SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW Intervie ws: ft BOB SHA W 24 ft DAVID G. HARTWELL $1.50 ft ALOIS BUDRYS ON BEING A BIT OF A LEGEND By Algis Budrys
FRITZ LEIBER - PHILIP K. DICK - HARLAN ELLISON - URSULA K. LE GUIN ities, and it is good, ppw, to ALIEN THOUGHTS let them in to certain schools and in to certain jobs because of race regardless of their qualifications and abilities. The rationale is that we must make up for past racism and dis crimination. But the students and workers discriminated against in the past are not now the ones who will bene fit from current racist "affirma ers who applauded my dropping the tive action" quotas. revised version of The Archives I The plea for equal opportunity tried in SFR #21, I still suffer and equal education has become a the green Guilties at not acknow plea for special privilege—based ledging all the books I don't re on the unspoken and shameful and view, so... humiliating assumption (for the So, I'll try a simple listing blacks, especially) that they are each day I receive books or small inherently inferior to whites and press items. Alright? *'salright* cannot compete on an equal-oppor I will, of course review a cer tunity competitive basis. tain percentage of these titles. And the thrust of government And the other SFR reviewers will and private action to right past also do their share, as usual. wrongs is now not to make sure ev eryone is judged and placed on in RECEIVED: FRANK KELLY FREAS: THE dividual merit, but to make sure a ART OF SCIENCE FICTION. $7.95, certain number of places are avail The Donning Co./Publishers. able (tokenism) in valued profes *A±***±±*AA*AAA*****A*****A***A*A sions . This leads me to wonder what IM 1-77 The copy for SFR #23 is in store for the publishing in went off to the printer this aft 10-13-77 The Hugoes arrived this dustry if this precedent of quotas ernoon preening its feathers and morning from Suncon; specifically and "affirmative action goals" is looking smug; it knows it has a from Don Lundry. allowed to stand by the Supreme heavy orange textured cover stock The spaceship this year re Court. coming to it and it is pleased as turns to the solid cast form of I wonder if there wouldn't be punch in expectations of Looking four or more years ago, and is far pressure on editors to "reserve" Good. more graceful and handsome than one article or story per issue for We shall see. I keep having the 'bomb-sitting-on-its-fins’ minority writers? Even if what bad moments as I dread a printer alluminum Hugo of recent years. was available from such writers screw-up, somehow. This year's Hugoes seem to have was of lower quality than what was been dipped in some kind of fin in-hand written by whites? # I've been exchanging letters ish coating: they gleam as if made Will publishers be "urged" by and calls with Dawn Witter of the of chrome. law suites to set aside a percent F.fjS.F. Book Co., Inc. in the mat Very nice. Very gratifying. age of their books for minority ter of having them take over the I LOVE THEM!!- More, More, I want writers? [And wouldn't the minor retail distribution of SFR, and MORE.... ities within the minority sue for today it is settled. I'll be sav I've got to control my greed! their "rightful" share of the ed the considerable labor of mak Again, thank you all for the quota? How many books should be ing up all those 80+ packages, all votes. published by women? By Chicanos? those invoices, taking them all to By Indians? By Chinese? By the post awful and waiting all # The current furor over the im Gays? By the physically handicapp that time as they are weighed and plications of the Alan Bakke case ed? By people over sixty-five?] stamped... —he says he was bunped from a Sure, it's ridiculous if con With this system the printer place in medical school so that a sidered in this light, but that sends 1400 copies directly to N.Y. quota of disadvantaged minority will come to pass unless this from the plant, by truck, and I students could be admitted—has country bends its enforcement ef can act like an executive instead provoked some thoughts. forts to creating and maintaining of a galley slave. a color-blind society—a merito Subscriptions are still my re Seems to me that what is going cracy . sponsibility, though. on now is a classic case of Orwel In publishing and editing to If there are any bookstore lian 'doublethink'. We are into day editorial racism is almost managers/owners out there who Good Racism, now, as opposed to non-existent; writing is judged on would like to sell SFR, send your the old Bad Racism. It was evil merit--i.e. the money-making po order or query to: in the old days to keep minority tential and the quality as writ F.8S.F. Book Co., Inc. students and workers out of cert ten, and not the race or sex or P.O. Box 415 ain schools and out of certain age or parentage of the writer. Staten Island, NY 10302 jobs because of race, regardless I would hate to have a govern of their qualifications and abil- ment agency tell me I must accept # In spite of all those read 2 say 15% of SFR material by self- COVER BY STEPHEN FABIAN From an idea by Richard Geis SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW Formerly THE ALIEN CRITIC 97211
February, 1978—Vol .7, No.l ALIEN THOUGHTS by the editor...... 2 RICHARD E. GEIS, editor & publisher whole number 24 AN INTERVIEW WITH BOB SHAW PUBLISHED QUARTERLY CONDUCTED BY IAN COVELL...... 8 FEB - MAY - AUG - NOV PHONE: (503) 282-0381 SINGLE COPY ---- $1.50 GEORGE LUCAS ON STAR WARS...... 16 SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION ON P. 37 TT£ SELLING OF STAR WARS BY MARK MANSELL...... 17 REVIEWS------THE CONAN CAPERS :UPMTE BY MARK MANSELL...... 20 RESEARCH COPMJNICATIONS NETWORK MONSTER SEX TALES NEWSLETTER, #3...... 5 HORROR SEX TALES WEIRD SEX TALES INTERVIEW WITH D. G. HARTWELL _ ROCKETSHIP...... 6 LEGENDARY SEX TALES...... 34 BY DARRELL SCHWEITZER...... 22 FANTASTIC STORIES (DEC. 77)...... 6 ACTS OF PERCY...... 41 ALL MY SINS REPEPBERED...... 7 GLIffSESIOF THE THIRD WORLD UP THE WALLS OF THE WORLD...... 41 F/WTASYCON DAMNATION ALLEY (MOVIE)...... 7 LOGAN'S WORLD...... 41 BY MARK MANSELL...... 36 THE CITY OUTSIDE THE WORLD...... 7 THE FORBIDDEN TOWER...... 43 TESSERACT #1...... 12 THE ALTER-EGO VIEWPOINT THE DARK DESIGN...... 43 BY RICHARD GEIS & ALTER...... 41 ROGUE GOLEM...... 13 CHRYSALIS...... 44 THE FORCE #5...... 13 A SPELL FOR CHAPELEON...... 45 OTHER VOICES book reviews by THE CHAOS WEAPON...... 14 THE UFO CONTROVERSY IN APERICA..46 PAUL MCGUIRE III, BUZZ DIXON, LOCUS...... 14 MARK MANSELL, NEAL WILGUS, W. FLYING SAUCERS: AN ANALYSIS RITCHIE BENEDICT, DARRELL COSMIC TRIGGER...... 14 OF THE AIR FORCE PROJECT BLUE SCHWEITZER, ELTON ELLIOTT, BOOK SPECIAL REPORT NUPBER 14,..46 DAVE SAMUELSON, & JEFFREY THRUST #9...... 14 CLUSTER...... 46 ELLIOT...... 43 TIME STORM...... 15 SOMEBODY ELSE IS ON THE MOON....47 ALWAYS COMES EVENING...... 18 THE VIVISECTOR EYE AMONG THE BLIND...... 48 BY DARRELL SCHWEITZER...... 52 GALILEO...... 20 THE ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU...... 48 THE LAVALITE WORLD...... 29 LIPBO BLUES STARLOG...... 48 THE LAND OF FROUD...... 32 A POEM BY NEAL WILGUS...... 58 MURGUNSTRUm...... 49 THE BEST OF ROBERT BLOCH...... 34 THE SPAYRIC QUEST OF BEROALDUS THE HUMAN HOTLINE COSMOPOLITA...... 49 S-F NEWS BY ELTON ELLIOTT...... 59 MIDNIGHT AT THE WELL OF SOULS...49
INTERVIEW WITH ALGIS BUDRYS IN THE OCEAN OF NIGHT...... 50 CONDUCTED BY ED GORMAN...... 62 THE MARTIAN CHRONICLES (pLAY)...51 ISSN: 0036-8377 THE SIMARILLION...... 52 ON BEING A BIT OF A LEGEND BY ALGIS BUDRYS...... 69 REVIBVS CONTINUED NEXT PAGE------THE ALIEN CRITIC SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW Available in microform from: OXFORD MICROFORM PUBLICATIONS LTD Wheatsheaf Yard, Blue Boar Street Oxford OXI 4EY
Science Fiction Review is published at 1525 NE Ainsworth, Portland, OR 97211 NO ADVERTISING WILL BE ACCEPTED Copyright 1978 by Richard Second Class Postage Paid E. Geis, /vll rights are hereby at Portland, OR 97208 assigned to the contributors. THE BOOK OF SAND...... 53 denton/thor...... 75 I------DRAWING CLOSE TO THE GRAVE...... 54 I ED BLISS76 And Beyond.... A FINE AND PRIVATE PLACE...... 54 GEORGE HAY...... 76 THE YEAR'S BEST HORROR STORIES..54 J. OWEN HANNER...... 77 An interview with Michael Moor GALAXIES LIKE GRAINS OF SAND....54 TAFF >■■■■>>■<■.11 cock. THE EYES OF THE OVERWORLD...... 54 FRITZ LEIBER...... 78 An interview with Larry Niven.* THE FIRST WORLD FANTASY AWARDS..54 ARTHUR rob 11■>■(<....■*...■< <■•<78 An interview with John Brunner* lucifer 's hammer...... 55 URSULA K. LE GUIN...... 79 An interview with Jack Chalker * RIME ISLE...... 61 An interview with Stephen Fabian* SAMISDAT £59...... 73 An interview with Terry Carr*
"Fee-dom Road" by Richard Henry Klump ** INTERIOR ART------An article on fanspeak by Darrell utters------Schweitzer* RON LAI*BERT...... 18 An interview with C.J. Cherryh*** FRITZ LEIBER...... 18 JESSICA AMANDA SALMONSON...... 20 * In preparation. ** Klump is a pseudonym for a ROBERT BLOCH...... 28 known sf professional. DON LUNDRY...... 28 *** Hoped for. GRANT CANFIELD---- 50,51,77 KARL EDD...... 28 JOW OBERDORF—“52 DUANE T. GISH...... 29 BILL ROTSLER---- 53,62 MIKE GILBERT---- 58 DENYS HOWARD...... 32 KEN HAHN-----64 ED PRZASNYSKI...... 32 JAY KINNEY---- 75 JAMES MCQUADE---- 20 ROBERT P. BARGER...... 33 DAVE HAUGH-----23 RANDALL LARSON...... 33 A.D. WALLACE...... 34 AUBREY MACDERMOTT...... 34 JOHN S. KELLY...... 34 Next Issue ALEXIS GILLILAND...... 35,38 I OPEN THE FOLDER AND WHAT DO I FIND? DICK TRTEK...... 35 DAVID TRUESDALE...... 38 Ak interview with George Scith- GLENN T. WILSON...... 38 °F ™ AS^M0V “ DAVID PETTUS...... 39 An interview with Gordon R. GRANT CANFIELD...... 39 Dickson. GEORGE WARREN...... 39 An interview with Ursula K. Le Guin. BILL WARREN...... 39 'Flying Saucers & the Stymie Fac MIKE GLICKSOHN...... 40 tor—Ray Palmers last testa ORSON SCOTT CARD...... *...... 40 ment. CHET TWAROG...... 55 "Close Encounters of a Spiel berg Kind by Jack Chalker , and NEIL KVERN...... 56 CONTRASTING REVIEWS OF THE MOVIE NEAL WILGUS...... 60 by George Warren and Richard E. Geis. DARRELL SCHWEITZER...... 60 "Other Voices", 'The Vivisector1 NATE BUCKLIN...... 60 "The Archives", "Report From ien ED GORMAN...... 68 Alternate Earth #666 , "Alif *' Thoughts "Small Press NotlES",_ , PHILIP K. DICK...... 71 "Prozine iJotes". ..and hordes of JOHN GUSTAFSON...... 73 LETTERS. /jND---- "THE Al TER-EgO IEWPOINT. SANDRA MIESEL...... 73 HARLAN ELLISON...... 74 identified minority writers. what happened to Saturn, Earth and lated debt which is seriously (I can see the mss. now: in Mankind. warping and hamstringing [to ever- the upper left comer after the Now, if Robert Anton Wilson greater degrees] government, the name and address—'Black female will please incorporate this new world economy...everything. lesbian with arthritis, over 65.' material into his next book on the I'd have to print that one, would I don't know if this coming past, present and glorious future electronic revolution will make n't I?) of mankind.... I'm refering to If the Supreme Court waffles space travel more likely or not; his newly released COSMIC TRIGGER the fuel costs — the gravity prob on the Bakke case and/or decides which I've just finished reading to ratify racial quotas or inform lem—remain to be licked. Per and which I'll review. haps "genius" space probes are al affirmative action "goals" By the way, you can get a copy (which are quotas in soft, non- more likely than actual human of the Research Communications space-living or exploring. controversial form), then it might Network Newsletter #3 by making behoove a young, incompetent minor a contribution. Box 414, Port ity writer to seek a radical pub land, OR 97207. RECEIVED: FIRST WORLD FANTASY A- licity-hungry lawyer; some big ********************************* WARDS--An Anthology of the Fan establishment publisher might be tastic: stories, poems, essays, persuaded to publish his bad edited by Gahan Wilson. Double writing rather than face years 10-17-77 I suspect that I'm be day, $8.95. of expensive court costs. ginning another modified format ROCKETSHIP by Robert Malone with We'll see what happens. change here, by listing new-books- J.C. Suares. Harper 5 Row, $6.95. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA as-arrived. There is a kind of Non-fiction pictorial. psychological-editorial pressure to add something to each listing AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA 10-15-77 A pile of books came in ...in some cases a review, an op today's mail. inion... So that, willy-nilly, my usual review sections ("And 10—18—77 The Big-Time New York RECEIVED: TELESPHERES by F.M. Es- Then I read," "The Alter-Ego publishing industry has been tak fandiary. Popular Library 045- Viewpoint," "Small Press Notes") en over by bigger fish. Huge na 04115-3, $1.75. Non-fiction. will appear piecemeal in these tional and multinational corpora WHO IS JULIA? by Barbara S. Harr dated entries. Entrees? We'll tions own key publishing conglom is. Popular Library 445-00170-4, see how it goes. erates . $1.75. S-F. Thus: ITT owns Bobb-Merrill; # BUSINESS WEEK for Oct. 24th Fawcett was purchased by CBS, and ROGUE GOLEM by Ernest M. Kenyon. has a long article on a new semi the CBS publishing complex owns Popular Library 445-04104-8, $1.50 conductor process which will ev Popular Library, Holt, Rinehart 5 S-F. en further revolutionize society. Winston, and 25 magazines; RCA THE CITY OUTSIDE THE WORLD by Lin The technology has been developed owns Random House, Alfred A. Knopf, Carter. Berkley 425-03549-2, to put ever-increasing numbers of Pantheon, Ballantine, and others; $1.50. microcomponents on a silicone chip. MCA owns Putnam's, Coward, McCann They're talking about a quarter of § Geoghegan, and Berkley; Gulf 5 TELEMPATH by Spider Robinson. a million storage bits (memory Western own Simon 5 Shuster; and Berkley 424-03548-4, $1.50 units) per chip, which makes it so on. This is only a scratching NIGHT OF LIGHT by Philip Jose possible to miniaturize any comput of the surface of interlocking Farmer. Berkley 425-03366’X, er, and creates the possibility power in publishing and the media. $1.50 of not "smart" robots, but "geni What it boils down to is a us" machines and toys and tools of virtual lock on the ways and means # The featured item in the every type. of influencing public opinion by RESEARCH COMUNI CATIONS NETWORK This revolution in electronics the super rich. The Establish Newsletter #3 is an interview is going to result in fantastic ment. with David N. Talbot, a research savings in energy. We will indeed I suspect that if the inter- er who has written a book soon to soon have six by six wall TV with be published by Doubleday titled fantastic clarity and detail, and THE SATURN MYTH. smaller screens for more individu Talbot believes that in man al viewing of books, papers, maga Cover-up Lowdown MmSs kind's past Saturn was very close zines. to Earth (or Earth very close to There are problems to solve— Saturn) and that it dominated the mostly in the areas of wiring the night sky of ancient times. Sat country for these home computers urn myths, legends and tales a- and giving them access to feed-out bound worldwide, and are extreme centers, and devising methods to ly convincing. prevent fraud in electronic pay Talbot is a catastrophist; he ment and bookkeeping...perhaps and others believe that Awful something involving fingerprint Things happened to mankind and to or palm scanning. Earth in recorded and in pre-his This will be a continuing tory, and that all those catast revolution—just starting now— rophe myths and legends cannot be which may be delayed until after FORMER WARREN COMMISSION MEMBER 6ERALP the coming terrible shake-out of FORD ILLEGALLY USED CLASSIFIED MATERIAL IN ignored. He has a second, follow HIS BOOK PORTRAYING OSWALD AS THE ONLY up book scheduled from Doubleday, the monstrous overhang of accumu KILLER...YET,UNLIKE PAN ELLSBERG WAS NOT THE CATACLYSM, which will explain PROSECUTED AT ALL BUT APPOINTED PRESIDENT.’ locking control system of corpora # "Hey, Geis, it says here in cover, 120 pages, lavish use of tions, foundations and holding the paper that it's now a felony full-page Freas paintings in color, corporations were put on a graph, in this country, and in New York, plus some pages of his b/w illus effective control of the publish and in other states who've passed trations. A hard-nosed, revealing ing and broadcast media could be similar laws, to use a child under commentary by Freas all the way, traced to a handful of people. sixteen years of age in the pro with notes on all the paintings. These people can let it be duction of pornographic materials.” This man is a hardworking known that they favor this policy, True, Alter. professional artist, is proud of and frown on that opinion...and "Does that mean it's legal to it, makes no bones about his dis word will swiftly filter down that use anyone older than 16 in mak dain for pretentiousness, is i- this line should be pushed...and ing porno?" dealistic, and painstaking. It that line is out of bounds. Key No. Pomo-making, distribu is often amazing the amount of "opinion-makers" are followed. tion and display are still illegal preparation and work he puts into Certain writers are watched for in federal and local law. his assignments. This is a MUST signals as to which beliefs are "Then, why this special law BUY, and remarkably reasonably acceptable.... about child porno?" priced. An excellently printed There probably is not one maj It shows the voters the poli book. There is an Introduction or independent book or magazine ticians are on the job. by Isaac Asimov, but it's mostly publisher left in this country. "But—" finger exercise. Freas is the This state of affairs is not Don't ask embarrassing ques whole show. a Good Thing. It makes small tions. You'll never understand press publishers paranoid about humans. Go back to sleep. RECEIVED: WARP WAR (MicroGame #4) distribution and dirty-tricks com from Metagaming, $2.95. petition from the biggies when # NEW YORK POST, Aug. 31, 1977 C0M4ENT: I'm not into space gam- the small press publishes uncom 'LOS ANGELES---- Criminals -es, but this looks interesting. fortable truths. are criminals because of how Designed by Howard Thompson, in What I'm saying is that ser they think, not because of spired by FOREVER WAR 5 THE MOTE ious Contrary Opinion will not society or from watching TV, IN GOD'S EYE. [Box 15346, Austin, be tolerated by the Establishment says a 16-year study of 255 TX 78761] media; they ignore it as simply men at a federal mental in non-existent. The small press, stitution in Washington. the underground press printed Psychologist Stanton Samenon things during the Vietnam war told a seminar here yester which were simply ignored by the day that regardless of race major news purveyors—until it or background, criminals 10-19-77 This will be a commen tary on the current (Dec. 77) is was decided to end the war—and share 52 patterns of thinking then these stories were picked up that usually are evident by sue of FANTASTIC STORIES. Edited and "surfaced". age 3 or 4.' by Ted White. A good Fabian cover in evil That process is still going Thanks to John Boardman for the on. above clip. It tends to prove green, depicting a devil man hold ing a leashed devil woman of sex So do not dismiss out of hand that good old mommy and daddy the stories and speculations and make criminals, and that evading ual mein. rumors printed in the "irrespons that responsibility is a major This is the 26th anniversary ible" tabloid and small press sociological/political growth in issue, supposedly an all-star line areas. They contain naked truth, dustry. It all comes down to "The up. Minor items by L. Sprague de and relevant opinion—along with Devil made him/me do it!" Name Camp and Avram Davidson... the usual 90% of lies, misinforma your favorite scapegoat/devil. Note the subtitle: Sword § Sor tion and delusions. cery and Fantasy Stories has been The problem, of course, is to edited to Stories. pick out the truth. But that's Things wrong with FANTASTIC true for the major media, too. # ROCKETSHIP By Robert Malone STORIES? Most of the illustra Nobody said life was easy. with J.C. Suares. Harper § Row, tions are static, quiet, dull. $6.95. 126 p.p. No action, no tension, no threats. COMMENT: Large glossy softcover Most of the stories open with dull, that traces rocketships through static, slow, passive paragraphs. Cover-up Lowdown 8.Y paul mavrhjes history and illustration, from The writers are intent on setting Leonardo da Vinci to the latest a scene rather than intriguing and space habitat visions, from early interesting the reader. There is films to STAR WARS, from Buck Rog rarely immediate threat or conflict ers and Flash Gordon to sf maga in these stories. The print is zine covers and interior illos. too small for easy reading. Too Ninety-percent visual, little many long letters; maybe the en text. Interesting, informative, tire letter column should be drop but not worth the price. ped. Maybe the editorials should be # FRANK KELLY FREAS---THE ART dropped. Devote the magazine to OF SCIENCE FICTION, By Frank Kel fast-paced colorful fantasy with ly Freas. The Donning Company/ an accent on realism. That is, RECENT U S /MEXICAN GOVT. HELICOPTER SPRAYINGS Publishers, $7.95. [253 West Bute fantasy that has realistic detail, OF POT g OPIUM FIELDS WITH THE HERBICIDE PARAQUAT HAVE REPORTEDLY RESULTED IN THE St., Norfolk, VA 23510] but fantasy premise. FATAL POISONING OF 200 MfKICAH CITIZENS. COMMENT: 8-1/2 x 11 quality soft- Whatever, the present formula YET OFFICIALS PLAY DUMB AND STAY MUM ’ 6 is a failure. RECEIVED: THE ZEITGEIST MACHINE Liked the movie. Some obser A New Anthology of Australian Sci vations : Cover-up Lowdown lY PAUL MAVRIDES ence Fiction, Edited by Damien # It is, of course, a Juven Broderick. Angus 5 Robertson, ile Space Opera, and as I absorbed Publishers, $3.95 Aust., or US$5. the bad acting and the superb spec from Space Age Books, 305-307 ial effects, I kept thinking: God, Swanston St., Melbourne, 3000, with this incredibly good future Victoria, Australia, realism, wouldn’t it be great to SCIENCE FICTION BOOK REVIEW INDEX watch an adult space opera? Vol.7, 1976. Edited by H. W. Hall, #Inpressed at the utter real 3608 Meadow Oaks Lane, Bryan, TX ity of the future technology, the 77801, $4.50. weathered, used look of the mach ines. TIME STORM by Gordon R. Dickson. #Too much emphasis on the St. Martin's, $10. cute robots. Calling them 'droids' FOR 2 YEARS, LIQUIP NUCLEAR WASTE FROM A pissed me. POWER PLANT HAS BEEN LEAKING INTO MIAMI'S BI5CAYNE 0AY, SOMETIMES AT 10 GALLOWS AN # ALL MY SINS REMEMBERED By Joe #Lucas created a future more HOUR. "NO THREAT" SAYS THE N.R.C. YET THE Haldeman. St. Martin's, $7.95. real than his characters, which STORAGE PIT LEAKS ARE TOO HOT TO REPAIR.' is saying a lot for his technic COMMENT: This novel is made up ians and not much for his script of assignments in the life of respected movie critic to pass an and actors. Except for the old Prime Operator Otto McGavin— opinion before plonking down $3.50 former warrior/religious leader, sent by a super-secret CIA-type per seat to see it. Ben Kenobi, played by Alec Guiness, bureau of the Confederacion, an Ted Mahar said today in THE who gave the movie its power and OREGONIAN: organization/government of the in class and its archtypal appeal, terstellar worlds of mankind. Ot 'DAMNATION ALLEY is a chuckle indeed, its instinctive appeal, headed science fiction adventure to is rarely himself, however; he as 'The Force' is a psi-powered is overlaid with the personality that is long on special effects, religion which obviously turns on medium on acting, short on narra and character of the man he is to everyone. tive consistency and bereft of impersonate, and Otto-the-agent #A sequel is already in the credibility.' only surfaces completely during works, I hear, and obviously will 'The film takes place in the an emergency. involve Kenobi and the still-liv aftermath of nuclear holocaust. In The assignments are often ing Darth Vader, heavy villain. a large, well-equipped and armed bizarre, always absorbing, usual #The spaceport saloon scenes vehicle called a landmaster a ly dangerous and life-risking. were delicious, a high-point. group of Air Force survivors trun And as the years go by, as the #1'11 probably see STAR WARS dle off from the southwest to find assignments go by, Otto is slowly again, when it opens at a theater out if there is anything to a re used up, conditioned and recondi closer to home. tioned. . .until at the end of this corded signal they keep getting book... Well, Joe Haldeman has from Albany, NY. They have no in very little respect for govern RECEIVED: UP THE WALLS OF THE dication that anyone is alive ment promises or morality. WORLD by James Tiptree, Jr. there, but they have little else Make no mistake, Joe Halde Putnam's, $8.95. Uncorrected to do. Anyway, smoker's careless man is one of the best realistic proof copy. Her first novel. ness blew up all their missiles.' There is more...suffice it science fiction writers going; THE LAVALITE WORLD by Philip Jose to say that the movie is only as maybe the best. He doesn't write Farmer. Ace, $1.50. The long- close to the Roger Zelazny novel 'nice', Juvenile sf. He doesn't awaited. Advance copy; uncorrect as the title. The Hollywood Cret blink and he doesn't soft-pedal. ed proof. You might not like what he will ins Have Done It To Us Again. tell you about the realities of PASSING FOR HUMAN by Jody Scott. Save your money. It'll be the future. Or the realities of DAW UW1330, $1.50. on TV in a year or so. now. WILDEBLOOD'S EMPIRE by Brian M. # I had never read a Lin Cart Stableford. DAW UW1331, $1.50. *********************************** er novel all the way through before THE PRODUCTIONS OF TIME by John reading THE CITY OUTSIDE THE WORLD Brunner. DAW UW1329, $1.50. (Berkley 425-03549-2, $1.50) a few 10-25-77 Got the subscriptions days ago. DREAM CHARIOTS by Manning Norvil. mailing done in three days and to This is pure PLANET STORIES DAW UW1328, $1.50. the post office early this after prose at its best. In fact, prob noon. #23 is on its way.... HOUNDS OF DRACULA by Ken Johnson. ably better than ever was printed I'm very pleased with the job Signet 451-E7739, $1.75. in that old pulp. The sensual, Times Litho did with the issue; action-packed, wonderful adventure the cover came out very nicely and MEN, MONEY 8 MAGIC by Jeffrey Pot on a thin-aired Mars replete with the interior printing is flawless. ter. Signet 451-E7691, $2.25. ruined cities, degraded natives, I await with considerable dread exploiting Earthmen...and a hero the bill. named Ryker, outcast, rebel, who gets mixed up with a luscious, # FINALLY got to see STAR WARS 10-26-77 DAMNATION ALLEY (the golden-eyed martian girl who leads last night at the Westgate in Beav movie) had me interested when it him a dangerous chase, who uses erton. Had a steak dinner before opened locally a few days ago, but hand at a good restaurant, had per I decided to wait for the local, fect seating... ALIEN THOUGHTS CONT. ON PAGE 12 7 AN INTERVIEW
BOB SHAW Bom 31 December, 1931. at me!" I don't mind looking at SHAW: I quit writing for about a Began to sell stories writers--most of them are interest decade--to the extent of selling at age 30 but, dissatis ing people--but I don't want to do my typewriter--because I took a fied, soon stopped and only return it in the middle of their stories. hard look at the handful of stor ed to writing about a decade later. ies I had sold and realized I was It follows from the above that One of his early new stories, a long way from being ready to the writers who have influenced my "Light of Other Days", has been re write. Those stories were based style are those who make up their printed time and again, eventually on no other experience than the minds what they want to say and being the format for a comic book reading of other people's stories, then say it. A few that I can con from MARVEL. In the late sixties and it showed. When trying to sciously acknowledge are Arthur C. he signed a contract with Ace Books dream up a story, I shuffled my Clarke, Walt Willis, Somerset Mau and produced four books for them. stock of second-hand ideas around gham, Frederik Pohl, Perelman and Still later, finding himself in in my head and watched out for some Thurber, Clifford Simak, Henry creasingly unable to cope with the combination which had not cropped Kuttner. demands of two careers--a full- up before, then I seized on it as time job and spare-time writing-- SFR: What are your favourite books a "new" idea. This was hardly a he switched to full-time writing.. in the fiction or non-fiction promising approach, and to break He is married and has three child areas? out of the mould I went off to Can ren. He lives in England. ada, did a fair amount of job swit SHAW: Among my favourite books ching, and put a lot of time into His novels are: NIGHT WALK (67); are THREE MEN IN A BOAT, by Jerome studying the inhabitants of Sol THE TWO-TIMERS: (68); SHADOW OF K. Jerome, which I keep beside my III. Critics often say that I'm HEAVEN (69); THE PALACE OF ETERN bed and am now reading for about content to work within the broad ITY (69); ONE MILLION TOMORROWS the twelfth time; LUCKY JIM and themes of traditional SF and they (70); GROUND ZERO MAN (71); OTHER THE GREEN MAN by Kingsley Amis; are largely correct, but I've DAYS, OTHER EYES (72); ORBITSVILLE INTELLIGENT LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE, found it is possible to weave into (75); A WREATH OF STARS (76); MED Sagan and Shklovskii; DECLINE AND those themes exactly the same kinds USA'S CHILDREN (77); and his new FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE, Gibbon; of human problems that complicate novel WHO GOES HERE? MINDSWAP, Robert Sheckley; LET'S life for the average citizen of to His collections are: TOMORROW LIES EAT RI GIT TO KEEP FIT, by Adelle day. This, I think, makes my stor IN AMBUSH (73); COSMIC KALEIDOS Davis, for its love and fervour; ies relevant to the human situa COPE (76) all the Sherlock Holmes books; tion, regardless of the category FROM HERE TO ETERNITY, James Jones; in which they are published. Be SFR: Are you aware of any direct ASTRONOMY WITH A SMALL TELESCOPE, sides, I love the traditional or indirect influences on your by Garrett P. Serviss; THE PICK themes, and I'm glad SF has emerged work, your style? WICK PAPERS, Dickens; THE HOUSE OF from that period when many of the SHAW: I a”1 more and more convinc RUBY WOGAN, Norman Gear; FATE IS trend-setters regarded it as bad ed of the truth of the old precept THE HUNTER, by Ernest K. Gann, and form to mention, say, space ships, which says that a perfect literary all the aviation books of Antoine simply because they were too trad style is unnoticeable except in St. Expury; all Raymond Chandler's itionally science fictional even its overall effect. When a writer books and most of F. Scott Fitz though they exist in the real adopts a flamboyant or idiosyncrat gerald's . world. ic manner his style, to me, becomes I think the extra ten years of a style in another sense of the SFR: Why did you stop writing for direct experience helped my writ word--a barrier to be struggled a- near a decade? What deficiencies cross. The world of the story did you feel back then? Since ing on one level; and I'm pretty certain that entering journalism seems to dissolve and I see the your "return" to writing, do you and going through the mill as a re writer standing there saying, "Look see differences, improvements, in your writing? porter on a national daily newspa per helped it on another, though it's possible to be too economical Conducted By tan Covell 8 with one's prose. One of my faults is that I tire of an idea too quick SHAW: I think SF has special ad eds of people, and out of that ly and this leads to a tendency not vantages for the writer--one of lot I know of only one who has con to explore ramifications in suffi them being the way in which he can sulted a psychiatrist--so when I cient depth and to rush the endings set up any fictional circumstances populate an imaginary world the of books. I used to defend my pos he requires like a scientist con people tend to be quite well ad ition by stating that a triangle trolling the environmental factors justed and when I do include a can be defined as accurately with in an experiment--but these are screwball I feel almost as uncer three points as with 3 lines--which offset by some special difficult tain about my treatment of him as I thought was quite a clever anal ies, one of which is the problem I would trying to write about a ogy until I realized that story of maintaining credibility. One membei1 of a New York street gang. structures are more complex than technique I use when asking the On the other hand, some writers trianges, and that I was claiming reader to accept some fairly pre move in circles in which nearly that a child's dot-to-dot picture posterous notion, especially if it everybody is eccentric to some de is just as satisfying as an Escher is to do with the hard sciences, gree and they quite naturally drawing. is to put in some little, authen write stories in which everybody tic-feeling engineering details. is insane, and no doubt they feel SFR: Has your attitude to SF Engineers come along after some changed? Where do you think SF their extrapolations are just as body has produced a new scientific fails as literature? valid as mine. You get the same idea and they do all the long- effect cropping up with regard to SHAW: As a writer, my attitude to drawn-out work of developing it physical environments. A person SF has changed somewhat over the into something of practical value, who has first-hand experience of years, and I notice it most when so if you show the reader this has life in the stressful parts of New considering the treatment for sto been done you (a) imply a lot of York can easily look into the fu ry ideas. Some stories that I background, (b) hopefully, make ture and see a MAKE ROOM, MAKE would have written dead seriously the reader feel the central idea ROOM situation. At the same time, ten years ago now get tongue-in- can't be so improbable after all I have walked for hours in the Cum cheek or outright comedy treat if all those hard-headed engineer brian hills without seeing another ment. It must be something to do ing types accepted it. That is my person and when I try to visualize with growing acceptance that the theory anyway, though of course I the same scene a few decades lat future portrayed in the golden age can't tell if the method actually er- -with, as I have been promised, of SF is nothing like the future does what I hope it does. hordes of Asians, Blacks and Whites which is actually unfolding. It fighting over the last few edible Another way of making a story is still possible to enjoy a good roots--my mind/imagination/instinct more believable is, where possi galactic empire yam, for instance, simply refuses to play ball. but increasingly they have to be ble, to make the characters recog nizable as genuine human beings. regarded as romances or even al SFR: Do you feel SF can serve a This has a dual action in that the ternate universe stories. The purpose, or merely entertain? exotic elements in a story appear cold equations of the economists, You studied corruption in "A Full more exotic in contrast to the the global strategists and the Member of the Club" and morality normality of the people. Charac fuel technologists are the contra in ORBITSVILLE; are these intended terization can be more difficult ceptives which seem to guarantee to speak to yourself or readers? for the SF writer than for the that Kimball Kinnison, Hari Seldon mainstream author, however. The and Gilbert Gosseyn will never be bom and if you have a fondness for latter, without even realizing he is doing it, draws freely on the those characters it is better to common cultural background shared smile rather than grieve over their by writer, reader and character. passing. EARTH- Simply by stating that a character The fact that many early gues wears a monocle or likes tomato L\N^SZ I AM A KETRE- ses were wrong and that writers ketchup on his chips, the main SEMTATii/E OF A have had to revise their attitudes stream writer with the expenditure doesn't mean that SF fails as lit of only a few words has capital erature, though. A Ray Bradbury ized on literally millions of oth novel can never have the numerical er words written by other authors "success" of a Harold Robbins nov dealing with the same society, not el because the imaginative quali to mention the reader's years of ties necessary for the enjoyment of direct experience. The SF author SF simply aren't abundant, but the very often has not got these big field continues to grow and may be battalions behind him--stating close to achieving its optimum fol that somebody likes Sirian gronk lowing. There was a time when peo juice tells the reader nothing ple who could have enjoyed SF were more than that the fictional in put off from even trying it be dividual likes gronk juice--and cause of the way it was produced the author has to take other steps and presented and that was a seri accordingly. ous failing. Portraying story characters as human beings involves giving them a reasonable mix of virtues SFR: Do you think SF has special and failings, and this is an area difficulties? How have you tried where the writer's own background personally to overcome these pro can exert a strong influence. I'm posed difficulties? on speaking terms with some hundr 9 / jusr clock SHAW: When working as a journa got the inpression that somebody THE LlQtff ^OETS ON IN THE list, i.e. writing stuff I don't had been killed, but by then I had care too much about, I invariably lost interest. I don't like us compose on the typewriter--you ing the term "mainstream" as if SF can't make the grade on a daily was not part of the general body newspaper any other way--but when of literature, but I submit that writing SF I do it longhand, pre there are at least twenty SF writ ferably on A4 duplicating paper ers who could have taken the idea which provides the right degree of of THE DICE MAN and followed it to bite for a ballpen. It is less in the far horizons of imagination hibiting and far. more flexible in a way that Rhinehart either than the typewriter. I write ra failed to do or didn't want to do. ther slowly compared to most peop I wouldn't say that ideas nec le, usually producing 1,000 to essarily dictate the stories, but 1,400 words a day, with rare peaks I believe that a lot of work of about 2,000. should be put into devising a story SFR: Are you a visual or "word- or plot which brings out all the oriented" writer? best facets of an idea. SHAW: People are always asking if SHAW: I'm not t°o certain of what SFR: Plotting: How tight are SF can serve a purpose, but do you mean when you distinguish be your plots? What about blank ar they ask poets the same thing a- tween the two, but probably I'm in eas, key scenes? bout poetry, or playwrights about the former category. I try to SHAW: My taste in reading short the stage? To me it doesn't need "see" everything in a story and stories is for strongly plotted any more purpose than any other then write a set of words which pieces with surprise endings or brand of the arts--that of satisfy will make the readers see what I clearly resolved endings and that ing a certain intellectual or emo saw. No matter how many minor is the sort I try to write. One tional hunger in its devotees. characters show up in a story I thing that gripes me is the story Some theorists say SF plays an im have to assign each one a face and which is well-written with lots of portant role in preparing people a general appearance before I can incident and colour, setting up a for rapid change in society, etc., deal with him, even if most of his situation which is so interesting but it doesn't reach a big enough visual specification does not get that I keep muttering, "This is audience to be effective in that incorporated into the manuscript. great--how is he going to resolve role, and the people it does reach This entails extra mental effort, this part?...and this bit?...and already are fully alert to change-- but it has a delightful spin-off this bit?"--then I become aware which is why they were drawn to SF sometimes when a spear-carrier as that there aren't many pages left in the first place. sumes a life of his own and starts and I start counting them as the I am not aware of ever having contributing to a story in a way I plot continues to thicken and the used a story to "speak to" a read had not anticipated. realization finally dawns that the er, which is another way of saying SFR: How much are ideas central author is a member of the walk "impart a message". It's an odd to your work? away -and- leave- it school and that thing, but when a writer is keen there isn't going to be any denoue on messages, no matter how complex SHAW: Ideas are crucial to my ment. work. Every story I have written or subtle his vehicle may be, the has sprung from an idea. This is I suspect this preference for message itself usually comes out one important respect in which SF clear, dramatic and surprising as something fairly simple or ob differs from mainstream where the endings brands me as being old- vious. It's usually something like classic method is to start off fashioned because I feel exactly "War is bad" or "Sex is enjoyable" with a group of characters and let the same way about popular music. or "Pride goes before a fall" or them interact. The mainstream As with short stories, it is dif "Power corrupts"--and these are writer would probably regard this ficult to think up good endings all things I expect the reader to as proof that his was the higher for tunes and in the old days com know without me having to tell art form, but I regard it as an posers used to agonize for ages him. All right, the story "A Full indication that mainstream novels trying to end pieces in a satis Member of the Club" showed a man are short on interesting ideas or factory manner. Today the fashion falling victim to greed, but it that mainstream writers are disin is simply to fade out the music as only showed that because greed is clined to follow up a good idea if the performers had intended to deadly, not because I wanted to when they get them. For example, keep going full blast but had tell people that greed is deadly. I bought THE DICE MAN by Luke dwindled away into another dimen I think that if you write truthful Rhinehart because its central idea sion. This leaves me feeling dis ly, the things you write will echo of a man who decides to give abso satisfied mainly because it is all kinds of messages simply be lute control of his life over to a such an easy option. I have a sim cause all truths are related to set of dice was very interesting. ilar feeling about art--one of the each other. To put it less meta The trouble was that, as it was a most important elements in my ap physically, a man who says two and mainstream novel, the random dic preciation of a painting is that two are four is not saying any tates of the dice resulted in lit it should look as though it had thing in disagreement with a man tle more than the hero getting been difficult to execute. who states that three and three laid by different women, and after are six. a couple of hundred pages I gave SFR: Do you compose longhand or up. I peeked at the last chapter SFR; Do you feel that story con on typewriter? At about what before putting the book away and siderations should be preferred over scientific consistency? speed? 10 SHAW: Like most SF authors and wife who was helpless and totally about a theme. I like my whisky readers I do a curious double-think reliant on him--an arrangement to be of the traditional strong- over the problem of story consid which was entirely compatible flavored type; my beer to be real erations versus scientific accur with his emotional needs. ly beery, redolent of malt and acy. Glaring scientific impossib hops; my tea and coffee to be darl SFR: Several themes recur through ilities put me right off a story and unmistakable, and my poems to your works: eyesight and light; or film, but at the same time if be poetic. "The Golden Journey" the poem "The Golden Journey to the writer will just give me an in to me is the most poetic poem evei Samarkand" by Flecker; destruct dication that he was aware of the written, so when a line or two of ive relationships. Do these hold difficulty and had done something poetry is needed to create a cer significance; if so, can you ex about it, I can go along with him tain mood in a story I try to plain? for the sake of the story. It quote a bit of that one rather doesn't demand a big investment in SHAW: You describe "eyesight and than any other. That's all there the writer's time, taking a basic light” as being a theme in my is to it. As Mike Moorcock said example, to mention warp drives or work, but I haven't consciously in THE CONDITION OF MUSAK, pattern hyperspace to show that he acknow picked on vision or lack of it as are in the eye of the beholder foi ledges Albert Einstein. Suspen a recurring subject. To me it the most part. sion of disbelief is required for seems entirely coincidental. If This question about my portray enjoyment of any story, and I rea you will forgive me for saying so, als of destructive relationships, lly cooperate in suspending it-- commentators who are considering often between husband and wife, is provided I'm satisfied the writer a writer's work look for patterns one I get asked a lot. Some peop has taken enough trouble to learn in order to give what they are le suspect I'm writing about my ov the rules of the game we're play writing an artistic unity. And to marriage, and one person even re ing. But when, as with the crud me, the fact that light and vision monstrated with my wife for giving in SPACE 1999, the writer shows have played an important role in me such a hard time! This, I two or three stories I have writ contempt for science, for science guess, was a kind of compliment tc fiction, and for me and what intel ten is not sufficient grounds upon my work, because it was all part lect I've got, then I get angry. which to state they have a special of a writing method I deliberately By the same token, I never know significance for me. I think you chose. I said earlier that I like ingly violate the laws of nature could be in that position you get to contrast real recognizable peo in my own stories without in some into at the beginning of a TV "el ple against exotic ideas and back way squaring it with the reader. ection special" and one result has grounds. This came about because come in and they feed it into the in the SF stories I had read the SFR: A few specific questions. computer which then announces some Why did you use the plot device of hero could be moved from Earth to thing like an 80% swing one way or immortality producing sterility the other end of the galaxy with another. In other words, you have and, more important, impotence in the greatest of ease, whereas in not got a statistically valid men while not doing the same for real life I had observed that mere sample. women, in ONE MILLION TOMORROWS? ly getting a new job in a town a I'm not trying to deny that I hundred miles away often triggers SHAW: In novel the immortal have perhaps an abnormal dread of off all kinds of painful complica ity drug caused sterility and im blindness. My eyesight was once tions in a person's life. In sev potence in men, but not in women, threatened by an eye disease and eral books, therefore, just to see simply because it brought us to a ever since then I can't bear total how things would come out, I fes dramatic and stressful situation darkness, even in my bedroom. tooned the hero with family ties in the man-woman relationship. When I wake up I must see immed and worries, then showed him try Had the drug affected both sexes iately and I choose to wear compl ing to cope with the central SF in the same way there would have etely rimless glasses because I problem of the story coupled with been no dilemma--and one of my hate to have even a fraction of my the mundane personal difficulties basic rules in story-telling is to visual input blocked off by a which also arise. take a character and put him into frame--but surely everybody feels Why did I make the women so a situation where he has to make a much the same way about their eye bitchy? Partly because I had set hellishly difficult decision. It sight. Is there, for instance, out in the first place to compli is stress which tests and proves even one person in the whole world cate the hero's life, so there a relationship. When you glue two who loves music so much that were would have been no point in giving blocks of wood together, you can't he given the choice of losing his him an ideal partner, partly be be really sure they're glued until sight or hearing would choose to cause bitches are interesting and you try to pull them apart. This go blind? business of testing people is one tend to set up dramatic stresses. which interests me a lot, and in a The fact that I have strong When you share a train compartment way I think it's the only thing I feelings about sight as a person with one couple who are placidly ever write about. does not mean that it influences holding hands and another couple me as a writer though. I would who are having a row--which pair SFR: Why did the hero of GROUND say that while casting around for attracts your interest? From a ZERO MAN lose even though he seem purely technical standpoint, a ed to be on the "right side"? any suitable science fictional ideas for stories, I simply, with couple in harmony are a bad bet SHAW: The protagonist didn't lose out bias, hit on a few which con for an author because he has the as I see it. He failed in his at cerned the properties of light. trouble of dealing with two bodies tempt to transform the world into but, in effect, only one charac a better place, but so does every You're on slightly firmer ter. A couple in disharmony, how body else, which means his achieve ground with the Flecker poem, but ever, immediately resolves into ment or lack of it was par for the again it's going too far to talk two characters who provide an abun course. He also ended up with a 11 dance of that essential ingredient in fiction--conflict. This is why ALIEN THOUGHTS CONT. FROM PAGE 7 iinpression that anyone could use such a high proportion of marriages second class transient rates for a or liaisons portrayed in litera periodical. ture, on the stage and on the him, abandons him to death... NO. You can't. Don't try it. screen are not ticking over too I must admit the style gets The second class transient rate is sweetly. cloying and the action and motiva for single copies of magazines that tion incredible after a while, Ironically, when I was inter possess a second class mailing per but I'm old and jaded and probably mit. BUT—if you have more than viewed on TV recently about ORBIIS- too demanding. VILLE, a woman who had not read 200 subscribers and have $30. or There is a Doorway under an more to spare, and a lot of time, any of my other books ticked me off old statue, a God in the Eden- for giving the hero a spouse who you can apply for and probably get like land beyond the Doorway, and a second class permit. Your maga was too compliant and "little Ryker is forever fighting, runn wifey". zine does have to be printed by ing, being captured, held prison offset, though. As opposed to mim- SFR: Do you have any projects for er, facing death.... But, ah, eo and spirit duplication. the future? Do you want to write those moments when: For the hell of it I called outside the SF field, and if so, 'And bricks and stones and the mail classifications desk at what type of works? bottles weighed little in the bal the central P.O. here in Portland ance against the sizzling death and asked if they could justify the SHAW: I have some ideas which vomited forth by the twin guns could be made into straight novels prejudice against mimeo on any ra held rock-steady in Ryker's hard, tional ground, since a very good or even TV plays and it's possible scarred fists.' I'll try to branch out in that electric mimeo now costs as much as direction at a later date, but for Hot shit, man, you can't get a table-top offset press. The lady the present I'm fully committed to writing like that no more, hardly refused to argue. Simply quoted SF and it's largely because I get ever. Want more? scripture (the Holy Rule Book) and so much enjoyment out of it. Be 'The lizard reared up, hiss told me to make my application to cause we like SF we tend to spend ed like a steam whistle, and reach mail at second class, submit the time thinking up academic-sounding ed for them with three of its mail sample copies of my magazine (mimeo) justifications for it, but hell, ed limbs. Blood thundering in his and wait. If refused, THEN I could what's wrong with just enjoying ears like a pounding surf, Ryker appeal up the line in the P.O. sys the whole crazy, sparkly complex fumbled with numb, clumsy fingers tem. Even take the P.O. to court of prozines, Null-A, mutants, con for the gun which lay bolstered if I was of a mind and pocketbook. ventions, telepathy, fanzines, against his thigh. It would be an interesting case, if time travel, inner and outer space, 'He half-drew it, and then, the Washington, D.C. boys declined Bergey girls and Foss spaceships, suddenly, the girl was in his my application. I'd do it—strike APAs, Spock's ears, Nebulas and arms, all of her cool, sweetly- a blow for amateur press publishers nebulas, TAFF and DUFF, robots, rounded nakedness pressed against everywhere—if I was rich. Doctor Who, Conan, FTL drives and his own bared torso, her slim arms Of course, to test the anti- generation ships, enchanted dup locked around his neck, making his mimeo bias I'd have to start an licators, first contacts and so on? draw awkward. other magazine. Gad. 'He cursed in harsh, sense On second thought, that makes less gutterals, swivelled to one RECEIVED: TESSERACT #1. A new it sound a bit too hedonistic and side, and fired as the huge rep aimless. Science fiction has to amateur science fiction magazine, tile loomed up, casting its black booklet-sized, 754, typeset, off mean something to me, but it’s so shadow over them. hard to pin it down in words. Re set, with a full-color cover. 'In the inky gloom, the bolt But the cover is amateur bad member the scarecrow in the film, of electric flame was brighter "The Wizard of Oz"? His ambition and the stories are also bad by than many suns. professional standards. Yet read was to have a brain, and in his 'The cliff dragon was armored song he promised that if he got able. There are only three short in leathery hide, and mailed with stories in the mag, though, so 254 one he would use it every day to tough, overlapping plates of horny think up things he'd never thought per story is pretty steep. chitin, like a lobster's shell. But and however, the publish- before. That line impressed me But the gun was set for needle because it brought it home to me beam, and the sizzling ray lasered what a privilege it was to have a through the body of the beast and Cover-up Lowdown &Y PAUL MAVRIDES brain and an imagination and what spurted from its back----bright, a crime it is to have them and not diffuse flame intermixed with gob make use of them. So that's what bets of meat and thick, splatter science fiction's "serious purp ing gore.' ose" is in my life--it helps me Wow!! I haven't read stuff every day to think up things I've like this since Robert E. Howard. never thought before. ********************************** Now that I think of it--what better purpose could science fic tion serve? 10-27-77 I remember writing in SFR: Thank you, Mr. Shaw. response to a letter from Andy Porter last issue (about using *********************************** second class rates for a fanzine JFK'S PRESERVED BRAIN AND RELATED SLIDES, IMPORTANT FOR FIXING THE TRUE FLIGHT PATH —Andy said it was illegal with OF THE FATAL SHOT, WERE DISCOVERED MISSING MANIC-DEPRESSIVE IS A GROOVE! EX out a permit) that I was under the FROM THE NAT'L. ARCHIVES IN '72. THERE'S STILL CEPT FOR THE RUTS. 12 NO CLUE TO WHO TOOK THEM OR WHERE THEY ARE. ers hope to pay l/4
BY MARK MANSELL ALIEN THOUGHTS CONT. FROM P. 15 STAR TREK PUZZLE MANUAL by James difference! After my jamb-packed Razzi. Bantam 11691-6, $1.25. ceiling-piled one-room-and-bath at COMMENT: puzzles, mazes, logic 811, I now inhabit four modest 11-5-77 LETTER FROM RON LAMBERT tests, memory tests, all based rooms facing east: kitchen and Oct. 31, 1977 on Star Trek. For aficionados. dinette, living and writing room, bedroom and bath (the last con 'Congratulations on your Hugo- ALWAYS COMES EVENING--Collection taining a tub in which I can str es. All that talk about semipro- of Robert E. Howard's poetry. Il etch out my legs). The view to zines being disqualified apparent lustrated by Keiko Nelson. Pub the northeast includes the city's ly didn't please the rank and file, lished by Chuck Miller, 239 North two tallest buildings, the Trans- who have the final say. I'm glad. Fourth Street, Columbia, PA 17512. american Pyramid and the brownish The best deserves the award, re $31. purple Bank of America monster, gardless . CONWENT : This is a deluxe, leath and two of her poshest hotels, the 'I just sold a story to ANALOG. erbound edition with plastic sheath Mark Hopkins and the Fairmont, At last I have passed from the and slipcase. Included is a facsim while to the southeast I can see ranks of the would-be writers in ile print of Howard's handwritten the Hilton tower and the Californ to the ranks of those who have poem, "The Song of Yar Ali Kahn." ian. The building is in better re sold. It took me three years, There is a vapor-phase deacidifying pair, more quiet and secure and-- writing two manuscripts a month. sheet with instructions, and pasted very important--! have access to Dean R. Koontz in his book, WRIT into the book are sheets numbered, the excellent roof so I can keep up ING POPULAR FICTION, observed that signed and stamped by the artist. my astronomical peerings, my watch for the writers he knows, the av 206 copies were produced. on clouds and the black roofs and erage has been about 70 manuscripts This is for collectors who are paramental entities and such. I rejected before the first sale. into rare items which will increase can even waste time wandering from My first sale came right about in value as the years pass. room to room, wondering what's when it was due, then, according THE HOLLOW LANDS by Michael Moor lurking in each unseen and regret to Koontz.' cock. Avon 35386, $1.50. A Jher- ting the everything-at-a-glance ef- ficiencey of my place at 811. ((I think it depends on how ek Carnelian adventure. well the would-be writer under SILENCE IS DEADLY by Lloyd Biggie, 'The move was long overdue. stands the dynamics and "rules" Jr. Doubleday, $6.95. After I pulled out of my three of fiction, beforehand. There years siege of drinking in 1973 it are writers who can persist and THE STRAYED SHEEP OF CHARUM by was right and proper (I think) doggedly continue to try, and who John Maddox Roberts. Doubleday, that I should concentrate on fic eventually succeed. Others, $6.95. tion writing and let everything through extensive reading and else go hang, make do with what osmosis, and perhaps a natural was at hand--first things first. talent, sell almost immediately. But then, especially after complet Too, a lot depends on the market Cover-up Lowdown t/PAUL MAVWDES ing a particularly satisfying you're trying to sell.)) burst of writing in the first six months of 1975 (finishing my novel 'Ben Bova was very helpful. and doing five new stories and six He made one or two line comments articles), I should have taken ser of criticism with his rejections, ious thought about revising my liv so I would have some idea of what ing circumstances. Instead I laz I needed to work on. Recently he ed along, doing barely enough crea began encouraging me, saying I tive writing to keep from feeling was getting better and should keep guilty, occupying myself with var trying. It is no mystery to me ious interesting but inessential why he was given the Hugo for best projects (some day I perhaps prozine editor. I would vote for him, too. should tell the story of The Seardi 'After receiving nothing but for the Two-Second Sound). rejections for three years, it was INTELLEGENCE AGENCIES churn out at least 'In particular I became more 140 LBS. OF SECRET POCUMENTS EVERY somehow disconcerting to get an MINUTE, 24 HRS. A PAY I WHEW! and more deeply involved in a non acceptance check. But I didn't fiction writing project that kept really mind. changing shape from day to day, a 'The title of my story is "The # LETTER FROM FRITZ LEIBER formless and alluring and maddening Last Alchemist."' thing variously called THE FANTASY ((Congratulations on your sale, September 16, 1977 NOVEL and MEMOIRS OF A FANTASY MAN. I won't try to define or describe Ron.)) 'Greetings from my new address it (I know I couldn't), but there in San Francisco, to which I moved was endless vacillating between RECEIVED: STAR TREK 12 by James only two days ago--this is my first Blish and J.A. Lawrence. Bantam trying to do an impossible amount letter out. Same city and street, of research for it and none at all, 11382-8, $1.75. same phone number (though a new CONNENT: This book of adaptations I variously discovered how much zipcode), same general sort of six more difficult it is to make con to fiction narrative form of STAR story building of which they put up TREK scripts was not completed by fession and impute motives in fact so many in downtown Frisco in the than in fiction, I became very James Blish when he died of cancer Twenties after the quake, only on July 30, 1975. His wife, Judith familiar with that territory in three blocks away and one story which the world's greatest insight A. Lawrence, completed it, and will higher (my apartment)--but what a complete a Star Trek novel that bewiIderingly dissolves into its Jim had started. 18 most banal cliche (and then reforms and redissolves) and some all-im ticipation. to my general letter of Sept. 16, portant pursuit becomes a trivial 1977, because after 3 weeks I'm 'Not entirely without regrets. hobby not worth mentioning. I still every bit as deliriously After all, I got a novel out of ended up with the paradoxical con head-over-heels in love with my old 811 Geary, that anonymous six- viction that in writing utter fan new apartment and because the ear story agglomeration that was once tasy I am on far, far firmer lier letter suppressed one item the Rhodema Hotel and then the San ground--that and an assortment of leading to my summer depression and Carlos. I'll always think affect curious fragments out of which I sense of failure. The latter first ionately and wistfully of its mys may some day puzzle together some In June I was approached by a teries and its mystery dwellers, thing. and I'll regret my wonderful view first-rate producer through my agent 'Meanwhile the situation at of Twin Peaks and Mount Davidson to do the scenario for a Fafhrd- 811 was deteriorating. I bought with its gigantic cross four miles Mouser film. The financial rewards more bookcases and double stacked away and the fantastic steel pagoda would be attractively large...if I their shelves, but the floor piles of the Sutro TV Tower with her pan did it. I accepted light-heartedly renewed themselves and towered oply of flashing red lights...and (on the surface) but with deep un dangerously. I boxed half the con rock-fanged in the foregound, Cor spoken misgivings. Well, for two tents of my files, but soon they ona Heights. Here, alas, at 565 months I struggled and strained, bulged again. The fire alarms be those things are hidden. trying to keep faith with the as came more frequent, the corridors signment and my characters, count and mysterious air shafts noisier, ing it a great day when I added a the cockroaches and waterbugs more couple of sentences to my notes. insolent in their certainty of ul It got so bad I'd start eating POSB|C|
Mainstream publishing has be come highly categorized, so that if you write a western or a gothic or a mystery it's marketed as such and has to keep within very strict boundaries. If you write a "main stream" popular novel, it has to be a Bestseller, which is a category, a publishing category rather than an observation on the quality of the book. Or, if you write what Norman calls a "literary novel" it's a novel written basically for a coterie of reviewers and readers that is probably smaller than fan dom. Therefore science ficiton has broken through most of the barriers that have separated it from mundane fiction in comnercial terms, and you can sell as many copies of a CONDUCTED BY DARRELL SCHWEITZER "category" science fiction novel, for instance CHILDREN OF DUNE, as you can of a television tie-in best ence fiction and poetry at one seller like ONCE AN EAGLE, and get SFR: What is the complete extent it reviewed in more places than a point. I do some small press pub of your involvement in science fic lishing myself, or with Paul Will literary mainstream novel. This is tion publishing right now? iams, under the name Entwhistle not something that one can explain. Books, and we published a main It is simply something that one ob HARTWELL: The complete extent of serves . stream novel by Phillip K. Dick in my involvement in science fiction: a limited edition a year or so ago, I am the consulting editor in sci in hardbound, as an Entwhistle SFR: Then the science fiction wri ence fiction to Berkely Books, Book, CONFESSIONS OF A CRAP ARTIST, ters who want to break into the that is the Berkley paperbound line mainstream have it backwards: it which I'm happy to say sold out (E. and the Berkley hardboubd line should be mainstream writers break Bobbs paperback out now). which is distributed by G.P. Put I've just retired from teaching ing into science fiction. nam's. Formerly Putnam's publish science fiction at the college lev ed the books under their own im el. I taught a course for several print, but Berkley Books in the HARTWELL: Well, in fact an enor years at Stevens Institute of Tech last year has taken over the hard mous number of mainstream writers nology in Hoboken. That's it. bound publication. are writing "science fiction." I am the editor of COSMOS, a They're writing something approach SFR: How do you find enough time new bi-monthly semi-slick science ing science fiction—their idea for that much? fiction magazine published by Baro of science fiction—Cecelia Hol net Publications, a new company land in FLOATING WORLDS, Joseph founded by Norman Goldfind. HARTWELL: I don't know. It all McElroy, I believe, just published I am the editor of the Gregg seems to get done sometimes without a novel from Knopf. Martin Green, Press SF series, which is a series y hardly knowing it. I keep accept a scholar dnd novelist, has just of relatively expensive hardbounds ing new jobs and initiating new published one. Leslie Fiedler pub mostly photo-facsimile from Gregg projects. lished a science fiction novel a .Press i n Boston. short while ago that everybody has I'm a partner in Dragon Press SFR: Norman 'Spinrad was saying ignored. If I had time to do re '-which is a science fiction book the other day that, in essence, search the list would go on almost seller and publisher of mainly the tables have turned and science endlessly... Norman Mailer is sup bibliographical and scholarly works. fiction is where it's at in short posed to be writing a science fic Mqist of the book business is run by fiction today, the mainstream short tion novel... Kurt Vonnegut's lat myipartner, L.W. Currey, who has fiction market being almost gone. est novel, he finally admits, is his own science fiction and first Why do you think this is so? Do "science fiction." edition business — L.W. Currey Rare you? BookA. I publish a little magazine SFR: Is this a good thing, or will calleti THE LITTLE MAGAZINE which is HARTWELL: It's an observation they dilute the field? natuorially distributed. I'm no Norman made on a panel yesterday longer $he editor because of my in here at Baiticon, which is perfect HARTWELL: I don't think it's a creasing ^involvement in science ly true. There is more market for question of diluting the field, be fiction. < I've had to cut down on science ficiton, and more freedom cause of the variety that exists that, but I had been doing it for to write what a writer wants to within the field already. The sci eleven yeqrs and I published a num write in science fiction at this ence fiction reader isn't a reader ber of science fiction writers, eve point than there is in the main who reads all of science fiction an essay b|r Chip (Delany) on sci stream. on as it stands now. There are sci ence fiction readers who read Andre ience, I have never been able to HARMLL: I don't know. It depends Norton, Marion Zinner Bradley, and find any real connection between entirely on the attitude of the that sort of thing. There are sci marketting and what people want to publishing company. Some companies ence fiction readers who read ANA read. that I'm aware of have somebody who LOG and Larry Niven novels and Poul knows little or nothing about sci Anderson, and never read any sword SFR: Will the public then buy any ence fiction editing and acquiring a§.’sorcery. There are sword § sorc thing it's given? the science fiction books. This is ery readers who read nothing but a great market for young writers, sword 5 sorcery. They're all under HARMLL: No, the public tends to because the editor will buy prac the umbrella of science fiction at buy things unpredictably. On this tically anything that occurrs to this point, both as a publishing panel yesterday that you referred them at the moment, and will pub category and at most conventions. to, Norman talked a little about lish it according to a strictly The only "category" that science "cult" fiction. "Cult" fiction is labelled package, and it will be fiction fans tend to exclude is basically a publishing term that distributed, and some of it will STAR TREK, and that's a social con refers to books that sell that the sell and some of it won't. Most vention more than anything else. publishing and marketting executiv of it won't. But it will be placed es can't explain. The other fic in the system. SFR: Isn't there a danger that as tion that sells is explained ex science fiction continues to do post- facto because it's a success SFR: How much control do you have better and the mainstream continues ful piece of category fiction of over your various projects? to decline, science fiction will one sort or another. Marketting become like television because the people—wholesalers, distributors, HARMLL: okay, I'll have to financial stakes will be so high? etc.—think in categories. Every break that down a great deal. I book fits in a category. Even most have nearly total editorial control HARMLL: It's possible. I don't commercial bookstore retailers over the Gregg Press series, which have any detailed thoughts on that. think in category and place their is a great deal of fun. I can But if we continue to have enough books in category, so people can publish practically anything from knowledgeable editorial talent in find what they are familiar with the entire history of western lit science fiction publishing, and if in one way or another. erature, if I consider it relevant enough companies are aware of what to the history and development of they're doing, for the time being SFR: Lester del Rey says this is science fiction, and it will be at least we'll continue to have a protection for new writers. It properly produced and properly the freedom that's making the makes them sell when no one has marketted, and will sell fairly field very lively right now. heard of them. well, because they have a good sys There are more science fiction nov tem for doing it. els being published and doing well HARMLL: it is. At COSMOS I have total control commercially now than there ever over the editorial contents of the have been, at any time in the past. SFR: Therefore, he says, it isn't magazine. a good idea to try and break down At Berkley/Putnam there are, SFR: Is this a stable thing, or baqriers, or take the science fic as in every publishing company, a like the prozine boom of 1952? tion label off. number of checks and balances which prevent me from doing whatever oc HARMLL: That's good, standard currs to me at the moment. That's HARTWELL: I don't want to compare comnercial thinking. I don't nec something I could lecture on for it to the prozine boom. No, it's essarily agree with it, but it is forty-five minutes at least, the not stable. It can change at any the accepted way of thinking about precise nature of these controls. moment. But the reasons for the selling books. Large publishing companies in the change can be as trivial as an ed mass market particularly, are run itor at a major publishing company SFR: What would happen if you took by committees, and I am not a mem who does the science fiction decid the science fiction label off Berk- ber of these committees. I sijq>ly ing to quit and move to the west ley/Putnam? propose the product, and then try coast, and nobody being hired to to shepherd the product that I fill her place. Or, the publish HARMLL: If you took the science ing company being sold to a con fiction labels off and the books glomerate and the conglomerate de looked like science fiction, they ciding to publish less titles and would still be categorized in the more mainstream best sellers, to same way. We don't necessarily say devote their money to "big books", the words "science fiction" on the CAN KISS hundred thousand dollar advance front of our books, although as a books, rather than category fic TH*fT marketting device we've just devel GrOOT>BVE/ : tion. No, it's not a stable mark oped a logo that says "SF'. This et, but no category market, and I is not so much to identify the V include the category of Best Sell books to readers, as to identify ers, is a stable market at any the books according to the slots time. in which they are distributed. As a protection device. This is, as I SFR: How much has this got to do say, conventional thinking. with marketing, and how much simply with what people want to read? SFR: At what point does it stop being a protection device and begin HARMLL: In the last seven or being a straightjacket? eight years of professional exper have proposed through all the vari ing upon the material available. paration costs are the highest ous ccsimittee meetings and art I'd like to produce the line ac single item in production. Howev direction and blurb writings, and cording to my own qualitative stan er, for the money, Gregg Press that sort of thing. dards rather than their quantita gives a new edition of the book, tive standards. not simply an offset reprint of SFR: Can these committees stop you the text, and an introduction that from something you want to do? SFR: How much material is there hopefully illuminates the book and/ available which is worth publish or its position in science fiction, HARMLL: Oh, absolutely. And ing, as compared to how much you talks about the author and that they do, certainly. Perhaps the actually can publish? sort of thing. We are able to pro most relevant restriction is that duce a large number of books at I have an absolute limitation on HARMLL: Oh, there's an enormous once. In other words we do not the number of books I can publish amount of material available, just produce the books title by title, in any given month. I can publish in the area of backlist titles. but in blocks of twenty or thirty three, and they allow me. pretty Some houses have more than Berkley at once, thereby saving costs on, much to select those three, byr but Berkley has literally hundreds for instance, binding. The bind there are some houses that don't of titles in the backlist from the ing order will be for ten thousand have such an absolute restriction 1950s to the present that are wor books which simply change in the on numbers, or have restricted th publishing and reissuing. Good stamping on the spine, so they'll numbers that are higher. I don't science fiction. There are also be able to produce a group order have any qualitative restrictions. reverted titles from other houses. for the binding cloth, and schedule All the restrictions I have I would There are literally hundreds of binding machine time all at once. characterize as quantitative. I older novels that are not dated and You can bring the cost down to the can publish any kind of science which would be coironercially viable point where, if the books are not fiction that I like, or that in my and interesting to read. I don't inexpensive, at least they are not judgement should be published, or get large numbers of first novels outrageously high. With the init is profitable to publish. The pub by young authors that I do want to ial acquisition cost being low, lishing house doesn't care if it's buy, but I buy the ones that I do, you can publish quite a limited a sword § sorcery novel, a Tolkien- at this point. number of copies and still have a esque fantasy, hard science fiction, margin of profit at anywhere from etc. All they want right now is SFR: Are most of them bad or what? 250 to 500 copies. "books that will sell" and my job is to acquire books that will sell. HARMLL: Yeah, sure. SFR: Is the hardcover book on its SFR: Have you had projects you SFR: You have a rather usual sys way out? You sell 50,000 paper really wanted to do and couldn't? tem for making a profit on two hun backs or more, and 200 hardcovers... dred copies of a Gregg Press book. HARMLL: Oh yes, many. Mostly Could you explain how it's done? short story collections. Short HARMLL: By quantitative stand story collections are very diffi HARMLL: I'll try to go through ards, yeah. The hardcover book is cult to market and I've been turn the complications of that quickly. on its way out. It has been on ed down on a number of occasions. The Gregg Press science fiction its way out since about 1950. The Anthology projects. Anthologies series is conceived as a kind of hardcover book will still be around are also difficult to sell, compar middle ground in hardcover publish for a long time, however, because ed to novels. I've been turned ing. The books sell mostly to in the hardcover book can be a useful down on a number of anthology pro stitutions, but also to individu durable tool. For instance, text jects. I've been turned down on als, at relatively higher prices books, reference and that sort of occasion for first novels by young than a normal trade hardback. But thing. I think that more and more novelists because science fiction not terribly higher, a normal trade hardcover publishing is being de marketting is done by the name of hardback being, say, $7.95 at this voted to tool books. Medical text the author, and they would prefer point, and Gregg Press books range books that have to be used heavily, me to buy a new book by an estab from about $7.50 to $15.00 with but also have to be updated and lished author rather than a new certain books being priced as high reprinted every three years. It's work by an un-established author. as $25 or $35. The pricing de still profitable publishing, even This is not a heavy restriction. pends on the number of pages be though the books cost forty dollars I am now able to buy, having estab cause the paper and per page pre apiece. lished my own position with the company with a fair amount of auth ority, at this point, first novels by young authors pretty fairly.
\ SFR: If there were no holds bar red, whait would you like to do the most?
HARMLL:’ Simply remove the res trictions (for anthologies and short stor/t collections and pub lish anywhere between three and six or seven; books a month, depend SFR: There's one editor who might system that will hopefully make HARMLL: The mass audience goes not want to be mentioned here, who science fiction available to a to the newsstand for their maga edits a magazine which has been in large number of people. The ad zines, and we're a magazine. They a slow, irreversable decline for a vantage of the COSMOS size over the buy PLAYBOY at the same newsstand. long time. He insists it doesn't digest size is that there are a They buy COSMOPOLITAN, all of the matter what he does. great deal more outlets for COSMOS- other magazines, in the general sized magazines than digest-sized newsstand fiction, non-fiction, es HARMLL: I was going to say--when magazines--potentially. There is a say, hot-rod, ski magazine, golfing you have a failing business opera potential that we hope to develop magazine rack. tion, it pretty much doesn't mat with COSMOS for getting this size ter what you do. It's still a magazine into a number of the re SFR: But does the general maga failing business operation. tail outlets across the country, zine reader still read fiction? for instance supermarkets, which You'll notice most of these maga SFR: In other words, nothing suc don't as a normal run of the mill zines run very little fiction. ceeds like success and nothing fact carry science fiction maga Fifty or sixty years ago a maga fails like failure. zines or-digest magazines at all. zine like HARPER'S might have four The upward limit for distribution short stories and a serial in a HARMLL: Over-simplified, but for COSMOS is probably in the hun given issue. the success or failure of the mag dreds of thousands, whereas the azine you are referring to doesn't upward limit for distribution of HARMLL: We're talking about have very much to do with the mag category science fiction digest that segment of the mass audience azine itself. It has to do mostly magazines seems to be about 200, which occasionally reads science with the business operation the 000. ASIMOV'S may prove me wrong. fiction, and can make a science magazine is associated with. I I would be delighted if they did. fiction novel into a million or two know about it, but I don't want to They may be able to distribute a million copy bestseller. They are talk about it in detail. larger number of copies because that segment of the mass audience they're working within an estab that reads fiction. SFR: Is the science fiction maga lished system of mystery and de zine on its way out? They've been tective digest magazines that has SFR: Do they read short stories in decline for twenty years. not produced a science fiction mag or only novels? azine in many years. But I think that some of the new ideas in sc HARMLL: One hopes that they HARMLL: The science fiction ience fiction magazines may work, read short stories. I can't from magazines have been in decline, ev and even if they don't we still experience say. ery couple of years at least since have an established success in AN SFR: But you'll notice there has the early 1930s. Magazine publish ALOG, which shows no signs of flag almost never been a best-selling ing has always been a shaky busin ging in the near future--i.e. for ess since the decline of the pop the next decade. short story collection. I don't ular magazine in America, which think there's ever been one in was about the middle 1930s. No, I SFR: Won't the COSMOS size also science fiction. don't think the science fiction be a problem because the science magazine is on its way out because fiction reader can't find it with HARMLL: Oh, certainly there has there are still commercially viable the other science fiction maga Robert Heinlein's FUTURE HISTORY ways to publish magazines, which zines? It has to be sought out. series. everything from PLAYBOY to NATION AL IAMPOON has proven. There are HARMLL: Well, we're not partic SFR: Did that achieve bestseller still existing distribution sys ularly interested in publishing a status? tems and that sort of thing and magazine that the regular science most of the science fiction maga fiction reader can find, as an end HARMLL: From my experience with zines have not been able to take in itself. We're trying to publish the publisher, Signet, years ago, advantage of them because they've a commercial science fiction maga THE GREEN HILLS OF EARTH at least, not, as far as I'm concerned, been zine that will appeal to the people and, I think THE MAN WHO SOLD THE able to change sufficiently as bus in the mass audience--and there is MOON, had both sold over a million inesses as the business and dis a strong indication that there are copies. Now this is not a "best tribution community has changed o- more than a million people in the seller" category book, because the ver the last twenty years. ANALOG mass audience who do occasionally million copies were sold over a has. We all know this. ANALOG is buy science fiction if they see it period of years. Just as CHILDREN a successful magazine. ISAAC ASIM COSMOS will be seen with the other OF DUNE as a hardcover book was OV'S and COSMOS are both attempts magazines that are sold to the not initially a "bestseller" al by rather sophisticated business mass audience. If we can be dis though it sold more copies than operations to produce magazines tributed well enough and if we can some bestsellers. It sold over a that fit, in this case, two dif compete with the other magazines period of months, rather than a few ferent slots in the distribution on the mass-market stands for sim weeks. Yeah, there are short story system. ASIMOV'S is of course a ply eye-attraction, we intend to collections that are best sellers. digest magazine and it's initial sell a good number of magazines. My God, THE MARTIAN CHRONICLES is distribution is larger in numbers in its 28th printing. of copies than ANALOG'S. The init SFR: Does the mass audience go to ial distribution of COSMOS is al the newsstand for fiction or to SFR: Well, some people can't tell most identical, as far as I know, the paperback store? the difference as long as it's to that of ASIMOV'S magazine, and packaged as a novel. Many people, it's trying to establish a regular including academics, think THE MAR 8 1/2 x 11 slot in the distribution 25 TIAN CHRONICLES is a novel. HARMLL: That's an academic arg SFR: Doesn't the writer have even HARMLL: I feel that at certain ument I won't go into, whether a harder time when he becomes over times science fiction has been ex WINESBURG OHIO is a novel, whether ly self-conscious and writes more cessively inbred and gotten unin THE MARTIAN CHRONICLES is a novel-- for the academic critics than the teresting because of it. But at in some ways it is and some ways it readers? least since the early 1950s this isn't--but we're off the track of has not often been the case, and I talking about magazines. We're now HARMLL: I don't know any writer, don't see it happening again. talking about something else alto in the science fiction field, at gether. I don't think this is ve least, who writes for an audience ry relevant to COSMOS. I think of academic critics. I've heard SFR: With more mainstream writers there are people who read short that terminology used before and I coming into science fiction, could fiction occasionally and in the think it's a red herring. I don't you see it splitting, as Gardner science fiction audience particu think there's anybody who writes Dozois has suggested, into "main larly there are hundreds of thous for an audience of academic crit stream science fiction" and "the ands of people who occasionally ics. There are some people I know real thing"? read short fiction. who write for a critical audience, but that's something else again. HARMLL:. No, because I don't see SFR: Is the academic interest in Many of the best fan readers I there having been a definable and science fiction relevant to COSMOS? know are a critical audience of science fiction. identifiable "real thing" since the early 1950s. By the time you HARMLL: No. SFR; Then by "critical audience" had GALAXY, F§SF and ANALOG on the SFR: Is it relevant to the sale you mean a discriminating audience^ stands together, conpeting, and of science fiction at all? not an audience of critics? producing substantially different kinds of stories, you had many dif ferent kinds of science fiction HARMLL: Only insofar as the ac HARMLL: Yes, I mean a discrim being reacTmore or less by the ademic market--which is still a inating audience. I think there's very small market--is breeding new been too much use of sloppy term same audience. There are so many kinds of science fiction books. inology in discussions of the aca categories of science fiction now Of course there's the academic an demic influence on science fiction. that it would take me half an hour to sit down and think up a list. thology- -the textbook--which is a I mentioned some of them earlier: kind of--well, I actually don't SFR; It seems the mainstream short want to get into that. Stop there. story has been swallowed up by ac sword and sorcery, "literary" fan ademia entirely until it has becane tasy, supernatural horror/weird SFR: What about the sort of thingy a closed circuit that has nothing fiction; these are subsumed into academics do to literature? I to do with publishing any more. science fiction as a publishing category at least, and are read by mean the writing of learned papers read only by other academics and some of the same people; "hard" in our field published in places science fiction, all the varieties HARMLL: There hasn't been a mar of soft science fiction--psycho like SCIENCE FICTION STUDIES--does ket for the mainstream short story this do anybody any good? logical, sociological, futurist, in a while. But you keep saying whatever--and the people who are "academic". I don't think there's particularly into one kind of sci HARMLL: It certainly entertains such a thing as an academic short ence fiction are the norm, rather other scholars and sometimes illu story. There is a group of poets than the exception, and have been minates them. It can entertain which is referred to as the "aca since the 1950s. and illuminate some fans too. Not demic poets" but that's an irrele many, but some. It's a kind of vant term for our purposes. There SFR' Do books like THE ANDROMEDA thing that you can get into. As are still practicing short story STRAIN and FLOATING WORLDS which for its effect on writers, there writers in the United States who are written by non-science fiction are some writers that it illumin simply write short stories and writers and generally marketed as ates and helps. There are a numb hope to find an audience. Damn something close to bestsellers have er of writers I know who are quite few of them do outside of the sci the same audience as regular SF? self-conscious about what they do ence fiction field. Or have they become a new category? and quite sophisticated in their SFR: A magazine like THE HUDSON self-conscious use of literary HARMLL: No, they don't have the techniques. There are others who REVIEW or SEWANEE REVIEW is never same audience, although there is are simply uninterested in this ap seen by the public-- overlap. But I think it would be proach to literature, and are unin forcing it to say they've become a HARMLL: The mass market public terested in criticism of their new category by themselves. It's works. They simply want reviews. doesn't see it, but a magazine like simply an acceptable way to publish It will help some people. It will SEWANEE REVIEW is distributed na a book, but it's not something a turn off some other people. I do tionwide in tens of thousands of publisher will slot in month after not think it will hurt anybody copies and it does sell to a small month or even relatively regularly. particularly, unless it's misin audience. But we're no longer It's something that happens occas terpreted. I know there have been talking about the mass market or ionally. It happens with enough cases of criticism being misinter even in terms of the general trade frequency these days so that at preted as a kind of pure unfriend market. any given time over a two or three liness in an ideal sense, and the month period you can point to a SFR: Doesn't something get inbred writer who feels people are un current book and say "that's one friendly to his works has a hard that way? of those", but it's not a regularly time writing. 26 planned thing, a publishing cate- gory. tional observation we made a moment ALIEN THOUGHTS CONT. FROM P. 21 ago. SFR: Suppose you marketed a new Clifford Simak novel like that? SFR: The Haldeman book in ques 11-7-77 You all may have noticed Would it do as well as THE TOMOR tion is MINDBRIDGE, isn't it? a lack of social/political/econom- ROW FILE? ic commentary in this issue so far. HARMLL: Yeah. Truth is, I have a case of the HARMLL: No. I think a new Clif blahs. All I see is mounting under ford Simaik novel marketed like THE SFR; What happens now if MINDBR lying economic crisis—internation TOMORROW FILE would dissatisfy the IDGE starts to behave like a main al, national and private debt is general audience and would not be stream bestseller and goes out of mounting to incredible totals. And bought by the normal science fic print in five years? at the same time the stresses caus tion audience because the normal ed by constant inflation and con science fiction audience tends not HARMLL: I will be interested to stant real-cost increases are eat to buy books like THE ANDROMEDA observe what happens. I make no ing away at the debt structure... STRAIN and THE TOMORROW FILE. predictions. so that in a year or two, signal ed by an ill-disguised national SFR: Why is it that these non SFR: It seems to me we may have a bankruptcy overseas, a string of category science fiction novels new pattern of publishing here defaults will start and the whole tend to drop out of sight after a which may not be for the best. It sale destruction of assets (your while? They have a much lower is possible books will start to debt is my asset) will wipe out survival rate than strictly label sell fast, a lot, and then vanish. whole countries, whole classes of led science fiction, regardless of people... how good they may be. You'll not HARMLL: I don't know. What is But I've said all this. I've ice that Bernard Wolfe's LIMBO, for the best? Is it for the best assessed Carter and his band of which is a classic of "one of that Joe made a big pile of money merry idiots, and I get depressed those", is now out of print, where on this book or not? Is it for the at their performance. as if it had been published as best Frank Herbert sold a million This country—indeed, the en science fiction it would probably and a quarter copies of CHILDREN tire world—has been borrowing a- still be available. OF DUNE in paperback in five weeks? gainst the future for a generation, Is that for the best or not? Wtuld ever more, and more, and been ever HARMLL: Well, I've done that it have sold over a longer period unwilling to be honest and ethical. with a book at Berkley, WAR WITH of time? Would it have increased It has been one long demonstration THE NEWTS by Capek. It has been the quality of the field? I don't of "Eat, drink and be merry, for out of print a number of times in know. tomorrow we die." the past couple of generations and I reissued it as a category science Listen, I told you so. When it SFR: How much is quality related happens I'll laugh and chuckle and fiction novel, and as far as I can to marketing? tell from the initial response, it slap my knee and sign up for food stamps with the rest of you. is going to sell comfortably well HARMLL: Not all all, as far as I These macro-economic debt-accumula and remain in print forever. What can tell. Quality isn't related this implies is limited expecta tion/dept- liquidation cycles are to distribution either. tions, but limited expectations simply beyond human alteration. We that are generally fulfilled. do not have the mass will or fore Therefore, you make a continual, SFR: Is it related to sales? sight to resist the impulses to steady limited profit. spend the "easy money" of print HARMLL: I can only speak for ing press money. Our politicians SFR: It might also imply that if science fiction. Yes. What I re have a built-in interest to blame you want a book to stay in print cognize and what I think is con others for their foolish policies you publish it as science fiction. ventionally recognized as quality and to put off the evil day of ret If you want to make quick money in science fiction based on my ob ribution till after they are out of you don't. servations of sales figures at a office...full of honors and on a fat couple of companies where I have government pension. worked over the years, sells. The HARTWELL: Probably true in this Sooner or later we are going to good books sell. This means that context. have to cut out most of this fat a good Andre Norton sells better ass government spending, and face than her lesser efforts and a good SFR: Why does it work that way? a lower, simpler standard of liv Poul Anderson sells, and a gooa ing. Advanced electronics will HARMLL: That just seems to be, Tom Disch sells and a good Samuel help tremndously to save energy. by observation, the way it works R. Delany book sells. There are But in twenty years I doubt there at the moment. It may not be true varying standards of quality, but will be many private cars left. all of the quality sells. within a couple of years because The prosperity of this coun of the large advances and large try, for a generation or more, has SFR: Thank you, Mr. Hartwell. publicity campaigns that have been been built and depends upon the given to straight category science ********************************** automobile industry. The instant fiction recently. It's now pos writing letters of coment sounds you injure that industry by inpos sible for Joe Haldeman to sell a ' - - TO ME A LOT LIKE A HIGH-RISK SPORT. ing restrictions on the use of novel to a hardcover company and YOU TRY IT ONCE AND YOU'RE EITHER cars—gas rationing, gas taxes, make 50% of a hundred thousand HOOKED FOR LIFE OR SCARRED FOR LIFE.' very high purchasing prices—you dollar reprint sale to a paperback. put a fatal crimp in the economy. ---- M. Trudeau That's quick money, so that may be Cars used less don't wear out as breaking down the simple, conven 27 fast, don't need to be replaced or fixed as often, don't use as many SFR. Cover-Up Lowdown is just the we polished them up a bit and se tires... Every job directly or thing for paranoid types like my lected out the ones that were ex indirectly affected by less use of self, and of course the supportive cessively pitted. That's why they millions of cars will be at risk. textual comments throughout the is gleam a bit more than in the past.' sue help to confirm my fixed sus This contraction in the auto maker, ((Thanks, Don, for the informa picion that we're going to hell in supplier, servicing industry will tion. I think I'll go up now and a handbasket. As I write these feed less and less money/orders polish the others....)) to the entire economy.... and so on. lines I get a mental picture of a The instant Carter succeeds in traditional Devil carrying a basket inhibiting the use of the private with two severed human heads in it: car he will be signing the death this is what happens after spending # LETTER FROM KARL EK) three days around Gahan Wilson at sentence of a way of life and his Nov. 2, 1977 own re-election. And The Second the Con. Your writer interviews Great Depression will be triggered. and profiles continue to impress---- 'SFR #23, page 7: your comments though I rather doubt if van Vogt about herb medicines----it isn't The national/intemational ec will enjoy the reference to his widely known but the only whites onomy is caught between the spectre "checkered career".' in North America who didn't look of disaster caused by an American down on the American Indian herb ((firm. Maybe it should have depression, and disaster caused by remedies were the Mormons. They been 'many-faceted career. ')) the collapse of the debt structure did with this information just as before that collapse is triggered they have done on genealogical in by an American depression. There # LETTER FROM DON LUNDRY formation. They have it in their is no way out, now. It is too late October 27, 1977 archives, in very complete form, We might stagger through 1978, and their doctors in Utah know but the handwriting on the wall is 'Glad you got the Hugoes all- most of the details. Also sever beginning to become so plain that al researchers on this subject it will be impossible to avoid see have dug into the Mormon files ing, even by Carter. Cover-up Lowdown PAUL MAVRIDES and have had books published with limited amounts of the herb data. 'I personally spent months copy ing much of this for my own files, # A SIGN OF THE TIMES: Harold and have a lot of data on it. The Straubing, one-time manager/direct American Indian even had herbs or of the multi-corporation pomo/ that enabled a family to have only sex publishing entire of Milton about two or three children during Luros [nudist mags, sex novels, the fertile lifespan of a woman. etc.], to whom I sold most of my It controlled ovulation. I'd have novels in the sixties, last week to dig into my notes to get the sent me a fan letter received from name of that particular drug. The a gentleman who likes "Peggy Swen Spanish rulers in the Southwest son" books. FOR THE PA6T 2 YEARS, 14,000 BOY t GIRL SCOUTS HAVE stole some of the Indians' informa Harold signed his covering let BEEN ALLOWED TO CAMP ON LAND NEAR A U.S. ARMY tion, then systematically destroy ter, 'Administrator' for Brandon NERVE GAS ARSENAL IN COLORADO VET WERE NOT TOLD ed knowledge of the rest of it, Books. OF THE POSSIBLE RANGERS BECAUSE THE ARMY WANTED to avoid any bad Publicity or public alarm . particularly that for birth con And now a letter I sent to him trol, calling it "witchcraft." at the Brandon Books address has right. Sorry for the delay in get What they did steal, they took full been returned by the Post Office credit for. marked MOVED, NOT FORWARDABLE. ting them out. It seems to be a hazard of Worldcons that all the 'The history of pharmacology So I assume that Brandon has is a fascinating one. Digitalis, been discorporated, and that Manor volunteers disappear when the con is over and the con chaorman (and for example, was first used by a Books, which was publishing some "witch" (white witch) in southern inexpensive (they paid $750 per family) are about the only ones left to finish up ail the details. England. Doctors in Liverpool and ms.) science fiction, has also gone London heard about her marvelous to that great publishing house in 'It's really not quite that cures or remissions of bad heart the sky. bad, since John Douglas, the treas trouble, and actually sent a doctor urer and a few others are still there to refute her, but he came putting in a lot of time wrapping back with information: Eureka, it # CARD FROM ROBERT BLOCH up the con. But it does slow works! So they stole it, in ef things down a bit. And your Hugo fect, took credit for the "discov Nov. 3, 1977 es were delayed as a result. ery", and never gave the "witch" 'First off, one-and-a-half con 'The original shape (or mold) (or herb-woman) an iota of credit. gratulations on your recent----and is available through Charlie Brown The story leaked out, got into the deserved—Hugo Awards! Plus an who has apparently replaced Alva obscure history books, and so is other for this new issue, which Rogers in dealing with the foundry part of the history of pharmacolo I'm reading while recovering from that makes the Hugoes. How much gy- last week's World Fantasy conven longer we'll be able to get them 'The word Pharamacology, it tion. To be fair about it, I is open to question since I gather self, comes from a Greek word for think I was actually done in by at the foundry may quit operations. the lichen-fungus that grows in the tending a Halloween art gallery It took about nine months and some Greek islands on certain stones, opening in San Francisco the fol htfty prodding to get the Hugoes de and which is very rich in Vitamin lowing day. Anyhow, I'm convales livered to us. When they arrived, C, though the Greeks didn't know cing—and enjoying it----thanks to 28 what Vitamin C was. They did, how ever, observe the results of a tea ney and rights purchased from Rip attacking. The peoples are savages made from that lichen. Parsley Off Press, a counter-culture sin- imported thousands of years before tea, also, was prescribed by Hip dicalization/publishing company: from Earth, and who have adapted pocrates, who was really a progres Box 14158, San Francisco, CA 94114. to the strange, plastic geography. sive for his time. C and A were I have 15 left in the series which, In the end, Kickaha triumphs largely deficient in the diets of as you see, I'll be using in this over the world's dangers and gets sick people of that day and age, issue. his woman and defeats the Lords. and probably, also today. Interesting series of Wonders and amazes for the reader. In my 'Keep up your good work. Re Cover-up Lowdown V PAUL MAVRIDES Sated Reader Mode I suspected that the Rockefellers: Panama Canal Phil was conscientiously running flap equals: New York bank is owed N THE THREE through all the Dangers inherent lots of money by govt, of Panama. YEARS FOLLOWING JFK & OSWALD S on the planet (and the moon) and Panama can't pay, so we turn canal DEATHS, 17 then wrapped it all up nicely with over to Panama. Panama collects WITNESSES PIED a happy ending. Struck me as rath the Canal revenues, f(and collects (INCLUDING SIX BY GUNFIRE. 3 er mechanical. But wotthehell, I a lerge yearly subsidy payment from IN CAR ACCIDENTS, enjoyed it (but didn't believe it the U.S.)) pays the Rockefeller ANP OTHERS VIA for a minute). bank the money owed to it. Ergo: SUICIDE, CUT THROAT, HEART AT TACKS,etc.) American public screwed to the tume THE OPPS AGAINST of millions. That for those who THIS WERE OVER think you're paranoiac on the Rock ONE HUNDRED ^LETTER FROM DUANE T. GISH, PH.D. THOUSAND TRILLION efellers. Authority: British news TO ONEI (ANP ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR papers, certainly not American on SINCE THEN OVER INSTITUTE FOR CREATION RESEARCH es. ' 75 ASSOCIATED PEOPLE HAVE October 27, 1977 ((For a devastating run-down ALSO DIEP...) of the Rockefeller influence on Wy attention has been called Jimmy Carter and our government— to the letter of Luther V. Gid an analysis based on fact and log dings (Aug. '77) in which he clains # THE LAVALITE WORLD By Philip that the fossil record contains a ical analysis----read "Cartergate: Jose Farmer. Ace, $1.50 (Dec. 77). The Death of Democracy" by Craig "superabundance" of transitional COMMENT: This is the first of forms documentary evolution. Aft S. Karpel in the November issue of these World of Tiers books I've PENTHOUSE.)) er citing some examples of alleged read, and it is the last of the transitional forms, he also in series. There are five in all. sisted that evolution is not ac RECEIVED: STAR TREK INTERGALACTIC The basic premise of this ser cepted by evolutionists as a mat PUZZLES by Jim Razzi (also author ies is that Lords have created ter of faith but as a result of of the STAR TREK PUZZLE MANUAL). worlds of their own design in pock adherence to the authority of ex Bantam 01083-2, $5.95. (8-1/2 x et universes, where they rule in perience, of empiricism. He main 11 softcover format.) superb grandeur in a savage, solip tains that creation, on the other sist manner, and these lords also THE MAKING OF TREK CONVENTIONS by hand, is a scientifically unten Joan Winston. Doubleday, $7.95. battle among each other, having able faith. I will deal with the With photos, cartoons, etc. STAR devices for communication and in latter statement first and then TREK LIVES!! stant travel to each other's dom with the fossil record. ain. *A***AA***A**A**AAAA****AA*AA**AAA Earth, it seems, in this sche 'Neither creation nor evolu ma, is also a creation of one of tion are scientific theories, the Lords. since scientific theories require An Earthman, Paul Janus Finne repeatable observations, ability 11-11-77 Lousy news from Darrell to test the theories scientifical Schweitzer that long-time fan, gan, has become embroiled in these affairs, fallen in love with a ren ly, and the capability of being fanpublisher, and lately award falsified. It is obvious that winning sf writer Tom Reamy died egade woman Lord, taken the name of Kickaha, and battles the Lords there were no human witnesses to of a heart attack on Friday, Novem the origin of the universe, the ber 4 th. on virtually every level and world of the Tiers... origin of life, or to the origin In this final novel, THE LAVA of a single living thing. These # And I see by the just-arrived events occurred in the past, they BRITISH FANTASY SOCIETY BULLETIN LITE WORLD, he is battling the Lord Urthona, and battling the land are unrepeatable, and therefore that old-time sf pulp-era writer, any theory related to these events Henry Hasse died on May 20, 1977. scape of the planet which is in con- stand turmoil—mountains rise in are untestable. Increasing num hours, lakes disappear--or form in bers of evolutionists are recog # I'm beginning to get feedback nizing this fact. Famous evolu from readers on SFR 23: so far the minutes.... Every year a huge seg ment of the planet is torm loose tionist Theodosious Dobzhansky favorite feature is my "Alien Thou stated (American Scientist, Vol. ghts" diary, closely followed by and becomes a moon for a while, and then returns to the planet— 45, p. 388. 1957) "These evolu all the interviews, and "The Annual tionary happenings are unique, un Nebulous Awards" by Greg 5 Jim Ben with the expected gargantuan up heavals that would entail. repeatable, and irreversible. It ford. Also a lot of comment about is as impossible to turn a land the Cover-up Lowdown cartoons by The flora and fauna are varied; the most interesting being variet vertebrate into a fish as it is to Jay Kinney § Paul Mavrides. And effect the reverse transformation. some people want to know where they ies of walking trees that have intriguing ways of defending and The applicability of the experi came from. The Lowdown cartoons mental method to the study of such were introduced to me by Jay Kin 29 unique historical processes is severely restricted before all else philosophers of science stated He must be reading different sci by the time intervals involved, (Encounter, November, 1959) that entific journals than I am read which far exceed the lifetime of "It is as a religion of science ing! For example, in an article any human experimenter. And yet that Darwinism chiefly held and by evolutionist paleontologist it is just such impossibility that holds men's minds" (p. 48). Later Dr. David Kitts of the University is demanded by antievolutionists in the same article (p. 49) she of Oklahoma in Evolution, Vol. 28, when they ask for 'proofs' of evol said "The modified but still char 1974, on p. 467, Kitts says "De ution which they would magnanimous acteristically Darwinian theory spite the bright promise that pal ly accept as satisfactory." It has itself become an orthodoxy, eontology [study of the fossil is amazing that evolutionists like preached by its adherents with record] provides a means of 'see Dobzhansky demand the exclusion religious fervor, and doubted, ing' evolution, it has presented of creation as an explanation for they feel, only by a few muddlers some nasty difficulties for evolu origins since it is impossible to imperfect in scientific faith." tionists the most notorious of apply the experimental method to which is the presence of 'gaps' in creation while admitting that the 'That evolution may be consid the fossil record. Evolution re same is true of evolution! ered in religious terms was expli quires intermediate forms between citly stated by Julian Huxley and species and paleontology does not Paul Ehrlich and L.C. Birch, Jacob Bronowski when they said provide them." evolutionist biologists stated (Growth of Ideas, 1968, p. 99) "A (Nature, Vol. 214, p. 352, 1967) religion is essentially an attitude 'E.J.H. Corner, evolutionist "Our theory of evolution...is thus to the world as a whole. Thus ev botanist at Cambridge University 'outside of empirical science' olution, for example, may prove as said (in Contemporary Botanical but not necessarily false. No powerful a principle to co-ordinate Thought, A.M. Macleod and L.S. one can think of ways to test it. man's beliefs and hopes as God was Cobley, Eds., Quadrangle Books, Ideas, either without basis or in the past." Evolution is indeed Chicago, 1961, p. 97) "Much evi based on a few laboratory experi a world view based on "the mechan dence can be adduced in favor of ments carried out in extremely sim istic materialist philosophy expli the theory of evolution-from bio plified systems have attained cur citly shared by most of the presait logy, bio-geography, and paleont rency far beyond their validity. 'establishment' in the biological ology, but I still think that, to They have become part of an evo sciences" (T. Dobzhansky, Science, the unprejudiced, the fossil record lutionary dogma accepted by most Vol. 175, p. 49, 1972). of plants is in favor of special of us as part of our training." creation." 'Although neither creation nor 'L. Harrison Matthews, Brit evolution are valid scientific Richard B. Goldschmidt, famous ish biologist and evolutionist theories, that says nothing about evolutionist and geneticist, con said (Introduction to the 1971 ed the ultimate validity of either. cerning the fossil record stated ition of Darwin's Origin of Spec Each can be used as a model to cor (American Scientist, Vol, 40, 1952, ies, J.M. Dent, London, p. XI) relate and explain the available p. 97) "The facts of greatest im "The fact of evolution is the scientific evidence related to or portance are the following: When backbone of biology, and biology igins. In this sense each can be a new phylum, class, or order ap is thus in the peculiar position called a scientific model, and the pears, there follows a quick, ex of being a science founded on an relative credibility of each can be plosive (in terms of geological unproved theory--is it then a sc compared in view of the evidence time) diversification so that prac ience or a faith? Belief in the available. When this is done, the tically all orders or families theory of evolution is thus exact creation model is far superior to known appear suddenly and without ly parallel to belief in special the evolution model. any apparent transitions." In creation--both are concepts which fact, Goldschmidt, along with 'Giddings has stated that the believers know to be true but nei Schindewolfe and a few others, problem is not in finding transi ther, up to the present, has been proposed a radical new theory, tional forms but in classifying capable of proof." which Goldschmidt called the "hcpe- things because there is such a su ful monster" mechanism. In view 'Marjorie Grene, one of the perabundance of in-between forms. of the fact that there are no world's leading historians and transitional forms to document gradual evolution, Goldschmidt suggested that evolution occurs by abrupt change of one animal into another. For example, at one time a reptile laid an egg and a bird hatched from the egg! 'Obviously, Goldschmidt and his supporters would never have proposed such an incredible idea if the "superabundance of transition al forms" claimed by Giddings real ly existed. And unless it be claimed that Goldschmidt's ideas are over a quarter century old and thoroughly discredited, one of Am erica's most famous evolutionists. Professor Stephen Jay Gould, who teaches geology and biology at Harvard University, in an article published in the June 1977 issue of Natural History (p. 22) entit 'In fact, one example cited by bility, based on the laws of prob led "The Return of Hopeful Monst Giddings, the famous Archaeopteryx, ability, of generating complex ers" stated that he believed Gold has just recently been debunked as species by random evolutionary schmidt would be vindicated eventu an intermediate form. This is the changes in five (or 500) billion ally. "The fossil record," Gould creature that evolutionists have years, and the complete absence of says, "with its abrupt transitions repeatedly cited as the best exam transitional forms in the present offers no support for gradual ple of a transitional form avail world and in the record of the change." Later (p. 23) he says able, intermediate between reptile past, speaks eloquently that "In "All paleontologists know that the and bird. In the first place, Gid the beginning God created..."' fossil record contains precious dings is absolutely ignorant of little in the way of intermediate the true facts when he claims that ((I suspect yours will not be forms; transitions between major Archaeopteryx had "barbarously the last word presented here on groups are characteristically ab crude feathers." It has long been this subject. rupt." Furthermore, as did Gold known that Archaeopteryx had feath ((I find it interesting that schmidt, Gould points out that it ers identical to those in modern people who poo-poo Creation are oft- would be impossible for transition birds. For example, W.K. Gregory times willing to accept the concept al forms to function. He says (p. (Annals New York Academy of Sci of Alien seeding or colonization. 23) "...can we invent a reasonable ence, Vol. 27, 1916, p. 32) said Somehow, God is untenable. Prob sequence of intermediate forms, "But in Archaeopteryx, it is to be ably because of the hard-to-swallow that is, viable, functioning or noted, the feathers differ in no dogma tied to His coattails. The ganisms, between ancestors and des way from the most perfectly devel God-is-watching-and-keeping-score cendants? Of what possible use are oped feathers known to us." The tenet is difficult to accept, as the imperfect incipient stages of same is stated in a recent article well as most of the divine goings- useful structures? What good is by Harrison (Nature, Vol. 263, on in the Bible. If you would on half a jaw or half a wing?" 1976, p. 762). The sort of misin ly say God created the universe for 'Concerning the fossil record formation conveyed in Gidding's His inscrutible purposes and could and the ancestry of man, the fam statement on the feathers of Archa care less what happens to the life ous British anatomist and evolu eopteryx perhaps gives an added minutiae that followed... But of tionist Lord Zuckerman, who has hint concerning the nature of his course God people are caught in a done extensive research on the evidence. classic bind: A distant, uncaring, subject, said (Beyond the Ivory 'Getting back to the debunking non-interfering God is not one most people want to worship—what's Tower, Taplinger Pub. Co., N.Y., of Archaeopteryx as a transitional 1970, p. 64) "no scientist could form, an article appeared in the the point? While a supposedly in terventionist loving God who lets logically dispute the proposition September 24, 1977, issue of Sci that man, without having been in ence News (Vol. 112, p. 198) which all kinds of horrors go on everyday is also hard to accept—and ex volved in any act of divine crea claims that a fossil of an undoub plain!)) tion, evolved from some ape-like ted "true bird" contemporary with creature in a very short space of Archaeopteryx has been found. Ob time--speaking in geological terms viously, if undoubted 100% birds --without leaving any fossil traces and Archaeopteryx are found side- # We saw STAR WARS again last of the steps of the transforma by-side, Archaeopteryx cannot be Monday night, with friends. It tion." the ancestor of birds. In fact, held up very well. The technology (special effects) in^pressed me 'What the actual fossil record Prof. John Ostrum of Yale Univer sity is quoted as saying that "it more and more. Absolutely superb. shows, then, is not the numerous But .one grunch: I thought the transitional forms claimed by Gid is obvious that we must now look for the ancestors of flying birds destruction of the planet too easy dings, but absence of such forms, and too quick. We should have and thus systematic gaps between in a period of time much older than that in which the Archaeop seen huge slow-motion chasms, erup all basic kinds of organisms. A tions, an explosion/flow of the tremendous variety of highly com teryx lived." So much for Archae opteryx. molten heart of the planet... Not plex forms of life abruptly appear a fireworks rocket exploding into in the fossil record without an 'The direct contradiction be a globe of colored bits. cestors just as expected on the tween the laws of thermodynamics Same for the explosion of the basis of creation. and evolution theory, the impossi Death Star. 'But what about the examples of transitional forms cited by Giddings? Perhaps we might get a hint from the English evolutionist and geologist Derek Ager, profess or at the University of Swansea. He said (Proceedings Geological Association, Vol. 87, 1976, p. 132) "It must be significant that nearly all the evolutionary stor ies I learned as a student...have now been 'debunked'. Similarly, my own experience of more than 20 years looking for evolutionary lin- neages among the Mesozoic Brachi- opoda has proved them equally el usive." # LETTER FROM DENYS HOWARD Science-Fantasy Society, had died. # Those of us who view the med No mention of how he died. I did 4 November, 1977 ical profession with a jaundiced n't know Ted well, but he was a eye will nod and say to ourselves, '"Alien Thoughts" remains the well-liked, warm human being. And "Yup, it figured" as we read sto basic attraction for me; you are a an early enthusiast of the Ring ries such as the one in the Nov fascinating character. books. ember 10 WALL STREET JOURNAL which 'Pearl doesn't buy grass; at cites a Veterans Administration stu those prices she must be buying dy which tends to show that all Kruggerands. $10. lids — that are RECEIVED: ACCENTS OF WONDER, edit those 70,000 heart bypass opera "smoooooth" are available right ed by David Gerrold. Popular Lib tions performed to reduce pain and here in Rip City. rary 04128-5, $1.50. [Anthology. permit the patient to live longer 'Did Bing Crosby make it be Original.] ...apparently aren't any better fore your predicted deadline? He's I, WEAPON by Charles W. Runyon. at extending life than drug treat the third, with Presley and Marx.' Popular Library 04127-7, $1.50. ments . Surgeons are furious at this ((No, Bing didn’t die in time COMMENT: A very good sf novel carried to extremes at the end. finding, of course. They see their to make it "three in a row" as the big fees going down the tube. old saying goes. Another TV actor Originally published in 1974 by Doubleday, as I recall. Now I expect someday to see did die---- forgot his name---- and a report showing that the life ex then Bing died, and then Zero Mos- THE GREY MANE OF MORNING by Joy pectancy of heart patients is bet tel died. They're going fast. Chant. Allen 6 Unwin, 198 Ash ter if they are treated with Entertainers, fans, writers.... St., Reading, MA 01867. $9.95. heavy doses of certain vitamins There must be a sinister pattern [Fantasy.] and live on a strict diet design to all these deaths. If only I ed by a dedicated nutritionist. could figure it out!!!)) THE LAND OF FROUD, edited by David Larkin. Peacock Press/Bantam 'Susan Wood has offered to pay M1055-7, $7.95. for the next WAM!, so the little COWENT: The amateur or would-be devil may well appear before dooms artists who see Brian Froud's Speaking of doctors, here's a day. (*hah!*) work, in this book of 46 color LETTER FROM ED PRZASNYSKI, M.D. 'Have I told you that I'm a plates and monochromes decorating 6 Nov. 77 father? Well, I am. His name is the introduction by Brian Sanders, Robyn Takeo Jansson, and I am his no doubt, with me, will feel infer 'I don't usually take time to single parent. The intake worker ior and incompetent to the nth de write letters commenting on the ab at Welfare was a bit bemused. I gree. Yet it's worth the worm surdities and yes, horseshit coming am content (of course, sweetheart!) feeling to enjoy this superb tal out of the mouths of adult human and he is enormous — 15 weeks old ent. beings. Three letters in SFR #23 yesterday and already 16 pounds. These paintings are delight bugged the hell out of me. He's even beginning to sleep 7 and fully full of grotesquely benign 'First and foremost, who the 8 hours a night! 0 frabjous joy!!' and scabrous trolls, gnomes, beast hell is Avedon Carol? A doctor? ies, goblins, elves, innocent, A writer? Not that I really care, ((Congratulations, Denys. I but he (she?) identifies him (her) didn’t know you had it in you.)) luminous fairies... and the malevol ent trees, the forests, the glad self as a "professional" seeing es... all rendered in infinitely patients. I'm not going to address # I cannot resist this do-gooder real/impossible detail. the letter point by point because in me who screams at me to quote This talent and humorously just to deal with one of the col something from the Nov. 5 issue of malignant vision is only thirty umns would take up as much space SCIENCE NEWS: years old, and we can look forward as her whole letter (which was so to a lifetime of delight. damned long, I thought it would 'Lung cancer, the leading can never end.)' cer killer of men and the second leading cancer killer of women in ((Avedon is a young woman, a the United States, is one of the fanzine editor, a feminist (I swiftest-acting and most lethal think) and her medical role or forms of malignancies. Eighty position is unclear to me, too.)) percent of its victims die within 'Her letter makes several as two years after diagnosis, and sumptions that simply do not make 50 percent of them within only six sense. Who, except Carol, ever months. ' said that doctors (their diagnos So I urge everybody who now es, their therapeutic regimens) smokes a pack or more a day—keep were supposed to be infallible. on smoking! The Social Security They're plain, sometimes egotist Fund needs you to die before you ical, human beings like you, and, get to be age 62; the Fund'll go alas me! Unfortunately, they may broke if you people stay alive too be drug addicts, alcoholics, wife long. Smoke! Drink! Eat! beaters and God-knows-what. What is more unfortunate is that when they make a mistake, another human being may suffer. In my opinion, # Word from Harry Andruschak via they generally tend to be respons his apazine, that Ted Johnstone, a ible individuals with a lofty prominent, long-time L.A. fan and sense of ethics and most do care member/officer of the Los Angeles 32 about their patients. I get the impression that Carol thinks WHORES you remember) would be flat it is these elements which will be there's some kind of conspiracy tering but for the fact that, now, mostly of interest to your readers. going on to kill, maim or dope after it being printed in SFR, ev But my main comment is that FANDOM everyone but the physicians them eryone will say 'you ripped that UNLIMITED #2 is still available, selves. off from Alter's column in SFR! and not sold out as your review 'As far a generalizations go, And not only that, but now I am stated. It's F.U. #1, published I counted ten in her letter when sure I'll have problems selling in 1971, that is sold out and not I stopped counting. Crap like the movie rights as well, seeing available.' as how every damn body will try to "Eyesink proved that therapy does *********************************** more harm than good" astounds me. get into the act with their own What the hell is that supposed to STAR WHORES versions. Oh well.... mean? You put a defibrillator on 'The cover on SFR #23 could a man's chest whose ventricles are very well have been a scene from 11-16-77 Books and books and books quivering and restore a normal STAR WHORES for that matter. and magazines have been piling in, rhythm and because he wakes up Fabian is fine, but when are you so it is time, ladies and germs, bitching because of the burn on going to have another Grant Can- to list 'em § comnent on them (an his chest, have you done him harm? field cover?' opinion deposit when appropriate). Need I go on? Yes, I am a doctor, ((I'd love another Canfield I have no idea how I'm going and damned proud of it. I'm not cover, but I can' t print what I to get all these Comments/Reviews proud of everything that goes on can't get from him.)) on the contents page. A separate in my profession, but who is? page may be required. The problem Lawyers? Science fiction writers? 'I found the review of LORD is, of course, that some of these Enough! KALVAN OF OTHERWHEN very interest Comments are not reviews, and some ing. I think a number of people are. Only Geis knows for sure. 'Someday, when I have time, have only recently discovered Pip maybe I'll be able to sell an SF er's work -- I know I have, as ONWARD------story (that is, if I ever write well as a number of friends -- and one). God forbid that I should know only a little about the man turn into a Harlan Ellison. Who himself. It would be of great RECEIVED: THE REEFS OF EARTH by the hell does he think he is? interest if sometime in the future R.A. Lafferty. Berkley 03565-4, Talk about "biting hands...", you could run an article on H. Beam $1.50. he's trying to take the whole arm Piper.' CQM4ENT: This was probably the with it. Of course maybe Carol first Lafferty novel I read, back can rub vinegar on it and it'll ((I’ll drink to that. If a in 1968, when it was first publish grow back. "Up yours," Harlan, I good article shows up I’ll buy ed. He has a strange, benign, just burned every book of yours I it and print it. (And having droll savagery in his fiction. owned, and you can bet your sweet written that, I'm pretty sure Lafferty is an alien writer posing ass, I ain't buyin' no more. Bra I'll get one!))) as human. vo Bechtold! My "sense of wonder" wonders as the continuing stream DAMNATION ALLEY by Roger Zelazny. of people like you and even, even Cover-up Lowdown &Y PAUL MAVRDES Berkley 03641-3, $1.75. Geis, who make science fiction (am COMMENT: An exploitation reprint I allowed to say that if front of to tie-in with the movie of the Ellison?) worthwhile. same name but not the same plot. This edition has 24 pages of b/w 'Yours Truly, Slightly stills ftom the movie. Readers Pissed Off But Calmed will have a hell of a time match Down Since I Got Some ing the pictures with the text. Of It Off My Chest. I haven't seen the movie yet. 'P.S.: I do like SFR, even though When it gets to the 99
thors and their works. I then went over to see Austin and Ossman of the Firesign Theater present "Everything You Know is Wrong", a very strange film. With my bag full of books to be autographed, I went to a Meet the Artists reception where George Barr, Alicia Austin, Michael Whe lan, Tom Barber and a few others congregated. I actually saw Harlan Ellison close up. I asked him to auto graph a few books and he was very gracious in doing so. His PR and ster's room, but I finally emerged fan reputation had left me expect with a lot of books, having spent ing someone who would chew up a more money than I could afford fan--books and all--for bothering (and would have probably spent him. Never judge an Ellison by more if I'd had it). his reputation is my rule for the The hour was pretty late and day. He managed to radiate an aura after I attended a lecture/panel of intelligence and charm while discussion on Tolkein's SILMARIL- trying to outbid Michael Whelan LION (the only panelist I remember for some pieces of sculpture. was Marion Zimmer Bradley), I then I followed the crowd to the went to claim my car before the autograph party sponsored by Heavy parking lot closed leaving me Metal Magazine and Alternate World I was decidedly anxious as the stranded. The drive home was in a Records. Seeing so many authors Halloween weekend approached. dream. in the flesh tended to make me This was my first con and I wasn't Second day: I overslept, so I giddy, so I went to the bar and or sure I was up to driving the Los missed a couple of panels that I dered a Shirley Temple while Elli Angeles freeways. I drove to the wanted to attend. I arrived in son kept asking Roy Torgeson to L.A. International Airport to pick time for the Fantasy Publishing bring over some drinks to the auto up Karl Edward Wagner, a long-time Panel with Lester del Rey, Horace graph table. correspondent. I found Karl and Gold, Jim Frenkel, Dave Hartwell, his lovely wife, Barbara, but find Following the crowd again, I Jim Baen and a lady whose name I rushed to a front row seat for the ing the hotel was something else. can't remember. After an hour we finally arrived readings. First Harlan Ellison at the Atlantean opulence of the The gist of the discussion was read two of his as yet unpublished Biltmore Hotel. that fantasy was more marketable stories that shared the common than ever before, often rivalling theme of revenge. An incredibly After registering, Karl, Bar straight science fiction. brilliant and spirited reading. bara and I went up to his suite He should be acting, I kept think and met a friend of his along the Afterwards, Richard Matheson, ing. He's a master of expression way, Stephen Jones, the editor of Ray Bradbury, Robert Bloch, Harlan in voice and features. Fritz Lei the excellent British semi-prozine Ellison and Kirby McCauley discus ber then read Clark Ashton Smith's FANTASY TALES. As Karl got set sed Dark Fantasy, the gloomy under "A Night in Malneut", capturing tled, I went down to that legendary side of the fantasy field: horror. the eerie gloom of the story. A- fixture of any con, the huckster's A variety of topics were kicked a- gain, the applause was overwhelm room. round, with Harlan Ellison being ing. I went home filled with im his usual witty, intelligent self, ages I cannot yet sort clearly. You must understand that I had Robert Bloch being charming and never been to a con, I'd never re funny, Bradbury being a bit nostal Third and final day: I ar alized what a huckster's room real gic and Matheson and McCauley be rived to hear Donald Sydney-Fryer ly was. That was probably why I ing largely forgotten in the shuf read Clark Ashton Smith's gigantic stood goggle-eyed and open-mouthed fle. poem, "The Hashish-Eater". Per as I saw the books and magazines sonally I wouldn't try to read a that I had often heard of, but des A panel on Epic Fantasy fol fifteen-page poem for anything, paired of ever owning. I forget lowed with Karl Edward Wagner, especially one containing Smith's how much time I spent in the huck- Fritz Leiber, Poul Anderson, H. exotic words. Warner Munn and Paul Zimmer. Not as much discussion as Dark Fan At last the awards banquet. I tasy, but it did provide quite a suddenly felt foolish for not wear bit of information about the au- ing a suit. Finally, the long-aw By Mark Mansell aited moment came. Gahan Wilson, 36 the toastmaster, talked about many LIFE ACHIEVEMENT: of the famous personages seated in the crowd. Robert Bloch came to *Ray Bradbury the podium and gave a brilliantly Jorge Luis Borges witty introduction to Richard Math L. Sprague De Camp eson. Matheson, the Guest of Hon Frank Belknap Long or, gave a long speech about what H. Warner Munn and who influenced him in the field E. Hoffman Price of fantasy and horror. Manly Wade Wellman At last the awards were an nounced. The winners and also-rans are listed below: (*=Winner) I was rather nonplussed since I hadn't read the winning novel, short fiction or collection at the time of the awards or even heard of the best artist. I'm glad I didn't have to select the special SUBSCRIPTIONS BEST NOVEL: awards or life achievement award *DOCTOR RAT since they were all worthy choices The awards--Easter Islandish busts UNITED STATES: $4.00 One Year By William Kotzwinkle $7.00 Two Years THE DOLL WHO ATE HIS MOTHER of Howard P. Lovecraft--were pas By Ramsey Campbell sed out amidst congratulatory ap CANADA*: US$4.50 One Year THE DRAGON AND THE GEORGE plause. Slowly the crowd broke up US$8.00 Two Years By Gordon R. Dickson and went its separate ways. ^Canadians may pay with personal THE SAILOR ON THE SEAS OF FATE For the record, the judges cheques if the chequing acct, By Michael Moorcock were: Robert Bloch, David Drake, number on their cheques is printed THE ACTS OF KING ARTHUR AND HIS Harlan Ellison, Charles L. Grant in computer numerals. (Thus we NOBLE KNIGHTS and Robert Weinberg. become slaves to the needs of the By John Steinbeck Machine.) The next fantasycon will be DARK CRUSADE UNITED KINGDOM: By Karl Edward Wagner held in Fort Worth, Texas near Robert E. Howard's home country. Send pound equivalent BEST SHORT FICTION: of $4.50 one year, or $8.00 two In closing, I'd like to thank years to agent WM. DAWSON 5 SONS *"There's a Long, Long Trail everyone who made my first conven Cannon House A-Winding" By Russel Kirk; tion so memorial, whether through Folkestone, Kent, "The Companion" By Ramsey Campbell friendship or kindnesses made know CT19 5EE "Dark Wings" By Fritz Leiber; ingly or unknowingly: Karl and or write them for current quote. "What is Life?" By Robert Scheckley Barbara Wagner, Stephen Jones, "Two Suns Setting" By Karl Edward Harlan Ellison, Fritz Leiber, Roy CURRENT AND BACK ISSUES OF TAC AND Wagner Torgeson, H. Warner Munn and Don SFR are available from: FANTAST (MEDWAY) LTD. BEST COLLECTION: ald Sydney-Fryer. You all may not remember my name or why I'm thank 39 West Street, *FRIGHTS, Kirby McCauley, editor; ing you, but each in your own way Wisbech, Cambs.,PE13 2LX LONG AFTER MIDNIGHT, Ray Bradbury; made it a very special weekend for SUPERHORROR, Ramsey Campbell, ed. ; me by being very special people. AUSTRALIA: A$4.15 One Year CINNABAR, Edward Bryant; Thanks. A$7.S0 Two Years THE HEIGHT OF THE SCREAM, Ramsey To Agent: SPACE AGE BOOKS Campbell; 305-307 Swanston St. FLASHING SWORDS #3, Lin Carter, ed. Melbourne, 3000 Vic. SPECIAL AWARD--PRO: ALL OTHER FOREIGN: *A1ternate World Recordings; US$4.50 One Year Arkham House; US$8.00 Two Years Ballantine Books; All foreign subscriptions Daw Books; must be paid in U.S. dollar Edward L. Ferman cheques or money orders, except to agents. SPECIAL AWARD NON-PRO: *WHISPERS, Stuart David Schiff; CHACAL, Amie Fenner; MAKE ALL CHECKS, CHEQUES AND MIDNIGHT SUN, Gary Hoppenstand; MONEY ORDERS PAYABLE TO Jonathan Bacon; SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW Nils Hardin; Harry Morris SAVE A HASSLE AND EXTRA EXPENSE BEST ARTIST: IF YOU MOVE I NEED YOUR FORMER *Roger Dean ZIPCODE AND YOUR NEW COMPLETE George Barr ADDRESS. Steve Fabian Tim Kirk Michael Whelan ALIEN THOUGHTS CONT. FROM P. 35 couldn't resist a lot of special COMMENT:This is the final, sixth pleading for the space program. novel in the Elric saga; Storm- But it begins to pick up steam as bringer is the name of his terri of contents than true criticism. the comet nears Earth. I drool. fying sword. 'As for artwork, the Fabian Film at eleven. cover was easily the best he's DYING OF THE LIGHT by George R. R. done for SFR. Of late, frankly, RIVETS, a MicroGame (#5) from Meta Martin. Simon 5 Shuster, $9.95. I thought the covers had been pret gaming. RIVETS is a two-player COMMENT: His much anticipated ty mediocre, but this latest was tactical robot combat game. $2.95 major novel. superb. The only complaint is an annoying lack of nipples. STRANGE GLORY, edited by Gerry MURGUNSTRUFM And OTHERS by Hugh B. 'The Gilliland cartoons were Goldberg. St. Martin's Press, Cave. Published by Carcosa, Box all very good as usual; the Kinney $5.95. 1064, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, $15. and Mavrides "Cover-up Lowdown" COMMENT: An anthology on the theme COMMENT: Short story collection, less so, though the one on page of Awakening Man's Latent Powers. dozens of major illustrations by 24 concerning the Kennedy assassin Prose, poetry and lots of artwork; Lee Brown Coye. In the 'weird men ation was perhaps the funniest it lots of Finlay and Fabian, Bok. Big ace' genre, mostly from the 30's. em in the whole issue, R.A. Wilson size quality paperback format. A handsome, loving, hardcover pro notwithstanding. duction. 'Most profound illustration THE GOLDEN SWORD by Janet E. Mor was undoubtedly that on page 68 by ris. Bantam 11276-7, $1.95. Stiles. I don't know if it is in COMMENT: On the backcover it says, # LETTER FROM ALEXIS GILLILAND tended to be a part of a permanent 'The continuing adventures of the Nov. 13, 1977 logo for the Brown column, but it most beautiful and erotic courtes should be.' an in the galaxies of tomorrow.' 'Just back from Phi Icon where Promises, promises.... several people told me they liked ((It ts a permanent logo il- my stuff in SFR 23. Lucky for you lo. Thanks for your comments.)) it was waiting for me when I got home. Cover-up Lowdown &Y PAUL MAVRIDES # LETTER FROM DAVID TRUESDALE "Karl Pflock is correct about 11-12-77 the angels dancing on a pinhead. A question the scholastics did dis 'Here's a little ditty you cuss, however, was: given a man may find amusing: who was a cannibal, eating human My days of youth are over flesh exclusively, for all his My torch of light is out life, what would happen to him on What used to be my sex appeal Judgement Day when all his atoms Is now my water spout. were detailed to other resurrec tions?' Time was when of its own ac cord ((I didn’t realize atoms had It would from my trousers names attached to them. Does this spring M.l.T. CANCELLED AN EXPERIMENT CONCERNING mean we should store all our bowel THE BENEFITS OF SUPPLEMENTING GASOLINE WITH movements and save all our urina But now I have a full-time job WOOP ALCOHOL TO IMPROVE MILEAGE AND CUT To find the stupid thing. POLLUTION IN AUTOS, AFTER EXXON (WHO 0PP0SEP tions? All our hair? Clippings? THE EXPERIMENT) PONATEP $500,000 TO M.l.T. Snot? Semen? Vaginal fluid? Hmm, It used to be embarrassing this is getting awkward. How far The way it would misbehave is a deeply religious person ex For nearly every morning STAR TREK Photo Novel #3: "The pected to go?)) It stood and watched me shave. Trouble With Tribbles". Bantam But as old age approaches 11347-X, $1.95. # LETTER FROM GLENN T. WILSON It sure gives me the blues To see it hang its withered LOGAN'S WORLD by William F. Nolan. ((A letter he sent to FORTUNE.)) head Bantam 11418-2. $1.75. Nov. 7, 1977 And watch me shine my shoes.' COMMENT: The sequel to LOGAN'S RUN as discussed by Nolan in SFR 'The pension plans' problems ((Hmmph!! What a lousy thing to 22. should be looked at as over-promis send to a man of my advancing ing rather than under-funding. years. Rubbing it in. Just be ("Those Pension Plans are Even THE YEAR'S BEST FANTASY STORIES:3 cause I used to be a tri-weekly Weaker Than You Think," November, Edited by Lin Carter. DAW UW1338 man, went to try-weekly, and am 1977). now at the try weakly stage....)) $1.50. COMMENT: Interesting Introduction 'In economic reality, the *********************************** and valuable Appendix listing best promises to the pensioners of fantasy books for 1976, fantasy A.D. 2004 (which is when I, now anthologies, important reprints, 38, will reach age 65) will have 11-20-77 Received: LUCIFER'S HAM and recommended non-fiction and to be paid for by the labor of MER by Larry Niven and Jerry Pour- related items. those younger people, some of them nelle. Playboy Press, $10. still unborn, alive and working in COMMENT I put aside a good book STORMBRINGER by Michael Moorcock. A.D. 2004 (plus the industrial cap to begin reading this and got hook DAW UW1335, $1.50. ital built up by then). ed. Got restless around pg.100 as 'If we manage to overcome the the authors--probably Jerry— 38 energy crisis and continue produc tivity growth, those promises can ence fiction (and, ergo, himself 'Do tell Gretchen Rix, if she be paid off. If we don't, there as a science fiction writer) then hasn't caught on already, that won't be enough economic resources why in hell does he make a habit Darth Vader was two people. The to go around among the productive of accepting the Hugo and Nebula body was David Prouse, a Brit mus younger people, let alone enough awards for best sf short story, cleman picked for his size and to support useless older folk. novella, etc. of the year? Indeed, bulk, and the voice was indeed 'The situation is even more why does he attend and, ofttimes, (unmistakeably) James Earl Jones; chancy than this. Suppose instead appear as gue^t of honor at science Lucas blabbed about this in a re of the bad news of energy deplet fiction conventions across the cent ROLLING STONE. However, he ion, we get the good news of medi country?' did not blab why Jones chose to cal progress, lengthening our life have his name off the masthead. spans through conquest of cancer, ((That is a question often Jeez, what's the matter with play heart disease, etc. (After all, asked. I suppose the answer is ing a heavy in a thriller? Some those medical researchers ought to that it is nice to have your cake and eat it, too. It might also of the best actors in the racket have achieved something by A.D. have done that kind of work at one 2004, after all those billions be asked why convention committees keep asking him?)) time or another; the heavy, of we've been shelling out). course, always gets the best lines 'This good news would make it ((It occurrs to me that with and the best play. For my dough completely impossible to meet pen the success of STAR WARS and upcom Crown always stole the show from sion obligations, since all pension ing other major sf movies, it may Porgy, for instance, just as Edgar plans are based on the actuarial soon be an advantage to have a book Barrier and George Macready always assumptions that a lot of the pen labeled 'science fiction. ')) used to steal the show from Tarzan, sioners will die only a few years for excellent reasons. after retirement (or, better yet 'All sorts "reviews" (includ from an actuary's point of view, Cover-up Lowdown V PAUL MAVmDES ing TIME'S) out by now of CLOSE keel over at age 65 after contrib ENCOUNTERS... but none of them uting a lot and collecting noth convinces me that the writer has ing) ■ seen anything more than stills from 'The discussion is getting in the flick. I think it hasn't been to the realm of science fiction at prescreened for anyone inside or this point; but the price of immor outside.the industry; there are tality, economically, might well rumors that (although the thing be endless work.' opens here next week) the finish ((Your letter perfectly il ed print has yet to be completed. lustrates the Nasty Surprise that Hmmm. The hype is huge and over do-gooder government people often done. It sounds like a pretentious have visited upon them—and upon loser, but I will go to see it any those they have socially engineer how. I could be wrong, and I hope ed. There are ALWAYS CONSEQUENCES, 0REMER OBTAINED THE MONEY NEEDED I am. and I’d like to see a mandatory TO TRAVEL EXTENSIVELY AROUND THE 'Gilliland, throughout, con social/environmental impact state U.S. FOLLOWING WALLACE! tinues to be brilliant and funny ment for every proposed new law in as hell. Why no Hugo? And than- every legislature. Lots of luck.)) kew for reprinting the Silverberg pieces; I noticed them when they # NOTE FROM GRANT CANFIELD came in for review and they made # LETTER FROM DAVID PETTUS Mid-November, 1977 me rethink a lot of my opinions a- 11-13-77 'I haven't been very active bout Silverberg; he now strikes me the past year. An upcoming letter as a thoughty and generous sort of 'I'd like to respond to Har gent. lan Ellison's letter which appear substitute will explain why. But I seem to be getting back to draw 'Fabian's cover is jolly fun. ed in issue #23. Within the con Bless him.' text of that letter Mr. Ellison ing fan-art, at least.' asserts, "...I intend to insist in ((Good to hear from you again, ((Fan cartoonists have a much all my book contracts that the Grant. If all goes well, a Can- harder time winning a Hugo than words 'science fiction' do not ap field cover will appear on SFR "straight" sf illustrators----just pear on volumes of my work — chief this year.)) as comedians hardly ever win an ly because I do not write sf and Oscar. But I have a sneaking sus thus feel it is dishonest advertis picion that perhaps this year ing to say that's what it is----". # LETTER FROM GEORGE WARREN Alexis will come very close----if 'Goddam SFR came in right in not actually win.)) 'Now, I suppose you could the middle of what was supposed to call this an open letter to Mr. have been a heavy work day and Ellison, although I don't actual fucked it up gloriously. I cannot # LETTER FROM BILL WARREN ly expect Mr. Ellison to respond get back into the Mormons in 1884 Mid-November, 1977 to it—I'm nobody and I know it. for the life of me. Suppose I will Also, I very much respect Mr. El have to read the son of a bitch all 'To clear up the Dave Prouse/ lison's right to do what he pleas the way through; from the look of James Earl Jones business concern es with regard to his book con the things I dipped into it is one ing STAR WARS once and for all. tracts. Nontheless, an obvious of the best I've seen in a long 'Dave Prouse is a large question does come to mind... If time. weight-lifter type from England. Mr. Ellison is so concerned about He played Patrick Magee's houseiboy misrepresenting his works as sci 39 at the end of A CLOCKWORK ORANGE, an d also appeared as Franken THIRD KIND, which is very good, ((Of course I still love you, stein's Monster in the Hammer mov Dennis Muren again worked, photo Mike! Haw could I forget those ies, THE HORROR OF FRANKENSTEIN graphing the model of the mother lovely nights when---- er... I see and FRANKENSTEIN AND THE MONSTER ship. Greg Jein, who built the what bothers you. I inadvertently FROM HELL (that's two separate models, has always been found at neglected to list you as a nominee monsters, by the by; one was as local cons with his miniatures of for Best Fan Writer. Very sorry! sembled by Ralph Bates, the other spaceships and other special ef I hope it didn't make you feel like by good ol' Peter Cushing). He ap fects stuff. (They, and most of a non-person, somehow written out peared as various knights and men the people mentioned above, also of fandom, not knowing why__a aces in JABBERWOCKY and MONTY PY worked on FLESH GORDON...) weird Kafkaesque shiver running THON AND THE HOLY GRAIL, as well. through your flesh )) 'He played Darth Vader. That 'When it was pointed out to is, he was in the costume. They Steven Spielberg that he was stand # LETTER FROM ORSON SCOTT CARD did not use his voice because a) ing near Forry Ackerman, he became he's not much of an actor, just very excited and claimed to have a 17 November, 1977 physically the right type; b) his complete set of FAMOUS MONSTERS, 'Does anybody care about news voice is quite high-pitched; c) he and used to cut Forty's picture out from utterly unknown and obscure has a thick Scottish burr. of them to paste in a scrapbook. 'Like Gretchen Rix, I thought He said, "George Lucas is almost as sf writers? My first novel, HOT SLEEP: THE WORTHING CHRONICLE, will at first the dubbed-in voice was big a fan of yours as I am." that of Sean Connery, but have been 'And these are the kids that be one of the first ANALOG books (with Baronet and Ace); the hard told quite authoritatively that it people at cons used to want to toss is James Earl Jones. The reason out on their ears.... back will be out in April. The he is not billed is because he 'Would it sound lame if I said book is (sigh) another telepathy story. And another colonization wanted lots more money if they were I think SFR is excellent and al to trade on his reputation to---- ways has been? My life would be a story. And another decline and ahem----help the film at the box little more empty without it. fall of an empire story. All that office. At least, that's what he 'P.S.: Say hello to Oregon.' in one little book----how can it apparently said before the film lose?' was released; I think now he's ((Thanks very much for the in ((Easily. A good sf novel is probably sorry he did that. So side and background info. not the product of sf themes com that's the final line: you see ((Oregon says hello back and bined; you must have used them in David Prowse and you hear James hopes you'll visit sometime. Right the right combination and written Earl Jones. now a very early and unusual snow well. I'm looking forward to see 'Don't know if anyone's point storm has dumped five inches on ing your novel, and congratula ed this out, or if it's of any con western Oregon---- first deep snow tions! )) sequence, but many fans and fringe we've had in seven or eight years. fans worked on STAR WARS. Most Something funny going on with the 'I've picked up about two dozen are movie freaks who are primarily weather....mutter, mutter....)) other fanzines, and set them down fond of monster and sf movies— again after a quick read. Yours yes, Forrie''s brigade, in a sense. is the only one I've found whose For instance, Luke Skywalker him Cover-up Lowdown 1/ pmjl MAVRHJES back issues deserve rereading, self (Mark Hamill) told me he sent though of course LOCUS' current is his photo to Forry over and over in sue is also valuable. If the test various makeups, hoping one would of time is what separates the lit get printed in FAMOUS MONSTERS. He erature from the dross, then you're declared his favorite magazine to producing literature. You should be CINEFANTASTIQUE, and has been be ashamed...' to most local cons in LA for years. ((No, no, I write prose dogger- The latter is also true of Charley al and idle musings. If this be Lippincott, the film's publicist literature....we 're all in trouble (and the source of the free tickets here in River City.)) you got). George Lucas has read sf for years, and especially likes 'PS: I don't know anybody who Harry Harrison. On the crew of can tell me. Do you pronounce your the film, you can find the name of BANNEP A5> A WEAPON, PROLIANT 245-T IS STILL BEING USEP BY THE U.S. FORESTRY PEPT. FOR name guise or guice or jeez or Dennis Muren (as 2nd cameraman, WATER5HEP CONTROL EVEN THOUGH IT REMAINS j ize?' miniature and optical effects un IN THE FOOD CHAIN 8 CAUSES BIRTH DEFECTS' it) , who directed EQUINOX and has ((Guice. I have a hard G and rhyme with vice.)) been a local fan and con-goer for # CARD FROM MIKE GLICKSOHN years. June Berg and Phil Tippet, *********************************** Nov. 22, 1977 (received) who did the animation of the board ALIEN THOUGHTS CONT. ON P, 55 game aboard Han Solo's ship are 'I got home five minutes ago local fans of long standing. Like and found SFR 23. I have quickly wise, Rick Baker, who built many skimmed through it, reading per WHEN YOU'RE GOD YOU HAVE of the monsters in the cantina and haps 0.001% of it but I did look CERTAIN RESPONSIBILITIES. also played the title role in the at page 82 where you list the Hugo remake of KING KONG, has been com nominees amd winners from Suncon. ONE OF THEM IS THE APPLI ing to cons for years. I've met 'Tell me, Dick... CATION OF TOTAL DESTRUCTION. all these guys in years past just 'Does this mean you don't love ---Bill Rotsler, KTEIC hanging around the Ackermansion. me anymore?' 'On CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE 40 THE ALTER-EGO VIEWPOINT
"Let's get to it, Geis! Hand me mission to save the sevagram. the first victim!" "The manta-like wind/atmosphere Yes, yes....here it is, Alter. aliens on the planet Tyree are liv It would be an act of mercy if you ing near-ideal lives (except for didn't review this— sexism —and an interesting double "Nonsense! Aha. ACTS OF MERCY reverse sexism it is, too). by Bill Pronzini 6 Barry Malzberg. "And the Earth group are a Putnam's, $8.95. Not science fic bunch of misfits, neurotics, and tion. A psycho-thriller. What Losers—mind-damage cases all, but happens if a paranoid schizo is with these wild talents. triggered in the President's immedi "Come to think, the gas-cloud ate official and personal family? alien entity is a brain-damage case Inportant People start to be murder itself. It's blundering about caus ed. .." ing suns to go nova and wiping out "That's what happens to those You have to admit, Alter, you civilizations left and right." 'souls' caught in the mind beam be tween Earth and Tyree when it col didn't guess the identity of the This kind of macro-concept sf lapses due to interference by the killer. The denouement came as a is not your cup of tea, is it, Alt surprise. vast alien entity. They are lost er? in space yet somehow survive and "True, Geis, true. But this "Not unless it is made very is a thin novel, adroitly padded travel to the nearest source of sus real and plausible. Tiptree does tenance- -the dark destroyer itself. to the required length. We have, n't make this plot very credible, "One human mind—a warped black plotwise, a novelet here, with but she has this immense ability woman—establishes herself in the highly skimmable characterization, to make her characters REAL, to "control room" of the vast entity introspection, and lotsa shorty make the reader care! And so when and eventually provokes/educates chapters which use up lotsa pages." the sun of Tyree goes nova the Yes, but you didn't guess the the vast creature into saving the reader is hurting as much as the doomed souls on Tyree. identity of the killer. very "human" aliens. The reader "The story goes on from there "I would have if the authors identificatidn quotient is tremen and becomes ever more magic-science had played fair! There is no clue dous, the empathy level very in fiction. [Too much sf nowdays is I can recall which tipped that tense . what might be called wish-reality some of the viewpoint characters Even so, Alter, I thought— sf, or surrealistic sf. Fantasy are in fact figments of the kill "Whocares what you think, Geis? with sf furniture in the rooms. er's mind. The real characters Stop interupting. and the fake ones are indistin "Now, the Tyreeans have been "But again, the emotional power guishable to the reader. Foul! experimenting with a mental beam of this book is its salvation. And Dirty Plotting! Penalty of bad which permits them to send their the thought lurks that with very review and deservedly low sales." minds across space to "dispossess" little trouble in the way of plot Wouldn't you even advise pick humans--to change bodies. When alteration and nomenclature, this ing it up if it gets published as they learn their world is doomed novel could have been set entirely a pocketbook? some of them want to change places on Earth, with the mind-beam be "Ohh, okay. Maybe it's worth with humans in order to save their tween an endangered group of Borneo a buck-fifty. It is a quick, dis children and themselves. Other natives and the psi-group in Ameri honest read, and that may be a vir Tyreeans call this 'life crime' and ca. I suspect the cloud-intelli tue on a plane, bus or train." oppose it. gence and the vast distances and "But the desperate ones prevail etc. are set decorations for a les What do you intend for this and the psi-talent group of humans son in equal rights and Love Thy book, Alter? UP THE WALLS OF THE is dispossessed into Tyreean bodies Neighbor." WORLD by James Tiptree, Jr.? and fated to die on the radiation/ Let me add that this is a Put "I intend to praise it, Geis, heat doomed planet." nam's book, costs $8.95 in hard not bury it. The lady behind the I thought the aliens adjusted back and is likely worth it. And pseudonym is a hell of a writer! too quickly to the "alien" human this is "Tiptree's" first novel. Only "Tiptree" could use an 'up bodies and world, and feel the hum the stakes' sf plot—a dark, cloud ans also adjusted incredibly well Want to review another book, like alien entity of immense size to the Tyreean corpus and culture. Alter? and.power, an alien species who It was too convenient for the auth "I do, Geis, but I suspect are telepathic, who live in the or. we're out of room. I will say winds of a strange planet, and a "Right for once, Geis. A plot this, though, about LOGAN'S WORLD group of humans with psi talent who sin most sf authors are guilty of. by William F. Nolan (Bantam 11418- are being used by the govt, in sec It may be the intellectual's dis 2, $1.75.) — a fast-paced, vivid, ret communication tests on Earth. ease— the willingness to think he/ detailed, commercial, cliff-hanging "The nebulous alien is a maver she is pure mind, divorcable from 'sf adventure'. Sci-fi at its ick from his intergalactic species mere matter with no problems. best." Mio are intent on a universe-wide 41 AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA* Once upon a time, long before Charles Platt had a pie thrown at Ted White, there were other THE HUHS forms of fannish humor. It was said lightly in that luminous era that "the pun is mightier than the sword" and ISSUE Richard Bergeron, 11 East 68th Street, New York City, New York, 10021, U.S.A. 42 This is not a paid advertisement. OTHER VOICES, OTHER VOICES, OTHER VOICES, OTHER ANb another NORTH juTiTER CRIMINAL TAYS THE FORBIDDEN TOWER HIS J>KBT 7C> somewhat from the others by ignor By Marion Zimmer Bradley s-ocietY' r ance of custom and cultural dif Daw Books, #256, 364 pp., $1.95 ferences. Callista has been train ed to be frigid. Everyone is psy Reviewed by Paul McGuire III chically isolated by the remoteness and ruggedness of the mountains THE FORBIDDEN TOWER is a seq they live in which are snowbound uel to THE SPELL SWORD. Although through most of the long severe one need not have read the earlier winter. In fact most of the nov book to understand and enjoy this el takes place in a single castle. one, it does concern the same char acters and picks up the action ex In this, the most confined of actly where the other left off. Ms. Bradley's novels, the isola Yet, aside from that, and back tion ultimately is that of a person ground, the two novels have nothing within himself, separate in mind in common. FORBIDDEN TOWER is the and body from others. Ms. Bradley most psychological and sexual nov explores this in a way thorough and el of the series while SPELL SWORD entertaining, inpossible anywhere is the most straight action adven but SF. All her characters are ture. Even the titles are at op telepathic and at times they have posite ends of the spectrum. FOR minds linked to briefly become what BIDDEN TOWER refers to the male is nearly a single entity. Yet sexual organ. (The heroine has an even their relationships are fil inability to experience physical led with hurt feelings, misunder love because she was mentally neu standings, anger, important things tered, kept from developing sexu left unsaid or telethought, and al maturity, and implanted with insecurity. One begins to wonder automatic psychic defenses against if any two people can have true more than the lightest touching of personal communication and under standing at all, on any basis. fingertips.) SPELL SWORD, a com lista's keeper's training which bined rephrasing of the generic Using SF to make metaphore real, prevents her from having sex with Ms. Bradley also implies that at term "Sword and Sorcery", refers out danger of her and/or Andrew be to the implement which allowed the tempting to do so is dangerous, ing killed by her psi defences. and that to succeed one must first heroes to slice up a tribe of cat And, there is also a snot-nosed men and rescue the same damsel gain, face and accept self-know villain seeking revenge lurking a- ledge . from a more conventional distress. bout. But first--the essentials. If I have implied all this sud Darkover is a planet settled a few Nte. Bradley's ability to cre denly appeared out of the blue with thousand years before by Terrans ate intricate characters economic out precedent in the series I have marooned there. Under the red sun, ally and then reveal them through mislead you. It is just so very the population worked to develop interaction with events and each much more startlingly apparent and mental power instead of technology. other is awesome. Her people are inportant in this book. Also don't In that pursuit the people use ma a product of their world. Just as think that this is all some dry trix stones which intensify and Huckleberry Finn could only exist cerebral novel. One cares about channel their psi abilities. The on Mark Twain's Mississippi, the her passionate characters and use of the resulting matrix science men and women in this novel are by there is plenty of sense of wonder with its frightening power is con and of Darkover. Well, all but mixed with the drama, and yes, dar trolled by virginal high priestes one. Carr is a Terran and his con ing do is done. The four rebel a- ses called keepers, and except for fusion and cultural shock to the gainst senseless traditions and simple things is only permitted to reader that identifies with him are cruel laws by creating their own be done in specified towers. (Thus at times actually painful. The matrix tower, and must defend it the illegal matrix use of the her characters do not serve to reveal in an astral duel at dawn in the oes is a forbidden tower, a more Darkover to the reader but vice overworld. versa. In fact to some extent the obvious and direct, less "nasty", ********************************** interpretation of the title.) real revelation made to the reader is of himself. The main characters in this no vel are Andrew Carr, a Terran, who Isolation in one form or other THE DARK DESIGN is married to Callista, a former is almost constantly present. De- (Vol. Ill of the Riverworld series) keeper, who is the twin sister of zi (the villain) is unrecognized By Philip Jose' Farmer. Ellemir who is married to Damon as a son by the twins' father Dorn Berkely. 412 pp, 1977, $9.95 who is Carr's best, and nearly on Esteban, a parentage he believes ly friend. The basis of the plot sincerely’ to be true. Pom Estaban Reviewed by Buzz Dixon is the lengths they must go to in is paralyzed. Andrew is cut off order to attempt to overcome Cal- 43 THE DARK DESIGN marks the tri umph of the novel as Hydra--no years) an electric powered river the giant airship "Parseval", re matter how many heads Philip Jose' boat, which is promptly hijacked by marks in a later chapter, "Purpos Farmer lops off, two more spring Prince John (reading a name and es, cross-purposes, counter-cross up to replace every one removed. event synopsis of the series makes purposes. Wheels within wheels Unmanageable is perhaps the best it sound a trifle ridiculous). THE within wheels. Maya lowers seven word to describe this book. DARK DESIGN, however, has two riv veils of illusion between us and erboats, numerous rafts, schooners, Originally meant to be the fi them." Farmer, through his self dugouts, and other Rivercraft as nal book in the "mystery" phase of Tucker ization, Frigate, comments well as steauipowered machine guns, the Riverworld novels, THE DARK DE on the inherent paranoia of the alcohol powered internal combustion SIGN is only part one of the orig Riverworld. Even the title of the engines, jeeps, printing presses, inal concluding novel. A fourth book is a quotation from a poem computers and not one but five- Riverworld novel will bring the (imaginary? I wouldn't put it be count 'em, five--airships, one of series to an official end though yond Farmer) reading, "And still which carries a pair of 32-seat future stories and novels may the Weaver plies his loom, whose helicopters and a glider! trace the adventures of various warp and woof is wretched Man/Weav- historical personages in the River The Riverworld is relatively ing th' unpattem'd dark design, world. at peace in THE DARK DESIGN. Gone so dark we doubt it owns a plan." are the maniacal warlords of TO To enjoy THE DARK DESIGN one There's much in this novel YOUR SCATTERED BODIES GO and THE should read Volumes I and II (TO which needs explaining; all the FABULOUS RIVERBOAT. Gone are the YOUR SCATTERED BODIES GO and THE way from Sam Clemmens' uncharacter grail slaveries. Gone are the FABULOUS RIVERBOAT) first. Since istic militaristic bent to Fire "translations" (or mini-resurrec those two novels came out more brass' strange tiny black sphere tions from death). than five years ago it may prove imbedded in his. head to the mys difficult to remember who's doing Apparently Farmer has abandon terious ultra-violet (or lack what to whom. Even if read fairly ed these things which he so care thereof) tattoos on most people's recently this may prove difficult fully established in the earlier foreheads. for anyone who doesn't have a home books in fear of making THE DARK The mystery of Riverworld is built HAL 9000 to keep track of the DESIGN'S completion an impossible far from solved, though one senses dramatis personae. task. Lack of grail slaveries al the stage being set. THE DARK DE lows the characters to proceed un As Farmer's alter-ego, Peter SIGN'S main failing is that it is molested upriver to the Dark Tower. Jairus Frigate, comments, the con this stage setting, not a truly in No warlords enables the Paroland cept of the Riverworld deserves a dependent book as the first two ons to complete their numerous dozen volumes. Perhaps the prob were. One can only wait with great airships without fending off invad lem is that Farmer, in an effort to anticipation for Volume IV, when ing hordes. No more translations complete his masterwork, has tried Farmer promises to answer all our disposes of characters who prev to jam too much into too small an questions. iously would have gone lackadais area. ********************************** ically to their deaths. Maybe, ideally, the Riverworld It's clear the series has turn saga should have been told over a ed into something bigger than Far CHRYSALIS series of 12 conventional sized mer anticipated with when he first Edited by Roy Torgeson novels rather than the present began the series in 1972. He uses Zebra Books, $1.95 tomes which seem to double in size arbitrary plot twists to forcibly every volume. manipulate his characters through Reviewed by Mark Mansell The first two thirds of the their appointed rounds, rather book move fairly well, earmarked than let the novels take their nor CHRSALIS is Zebra's first by the clear, action-filled prose mal course. To solve a mystery he science fiction anthology and Roy which marks so much of Farmer's provides a solution which unleastes Torgeson's first editorial effort work. However, while trying to another, deeper mystery. that I know of. This makes its handle three (or four? That de high level of quality all the more Instead of proceeding in an pends on just who Peter Jairus surprising. orderly manner, one feels the Riv Frigate really is) major plotlines Richard Lupoff leads off the with perhaps a half-dozen sub er is jerking along, stopping and book with "Discovery of the Ghooric plots to each of the major ones, starting irregularly, capriciously Zone--March 15, 2337". It is about the novel tends to bog down and jumping its banks and at times dry ing up completely. three cybometic space travellers become not so much incredible as who explore a trans-Plutonian plan unbelievable. THE DARK DESIGN doesn't end so et, and learn that H.P. Lovecraft much as it's amputated, a cliff Characters work literally for wasn't called "the prophet from years building boats and airships, hanger thrown in just to keep the Providence" for nothing. pot boiling. decades traveling up the River, Spider Robinson's story "The yet there's almost no feeling for At first glance the novel reads Magnificent Conspiracy" is a story passage of time in the book. as if Philip Jose' Farmer has bit that has qualities of caring, hum ten off more than he can chew. TO YOUR SCATTERED BODIES GO or and a surprising amount of Yet Farmer is too good an author to introduced a world without metal, philosophy, as a trained assassin a world with a flint and wood tech reduce perhaps the grandest scheme goes after a multi-millionaire who nology. In THE FABULOUS RIVERBOAT in science fiction to poor pulp runs a used-car lot that loses plot hacking. Nothing on the Riv money. an iron meteorite crashes in the erworld is ever as it seems. As Riverworld, enabling Sam Clemmens Jill Gulbirra, the final captain of "Allies", by Chelsa Quinn Yar- to build (over a period of several 44 bo is about an outpost guarding a marsh, but it turns out that the A SPELL FOR CHAMELEON Humphrey will have or be magic. outpost needs the guarding. It's By Piers Anthony What I didn't mention was that a darkly introspective story and is Del Rey/Ballantine, 344 pp., $1.95 most of them are dangerous and nas very good. Cover Art: Michael Whelan ty- "The Curandeiro" by Thomas F. Adventures start piling 14) while Reviewed by Paul McGuire III Monteleone is about two aliens he meets a lot of interesting peop hunting another alien who was work le and things (centaurs, harpies, There are two points pertinent ing through a Brazilian peasant to dragons, a sorceress, etc.) and to classifying this novel. The effect miracle cures. Monteleone finally gets to see Humphrey. Then first is that it is a juvenile, or tells a fascinating story and you Bink learns that he has powerful perhaps it would be more accurate can feel for his characters. magic. It's just that no one knows to say a "for young adults". "Harry's Note" is Sturgeon's what it is or how to use it. So The second point, of course, latest tale. Although old-fashion what good is it? He really is bet ed in treatment, this story about a is that the first point is meaning ter than all those smarty pants less. A rose is a rose and a good man talking to an invisible Man know-it-all show offs who call him book is a good read. What's better, a spell-less wonder, but he can't from Mars who wasn't from Mars ab a very good juvenile or a mediocre out increased usage of the mind is prove it. (Come on, you know who adult novel? Between an excel this guy is, don't you? He's me, made special by the Sturgeon lent juvenile and an excellent a- you, all of us. Right?) They ex touch. dult novel which is greater, simi ile him! (Why the hell won't they Elizabeth Lynn's strories, larities or differences? Who leave us alone?) "Mindseye" and "The Man Who was loves a good juvenile novel more Meanwhile, out in Mundania Pregnant", I didn't care for too than an adult? Trent, the Evil Magician, has rais much because I couldn't understand what points she was trying to make. In fact all really good juven ed an army and plans to invade ile novels seem to create mobs Xanth. Bink is captured. So is a Charles L. Grant's "The Dark of with loud voices that claim that girl exile. After still more ad Legends, The Light of Lies" is the they are not really juvenile nov ventures Bink, Trent, and the girl type of horror tale that he does els at all but adult novels pre end up back in Xanth, alone in the well. This time he writes of a tending to be juveniles. Or is it wilderness. They form a truce to proof-reader in the last days of disguised? Mistaken identity? unite against the common danger books and how his nightmares prove which is--damn near everything. Oh, the hell with labeling this deadly to authors and editors. book. I'll just say that this no It goes on and on and...It No one but Harlan Ellison vel is fantasy and go from there. doesn't stop developing until the could get away with a story like very end, and only then does the Xanth is a small to medium "How's the Night Life on Cissalda?" reader realize just how well Mr. sized land about the size of a An explorer from Earth returns Anthony knew where he was going fictional European principality, from an alternate universe locked with it all of that time. Along or Oz. In Xanth it is certain in perpetual intercourse with a the way the hero experiences (in that every living thing either "disgusting thing". It goes from addition to an incredible amount of has, or is, magic. It is possible there and is hilarious as he des good wholesome adventure) growth, that non-living things are, or do, cribes the encounters of celebrit maturity, knowledge, heroism, too. Among humans the reason for trust, friendship--kind of like a ies with the hordes of "disbusting this is because anyone who can't Heroic Fantasy Boy Scout. things" that follow the explorer prove he has magic by age 25 gets back to Earth. exiled to Mundania. With Greek This book really is excellent Torgeson prefaces each story simplicity, Mundania is anywhere and nowhere near as silly as this with an affectionate introduction that isn't Xanth. review, except when Mr. Anthony uses all this marvelous invention about the author. Tom Barber has Our hero, Bink, does not ap as mere set-up for puns and not e- painted a beautiful cover. With pear to have magic power. Every ven two groaner puns at that! this fine collection, Zebra Books one but he has one particular There are also good, and more fit has shown it can do more than simp spell they can cast. Only one type ting, examples of dry wit. Ch, ly cash in on Robert E. Howard re spell to a customer but the ramifi well, all a matter of taste. Some prints . cations of what kind of magic one readers will enjoy those puns and has varies such that some (apparent ****************A*A**A*AA***AAA*A* it is a minor attraction or dis ly most) have magic of little pow traction in either case. er or practical use, while at the other extreme some (about as many I don't think I'm giving any as you can count on the fingers of thing away by telling you that one hand) have vast awesome power. there is a happy ending. In fact it is a glorious ending not needing Bink doesn't seem to have any red filter sunsets and soundtrack magic. So he is a misfit, misun orchestration to create its effect, derstood, jeered at by his infer because it is right, appropriate. iors, harrassed, lonely and the The novel is so well thought out perfect hero for this kind of book. all our romantic wishes are granted His one chance is if the good mag without there having been the ician Humphrey can discover some slightest concession made in the hidden power. novel's integrity. As I've mentioned, everything, Like much of the magic in Xanth even the plants, between Bink and the novel itself is deceptive and subtle in its enchantment. A ter amazing story about the CIA which the self-published Davidson is a rific read containing a cleverly you'd expect to find in a book like good example of the maverick who conceived heroine, a fascinatingly Leon Davidson's volume with the insists on exploring UFOs in his conplex and engaging villain, and awkward title. Quoting from Major own independent way. A study in an "everyman", it is well worth the Robert Friend, one-time chief of contrasts, these books reveal much reader's effort to identify with-- the Air Force's Project Blue Book, about the mind of UFOlogy. all gone out adventuring in Xanth Jacobs tells of two Canadian Naval ********************************** where very little is what it seems. investigators who were told by a ft********************************** UFO-psychic that they could commun icate with the saucer people by go CLUSTER ing into a trance and utilizing By Piers Anthony THE UFO CONTROVERSY IN AMERICA automatic writing. While the Cana Avon, 254 pp., $1.75 By David Michael Jacobs dians were being interviewed in Signet, 332 pp., 1975, $1.95 Washington by the CIA one of them Reviewed by Paul McGuire III was allegedly successful in making FLYING SAUCERS: AN ANALYSIS OF THE contact with a saucer and when the AIR FORCE PROJECT BLUE BOOK SPECIAL Given: Every sentient being CIA investigators asked for proof REPORT NUMBER 14 has a Kirlian aura, normal intens they were told to look out the Prepared by Dr. Leon Davidson ity being listed at 1. That aura window and they would see a UFO-- Blue-Book, 1975-76, 194 pp., $5.95 is the essence, intelligence, iden which is exactly what happened. tity, soul or what-have-you. It Reviewed by Neal Wilgus The reason you might expect to is possible to instantly and cheap find such a story in Davidson's ly transmit the aura of a high in Unidentified Flying Objects book rather than Jacobs' is that tensity being cross worlds into a have been the center of heated con Davidson is a leading exponent of recently dead host body, and an troversy for at least the past 30 the UFOs-are-a-CIA-hoax school and alien intelligence gives this years and the flood of books on the with a little imagination it should knowledge to Earth because the An subject has done little to clarify have been easy to link in the CIA dromeda galaxy is going to try to the issues. Here are two books sighting mentioned by Jacobs. drain off all of our galaxy's en which, in quite different ways, Doubly so since Davidson's book ergy. The catch to this alert and demonstrate the problems inherent deals extensively with both Project gift is two-fold. First, Earth in dealing with the UFO mystery. Blue Book and the CIA/UFO hoax the must join a coalition of other Strictly speaking, David Mich ory. Alas, Davidson misses this planetary spheres of influence to ael Jacobs.' book, as its title one, as well as other attempts to prevent the great energy rip-off. warns, is about the UFO controversy link CIA skullduggery with UFO re Second, the Sol sphere must supply rather than the UFOs themselves, ports such as Raymond Bernard's an agent that will take the deal although a number of the more prom fumbling THE HOLLOW EARTH and John to other spheres. inent sightings are briefly des Keel's more reliable WHY UFOs? and The agent chosen is Flint, a cribed and there is the inevitable THIS HAUNTED PLANET. tough, canny green-skinned man speculation as to their origin. Davidson's book is confused and from Sol sphere's outermost world It's the history of the public confusing but it does serve two where men live a primitive exis controversy sparked by the UFOs, valuable purposes--the publication tence hunting dinosaurs. Sol's man however, that is the subject of Ja of the otherwise unavailable Air Flint has an amazing Kirlian inten cobs' interest and this history is Force Project Blue Book Report #14 sity of 200. That is inportant quite interesting in itself, re which was intended to debunk saucer since the amount of time one can gardless of whatever else you may reports, and a series of pieces spend in a host body is in direct think about the elusive objects. by Davidson exploring the idea that ratio to aura's intensity. Jacobs begins with a short the CIA might have been involved chapter on the Airship sightings of in the deliberate planting of UFO 1896-97, the only real UFO flap stories (especially contact cases) year until the 1947 flying saucer for their own inscrutable reasons. case reported by Kenneth Arnold Davidson updates his material per which set off the modem series of iodically (this is the fifth edi countless unexplained sightings. tion) , reprinting his articles from Subsequent chapters cover the pub SAUCER NEWS and FLYING SAUCER RE lic reaction to the ever increasing VIEW and apparently reorganizing UFO reports, the creation of sau in a way that requires a double set cer clubs and national UFO organiz of page numbers and varying formats ations, the Air Force and CIA in and typestyles. vestigations, the contactees and Neither Jacobs nor Davidson of cult groups and a final discussion fer anything like a satisfactory of the most recent flap year, 1973 explanation for UFO reports but then As the fat bibliography and notes no one else does either--that'swhy at the end indicate, Jacobs draws they're Unidentified. But if you from a tremendous amount of pub are curious about UFOs and want to lished and unpublished material and leam more here are two books to he seems to have had the active keep in mind. Jacobs' objective cooperation of almost everyone in overview is an excellent historical volved in the controversies, pro, background against which other UFO con or otherwise. special pleaders can be judged; At one point Jacobs recounts an The final element is an Andro Forget it. George Leonard's The infuriating thing is that meda female agent, also a 200, SOMEBODY ELSE IS CM THE MOON is a NASA acknowledges things are hap sent out each time after Flint to shoddy piece of journalism. It no pening on the Moon which it can't kill him. more proves the existence of aliere explain. They're called TLPs-- living on the Moon than the late Transient Lunar Phenomenon--and are Flint goes to a world where George Adamski proved they were in totally outside any current theory humans are enslaved by saucer-flying habiting Venus. of the Moon. Leonard includes insect beings, and he must work with photos of "tracks", "domes" and the latter. Then it's off to a Though admittedly Something various "machines" but I saw no waterworld with three sexes and Strange is going on up there. Mys thing which looked unmistakably compulsive rape whenever one of terious lights. Clouds of dust. like an artificial device (of each gets together. There is a Strange arches and other unidenti violent Renaissance-styled planet fied objects. course, I'm not a professional im ruled by a cunning and ruthless age interpreter. But neither is But due to the just plain queen called Bess. One world has Leonard). shitty-ness of this book one comes inhabitants that are cylinders with away disbelieving. It's the same He does include photos of some a spherical wheel on bottom and a effect one gets from watching too definitely weird things--things tentacle on top, who read Tarot many commercials--no matter how which look like rods or tubes ex and think in circles. Several sweet the pitch it still stinks. tending from the walls of craters, species gather at the site of a a boulder which rolled uphill, ev city built by a once-great (but What threw me off were the enly spaced holes in the Moon's by then long extinct) race to ex drawings, the photos (with NASA re surface and other puzzlers. plore it, but find a murder mystery lease numbers included), appendixes instead. Then comes the last and index which would make the But he conveniently leaves out transformation, to a world where book seem to be a bona fide specul any entertainment of possible nat both communication and love are ation on intelligent life inhabit ural solutions to these mysteries. music, and death seems inevitable. ing the moon. Leonard, however, He neglects to mention that the slips into the "omnipotent I" view moon has been under close scrutiny Instead of just having the he point favored by such frauds as Ad for several hundred years by tele ro contact a new world, Mr. Anthony amski and Von Daniken. The book scopes. He claims that the U.S. has his hero actually inhabit one is a haphazard collection of anec military learned of the Lunar al- of their bodies, able to call up dotes telling how Leonard found ens in the late '50s and that the their memories, and gain from that the Truth about the Moon. space program is actually a front double vision. Although most of for the armed services to spy on the chapters could not quite stand If that wasn't bad enough he the Moon. on their own as short stories, once gives no indication of scale or past the setup, it would not be distance from the Moon of the pho But if that's true then why very confusing to read them out of tos taken, quotes numerous authors did we wait until 1957 to launch order if anyone had reason to do waaaaaaay out of context (includ the first U.S. satellite (when we something that peculiar. In fact ing our own beloved Isaac Asimov had Redstone and Jupiter boosters not all of Flint's adventures are and Arthur C. Clarke), gives direct in 1950) and 1961 for the first U. recorded. He makes reference to quotes (sic!) from people in NASA S. sub-orbital flights (when we had one not in the book. Also near the whom he refuses to identify and e- the Atlas in 1954) and 1968 to send end a few statements are made ven makes up a radio exchange be a manned probe to the Moon (when which seem to be referring to ear tween orbiting Lunar astronauts and the Gemmini capsule was capable of lier events, but which really are Mission Control! Lunar orbit and return)? unrelated to anything but confus Clearly not the world's best He also mentions a crater, Lin- ion. example of investigative report ne', which was documented by sev While the worlds here are more ing. If George Leonard had been eral astronomers and then disap original and fascinating than the covering Watergate Nixon might be peared! Yet he only mentions the planets the Enterprise visited on on his third term. carter twice in passing references TV, they are not created for the reader in any more detail. The book is nicely entertaining, clev er, and in some parts beautifully written. Still, if you lay it V/W AMehce Yoi/ down between chapters you might HAVE IM MlNZ> not ever pick it up again. Hmale T ? “ AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA SOMEBODY ELSE IN ON THE MOON By George Leonard Pocket Books, 221 pages, $1.95, 1977 Reviewed by Buzz Dixon When I thumbed through this book at the news stand I thought. Hot damn! Somebody's done a UFO book with charts, photos, cross re ferences, and official NASA data! Now we'll learn the Truth! 47 This is a bad book. For those It is a shame that many Brit STARLOG interested in UFOs and non-discip ish works of science fiction take Kerry O'Quinn, Editor linary forms of thought it will so long to appear in North American 80 pp., pub. 8 times per year make a fair read. But if you're editions. This work would certain $1.75 newsstand price, $9.98 sub. searching for The Truth, forget it. ly be on the list of any nominees Leonard just makes the issue for a Hugo if it had been written Reviewed by Paul McGuire III cloudier. in the U.S. As it is, I can recom ********************************** mend it highly and I hope that we STARLOG may have been started to will be hearing more from Mr. Hold exploit the Star Trek phenomena but stock in the future. EYE AMONG THE BLIND before long it was covering all filmed SF, theatrical and television By Robert Holdstock ¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥ Pan Books, Ltd., 1977 past, present and near future. Along with articles and reviews it features 219 pages, $1.95 THE ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU; noveliza fleshed-out interviews, informative Doubleday, 1977, $6.95 tion by Joseph Silva of a screenplay TV series episode checklists and a by John Herman Shaner and Al Ramrus; Reviewed by W. Ritchie Benedict series on the techniques of special 180 pp. + 16 pp. photos from film effects. The whole is lavishly il I was stunned by this first lustrated with photos, most in color. novel by a 29 year old Britisher. Reviewed by Paul McGuire III It is, without question, a real The issue I have before me is #9 knockout. One of the cover blurbs This book is about the adventures (back issues are available). Unlike quotes Ursula LeGuin as being very of a shipwrecked young man on an is the average film/TV mixture, this impressed by it and it is easy to land where a mad scientist is turn one is nearly all series oriented. see why in just the first ten ing animals into, more or less, hu Contents include interviews with Pat pages. Consider the plot elements: man beings. Duffy (MAN FROM ATLANTIS), Gerry And erson (Producer of SPACE 1999), Lyn The dialogue is, not surprising 1/ A weird disease causing to da Carter (WONDER WOMAN), Jared Mar ly, the best written part of the nov tal panic among Earth's inhabitants tin (FANTASTIC JOURNEY), Ivan Goff elization, since that was the one eL forcing a total evacuation of the and Ben Roberts (LOGAN'S RUN's pro ement of the movie Silva could ac home world. ducers) , and William Shatner. Also curately reproduce in prose. But if an article on TV--SF series 1949-- 2/ A mysterious blind man nam the loss of inflection causes minor 59, STAR WARS portfolio, and regular ed Maguire who suddenly reappears harm, the same is not true of the features including a column by David with paranormal powers after having rest of this work. Silva seems un Gerrold. been missing for over 700 years. sure how to deal with turning into 3/ A fully developed totally prose parts of a screenplay meant to A friend of mine who also covers alien culture called Ree'hdworld be turned into visual image. He is filmed SF for the fan press and is that appears to be the perfect home also "stuck" with the film's pacing devoted to CINEFANTASTIQUE tends to for humanity except for the fact in his book. scoff at STARLOG as being aimed too much at what he calls "the Trekie that the locals and the colonists Still he did seem to want to do Mentality". I disagree. Sure, CIN are having difficulties adapting more than just write bridges between EFANTASTIQUE is champagne and STAR to each other. dialogue. He doesn't do more, but LOG is beer, but both are refreshing. he seems to have wanted to do so. 4/ A mythological semi-ghost AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA like race of beings called the Instead of giving insight into the Pianhmar who also inhabit Ree'hd minds and motivations of his charac This world about whom absolutely nothing ters to make his work distinctive Publication.... is known. Silva plays with sentence structure. Sentences without verbs. No nouns. 5/ A love relationship between Sometimes he suddenly changes tense. a male Reehd native and a female Order normal reversed is. His ex human anthropologist. perimenting may have made this pro 6/ A completely developed plan ject more fun or interesting for him etary biology that is rich in odd self, but it doesn't for the reader. and variegated detail. Of course the real question is One of the primary rules that why was the screenplay novelized for any science fiction writer should paperback release at all. Since the adhere to is that the characters film was based on an excellent novel and the world created should all by H.G. Wells containing mystery, hang together. horror, adventure and satire, what purpose was served by writing anoth For a beginning science fiction er version which is little more than is Available in novelist Mr. Holdstock has done an a souvenir of the film? Why, to MICROFORM incredible job. His characters make a buck of course. That is prob are no paper doll cutouts, but live ably also why no mention is made on For Complete Information and breathe in three dimensions. the cover or spine of the book that WRITE : His background in anatomy, zoology it is a novelization by Silva instead University and parasitology is readily appar of Wells' original work. Let the Microfilms ent. The only other British writ buyer beware, Ace seems to think. International er that comes to mind when reading this novel is Bob Shaw but the I think, let the buyer not both Dept. F.A. Dept. F.A. er with this turkey. 300 North Zeeb Road 16 Bed lord Row Holdstock style is completely his Ann Arbor. Ml 48106 London, WC1R 4EJ own. *********** 48 ******A*AAAAAAA* U.S.A. England MJRGUNSTRUNM And Others There are 26 stories plus an without the slightest knowledge of By Hugh B. Cave introduction in this gigantic vol Christianity. It seems to be a Carcosa, $15.00, 475 pp. ume. My favorites are: MURGUN- satire on various occult and myst Reviewed by Mark Mansell STRUNW, a short novel about vampir ical systems, or else an allegory es and madmen in a decrepit old of some sort using the language of inn; "Horror in Wax" tells of the the same. There are flashes of a This third book from Carcosa is vengeance an old man takes on his ribald sense of humor one would in keeping with the high quality of wife and her lover; "The Watcher never expect from the author of their previous books: WORSE THINGS in the Green Room" about a man's THE HILL OF DREANG, HOUSE OF SOULS WAITING by Manly Wade Wellman, and justified fears of a bureau of etc. FAR LANDS, OTHER DAYS by E. Hoff drawers' "Purr of the Cat" is about This booklet is certainly not man Price, both astonishingly still a painter in an old house and his for the general reader. Quite lit in print. unusual subject; "Many Happy Re erally, you have to know what Mach This is an immense omnibus col turns" is a tale about a curious en is talking about already to way of attaining longevity; and lection of Hugh B. Cave's gothic know what he's talking about. He "Ladies in Waiting" describes a horror stories from the pulps. was very much involved in occult man and his wife and who or what They range over the entire spectrum studies, a member of the famous they mate-swap with in a deserted of horror: vampire stories, ghost Order of the Golden Dawn along with house. stories, haunted house stories, re Aleister Crowley and such people, venge, weird mystery, psychic de Like all Carcosa books, this and perhaps a reader familiar with tective tales, spicy mystery stor volume in lavishly illustrated. the beliefs of the Order may find ies , and even two Cthulhu Mythos Lee Brown Coye, fantasy/horror's this more comprehensible than I da stories. They are collected from premier illustrator, has outdone Specialised knowledge is required. such shudder pulps as STRANGE TAL himself in his renderings of rot Since magical systems are concoct ES, WEIRD TALES, (HOST STORIES, ting corpses, intricately eerie ed solely from the imaginations of SPICY MYSTERY STORIES (where they houses, unwholesome creatures, and the magicians, experience with the were published under the delightful his famous stick matrices. real world won't do you any good pseudonym 'Justin Case'), BLACK at all. At $15.00 a volume of this size BOOK DETECTIVE MAGAZINE, and two and quality is a bargain. Its sewn Machen completists and others more recent ones from ELLERY signitures and heavy binding insure who might be interested should or QUEEN'S MYSTERY MAGAZINE, and WHIS it will last practically forever. der from the publisher, C.W. Brooks, PERS. It is a delight for both the in 713 Paul Street, Newport News, VA, These stories capture the feel vestor and for the person who en 23605. I don't imagine he'll have of the pulps in their lurid, often joys the horrific. The book is much trouble getting rid of the gruesome treatments. Buckets of most enjoyable if read a bit at a 500 copies he printed because this blood are splshed across the pages time, on dark stormy nights. has some potential of becoming a in glorious abandon, but sex was a *********************************** collector's item. I'm told only no-no. Even the so-called "spicy" five copies of the original editicn pulps were more puritanical than TV exist. is today. I found myself strangely THE SPAYRIC QUEST OF BEROALDUS The art work by the Strelkovs attracted to these stories, but you COSMOPOLITA is what some might call "primitivd'. couldn't get away with this kind of By Arthur Machen I call it crude. style today, since we are supposed Purple Mouth Press, 1977 to be more mature and prefer the 22 pages, $2.00 ********************************** horrors of the mind to things that Illustrated by Mae 5 Danny Strelkov go bump in the night. It's sur Reviewed by Darrell Schweitzer MIDNIGHT AT THE WELL OF SOULS prising to see these stories, which By Jack L. Chalker are from the most despised pulp I must confess that I don't Del Rey (Ballantine), $1.95, 360pp. category, survive while the so- understand this work at all. I called literary stuff of those imagine I'm in the position of Reviewed by Elton Elliott days has been forgotten. someone reading PILGRIM'S PROGRESS In his second sf novel, long time fan Jack L. Chalker has creat ed one of the most unique sfiction- al settings since Larry Niven's RINGWORLD. The setting is a planet called the Well World which is larger than Earth, but due to lack of heavy metals has about the same gravity. The planet was created by a super race that are now ex tinct, and they gave it a few sur prising features. One of these is that the planet is split up into various hexes, where representa tives of races from all over the universe live. However due to the fact that each hex has differing 49 scientific laws it is difficult for one race to conquer more than and morality, simply want to inte Snark that organic life forms like its own hex. With all their div grate the alien (The Visitor") in ours are basically unstable; poten ersity, notwithstanding, each race to their teachings, effectively to tially dangerous, they are usually has a saying about the equator of smother it. NASA, worried about supplanted by their own mechanical the planet, called the Well Of budgets and political implications, creations, like the Snark itself. Souls. They all believe awesome equates security with weapons and This climactic meeting is fol things will transpire on Midnight secrecy. Only Nigel Walmsley lowed four years later by the find at the Well of Souls. seems to realize that their cate ing on the moon of another alien gories are irrelevant, that the Into this strange world comes wreck, reactivated by the Snark. rules have changed. Nathan Brazil, captain of a small Fighting his way through NASA bur space freighter, and a motley bunch Nigel himself is an alien of eaucracy, and New Sons obstruction of friends and enemies. They all sorts--a Briton in America, an in ism, Nigel investigates the ship's have one purpose: find the Well be dividualist in NASA, an astronaut archives and learns that the aliens fore the others do. There's only among the groundlings--and intel once genetically manipulated Big one obstacle, the races in each of lectually alienated from the world foot, the primitive humanoid race these hexes. around him. His alien contacts e- of the Pacific Northwest. Focus ventually make him see vast contin sing on research and its interpret Outside of a few weak chapters uities across a vaster void that ations, this last section is grad in the middle, and an overlong end make differences among human cul ual, reflective and short on melo ing, the book is excellently craft tures and individuals seem intel drama, but these findings point to ed. The prose, and this is rare lectually miniscule. stagnation as the result of a racers for a new author, is quite smooth. turning its back on the technologi Rooted on Earth in human soc cal path. Marvelously inventive, MIDNIGHT iety, Nigel's story offers mature AT THE WELL OF SOULS, is one of reflection on an old theme, strip the best sf adventure novels in re Though Nigel's vision expands ped of melodramatic trappings. cent years. from contact with the alien, it is Despite incidents of intrigue and best embodied in his relationships ******A*A**A*********^************* physical danger, amid revelations with other people, symbolized by and plot turns that will startle two love-triangles. In the first, IN THE OCEAN OF NIGHT all but the most blase', the pri a menage a trois with two Caucasian By Gregory Benford mary adventure is cerebral: Nigel's women, he seems genuinely to love Dial/James Wade, $8.95 hardcover quest for Man's Place in the Uni one, Alexandria, but their rela verse . Reviewed by Dave Samuelson tionship is hedonistic, self-seek ing. When she contracts a fatal Earlier this year Gregory Ben disease, he loses her to Shirley (the other woman) and the New Sons, ford and Gordon Eklund gave us a then to the Snark in a bizarre but novel about an aging astronaut ob sessed with things alien. Uneven logical twist of events. in execution, IF THE STARS ARE Bereft, he takes to the desert, GODS offered plausible extrapola going through a healing "dark tion, sensitive characterizations night of the soul", emerging to and interesting speculations on at build a new life, this time with ienation. That achievement is two Orientals. The woman, Nikka, dwarfed now by Benford's IN THE shares his work and his obsession; OCEAN OF NIGHT, a major novel, per the man, Mr. Ichino, is older, a- haps the best of the 1970s, in sexual, a possible line of Nigel's which the same ingredients are put development. to better use, the construct uni Nigel, seen as lover, rebel, fied by more than just an idea and Nigel gradually domesticates scientist, concerned citizen, es a character. the alien, first coming across an tranged son, religious skeptic, is Early next century the outlook artifact in 1999, which makes it a rounded character, a rarity in for America is bleak. In an over- inescapable that "we are not alond'. science fiction. But the others populated, polluted world, Ameri Sent to destroy the asteroid Icar are also people with real pasts and can business and industry are up us on collision course with Earth, indeterminate futures, whose moti for grabs; our system of technolo he discovered it was an ancient vations are independent of their gical rationality is breaking spacecraft, and delayed to explore functions in abetting or obstruct down. The masses are turning to and scavenge, while millions of ing him. Mr. Ichino, for instance, the irrational, from mindless vio lives on Earth hung in the balance. is involved in a quest of his own lence to a charismatic religious Fifteen years later, having in the Pacific Northwest, which in cult. Compounded of ancient ritu ridden out the furor, he is still cidentally confirms Nigel's find al and modem organization, the on hand to identify and communicate ings, bringing the alien down to New Sons are a major social and with a sentient computerized probe, Earth, but his search is troubled political force that threatens to summoned by a signal from "Icarus". by his personal desire to leave absorb or suppress an event of He names it "Snark", stressing the Bigfoot in peace. In this he is fundamental importance: contact unknown, and eventually intercepts more the sage than the scientist, with sentient alien life. it in orbit, as an official NASA fitted to pronounce the novel's There is no real conspiracy; representative, in a scene rich in ambiguous moral. people simply do not understand irony and ambiguity. Out of hear Nigel certainly is in no con the event's significance. The New ing of Earth, Nigel hears from the dition to evaluate his experience Sons, intent on restoring order 50 at the end, temporarily overwhelmed as he is by sensory overload from novel of characters in society The mood is skillfully created the lunar archives. Unable to ex which compares well with THE DIS by the use of a luminous two-level press his vision of totality, he POSSESSED, the only book of this plexiglass platform lit from be can only sense it, in a bravura decade in its class. Though I was neath, coupled with a white nylon display of stream-of-consciousness. occasionally bothered by talky dome, where Martians with bulging But others are following Nigel's characters and a couple of shadowy eyes and strange costumes gyrate lead, as Mr. Ichino's monologue "villains", the same was true in to the words and sounds of this shows by indirections. Le Guin's novel, and this one, with alien world. As a result of its organic flow, accommodates Shanks' brilliant stage design, Indeed the whole novel succeeds such accidents better than does Le the theatre-goer is jettisoned in by indirection, communicating not Guin's, with its perfect symmetry to the inner recesses of this biz only through Nigel's experiences of form, for which everything has arre world. He cannot help but be and the growth of his conscious to be honed. hypnotized by the shining gold and silver costumes, the artfully com ness, but also by other means which IN THE OCEAN OF NIGHT is an posed music, the inventive cinemat bring across a multiplicity of vis "instant -classic". ions. Point-of-view is varied, ic scheme and the eery sound ef sometimes quite effectively, pre ********************************** fects, all of which help to trans senting significant events outside form this modest theatre into a Nigel's observation. More than spaceworld called Mars. one plot-line is advanced, connect The power and realism of the ing the alien to several people, experience is enhanced by the in anchoring them in a social environ timate theatre setting, which ac ment. commodates an audience of less Parallels and contrasts between than one hundred. As a result, the image patterns and other structural theatre-goer is privy to a ring elements enable the reader to see side view of this bizarre world of still more than the characters can. Martian sounds, gestures, words Nigel's loss of Alexandria and his and grimaces. There are times when desert experience recall the fall one feels an integral part of this of a great civilization, and rit alien world, as opposed to merely ual dancing amid the flames unites a spectator viewing the stageplay Bigfoot and the New Sons in a hint from afar. Needless to say, this of another fall to come. The lin makes for an incredible theatre ear, grasping West contrasts with experience. the sinuous, holistic East, and Unlike many stage productions their complementary unity is set which are based on a book or nov off by the lifeless, perfect total el, this one flows clearly and log ity of the alien spheres. Dualit ically. One does not need to have ies and triads of things and events read the original work to under abound, and the action occasionally THE MARTIAN CHRONICLES stand the stageplay. The transi is framed by gridlike windows, cal Stageplay by Ray Bradbury tion from scene to scene is lucid ling attention to the act of seeing Produced and Directed and comprehensible. and understanding. By Terrence Shank Los Angeles, California, 1977-1978 In addition to Bradbury's sup The theme of transcendence, erb script and Shanks' special too, is framed within one human im Reviewed by Jeffrey Elliot stage talents, the production is agination; it grows out of charac significantly enhanced by the act ter, not imposed from above, as in Ray Bradbury is alive and well ing ability of nearly fifty actors Clarke and others, so as to dwarf at the Studio City Playhouse in who play almost one hundred dif the individual. Contained within Los Angeles, California, which is ferent roles. This huge ensemble Nigel, the theme is constrained by currently running a stage produc interact together with skill and naturalistic limits, forced to con tion of his classic work, THE MAR timing, very much like a delicate tend with objectively petty human TIAN CHRONICLES. Based on Brad ly made watch, each part working loves and conflicts. First Man bury's best-selling thirty-year- with precision and grace. and the Other are seen as balanced old book, the Colony Theatre stage parts of an equation. Then, as Ni play is a superb achievement in Every attempt has been made to gel assimilates the alien mentally, contemporary theatre. translate Bradbury's words into the equation is redressed; even exciting visual images. This fact organic and nonorganic forms com The success of THE MARTIAN is evidenced in the masks, wigs, bine as Intelligence pitted against CHRONICLES is largely attributable costumes, furniture, implements, the Universe. Though the universe to the creative genius of Terrence and the rest of the stage parapher stretches infinitely and eternally Shank, who produced and directed nalia which evoke this futuristic before us, we have precedents and the stage production. Moreover, aura of time and space. potential allies to go by, and he is responsible for designing the set, sound and lighting, all All in all, this is an excel really no choice, being neither an lent production. It is the kind of imals nor machines, but to strive of which he does with style and verve. Indeed, Bradbury's story "stuff of which Ray Bradbury is to live up to what it means to be made. It reflects the timeless un human. comes alive thanks to Shank's briL liant visual imagery, expertly cu ity and uncompromising principle The whole construct is an im ed sound effects, and spectacular which typify the author's approach to life. Like everything else pressive achievement, both as a costumes and accouterments. Bradbury does, the stageplay in science fictional vision and as a 51 corporates his changing global per although from a purely literary spective. This adaptation, even standpoint inferior to Dunsany's more than the original work, embod sparkling THE GODS OF PEGANA, which ies his conviction that "space is does it all with considerably more our future". The stage production economy. includes all the stylistic talents for which Bradbury is known, the THE SIMARILLION is unlike most result of which is a wonderful ev pseudo-histories, such as Geoffrey ening of theatre. of Monmouth's HISTORY OF THE KINGS OF BRITAIN (which tells how Brutus ********************************** the Trojan founded Britain, and lots about Arthur, King Lear, etc.) THE VIVISECTOR because it is a secondary work. REVIEWS BY DARRELL SCHWEITZER It exists only in reference to THE LORD OF THE RINGS. The trilogy has THE SIMARILLION a deep sense of the past because By J.R.R. Tolkein there is a coherent body of lore Ed. Christopher Tolkein behind it, which crops up here Houghton Mifflin, 1977 and there in the story. The auth 365 pp. 5 foldout map, $10.95 previously published works at the end. There are five sections: THE or makes his world convincing by AINULINDALE about the creation, knowing more about his world than Even though the general public we do. It has always been obvious has been whipped up to such a not- the VALAQUENTA describing the cre ation in more detail and the at that a considerable body of work waiting-for-the-paperback frenzy was underlying what we actually of expectation that this book has tributes of various demi-gods, the QUENTA SIMARILLION which covers see in LOTR--and here it is, drawn become the all-time best-seller in from notebooks and manuscripts, hardcover fiction, most Tolkein the First Age in detail, the AKAL- LABETH about the downfall of Nume- some dating as far back as the fans I know are not pleased with First World War. A good bit pre this book. They vary only in how nor, and OF THE RINGS OF POWER AND THE THIRD AGE which should sound dates even THE HOBBIT so most wr emphatic their rejection of it is. iting flaws can be attributed to At a Mythopoeic Society meeting familiar. Also there are appendi ces and tables of various sorts. inexperience. From this Tolkein I said, "Well, it shouldn't be developed into a master storyteller. judged on the same terms as the Back in the days when rumors flew other books", to which someone re wildly, THE SIMARILLION was be Now let me be mildly blasphem torted, "It shouldn't be judged at lieved to be another massive epic ous: I think someone ought to nov all", the implication being it was like LOTR and THE AKALLABETH yet elize the best parts of THE SIMAR not worth judging. another, for a total of nine vol ILLION. Tolkein himself drew on umes of top-notch heroic fantasy. it for his famous works, but there I think most of the disappoint Alas, not so. The AKALLABETH is is a lot of material left. Pseudo ment stems from the fact THE SIM 26 pages long and is a synoptic histories have previously given a ARILLION is not what everyone ex history like the rest. lot of mileage to fantasy writers pected it to be. It is not another The difference between a pseudo (THE MABINOGION to Walton, Alexan HOBBIT or LORD OF THE RINGS. der, Kenneth Morris; Monmouth to Strictly speaking it is not a work history like THE SIMARILLION and true fiction is that it is not a Mary Stewart), and some of the of fiction, but of myth-history. tales outlined in THE SIMARILLION, The scope is vast, from the crea story, but an outline of many stor ies. The narrative glosses over especially the epic of Feanor and tion of the world up to the end of the romance of Beren and Luthien the Third Age, with a synopsis of years and events. A battle the size of that of Helm's Deep in cry out to be written. Maeglin LOTR takes about two paragraphs. There is little detail, virtually no dialogue (and stilted speeches when there is), seldom anything narrowly enough focused to be cal led a scene, and no characteriza tion. The writing is rather like the quasi-narrative appendices in THE RETURN OF THE KING, although fre quently not as good. This time Tolkein archaicises clumsily. THE AINUNLINDALE's account of creation is probably the best written part, Drawings this page courtesy John Oberdorf 1536 Joplin St. S. Salem, OR 97302 He would like to place his work in other magazines, books. 52 and Turin Turambar also have great first.) Critical recognition came translator, he is quite fluent in potential, and more than one nov swiftly, but readers less so. English (He taught at an American el could be based on the AKALLABETH Let's get something out into the university and was interviewed on If the Tolkein estate is smart open, if you'll excuse my manners: U.S. television. Not even much (and wants more money) they will all art is elitist; In fiction, if of an accent, at least to my ear.) arrange for these to be written by you read you have joined the elite, and presumably oversees these someone capable of the task. and if you read things more complex things. He says of the present cot (Could you imagine BEREN AND LUIH- than Jackie Susann you're in the lection: "I have tried to be IEN by Ursula LeGuin?) I predict Inner Circle. Add to this the fact faithful to the example of H.G. that once the hysteria dies down that category fiction readers (ac Wells in combining a plain and at THE SIMARILLION will not be widely ademic mainstream, best-seller, times almost colloquial style with read, but fantasy writers will re science fiction) tend to be insul a fantastic plot". main aware of it. It will have ar, and an oddball genius like Bor Yes, that H.G. Wells. Borges influence, and, if such a thing is ges is read only by a select minor is not unfamiliar with the wider never authorized, our grandchildren ity. All you have to do is go to tradition of the fantastic tale. will be the ones to see works di the bookstore and select. Do. He is also not unfamiliar with H.P. rectly drawn from it, when it goes You'll encounter 13 of Borges' most Lovecraft, so if the BOOK OF SAND into the public domain sometime in recent tales, most first published resembles the NECRONOMICON in any the next century. in English in various magazines way, it may be more than a coinci over the past year. You'll find dence. HPL is, after all, regard that late Borges is more autobio ed as a major American writer in graphical than early Borges, fil most countries except this one, es THE BOOK OF SAND led more with memories or the pre pecially the Spanish-speaking lands By Jorge Luis Borges, Translated by sent situation. Quite a few char Therefore, an Argentine audience Norman D. di Giovanni Dutton acters in these stories are old wouldn't be confused, but I can't 1977, 125 pages, $7.95 men, blind or nearly so. (Borges help but wonder what the readers is blind.) The writing is more of the ATLANTIC made of "There are Just this year the World Fan personal, more atmospheric, less More Things". Lovecraft, insists tasy Award people failed to give intensely inventive, although when Borges the lifetime achievement a- he wants to throw an idea at you ward, the same as SFWA failed to he can still do it with the best. give one of the stories in this The tome of the title is the most book a Nebula when it was on the inpression non-existent book since ballot, which puts them both in the NECRONOMICON. It is a piece good company because the Nobel of infinity you hold in your hand. Prize Committee has been making There is no first or last page and the same mistake for years. As no page can be found twice. The the Dutton publicity flyer says, narrator is at first fascinated by merit is one thing when it comes it, then enslaved. He thinks of to winning awards, but longevity burning it, but dares not, lest an seems to be more important. With infinite book produce infinite Borges being 78 years old, we're smoke and smother the world! This pushing our luck. The least any is a familiar theme, of course. one can do is persuade the Fantasy Before (in LABYRINTHS) there was Award judges to name THE BOOK OF the infinite library of randomly Borges perhaps tongue-in-cheek, SAND best collection of 1977. worded books which served as a met was an unconscious Poe parodist, (The only serious competitor I aphor for an incomprehensible uni so Borges has done him one better. know of is Warner's THE KINGDOMS verse regarded with wry bemusement. The story reads on the surface like OF ELFIN.) And I should point out (Which is intellectually very akin typical Borges, but it is a subtle that since the title story was to Lovecraft's uncaring forces of Lovecraft parody (and dedicated to first published in THE NEW YORKER cosmic horror, minus the horror, his memory), combining the methods last spring, it is eligible for though there is a tinge in Borges of both writers, ignoring superfic Hugos and Nebulas. I know for a of "the elemental fear of what is ialities and going to the heart-- fact that fate has conspired to impossible and yet is".) Now we remotely glimpsed mystery, indirect hide it from the notice of our lit have THE BOOK OF SAND, which is telling, hints and more hints, and tle community--at least two Best- something you'd expect to find at Things. of-Ihe-Year anthologists tried to a Library of Babel discard sale. get it, but the price was too high. Most of the other pieces are It is just like Borges to come at least marginally science fiction For the benefit of anyone to up with such an outrageous concept or fantasy. Marginal cases incl whom the above may seem mystifying, and place it in ordinary surround ude "The Sect of Thirty", which Jorge Luis Borges is an Argentine ings, then tell of it in clear, purports to be an ancient account and the best living fantasy writer simple prose, once again demonstr of a non-existent Christian heresy in the world. He has been known ating that the greatest writers but more overtly fantastic is the in the United States since the don't have to rely on obfuscating •febula-nominee, "Utopia of a Tired early 1960s since Grove and New tricks. Borges' style is plain and Man". Borges said in his TV in Directions published two collec yet eloquent. Not a word is wasted. terview that no one should pity tions, FICCIONES and LABYRINTHS. Descriptions describe. There is him in his age and blindness be His first publication in English nothing of the stiffness you ex cause he is tired of life. His fu that I know of was a story in EL pect in translations, presumably ture is one of a perfect mankind LERY QUEEN'S about 1948. (So much because, although Borges uses a exhausted, slowly withdrawing into for the avant-garde getting there 53 itself, losing the will to continue Youth and old age meet doppel large solid areas of black, and BRIEFLY MENTIONED: Contraty to ganger style in "The Other", as the intricate detail. Tiani is a popular belief, this is not DARRELL Borges converses with his earlier white on black artist mostly, some SCHEITZER'S SF REVIEW MAGAZINE. In self and each tries to figure out what like the famous English art the interests of sanity ((and solv who is dreaming whom. "The Min ist Harry Clarke, but quite dis ency)) your editor inposes dead or and the Mask", "The Disk" and tinct. The plates are suitable lines and length limits on me. Thus "Undr" are all set in Dark Ages for framing, and the artwork it I am not able to discuss more fully Europe, suggesting that like so many self would be just right for the a couple things. other fantasists, Borges has been frontispiece to the NECRONQMICON. bitten by the Northern Thing, as somebody called it. (He has ap parently been studying Anglo-Sax THE YEAR'S BEST HORROR STORIES, on language and poetry.) "Mirror" Series IV, edited by Gerald W. Page is close to the traditional fantasy A FINE AND PRIVATE PLACE (DAW 208 pp., $1.25) has, believe fable of Dunsany or Kenneth Morris, By Peter S. Beagle it or not, a vampire story by Mr. about a poet who writes a line of Ballantine, 1976, 256pp., $1.50, Hard Science himself, Hal Clement. ultimate beauty. "The Disk" is (reissue). One other original (G.N. Gabbard), more fragmentary, about an exiled and reprints from professional and king who carries a piece of infin A FINE AND PRIVATE PLACE is semi-professional sources. Also an ity in the palm of his hand, and very putdownable. Try to imagine article by E. Hoffman Price on de "Undr" is a massive narrative dis a GP-rated DHALGREN by Thome Camp's controversial Lovecraft bio tilled to a few pages about, among Smith and Robert Nathan and you graphy. He says the virtue of the other things, a people whose poet have some idea what it's like. thing is it's the first book by an ry consists solely of the word, Overlong and rambling, but beauti outsider (no pun) and thus valued "wonder". Some of the realistic fully written and easy to read. for its objectivity. Agreed. De stories are equally impressive. Beagle, like Delany, has the rare Camp's opinions are clearly labell Borges writes well of South Ameri ability to capture the texture of ed as such. can life and history. I particu ife, and like Delany he becomes so Gregg Press sends GALAXIES LIKE larly recommend "The Night of the delighted with the act of doing it GRAINS OF SAND by Brian Aldiss ($9) Gifts", although I am not as fond he goes on and on. His novel is as the author seems to be of "The which is an important early collec probably twice its proper length, tion of stories linked together to Congress". I don't see how it is formless, and filled out with triv form a history of the next million any better than many of his stor ial detail. Quite a few scenes ies, only longer. years. To my mind it has more of could be cut without loss, but lastin g interest than more recent they're all well done so it's hard The works of Borges are a must books like THE MALACIA TAPESTRY. for any fantasy library. I'd say to say which ones. There is virtu start with LABYRINTHS, but progress ally no plot, so we can't say THE EYES OF THE OVERWORLD by quickly to THE BOOK OF SAND. those which do not further the de Jack Vance ($11) is the sequel to velopment of the book should go. THE DYING EARTH, more unified, and Do that and you have a short story. possibly better written. Gregg Press books aren't something you What's it about? Life and buy casually, but if there's a book death, mostly life in a graveyard. you've alway- wanted to have in a The characters include a talking DRAWING CLOSE TO THE GRAVE by Denis permanent copy, this is the way to raven with a personality like Don Tiana. Portfolio of 23 drawings do it. (unbound). Silver Scarab Press, Rickles, a lonely middle-aged man 500 Wellesley, S.E., Albuquerque, who has been living in a mausoleum THE FIRST WORLD FANTASY AWARDS NM 87106. $5.00 Limited to 300 for 20 years, a widow, and two edited by Gahan Wilson (Doubleday, copies. ghostly lovers. They philosophise 1977, 311 pp., $8.95) is a souvenier a lot -- validly, with truth in of the Providence NecronomiCon, This is one of those rare what they say -- while getting to with winners and runners-up for the treasures like the early Bok folios know one another. Love affairs Howard (World Fantasy) Awards, plus which will haunt you forever if spring up and finally everybody is more material from the prize-winn you pass it up — or if you buy united happily ever after, even ing (now twice) WHISPERS which is it, considering the eldritch nature though for the ghosts it requires not in the WHISPERS anthology, two of the work. Tiani is certainly a coffin transplant to another cem- Robert Bloch stories from WEIRD the most brilliant macabre artist etary. Beagle is mostly interest TALES, an excerpt from THE FORGOT currently active, yet his work ed in creating the day-to-day ex TEN BEASTS OF ELD, a new article has not been widely published. istence of his characters, and he by Robert Aickman, and more. T. E. The few book jackets of his I've ultimately does give them ultimate D. Klein's "The Events at Porath seen (e.g. Brennan's TALES OF vivid reality. Even though you Farm" is the first story from a DARKNESS § DREAD, Arkham House) may stop reading for a while, fanzine (not a semi-prozine—it scarcely hint at what he can do. you'll eventually want to come didn't pay) ever to be nominated Some of his work for the late back and see how everybody is do for a major award. This is its WITCHCRAFT § SORCERY was more typ ing. You'll probably like this second antholization. The jacket ical, but mostly his work has ap book, although not intensely, and by Wilson is attractive, and more peared in fanzines like NYCTALOPS. if you come to it after THE LAST colorful than usual. Doubleday is Editor Morris has reprinted the UNICORN you may be disappointed. trying to make their books look highlights, plus a few I don't better of late, and should be com recognize, all on glossy NYCTALOPS mended for it. cover stock. The reproduction is excellent, as it has to be for the 54 comet's tail and watched the ter realities of space. Since no sci ALIEN THOUGHTS CONT. FROM P. rible impacts of the broken-apart entific explanation of U.P.O.'s corona as pieces the size of mount has yet been given, we ask our ains slammed into the oceans and speakers not to talk on this top continents below. ic." 11-2^-77 Happy Thanksgiving Day!! Underlying the struggle of a 'Isn't that just grand! A non mountain valley cluster of people profit, educational institute which It is my sad duty to report to is forbidden by one government the Galactic Council that an entire to survuve against the coming wint er and against an invading army of agency, the IRS, to lobby for an generation of turkeys were wiped other government agency, NASA, out, eaten, by a rapacious, infin desperate remnants of army units and tormented cannibals, is the which is controlled by funds from itely cruel, callous, merciless the government, the Congress.' barbarian horde on the planet theme of knowledge vs. the attrac Earth. This happens every year! tions of secure ignorance and sup ((Which is controlled, in I recoiranend that it be stopped! I erstition. Will these people sink theory, by the people---- voters, call for a vote from the Council into a primitive, subsistence, scav and taxpayers. But this is not on the extermination of this heart enger life and eventual Dark-Age a reason for outrage; if the In less species called 'humans'. With culture (or worse!), or will they stitute wants its freedom all it the new Xylph Ray we could steril risk almost everything to keep a has to do is cut loose from the ize the entire species and insert nearby nuclear power plant safe government subsidies it obviously into their psyches a loathing for from anti-science religious fanat relishes. In short, it illustrates turkey meat. Thus the turkey cult ics? that old refrain: put your money ure would be saved. I call for a The characterizations are good, where your mouth is, as well as vote! All in favor, raise your vivid, real, with sometimes a bit another truism: them that pays right wing! too much subjective wringing of the orchestra calls the tume.)) hands over tough choices and person al relationships. 19 November, 1977 #■ LUCIFER'S HANMER By Larry GOOD BOOK! Niven and Jerry Poumelle. Play I find myself now hoping it 'Damnation!! I've gotta deal boy Press, $10. will be made into a movie, though with lots of empty-headed people COM4ENT: Damn right I liked it. it would cost multi-millions and who've done nothing but give me It locked me into a near-compulsive require a viewing time of at least the willies stunting my own futur read for a couple days. four hours. And anyone who reads istic development and expansion. This long, detailed, utterly the book will be unable to resist They get me absolutely manical at realistic story of what might hap casting stars in the various roles. times. I've included a short feed pen to Earth if a large comet made One other phenomenon this novel back reply from a student at my a direct hit is unflinching in its produces in the reader: you keep college to articles I write about examination of individuals under thinking, "How would 1^ behave in futurism. This is what the average ultimate stress, and speaks to the this situation?" This occurrs all majority feel/believe?' matter of society fractured and through the book. The reader is "I have to disagree with the basic, instinctual social con involved! He is forced to look Chet Twarog that, 'When an explora tract . deep within himself. tion of that beyond our own plan This is a multiple viewpoint This novel should be a best et declines and fails, so will story, switching from the "God" seller on the paperback racks, if the chances for successful civili point of view in italics as the not in hardcover. zation and a successful future.' inpersonal events which deflect the comet from the fringe of the I feel that if there is any pos sibility of a 'successful civili solar system "downward" into the # LETTERS FROM CHET TWAROG, GAL crowded area of planets and sun, ACTIC CITIZEN zation' or a 'successful future', to the cast of characters whose then it must grow from the reali 20 Nov. 1977 zation that there is 'only one experiences and thoughts tell the earth', that if we do not solve terrifying story of the impact, 'I'm involved with the National its consequences and the after Space Institute and going on my our problems here, and soon, we are not likely to do anything any math for the survivors. second year as a member. I re There are awe-inspiring scenes: cently applied to their speakers where else. Indeed, I feel that until we pull ourselves together, the tidal wave that rose like a bureau and received this in a re in more ways than one, we have not water mountain and swept inward ply: proven ourselves worthy of the over Santa Monica (vivid for me, "In response to your re curatorship of a single planet. since I used to live there!) and quest to become actively involv Chet Twarog's intergalactic mind drowned the entire Los Angeles ed in our speakers bureau... trips may be nice escapism, but basin, surging into the San Fern "May we remind you that the they are escapism nonetheless. ando Valley... Institute is a non-profit, educa Isn't it about time we came down #The eruption of volcanoes. tional organization forbidden by to earth? As someone once said, #The terrible earthquake when the IRS to lobby in Congress in 'far out is fine, who's minding all the pressures along the San An any way on any issue. We ask the store?" dreas and other faults in Californ that you refrain from discussing ia let go in simultaneous release. space politics at any engagement 'I even challenge people on my #The frantic acts of savagery where you are representing the radio program with no feedback at and panic as survivors fought for Institute and treat any political all! "I'd like to make a request" high ground, food, supplies. questions posed you very delicate is all I get, #The experiences and sights of ly. One other reminder, the In 'The trouble with too much the Russian and American astro stitute is a scientific organiza futuristic outlook is depressive nauts as they were engulfed by the tion dealing with the concrete ness. If it wasn't for SFR, the 55 prozines and science fiction, I'd came obvious that space-living is concerned about specific genre surely crack up from the frustra not a long-term solution to our limitations; I do want exceptional tion of trying to make other peo problems. work, though (doesn't everyone?). ple know that we can make a future ((I imagine that it would be I hope to be able to offer some living in real elegant style if we possible to establish a permanent, kind of payment; undoubtedly there would just push colonies in space large space station in orbit, and will be something like that involv and technology to the fullest de perhaps send ships into the aster ed, it's just that I don't have velopment and potential that it oid belt for prospecting and min anything definite right now. I've has for all of us. I talk to peo ing, but the survival rate would written to Jerry Pournelle and ple who believe in a Second Coming, be shockingly low, and workers on Gene Wolfe, asking if they'd each forseeing the end of humanity and the space station would have to be do a short piece on writing; I'll no need for doing otherwise except rotated often. let you know their responses, of waiting. ((The best bet would now seem course when I get them. '"There is a vacuum in the to be highly "intelligent” currrput- 'My hopes are that SC can open world", Geis, but how do we get erized unmanned mining and pros up a few new fields----the genre of rid of it? What do we fill it pecting rigs on the Moon after sf poetry is growing, but is still with if dreaming of unlimited ex commercially oriented manned ex not as well-known as if deserves pansion into the solar system and ploration and evaluation. (of course, no poetry is really beyond is scoffed at as escapism? ((But the time is short, per very hot on the average market, What do we do with a Congress who haps the time is gone', when even but that's to be expected). I keeps on cutting back on NASA? our government or the largest of know a number of fans who write, And, welfare, and? Our system is the greediest trans-national corp but don't write sf or heroic fan failing and only we can foresee it orations is willing or desperate tasy, so they aren't heard from and know it. No one else is con enough to attempt Moon mining. often----and I want to open some vinced. ((Skylab will be doing exten kind of market for them, too. My 'How about autographing the sive research on man's long-term major interests in fiction are, subscription editions of SFR?' adaptability to space, and until granted, sf/f, but a well-written story is a well-written story, ev ('ri'ou'Z-Z have to admit, Chet, answers are given to that basic question, everything future is en if it's by Dashiell Hammett. that the student whom you quote is 'Neil Kvern as idealistic as you; it's just a wish, hope and optimism. ((I'm afraid I can’t take the Box 258, matter of priorities. Cataldo, ID 83810.' ((I'm afraid I'll not be a time to autograph all 1800 or so subscription copies of SER, each strong staff to lean upon in your ((Glad to see you have so thor depressiveness and frustration. issue. Would you care to make the trip from Idaho and spend a couple oughly thought out your plans for I’m with those who poo-poo the SUN CHARIOT, Neil.)) chances of successful colonization days, non-stop writing, and do it and space-living. I shed my ideal for me? Or am I being too ideal ism some years ago. I have no istic. ..and unrealistic?)) faith that mankind can be anything other than what he is. Nor do I # Johnny Carson, last night on believe he should be different. Cover-up Lowdown &VPAUL MAVRWES the TONIGHT show, during his mono- ((Americans, and possibly oth log, mentioned that NBC had can er peoples, are now really beginn celled LOGAN'S RUN. ing to feel hemmed in and limited. Good! There isn't a frontier to run to. This causes anxiety...unconscious ftftftftAA*Aft ftftftftAA*ft ftftftft************** panic.. .neurosis. In desperation we are surfacing wild dreams of a space frontier. 11-25-77 Lester del Rey makes two ((I suspect that space-living very valid points about the current is impractical because I think we sf boom: the publishers are gearing are arrogantly assuming we can ad up for an explosion of new sf next just to any environment. I believe year (and where are the readers mankind is an Earth animal, tied to 5IRHAN SIRHAN'S GUN HELP ONLY 8 going to come from to buy it all?), this planet by myriads of inter BULLETS, YET 9 WERE FOUNP & SEVERAL and who is going to write it all? acting and interdependent biologic MORE FIRED IN THE AMBASSADOR HOTEL The supply of sf and fantasy al micro-forces and factors of PAHTRTA5 CAN BE SEEN IN ABOVE DRAWING. will meet the editorial demand, of which we are largely unaware. course. But the quality will prob ((I suspect that after some ably be low. months in space---- even with an # LETTER FROM NEIL KVERN Right. A boom--a bust. It has artificial gravity and a "home ever been thus. The publishers like" space environment with liv 11-8-77 think all those STAR WARS and CLOSE ing shrubs, flowers, etc. (and ENCOUNTERS viewers are going to be 'I'm trying to start a yearly I'm not sure even Earth plants readers. could, over the long haul, live anthology series, SUN CHARIOT, I doubt it. A certain percent which will be primarily written by off planet)---- subtle changes in age of them will try printed sf, fans and semi-pros and such. I'm body chemistry would occur, people but not enough, not for long. would sicken in various ways, looking for submissions of poetry Because 90% of current sf and there would be a too-high ratio of and fiction and I'd like to hear fantasy is badly written on two lev from a few artists, too. I'm not iscarriages, madness, psychosomatic els, and after the wonder of a tour illnesses, suicide... until it be 56 of sf themes—about twenty or thir ty books and/or magazines, the glit WORLD SOUL by Mikhail Emtsev 5 ter will fade and the bad writing Eremei Pamov. Macmillan, $7.95. will drive them away. Why read dull Russian sf. [Advance copy] Feb. stuff when you can watch it on TV? 1978 publication date. How is current sf badly written? Most characterizations are good e- THE HEARING TRUMPET by Leonora Car nough, if often overcooked and ster rington. Pocket Books 81837, $1.75. eotyped. It is in the lack of real ism that sf and fantasy fail; the THE STAR CHILD TRILOGY by Frederik stories are still sophomoric and Pohl and Jack Williamson. Pocket juvenile in basic conception. We Books 81105, $1.95. need to offer real people behaving CONNENT: The novels that make up in real future life, because if we the trilogy are: THE REEFS OF continue to offer impossible heroes SPACE, STARCHILD, and ROGUE STAR. and heroines we are giving the read They were previously published er printed TV. And no amount of separately by Ballantine after flashy sf furniture and ginmicks original publication in GALAXY and will long distract from that dismal IF. reality. The over-reliance on Wonder is STARGATE By Stephen Robinett. Sig our other writing sin. Too many net W7757, $1.50. plots are mere sightseeing tours of science fiction themes. It all gets MONDAY BEGINS ON SATURDAY by Arkadi too familiar, too soon. 8 Boris Strugatski. DAW UE1336, We've got to give readers real $1.75. people in real situations in the future and limit the six-impossible- NONE BUT MAN by Gordon R. Dickson. things-before-breakfast syndrome. DAW UE1337, $1.75 Real people do become heroes and heroines, and real people are evil and villainous. At present only THE KING IN YELLOW by Robert W. Here's a quote or two from two the villains in sf (usually) are Chambers. Ace 44481-4, $1.50. sf shows on TV which have gone down realistic. CONNENT: Macabre stories. Inter the tube (courtesy Buzz Dixon): People still go to movies be esting that the copyright is 1895 cause they get uncensored TV at in the name of F. Tennyson Neely. SYLVIA: You like simple girls, theatres. They won't stick with Was Chambers a pen-name? don't you? Like Jes printed sf and fantasy unless we sica. give them adult treatments of be OUR FRIENDS FROM FROLIX 8 by Phil lievably future problems. ip K. Dick. Ace 64401-5, $1.50. LOGAN: Jessica isn't that sim ple. But above all--good, solid CONNENT: Reprinted from 1970. Vin tage Dick. He doesn't write this stories are needed, and the con SYLVIA: She's in love with you, way anymore, alas. struction and fleshing-out of a isn't she? tight, tensioned story is still CONJURE WIFE by Fritz Leiber. --LOGAN'S RUN a very difficult effort, not easi Ace 11686-8, $1.95. ly learned or understood. CONNENT: interesting cutout inside There are rumors of many new outside cover. This is perhaps For people who've been frozen sf magazines and pocketbook mags the novel which will last of all 200 years, death is just a in sf's near-future, plus hundreds Fritz's books. A classic. statistic. of more hardcover and softcover --LOGAN'S RUN PAST MASTER by R.A. Lafferty. novels, anthologies, collections. Ace 65301-4, $1.50. This is good for one reason on MULDOON: Listen, Mark, we gotta ly— the demand will give new talent BEHIND THE WALLS OF TERRA by Phil get out of here. You a quick opportunity for publication. ip Jose Farmer. Ace 05357-2, $1.50 ain't met this Thark. We'll see some very good new writers CONNENT: The fourth book of the He's a giant! bloom. World of Tiers series. MARK HARRIS: (seeing shovels And we'll see tons of junk by JACOB ATABET by Michael Murphy. and picks) He's new (and old) lazy writers. And Celestial Arts, $4.95. a miner. then the bubble will burst. Comment: A speculative fiction in MULDOON: I don't care how old volving evolution. Murphy founded In the meantime, let's help he is, he's really the Esalen Institute with Richard each other find and relish the big! Price in 1962. good stuff...and warn each other of --MAN FROM ATLANTIS the shit. THE ADOLESCENCE OF P-1 by Thomas J. Ryan. Collier Books, $4.95. And from FERNWOOD TONIGHT: ENCOUNTER PROGRAM by Robert Enstrom. Sometimes I think I'm a midget; Doubleday, $7.95. the last to know it's raining and # RECEIVED: THE DEVIL IN A FOR the first to know it's a flood. EST by Gene Wolfe. Ace 14288-5, THE FANTASTIC IN LITERATURE by Eric $1.50. Fantasy. S. Rabkin. Princeton Unicersity Press, $3.95. Academic analysis. AFTER UTOPIA by Mack Reynolds. ALIEN THOUGHTS CONT. ON P. 60 Ace 00958-1, $1.50. 57 LIMBO BLUES BY NEAL WILGUS I was cruzin thru space with me baby suckin a bottle of gin peruzin a foldout from SPACEBOY an wishin that she was that thin. She was tryin to pull her spacesuit on When all of the suttin I seen it an I was for keeping it off out thru the porthole in space -- so I gave her some hooch in a teaspoon comin right at us like crazy an told her it was good for her cough. a grinnin gigantic blue face! When all of the suttin I felt goosebumps I jumped when it winked an smiled at us an knew it had come back again not knowin quite what to expect. an there in the air it was floatin Me finger was right on her button right there in our own cozy den. an we was all set to eject. This time a big mouth was a-smilin, Then all of the suttin -- nuttin. a mouth an a tongue, that was all. So quick as a flash I got friendly We was tryin to forget the intrusion an gave it the drinks from our ball. by hittin a bottle of scotch. Then all of the suttin -- nuttin. Me baby had just turned her heat up an mine had gone up a whole notch. It was gone for some time an we wondered When all of the suttin I realized if now it was goin for good that sumpin was watchin our act but in back of me mind I was certin an could see how she'd gotten my heat up it would hurry right back if it could. an could see how me baby was stacked. Then all of the suttin I saw her There at the porthole I saw it her eyes lightin up full of fire just one huge gigantic big eye. an the next thing I saw was the sumpin Whatever it was it was closer full twenty inches long, I'm no liar. an was learnin to peek and to spy. It seemed to know just what it came for Then all of the suttin -- nuttin. an she seemed to know what to do. I swear I ain't never been madder than when I was watchin those two. Then all of the suttin -- nuttin. I was mournin me now missin baby an nursing a bottle of wine an thinkin about that strange sumpin who'd decided he'd take what was mine. When all of the suttin it hit me that the sumpin was not like a man and there in the air it had joined me a great giant foldout I could scan. Those blue legs were the legs of my baby but the size was now sumpin to see so quick as a flash I grabbed on em and came to the point I was free. Then all of the suttin --nuttin! end 58 THE HUMAN HOTLINE S-F NEWS BY ELTON T. ELLIOTT # TERRY CARR will have an anthol # R. FARADAY NELSON will have THE SPOTLIGHT ogy out from Thomas Nelson, about a Blade series novel published by Christmas. Tentatively titled SF Pinnacle. It's called DIMENSION OF eeazubhlauihqrl HORROR and will appear under the 'CHRISTMAS STORIES: TO FOLLOW A STAR. To clarify an inconsistency in Jeffrey Lord house name. TERRY CARR will also edit, start our first column, WORLDS OF MIST ing next year, a reprint anthology AND SHADCW was retitled by Judy- # SCHEDULED DAW RELEASES: series for Berkley/Putnam, titled Lynn del Rey as WEB OF THE CHOSEN. March THE YEAR'S FINEST FANTASY. Out on the stands by now, Jack BEAST OF GOR by John Norman Chalker regards it as a fun book. WHETTED BRONZE by Manning Norvil # RICHARD LUPOFF will have two The cover is by Ralph McQuarrie, DYING FOR TOMORROW by Michael novels published by Dell in 1978: who did a lot of the artwork and Moorcock SPACE WAR BLUES and CIRCUMPOLAR. planet design on STAR WARS. CALLING DR. PATCHWORK by Ron SPACE WAR BLUES will have a George Goulart MIDNIGHT AT THE WELL OF SOULS Barr cover and a long introduction was Del Rey's biggest seller in by Harlan Ellison. April Sept, and Oct. (excepting STAR WELL OF SHIUAN by C.J. Cherryh WARS) and will be reissued as a # LEI Qi BRACKETT will have the SAVAGE SCORPIO by Alan Burk Ak top seller with major promotion in fourth John Stark novel published ers Del Rey Books' first anniversary by Del Rey Books in 1978. She al A TOUCH OF STRANGE by Theodore in March. There will be a sequel so has a TV pilot in process that Sturgeon late next year, and possibly a is not sf. THE JOAN OF ARK REPLAY by Pierre third and final book. Barbet # STEPHEN GOLDIN has finished Del Rey Books have also pur May D'Alembert #5 and is working on #6. chased DANCERS IN THE AFTERGLOW. THE 1978 ANNUAL WORLD'S BEST His current novel, ASSAULT ON THE Described as a serious and down Edited by Donald A. Wollheim GODS, from Doubleday, is set in beat political novel, Jack says it's CITY OF THE SUN by Brian M. the same universe as SCAVENGER HUNT unlike anything he has done before, and FINISH LINE, Laser's #25 and Stableford and expects it to draw an enormous KIOGA OF THE UNKNOWN LAND by #45. He and Kathleen Sky Goldin amount of critical fire, particu William Chester have been asked to teach an sf larly from politically oriented course at Cal State-Northridge. WARLORD OF THE AIR by Michael reviewers of whatever persuasion. Moorcock. Jack worked on DANCERS while at # MICHAEL KURLAND will have a Westercon and finished it upon # JOHN VARLEY's first short sto novel out from Nelson entitled returning home. PRINCES OF EARTH. ry collection will contain: An In troduction by Algis Budrys; "Retro A story set after the events grade Summer," "The Phantom of Kans in JUNGLE OF STARS, Jack Chalker's # ROBERT ANTON WILSON is work as," "Air Raid," "When the Black first novel, is titled "Forty Days ing on an Occult novel, THE DEVIL'S Hole Passes," "In the Hall of the and Nights inthe Wilderness" and MASQUERADE, and has sold an sf tri Martian Kings," "In the Bowl," will appear in ANALOG. logy to Simon 8 Shuster. The first "Gotta Sing, Gotta Dance," "Over An sf ferryboat story (the book is SCHROEDINGER'S CAT. drawn at the Memory Bank," "The Earthly type that moves through Persistence of Vision." water), "Dance Band On the Titanic," # THEODORE STURGEON will have 3 The collection will be releas will be in an early 1978 issue of books out from Bantam. One is a ed in the Spring by Dial/James Wade ISSAC ASIMOV'S SF MAGAZINE. If reissue and two will be new collec Books. tions of unanthologized stories. it's popular, a series on the boat # J.F. BONE's unpublished Laser might be done. Book, THE MATADOR, will be publish Jack Chalker has finished a new # SYDNEY J. VAN SCYLOC has fin ed by Starblaze Series from the novel, and is working on another. ished a new novel, SUNWAVE. Donning Company, edited by Kelly and Polly Freas. ***************************** # ELIZABETH LYNN will have a story in MILLENNIAL WOMEN, edited # LASER BOOKS are returning all REG NOTE: 1-4-78 Telegram from by Virginia Kidd, out from Dell rights and manuscripts to the au Richard Evans of Futura Publish April 18. She will also have a thors . ing in England: JUST RECEIVED SFR story in DARK DREAMS, DARK SINS, 23 GOOD ISSUE BUT PLEASE NOTE PETE edited by Barry Malzberg Bill # THOMAS N. SCORTIA and FRANK WESTON'S ANTHOLOGY SERIES NOT RE Pronzini. The anthology will be M. ROBINSON have a new novel com PEAT NOT SUSPENDED BY PUBLISHERS. published by Doubleday. ing out entitled NIGHTMARE FACTOR. ANDROMEDA 3 NOW IN PREPARATION. ALIEN THOUGHTS CONT, FROM P.57 especially when the distraction is point of Goldin's "When There's No in the form of having to go back & Man Around," which is an outrageous reread a paragraph a more capable farce aimed, not at traditional writer could have made completely pulp stereotypes of women, but clear with half the wordage. feminist attitudes about those # LETTER FROM NEAL WILGUS 'This idea is hardly new. Rob stereotypes. ((Goldin)) deliber ately threw together every cliche 11-17-77 ert Bloch puts it well in a letter in ALGOL 28: on the subject to knock down the 'Colin Wilson's PHILOSOPHER'S new ones which have arrisen as a STONE is sf—but it's being mark "Another thing I noticed---- the reaction to the old ones. I'm eted as a "prophetic novel" as part Asimov interview and the articles beginning to feel, for instance, of Warner Paperback's Rediscovery by Gunn and de Camp were written in that the all-competent woman we Series. With a bullshit introduc plain English. Isn't it amazing see in John Varley's fiction is as tion by Joyce Carol Oates, a main how the Big Name Pros manage to ex much a stereotype as the old ANALOG stream biggie, yet. (She is "no press themselves in simple, declar engineer.' admirer of Lovecraft.") ative sentences, while the neo-wri- 'I need to read one more Wilson ters-turned-critics must resort to ---THE STRENGTH TO DREAM---to do a prolox pontifications and polysyl labic pseudo-profundity? Saying sort of assessment of his relation # LETTER FROM NATE BUCKLIN, ship with sf (he's a big admirer what you mean is just; as important of van Vogt, naturally.)...' as meaning what you say, and the MINNESOTA SCIENCE FICTION SOCIETY, real pros have learned how to do INC. both." November, 1977 # LETTER FROM DARRELL SCHWEITZER 'Of course many academic crit 'Dear Mr. Baen: November, 1977 ics are not only not professional I'm writing on be 'I am not going to "get" Bill writers, but they have little trace half of "Minn-stf"—the Minnesota Gibson for his letter ((in #23)), of writing talent. Having a degree Science Fiction Society, Inc. (We for all gladitorial director Geis does not qualify one to write crit 've all heard about your departure would have me do so.... I don't icism, or anything else. And I from GALAXY; but we have not heard see any reason to make an enemy out don't intend to throw my degree a- whether or not the Galaxy Volun of the man. Nothing to be gained round, just to point out it does- teers program is departing along from it, § should we ever meet I n't mean much. I have one 8 I'm with you. Therefore we're writing can hope at best we can politely not an academic. I actually have you anyway—as well as Richard ignore each other. little respect for degrees. They Geis/Alter Ego, Spider Robinson, 'I've thought about his com are no guarantee of any sort of and the original Galaxy Volunteers ments and this Language Problem in creative thought. P.O. box.) We would like to volun criticism, § it seems to me it 'Gibson would find it instruc teer for the "clearing house" role stems from one of the reasons I'm tive to compare the best sf critics, as mentioned in the August, 1977 a writer and not a teacher. I say LeGuin, Blish, Delany, Korn- GALAXY, page 113; our own plans for tend to lose patience with the ar bluth, Panshin, etc. to the various services for the sightless include ticulate. You can see how this is mumblers in the SF STUDIES book. these: bad news in a teacher----he has to The best critics tend to be writers, 'Basically, Minn-stf has in bring himself down to the student's because of their naturally better mind a program for (a) assembling level without seeming patronizing facility with words (And we think a list of all sf available for the (j thus help the student to think § in words. If you can't write blind, in any form; (b) disseminat express himself more clearly----but clearly or speak clearly, you ing this list, in Braille, to in for editorial work it's a positive can't think clearly.) Even Lem terested blind readers; (c) getting asset. A writer can't be helped when being a pompous slob express feedback from blind sf readers as if he is so clumsy he cannot say es himself more clearly than some to what services they need (for in what he wishes to say. You can critics to whom English is alleged stance: sf bibliography; sf criti send a story back for revision if ly their native language. 6 what cism; convention news); (d) possib- the problem is structure or logic ever I think of Malzberg, I'll ly--no promises--setting up our or development of the idea, but grant that his essays are clearly rarely for style. I have a tenden and concisely written. cy to not listen to the speech if 'Maybe I'm different, but I've the delivery is below a certain always thought one of the greatest level. critical pieces ever written was 'I'm not sure but that this is Mark Twain's "Fenimore Cooper's n't a good idea for a critic or Literary Offences," which contains book reviewer also. If someone more common sense about the nature (i.e. the people in SF STUDIES) of writing than anything else I've cannot write English well enough encountered. Two of Twain's rules to make themselves understood---- were: and more importantly, to present Use the right word, not its their ideas so the manner of dis second cousin. course doesn't get in the way of Eschew obfuscation. what is being said----then I should pan the book. The best writing 'Steve Brown in his prozine re should be invisible, and not just views shows he has no sense of hu in fiction. The reader should not mor. He has completely missed the be constantly distracted by style, own book-reading program, complete learned: SFR is a pulp fanzine all RIME ISLE by Fritz Leiber. Whisp with alternative distributing chan the way. ers Press, $10. nels . CONNENT: Limited edition, with 10 '"C" appears to be the priori full-page illustrations by Tim Kirk. # The books incoming have piled ty, though getting on "a" and "b" This novel is comprised by novelets up, there has been a spate of must- will be no real problem—one blind which appeared in FLASHING SWORDS publish letters, and some Comments local fan can transcribe from tape #3 and COSMOS. In a covering lett have been bursting my seams. So to Braille, and the list of works er, Stuart Schiff says, 'There is let me get to it. may be fairly short. "D"—our also a special signed and boxed own book-reading program----will Oh, one more item of intimate edition of 250 copies at $20. each.' take somewhat longer to set up, editorial interest: I have been Order from: Whispers Press, Box and we'll probably delay starting toying with my usual drastic change 904, Chapel Hill, NC 27514. until we're absolutely certain in contents format impulses, and This is, of course, a Fafhrd J, that it's both necessary and pract the letters as usual, from readers, Gray Mouser novel. ical; even so, the amount of avail have once more Made Me Think. BLACK GOD'S SHADOW by C.L. Moore. able energy for that program is You seem to want More Geis in Grant, $15. tremendous. Also, since some SFR, as usual. Flattering as hell. COMMENT: Five novelettes of Jirel reading services for the blind op And in order to save having to pay of Joiry's adventures. Exquisitely erate on the basis that "if you money to others for material to pub illustrated with five color plates send us a book, one of our readers lish, starting maybe this issue, in by Alicia Austin. Superbly made will read it onto tape and send the late pages, you'll find a new books. you back the original", we're al column by me. so set up----now---- for operating a I'll call it "Reports From Al THE THREE PALLADINS by Harold Lamb. book search service, having as we ternate Earth #666." In diary for Grant, $12. Warrior-Hero historic do a large club library and many mat, the entries will be my observa al fantasy. Four full-color, full members who are active collectors. tions of the goings-on in the so- page paintings interior by Cathy 'If you and DESTINIES' publish called 'real' world----- politics, Hill. ers are willing to "continue the economics, sociology, culture... Order from Donald Grant, West fight" and disseminate infromation, We do live in an alternate Earth, Kingston, RI 02892. names of volunteers, etc., we you know. A weird spinoff. The would appreciate both receiving things happening around us nowdays ALIEN THOUGHTS CONT, ON P. 71 any such information and having can only be explained in that way. our name and address also passed So SFR will have two diarys by on. Meanwhile, we'll be getting me—this one more or less restrict our list of available sf together ed to sf, fantasy, SFR, publishing, —we may have quite a lot accomp editing, writing....and one filled lished by the time this sees print! with madness. ooo 'Box 2128 Loop Station, Minneapolis, MN 55402.' # RECEIVED: UNEARTH #5 (Winter, ON THE NIGHT WHEN THE AZTECS 1978),$1.50. [$4. year, from 102 **A*AA*AAAA*AA**A*AA****A*A******** DROVE CORTEZ AND HIS MEN OUT Charles St., #190, Boston, MA 02114] OF NEXICO CITY, KILLING MANY COMMENT: Big, thick issue, with a OF THEM, AN EPIDEMIC OF SMALL wild cover that features a male 12-6-77 Dear loyal subscribers POX WAS RAGING IN THE CITY... and bookstore buyers... The ever- nude with woman's breasts and a tig THE PARALYZING EFFECT OF A critical cash-flow figures are er's head. Lotsa big names inside. LETHAL EPIDEMIC GOES FAR TO Very professional package. peeling the scales of illusion from EXPLAIN WHY THE AZTECS DID NOT my eyes, stripping me of hope, and SECRET SCORPIO by Alan Burt Akers. PURSUE THE DEFEATED AND DEMOR dictating a return to the all news DAW UW1344, $1.50. This is the ALIZED SPANIARDS..,. print 80-page format. 15th Dray Prescott adventure. "MOREOVER, IT IS WORTH CONSID Isn't it remarkable what a CRY SILVER BELLS by Thomas Burnett ERING THE PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPLI cash flow can do to a man? Swann. DAW UW1345, $1.50. CATIONS OF A DISEASE THAT KILL Simply, the lovely heavy covers Fantasy. This must have been com ED ONLY INDIANS AND LEFT SPAN are too damned expensive. I find pleted shortly before Swann died. IARDS UNHARMED. SUCH PARTIAL myself putting off paying contribu It is copyrighted by Margaret Gain ITY COULD ONLY BE EXPLAINED tors, worrying about where-the-hell- es Swann, 1977. SUPERNATURALLY... LITTLE WON the-money-is-going-to-come-from-to- DER, THEN, THAT THE INDIANS pay-the-house-insurance, the doc PRISON OF NIGHT by E. C. Tubb. ACCEPTED CHRISTIANITY AND SUB tor, the tax man.... DAW UW1346, $1.50. A Dumarest of MITTED TO SPANISH CONTROL SO Terra novel, #17. MEEKLY. God HAD SHOWN HIMSELF A study of the circulation fig ON THEIR SIDE.... ures on page 79 will show that SFR THE BEST FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD has grown very little in the past Edited by Donald A. Wollheim. DAW ---PLAGUES AND PEOPLES year. (Incredible as that may UE 1343, $1.75. An anthology of William H. McNeill seem!) This is fine with me. I European S-f. 14 stories. Anchor/Doubleday have often said I do not want all the bookwork and mailing chores THE BEST FROM FANTASY AND SCIENCE that go with a very successful (in FICTION, edited by Edward L. Fer sales) fanzine. And it looks like man. Doubleday, $7.95. The cream I got what I can handle. But the from t he last four years, and not OOO income does NOT permit the luxury just fiction. of heavy cover stock. So, lesson 61 AN INTERVIEW WITH ALGIS BUDRYS CONDUCTED BY ED GORMAN Certain quarters have it that gers for information and material; SFR: Your criticism tends to be Algis Budrys is a dark and brood and of course to Budrys, who con metaphysical. I'm thinking speci ing man. They will tell you there tributed much more to the final fically of your piece on Lovecraft. are certain questions you should shaping of this piece than may be I was never able to read him until not ask him. At least not without evident. you did your column which explain some risk. ed him to me. How do you approach Ordinarily the piece should end a book? You seem to review people The day I interviewed Budrys here. But after Budrys read my more than books. Or lives more he was suffering the last symptoms introductory material, he decided than books. of a bad case of flu. A good ex to reply to my assertion that some cuse to be short-tempered or unco people consider him "dark and BUDRYS: well, I tend to review operative . brooding". books in the light of what I know But Budrys was cordial, help His reply is fascinating. about the authors and in the light ful and amusing. And he answered of my experience in science fiction the questions, even some rather generally. Because I see my job frivolous ones, fully and serious as one of attracting people to the ly- field in an intelligent manner and of explaining as best I can things Physically, he's a big man, that might puzzle people. Love blond and chunky in his forty-six craft, for instance, is somebody th year, reminding me of an early whom a fair number of people have John 1). MacDonald hero twenty read and a great many people have years later. His voice is his most SFR: D° you agree with some of heard about. In the case of an interesting quality--the sort of the New Critics who maintain that author like Lovecraft, his person voice you hear a lot in advertis criticism can be as creative and al life, his personal orientations ing agencies--necktie-hip, sharp substantive as fiction? are extremely important to what he and swaggering, with an unaccount writes and how he writes it and able edge of melancholy. BUDRYS: Yes, sometimes it can. why he writes it, and I try to get The ad agency reference is es into that. Now, in the case of pecially relevant to Budrys because SFR: Can you give me some examp that particular review I was help he's spent many years in both ad les? ed a hell of a lot by L. Sprague vertising and public relations. de Camp from whom I stole most of .And it shows. He has a superb BUDRYS: Sure, any of my columns. the information that's in the re sense of audience and an equally (Laughter.) No, I don't know if view. superb sense of self-deprecation, that theory is really one hundred the two essentials required for per cent true, but I think it can SFR: That's my point. I read de writing seriously about underarms approach that kind of thing occas Camp's book after I read your re and politicians. ionally. In the hands of someone view. He never gets to that meta like Damon Knight or James Blish I physic. ..He never really explains Before, and to some extent, think sometimes it has. Lovecraft as you do. during his career in various media fields, Budrys wrote some of the best science fiction of the fifties and sixties, including ROGUE MOON, a nearly flawless novel that was more "admired'' than understood. After several years of rela tively little fiction writing, Bud rys is busy once again. His new novel MICHAELMAS (G.P. Putnam) ap peared recently to major and en thusiastic reviews. The NEWSWEEK reviewer said "Budrys is a first-rate novelist, witty, humane and adroit..." Everybody who knows Budrys' work knows how right, if belated, such an assessment is. My thanks to George R.R. Martin for letting me impose on his sci ence fiction workshop; to Ivor Ro BUDRYS: Well, O.K., that's the SFR: How about the academic crit SFR: And is it being marketed difference between Sprague and me. ics in the SF context these days? more shrewdly? And, in a way, it's the difference There was a piece in the NEW YORK between Sprague's fiction and my TIMES by Gore Vidal claiming that BUDRYS: I don't think so. I think fiction. I tend to write stories mainstream novels were being kil there's just more money in it. about people, try to get under led by academic critics--professors And the thing that pleases me about their skins. For various good rea writing for-professors. How does that is that somebody is going to sons I've always been able to ei that work in SF, good or bad? get a chance to put some away. ther actually understand a charac Not that I think it's going to ter or convince a reader that I da BUDRYS:. I don't think that's the spread out evenly or that I think There's no way that I can deter right distinction. I think any it's going to continue for any mine for sure that I've got all thing can be killed if it's spoken great length of time, or that I this empathy and insight that peo of more often by dumb critics than even think that it's a worthwhile ple have credited me with in the by smart critics. I've known some trend. But for God's sake, when I past. As a matter of fact I don't academic critics that were extreme think of all the science fiction think I do. I think the readers ly perceptive, by my lights, and writers who've gone to their graves contribute at least half. actually seemed to be making a pos impoverished or deprived, it's nice itive contribution not only to to see a few people at least get SFR: Why did you decide to start scholarship and to their own cred ting overpaid. It's an unusual writing criticism? entials but to an understanding of occurrence in the field. how these things work. And I've BUDRYS: I've always been inter known some other academics who SFR: Are there any trends in sc ested in how it all works. I got were pretty stupid. In fact, I ience fiction as a business that my first editorial job almost im just got out of a weekend meeting displease you? mediately after selling my first of the Science Fiction Research As story. So the two things have al sociation where I got a chance to BUDRYS: Yeah, there's a vast pro ways gone together. You start meet the whole spectrum. So that's liferation of editors who've been wondering why authors did this par not where the distinctions occur. drafted into the job simply be ticular thing, you start seeing They occur alorig the same old fam cause some publisher has decided what editors do to work in order iliar lines--does this person un he's going to do science fiction to make it, in their eyes, more derstand what he is talking about this week. And he knows that palatable to the public. You be or doesn't he? And then there's-- there's some kid in the shipping come interested in processes. I does this person have influence or room who's constantly reading Mar have gone the whole route. As you doesn't he? And the two groups vel comics. And the publisher know I now own my own production split in different places so you says O.K., you're my science fic company. I've done it all. I've get influential dolts and if they tion editor until further notice. done it from copy editing on happen to gravitate into sufficient For some reason I don't understand through standing over an Intertype positions of power, yeah, it will and which has nothing to do with operator's shoulder or trying to do an enormous amount of damage. my male chauvinism, it's usually figure out how a photo-typesetter But you can't characterize that in some earnest young lady that grad can handle a character line that terms of their specific orienta uated from Radcliffe last week and is longer than the machine is cap tion. wanted to get into a glamor pro able of handling. I'm interested fession. She's sincere as all get in processes. SFR: What trends in SF please you? out and doesn't know the first thing either about editing or ab BUDRYS: My continued success is out science fiction--but she's wil SFR: As a critic have you ever made the one that I'm most interested ling to leam--on the job--at the a mistake that still haunts you or in. (Laughter) I try to write a expense of the entire field. I embarrasses you? story that's reasonably free of guess if more young men wanted to stylistic experimentation on any get into those glamor professions BUDRYS: I've made a lot of mis obvious level. I try to write a it would be a more even split. takes. I can't remember any that story that proceeds from adventur haunt or embarrass me--none of ous moment to adventurous moment SFR: Are there any writers whose them were deliberate. But, oh, my and at the same time I try and make books you refuse to read? God, yeah, I've said some incred it mean something in terms of a ibly stupid things. better understanding of how people BUDRYS: No, no specific writers. work and how the world works. What There are many bad books that SFR: I was thinking of Richard pleases me is I think I see more cross my desk and that I actually Schickel who saw "Bonnie and and more of that happening. Ob read, or start to read, but simp Clyde" one week and said it was viously, anytime somebody else ly don't mention. I won't usually junk and went back and saw it the writes a story like that I'm going write a really slam review of a next week and recanted. Have you to be happier with that story than book unless one of two things hap ever done anything like that? I with some other kind. pens- -if I find other people prais mean really missed and then a week' ing it heavily and I think it's a down the line smacked yourself on SFR: What pleases you in terms of case of their being fundamentally the forehead? science fiction as a comnodity? mistaken, then I'll bring out a negative review. Or if the book BUDRYS: I can't think of anything BUDRYS: the fact that there's more is bad in some way that will let like that offhand. Of course, I money in it. me be instructive while picking it tend to protect myself against that apart and maybe a little bit funny. sort of realization. I would nev Ever so often you've got to do er go back. 63 that. I don't do it very often. BE CERTAIN IT IS WHAT to Larry Shaw. Was he particularly you're the only person to ever pub helpful to you? licly thank Howard Browne for any thing. BUDRYS: In a way. Not on the book itself. First of all, Larry .BUDRYS: All right. Well, Howard is a hell of a human being. He is another pro. I'm deeply prejud literally fed me and housed me, iced in favor of professional edi many's the time. Second of all, tors. When I wrote DREAM OF VIC then he was working for an outfit TORY it was first of all my very called Royal Publications/Magnum first novelette. I had sold maybe Publications that brought out a four or five stories before that dozen magazines--two of which were and I was selling them at about INFINITY and SCIENCE FICTION ADVEN the rate of one a week all of a FOR IT WILL BE . TURES, but the others were things sudden. Anything I could write YOURS FOREVER,/ like LION ADVENTURES and UNTAMED suddenly turned to gold. And it and GUNSPORT, CARS, CAR SPEED AND wasn't that I was selling one edi STYLE and CUSTOM RODDER. He let tor. Just some sort of magic mom me hang around the office and work ent had occurred and I was really on all these magazines. I learned full of myself. DREAM OF VICTORY, I don't do it as often as I used an awful lot of editorial stuff which is 10,000 words long, I had to. and made a certain amount of money. 32 chapters in, some of them two I got a chance to work in fields words long. I was showing the in which I had some interest but whole world what a smart-alecky SFR: 0° y°u have to do it for which I would have probably never writer I was. And Howard went your own sake or for your readers' gotten into. And I got a chance through it, through all the chap or both? to see what a real editor has to ter headings and ran the chapters do, day after day, to get a whole together into, in some cases, very BUDRYS: Well, it helps you sharp en your own wits, but it also help series of wildly different maga short paragraphs, and you know, it you from being so goddam deadly zines out. I was very impressed read even better that way. I serious all the time. Besides, by Larry's skill in doing all of learned a lot from Howard's having most review column readers like to that. That's about it. I was ab done that. I didn't get a chance see a little blood flow now and le to write ROGUE MOON in large to see Howard very often after then. part because Larry was giving me that, but I'd see him now and ag the chance to do all this work. ain over the years and we were SFR: That leads into my next I had the financial ability to sit pretty good friends. question beautifully. In 1971 you down in the middle of the night ended your GALAXY book review col- and work on ROGUE MOON a little SFR: Are there any outstanding ed linn rather abruptly by writing, bit. itors in SF today? "Your faithful reviewer has no further grounds for believing him SFR: In his essay, "My Affair BUDRYS: There'S no one who domin self to be even marginally compet with Science Fiction", Alfred Bes ates the field in the way Campbell ent." What inspired that sort of ter portrays John Campbell as be did. The circumstances aren't the despair? ing as dotty as someone out of P. same. Campbell had a lock on the G. Wodehouse. What was your im market during the time he imposed B1JDRYS: Well, it wasn't really pression of Campbell? his definition of SF on the entire despair. At the time there was an field. All he could do today enormous amount of trash being BUDRYS: Campbell was a genius, would be to create a bastion of published and very little good and he was a self-made man. Peo Campbellianism. Other definitions stuff. I was having real trouble ple like that always display a cer of SF would continue to rival his, finding a couple of good books a tain amount of erratic--not errat and would realistically compete month to talk about. And I was ic but idiosyncratic--opinion and for writers and readers. Judy-Lym gradually drifting off the ground. if they're energetic they try to del Rey is in that position now. I was beginning to not know for enforce that opinion. I've had Her attitude toward SF is as indiv sure whether this book I had read Campbell walk up to me and thrust idual and as strongly held as any was good or not. And that was true a dowsing rod into my hand and say, one's ever has been. She has the enough so that was the reason I "Here, walk across my lawn". That skills and intelligence to carry gave. Then I went off and I wood- never struck me as being much dif it through and it's made her res shedded about that for a long time ferent from what my neighbor Nick pected. Her view also seems to be In '71 or '72 I was busy working across the alley does when he says making a great deal of money for anyhow, wasn't going to be read "Goddamn Democrats are screwing up her publisher. Also, Lester del ing any fiction. So I had three my tax bill again". It's a matter Rey, working with her and Ballan or four years to think it over. of degree. You know, not to say tine, appears to be well launched But probably the main reason why I anything against Alfie, whom I on an effort to revive fantasy as quit reviewing for GALAXY was I dearly love, but some of Alfie's a conmercial medium. So we have a got sick of waiting for checks behavior wouldn't pass in church well-organized, well-financed, that never came in. either. Neither would mine. successful editorial effort--and in some aspects, a team effort-- SFR: Over the years you've writ SFR: In the introduction to BUD carrying a great deal of weight in ten many flattering things about RYS' INFERNO you pay a special the market. Nevertheless, there several different editors. ROGUE thanks to Howard Browne. Surely are many rival efforts, and a writ MOON, for instance, is dedicated er who disagrees with the del Rey 64 Books policy does not have to feel that he has to settle for second SFR: Pickle Packers? studio photo print of it". Any best. Any time you can't give the how my immediate boss at the PR writers the feeling that everyone BUDRYS: Pickle Packers Internat agency was a former Chicago Daily else is second best, you're not a ional, Incorporated, had 207 mem News rewrite man named Johnny Bo dominant editor, whatever else bers in seven Free World nations, han, who was a B-17 navigator dur your merits might be. we used to point out, and is the ing World War II and apparently trade association of the people learned a lot about the PR business SFR: For the past several years who pack pickles. I once master that way. A hell of a guy. God you've worked in advertising and minded the Miss Pickle tour of TV almighty, the things I learned public relations, meaning that and radio stations throughout the from Johnny! We plotted this whole your fiction writing was done on United States and Canada. We had thing out and a fellow named Burt a part-time basis. Isn't that a ball. Bill Moore is dynamite. Thompson and I, having caused a tough? After a day of punching it He's such an energetic guy and so theatrical studio to create this out elsewhere one doesn't always goddamn creative in pursuit of 12 foot pickle, went out and rented feel like going upstairs to the this admittedly frivolous cause a truck. By now, three editions of typewriter. that you can only learn from some the Daily News had followed this body like that... and the plaza was crowded with BUDRYS: Yes, I didn't do it. SFR: Once, we did one at what is photographers, because we had man aged to let them know somehow that now the Daley Civic Center in Chic SFR: You didn't at all? all of this was going to happen. ago and was at the time just the Well, Burt's at the wheel of the Civic Center. It has this plaza BUDRYS: NO. When I first went truck and I run around to the back out in front of it. In there now into PR I had already started a and I grab hold of the base of the sits the famous carved steel Picas novel called THE IRON THORN and pickle, which is actually made out so statue which people tell me rep since it was a magazine serial and of plywood with marbelized paper on resents the head of a woman. But since the installments were running it. And sure enough the plaza sec headon it could be a crouching ba while I was writing it, I had to urity guards come running over-- boon. It could be a dog. There finish that. While I was between just as Johnny had predicted they were a lot of fine cultural com jobs I'd written a story that sold would, and they say, "Get that ments on that level raised when the to THE SATURDAY EVENING POST. truck out of here!" So I hang onto preliminary sketches came out in the pickle base and say, "Take it While I was finishing up at PLAY the papers. Now, the Pickle Pack away, Burt". And Burt leaves. Now, BOY I'd written most of a story ers have a very serious convention which they then offered to buy for here I am holding the pickle be on even numbered years. They go cause it has emerged from the truck an exorbitant price, if I would to the Shoreham Hotel in Washington only finish it and leave. And let and they have senators and congres as Burt goes barrelling off. Now, us see... that was it. Between jobs smen drop over at their beck and at this identical moment a very I'd write something so I never call. They represent an enormous nice lady named Christine Blackie, quite entirely disappeared from number of votes. That's how I got who is a sweet, gray-haired moth the market. But essentially I to meet people like Jerry Ford, erly person, is presenting to the made no real attempt. Hell, when who was at one time the congress Mayor of the City of Chicago a I was working in PR I was putting man for pickles. Literally. Hell, handwritten certificate presenting in 12 and 16 hour days. I wasn't Pickle Packers supports Michigan the Picklcasso to the City of Chic about to start anything like that. State University. But on odd-num ago. The mayor's secretary is bered years they have what they saying, "We don't want it!" The SFR: Advertising people enjoy call the Pickle Fair where machin security guard is simultaneously telling stories about how stupid ery is sold and everyone has a some of their clients are. There hell of a time. You have to pub is the old saying, "Let's get down licize that and Bill Moore came up on all fours and look at it from with the idea that since everybody the client's point of view". Do was in doubt as to what this pro you care to take advantage of this posed Picasso statue was going to unique opportunity and really do a be, we should present the city of job on somebody? Chicago with something totally un equivocal- -which turned out to be BUDRYS: No, not really. You run a 12 foot, apparently juicy, drip into a lot of stalwart 19th century ping wet, plastic pickle on a mar companies. You know, meat packing ble base--which turned out to be companies, railroads, farm machin my job to erect in Civic Center ery companies. But I've got a lot Plaza in broad daylight. In fact, of respect for those people. No at high noon. And we did. body I ever worked for showed me very much outright stupidity. SFR: You mean you erected physic They all had good reasons for what ally. .. they wanted. They weren't always reasons that seemed the best to BUDRYS: Yeah. You can't fool ar me. But I've had, by contrast, ound with these things. You call some damn ingenious clients. My in the TV and the photographers and favorite one was a guy named Wil you've got to have something for liam E. Moore, who is the executive them to focus on. It'd better not secretary of an outfit called Pick be somebody saying, "Here's a small le Packers International. telling me to get the pickle the used to work and where they always Poles, to the White Russians...! hell out of there and I say, "I said, "When you get your first knew all of those people in Marhat- can't. You chased my truck away". check we'd like to have the honor ten because they used to band to I turn around and I shove this of cashing it". I went down there gether for mutual comfort. The thing, which is now upright, into and explained that if they redepo White Russians still hoping that the center of the plaza. The secu sited it ray agent swore that this the right revolution would come a- rity guard and the building manager time it would clear. My first no long. The Royalists still hoping are starting to jump up and down. vel... I was, as a matter of fact* that the empire would be restored. I'd never done this kind of thing sitting in a bar when Fred Pohl, To that extent it's drawn from before. I was a quiet little old who was then my agent, told me a- life. The lead character, Michael book-division editor a few months bout it and I had another drink. Wireman, is drawn from my observa ago. How did I get into this? I At the time I was courting the tion that most of the world's great discovered the power of the press. young lady that I've been subsequ leaders have been alienated from They began interviewing the secur ently married to for 24 years. I the very people that they lead. ity people. Everybody there who guess she had a drink, too. Napoleon was a Corsican. Hitler had the authority to arrest me or was an Austrian. Stalin was a Geo tell me to move on suddenly devel SFR. Did you write the screen play rgian and not a Muskovite. Frank oped a whole knot of reporters fora movie called BRONTOSAURUS!"? lin Roosevelt, the great Populist, carefully taking notes. They kept was actually a Patrician. And hustling them out of the way and BUDRYS:. No. I wrote the exclama they're all either...well, they're I'd retreat a little bit and this tion point for a movie that had all marked in some way. I think left a clear field for the photo been hitherto called DINOSAURUS, the farthest I had to stretch there graphers- -which was the whole ob no exclamation point. I also did a was that Hitler had to grow that ject of the whole thing. Meanwhile story treatment which converted it stupid moustache. Stalin was very Johnny's standing there with his from a story about a dinosaur at badly pock-marked. Napoleon was arms folded looking just like an tack upon a Maine fishing village very short. Tamerlane was crip ordinary mope watching the proceed into a dinosaur attack upon a Car pled. Roosevelt was crippled... ings. What nobody realizes, but I ibbean fishing village. That was and so forth and so on. Lincoln am hoping, is that he's got bail about it. I got two hundred bucks, was spectacularly ugly and didn't bonds in every pocket. After we which is pretty good going for an have city manners. So I threw all had taken all these shots Burt sud exclamation point. that together into a book I never denly reappeared with the truck and completed. There are four missing we shoved the pickle on board and SFR: Most your fiction seems chapters in THE FALLING TORCH. got the hell out of there. That political but not in any real sense Deadline pressure got so bad I just was the kind of thing we would do. ideological. THE FALLING TORCH is never wrote them. I came to a cer Then we had Santa Claus come water a prime exception. At the time it tain point, stopped, wrote the skiing up the Chicago River with a was published some said it was your last chapter, tacked it on, sent it two and a half foot pickle on his vengeance on the Communists who in, took the money. Little did I back... because "Holidays are Pickle took over Lithuania. know--it's my best selling book. Days". My kids all grew up with Why, I don't know. big inflatable "Pickle Men" in BUDRYS: I don't see how it's ven their beds with them. Cuter than geance...! just don't see that I don't push broad ideological hell. Two and a half feet of in formulation. It's about...it's theories. If it looks that way it flatable plastic. Little black more closely drawn...from a train is because I believe that stories top hat. Dancing feet. Little of real events than most of my fic ought to have a strongly defined pink hands. Great. So when I went tion is. It represents what usual protagonist. So you set somebody to work for International I start ly happens. The depictions of what like Michael Wireman loose in a ed bringing trucks home. Same ba goes on inside a government in ex gang of events and it's going to sis . ile as the years drag on are based look like I'm pushing the theory on observation, not only of what that great men, not events, shape SFR: But you don't regret any of happened inside the Lithuanian gov history. It seems to me that it's your years in advertising and PR? ernmental organizations, but my ob difficult to write a convincing servation of what happened to the piece of entertaining fiction in BUDRYS: No, I don't. I learned more than I can ever repay from a whole bunch of people and it's had what I think is a pretty good ef fect on the kind of story I can do and how much I know about the wor ld. It's increased the spectrum of skills I have--and all of that SFR: 1 have three questions about your early career. How did you celebrate the sale of your first short story and of your first nov el? BUDRYS: Well, I celebrated the selling of my first story by going down to the luncheonette where I 66 which the hero is simply pushed a- tell you about that is that's the over to my agent and then the next round by the things that happen a- way people talk when they're as thing I knew she'd sold it to Gold round him. serting themselves. You let them Medal. Gold Medal did a hell of a talk long enough, urgently enough, job preserving the manuscript, by SFR: Wireman believed in the pro strongly enough and they begin the way. The most conscientious cess of government, Lucas Martino, producing what appears to be con and careful job of copyediting that the protagonist of WHO?, is the tradictions. Then you sit down, I've ever seen from anybody, par victim of it. Those seem to be you think about it and you begin ticularly from a massmarket paper very contrasting books in terms of being able to piece it all togeth back house—which is in marked your sense of government. er and find out what the hell the contrast to the fact they they consistent position is that's be completely diddled me on the title. BUDRYS: Yeah. But it's a differ hind all that. I think Hawks' con ent book. I don't know that I have sistent position is...that he's SFR: What was your title? conscious, unifying theories. I'm terrified that women know something sure I do, but I only call on them that he'll never be able to figure BUDRYS: It's supposed to be cal in a background sense when grap out. led THE DEATH MACHINE. I don't pling with a character. That's an know what the hell ROGUE MOON means interesting question. It's a con SFR: One gets the feeling that you and I have no idea why they...well, trast that hadn't occurred to me. admire Hawks in a rather uncomplic I have some idea why they did it. Yeah, despite all my great words ated way. You understand and for It sounded like a science fiction about heroes pushed around by ev give him the things he does. But title to them. Years later I wrote ents, Martino is a consistent vic about Barker you seem ambiguous. a book called THE IRON THORN and tim. I guess that just proves my While he had courage and his own for their own wonderful reasons other point, which is that I don't kind of dignity, he also suffered they brought it out as THE AMSIRS really have a strong conviction in from that kind of self-pity you AND THE IRON THORN. I don't know that regard. I don't think that's find in Graham Greene or Joseph what the hell the audience makes my job. In fact, I think it's my Conrad heroes. How do you feel a- of a title like that. See, the on job to stay away from having too bout Barker today? ly way you can know what an Amsir strong a set of opinions and con is, is by reading the book. So victions there because I think it BUDRYS: I'm not sure, first of how's it going to attract you... might get in the way of my telling all, that it's true that I felt a believable story. that way about Barker when I wrote SFR: You didn't work with Knox him. He's a character. In my mind Burger then? he's a rounded person. I could go SFR; All right. In ROGUE MOON the ahead and tell you any number of BUDRYS: Oh, yeah. I did work with scientist Hawks gives a long and any other things he's liable to do Knox Burger. Knox is the guy who moving speech about women, about or say that I didn't bother to just kept patting me on the head how unique and special they are-- write down in ROGUE MOON. I can't and telling me not to worry, that and this was long before feminism really judge him any more than I they knew what they were doing. became fashionable. Yet Hawks con go around judging other people. But it was an anonymous copy edit cludes that women have a special The way I work, you know, these or who made sure that the damn purpose he couldn't grasp. Was things come up out of the back of manuscript got translated into type this another way of asking what do my mind sometimes after years , and just as closely as possible, and I women want, as Freud did? when the people start to ring true very much appreciate that. then the whole story starts to BUDRYS: It's a way for Hawks to ring true and I write it down. SFR: Norman Mailer in A FIRE ON ask that, yeah. My characters do How do I feel about Barker today? 1HEMOON failed to find the people not speak for me. I've met him a lot of times since at NASA very interesting. In your then and...he's the same old Bark stories such people are not only SFR: I just wondered if I had mis er. If you hang around enough au interesting but sympathetic. read it. Remember the speech? tomobile test tracks you'll run in What do you think Mailer failed to to him time and again. perceive? BUDRYS: Not word for word. Ob viously, Hawks had a great deal of SFR: Did you in any way slant BUDRYS: Of the people at NASA? difficulty relating to women. He ROGUE MOON for Gold Medal? had a great deal of difficulty re SFR: Yeah. Two of your novels lating to anybody. Whan people BUDRYS: No, as a matter of fact, and many of your stories deal with start talking in my head I notice I had no idea who was going to people Mailer would call technici that they don't always remain con buy it while I was outlining it. ans. He dismisses them out of sistent. I've got a new book cal I just wrote it according to that hand. led MICHAELMAS in which a lot of outline. I spent about three people make speeches which estab years on it. First I wrote the lish their philosophical position second chapter without any begin BUDRYS: Well, O.K. At the time I and their motivations. I couldn't ning or end to it. I just wrote wrote ROGUE MOON I had a more ro think of any other way to handle the scene that takes place around mantic view of technicians than I the story without doing that. Ev Barker's swiirming pool. And then do now--and for that I can thank ery one of those speeches breaks I spent three years rationalizing John Campbell who kept glorifying down as a piece of logic. Every to myself how those characters got technicians in ASTOUNDING. None of one of them. They start out ap there and where they went from the people in ROGUE MOON are in parently saying one thing and they there. At the end of which time 1 any way related to NASA. There is end up saying apparently something turned the beginning and outline a Navy’ commander who at one point gives Hawks a little crucial help. quite contradictory. All I can 67 I don't think technicians are all twenty-two, or close to it. The that bad. I've met a lot of them next one is a pretty good chess BUDRYS: Do a good job and make "Here's the interview. With sure you get paid. I think that's FROM ED GORMAN it is my reaction to the 'dark' what I've been telling them. assertion, and to the question a- 'I realize that all you wanted bout ROGUE MOON being slanted for SFR: you think they're under or asked for anyway, was an inter Gold Medal. It--the reaction--be- standing it? view. But my contact with Budrys gan as a letter to you, but ended didn't end with our meeting at as an essay. Clarke. BUDRYS: 1 think so. My oldest "Take care. Us glad-handers kid is a hell of a motorcycle mech 'For one thing, AJ wanted to got to stick together". anic and a really sweet guy. Love ly kid--not a kid any more. He's 68 'And so, here it is:' ON BEING A BIT OF A LEGEND BY ALGIS BUDRYS I've been aware over recent ate as I can make them--that is, given up. My hobbies are bicycle years, in a distant and intermit as accurate as I can make them and riding and car touring...solitary tent way, that many of the people remain consistent with the need to vices.) end on a good punchline. When I I meet for the first time already I am a serious writer. When I find one of them useful in an es have a series of ideas about what was a kid, I read the letter col say, or when teaching a class, I I'm like and what I mean by what umns and the editorials in the SF can tell them much more plainly, I say. I have, I guess, finally prozines, and I swallowed whole because they are pre-selected for become a high minor public figure. the idea that this was serious aptness by the nature of the pro stuff practiced by artists of tran- Some of this comes from being cess. Even so, there must have scendant ability. So be it. I a person who puts his work out be been times when the editing mechan chose to be one of them in that en fore the public. People read my ism in my head may have made me a deavor. It wasn't until July, 1977 stories, or my essays, or critical liar or a fudger in all sincerity. --when MICHAELMAS reviews began ap writing about my stories and per All in all, I would guess I have pearing- - that it ever occurred to form certain mental comparisons. scattered my share of apocrypha in me there were people, many people, They assess the mood they would to the universal hopper. So I'm who love SF, respect and understand have been in if they had said what not surprised that many of my it deeply, and are analytically in I appear to have said, and pick a friends have obviously been return capacitated by the fact that when plausible tone of voice for me to ing the favor. have said it in. They decide how I tell a story beginning with a they would look in the postures My enemies, now, are few in series of time-honored convention they detect in my essays, or find number but assiduous and, thank al scenes, I don't end that way and described in the critiques, and God, ridiculous. I have only one prove to have been going somewhere create a figure who is Algis Budrys or two with the capacity to mis else with them. I thought, making for them. When they meet me in describe me with verisimilitude, the convention accomplish a little the too, too solid flesh, they at and even so this knack serves them more than it had previously; they tempt to conduct a transaction with only over short periods of time. think, tinkering dangerously or that shadow cast by my byline and Still and all, their work accounts unwittingly with what is good and its appurtenances. If they cannot for some percentage of the precon essential. ceptions I have to deal with, so I make me fit my image, they walk I should have known a long time have to list that here as an added around me, shaking their heads and ago. The parallel is far-fetched, factor. saying "You're not what I expected. but exact. Horace Gold in 1953 ac Not what I expected at all." From All of this would be insignif cused me of not being smart enough time to time, extreme instances of icant in my life, and no fit sub to have had the insight to write a this dilemma will cause people to ject for a long declaration like scene of mine that was down in sincerely try to convince me I'm this one, but I am not a graceful black and white in his hand, and not me. fellow. I cannot tell you how as I look back, he was only the That's one problem, with which much I admire the public cheerful first. People have notions of many of my colleagues have long ness of an Isaac Asimov, the mat what is possible and proper. Peo been acquainted and with which I'm ter-of-fact gentility of a Bob Sil ple who look at me--once I was beginning to learn to come to grips verberg, the self-possessed cocki pink-cheeked, very young, very op in my own fashion. If I can estab ness of Frederick Pohl, who I hope en; now I am pink-cheeked, stolid, lish human contact, I will, and understands exactly what I mean by and apparently fatigued--keep rea that's what I would much rather do. "cockiness" in his case, the charm ching conclusions as to what I can But there are some instances in ingly arrogant manner of a Lester and can't do, and attaining sincere which that will not work at all, del Rey, or the untiring bumptiotE- appraisals of what equipment I have and then consequences follow. ness of a Randall Garrett. None of in my brain. In all these years I've lived with myself, I have ne However, that is not the main these attributes have been given ver determined a half of that, if stuff of legend. The main stuff to me...or, rather, I can be any that, and I am surprised by their of legend is the continual gossip of these things for short spells ability to leap with such rapid ing and storytelling about person as I deem them appropriate, but the manner to which I come most natur certainty into ludicrous conclus alities, which goes on in the SF ally is that of sleepy-eyed alert ions . life as it does in other under ness backed by very good distance Occasionally, when such people ground communities, but which seems vision and a rather sharp pair of to me to be intensified by the are in positions to enforce their ears. God did not intend me to preconceptions-- to reject a story' fact that our community is so tire speak, but to study, and report. lessly verbal by first intention. of mine instead of buying it, or At parties, I tell Fred Pohl stor (My life is filled with events worse, buying it and editing-out ies, Cyril Kombluth stories, Les- outside SF, and there I do speak not the technical shortcomings and cer and Ewie del Rey stories, Bob naturally. This is because I am the structural oversights, but the Sheckley stories, Horace Gold stor either conveying information to a new thoughts and carefully observed ies, Jerry Bixby stories, John supervisor or issuing an instruc subtleties--my rage and depression Campbell stories...and that's just tion or participating in the rigid are very difficult to contain. the material based on my adventures ly structured small talk which When someone reviews a new book in the first week after I turned greases those gears. There, I am superficially--whether it be Gerald pro in 1952. I have a few other in context--a context I have now Jonas, who overpraised what he thought he saw, or Dan Miller who stories. All of them are as accur 69 decried what he thought was not was twenty, not in my forties with lost which he wishes were not lost. the re--the same thing happens. an integrated life already estab Chronic regret is not as effective And it happens on two levels. lished, when I wrote the stories for it does not impede the effici It might be three, but in these in that would sell and make me a pro ency of the strike itself. Still, fessional member of the SF life. stances I am sure I was right--as regret's mounting weight appears to I proved to be when Anthony Boucher My little man is much surer of him be gradually slowing his coordina self than he used to be, because pooh-poohed ROGUE MOON's supposed tion in that respect. he has now been out in the real gimmicry and Ted White pointed out But, to this day, the Algis its cynical supposed adherence to world long enough to pick up scars, deftness and muscle, but that is a Budrys you see walking around and the Gold Medal spy novel formula, hear talking--the Algis Budrys who for instance. So where I might recent fruition, and we are speak ing here of how I have customarily is apparently coincidental with question myself, as I continually your legend--does not suffer fools do in most other instances, I am been, within the SF community, over the twenty-some years after 1952. gladly. He suffers them, instead, sure of error in the criticism, and awkwardly. it is this surety which causes me And that little man, as he has to first, feel overwhelming disap been, is not a pleasant fellow. The brash and bumptious find pointment in my old acquaintance or He has two principal modes only: me shy and slow of wit; I blush, in someone who has attained power retreat or attack. He has no jud I stammer, I cannot meet their in our genre, and second, similar gment of degree. It is cringe or eyes. The little man cannot imag despair of the general capacity of kill, and hardly anything less than ine where they got the idea they the SF community to understand it either of those. You have seen can just charge in on people, scat self, its farthest possibilities, this in other people in our life; tering opinions and assertions like and the potential capacity of its I venture you have seen it in billboards before them, seizing practitioners, of whom I am one and yourself, or I would not be able more space than they need, showing no understanding of privacy or pri not the best. to discuss it with you here. vate property, no conception of the At such moments, the essential Perhaps I don't have to con fact that their time is no more Algis Budrys is struck dumb. Ev vince you how deadly a killer the precious than another's. They want erything of the previous friend little man can be. Just as well, to play the piano at you, sit at ship, all of the past scholarship, because his ferocity when cornered your table and quote people you must be re-evaluated, beginning at cannot be adequately described. have never read. They declaim once. My analytical mechanism en He cares nothing for friendship from clever sources. And they nev gages of its own insatiable will. then, or for tomorrow. And he cor er think to ask what your sources I am confronted by a person who, ners easily, for at first he flees are, except for the purpose of not in all 'these years or months of so precipitously. Driven to the listening to the answer. easy discourse, has never once seen wall, he remembers overwhelming or heard me. I find myself in the physical assault and devastating Most of all, I understand far presence of a preceptor all of verbal abuse, and he will not ac better than they do how close they whose previous observations have cept any more of that, ever. are to death if they persist. So been leading not toward a mutual Certain constraints have come I disappoint them if they expect artistic goal but to error; not to something from me, and if that to operate on him, he having after fewer and better words but to pif fails I try to leave, sweating, all unexpectedly lived through his fle. And this is what Algis Budrys and if that fails I begin cutting teens. He learned that the kil turns his attention to, for he at them, lightly. Once in a great ling blow can shatter the wrist, finds himself standing not on sol while, that fails, and then Ted thus making future killing blows id timber but on a cone of dry White, that spectator, gets to wr less positive. Chronic pain makes sand. But the husk stands there, ite a little essay about the time an effective censor. In the arena its face unguarded, and something I pulled Randy Garrett over my of words, he learned that the kil must be done. So the part of me shoulder in front of a lot of peo ling words cannot be recalled, and that cannot deal with people--a ple who had always assumed Randy he has learned to use them very small, uncertain self which was Garrett couldn't be thrown. sparingly, if never wisely, for systematically beaten and abused still he has friendships forever And so, thank you, another until, at the age of eleven, Algis Budrys took over its protection and education, unsuited to that task though he was--that part, conscious that it has been temporarily aban doned, not sure that its learned modules will return and re-unite with it, ever--has to cope. Richard McKenna journeyed with a "little man" who was his inner self, and eventually wrote a sup erb essay on that subject. (See Damon Knight's TURNING POINTS an thology of essays). My "little man" I think still journeys, in stead, with me...with the me who speaks to you almost every time. My little man, like McKenna's, is the source of my creativity, but I 70 piece of the Algis Budrys legend tion writer in particular who had ALIEN THOUGHTS CONT. FROM P. 61 comes into being. made a career--long, praiseworthy-- of approximating its implications, The courteous find me courteous and will hit you much harder than and, I hope, satisfactorily respon the average person, in consequence, # LETTER FROM PHILIP K. DICK sive. The courteously persistent when you touch him there. The who do not take my answers serious first time that happened, uninten December 1, 1977 ly, or who cannot penetrate the tionally, I learned an enormous a- 'As a prime mover in the anti meaning behind my replies when I mount about that writer, about the Lem faction, I have been asked to reply in seeming jest, are in for SF community, and about the depth write---- for publication-----a letter a time similar to Randy's but on of the SF conmunity's critical clarifying the situation regarding the level of discourse. The little perception with respect to certain Lem's Polish publisher, Wydawnictwo man assuned that in the proper kinds of storytelling. I blushed Literackie Krakow, with whom 1 have state of affairs, we are all here and stammered. A legend had fal done business directly—they pub to help each other through the len. lished my novel UBIK in Poland, and dark. Those who ask me a question Conversely, of course, I had a very handsome edition it was: had better be prepared to receive full bookplate size, acid-free pap my best answer first. If I then changed in my colleague's eyes, and things were not the same be er, and the most sexy illustrat detect that the question was a tac ions this side of hades. I had tic, and that questioning, for this tween us. Over the years that fol lowed, when we met occasionally, written Ms Pamela Sargent a person person, is a species of weapon, al letter back in May of 1976, en then I have detected that this per each time he tried to put me back in the box where he had first closing a carbon of my official son does not respect the integrity letter to SFWA in which I broke of questions. Then I will begin to thought he'd found me. And each time, when I ran out of defensive radically with Phil Farmer as to do certain verbal things to the the admission of Lem into SFWA on situation. resources, I tweaked him where he claims to live. And, sure enough, a normal, dues-paying basis; Phil If, as a consequence, the ques each time he got back into the box Farmer had sent off a letter to tioner then abandons courtesy, he where I had first found him. By SFWA, which SFWA published, in is feeding the little man's guilt now, I suppose, he finally sees me which he stated that were Lem to iest vice; the intoxication of ris in that box from which I box him, be allowed to join SFWA even on a ing temper is his most secret ad and, sadly, he never comes around normal dues-paying basis, "I and diction. The comer is his favor any more. On another level, since Phil Dick will resign from SFWA." ite place; there he has lived all I think he would be an even better So initially I want to clear that these years, waiting to spring his writer if he lived at his real ad up, for Phil Farmer did not consult surprise on those who have harried dress, and I keep hoping he'll get with me when he wrote SFWA that let him. When he is in there, a clever that message, the sorrow is not so ter; I had absolutely no objection person can bait Algis Budrys effec much personal as it is intellect whatsoever to Lem's joining SFWA in tively, and make the visible me ual...and, sadly, arrogant. I do the manner in which we all joined, seem very clumsy. That is Algis not think my good colleague, my and I was horrified to read Phil Budrys dancing both with the ques lost older brother, is well-enough Farmer's letter. Hence I wrote tioner and with the little man, and equipped to write as well as he SFWA at once, clarifying my position sometimes such incidents, too, have writes, and suddenly here I am in and disclaiming the reactionary added to the legend. Horace's box. It is big enough to position which Phil Farmer had tak en. None of this is stuff that has accommodate Horace and me, and my not happened to you, or I wouldn't colleague, and, sometimes, I sus 'But on to happier matters and dare embarrass us both by talking pect, all of us. Wydawndictwo Literackie Krakow, my about it in public. I have noted Polish publisher of UBIK and Lem's with some interest, however, over publisher there—or perhaps I the years, that discussing an in I guess I am on my way to ac should say former publisher, since timacy is nevertheless embarrassing cepting that all legends, even rumors reach me that Lem defended a even when it is mutual. When I was mine--mine, the most thrilling leg a "politically suspect" translator twelve, for example, I went to the end of all, if you ask me--are ap and since has been banned from pub movies with another boy to see proximations by the very nature of lishing in his own country. I need "Men of Boys Town". We had to be legends, and of us. Soon enough, not comment on this, except to say, driven to Vineland, NJ, from my if the opportunity and need arises, Fuck the bastards. And Hit 'em a- home town. Returning in the car I will be fluffily graceful on talk gain, Stanislaw. afterward, my friend's mother turn shows, artfully draining the cont ed and asked me if the movie had ent out of the truth, to the de 'Wydawnictwo Literackie Krakow been enjoyable, and I said yes, light of all. Soon enough, I will always treated me with the profes there was a part toward the end learn to gauge just how much infor sional respect that one expects (but where both her son and I had cried. mation to put into a lecture, and seldom gets) from a publisher. My friend swung around in the back how to re-label it for human con FIRST, let it be known that, as I seat and hit me as hard as he could sumption. In due course, I will say, their books are beautiful as Algis Budrys said to the little not care who calls me venal, for I objects; I was delighted when I saw the edition. The royalties — ah, man: "Isn't that interesting". will know that my motives are ra tional. But, remember me. I was there is another matter there. And it is. Indeed it is. Over once an honest man. They paid me 49,000 zloties for a the years, I have made it a point 20,000 copy printing, all of which to re-test that observation from ****A*********A**************A*A** sold. But Polish currency cannot time to time, and it's invariably be taken out of Poland, so the onlt valid. There is one science fic 71 way I could collect my royalties the royalty payment of 49,000 zlot and will always say, that since ies could not be used to pay flight SFWA has no such category as "honor costs or a part thereof, but when I ary non-dues-paying membership" informed him that —wow!---- Poland that technically SFWA was correct owns and operates an airline (LOT) ----but again we are dealing, as flying between New York and Warsaw, with the payment of zloties instead Lem suddenly remembered that, yes, of dollars, with technicalities. I was right. "Good news!" he wrote Lem should have been allowed to me excitedly (his letters were al join as a dues-paying member; I ways brief, brutal and nasty, like should have received between $400 my former wives). "I have found and $500 in hard currency from Wy that yes, your royalties can be dawnictwo Literackie Krakow ---- used to pay for your trip to Pol but, well, I certainly enjoy their and." However, he didn't nantion edition, and as I say I urge you that they would cover about one to do business with them. But be tenth of the total cost (why tell firm. Those guys are not gosh-wow people things they haven't asked fans; they are thoughtful, tough, about, seemed to be his principle). professional people both in their fiscal dealings and in the produc 'So my experience with Lem's tion of their books. You may wind Polish publisher is this: if you up with nothing more than four free sell them a novel or story collec copies of your book, otherwise (and tion, DEMAND PAYMENT IN HARD CUR I won't lay any Polish jokes on you, RENCY, and DEMAND AT LEAST FOUR TO like, in their edition the novel FIVE HUNDRED U.S. DOLLARS --- and starts in the middle and fans out make sure it's only a 20,000 copy in both directions). Out of all printing at that price, because this what I hope for the most is Poland does a lot of printing for that Lem (if the rumors of his be the U.S.S.R. and may run off edit ing purged are true) will be allow ions in the hundreds of thousands ed to publish over there without of copies. was to go to Poland. I checked with having to recant in some undigni my bank as to the dollar (US)-zloty 'Finally, I do encourage you fied way -- i.e. that he be allowed exchange rate. 49,000 zloties came to send MSS or printed books to by the Authorities Over There to be to about $106 US dollars — hardly Wydawnictwo Literackie Krakow, be his own man--- which we should all enough to offset a trip which would cause they are a market and they be. Maybe he will come over to the have cost about a thousand dollars. are reputable. They paid Ms Le West. But then, sigh, he'll have Now, what I happen to know, which Guin in U.S. dollars, I understand, to deal with Don Wollheim...but few American s-f authors (and even so why not you (and why not me)? that's another story, and even more agents) know, is that $106 is not a That is what struck me as the fin horrific. fair royalty payment even by Polish al, "I've had it" unfair part: that standards. Another Polish publish they pay or paid one/some U.S. au 'PS: I may be wrong, but I think er has purchased two other novels thors in U.S. dollars, and others Wydawnictwo Literackie Krakow's of mine (SOLAR LOTTERY and THE MAN they paid in cigar coupons (so to address is: Drukarnia Wydawnicza, IN THE HIGH CASTLE) and is paying speak). I mean, if you can't get Krakow, Wadowicka 8, POLAND, and $500 per title. That is fair. It yoyr royalties transferred, then the editor-in-chief is Henryk is more than Japan (which pays $200) for all intents and purposes you Wozniakowski. If you know better, and Italy (which mails you a loaf of are giving the book away free. I you are probably right.' bread and a bra) pay. So Wydawnic- quoted to Lem from Karl Marx: "A two Literackie Krakow is underpay workman is entitled to just comp ((Thanks for the clarifications ing--- and not only that, they are ensation --wages-- for his work." and information, Phil. Your exper underpaying in zloties, whereas That is a, if not the basic axiom iences show, I suppose, that pub the above publisher of the two oth of Marxist socialism. At the same lishers are publishers, even in the er titles is paying in hard cur time that I was unable to get my workers' heaven of socialism. The rency, which can be transferred to Polish royalties transferred here, writer's basic rule-to-live-by this country, to my agent, and so I Lem was receiving, in Poland, roy should still be: DON'T TRUST NO will be paid. alties from something like eleven BODY!)) books from the U.S. --- he got his 'So we have two issues here re from us, and from all the other garding Lem's Polish (or former) Western countries, but I got noth Polish publisher. (one) They are ing from Poland, even though they NEW GROUP? paying far too little. (two) They had signed the Pan American Copy 'We are exploring the possibil are not paying in hard currency, right Agreement -- they signed it and there is no Polish regulation ities of forming a group in north and then got aroung it on a techni eastern Indiana for the discussion which prevents them from paying in cality. U.S. dollars. This was the sub of sf and related subjects. We stance of my fight with Lem. He 'I feel badly that I was in hope eventually to have meetings told me, in several letters, that volved in getting Lem booted out in Fort Wayne. Those interested "bureaucratic regulations prevent of SFWA; that was never my goal please write: Dave Wilkey 118 W. Cherry St. ed the transfer of the royalty pay or intention; it never entered my Bluffton, IN 46714' ment to you," that "I had to go to mind that SFWA would solve the Poland to acquire it." Not so. problem that way. I still say, (Also Lem originally told me that 72 You can bet the Liberal press XlrXS-TI "HALT! What the hell's by Liberals and Feminists, of going on here, Geis?" course. And they live on the govt, will ignore THAT study. Alter, get out of the "Alien welfare press handouts. Little pigs Thoughts"! grunting and squealing at the Estab # LETTER FROM SANDRA MIESEL lishment trough. "Geis, in your infinite stupid November 29, 1977 ity, do you .realize you have past SAMISDAT, by the way, is a ed up 72 pages and have FIVE MORE tough little no-shit magazine which 'From time to time people PAGES of "Alien Thoughts typed up prints small press magazine and still ask me whatever happened to At and waiting to be pasted onto lay book reviews of uncompromising lack- my quarrel with Leland Sapiro. long last I am happy to report that out pages?" of-mercy quality. They also print I do? I did? fiction that is full of slice-of- the statute of limitations ran out "That adds up to 77 pages. life crap. on him last May and he cannot sue That leaves you with £ pages in Copy costs $2. from Box 231, me or anyone else about the use of which to squeeze MY THREE PAGES Richford, VT 05476. my essay "Challenge and Response". The essay, which had originally ap of reviews, at least FIVE PAGES peared in THE RIVERSIDE QUARTERLY of Darrell Schweitzer's material, # CARD FROM JON GUSTAFSON and at least FIVE PAGES of Steve (Vol. IV, #1, 1970), had been sub Brown's prozine reviews, to say Oct. 7, 1977 sequently revised and reprinted at my own perosnal initiative in the nothing of whatever extensions of 'We have had an alarming per Chilton collection MANY WORLDS OF "Alien Thoughts" you might have centage of our copies of NEW VEN POUL ANDERSON (1974), reissued by intended, to say even less of the TURE #5 fail to arrive at the prop new diary column, "Reports From DAW Books as THE BOOK OF POUL AND er destination, despite stamping ERSON (1975). In case any new Alternate Earth #666" which you "Forwarding and Return Postage are faunching to start." readers came on the scene late, I Guaranteed" on all the envelopes; sold the essay to Chilton without Bit of a problem there. we have only had two copies return "BIT OF A PROBLEM!? Where's ever noticing that its RQ appear ed to us by the Post Office out of ance had been copyrighted in Sapir- my knife! I'll demasculanize you the several dozen that didn't ar for sure this time!" o's own name and not "for the con rive. Everyone who sends us $2.50 tributors" as is standard fannish Ah, Alter...heh heh...Alter, will receive a copy, rest assured, practice. Sapiro felt that he held no...now, you don't want me to and when we run out (which will be all rights to my work despite the change personality, do you? P-p- very soon), their money will be re absence of any contract or payment put d-d-down the knife.... I'll turned. That's about as good as made for it. He imagined that "his" let you have all the remaining we can do. Oh, and #6 should be property had been "pirated" and be space in this issue. Then NEXT out in a couple months.' issue— gan threatening lawsuits. (He threatened Chilton, Thomas Nelson "Promises! Promises! All I ((Sorry, Jon, but your card S Sons, DAW, Donald Wollheim, SFWA, get from you are promises, Geis! just missed getting into SFR #23, It looks like I'm going to have but I hope its appearance now does Jerry Pournelle, and every book to take over the editing of this some good. I wonder idly if it is dealer who'd sold the disputed vol crudzine from now on. Discipline possible for a mailer to sue the ume.) I would have been personally |is needed here! Radical editorial post awful for misfeasance and/or responsible for all of those actions surgery is called for!" malfeasance? Those copies of the and driven into banctrupcy over an essay sold for $100! I wish you'd get cutting off special art issue are valuable.)) your mind.... 'But once these threats faded "Give me a pen... *Scriggle„ # SCIENCE NEWS is a goldmine of and expired, I approached Sapiro to Scratch...* There. Here are your information. For instance, in the obtain a total and unconditional instructions, Geis." November 26, 1977 issue, is the re return of all rights to my own work *Blench* But, Alter— sults of a 30-year study on the ef both for "Challenge and Response" "No buts, Geis! Starting next fects of early counseling and psy and for two earlier essays. I wrote issue, SFR is a changed zine! chotherapy on a group of "difficult" him on July 7 by certified mail with You've let yourself get all out of and "average" youngsters, age 5-13 a return receipt. The receipt came editorial whack." in 1939. back with Sapiro's signiture but I You're cruel! 'At random, half the young received no reply. On the advice "You'll thank me for it in the sters in each category received of Jerry Pournelle, then Chairman end, Geis, and the readers will one-to-one therapy with a personal of SFWA's Grievance Committee, I thank me. You'll see." counselor for about five years, and wrote him again on Nov. 15, this the other half received no therapy. time by registered mail with return One of the study's goals was to see receipt. The letter came back Y2rl-TI SAMISDAT #59 has in if such counseling would divert stamped "refused by addressee". Now interesting item: COSMEP (Committee the children from later involvement Sapiro is on record in the pages of of Small Magazines, Editors and Pub in crime.' his own magazine as being willing lishers) passed a little-publicized Nearly 80% of the subjects to release rights to contributors resolution last June barring 'rac were located after 30 years and and, indeed, has done so in previous ist' and 'sexist' books and magazin their lives examined. cases. But not in my case appar es from their 'book bus'--a mobile Result? Those who had the ently. bookstore funded by the National most therapy committed the most Endowment for the Arts. subsequent crime. Those with no 'Given the above facts, I'm SAMISDAT editors are outraged therapy or counseling had less confident the SF community is in and rightly----- the COSMEP board of trouble. telligent to think of some appro directors is now in the censorship HA HA HA HA HA HA HA...... priate response to Sapiro's deeds.' business. The COSMEP is dominated 73 ((Leland's behavior is suicid al, as far as his fan (and pro) rep that go directly to the heart of tions would very likely damage the utation, and marvelously counter the separation of Church and State WorldCon, as well as the good and productive. Who among his former in America. Arizonians will under decent fans who have worked so long contributors would now send him stand what I'm saying, though non and hard to put rhe Iguanacon to any manuscripts? Who would, trust residents may find that an obscure gether. It would certainly cost him? These may be moot points, reference. Please forgive the aw them financially. They cannot get since he hasn't published in a ful obscurantism; I do it purpose out of the contract with the conven long, long time.)) ly to avoid lawsuits. tion hotel, they cannot move the convention to another state, and I 'But, as I boycotted the Mi would thus be bludgeoning innocent # LOCUS #206 (Nov. 1977) has some ami WorldCon in large part because people with my ethical imperitives. sad news: of the Anita Bryant influence in #The news that Tom Reamy had Dade County and Florida's position 'I would be playing with died, and two photos of him...show on the ERA, sc should I now refuse their lives. ing how overweight he really was. to appear in Phoenix for the same 'Which would be unconsciona reason. By turning down the accol bly immoral. #Paul W. Fairman died in late ade of being the 1978 Worldcon's 'Rock. Very hard place. October. He was 61. Guest of Honor----something that 'When I thought all this out, #Bill Butler died, age 43, of caps my 25 years as fan and profes I went to wiser heads for guidance. an overdose... He had been publish sional in the field---- 1 would cause They have given it freely. Ursula ed in NEW WORLDS and ENGLAND SWINGS myself great unhappiness...but I'd LeGuin, Joanna Russ, Greg Brown who SF. He had been the publisher of be able to look in the morror with is head of the Iguanacon Committee, Unicom Books. out flinching, and would be able Vonda McIntyre, Marion Zimmer Brad to continue to think of myself as #Details of David (Ted John ley and Susan Wood have suggested an honorable person. That was to stone) McDaniel's death. alternatives to the extreme posi have been my course of action. tion. One of these alternatives LOCUS has all the news, usual 'But there are considerations seems both salutory and directly in ly, and is a fine complement to SFR which make such a decision extreme service of the commonweal. and other fanzines that publish ly difficult. First, I accepted longer material. $9. year from Loc 'It is this: the Guest of Honorship several us Publications, POB 3938, San Fran years before NOW and the pro-ERA 'I will come to the conven cisco, CA 94119. (Above is USA sub forces began their economic boy tion as Guest of Honor, but I will rate.) cotts of states where ratification do it in the spirit of making the had been withheld. I accepted in Convention a platform for heighten # ANNOUNCEMENT FROM HARLAN ELLIS good faith, and to weasel out to ing the awareness of fans and Ari ON day would be unethical in that re zona as a whole to the situation. spect. Second, though this is I will do this because I feel I 5 December, 1977 something in which I_ passionately must, but in a way that will mini 'RE: THE 1978 WORLD SCIENCE believe, I don't think I have the mize any crippling of the conven FICTION CONVENTION; IGUANACON: 36th right to morally blackmail the tion. World SF Convention, Phoenix, Ari Iguanacon Committee that may not zona August 30 - September 4, feel as I do, though I've been ad 'I will coordinate with the 1978. vised many of the members are in National Organization for Women accord. (NOW), and pro-ERA elements in Ari zona, and the convention committee A STATEMENT OF ETHICAL POSITION BY 'If I were to vacate the itself, of course. I will take ev THE WORLDC0N GUEST OF HONOR Guest of Honor slot, I would also ery possible public relations and have to take advertisements in LOC promotional opportunity to publi 'It is not enough to talk the US, GALAXY, FGSF, ANALOG, UNEARTH, cise the situation. I have been talk; in this life we must walk the GALILEO, SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW and assured by the Executive Committee walk as well. Otherwise we are lip- any other platforms of mass communi of the Iguanacon that there will service hypocrites. cation available to me, such as the be time for publicity and discus NBC Tomorrow Shew, etcetera, where sion of this most urgent problem, 'That is the basic position. my position could be explicated. I that there will be no sexist enter 'What it refers to, is not would have to urge those who might quite so simplistic. In point of be coming to Phoenix in part because fact, the situation to which that I would be there, to stay away...not position speaks puts me—as they to bring money into Arizona...to say—between a rock and a very show the state legislature that hard place, indeed. there is an economic club that would be used against any state that fails 'I am very much in favor of to offer women equal rights. the Equal Rights Amendment. 'I would do that, at my own 'Arizona is one of the states expense. It would be the logical that has not ratified the ERA. extension of my decision 'I think this is a bad thing. 'But there is no way of ignor 'I think the reasons behind ing the ugly reality that such ac the non-ratification in Arizona are even more more dangerous than that they contribute to the failure of the ERA. They are shadowy reasons 74 tainment at the convention, and sf fans and pros live in Never-Nev in the Arizona state legislature that Phoenix and the state will be er Land when it comes to taking this year. No way. apprised of the economic imperitiv- part in the pragmatic world around ((You may think you can use the es that obtain. them; they would rather escape in convention as a convenient, effect to a realm of creative anachronisms 'In this way I will attempt ive platform to propagandize your than go to the battlements to fight to make the best of an untenable pro-ERA beliefs, but I suspect your the real wars; to be precise, sf moral situation. I urge others to platform may turn out to be a bat fans and professionals tend to be assist me in this. I suppose in tleground. terribly provincial about the press some ways I'm trying to have my ((I am pro-ERA myself, and fav ing issues of our times, to turn cake of conscience and eat it* too; or Gay Rights, and decriminaliza their heads and say it is none of but dammit, I can't think Of any tion of pot...but I do not favor their affair. other way out of this bind in using the SF WorldCon as a tool for which my beliefs have put me, with 'Dealing with far-flung galac their advancement. You’re propos out hurting innocent people. tic civilizations is great fun, but ing to set a dangerous precedent, we're supposed to be concerned peo Harlan. I hope you and the Conven 'As for those who will begin ple. And so...at what point do we tion Committee will reconsider.)) the barrage of flack, and I expect put our bodies on the line for the no less for assuming such a posi things sf says are important: free tion, may I just remind them that dom, equality, living atone with there is recent precedent for util our planet, free speech, intellect izing a WorldCon for moral ends: ual awareness, courage, the best Bob Heinlein believes passionately # NOTE FROM DENTON/tHOR possible condition of life for peo in the drive to obtain blood, and ple? Early December, 1977 the conventions have been used as platforms to publicize that drive. 'Can we continue to deal with 'The really, big news on the What Bob has done is use himself as sf as merely escapist fiction, HUSTLER front: I recently heard a loss-leader; I am doing the same. pointless, mindless entertainment, Larry Flynt on the radio, explain I'm uncomfortable leading anybody's no nobler than trash novels or tv ing that Jimmy Carter's sister had parade, but I find myself in the sitcoms, when we howl in outrage converted him. Yep, he got saved! barrel and not to do it would be at reviewers and critics who accuse HUSTLER is going to become a Chris cowardly. I can stand the flack, the genre of being no more than tian magazine...but it will feature and the more the better, because that? Can we permit the gap be nekkid wimmin! I'm not sure I've it only serves to raise into high tween what we say we are, and what got that one figured out yet.' er profile the basic problem. we really are, to exist? Or is ((It does take some thought. this, perhaps, a moment when we 'As for those who share my But Flynt got publicity, he got can make a brave statement with our belief that the ERA is a vitally im some brownie points in some minds fiction, our literary love, our portant issue and must not be al and may get a break in his legal bodies, and our annual World gath lowed to be killed by intransigence problems in re porno convictions ering? or by reactionary religious elements and appeals, and Jimmy Carter’s in the Arizona state legislature, I Arizona, the WorldCon and I sister got her payment in publicity, suggest fans coming to the conven offer you this opportunity.' egoboo and etc. tion figure out ways to withhold ((Of course---- nekkid wimmin money from the state as much as ((Harlan, you are a controvers aren't in themselves anti-Christian. possible. The Convention Committee ial personality, and you are going The beauty of the human body, etc., should assemble a list of acceptable to push a controversial social/pol- but HUSTLER is a "pussy-looker"-zine, campsites for those fans who prefer itical measure at a WorldCon in and that specialty might be a bit to stay elsewhere than in the con what might be called a hotbed of difficult to explain to the con vention hotel. I will be one of anti-ERA sentiment? That is not gregation. ) ) those people. You are invited to the same as Robert Heinlein push stop by my tent, wherever it might ing blood donations. be. But more: bring your own food. ((I think it would be a very Set up feeding arrangements with serious mistake to let the Guest of local fans. Don't shop in the Honor politicize the convention. stores. Spend your money with the This year ERA. What next year? out-of-state dealers in the huck ((I am sorry you are having ster rooms, but stay away from the such an attack of Guilties and tourist facilities. None of this Ethics over this matter, but if is easy, but who ever said that you go ahead with your plan---- if taking a moral stand was going to the Conventon Conrnittee lets uou---- be pleasureable? you will probably polarize the con 'In short, let's just for once, vention, bring a call for "equal in the world of sf, walk the walk, time" from anti-ERA people at the and not just talk the talk. For convention, possibly provoke legal decades sf has trumpeted about problems for the Cormittee, bring Brave New Worlds and what Slanlike about hooting, catcalls, and demon futuristic thinkers we are, how strations at all of your convention humanistic sf is, how socially con appearances, be hounded day and night...for what? It is generally scious we are, how sf stories can deal with delicate social issues admitted by pro-ERA strategists that ERA hasn’t a chance of passing that mimetic fiction is afraid to talk about. And yet, on the whole. 75 # NOTE FROM TED BLISS, BOOKSTORE ple to look them out. What follows child that it was not being al OWNER then, is from THE HUMAN EVASION by lowed to work hard enough." 24 Nov. 1977 Celia Green, obtainable at L3.50 from the Institute of Psychophysic 'I would like to start a sec al Research, Oxford, England. Please '"Sane people regard an apparen- tion in the shop devoted to small note that her use of the word ly purposeful activity as dis press publications. I would appre 'sane' here is ironical:-- infected by numbers--- i.e, if ciate it if any publishers looking a sufficiently large number of '"Society begins to appear much for an outlet would contact me. people is involved, they feel less unreasonable when one 'They should send a description assured that the outcome will realizes its true function. It of what they publish, if possible a be harmless to sanity, no mat is there to help everyone to sample issue, and rates, etc. ter how frenzied the labours keep their minds off reality. 'Send to me c/o: may seem to be. The most large This follows automatically from RODNEY--the compleat bookshop scale examples are wars and the fact that it is an associa 144 S. Water politics. Into these activi tion of sane people, and it has Kent, OH 44240.' ties people allow themselves already been shown that sanity to enter with almost single- arises from the continual in minded devotion." # LETTER FROM GEORGE HAY sertion of 'other people' into any space into which a meta 16.11.1977 physical problem might intrude." "'Both war and politics have 'I have an item, relating to played a particularly helpful van Vogt's mention of G. K. Chest part in retarding the march of '"...it should be noticed that erton, which may make you laugh/ progress.' In fact, the history 'keeping everyone alive and weep. I'm going to write vV avout of the human race is only comp well-fed' is the highest social it, but you might like to run it rehensible as the record of a aim which the sane mind can ac for the interest of your readers. species trying not to gain con cept without reservation or Also for R.A. Lefferty; I'm not in trol of its environment." touch with him, and I'd like him to discomfort. This is because everyone is capable of eating see it. ((Very entertaining, Geo ---and so are animals and rge, very idealistic, very thought 'It happens that I've been a plants — so this qualifies mag provoking, and very wrongheaded.)) Chesterton fan since way back, and nificently as a 'real' piece of have been trying to get pb publish 'real life.' There are other ers here to put ou- some of the reasons in its favour as well, # ADDITIONAL DETAILS: TOM REAMY novels which their editors never such as the fact that well-fed seem to have heard of. They know people do not usually become AND DAVID MCDANIEL about the 'Father Brown' detective more single-minded, purposeful From DE PROFUNDIS #95, the news stories, which have been pb'd, but or interested in metaphysics." letter of the Los Angeles Science that's all. Well, here's a letter Fantasy Society: from the editor of one of these ’DAVID MCDANIEL DEAD AT 38 houses—a big outfit. She's a '"...society is not only the 'David McDaniel, known to most nice lady, and has already put out chief source of compensation to people in fandom as Ted Johnstone, items I have put up to her from a sane person, but his chief died on October 30th in his home, other writers, so I won't quote instrument of revenge against her name---- due to an accident; he apparently other people. It is useless to fell while taking a shower. The '"Dear George, point out that there is no need body was discovered by Charles Lee to revenge himself on them. If THE BALL AND THE Jackson II on the 31st. There was he were ever to admit that they CROSS ... have come to the con a memorial service for Tedron on clusion that it really would were not responsible for his December 2nd at Forest Lawn in Glen finite predicament, he would not fit into our list at all. dale. The service was attended by .have to direct his hatred Obviously, from a personal many current and formerly active viewpoint I can see the quali against the finite predicament LASFS members. David leaves a ties you admire in it, but it itself, and this would be frus wife, Joyce (also called Lin John trating. It is this frustra really is so different, so al stone), and a son, Tommy. ien, in a way to the kind of tion that the human evasion ex 'Tedron joined LASFS on Junr 21, ists to evade." sf that is selling at the mom 1956, and was an active member of ent, that, in my opinion, it the LASFS for the next 21 years. really belongs in a specialist He was a prolific fan writer, ap '"It is obvious... that a sense house where smaller print runs pearing in a wide variety of fanzin of purpose repels rather than can be accomodated." es, and for years contributed to attracts existance. You have 'So now we have a new category only to consider the immediate APA-L. He was also active in Dun ----alien sf! sympathy that would be aroused geons 8 Dragons fandom in recent in a sane mind by the complaint years. He made amateur and semi- 'I have recently come across a of some child that it was being professional movies, and attended lady writer over here who has me driven to work at things far countless sf conventions. He serv quite enthused. She deserves a too difficult for its capaci ed several terms as LASFS Secretary, much wider readership, and I'm go ties, compared with the dis and wrote three books in the "Man ing to give quotes from one of her trust and reserve with which it From UNCLE" series of paperbacks; books, in the hope that you will would view complaints by the THE VAMPIRE AFFAIR, THE MONSTER carry them and thus encourage peo WHEEL AFFAIR and THE DAGGER AFFAIR. 76 He leaves unpublished the last book be sending it to the following with that the total votes were 205. in the series, THE FINAL AFFAIR. newszines: SPANG BLAH, KARASS, He also wrote the sf novel, ARSENAL TWEEK, SFR, CHECKPOINT and MAYA. The 'Second Half: Publicity, Auctions OUT OF TIME. A separate obituary following cons will also see vers and Legends. and memorial flyer will be included ions of it (in 1978): Lunacon, 'To publicize TAFF and raise in the next issue of DE PROFUNDIS.' Boskone, Skycon(Eastercon), Balti- money for it I want to set up four con, Disclave, Midwestcon, Auto major efforts next year (1978) to 'TOM REAMY DIES clave, Unicon(Maryland), Conebulus, coincide with Boskone, Disclave, 'LASFS member Tom Reamy died re Iguanacon, Pghlange, and Philcon. Iguanacon and Philcon. I would cently of a heart attack. He was About a hundred or so miscellaneous like to hold auctions at these con found slumped over his typewriter, friends, enemies, and people-I've- ventions and distribute publicity having just finished the editorial heard-tales-of will be getting this flyers. for the next issue of his fanzine, from the wild blue yonder (hello!). 'I have been told that NESFA is NICKELODEON. Tom was very active Please feel free to distribute this very serious and business minded, in Texas fandom for years, and had either in total or run (at least so I am looking for computers, cal more recently been living in the the last half) through other fan culators, electronic games, manu Kansas City area, and served on the zines, apas and program books. scripts and author's proofs of their books. Anything dedicated to the WorldCon conmittee in 1976. He is 'First Half: TAFF sercon life. perhaps best known as editor of The Trans Atlantic Fan Fund 'At Disclave I would like items TRUMPET, a major fanzine in its day (TAFF) has been sending people a- of a more fannish nature: propellar Recently, he had turned to profes cross the Atlantic since 1954. It beenies, fanzines, etc. sional writing and had received was created to bring a well-known 'For Iguanacon I want to do a several honors for his recent sci European or North American fan (ro showy auction. .I have been asking ence fiction short stories.' tating years between continents) to artists to do custom designed T the other side of the ocean. Once shirts. I am also hoping to get a across the water he would meet fans huckster's booth and sell TAFF re # LETTER FROM J. OWEN HANNER and attend cons that they couldn't ports, and other items for some oth otherwise afford. November 19, 1977 er fannish charities (DUFF, Tucker 'The winner of each election Transfer, FAAN awards, etc.). I 'Just a quick item of general becomes TAFF administrator for the would like to obtain old fanzines interest here. In SFR 21 you ran a following race. The next race will and other hard to obtain articles loc from one Cal Johnson asking for be for 1979 and Seacon. Require for a sealed bid auction-by-mail. assistance in getting started in ments are: 'The Philcon auction would wrap fandom. I wrote him, mainly be 3 American fan nominators up the year and, since it is during cause I wanted to know, too, and 2 European fan nominators nomination period for TAFF would be we've since started a correspon 1 $5 good faith bond. a good advertizement. dence and I thought you might like (For European races there should be 'At other conventions I attend to know what happened to him. Well, 3 European fan nominators and 2 Am I will try to set up smaller im a lot. He's got a zine, MIJOK, out erican fan nominators.) A short promptu auctions for all the fan that you might like to read and platform (a couple paragraphs) on nish charities. he's gotten going so well that he the fan nominated and why he is 'If the above auctions go well told me everything I know today. worthy of standing for TAFF will be I would extend the ideas over into Or, a lot of it. I was really be- published on the ballot sheet. The the TAFF voting period in 1979 and ginnin g to doubt fandom before nominators send the name of the fan auction at Boskone and Baiticon. that, but the response he got they are nominating to the local 'I, also, want to hold a special bolstered my faith, and it helped TAFF administrator along with the uction over Easter at Skycon (if I me get started, too. So, this is money and the platform. The cur can afford to get there). I imag sorta indirect thanks to everyone. rent North American administrator I really enjoy Cal's friendship and is: Roy Tackett ine various American books and re lated items would do well there. I'm quite glad about the way he's 915 Green Valley Rd., NW grown into fandom. Albuquerque, NM 87107 'You can get MIJOK #1 from: Cal Johnson 803 N. 37th The nominating period for this race Corsicana, TX 75110 is Oct.1st, 1978 to November 30th, 'Single issue is 30f, 3 11< 1978. The voting period is from stanps, or the usual.' Dec. 1st, 1978 to April 14, 1979 (Easter). To vote you must be a ( (Tim older fans gone, and two fan that is known to either the ad new ones coming on. So it goes...)) ministrator or known to a fan he knows. A contribution of a $1. for each person voting is sent along with their names and the person # TAFF TAFF TAFF TAFF TAFF they are voting for TAFF to the local administrator. Not too hard. ' Prologue: 'The European administrator is: This flyer will be sent out to Peter Roberts people who I think might be inter 38 Oakland Dr. ested in helping TAFF. I will be Dawlish, Devon, UK running versions of it through the 'There was a 30% increase in following apas: A Woman's Apa, Can- voting in the 1977 race, but even adapa, TAPS, Apaloosa and Q. I will 'Any items offered can be given been much larger than my publish ask us Fictioneers for stories. All for a specific auction, if so desir er's stomach. Basic desire to do I can assume is that the stock pile ed. A minimum bid should also be all that needs to be done in the he inherited must have been pretty attached, especially for items for way of sf reviewing vs. space and dismal. Both Bob Bloch and I sent the sealed bid auction at Iguanacon. financial and time limitations. him stories. In fact, Bloch's Tentative dates for items due are Also character needs. To the ex first story in AMAZING appeared in two weeks before the convention or tent that SFR diverges from the the same issue with my first story at the convention (if you plan to original REG/TAC format of com (August, 1938). Later Palmer attend), however in the latter case, mentary on the world and sf and bought more of my stories. When please let me know ahead of time. self toward a more formal SF RE he introduced FANTASTIC in May, 'Please write or call: VIEW, to that extent I become 1939, I had the cover story in Vol Joyce Scrivner restless and unhappy. ume 1, Number 1. Apt. AG3-3 Guilty of hubris and pretens 'I had a long letter from Ray Hatfield Village ion. Guilty of Losing My Way. Hatfield, PA 19440 only a year or so ago in which he Compromise in order. Next is described his success as an inde PHONE: (215) 368-4697 sue will be a cotpie interviews, pendent publisher of (admittedly) 'I am especially interested in an article, "Other Voices," and far-out publications. But he was obtaining artists that want to do the rest will be Geis in one guise enjoying life. He was making mon T shirts for Iguanacon. I plan to or another. ey. He had property and a happy send the blank shirts out in May/ I hope no one is in shock. The family life. June. I also need items very soon format and balance of this mag has changed so often.... 'I'll always feel indebted to for the Boskone auction. We'll see how it goes. him for giving me a start in sf. 'I am planning on issuing a com After a 45-ybar career in advertis panion volume for the Neo-fans ing, I retired and returned to Guide called Of Such Are Legends # LETTER FROM ARTHUR TOFTE writing. In the past five years I Made. This would, of course, con have sold seven novels and about tain articles on fannish legends: November 18, 1977 thirty short stories (all after I Tucker Hotel, Black Jelly Beans, 'In your issue #23 in the S-F was seventy years old). In the Fannish Ghods (Roscoe...), Hoaxs News by Elton T. Elliott, brief last letter from Ray, he said that (Joan Carr), Legendary Sian Shacks mention is made of the death of he was proud that one of his pro (Tendril Towers...), etc. It will Raymond G. Palmer. He is describ teges was not only back in the obviously be incomplete, but I can ed as a "long-time controversial fold, but beginning to make out forsee revisions and supplements figure in sf, editor of AMAZING again. to be issued in the future. All and FANTASTIC during most of their proceeds from this will go to TAFF. 'Ray Palmer was controversial fat pulp days..." Tentative publishing date is May to be sure. But he was a lot more 15. Any particular ideas of inter 'There is no question about his than that. He had one of the est in this category would be ap being controversial. THat he was. sharpest minds I've ever met. He preciated. ' But to let that stand as his epi brought success to his papers. He taph is unrealistic. gave a start to many new, young writers. And he loved sf. Why 'I was a good and close friend RECEIVED: THE SPACE MACHINE by should a man be indicted for being of Ray's. We both belonged to the controversial? Isn't the whole Christopher Priest. Popular Lib Milwaukee Fictioneers in the thir rary 04142-0, $1.50 field of science fiction writing ties when it also included Robert full of controversy? Indeed, Dick, Bloch, Stanley G. Weinbaum and where would SFR be without the Ralph Milne Farley, besides a num spice of controversy?' # MORE FROM FRITZ LEIBER ber of others who have had success Early December, 1977 in other fields of writing. ((In my view a controversial person is an admirable person.)) 'Yesterday I finished the Mous 'Ray suffered a broken back er novelette, "The Mer She" — it is when he was a boy of seven and he for WHISPERS...and probably also never grew to much over four feet for a collection of my recent sto tall. If nothing else this could 'The attached photo was taken ries Stuart Schiff is pulling to help explain why he may have been at a Fictioneers meeting.(probably gether for Whispers Press----some controversial. in 1936). Ray Palmer is the, cent thing in the nature of "Heroes and er figure, back row. Bob BloiSh is 'In the years I knew him, I Horrors," at least those are the was always strongly impressed with directly in front of Ray, first \ topics.' ... 'I'm still very happy row center. I am the character at his keen mind. He and Bob Bloch about my new apartment. I was cer would toss ideas around at the the far right of the picture. The tainly ready for a little more space Fictioneers meetings like ping pong others are either dead now or and quiet!' balls. His memory for stories that long-retired. had been published was phenomenal. 'I believe I started reading ((HEROES AND HORRORS is a great When one of us would suggest an sf THE ALIEN CRITIC and then SFR from title! Good luck with it. plot, he would grin and say that the very first issue. And always ((One of these days, Fritz, a fan....' you'll break down and buy a little it had been used in such-and-such house.)) an issue. ((Thank you very much for the 'When he left Milwaukee to take photo, Arthur (although Bob prob the job as editor of AMAZING, one ably wishes it had been lost!), Y2.-&-77 Alter is right, of of the first things he did was to and the comments about Ray Palmer. course. My editorial eyes have 78 And good luck with your writing.)) # LETTER FROM URSULA K. LE GUIN tSee P-71l 12-26-77 Fortunately for my very life, Alter has 12 XII 77 (To Philip K. Dick) found a one-page gap in my paging (pg. 41) and is claiming it for his insane book reviews and other 'Dear Phil, weird comments. 'Pam Sargent sent me a copy of your letter to Dick Contrary to my assumptions on page 28 of this Geis, and very glad I was to see it. I only wish some issue, Major Books is not dead. The new address of this clarification could have got into a SFWA pub is: 2<335 Roscoe Blvd., Canoga Park 91304. lication, but they have announced they wish to hear no more about Lem. But if you 0 Dick Geis are still game, See you next issue! can I set one more sort of sub-fact straight? You got told by somebody that "they paid Mrs. Le Guin in U.S. U.S. Postal Service STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, dollars," but somebody was dead wrong. Wydawnictwo MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULATION. 1. Title of pub Literackie has paid me nothing, in dollars or in Zlo lication: SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW. 2. Date of tys; and the book they contracted for (A WIZARD OF filing: Sept. 26, 1977. 3. Frequency of is EARTHSEA) has never been released. That is the case sue: Quarterly. Four issues published annual you heard of -- of the translator getting into hot wat ly. Annual subscription $4.00. 4. Location er for speaking up against censorship, 5 getting black of known office of publication: 1525 NE Ains listed. Wydawnictwo Literackie may be "thoughtful, worth, Portland, OR 97211. 5. Location of tough, professional" as you say, but I cannot say I the headquarters or general business offices like their ethics or their politics, 5 I can't support of the publishers: 1525 NE Ainsworth, Port you in urging anybody to send them MSS or books. In land, OR 97211. 6. Publisher: Richard E. fact I'd say avoid them like the plague. Geis, 1525 NE Ainsworth, Portland, OR 97211. 'If anybody is interested, I hope I can eventually Editor: Richard E. Geis, as above. Managing write up this whole weird business; but I can't now be Editor: none. 7. Owner: Richard E. Geis, cause I am afraid of getting the translator, § possibly 1525 NE Ainsworth, Portland, OR 97211. 8. Lem, into even worse trouble. One never knows whether Known bondholders, mortgagees, and other sec to be quiet 6 let things blow over without getting the urity holders owning or holding 1 percent or government humiliated G therefore vengeful -- or whether more of total amount of bonds, mortgages or things are so bad one should shout Hey Look! so that the other securities none. 10. Extent and nature gov't knows that at least somebody is watching; which of circulation: is, of course, what protected Solzhenitsyn while he was A. Total No. Average No. Actual No. in Russia, etc.' Copies Copies each Copies of Printed issue during single issue ((Thanks for the further clarifications and comment preceding 12 pub 1i shed ary, Ursula. I presume something in your book poisoned months. nearest to the translator’s mind against his government’s policies filing date and it follows that that book will never be released to poison thousands of other minds. Proves, I guess, that 5000 5000 science fiction writers are both revolutionary and coun ter-revolutionary. ) ) B. Paid Circulation 1. Sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors and counter sales. 1201 1222 To OPPOSE AUTHORITARIANISM IS NOT ONLY A STRATEGIC NECESSITY BUT A 2. Mail Subscription SPIRITUAL IMPERITIVE. 1641 1633 ----Confucius C. Total Paid Circulation 2842 2855 D. Free distribution by mail, carrier or other means samples, complimentary, and other free copies. 198 206 E. Total Distribution 3040 3061 F. Copies Not Distributed 1. Office use, left over, unaccounted, spoiled after printing. 1949 1939 2. Return From News Agents 21 0 G. Total 5000 5000 11. I certify that the statements made by me above are correct and complete. Richard E. Geis BACK ISSUES SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #16 An Interview with Jerry Pournelle; THE ALIEN CRITIC "The True and Terrible History of SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW Science Fiction" by Barry Malzberg; "Noise Level" by John Brunner; Vo other- numbers are available "The Literary Masochist" by Richard ONE DOLLAR PER COPY Lupoff; "Whatever Happened to Fay Wray?" by Michael G. Coney; "The EACH ISSUE CONTAINS MANY REVIEWS. Gimlet Eye" by Jon Gustafson; EACH ISSUE CONTAINS LETTERS FROM "Plugged In" by George Warren. WELL-KNOWN SF 6 FANTASY WRITERS, EDITORS, PUBLISHERS AND FANS. SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #17 An Interview with George R. R. Mart TRE FOLLOWING LISTINGS ARE OF in; An Interview with Robert An FEATURED CONTRIBUTIONS ton Wilson; "Philip K. Dick: A Parallax View" by Terrence M. 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