

tion of the authorial voice in the present. present. the in voice authorial the of tion third city, whose uniqueness resides resides uniqueness whose city, third

individual agency by by agency individual

- transforma and repetition both through captain Mahar’s experiences within a a within experiences Mahar’s captain

…the expansion of of expansion …the

or a “rite” of empowerment achieved only only achieved empowerment of “rite” a or This same tension informs the sea sea the informs tension same This

voice of the book, the voice of tradition” tradition” of voice the book, the of voice in effect by principles of sustainability. sustainability. of principles by effect in

reading is an act of submission to “the “the to submission of act an is reading by living in rather than using the world, world, the using than rather in living by

ture of authority or mastery and whether whether and mastery or authority of ture the limits and responsibilities imposed imposed responsibilities and limits the

- na the over Azul, double his and Nerel technical means exists in tension with with tension in exists means technical

duced is in the form of a debate between between debate a of form the in is duced vidual agency by recovered scientific and and scientific recovered by agency vidual

- intro is ambivalence this way One - indi of expansion the Similarly, (274).

The Stone Boatmen. Stone The of what is later described as “simple being” being” “simple as described later is what

impacts defines the utopian dimension dimension utopian the defines impacts experiencing his embeddedness within within embeddedness his experiencing

ization without some of its destructive destructive its of some without ization world reverses itself, resulting in Nerel Nerel in resulting itself, reverses world

- modern of history this retaining of ity of the ego and its projection onto the the onto projection its and ego the of

toward it.… toward

- possibil The (42). opening” was horizon just now discovered it” (15). Expansion Expansion (15). it” discovered now just

stance of ambivalence ambivalence of stance

throne room to the library,” where “a new new “a where library,” the to room throne as if it had always been there and he “had “had he and there been always had it if as of modernization and a a and modernization of

center of his palace had shifted from the the from shifted had palace his of center

mind immanent in “every blade of grass,” grass,” of blade “every in immanent mind an overarching account account overarching an

the prince, Nerel, imagines that “the “the that imagines Nerel, prince, the allows it to maintain both both maintain to it allows he had already arrived everywhere,” his his everywhere,” arrived already had he

The novel’s mix of genres genres of mix novel’s The history is invoked in Book One, when when One, Book in invoked is history out from the tower. Rather it was as if if as was it Rather tower. the from out

European enlightenment (208). That That (208). enlightenment European and world, so that he “no longer looked looked longer “no he that so world, and

accompanied the actual history of the the of history actual the accompanied er and viewed, subject and object, self self object, and subject viewed, and er

through secularism and empiricism, that that empiricism, and secularism through - view of separation the down breaks fact

ward the disenchantment of the world, world, the of disenchantment the ward second expansion of his consciousness in in consciousness his of expansion second

- to resistance of marvels,” of “time a entire territory of his kingdom. But this this But kingdom. his of territory entire

of change, of science and progress, and and progress, and science of change, of mind and body, as coterminous with the the with coterminous as body, and mind

this moment in history as both a time time a both as history in moment this then begins to experience himself, his his himself, experience to begins then

the simultaneous characterization of of characterization simultaneous the with the symbols of his sovereignty and and sovereignty his of symbols the with

bivalence toward it, captured nicely in in nicely captured it, toward bivalence tasy of control, as he literally identifies identifies literally he as control, of tasy

- am of stance a and modernization of - fan a ego, Nerel’s of expansion imperial

fantasy or romance.… or fantasy

maintain both an overarching account account overarching an both maintain (15). This passage initially reads like an an like reads initially passage This (15).

and medieval historical historical medieval and

The novel’s mix of genres allows it to to it allows genres of mix novel’s The entire palace” as a “huge and dim body” body” dim and “huge a as palace” entire

dystopian science fiction fiction science dystopian

of science or the tragedy of its decline. decline. its of tragedy the or science of felt suddenly that he wore the tower, the the tower, the wore he that suddenly felt

which usually combines combines usually which

derlying narratives either of the triumph triumph the of either narratives derlying “Light of the Mind” ritual, so that “He “He that so ritual, Mind” the of “Light

of this kind of narrative, narrative, of kind this of

- un assumptions the interrogate to novel the first time successfully performs the the performs successfully time first the generic hybridity typical typical hybridity generic

This generic hybridity allows Tolmie’s Tolmie’s allows hybridity generic This in a fantastic scene in which Nerel for for Nerel which in scene fantastic a in moves far beyond the the beyond far moves

nese conceptions of qi or chi; 223-224). 223-224). chi; or qi of conceptions nese (iv). This process seems to be reenacted reenacted be to seems process This (iv). Boatmen Stone The order,

medieval-style social social medieval-style - Chi traditional to connect to not hard reproducing more “men like himself ” ” himself like “men more reproducing

progress away from a a from away progress pectant mothers’ bodies, in ways that it is is it that ways in bodies, mothers’ pectant work in the prologue, in order to avoid avoid to order in prologue, the in work

kickstarting of historical historical of kickstarting - ex these within energy of flows ceive the scientist’s attempt to undo his own own his undo to attempt scientist’s the

recovery of science and its its and science of recovery

- per directly to ability the developing as This debate about mastery echoes echoes mastery about debate This

of this post-apocalyptic post-apocalyptic this of

of knowledge; Fjorel in fact is described described is fact in Fjorel knowledge; of ated with modernity and progress. progress. and modernity with ated

Within the framework framework the Within

rect nods toward non-European bodies bodies non-European toward nods rect - associ typically more future the to ness

- di more novel’s the of one (in childbirth - open and change for potential the ritual Science and Fantasy in Post-Apocalyptic Tension in their world “Everything of worth… (Cont. from p. 19) was built by the ancestors” (267). The ancestors represent both the oppressive only “serve as a conduit for focusing the power of tradition and a progressive, intelligence of the man” like “Any object scientific and technological curiosity. The novel is able to re of close and consistent observation” (89). The measure of this novel’s success as a imagine science as both But Mahar’s attempt to participate in an impetus to change and utopian narrative is the extent to which this kind of observation produces a mys- it is able to persuasively dramatize this progress and as an archa- tical experience closely resembling Ner- ic, ritualized, and mysteri- combination of outlooks, to achieve or el’s “Light of the Mind” ritual (93). The ous legacy, because that at least imagine the possibility of some- is exactly how science is combination of visionary experience and one somewhere achieving the “balance” conventionally represented technical knowledge in Fjorel’s dreams or “trade” Fjorel describes, between “the within this subgenre… later maintains the same ambiguous re- claims of those things that make us alive, though seldom with the lationship between science and magic. that make up just our simple being, and political and ecocritical Book Four of the novel attempts to those superadded ones that make us hu- subtext Tolmie’s narrative resolve these paradoxes. It is revealed man,…those wonders that animals and develops.… that the bird-priests have passed down stones cannot perform” (274). In this an- a story about how the scientist from the thropocene era, the imaginative urgency prologue, Harel (remembered as a king), of this project can hardly be overstated. became the first of their order. They then This reading of The Stone Boatmen and its speculate that he transferred his power value for our time returns us to its play and his personality into one of the tem- with genre. The novel is able to reimag- ple birds, becoming “bound by the bird’s ine science as both an impetus to change limitations” (180). Fjorel comes to believe and progress and as an archaic, ritual- As much as I admire the that Harel gave up “being a man, a king” ized, and mysterious legacy, because that novel’s utopian project, (220) and abandoned “forever the great I must admit that it has is exactly how science is convention- powers of human doing,” in order to link H its problematic aspects. ally represented within this subgenre of Mahar’s sea voyages the technical knowledge of the ancestors, post-apocalyptic regressions to medieval 20 tend to read like a more the “uniquely powerful things they knew, fantasy, though seldom with the political naively utopian attempt and could only have known, as men,” and ecocritical subtext Tolmie’s narra- to reimagine the European with a more properly mystical vision of tive develops, in part through her novel’s voyages of exploration the “great plain of being that subsumed resistance to treating one of these views entirely in terms of their them, and him, and her, and the myriad of science as the truth and the other as excitement, without the things of the world, all together” (273). ignorance or falsehood. colonial, “civilizing” Harel both “wanted to escape or destroy As much as I admire the novel’s uto- mission, and the novel the world he knew” and preserve it as a pian project, I must admit that it has its therefore risks reproducing visionary experience, the form of which problematic aspects. Mahar’s sea voyages colonialism’s own itself breaks down the great chain of be- ideological blindness. tend to read like a more naively utopian ing, the definition of the human in terms attempt to reimagine the European voy- of its essential species difference. The vi- ages of exploration entirely in terms of sionary form in which the achievements their excitement, without the colonial, of science are communicated provides “civilizing” mission, and the novel there- a “remedy for the too-potent power of fore risks reproducing colonialism’s own To what extent should we those men, including himself ” (273). ideological blindness. This problem is interpret Nerel’s vision As a result “the ancestors might be intensified by the way in which cultural of embeddedness in the known, though never fully” (273). The differences of race and ethnicity are dis- world or Harel’s abdica- ancestors represent a “uniquely power- placed entirely onto the differences be- tion of both manhood and ful,” uniquely human way of seeing, a tween the three cities, characterized in kingship as critiques of scientific epistemology, linked in the terms of their respective emphases on masculinity, or European novel with the Enlightenment motif of ritual and ceremony, language, and rule ethnocentrism, as well as domination over nature and the analo- by bird-priests. It is hard not to wonder speciesism? gizing of custom or ritual with nature, how self-conscious the novel is about this

as impediments to freedom. At the same rather abstract schema of differences be-

time, as one of the characters points out, tween peoples. Is the loss of other forms n

sentative power? power? sentative

http://www.prezzey.net.

- repre own his de-idealizing himself, ing

found at at found

- undo by prevent to tries he catastrophe

about eir work can be be can work eir about

like Harel or the statues produced the the produced statues the or Harel like

Extraterrestrials.” More More Extraterrestrials.”

universality of masculine power figures figures power masculine of universality Phrasebook for Visiting Visiting for Phrasebook

the ancestors, whose belief in the false false the in belief whose ancestors, the English-Hungarian English-Hungarian

a critical comment on the limitations of of limitations the on comment critical a including “The Tiny Tiny “The including

English and Hungarian, Hungarian, and English interpretation at face value, or read it as as it read or value, face at interpretation

and poetry in both both in poetry and cial differences. So are we to take Fjorel’s Fjorel’s take to we are So differences. cial

popular-science articles articles popular-science - so and time historical from differences

speculative fiction, fiction, speculative

the deep time of evolution and species species and evolution of time deep the

Bogi Takács writes writes Takács Bogi

that is, any attempt to distinguish distinguish to attempt any is, that — man

- hu us make that things “superadded”

to distinguish “simple being” from the the from being” “simple distinguish to

I am a container of relentless biological love. biological relentless of container a am I

inevitably emerge within any attempt attempt any within emerge inevitably

in gleaming red explosions red gleaming in —

cinct encapsulation of the problems that that problems the of encapsulation cinct

through layers of tissue tissue of layers through

- suc a as viewed be might which male,

unfurl petals and break into sunlight sunlight into break and petals unfurl

(288). But, of course, they are also all all also are they course, of But, (288).

struggle to bloom; bloom; to struggle

versality: “we are all the same. Human” Human” same. the all are “we versality:

The flowers underneath my skin skin my underneath flowers The

- uni of one is then, message, their that

all bear the same features. Fjorel argues argues Fjorel features. same the bear all

Takács Bogi by

enigmatic relics of the ancestors, which which ancestors, the of relics enigmatic

Grow the meaning of the stone boatmen, those those boatmen, stone the of meaning the

lieve, in Fjorel’s final interpretation of of interpretation final Fjorel’s in lieve,

- be I emphasized, are questions These

ethnocentrism, as well as speciesism? speciesism? as well as ethnocentrism, 21

critiques of masculinity, or European European or masculinity, of critiques sending our felicitations to all points of the globe. the of points all to felicitations our sending

tion of both manhood and kingship as as kingship and manhood both of tion i we paint the sky a luminous red; red; luminous a sky the paint we

- abdica Harel’s or world the in dedness e are up and away away and up are e w

- embed of vision Nerel’s interpret we after the countdown countdown the after

poet (163-164). To what extent should should extent what To (163-164). poet for the pain to drown out the noise; noise; the out drown to pain the for

young man and then to live as a famous famous a as live to then and man young the clash of sensory input, fingernails pushed into palms palms into pushed fingernails input, sensory of clash the

traditional femininity, first to live as a a as live to first femininity, traditional ystems nominal; Deena, you’re ready to go go to ready you’re Deena, nominal; ystems s all

her own rejection of her mother and and mother her of rejection own her — demand to acceding flesh the are We

begins her retirement by interrogating interrogating by retirement her begins

ary experiences, especially since Rose Rose since especially experiences, ary Takács Bogi by

- vision Mahar’s and Nerel, Prince Harel,

Autonomous, Spacefaring Autonomous,

should be read as a gendered version of of version gendered a as read be should

domesticity and immersion in nature, nature, in immersion and domesticity

a poet and her retirement into isolated isolated into retirement her and poet a

to Science Fiction. Science to Book Three, the story of Rose’s career as as career Rose’s of story the Three, Book

The Oxford Handbook Handbook Oxford The and I also find myself wondering whether whether wondering myself find also I

Cyberfolk of Soul The of tions receive little attention in the novel. novel. the in attention little receive tions

comics. He is the author author the is He comics. - ques These it? ameliorating or averting

on science fiction and and fiction science on

or a consequence of Harel’s scheme for for scheme Harel’s of consequence a or inhabits so originally. so inhabits

where he teaches courses courses teaches he where

the novel imagines for the catastrophe, catastrophe, the for imagines novel the within the post-apocalyptic tradition it it tradition post-apocalyptic the within

Washington, Seattle, Seattle, Washington,

is the loss of diversity part of the cure cure the of part diversity of loss the is ing borders of fantasy and science fiction fiction science and fantasy of borders ing

at the University of of University the at

of seeing), or, much more disturbingly, disturbingly, more much or, seeing), of - shift the on commentary a elaborates

Professor of English English of Professor

Chinese medical techniques and ways ways and techniques medical Chinese well as with the ways in which the novel novel the which in ways the with as well Thomas Foster is is Foster Thomas

Rose’s visionary retrieval of traditional traditional of retrieval visionary Rose’s tively expands Harel’s self-critique, as as self-critique, Harel’s expands tively

tional world (as might be suggested by by suggested be might (as world tional - imagina and develops it which in ways

- fic the of nature post-apocalyptic the have liked, I remain impressed with the the with impressed remain I liked, have

catastrophe and therefore a symptom of of symptom a therefore and catastrophe closure to these questions than I would would I than questions these to closure

While While the of consequence a diversity cultural of provides less less provides Boatmen Stone The The Swooning by Mark Rich

Clare’s slender fingers seek pitted prunes trembles, unbalanced, and falls: her maid from her fruit bowl marked by Celtic runes. and knight, Gail-of-knives, falls beneath blade In her novel, knight fights, maiden swoons — thrust by landthief. In this bloodied glade and an inner dawn threatens to break Clare, too, lies with face paled like white moon, into blinding glare, as if to make bleeding…not in Victorian swoon light of this dim realm of the Awake. on fainting couch — velvet, dark maroon — Novel errs — a voice within tells her, self-etherized in curtained parlor. in Clare’s own tones. Just now this murmur Not fashion-made but forced, her pallor: stirs visions and scents of rose, fern, fir, she fades, she fails. Her lands, walls, manor — earth-mould underfoot in a dark wood… her small wealth, modest accomplishments — thoughts rise of promises felled, made good — all bleed to soil. In her field garments of day plunging to night, as it should. the thieves bury her, while one comments Once she was other than what she has been how she almost breathes. Yet she lies still over these late years. Confused, boxed in, as they shovel. Chilled thoughts, stymied will, she strains against a world grown thin emptied heart: what victors failed to kill upon a trillion glowing screens, lingers quiescent in unmarked grave. lens-deep, that conceal by any means Not because clever — not because brave — human depths, render to shimmer-sheens and not truly cleaving to life, save human heart-thoughts, and make pabulum in the way visions have of clinging of news of nation, state, and kingdom: to shreds of hope…streamers of dreaming… H daily fare yields to daily boredom. threads in strange designs that go spreading 22 Self-styled Awakes have changed what was placed wherever hearts put down roots and spread; in their care, for the worse. What once graced never quite alive, never quite dead; self-aware life finds itself replaced never quite fleeing, never quite fled; by low-denominator, low-cost nowhere a steady flame, yet nowhere mockeries of a world now lost. wholly extinguished; not here, not there: That journeyer, Human Culture, crossed breathed in as woodsmoke, breathed out as air a flowing gold Styx and now arrives to be shared — as words, as cries, as sighs — at corporate gates where chastened lives, she persists, awaiting waking eyes finding welcome, crowd into vast hives that might glaze, recalling ancient skies. of compartmentalized moneybees thriving on low wages and high fees. Clare makes tea, sips. This dawning sense frees Printed words before Clare smudged and shook, while she dreamed this. She sets aside book old notions. (Awakes prefer new news, to dream more. Yet what the book mistook not old, to back up considered views factory-produced for all to use.) for swoon was not after all a mistake: for that which took maiden down would take She is thinking. A dim haze ascends her down by any means that would make to wreathe her hair, aglow. Her mind tends inward, mornings; and this novel sends others see her weakness. “She stands tall but at feather-touch will swoon and fall.” her into a life she had not known

Her slaying must mean nothing at all. as hers. She startles at a shriek, groan —

clang of steel! All that she calls her own n

by needs not of their selfhoods, but debt. but selfhoods, their of not needs by

their morning alarm clocks have been set set been have clocks alarm morning their

anything to make readers forget forget readers make to anything

or else myths of self-elevation of myths else or —

and mirrors for self-satisfaction, self-satisfaction, for mirrors and

Books must have blood, death, titillation titillation death, blood, have must Books

by such means of heeling it under. it heeling of means such by

and satiate artistic hunger hunger artistic satiate and

inner demons with such mass fodder, fodder, mass such with demons inner

and call our own. People must placate must People own. our call and

among songs we sing, hum, imitate imitate hum, sing, we songs among

the mass-dronings that predominate predominate that mass-dronings the

musical kits to render simple render to kits musical

emotions; factories assemble assemble factories emotions;

not to invent, but to dissemble dissemble to but invent, to not

are mass-produced. Children must be told be must Children mass-produced. are

in Wisconsin. Wisconsin. in

Arts matter? Yes matter? Arts when arts that are sold sold are that arts when —

. He lives lives He . Visionary Fiction

to make other truths shrink in cash-cold. cash-cold. in shrink truths other make to

Life and Works of a Science Science a of Works and Life

C.M. Kornbluth: The The Kornbluth: C.M. of veils, scarves, and dresses have all been banned been all have dresses and scarves, veils,

Mark Rich is the author author the is Rich Mark nakedly. In a world well planned planned well world a In nakedly.

veils away: their single truth must stand stand must truth single their away: veils

the Awakening. Capital draws Capital Awakening. the

i and social pressures have named their cause cause their named have pressures social and

Yet those who command by wealth and laws laws and wealth by command who those Yet

collapsing of a stilled heart…murmuring breathings. heart…murmuring stilled a of as her blood starts singing! starts blood her as —

on madness, leaving her crushed, weeping, weeping, crushed, her leaving madness, on reverberations…echoed beatings beatings reverberations…echoed

verging on incandescence, verging verging incandescence, on verging emanations within their beings… beings… their within emanations

into outer life, they still once held once still they life, outer into bated confusion too long held in held long too confusion bated —

a youthful sense that never rebelled rebelled never that sense youthful a Consequential noise, meaningful din, din, meaningful noise, Consequential

Even if their schoolings damped and quelled quelled and damped schoolings their if Even back of her throat wanting out, or in! in! or out, wanting throat her of back

far-reaching, there beneath soil and stone. and soil beneath there far-reaching, fire-bright! A clear note, a Clare hum Clare a note, clear A fire-bright! —

from within, from fingers that have grown grown have that fingers from within, from or hope of spark of hope or chaotic, random, random, chaotic, —

must once have felt a touch not their own own their not touch a felt have once must — than what she was. A spark of wisdom of spark A was. she what than

she faded, becoming less, then more then less, becoming faded, she breathe out in morning dream-confusions morning in out breathe —

that she died she that that on Stygian shore shore Stygian on that — must once have breathed in what their minions minions their what in breathed have once must

— her soul once swooned into her own gore own her into swooned once soul her a globe to suit their group delusions delusions group their suit to globe a

now that she knows that in bloodied field bloodied in that knows she that now then even those rulers who boot-heeled who rulers those even then

yet again to the over-well-heeled over-well-heeled the to again yet rises through souls when dreams come unsealed, unsealed, come dreams when souls through rises

Yet what can she do? Surely not yield yield not Surely do? she can what Yet Yet if she who died in bloody field field bloody in died who she if Yet

from a distance a from drones of the bankrolled. the of drones — They, the designers; we, the designed. the we, designers; the They,

by cash flows, their actions bought and sold sold and bought actions their flows, cash by We, the body; they the mind. mind. the they body; the We,

they move, wide-eyed, remotely controlled controlled remotely wide-eyed, move, they who regulate all scenes from behind? behind? from scenes all regulate who

In fake freedom from mental slumbers mental from freedom fake In landthieves or ladies and lords of states of lords and ladies or —

are awake, and all Awakes, sleepers? sleepers? Awakes, all and awake, are to dreams? Soul-harrowing toughs, ingrates, ingrates, toughs, Soul-harrowing dreams? to

What if, Clare muses, only dreamers dreamers only muses, Clare if, What Who are these Awakes who seal shut gates gates shut seal who Awakes these are Who Why I like junk — Dale McBride haunting study (in black and white) because the back and separate building had been mostly emptied. What remained were shadows of more than 3 decades of occupation. I also think old stuff should be re- cycled. There is an obvious and urgent need to embrace the idea of sustainability. Part of photographing “junk” is to raise awareness from an aesthetic, psy- chological, and pragmatic point of view. Our throwaway culture is both discon- nected and frightened by natural aging processes and cycles. Junk should not be dismissed as forgettable or disgusting. Hippo Ceiling Alongside my intense interest in the I am a self-taught artist. And after 50 with Shadows aesthetics and meaning of junk, this years of doing art both privately and pro- work, like all my art efforts, entails an fessionally the techniques and approach- element of play. Several interests exert an es to the various media are very intuitive. influence on how I approach my art play. My final images are always a surprise to These include: creative improvised music me because they are completely impro- (mainly out of the jazz and classical tradi- vised. It is important to stress that my tions), beat and concrete poetry, linguis- strategies and the intentions are fluid tic philosophy, botany and ecology, free and evolve through a variety of improv style frisbee, astronomy, psychology and, techniques that arise spontaneously as of course, the work of many artists like a part of the process. Even so, I believe Jackson Pollock H Max Ernst, , Cy Twom- that all the media I deploy (including bly, Hans Hartung, and Franz Kline. I do photography) are informed by line art not, however, begin with preconceived 24 and other sketching skills. images or didactic intentions. It is impor- The work here is largely “looking” at tant for my creations to be instantaneous recyclables and junk: reclaimed goods interactions with the paper, pastels, pen- (from “used” stores etc.) and raw ma- cils, cut-up pieces (always my own), ink, terials removed from the waste stream. and paint. Similar methods apply to my My reasons for photographing junk are play as a photographer (lately many of my fairly straight forward. Worn out ob- photo prints are manipulated by double jects are visually stunning. There is an exposing, cutting or ripping them up or amazing memory etched into discarded by painting and drawing over them). If I and weathered human artifacts. “Dam- envision or plan a piece too closely I feel age” from use and exposure to the ele- as though I am erecting barriers to my ments causes spectacularly complex and need for spontaneous reactions to incred- beautiful “natural” patterns to emerge. A ible serendipitous events which occur at kind of aesthetically pleasing chaos. The EVERY INSTANT of the creative pro- “molecular logic” in dings, scratches, and cess. The words that come to mind when I rust produces a rich combination of col- describe the making of art are excitement, or and intricate design. Endless images joy, and surprise. Above all surprise! are there in junk bins and recycle piles if The great key-boardist Cecil Tay- the photographer is willing to grovel in lor and the English saxophonist Evan order to get in close. Parker have had a huge impact on my For example, the black/white image is art play. Their musics are incredibly the ceiling at the old Hippo Used Hard- engaging but NEVER sound familiar, ware store in Portland. I did a series on even after many listenings! http://www.flickr.com/ Featured Artist the store just at the time (around ’90) To view more:

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