Vol. 20 No. 2 April 2021 ALEXIAD (!7+=3!G) $2.00 This will be a seventeen year cicada year. The cicadas will The 147th Running of the Kentucky Derby will be May 1, 2021. emerge in hordes and take over for a few weeks. Admissions will be limited to 30% — 50% of maximum capacity. Today is April 14, year 109 to the day since the Titanic The 146th Running of the Preakness Stakes will be May 15, 2021. sank. The 152nd Running of the Belmont Stakes will be June 5, 2021. — Lisa Printed on April 20, 2021 Table of Contents Deadline is June 6, 2021 Editorial...... 1 Reviewer’s Notes ...... 1 Reviewer’s Notes The Blue and the Scarlet: The Pig War...... 6 We now have a Barsoomian flyer. That is, the Ingenuity drone USS Bush ...... 2 probe has made its first flight on Mars. This may not be as useful as it Five Plays ...... 7 is exciting; the drone had to be transported there, which meant it had to Hugo Nominations ...... 9 be light enough to not unduly burden the Perseverance rover. We may Nebula Nominations ...... 7 have to content ourselves with some low-altitude pictures. Psychobabble ...... 3 Some people are celebrating. Type “Ingenuity NASA” into Google Shots and Injections ...... 2 and click the helicopter. Thinking for Myself ...... 8 It was all very different sixty years ago. Then, we expected that nu Book Reviews 2021 the flying vehicles on Mars would be going from one human JTM Cozort, The Best of Space Bats & Butterflies ...... 5 settlement to another. The probes would be landing on the surface of JTM Kowal, The Fated Sky ...... 3 Pluto, which was a planet then. JTM Kowal, The Relentless Moon ...... 4 Reality in its many facets bit back. The costs of such matters were JTM Litwin, On the Trail of Delusion ...... 5 greater than we had believed. The will to go had been less, outside of JTM Munroe, How To ...... 5 our bubble. The dreams were blown away, and died unmourned. JTM Robeson/Murray, Doc Savage: The Sinister Shadow ...... 4 JTM Roberts, True Summit ...... 5 The committee has spoken, and the Worldcon will be in December. JTM Turtledove, Or Even Eagle Flew ...... 4 Weather will make getting there even more problematic. The Hugo JTM White, The Malice of Fortune ...... 4 voting will clash with the 2022 Hugo voting. The site selection will be cramped, with four months less for the winning bid to arrange affairs. Random Jottings ...... 2 And in all this, the Good and the True are making sure that all their political views are considered. Newer and more virtuous views Letters ...... 11 portend, and the former Good and True are destined to be unmasked as Richard A. Dengrove, Tom Feller, John Hertz, Robert S. Kennedy, being repressive and bigoted. Lloyd Penney, George W. Price, Darrell Schweitzer, David M. In the middle of this, the hope of just getting together and seeing old Shea, Thomas E. Simmons, R-Laurraine Tutihasi, Taras Wolansky friends, of mourning those who have gone and welcoming those who are new, is lost like tears in rain. Perhaps indeed it is time to die. Comments are by JTM or LTM At least racing is beginning to return. The Kentucky Derby Festival Trivia: ...... 16 has its differences, mostly to prevent crowds. But there will be a full racing program on Derby Day — and the Kentucky Oaks, the day Art: before. (But that’s Good Friday.) Sheryl Birkhead ...... 9, 11 The Kentucky Horse Park has continued operations. Can horses get Trinlay Khadro ...... 2 coronavirus? Old Friends, the thoroughbred retirement facility, is still Marc Schirmeister ...... 12, 13, 14, 15 going, even though they have had to suspend operations. It turns out there is a new thoroughbred retirement facility near to Louisville. Center for Disease Control ...... 15 Horses go on. Pascha is May 2. — Joe Page 2 April 2021 Alexiad

the same level with having a stick of dynamite the car going. I left the engine running to RANDOM JOTTINGS go off in your face, and emerging from a cloud recharge the battery. by Joe with clothes torn, all smoke-blackened, with a Then we reached the front of the line, and startled look on your face. I had to get into the line to be given an assign- ment. This required my driver’s license (fortu- The Heinlein Forum people have discovered nately I had the new one that had a picture of that there is a writer named Thorby Rudbek. me without glasses), my insurance card, and Really. And he seems to know his Heinlein. the letter giving me a reservation. Pen name, or named by Heinlein fan parents? That done, we went into Broadbent Arena He’s on Amazon.com so it might be possible to and got in another line. After a few minutes I look. got to the shot table, and they gave me a stick. I got the Pfizer vaccine. A fire in the engine room has severely Then I had to pull out and wait fifteen damanged the Australian Antarctic resupply minutes to make sure I didn’t faint, throw up, ship MPV Everest. No one was killed or in- start having coronavirus-shaped tumors grow- jured, but there was some damage to the fittings. ing out of my arm, or anything of the sort. The ship was bringing back Australian station That done, we went off. Buy my books. (All available on members who were being relieved. My next appointment is April 7. Amazon.com for quite reasonable prices, except the Hugo-nominated Heinlein’s MONARCHICAL NEWS Two days later, Lisa had her shot. The Children, which can be bought directly from library would re-open on March 26, and we got George Price for a reasonable sum, or from We regret to report the death of Goodwill called on the eleventh saying she AB- ReAnimus Press in electronic format.) Zwelithini kaBhekzulu, King of the Zulus, on SOLUTELY HAD to make an appointment for March 12, 2021. Born July 14, 1948, he the next day. So we got there after work. https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B01BMIC4M succeeded his father Cyprian Bhekuzulu in She got the Johnson & Johnson one-shot U?ref_=pe_1724030_132998070 1968. The King ruled during the turbulent immunization. So far she’s doing fine. transition from Apartheid, and the still disturbed https://reanimus.com/store period now. But I have many other medical appoint- King Goodwill was descended from King ments. I went to see the blood specialist. The — Advt. Mpande ka Senzangakhona, the half-brother of tests showed I had iron-poor blood. There are Shaka, and from his son King Cetshwayo supplements, but they wouldn’t work, either, 1916: The War for America (Second kaMpande (as in Zulu (1964; reviewed in since the part of my intestine that absorbs iron American Civil War Book 3), the sequel to Alexiad V. 2 #5)) is damaged. 1910: War in the Pacific and 1912: War for The likely successor is his oldest surviving The symptoms of iron deficiency include the White House (reviewed in Alexiad V. 20 son Misuzulu Zulu, a son of his Great Wife. fatigue, shortness of breath, and eating non- #1) is now available (2021; ISBN 979- The prime minister, Mangosuthu Gatsha food items. This latter is called “pica”, which 8701223798; $15.95; 2021; Amazon Digital Buthelezi (yes, him) announced that the king, is not the typeface size “pica”. Normally this Services (Kindle); $2.99). Jeff Thomas re- who had been suffering from diabetes, had died pica is eating earth (which was referenced in counts how the breakdown in American soci- of COVID-19. “The Year of the Jackpot” (Galaxy 3/1952, ety led to fighting, rioting, starvation, and in Thanks to Martin Morse Wooster for bring- 1959: NHOL G.097)) but it’s also eating ice. the end a scene where President Davies should ing this to our attention. That’s the one I do. go into a flaming rant over General Steiner not Bayete! (But then, back a while ago while at the being able to attack. And there are frightening vet’s I noticed a listing of symptoms of arthritis parallels to other events and sinister connec- SHOTS AND INJECTIONS in dogs. I had all of them except “Constantly tions to the future. by Joe licking a joint”.) So I have been having iron infusions. Five On December 21, 2020, 36 people from I’ve had my first immunization shot for of them, one each subsequent Friday afternoon. the Chilean Bernardo O’Higgins Riquelme COVID-19. Now Grant had his, tested pos- I sit in the chair and read while red ferric Base in the Antarctic Peninsula tested positive itive, and was quarantined for two weeks with- sludge drains into my veins. The hardest part for COVID-19 and were evacuated from out developing symptoms. He suspected that of the procedure seems to be finding a vein. Antarctica. So there’s no escape even there. Tim had died of COVID, but had no proof as The last one this is going to cover had a the nursing home doesn’t release that informa- striking accompaniment. There was a parade The N3F people review animes and man- tion. And we know about Lloyd and Yvonne in the halls, with sound intended to be music, gas. (The readership may be divided between Penney. Various of my relatives have tested cheering, and other such whoop-jamboreehoo people who have no idea what the National positive for COVID, and one died of it. My (as Mr. Finn would have put it). I enquired and Fantasy Fan Federation — N3F — is, people niece got her shot but she works with children. was informed that it was a celebration for a who say, “What, they’re still around?”, and The state opened shots to the 1c class (peo- patient’s final round of chemotherapy. (It’s the members.) James P. Nicoll reviews mangas. ple between 60 and 70) the second week in “Norton Cancer Clinic”, bloodwork is a side- One of the clichés of these is “truck-kun”. March and I signed up with the medical net- line of theirs.) It seems an anime girl can’t cross the street work, They passed me on to the state network, without being run down by a truck which and I got an appointment to go to the mass To Be Continued comes tearing around the corner and drives on immunization clinic on the State Fairgrounds on without any consequences to the driver. March 10. USS BUSH (DD-529) This requires, of course, empty streets. You had to park and wait, moving forward Launched 27 OCT 1942, Bethlehem Steel, Which, I understand, are very rare there. How in your line as those who had reached the front San Francisco many people in Japan are killed by being run were called. Then my car wouldn’t start. Sunk 06 APR 1945, Okinawa down by trucks, anyway? Fortunately, the volunteers were equipped; one But of course it’s only cartoon clichés, on man brought a jump-start battery pack and got April 6 marked the anniversary of the Alexiad April 2021 Page 3 sinking of my father’s ship, the U.S.S. Bush. Parker, Albert J. F2c their burdensome beliefs. This issue is dedicated to the memory of those Parker, Harry A. GM3c Indeed, to some extent, Freudian psychiatry of her crew who did not get to come home. Phillips, Coy W. FCO1c was one. While James Blish might scorn a Pomerance, Sherman Lt.(jg) novel having a reference to a psychiatrist’s Sailors lost April 6, 1945: Rush, Jerome Michael Ensign appointment as a valid reason for an afternoon Schwarzin, Frank B. CEM off work, psychiatry was considered a wonder Akers, Elwood L. Slc Scott, Marvin TM2c procedure which would expunge mental prob- Anderson, Harold WT3c Sprague, Lloyd C. EM3c lems. Anderson, Richard P. Lt. (Jg) Stewart, Edward H. RT2c Other therapies came into being as people Baker, Joe D. S1c Swindell, Charles N. RdMlc with ideas wanted to strike off on their own. Baldwin, Jim R. S2c Szczech, Edward J. EMlc Richard D. Rosen was too careful to cover the Barich, Joseph J. S2c Tetak, Frank P. S2c original of psychonetology; they did things to Bartnick, Leo J. Flc Tillman, Carl G. TM2c critics. Snakes, for example (L. Sprague de Batchelor, Merrill R. S2c Tinan, Donald R. S1c Camp, “A Sending of Serpents”, F&SF August Baykowski, John J. MM1c Trella, Paul P. S2c 1979). Beals, Miller W. F2c Vertz, Richard W. S1c Rosen coined the term “psychobabble”. In Blair, James C. TM2c Weithman, George C. S2c the book with that title, he discussed a number Bray, Wilbert T. Flc Welch, Jack S1c of fringe therapies. Some were mostly harm- Bresnahan, Raymond J. MM3c Wetherbee, Leo D. Sc2c less, such as co-counseling. This encouraged Brody, Albert D. PhM3c Willis, James Sturgis Comdr. patients to pair off and counsel each other, Cechal, Clarence J. Flc Wood, Glen E. S2c which was at worst annoying when they got Chaplinksi, Alex Flc Woodhurst, Harry King Lt.(jg) stressed out at public engagements and dashed Copp, Hubert D. Sm3c Wysocki, Tony S1c off into a corner to co-counsel each other. Crenshaw, Edwin D. S1c Yates, Freeman W. Cox. One he found to have particularly destruc- Cross, "J" "M" Fc2c Youtsey, Charles E. CWT tive effects. Robert Jastrow’s Primal Scream Davey, David S. S2 depended on leading the patient to relive a Day, Richard R. SoM2c Futrell, Robert C. MMlc traumatic experience in extreme youth and let Dillard, Thomas E. S2c it all hang out, which was called “Primaling”. Dolgos, Frank G. F2c and to the memory of Kunio Kanzaki, Hiro- (Not quite from before birth, Jastrow presum- Drew, Harold R. WTlc shi Matano, Noboru Yamakawa, Shinzo Tabata ably not wanting to find snakes in his mailbox.) Duncan, Keith L. S1c and Kazuo Tanio, who also died for their coun- Rosen gives an extreme example, from a Eskola, Arvid S1c try on April 6, 1945. And no, they were not group which he characterizes as a derivative Foster, John Gordon Lt.(jg) Nisei. They were kamikaze pilots who sacri- group and not one of Jastrow’s. (Wanting to Frankenberg, Justine R. WT2c ficed themselves in a last-ditch defense of their dodge legal trouble?) Gerriets, Louis E. Sc1c country. Three of them were almost certainly The patient was a young woman who began Greenberg, Stanley B. MoMM1c the ones who sank the Bush. Primaling. She apparently had a vast number Guinn, Billy J. S1c of traumatic memories and relived them with Hagerty, John R. MM2c PSYCHONETOLOGY great energy and anguish. Her therapy, how- Hall, George W. S1c Commentary by Joseph T Major on ever, seemed to have less than ideal effects, for Hay, George S. RM3c PSYCHOBABBLE: the more she Primaled the worse she got. Huard, Wilfred L. BMlc Fast Talk and Quick Cure in the Era of Feel- Perhaps implausabily, Rosen described her Jackson, Solomon, Jr. StM1c ing (1977) as having to be Primaled every moment she Johnson, Norman H. MM1c by R. D. Rosen was awake. And her memories grew darker. Jones, Donald C. MM3c She eventually got to explicit and brutal memo- Jones, Oscar T. RMlc . . . Dr. Samuel P. Shovel, M.D., a jo- ries of being assaulted, molested, and raped by Kenner, Perry J. F2c vial, red-cheeked, white-haired man who her brother. It seems hard to believe that the Kirby, Robert W. S2c was the high priest of psychonetology, brother escaped prosecution, but apparently the Koebbe, Clair E. S1c “the New Science of the Id”. . . police did not believe the patient. She contin- Kosty, Nicholas L. Flc ued her downward spiral until she committed Kowalski, Eugene V. RM3c — James Blish, A Case of Conscience (1953, suicide. Krygier, Stephen J. CFC 1958) Most of these therapies can be categorized Kulis, Edward A. EM2c as “charismatic’; they were invented by a Ladner, Gene O. S1c One of the more carefully researched parts single thinker, who subsequently dominated the Leffler, George W. S2c of Mary Robinette Kowal’s Lady Astronaut use of the therapy. Freud was somewhat like Long, Harry W. MM3c series is the attention paid to the tranquilizer of that, albeit less domineering. They had periods Macknight, Roy T. GM2c the day. Nowadays, it’s Xanax; in the fifties, of being in fashion. Mart, John O. BM2c when Nicole Wargin wants relief from her stress Martin, John D. GM3c she takes Miltown. Every era seems to have its WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE Mccarty, Byron N. RdM2c magic pill which frees the patient of the pains Review by Joseph T Major of Mcfarland, Richard C. SkK1c and inconveniences of life. (And then they THE FATED SKY: Meisetschlager, Joseph V. SoM2c wonder why their children take crystal meths A Lady Astronaut Novel Merrick George W. Flc and fentanyl.) by Mary Robinette Kowal Mills, Donnell D. MM2c Similarly, the original therapy of which (2018: Tor; ISBN 978-0765398949; $17.99; Moclair, Patrick A. S1c psychonetology is a cautious evocation was not 2018; Tor (Kindle): $11.99) Moffit, Duane Wilson Ensign alone, no matter how ashamed science fiction Montour, Frederick N. S1c fans may be of that science of modern mental When they began building their spaceship Northey, Wesley G. BM1c health. It was just one of many therapies which for the evacuation of Earth, Cole Hendron and Pace, Homer P. MM1c were proposed to relieve troubled people of his building crew faced a terrible problem. Page 4 April 2021 Alexiad

Their maximum passenger payload was one ledge there was about lunar conditions then. guished pilot from another field, with a differ- hundred; they had a thousand people working Nicole Wargin at least was going to a base ent person, gives it an additional fillip of inter- on the ship. The prospect of the final choice on the near side. However, her problems, both est. was not the most comforting. getting there and once she got there, were just as I checked and Turtledove does get the (Then the Bronson free planets made their difficult. Or even worse, since there were equipment right. So when things happen . . . first pass by Earth, and in the subsequent “Trends” (by Isaac Asimov (Astounding, July chaos, while about half the personnel didn’t 1939)) that took action to make matters worse. THE BORGIA PANZERS make it, they found enough high-resistance And having to take time off to be the Devoted Review by Joseph T Major of metal to make enough engine linings to be Spouse of the Governor of Kansas didn’t help. THE MALICE OF FORTUNE able to build ships large enough to evacuate Not to mention that humanity has to get off by Steve White everyone When Worlds Collide (1933).) earth in order to survive. (2021: Baen (Kindle); $6.99) Elma York, the Lady Astronaut of Mr. Getting to the Moon is the easy part. Things Wizard, wants to go to Mars. So when she is start to go pear-shaped once Nicole gets there. The opening of this work describes a formi- taken hostage by Earth First terrorists, she is a The base intermittently falls out of communica- dable teamup in Renaissance Italy. The abso- little concerned. And when freed, she is tion with Earth. There are various dangerous lute ruler of Italy and the Holy Roman Empire, shoehorned into the first mission, replacing an objects found in the base. Back on Earth, Cesare Borgia, is assisted by his astoundingly already-training crew member. Surprisingly, Nicole’s husband, working on his campaign for skilled and innovative High Engineer, Leo- this works. (Meanwhile, John Leonard President, is assassinated. As if it couldn’t get nardo da Vinci, and the profoundly clever Swigert, Jr., a test pilot for Pratt & Whitney, is worse, for a change, Earth falls out of communi- Principal Secretary Niccoló Machiavelli. available.) cation with the base; and they can see that all This combination would seem to be quite They have to go to Mars to terraform the Kansas is blacked out. lethal and the story of Borgia’s rise to power planet so humanity can survive the forthcom- They have to do what they can. The resolu- could make for quite a thrilling story. Yet it is ing global warming caused by the long-term tion turns out to be burdensome for Nicole, but in a way only the side-line. effects of the meteor that wiped out Washing- at least she can do something. The principal character is the English ton, D.C. So this mission is important. The Earth First of this universe is Christian mercenary Giovanni Negrocampo, or John The two ships sent to Mars, the Nina and fundamentalists. I have mixed feelings about Blackfield, who came to Italy to fight in the the Pinta (you’ll recall that the Santa Maria this; while Christian religiosity was high at the wars, and ended up meeting a very strange ran aground and was wrecked, so that was a time in our time line and likely would be higher lady. (Now if it had been Edomondo Negro- bad omen) set off on their three-year mission under the circumstances, their attitudes seem sommatore and his servant S. Balteo . . .) without incident. Except, in the progress of taken from contemporary disdain. It’s rather The lady, Caterina, is it seems a time-trav- the mission, two astronauts die, and Earth falls like the Contra Darwin of Alexis Gilliland’s eler, from White’s Temporal Regulatory Au- out of communication for two months. Rosinante series. thority. And she is here to investigate the rise (That last had to do with the Earth First of Borgia to power. people. Lew Jacobson (Children of Apollo, HIGH FLIGHT Blackfield has to go through some obser- Mark R. Whittington (2001)) would have been Review by Joseph T Major of vations, mental transformations, and learning disgusted at this and Mark Watney (The Mar- OR EVEN EAGLE FLEW experiences (also known as, “Oh God, not this tian, Andy Weir (2011, 2014)) saddened.) by Harry Turtledove again!!!) before it all becomes clear. And In short, it’s an ordinary novel of the (2021: Prince of Cats Literary Productions; Caterina has the risks of being a woman in her future. The Astounding Unperson would have ISBN 979-1952825121; $16.99; past. approved. Kowal is doing what a SF writer 2021; Prince of Cats Literary Productions But Leonardo now has more opportunities should do, write a normal story about a futur- (Kindle); $6.99) for innovation and more money with which to istic turn of events. realize them. Which means that, for example, And of course Elma got back so she could We begin with Mrs. Amelia E. Putnam his rolling gun tower gets deployed on the field feature in The Relentless Moon, volume three going to Montreal to visit friends. The friends of battle . . . of the series. Kowal builds for her an entire are recruiters for the Armée de l’air, and Mrs. However, it seems that Caterina is here to life, backstory, beliefs, and connections. Not Putnam is, of course, better known as Miss watch the mysterious cloistered Councilor who to mention giving the Black Chamber, er Amelia Earhart. among other things cured Cesare of the Pox. National Security Agency, some work reading Her round the world flight is elided, and This has freed him to make some very radical her private communications to her husband. evidently her marriage to GPP has broken up. changes of career, even into the Church again, With nothing else to do, she resolves to get into while edging towards the Orthodox in some THE MOON IS HELL the fighting. Yes, she wants to be a combat ways. Review by Joseph T Major of pilot. White wants to make a point about innova- THE RELENTLESS MOON: The Germans have a say in the matter, and tion and how it falters under the Universal A Lady Astronaut Novel she and the other American recruits arrive in State. These have some merit, but I have to by Mary Robinette Kowal France just in time to get out before the country wonder if Cesare’s revived Holy Roman Em- (2020: Tor; ISBN 978-1250236951; $30.99; collapses. Not good. pire (which is what he seems to be aiming at) 2020; Tor (Kindle): $11.99) And she has trouble getting into the RAF. would be quite universal. Air Marshal Leigh-Mallory in particular (go to Now if they can only deal with the matter The first Lunar expedition had problems. the top) is not very helpful. (Perhaps she should of the Councilor . . . Particularly when their relief ship crashed on have asked him, “Whatever would George have It’s an interesting story, albeit tied to an- landing — and since the relief was supposed said?”) Nevertheless, she persisted, and finally, other series, and perhaps wasting a good idea. to stay for a month, there was no other ship, with various accomodations, Pilot Officer and they were on the far side of the Moon, Putnam, A.E. is installed in a squadron. Even- IDENTITY THEFT they were sort of on their own where “The tually it gets planes and they go to work. Review by Joseph T Major of Moon Is Hell!” (1950). The Astounding Un- The story of losing friends, of passionate DOC SAVAGE: THE SINISTER person wrote of their struggles to survive and flings to shut out the horrors of war, of fighting SHADOW: to communicate to Earth that they were in and winning, is in a sense no different from (The Wild Adventures of Doc Savage Book trouble, keeping up with what scientific know- other stories of the Few; yet having a distin- 14) Alexiad April 2021 Page 5

by Kenneth Robeson and Will Murray BUTTERFLIES — LOOK AT ME, MA! (2015: Altus Press; ISBN 978-1618271983; Book Two Review by Joseph T Major of $20.95; 2015; Altus Press (Kindle); $5.99) (2020: Amazon Digital Services; $5.99) TRUE SUMMIT: by Dale Cozort What Really Happened on the Legendary The Shadow was not Lamont Cranston. Ascent of Annapurna For the past few years, Altus Press has Dale Cozort is a noted figure in Alternate by David Roberts been issuing new pulp adventures of familiar History. He is known primarily for Native (2000: Simon & Schuster: heroes. They seem to have an audience, American AH, but covers the field generally. ISBN 978-0684867571; $26.00; unlike Byron Preiss (Weird Heroes) and are These books are a collection of various 2013; Simon & Schuster (Kindle); $11.99) not obsessed with breaking character and essays by him on the theory and practice of AH, continuity, unlike Philip José Farmer. along with a scenario of his own. There are fourteen mountains in the world This book, however, edges into Farmer He explains the Butterfly Effect, and de- that reach more than 8000 meters above sea territory. It begins with Lamont Cranston, scribed the creation and employment of Alien level. In a period of fourteen years, they were wealthy world adventurer, consulting the Space Bats. The latter were first used in a all climbed. This string of accomplishments distinguished lawyer Theodore Marley Brooks discussion of Operation Sealion, but have been began in 1950, when a French expedition regarding a small problem. It seems that applied to a vast number of other proposals. climbed Annapurna (8091 m). when he’s out of the country, someone is His scenario has to do with a proposed The official story of this triumph, Anna- living in his house, pretending to be him. change in the operational-level maneuvers of purna, premier 8000 (1951; in English as Meanwhile, a sinister figure known only Operation Barbarossa, leading to Moscow Annapurna: First Conquest of an 8000-meter as the Funeral Director is blackmailing rich falling to the Nazis and then some even stranger Peak (1952)), written by the expedition leader men and killing many, while the police are things. Interestingly, he calls this The Moscow and summiter Maurice Herzog, was a best- baffled. And kidnapping — such as the Option, the same title as a book by British seller. It is estimated that between eleven and above-mentioned Brooks. thriller and history writer David Downing fourteen million copies of that book have been Which last provokes his boss, the famed (1979, 2001). (Like Robert Sobel’s For Want of sold. And yet . . . adventurer, inventor, medical researcher, and a Nail (1973) it is a history of its timeline in- David Roberts has been there and done that. mighty fighter Dr. Clark Savage, M.D. (and stead of a novel set there.) One of his early inspirations had been Herzog’s probably a bunch of other degrees). You These books are extremely useful for anyone Annapurna. And yet, there were stories that don’t want to get Doc Savage mad at you. He wanting to write an alternative history work, some of the things he had said in the book were does lobotomies. and interesting to those who just read it. not quite on the level. However, the guy posing as Lamont Cran- Roberts has been there and done that. He ston also gets involved. And, unlike with AND NOT SPILL YOUR DRINK set about researching. Since all the climbers Doc’s “mercy bullets”, he shoots to kill. Review by Joseph T Major of except for Herzog himself had died since then, (How he manages to change magazines on HOW TO: he had a lot of contact with heirs and assigns. those two Colt M1911 .45 caliber automatics Absurd Scientific Advice for Common Real- The picture that emerged was a lot more nuanc- with both hands full is an exercise left for the World Problems ed and muddled than Herzog’s inspiring story reader.) Doc and his loyal followers the apish by Randall Munroe of a heroic triumph. chemist “Monk” Mayfair and the weedy (2019: Riverhead Books; He gives short biographies of all the electrical engineer “Long Tom” Roberts (the ISBN 978-0525537090; $28.00; climbers. Perhaps not surprisingly, several others are off doing other work), aren’t sure 2019; Penguin Group (Kindle); $4.99) died in climbing accidents, some quite ghastly which is worse, the Funeral Director or this https://xkcd.com/ (the one whose head was squashed by a per- shadowy figure who knows what evil lurks in fectly targeted rock that fell off, for example). the hearts of men. This is a collection of various scientific The organization of the expedition also had There ensues much two-fisted adventure, answers to various problems that the ordinary its moments. As when Herzog assembled the scientific gadgetry, and investigation, building persion may encounter in the course of human climbers before the expedition set out and had to a shocking conclusion when the Funeral affairs. Whether it is warming a house, com- them swear absolute and unquestioned loyalty Director takes Lamont Cranston’s niece hos- muting to work, shooting down an annoying to him personally. And not surprisingly, there tage and the two investigators have to com- surveillance drone, or whatever, Munroe gives was a ban on writing other accounts. Some of bine their efforts . . . firmly based scientific answeres to these mun- them started writing, but none published. Murray has done his homework, so to dane problems. The expedition had its own problems. For speak, bringing in The Shadow’s associates The items are illuminated by his idiosyn- example, they had set out to climb Dhaulagiri and delineating the vaster network of Doc cratic stick figure drawings, often commenting (which is 8167 meters) but couldn’t find it. Savage’s organization. He avoids the ex- in his wry fashion on the absurdly commonplace The maps of the area were wretched and they cesses of other writers. It seems plausible that situations they are thrust into. The main text seem to have found the route to Annapurna by Doc Savage and The Shadow would encounter has that detached look at the utter preposterous- happenstance. (But this is in Herzog’s book.) each other and he has chosen to have them ness of ordinary life and the situations described While Roberts does have the understanding have to find out each others’ ways, instead of therein. of the situation, due to his own experience in instantly knowing each other. Who knows, the reader may even learn climbing, some may find his divergences into The books seem to be selling. Who knows something worthwhile about science. The book descriptions of his own personal climbs to be what evil lurks in the hearts of Orson Welles, is intensely researched and follows the details of distracting, annoying, or useless. Some of er men . . . human knowledge in the various ways of the them don’t quite seem relevant. world. Still, Roberts has been fighting cancer for THE TOUGH GUIDE TO AH It does however lack some of the more the past few years. As of this writing, he is still Review by Joseph T Major of arcane events that make up human existence. I alive. That deserves some consideration. THE BEST OF SPACE BATS AND for one would like to see Munroe’s answer to P. BUTTERFLIES — J. O’Rourke’s question of “How to Drive Fast PROOFS OF A CONSPIRACY Volume 1: Alternate History & Time Travel on Drugs While Getting Your Wing-Wang Review by Joseph T Major of (2020: Amazon Digital Services; $5.99) and Squeezed and Not Spill Your Drink”. ON THE TRAIL OF DELUSION: THE BEST OF SPACE BATS AND 4 Jim Garrison: The Great Accuser Page 6 April 2021 Alexiad

by Fred Litwin The beast was rooting up his potato patch. British magistrate seemed ready to have Lyman (2020: NorthernBlues Books; And back in 1859, on a remote island in a far dragged bodily to Victoria, to stand trial in a ISBN 978-0994863041; $17.99; corner of Creation, a man’s spuds might be a British court, but the cooler head of Victoria’s 2020; NorthernBlues Books (Kindle); major part of the winter’s grub. governor prevailed. Lyman Cutler was left in $2.99) Still, the pig belonged to the mighty Hud- peace to hurl his defiance at the British Empire. son’s Bay Company, a power to reckon with in The pig remained dead, but even so contin- The full title of the book is Proofs of a the thinly-settled Pacific Northwest – especially ues to influence international relations. Conspiracy: Against All the Religions and here in the San Juan Island, a disputed region Brigadier-General William S. Harney of the Governments of Europe, Carried on in the between Vancouver Island and what would one United States Army found his duty station in Secret Meetings of Freemasons, Illuminati, day be called Washington State. And before the the hinterlands of Washington to be sadly and Reading Societies (1797); the sort of book year was out, that deceased hog would bring remote for any chance for military glory. He that hardly needs an introduction with a Great Britain and the United States to be brink wanted a nice little patriotic conflict to advance subtitle like that. The author, Scots physicist of war. his career. So Harney took up the cause of John Robison, was totally unfazed by the fact Armed troops were landed, forts built, and Lymon Cutler, trumpeting that an America that the Order of the Illuminati had completely warships dispatched to San Juan, a timbered citizen was threatened with unlawful arrest and collapsed in 1785 due to the management speck of land fifteen miles long. Pugnacious durance vile by a foreign power. Moreover, style of Adam Weishaupt. military officers issues threats and ultimatums, that other Americans – all 18 of them – were Two centuries later, a man with manage- negotiators wrangled, and the government of the threatened by hostile Indians egged on by the ment skills even worse than Weishaupt’s and United States – already foreseeing the outbreak British. conspiracy-seeing even farther out than Rob- of the Civil War – had to worry about an armed None of which was true, but the US Capitol ison was to add to the structure of a conspir- conflict with a world power on the remote fire was thousands of miles and weeks of travel acy against the government of America, a side of the country. away, so it made a good excuse for Harney to conspiracy so immense and in infamy so black All because a squatter named Lyman Cutler dispatch 400 US soldiers to the island. They that when it is finally exposed, its principals shot a pig in his potato patch on June 15th, landed on July 27th at Griffin Bay, on the shall be forever deserving of the maledictions 1859. opposite end of San Guan from the Company of all honest men. Oh, and they were pre- Certainly the treaty with Great Britain, by farm. The British warship Tribune, loaded verts, too. which the boundary between the British and with Royal Marines, promptly arrived to coun- Garrison wanted to make a name for America territories had been set at the 49th ter the threat. Harney retaliated by putting 400 himself. And he set out to do so on a case parallel in 1818, had been intended to forestall troops in reserve at Fort Steilocoom, on the built on speculation, theorizing, malice, and hostilities. A statesmanlike compromise bent mainland, and sending to the island another even gay-bashing. When you realize that one the boundary south at the straits of Georgia and 150 troops commanded by Captain George E. of his principal proofs of a conspiracy was Juan de Fuca, to leave all of Vancouver Island Pickett – who boasted, “We’ll make a Bunker “propinquity”, where if any two accused in British hands. Unfortunately, the San Juan Hill of it,” perhaps forgetting that Americans conspirators lived anywhere near each other, Islands were in the middle of the straits. In that had ultimately lost that battle. The British they had to be working together, you may see day of sailing ships, whoever controlled the counter moved by sending in Admiral Lambert his methods, Or if either of the two accused island could control access to Puget Sound, and Baynes with the 84 gun man-of-war Ganges, knew somebody who lived near the other. Or the entrance to the northwester hinterland: so which gave them a total of five ships, 167 so on in chains. both Britain and America claimed the islands. cannon and 1,940 soldiers and sailors. All in Somehow, Garrison continued to attract This made no difference so long as they were all, it was proving to be a remarkable expen- people who found him credible, in spite of a populated mainly by sheep, owned by the Hud- sive pig. devastating defeat in the first Clay Shaw trial son’s Bay Company. But when American About that time the news finally reached (the jury was out for forty-five minutes, most squatters began moving in, the seeds of conflict Washington DC. President James Buchanan, of which was the queue for the restroom), the where planted. As the population increased, already distracted by the impossible task of banning of his prosecution of Shaw after the both Britain and the United States sent magis- holding the country together, realized that the second trial for perjury, and so on. Oliver trates and tax collectors to the island. Since war-happy Harney was trying to pick a fight Stone’s JFK (1991) was only the beginning; each refused to recognize the others authority, with England on his own hook. The President Litwin lists three books since then that have this did little to clarify the uneasy situation. By promptly dispatched Lieutenant-General attempted to rehabilitate Garrison, each as 1858 there were 19 Americans and 16 British Winfield Scott to relieve Harney and to cool sloppy as the man’s own case. citizens on San Juan Island – not to mention the down the situation. Some people wonder what is the point of aforesaid sheep. Scott and Admiral Lambert reached a gentle- going over this, since it’s been nearly sixty And, of course, the hogs, soon to be reduced man’s understanding quickly, since neither of years and all the people involved must be by one. them wanted hostilities. The matter of who dead. Which shows that they think their It wasn’t as if Lymon hadn’t given fair owned the islands could by referred to negotia- opponents think they way they need to, not the warning. He had complained repeatedly to the tion, (which would done on for years to come). way their opponents actually think. The thesis Hugson’s Bay Company about their hogs ravag- Meanwhile, the islands would be jointly occu- now is that the assassination of Kennedy was ing his garden patch. They had chosen to ignore pied – which meant that neither American nor the coup by the Deep State that destroyed him as a mere foreign interloper on British British law prevailed – and the two sides set- democracy in America. property. Then came the final straw – or spud – tled down for a long wait. But Garrison destroyed lives. Not just and one unlucky swine paid the price. It proved to be a fairly amicable one. The Clay Shaw’s, but others. They deserve Lyman too was willing to pay the price; he British built a blockhouse at Garrison Bay, a amends, but in this culture will not get them. offered to recompense the Company for their parade ground on which the Royal Marines late pig. He was astonished when the Company drilled daily, wooden barracks for the men and THE BLUE AND THE SCARLET: demanded $100. As much as an able-bodied comfortable houses for officers, and an elegant THE PIG WAR man made in six months, and he flatly refused commander’s quarters with ballroom, billiard By Taral Wayne to pay such extortion. The Company threatened table, croquet lawn and flower beds. to prosecute. Prosecute away, Lyman dared The Americans, at the other end of the Lyman Cutler shouldn’t have shot the pig them. He was an American citizen on American island at Griffin Bay, built a camp of clapboard in the first place. soil, and he defied their foreign law. The local cabins surrounded by a log stockade, with a Alexiad April 2021 Page 7 flagpole bearing Old Glory in the middle of it. side. Noise poured from it like the blare of a I was sure I had seen that street’s name As the tension eased, the soldiers – like diesel horn. One moment I was outside, on the before. Was it in LA, or Phoenix? No, I was frontline soldiers everywhere, not particularly sidewalk – the next moment I was inside, suck- sure it was somewhere farther east. Maybe fond of war – began to fraternize. The offi- ed into the narrow space between the rows of Baltimore or Philly. Oh, well… cers paid social calls. Gradually, a sense of games. To either side of me played raucous, Evidently, chasing The Thin Man was the community grew among the island’s troops. cheerful tunes. Machine gunfire rattled, blasters thing to do in this game. As I crossed after Horse races and picnics on the beach helped blasted, mighty 450-cubic-inch supercharged him, a cobalt-blue van whizzed past, narrowly pass the time, while negotiations over the engines roared down back stretches, star gates missing my shopper. I squeezed between a islands’ ownership plodded along. opened, castle walls crumbled with the grinding Mazda and a punk rocker, shot ahead much too In 1861, as the Civil War blazed, the of stone on stone, and golf balls bounced on quickly and cut across The Thin Man’s path. irrepressible Pickett resigned his US Army simulated greens. The electronic pandemonium He swerved, unexpectedly, and I was rewarded commission to join the Confederate cause. other electronic was indescribable. with a musical tone, and a thousand points Presumably he got all the fighting he wanted, Almost at the end of the arcade, so far back against the running time. since he was eventually to lead the tragic from the street that I thought I glimpsed an I brought my shopper around in a high-gee charge at Gettysburg which sealed the fate of actual, antique pin-ball game, I came to a halt. turn that ought to have spilled the tuna helper the South. And as the Civil War ended, the Before a rather unprepossessing display was a out of the bottom of her bag, and had another polite dispute at the other side of the conti- game I’d never seen before. I should have go at The Thin Man. Contact! nent, touched off by the death of a pig, still moved on. “Boop,” went the game. My shopper dragged on. Why had I stopped at this game, I asked disappeared, along with 500 points.. A number It was not until 1871, after 25 years of myself? Most games were played around vio- changed from five to four in the same instant fruitless negotiation and furtive schemes, that lent, blood-curdling concepts such as thermonu- that my next player appeared. This time I was the dispute was turned over to an impartial clear war, rampaging mobs of kungfu fighters, a black rapper with a ghetto blaster this time. arbitrator, Kaiser Wilhelm, Emperor of Ger- invasions of space creatures and tag-team He responded to the joystick as before, but I many. His Imperial Highness finally awarded matches. But this game, I immediately saw, had to move fast since The Thin Man was the San Juan Island to the United States. was different. Instead of a labyrinth or battle- almost halfway across the street! The pig would probably have been dead by field, the screen projected an innocent-looking A name popped into my head – a street I then, anyhow. pedestrian shopping mall. thought I should know, but where was it? The detail was intriguing. So far as I could Sumner Street? No, Summack … in Pittsburg? ÖÉÓÅ ÐËÁØÓ tell, the simulacrum could have been modeled Somewhere near that part of the world. (ÖÁÍ ÓÅÑÓÉÏÍ) from a real street, in a real place anywhere in Fortunately, The Thin Man was moving By Taral Wayne the known world. In fact, one of the names obliquely, headed toward the 7-11 convenience depicted on a corner street sign rang familiar. I store on the corner. It was easy to cut him off Walking down Yonge Street, I obeyed a could have been on a street with that same name and get between him and the laundromat, sudden impulse to turn off The Strip into a once, but if I had, it could only have been coin- forcing him to circle around his goal while I video arcade. This wasn’t normal. I had cidence. For the sake of that familiar-but-un- took the inside path. This simple tactic imme- never been an arcade addict, preferring to known street sign, I dropped a quarter in. diately netted me 5,000 additional points. spend my quarters on Queen Street in the The game came abruptly to life. No intro- Suddenly, a cop stepped up and halted me. paperback parlors. But just then I was feeling ductory presentation, no instructions, no name. While he wrote me a ticket for jay-walking, nostalgic for the ‘70s, and hadn’t been in an From an empty, frozen street, pedestrians and The Thin Man shot straight as an arrow for the old-fashioned video arcade for as long as I cars appeared in sudden motion all over the laundromat. As soon as I could, I ran full tilt could remember. In fact, I don’t think I had screen. In the midst of all the bustling activity after him … but it was too late. The Thin Man seen one for what might have been decades. and busy traffic, a tall, somber-looking man disappeared inside. The door closed in my Home video games had long since done away wearing a fedora appeared, glancing nervously face, and wouldn’t allow me in. While I stood with them all! around, apparently looking for safety. He in the street, wondering what to do next, a The ‘70s were the waning days of the looked exactly like William Powell in The Thin parked hatch-back suddenly pulled out and ran counterculture. In those Halcyon, New Dere- Man. The graphics were impressive! I instinc- me over. My second player disappeared, too. licts and I were wont to surge up and down tively knew that the Thin Man had at least three I was down to three. The Strip like a tide of four or five or six, pairs of old-fashioned boxer shorts and carefully Now I was a fat man with a beard, carrying jostling each other to speak, and flooding starched shirts in his dresser at home. a submarine sandwich. The Thin Man came suddenly into whichever gaudy establishment In the upper part of the screen were three out of the laundromat in a rush, likely hoping caught our notice. For we band of brothers, counters – one began to count the seconds. The to catch me off-guard. But this time the advan- the video arcades exerted a powerful attraction second counter told me that I had five Players. tage was mine. His only way back was across … for all but I. But at that moment while So far I had zero Points. I began to play in the street, and I was already between him and walking down Yonge Street again, I felt some earnest. the far sidewalk. I was determined to block small sympathetic pull from outside that Moving the joystick did nothing until I every step he took. anachronistic video arcade – just like it had thumbed the button on top. That brought a The next few minutes were a blur of mov- felt in the old days. second figure onto the screen – a nondescript ing vehicles, ambient pedestrians, cops, bark- The members of our now largely forgotten young woman with a shopping bag. Appar- ing dogs, panhandlers, skateboards and burst group of buddies were scattered – gone now to ently, I was playing her role in the game. I was water mains. Skillfully, I maneuvered The separate lives and fates. As though by magic, apparently playing her part. The Thin Man Thin Man through looping curves, figure-eights the video arcades that once lined Yonge Street began walking away from “me” at a brisk pace, and several dosie-does, never letting him get from the Eaton Center to the Bloor Subway apparently heading for the laundromat on the closer than half-way to the other side of the had been transformed into computer shops and other side of the street. Moving the stick moved street. I had racked up 500,000 points! cell-phone boutiques. How had this lone my pedestrian counterpart – forward, backward, That must have been the magic number. arcade survived the transformation? left or right, faster or slower, depending on how Without any warning, The Thin Man turned Like all video arcades I had seen in the far I pushed the stick. It seemed as though around and began to pursue me! past, this one was a long, activity-filled hole in every other pedestrian made a point of getting We collided, and with a “boop,” my player the wall of respectable businesses to either between me and The Thin Man as he crossed… disappeared. Page 8 April 2021 Alexiad

My next player was a teeny-bopper with a scientific experts with a grain of salt (“In Sci- Riot Baby, Tochi Onyebuchi (Tordotcom) pretty nice build. The Thin Man ran her down ence We Trust? Twenty-Country Pew Survey almost before I could experimentally wiggle Shows Trust in Scientists—with Major Cave- NOVELETTE her butt for three steps. ats”, Jan.-Feb. 2021). “Stepsister”, Leah Cypess (F&SF 5-6/20) I vowed I wouldn’t be suckered again. In In the mid-1970s, the experts at the Stanford “The Pill”, Meg Elison (Big Girl, PM my final life I was a Japanese tourist, be- Research Institute, and other scientists else- Press) decked with expensive cameras and a Hawai- where, validated the E.S.P. abilities of Israeli “Burn or the Episodic Life of Sam Wells ian shirt. The Thin Man chased me to the psychic Uri Geller. Barbara Walters, at the time as a Super”, A.T. Greenblatt (Uncanny very doors of the ancient A&P down the one of the leading journalists in the U.S., was 5-6/20) street, and bowled me over. “Boop.” completely convinced Geller was real. “Two Truths and a Lie”, Sarah Pinsker Game over. Believe it or not, the machine And so was I, until I read a modest little (Tor.com 6/17/20) chuckled at me, treating me to a close-up of paperback with the title, The Magic of Uri “Where You Linger”, Bonnie Jo The Thin Man’s sepulchral features as he gave Geller. After reading the book, I concluded Stufflebeam (Uncanny 1-2/20) me a thin little smirk of triumph. that, no matter how many scientists he con- “Shadow Prisons”, Caroline M. Yoachim Now I recognized that address – it was vinced, Geller was a fraud. (serialized in the Dystopia Triptych Summit Avenue, in Hagerstown. I remem- By the way, the book was written, not by a series as “The Shadow Prison Experi- bered that I knew the face of The Thin Man. scientist, but by a high school dropout from ment”, “Shadow Prisons of the Mind”, It was a fellow I knew who was once well Canada who called himself James “The Amaz- and “The Shadow Prisoner’s Di- known for writing astonishing numbers of ing” Randi. lemma”, Broad Reach Publishing + letters to fanzines! So far as I knew he had A few years later nuclear physicist Stanton Adamant Press) been dead for several years … yet this was Friedman told us UFOs were, in fact, alien unmistakably his face looking back at me spacecraft. By then I had become a charter SHORT STORY from the screen of this video game! subscriber to The Zetetic, later called The Skep- “Badass Moms in the Zombie Apoca- I go out of that video arcade as fast as I tical Inquirer. Writers like Joe Nickell and lypse”, Rae Carson (Uncanny 1-2/20) could, and I planned never to look for it again! Philip J. Klass didn’t have Friedman’s scientific “Advanced Word Problems in Portal But the street was strange outside. Where credentials, but they convinced me UFOs are a Math”, Aimee Picchi (Daily Science was Sam the Record Man’s and Pizza-Pizza? great many things, but alien spacecraft is not Fiction 1/3/20) When had that that A&P grocery replaced the one of them. “A Guide for Working Breeds”, Vina No-Frills, and who has last seen a Becker’s Just last year, public health experts told us Jie-Min Prasad (Made to Order: Robots Milk? I felt a strange compulsion come over that using face masks against COVID-19 was and Revolution, Solaris) me, then. At all odds, I had to cross the street useless, even dangerous. But forty years of “The Eight-Thousanders”, Jason Sanford to reach the unfamiliar laundromat ahead, and James Randi and TSI had taught me to think for (Asimov’s 9-10/20) launder my wash. Then without a sound, a myself. I decided that an imperfect barrier to “My Country Is a Ghost”, Eugenia young woman with a shopping bag detached viral aerosols was better than no barrier at all; Triantafyllou (Uncanny 1-2/20) herself from the milling crowd and speeding and eventually the experts came around to my “Open House on Haunted Hill”, John traffic to zero in on me. view of the matter. Wiswell (Diabolical Plots 6/15/20) She too only had five plays to catch me! Sincerely, THE ANDRE NORTON NEBULA AWARD Afterword Taras Wolansky FOR MIDDLE GRADE AND YOUNG ADULT FICTION This article was written in 1990, as a NEBULA AWARD NOMINEES Raybearer, Jordan Ifueko (Amulet) sequel to another bit of fanwriting by an Courtesy of SFWA Elatsoe, Darcie Little Badger (Levine uncertain fan writer, possibly Harry Warner Querido) Jr. Unfortunately, I remember very little NOVEL A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking, T. about it except that it was probably called Piranesi, Susanna Clarke (Bloomsbury US; Kingfisher (Argyll) “Now You See It.” and had something to do Bloomsbury UK) A Game of Fox & Squirrels, Jenn Reese trouble crossing the street. It was published in The City We Became, N.K. Jemisin (Orbit (Holt) a fanzine whose name I no longer remember, US & UK) Star Daughter, Shveta Thakrar (Harper- but I have an acute memory of the editor Mexican Gothic, Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Del Teen) burning the story down flat. I persisted, and Rey; Jo Fletcher) “…And Now You Don’t” was published by The Midnight Bargain, C.L. Polk GAME WRITING Charlotte Proctor in Anvil 53 instead, in April (Erewhon) Blaseball, Stephen Bell, Joel Clark, Sam 1991. Black Sun, Rebecca Roanhorse (Saga; Rosenthal (The Game Band) Given that the title makes little sense Solaris) Hades, Greg Kasavin (Supergiant) unless published in tandem with the original Network Effect, Martha Wells (Tordotcom) Kentucky Route Zero, Jake Elliott (Card- piece that I presume was written by Harry board Computer) Warner, I have retitled it. NOVELLA The Luminous Underground, Phoebe “Tower of Mud and Straw”, Yaroslav Barton (Choice of Games) HOW I LEARNED THINKING FOR Barsukov (Metaphorosis) Scents & Semiosis, Sam Kabo Ashwell, MYSELF Finna, Nino Cipri (Tordotcom) Cat Manning, Caleb Wilson, Yoon Ha by Taras Wolansky Ring Shout, P. Djèlí Clark (Tordotcom) Lee (Self) “ I f e - I y o k u , t h e T a l e o f Spiritfarer, Nicolas Guérin, Maxime Mon- I sent this letter to Kendrick Frazier, editor Imadeyunuagbon”, Oghenechovwe ast, Alex Tommi-Morin (Thunder Lotus of The Skeptical Inquirer. Donald Ekpeki (Dominion: An Anthol- Games) ogy of Speculative Fiction from Africa Dear Mr. Frazier, and the African Diaspora, Aurelia Leo) THE RAY BRADBURY NEBULA AWARD The Four Profound Weaves, R.B. Lem- FOR OUTSTANDING DRAMA PRESEN- I’m one of those Americans who take berg (Tachyon) TATION Alexiad April 2021 Page 9

Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous (Tordotcom) Kieron Gillen and Stephanie Hans, Emancipation of One Harley Quinn, letters by Clayton Cowles (Image Com- Christina Hodson, Warner Bros. Pic- Best Novelette ics) tures (Clubhouse Pictures/DC “Burn, or the Episodic Life of Sam Wells Ghost-Spider vol. 1: Dog Days Are Over, Entertainment/Kroll & Co. Entertain- as a Super”, A.T. Greenblatt (Uncanny Author: Seanan McGuire, Artist: ment/LuckyChap Entertainment) Magazine, May/June 2020) Takeshi Miyazawa and Rosi Kämpe The Expanse: “Gaugamela”, Dan “Helicopter Story”, Isabel Fall (Marvel) Nowak, Amazon Prime (Alcon (Clarkesworld, January 2020) Invisible Kingdom, vol 2: Edge of Every- Entertainment/Alcon Television “The Inaccessibility of Heaven”, Aliette thing, Author: G. Willow Wilson, Art- Group/Amazon Studios/Hivemind/Just de Bodard (Uncanny Magazine, ist: Christian Ward (Dark Horse Com- So) July/August 2020) ics) The Good Place: “Whenever You’re “Monster”, Naomi Kritzer (Clarkesworld, Monstress, vol. 5: Warchild, Author: Mar- Ready”, Michael Schur, NBC January 2020) jorie Liu, Artist: Sana Takeda (Image (Fremulon/3 Arts Entertain- “The Pill”, Meg Elison (from Big Girl, (PM Comics) ment/Universal) Press)) Once & Future vol. 1: The King Is Un- Lovecraft Country, Season 1, Misha “Two Truths and a Lie”, Sarah Pinsker dead, written by Kieron Gillen, Green, Shannon Houston, Kevin Lau, (Tor.com) iIllustrated by Dan Mora, colored by Wes Taylor, Ihuoma Ofordire, Jona- Tamra Bonvillain, lettered by Ed Duke- than I. Kidd, Sonya Winton-Odamtten, Best Short Story shire (BOOM! Studios) HBO Max (Bad Robot/Monkeypaw “Badass Moms in the Zombie Parable of the Sower: A Graphic Novel Productions/Warner Bros.Television) Apocalypse”, Rae Carson (Uncanny Adaptation, written by Octavia Butler, The Mandalorian: “The Tragedy”, Jon Magazine, January/February 2020) adapted by Damian Duffy, illustrated F a v r e a u , D i s n e y+ ( G o l e m “A Guide for Working Breeds”, Vina by John Jennings (Harry N. Abrams) Creations/Lucasfilm) Jie-Min Prasad (Made to Order: Robots The Old Guard, Greg Rucka, Netflix and Revolution, ed. Jonathan Strahan Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form (Skydance Media/Denver and Delilah (Solaris)) Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Productions/Marc Evans Productions) “Little Free Library”, Naomi Kritzer Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), (Tor.com) written by Christina Hodson, directed HUGO AWARD FINALISTS “The Mermaid Astronaut”, Yoon Ha Lee by Cathy Yan (Warner Bros.) Courtesy of Tor.com (Beneath Ceaseless Skies, February Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of 2020) Fire Saga, written by Will Ferrell, “Metal Like Blood in the Dark”, T. King- Andrew Steele, directed by David fisher (Uncanny Magazine, Septem- Dobkin (European Broadcasting Un- ber/October 2020) ion/Netflix) “Open House on Haunted Hill”, John The Old Guard, written by Greg Rucka, Wiswell (Diabolical Plots – 2020, ed. directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood David Steffen) (Netflix / Skydance Media) Palm Springs, written by Andy Siara, di- Best Series rected by Max Barbakow (Limelight / The Daevabad Trilogy, S.A. Chakraborty Sun Entertainment Culture / The Lonely The Interdependency, John Scalzi Island / Culmination Productions / The Lady Astronaut Universe, Mary Neon / Hulu / Amazon Prime) Robinette Kowal Soul, screenplay by Pete Docter, Mike The Murderbot Diaries, Martha Wells Jones and Kemp Powers, directed by October Daye, Seanan McGuire Pete Docter, co-directed by Kemp Pow- The Poppy War, R.F. Kuang ers, produced by Dana Murray (Pixar Best Novel Animation Studios/ Walt Disney Pic- Black Sun, Rebecca Roanhorse (Gallery / Best Related Work tures) Saga Press) Beowulf: A New Translation, Maria Tenet, written and directed by Christopher The City We Became, N.K. Jemisin (Or- Dahvana Headley (FSG) Nolan (Warner Bros./Syncopy) bit) CoNZealand Fringe, Claire Rousseau, C, Harrow the Ninth, Tamsyn Muir Cassie Hart, Adri Joy, Marguerite Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form (Tordotcom) Kenner, Cheryl Morgan, Alasdair Stuart. Doctor Who: Fugitive of the Judoon, Network Effect, Martha Wells FIYAHCON, L.D. Lewis, Brent Lambert, written by Vinay Patel and Chris (Tordotcom) Iori Kusano, Vida Cruz, and the Incredi- Chibnall, directed by Nida Manzoor Piranesi, Susanna Clarke (Bloomsbury) ble FIYAHCON team (BBC) The Relentless Moon, Mary Robinette “George R.R. Martin Can Fuck Off Into The Expanse: Gaugamela, written by Dan Kowal (Tor Books) the Sun, Or: The 2020 Hugo Awards Nowak, directed by Nick Gomez Ceremony (Rageblog Edition)”, Natalie (Alcon Entertainment / Alcon Televi- Best Novella Luhrs (Pretty Terrible, August 2020) sion Group / Amazon Studios / Come Tumbling Down, Seanan McGuire A Handful of Earth, A Handful of Sky: Hivemind / Just So) (Tordotcom) The World of Octavia E. Butler, Lynell She-Ra and the Princesses of Power: The Empress of Salt and Fortune, Nghi George (Angel City Press) Heart (parts 1 and 2), written by Josie Vo (Tordotcom) The Last Bronycon: a fandom autopsy, Campbell and Noelle Stevenson, di- Finna, Nino Cipri (Tordotcom) Jenny Nicholson (YouTube) rected by Jen Bennett and Kiki Manri- Ring Shout, P. Djèlí Clark (Tordotcom) que (DreamWorks Animation Televi- Riot Baby, Tochi Onyebuchi (Tordotcom) Best Graphic Story or Comic sion / Netflix) Upright Women Wanted, Sarah Gailey DIE, Volume 2: Split the Party, written by The Mandalorian: Chapter 13: The Jedi, Page 10 April 2021 Alexiad

written and directed by Dave Filoni Unofficial Hugo Book Club Blog, ed. Astounding Award for Best New Writer (Golem Creations / Lucasfilm / Dis- Amanda Wakaruk and Olav Rokne Lindsay Ellis (1st year of eligibility) ney+) Simon Jimenez (1st year of eligibility) The Mandalorian: Chapter 16: The Res- Best Fancast Micaiah Johnson (1st year of eligibility) cue, written by Jon Favreau, directed Be The Serpent, presented by Alexandra A.K. Larkwood (1st year of eligibility) by Peyton Reed (Golem Creations / Rowland, Freya Marske and Jennifer Jenn Lyons (2nd year of eligibility) Lucasfilm / Disney+) Mace Emily Tesh (2nd year of eligibility) The Good Place: Whenever You’re Claire Rousseau’s YouTube channel, Ready, written and directed by Mi- produced by Claire Rousseau WORLDCON BIDS chael Schur (Fremulon / 3 Arts Enter- The Coode Street Podcast, presented by tainment / Universal Television, a Jonathan Strahan and Gary K. Wolfe, 2023 division of Universal Studio Group) Jonathan Strahan, producer Chengdu Kalanadi, produced and presented by Ra- August, 2023 Best Editor, Short Form chel http://www.worldconinchina.com/ Neil Clarke The Skiffy and Fanty show, produced by Ellen Datlow Shaun Duke and Jen Zink, presented by Memphis, Tennessee C.C. Finlay Shaun Duke, Jen Zink, Alex Acks, Paul August 23-27, 2023 Mur Lafferty and S.B. Divya Weimer, and David Annandale. https://www.memphis23.org/ Jonathan Strahan Worldbuilding for Masochists, presented Sheila Williams by Rowenna Miller, Marshall Ryan 2024 Maresca and Cass Morris Glasgow Best Editor, Long Form August 8-12, 2024 Nivia Evans Best Fan Writer http://glasgow2024.org/ Sheila E. Gilbert Cora Buhlert Sarah Guan Charles Payseur 2025 Brit Hvide Jason Sanford Seattle Diana M. Pho Elsa Sjunneson Mid-August 2025 Navah Wolfe Alasdair Stuart Paul Weimer Brisbane, Australia Best Professional Artist Mid-August 2025 Tommy Arnold Best Fan Artist https://australia2025.com/ Rovina Cai Iain J. Clark Galen Dara Cyan Daly 2026 Maurizio Manzieri Sara Felix Jeddah, Saudi Arabia John Picacio Grace P. Fong https://jeddicon.com/ Alyssa Winans Maya Hahto Laya Rose Los Angeles Best Semiprozine Beneath Ceaseless Skies, edotor Scott H. Best Video Game Nice, France Andrews Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Pub- August 12-16, 2026 Escape Pod, editors Mur Lafferty and lisher and Developer: Nintendo) http://nice2023.com/en/home/ S.B. Divya Blaseball (Publisher and Developer: The FIYAH Magazine of Black Speculative Game Band) Orlando Fiction, publisher Troy L. Wiggins, Final Fantasy VII Remake (Publisher Early to Mid-August 2026 executive editor DaVaun Sanders, Square Enix) managing editor Eboni Dunbar, poetry Hades (Publisher and Developer: Super- 2027 editor Brandon O’Brien. giant Games) Tel Aviv PodCastle, editors, C.L. Clark and Jen R. The Last of Us: Part II (Publisher: Sony August 2027 Albert Interactive Entertainment / Developer: Uncanny Magazine, editors in chief: Naughty Dog) Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Spiritfarer (Publisher and Developer: WORLDCON Damian Thomas, managing editor: Thunder Lotus) Chimedum Ohaegbu, non-fiction edi- 2021 tor: Elsa Sjunneson, et al. Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book DisCon III Strange Horizons, edited by many. Cemetery Boys, Aiden Thomas (Swoon Washington, D.C. Reads) December 15-19, 2021 Best Fanzine A Deadly Education, Naomi Novik (Del http://discon3.org/ The Full Lid, written by Alasdair Stuart, Rey) edited by Marguerite Kenner Elatsoe, Darcie Little Badger (Levine The shift in dates has caused problems. Journey Planet, edited by Michael Querido) The Hugo voting date is now in November, for Carroll, et al. Legendborn, Tracy Deonn (Margaret K. example. Lady Business, editors. Ira, Jodie, KJ, McElderry/ Simon & Schuster Renay, and Susan. Children’s Publishing) 2022 nerds of a feather, flock together, ed. Raybearer, Jordan Ifueko (Amulet / Hot Chicon 8 Adri Joy, Joe Sherry, The G, and Key) Chicago Vance Kotrla A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking, T. September 1-5, 2022 Quick Sip Reviews, editor, Charles Kingfisher (Argyll Productions) http://www.chicon.org Payseur Alexiad April 2021 Page 11

tax rather than someone who wanted to overturn remakes. The Maltese Falcon is the third Letters, we get letters an election by force or kill public officials. Some version, but the difference is that the other two of them opposed the Civil Rights Act, though were not all that good. The remakes of King many argued that it was unnecessary, suggesting Kong may have had some merits (at least the instead that states be represented in Congress by Peter Jackson version), but the original remains the number of voters, not inhabitants. The late iconic. This sort of remake is a thankless job. George Scithers took this position, pointing out that if such a thing were implemented the South- But they can insert up-to-date ern states would suddenly discover that they had features. Do you remember what far fewer Congressmen. I countered that very they did in the Ghostbusters re- likely some of those states would have decided make? they could live with this rather than let minori- — JTM ties vote. These were still things we could talk about. The extremists on the left were planting From: Tom Feller February 21, 2021 bombs, and a handful wanted a Communist [email protected] revolution in the United States, but I don’t think From: Darrell Schweitzer Feb. 21, 2021 there was anybody like that in fandom. No fans Thank you for e-mailing the zine. Yes, we 6644 Rutland Street, Philadelphia, PA at the Greenwich Village bomb factory. I doubt will all miss Timothy Lane. I had only recently 19149-2128 there were many in the KKK either. re-established contact with him via e-mail. [email protected] So fandom was able to hold together, and Anita and I got our first dose of the Moder- was generally a warm and friendly place. The SF na vaccine on February 10 and are scheduled to Yes, I think you’re right that the Worldcon community included Ted Cogswell, who had receive our second on March 10. is in trouble over the Weisskopf affair. We fought on the Republican side in Spain, and A few months ago I got to the bottom of my still do not have all the information, so this is Jerry Pournelle, who was, well, Jerry Pournelle. stack of books to be read “real soon now”. I still developing and anything we say can only (Generally viewed as an amiable crackpot.) had not been adding to the stack, because I be tentative, but it seems that the Worldcon’s There is so much rancor these days that many have not been visiting bookstores or attending mistake was acting too quickly. If they had people talk about quitting the convention scene conventions. I started reading some of Anita’s merely asked Weisskopf to take Baen’s Bar altogether. There are conventions where, for the books like Love in the Time of Cholera. down, then done nothing, the controversy slightest ideological deviation, you are no longer would not have involved the Worldcon and welcome. From: Thomas E. Simmons Feb. 23, 2021 might even have gone away. My feeling is that Now I read (on the internet) about people [email protected] it is not the mission of the Worldcon to correct proposing to get “revenge” on the Worldcon by society, so it is fair to sweep this under some- creating a slate of all Baen authors for the February Alexiad: one else’s rug. There were comments quoted Hugos, and voting for No Award after that. Taras Wolansky’s note “How to Get Cen- (in the Sanford article) that were extreme Needless to say, I do not think this is a valid sored by Rotten Tomatoes” relayed a review of enough that they would be of interest to the solution. If it becomes standard practice to the film A Promising Young Woman which FBI – indeed the FBI may well have been bloc-vote whenever you have a cause, then the Rotten Tomatoes declined to post. The rejected reading Baen’s Bar and certainly should have awards are indeed meaningless, and, as I have review described said film in these terms: “A been doing so – but in effect Weisskopf is suggested before, Vox Day wins. woman pretends to be drunk in bars, so sexual being blamed for what someone else said at As for whether or not (according to Sarah predators can take her home, and she can then her party. Now she has shut the party down. Hoyt) publishers (or editors) even know what upbraid them for sexually molesting her. As- What else can be expected of her? At the most sells these days, maybe they don’t, but their tonishingly, this does not result in her being she is guilty of poor (or no) moderation. I do accountants do. This is where reality kicks in. beaten up, raped, or killed by, say, the third not think she advocates assassinating public All the award-campaigning or political posturing such date.” Wolansky speculated that Rotten officials or blowing things up to make cities in the world, in any direction, won’t help you Tomatoes took a pass on the review in order to uninhabitable. when the money runs out. If you don’t like the protect “the anti-male fantasy, APYM, from The reason Guy Lillian and I (not to men- slant of a publisher, don’t buy their books. That negative reviews…” tion David Gerrold and Moshe Feder, who is the only vote that counts. Perhaps. But it occurred to me that an have been public about this on Facebook) have overly cautious Rotten Tomatoes editor may some reservations is that we are old enough to Just remember, you can never also have discerned the possibility of reading remember a far more tolerant and gracious era be woke enough. O’Brien told Wolansky’s review as calling for the assault of of fandom, when liberals and conservatives Winston Smith that someday he any woman who appears to be drunk. Mind could leave politics largely at the door. Yes, too would be vaporized, because you, the review doesn’t. It points out the flaws there was the famous Vietnam War ad in the the Party would need it. No matter of the film. prozines in 1968, but even this did not cause how woke you are, being canceled is Still, human beings tend to make their people to be disinvited from conventions. I in your future. worst decisions out of fear – especially fears think the attitude is best summed up by a related to peer pressure and societal forces of comment by the late Milton A. Rothman, who On another matter entirely (page 6) I do not conformity. I could see a Rotten Tomatoes said (in my presence) about a certain very envy the director assigned to remake The Wizard editor uncomfortable with the possibility that Left-leaning colleague, “Sure we knew he was of Oz. If he is stupid enough to think he can the review could be read as a pro-rape missive a Communist, but we didn’t care about that. genuinely top the original, then he may deserve (again, which it’s clearly not). We were interested in science fiction.” That what he gets, but more likely this will be like the So, I tried running a little experiment. I should be the essence of the matter. We are remake of Psycho. Remember that? No one penned a Rotten Tomatoes audience review drawn together by a mutual interest. That does. Few saw it. It is a lose-lose situation. At submission of my own – making the same apparently isn’t good enough anymore. best, your work will be compared to the original points as Wolansky’s review – but with revised Admittedly back about 1970 a “conserva- and seem unnecessary. At worst it will be a wording. I submitted it to Rotten Tomatoes. tive” was probably someone who had voted travesty. What it will not do is displace the Then I held my breath. for Goldwater in 1964 and opposed income original. It is true that many great films are The result of the experiment? My review Page 12 April 2021 Alexiad went online. Rotten Tomatoes posted it. Now, diagnosed with COVID-19 at the end of Janu- are still looking forward to our vaccines. So I’m not sure we can say this proves anything. ary/beginning of February. We figure we caught many Republican politicians are failing to We’d need some wider sampling and a control it because so many idiots in our building will not recognize that these vaccinations and precau- group to be sure. wear masks, or self-isolate, or stand six feet tions are necessary for saving lives. The lock- Here’s my review, in which, by the way, I away, or even wash their hands. I’m to the point down continues on here, with a few changes as award APYM half-a-star less than Wolansky: that I will be goddamned if I am going to risk of Monday, but I still won’t be able to visit the my life because these people can’t do even the barber, and I sure could use more than just a very least to protect themselves and others. trim. A Promising Young Woman (2020), I have been fortunate in that COVID-19 has Time to go . . . I have a hospital visit com- starring Carey Mulligan taken only a couple of friends so far. I believe ing up soon, and I am hoping for maximum ½ * [out of 5] Grant is gone, and I am reminded that Tim Lane effect and minimum pain. Please stay well and is gone, too. Our condolences. I hope conven- safe, and we will see you with the next issue. The problem is not so much its tions and other events will survive the pandemic. predictability (although if there were I have some vendor’s tables coming up at some From: Richard A. Dengrove March 8, 2021 an award for predictability, A Promis- shows and conventions, and I would like to see 2651 Arlington Drive, #302, Alexan- ing Young Woman would be a promis- them happen, and make some sales. I will say dria, VA 22306-3626 USA ing entry) nor its misandry (at least it’s nothing about Discon . . . my blood pressure [email protected] fashionably misandrous!) but rather its medication is only so good. conspicuous lack of “Don’t Try this at Some comments on Alexiad, February 2021 Home!” wrap-around warning labels. A comment to Lisa on her pants. Mine too The film is provocative only inso- won’t stay up. While I may still be overweight far as it dares to ask, “What if villains for the medical profession, I am too thin as far got a little taste of what they dish out?” as my pants are concerned. . The answer seems to be, “They’d Onto Reviewer’s Notes. You’re very right squirm satisfactorily for the audience, that Toni Weiskopf, the chief editor and pub- right on cue.” lisher of Baen Books, should be better treated Anyone who earnestly desires to by Worldcon. Their decision to deny her Guest diminish the alarmingly widespread of Honor is a travesty. At least from my per- violence against women in our society spective.. For me, it is not about politics. I and who avers (as some critics have) know her personally. I won’t say she’s my that a decline can be predicted on ac- favorite fan, and I can’t conceive she would count of those malefactors who view say I’m her favorite fan either. However, this film and — next time — think whatever her politics, she’s done a lot for twice about committing a sexual as- fandom, hands down. I even got a book once sault has a thing or two to learn about from attending a presentation of hers on Baen. criminality. This is no more an attack Also, I’m not the only Liberal who sings her on rape culture than smut is an attack praises either. I know a number who do. on degradation. This is no more good Now we go to the first book review. Or film making than the government ve- book reviews since it is a series of books: 1910 nereal disease prevention films from Grant tested positive and was The War in the Pacific and 1912: War for the the 1950's. And several degrees less quarantined, but did not develop White House. 1916. The War for America is to effective in changing behavior. COVID. Unlike far too many of come next. They all are part of the same alter- If those critics actually believe that our friends from the old days, he’s nate history: one where the Democrats suc- men will check their rape impulses still alive. I don’t know what hap- ceeded in throwing the Republicans out during because of what they see the protago- pened to Tim. Grant thinks it the Civil Wars, and making peace with the nist doing on the screen, they ought to might have been COVID, but the South. In the second book, Congress makes the be even more concerned about what nursing home doesn’t release cause Union Party candidate, in effect the Republican the film encourages young women to of death. I had my first immuniza- candidate, President. However, the Rationalist do to combat sexual assaults. tion shot on March 10. Party, based on the science of the time, diagrees. I was trying to figure out whether That sounds like the intent of Remaking The Wizard of Oz? Why? Why do there was something that wasn’t historical; and the virtual reality process in Mir- we have to remake everything? This is just one l think I found it. I don’t believe science would iam Allen DeFord’s “The Malley of the reasons why we don’t see any movies ever be so popular that it would win the House Process” (Dangerous Visions); these days (besides the pandemic), or watch of Representatives. Not even pop science making criminals revulsed by hav- much television. Let’s change everything. I would do that. ing to relive their criminal acts. guess original ideas are too chancy when it The next book review I would like to dis- As you know, Bob, it didn’t work. comes to making money. cuss is A Wretched and Precarious Situation. It —JTM is about the search for Crocker Land. Some of Why remake The Wizard of Oz? the biggest Arctic explorers, including Robert From: Lloyd Penney March 6, 2021 So they can update it. Peary, were involved with that. In fact, Peary 1706-24 Eva Road, Etobicoke, ON — JTM claimed to have seen it Eventually, almost all M9C 2B2 CANADA explorers decided it was a mirage. It wouldn’t [email protected] My letter . . . I have gotten a couple more be the first time that people have been fooled http://lloydpenney.livejournal.com/ books worked on and edited/proofed, but I have that way. since run out of editorial work. I will see what I In fact, I wonder if most of my life is a Thank you for Alexiad WN 115, and with can do for more . . . I might offer my services, or mirage. luck, some comments will follow. Our biggest check with current magazines to see if they need The next review I would like to comment news goes first…Yvonne and I were both any help. Yes, we did have COVID-19, but we on is the one on your contributions to Rotten Alexiad April 2021 Page 13

Tomatoes. Rotten Tomatoes has a good rea- forever. In fact, Iron Mask wasn’t broken out vanishing aspect of fandom. That’s what I most son to eschew any hint about sexual harass- into a novel until some English publishers de- want to talk about. More or less SF-specific ment on the movie set. It is owned by Com- cided to do that. In addition, I think French articles available if anyone wants one cast, which is dependent on movie makers, readers in the mid-19th Century saw things We see deer around here regularly. Foxes and Warner Brothers, which makes movies. In differntly from us. They would agree that the occasionally. I saw the first mockingbird of the short, to some extent the movie making fox is Musketeers had lived long enough. Also, they season in February, unusually early. The bank guarding the chicken coop. would feel the Musqueteers died in a fitting way. swallows only appear in summer. Now we get to letters. By answering me, Two musketeers died in battle. Another died you ironically left yourself open to me most because he felt his time had come. Only the bad logical reaction: namely, that I agree that the Musketeer was sentenced to live on. book Salamis wasn’t Greekpunk. On the other hand, if it was a swashbuckler, it would be What do you have against closer to Greekpunk than other genres. Swash- Aramis? bucklers are not noted for historical accuracy — JTM and are beset with anachronisms. Thus, you might find some advanced technology in them. That’s about it Future technology, like Greekpunk, would be another thing. From: R-Laurraine Tutihasi Mar. 11, 2021 [email protected] It’s done in the method of de Camp. They both adhered to the Regarding Sue Burke’s Wiscon 41 report, if history. anyone is still interested, it was recently discov- ered that narwhals use their tusks to stun fish to Another letter I wish to comment on is eat. Tim’s. You commented at the end that he died. Too bad. Especially since he had gotten over From: David M. Shea March 5, 2021 justifiable doldrums and written a great letter. 4716 Dorsey Hall Drive, Unit 506, Elli- On the other hand, that may constitute dying cott City, MD 21042-5988 USA with your boots on. Another letter still is Lloyd’s. It’s good I was sorry to hear about the death of Tim From: John Hertz March 23, 2021 that you’re selling home-made jewelry. One of Lane. I did not know Tim well, mainly via LOCs 236 S. Coronado St., No. 409, Los my nieces was going to sell hers. However, to FOSFAX. We did meet once at a Worldcon, I Angeles, CA 90057 when push came to shove, she couldn’t part believe it was in Chicago. I attended the with her pieces. Too bad, she needed a source FOSFAX dinner. As Tim was having people in So I reproached you for changing “Jerry of money at the time. I would not worry about his room to watch the Hugo awards on closed Pournelle could silp a Nuclear Fizz in the her too much, though. As a food scientist, she circuit, I asked if I could join that also; to which Insurgent manner” to “slip”. So you in printing loses well-paying jobs but gains them. he agreed. I appreciated his contributions to my letter changed it to “sip”. What is this, a Another letter yet is Tom Feller’s. faridom even when we didn’t entirely agree. teat to see if I actually read your zine? Even Whether most Man in the Iron Mask films are Forgive me for saying: Even as a child I Fancyclopedia III has “silp”. faithful to the basic premise of the novel never liked The Wizard of Oz much, now it depends on the basic premise. If it is that the would bore me to tears. There is such a thing as I scanned it. So you say scan- arrogant king is replaced by his twin, then yes. terminal cutesiness. On a related but not identi- ners live in vain? If the premise includes that the twin is a pup- cal note, I watched the “James Bond” movies pet of the ‘evil’ Jesuits, which the novel does, once or twice but quickly lost interest in the For a while I broke fast once a week with a no. concept. Now I would put “Bond” on the long man in his eighties. At his insurance firm the A fourth other letter is Robert Kennedy’s. list of items concerning which NO ONE should person who’d been with him the shortest time He may have been joking when he said that, in ever again make another film. He joins Sherlock just celebrated her twenty-fifth year there. He’d the media, aliens speak standard American Holmes, the Titanic (the ship sank, get over it), gone to night school, earned a Ph.D. in Eco- English and breath the same air we do. How- Tarzan, and Superman. Of the “Jurassic Park” nomics, and was teaching it in night school. ever, it’s true for the most part. While Babylon films, I root for the dinosaurs. His wristwatch bore the brand name “Guess”. 5 has the Vorlons, usually aliens are made by This was an averagely miserable winter. So Pretty good for a man selling insurance and covering their hair with straw or giving them far there has not been a major power outage in teaching Economics. One morning he said “All Halloween monster costumes. Whatever is my area. Snow, sleet, cold, wind: I dislike the my friends are dead.” I asked “When was the cheap enough. wind most. last time you made any new friends?” A re-made Wizard of Oz film is no encour- The same reason that the We have had one bad week of aging prospect. Last I heard, the person in hero always finds a parking space cold and snow. The cold wind charge of it was the woman who did Watchmen in front of where he has to go. seems to blow through me. for Home Box Office. Would you buy commu- —JTM nion wafers from the President of American A fifth letter is George Price’s. What can Atheists? Of course there are things about the I say? Despite advocating pay-as-we-go, you So far I have avoided Covid. My doctor's 1939 Wizard that in principle could be im- admit that we’ve been deficit spending without office, the hospital, and the county health depart- proved. The it-was-all-a-dream ending is a flat punishment. That’s pretty honest for any ment all denied they were doing testing. (False insult to the book. But — discussion of politics, and rarer than hen’s on two counts, actually.) When I found a place The good news is that science is advancing teeth. that did testing, it took six days to get an by leaps and bounds. Pocket telephones. Food A sixth letter is Taras Wolansky’s, He’s appointment, and then nine more days to get a coming from a thousand miles away. A vaccine very right that The Man in the Iron Mask was result. “Oh yeah, you're negative.” against a nasty coronavirus developed and into the end of a series that appeared to go on An interest in science fiction appears to be a distribution eleven months after the virus Page 14 April 2021 Alexiad appears. The technology is amazing astound- That’s about it. Lots of Futurama and The For another example, it used to be that a ing thrilling wonderful. Twilight Zone reruns to watch on TV. two-income family with the children in daycare was almost unheard of. Even among very poor That’s a noteworthy analog. people, only the husband worked. There was —JTM From: George W. Price March 28, 2021 no “daycare industry” — there wasn't enough 4418 N. Monitor Avenue, Chicago, IL demand for such a thing. The wife stayed home From: Robert S. Kennedy March 27, 2021 60630-3333 USA to take care of the children. And usually there The Terraces of Boise, 5301 East [email protected] were several children; families were bigger Warm Springs Ave., Apt. B306, Boise, then. “A woman's place is in the home” was ID 83716-6205 February Alexiad: not just a demeaning put-down, it was a literal [email protected] I was saddened to see the notice of Timothy description of a very practical division of labor. Lane's passing. While I never really knew him There were plenty of exceptions, of course, Thank for Vol. 20 No. 1 (December 2020, — meeting him only a couple of times at con- such as widows and divorced women (not very Whole Number 114). ventions — I greatly enjoyed the massive fan- many of the latter) with children. They were I am sorry to learn that your health prob- zine FOSFAX which he produced for the Louis- customarily helped out by relatives or by lems continue. As to your saying: “Health ville fan club until 2011. He was kind enough to private charities (especially churches). problems tend to terminate once you print a number of my letters. Much more impor- Never-married women of course did not have die.”—You are forbidden to go before me tant, he ran the original versions of Joe's essays children (another big difference from today), or because receiving Alexiad is one of the bright on the Heinlein juveniles which Advent pub- if they did it was kept quiet. spots in my life. lished in 2006 as Heinlein's Children: The I was still a small child when my father Learning via email that Timothy Lane had Juveniles. To our sorrow, he died too soon. suffered a disability and could no longer work, died was a shock. In his letters he seemed to and my mother had to take over supporting the be doing ok. I remember first meeting you * * * * * family. That almost destroyed my father and and Tim many years ago at a Worldcon in, if left him deeply embittered, because in his eyes I remember correctly, San Antonio. Lately there has been much discussion as to a real man supported his family. what extent social media operators should be Well, these social attitudes change, some- We had no idea it had hap- allowed to censor what gets posted on their times for the better, but not always. I suspect pened until Elizabeth’s sister platforms. Should Section 230 of the Communi- that we might be better off psychologically if casually mentioned it in a Face- cations Decency Act be amended to make outfits more women stayed home and raised their book posting. like Facebook and Twitter be either more or less children, and accepted that the family would —JTM legally liable for what they allow users to post? live on a lower scale. It would almost certainly Perhaps what we need is a website specializ- be better for the children. ing in user posts which are forthrightly contro- versial, and for which the site operators specifi- But now children have to have cally disclaim any responsibility for truth or the latest electronic implements. accuracy. One possibility is for each post to have And they have to get tutoring, running at the bottom of the screen an end- special athletics, interning in a less-loop crawler saying: “This post has not been Significant Cause, all to increase checked for truth, accuracy, relevance, or caloric their chances of getting into an content — read at your own risk!” Ivy League university and making I will not speculate on how Section 230 connections. And they hate the would have to be modified to permit this, or whole thing from beginning to end. whether it could be made compatible with the — JTM traditional laws against libel, slander, and defa- mation. However, I will offer a fitting name for In the same way, my idea of saving up a such a site: It should be, obviously, “Bull Site.” year's income would require us to live at a lower economic level for a few years. Is that * * * * * too big a change for modern people to accept? Richard Dengrove thinks I am an “idealist” * * * * * All of us here in the CCRC are doing for suggesting that we should each save a year's rather well although I now have to use a walk- income to fall back on in times of prolonged The events of the last few years convince er. We have had our second Wuhan Virus unemployment, such as the current pandemic me of one thing: there is no “historical inevita- shots and there have not been any deaths crisis. He finds this “not practical.” Lloyd Pen- bility.” Marxists are not the only ones who related to the virus. ney agrees that the idea is “unrealistic.” prate learnedly about historical inevitability, A couple of Saturday’s ago seven of us Well, of course, they are right, at least in and many of them seem to really believe it, plus the driver went up in the mountains to terms of what is common practice in our present (For others, the idea is simply a tool to discour- Idaho City and had lunch. The restaurant was society. My point is that our society needs to age opposition — if something is inevitable, full and obviously no face masks since one change what is accepted practice. My long why try to fight it?) cannot eat with a face mask. Hopefully, all lifetime has seen huge changes in what is so- I conclude the obvious: that history is the the other diners had also received their shots. cially practical and acceptable. The rise of the record (more or less accurate) of what has Anyway it was a great trip and a good lunch. welfare state has made it much more acceptable happened, and nothing else. It is not a process Your comment about Julia Roberts in to live hand-to-mouth and depend on the govern- that has a goal or destination. It has no rules or Pretty Woman reminded me that I didn’t buy ment in times of unexpected need. Until the limits except those imposed by the laws of it. Julia Roberts was/is much too good look- Great Depression (which I can remember as a physics and chemistry. History does show ing to be a streetwalker. child), a “safety net” was found only in circuses; many regularities and repetitions, since human John Purcell: I agree with you concerning the expression had not become a social meta- nature apparently does not change over the politicians. phor. centuries. And the study of history is marvel- Alexiad April 2021 Page 15 ously useful in estimating the possible and Heinlein’s Children is available be guilty of at least one intentional killing. likely consequences of our political policies. directly from ReAnimus Press. Wade Major: The purpose of the pro- But anybody who talks about the “arc of his- — JTM posed remake of The Wizard of Oz is not to try tory” is talking twaddle. Just about everything to equal it but correct it. As in the novel and is contingent. Review of Paul Hollander’s Political Pil- musical, Wicked, the Witch of the West, being One recent example should suffice: grims: As I recall, the North Korean “depart- non-white, necessarily becomes a sympathetic As I recall, in the run-up to 2016 I saw the ment store” was filled with people ordered to character, with all blame attached to white obvious Republican choice for presidential play the role of customer, but of course not characters like the Witch of the North — and nominee as being Congressman Paul Ryan, the permitted to purchase the goods “for sale”; i.e., the Wizard himself, who is not only white but new Speaker of the House and a rising star in the set decorations. male. Whether Dorothy herself will be the party. He was eminently qualified, widely reimagined as non-white, or simply a white respected, and ideologically acceptable to both “ally“, I hesitate to predict. conservatives and moderates. In short, the Robert S. Kennedy: “Perhaps there are nomination seemed to be his for the taking — people alive today who have DNA from both few Republicans would have opposed him in [Neanderthals and Denisovans].“ Yes; they are the primaries, and those few he would have called Asians. defeated easily. Hillary Clinton was not the The African diaspora from which whites most attractive of candidates for the Demo- and Asians both descend first interbred with crats, and so we would now most probably be Neanderthals, and then the future Asians turned in the early days of Ryan's second term. east and encountered the Denisovans. And then — the utterly unforeseen hap- Finally, I had more trouble nominating pened. Paul Ryan chose not to run for Presi- Hugo movies than I ever had in any previous dent and stayed in the House. There was then year. Maybe too many films were being held a flood of lesser Republicans into the prima- over for 2021. I ended up voting for Millie ries. Mr. Trump, as the only populist, was able Bobby Brown’s Enola Holmes (based on the to prevail over the widely divided establish- YA novels by Nancy Springer) and Vince ment opposition. I don't believe he would have Vaughn’s supernatural slasher comedy, Freaky. stood a chance against Ryan as his only oppo- nent in the primaries. I wonder— Does Paul Ryan ever think of what his decision to not run has led to? If so, WAHF: I hope he doesn't feel guilty, since there was Martin Morse Wooster, with various no way he could possibly have foreseen it. items of interest. Which is my point: the irruption of Mr. Trump Review of David Welky’s A Wretched and Lloyd Daub, the same cannot be accounted for by any “tides of his- Precarious Situation: “As they were all Lieu- Lee Muncy, James D. Nicoll, George tory” nonsense. tenant-Commanders in the U.S. Navy no one Phillies, with thanks, Let's imagine that Ryan had run and won. could pull rank.“ I thought that would have been Now, at the start of Ryan's second term, Harry resolved by seniority; i.e., date of commission. Turtledove publishes an alternate-history Richard Dengrove: The WHO official who novel in which a character closely based on said that lockdowns should be a last resort Donald Trump does what in our world Trump pointed out that they are hardest on the poor, and really has done. The reviewers would shake on students who were struggling already. Rich their heads sadly and say, “Turtledove has lost people — and good students — are doing fine. it. An author can base his alternate history on Darrell Schweitzer: “I don’t see any of the unlikely events — but having a brash televi- major publishers taking a lot of risks. If the sion showman do all this is just plain absurd!” ‘diversity’ books have an audience, they will sell. If not, not. There will be a Darwinian From: Taras Wolansky March 29, 2021 selection in the marketplace in the end.” Post Office Box 698, Kerhonkson, NY In today’s environment, major publishers not 12446-0698 USA taking risks implies that they will apply racial [email protected] and gender quotas to the books they publish. They will police the books they publish for Thank you for the February 2021 Alexiad politically incorrect content. (tho’ you did leave AL du Pisani & me off the Barnes and Noble is still stocking some list of letterhacks). politically incorrect books, I note, but how many Maybe the only hope for freedom of and how much longer I’m not sure. In any case, There is a great deal of misinformation speech and toleration of dissent at future they stock only a small percentage of all the going around. The antivaxxers are spreading Worldcons is — if they’re held in Communist genre books out there. In the meantime, Ama- it, and the various “natural health” and QAnon China. At least there the list of forbidden zon has been caught suppressing books disliked types are joining in. It’s a bipartisan effort, in ideas is relatively short and well-defined! by the Twitter mob. other words. I’m torn between boycotting wokecons, Books that are not published and not distrib- It’s the sort of argument that goes all the and attending precisely to uphold truth, justice, uted are unlikely to find their audience. way back to Edward Jenner. There is a James and the American way. Until I get canceled George W. Price: One riot vs. 500 riots. Gillray cartoon showing the cowpox inocula- myself. Nope, the Right still has the moral edge. tion giving people cow-shaped tumors or even While we’re on the subject of suppressing Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter turning them into cows. What can I say? freedom of speech, I don’t shop at Amazon Glenn Greenwald says the media held on to the “Got Polio?” any more. Are your books available else- fake story about the Capitol cop being beaten to where? death so long because they needed the rioters to Page 16 April 2021 Alexiad

He entered his apartment. The telescreen was THE LAST MAN IN EUROPE on. It never went off. The report was on the Co-Editors: Lisa & Joseph Major by Ernest Hemingway production of pig-iron. Iron made for strong Co-Publishers: Joseph & Lisa Major things. Writers, Staff: Major, Joseph, Major, Lisa (In the spirit of Fighters from Mars (1897, 1898) an American publisher They could hear him on the telescreen. This is issue Whole Number One Hun- asked Papa to do his version of this Winston was careful about what he said and did. dred and Sixteen (116). Limey’s novel. So . . .) The Ministry of Love watched all the time. Art: What we are mainly looking for is It was a bright cold day. It was a day in Winston went to the window. He was a frail small fillos. Your fillo will probably be scann- April. All the clocks were striking thirteen. man. He wore blue coveralls. Blue coveralls ed in and may be reused, unless you object to Winston Smith was walking. He had his chin were the uniform of the Party. They made him its reuse. nuzzled into his coat. The wind was cold. He look like a working man. That was good. slipped through the door. Victory Mansions Contributions: This is not a fictionzine. It had a glass door. The wind blew in after him. He looked out of the window. The sun was is intended to be our fanzine, so be interesting. shining. The sky was blue. The world looked The hallway smelled. It was a smell of cold. The world looked colorless. There were Material in Alexiad is copyright © 2021. boiled cabbage. There was also a smell of old spirals of wind. The spirals had dust and torn All rights reserved. Upon publication, all rag mats. There was a poster on the wall. The paper. rights revert to the original contributor, but we poster was of an enormous face. The face was reserve the right to use any item more than of a man in his forties. There were posters everywhere. The posters once, unless otherwise specified by the contrib- had pictures of Big Brother. The posters read utor. All letters sent to Alexiad become the Winston went for the stairs. It was no use BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU. property of the publishers. Any material by the trying the elevator. The elevator never work- editors is available to other fanzines if they ed. The power was off. It was turned off now One poster was torn. It was flapping in the provide proper credit and send a copy. for economy. They were preparing for Hate breeze. It said INGSOC. Week. That was good. Available for The Usual (letter of comment, There was a helicopter flying by. The trade, contribution). Sample issue available Winston had an apartment. It was on the Thought Police flew them. They looked into upon request. Back issues $1; subscription seventh floor. He went upstairs slowly. His people’s windows. $10/year. Alexiad is also available by email in ankle hurt. He had an ulcer on it. He had to Adobe Acrobat .pdf format. rest often. Winston Smith went to the cupboard. He took out the bottle. He had six stiff drinks of There was another poster on the wall. The Victory Gin . . . ALEXIAD eyes of the poster followed him. It was of the c/o Lisa & Joseph Major same man. It said BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU. 1409 Christy Avenue Louisville, KY 40204-2040 USA [email protected] http://efanzines.com/Alexiad/index.htm