SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW

$2.00 WINTER 1980 NUMBER 37 SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW (ISSN: 0036-8377) Formerly THE ALIEN CRITZ®

P.O. BOX 11408 NOVEMBER 1980 — VOL.9, NO .4

PORTLAND, OR 97211 WHOLE NUMBER 37 PHONE: (503) 282-0381 RICHARD E. GEIS, editor & publisher PAULETTE MINARE', ASSOCIATE EDITOR

PUBLISHED QUARTERLY FEB., MAY, AUG., NOV.

SINGLE COPY — $2.00 COVER BY STEPHEN FABIAN SHORT FICTION REVIEWS "PET" ANALOG—PATRICIA MATHEWS.40 ASIMOV'S-ROBERT SABELLA.42 F8SF-RUSSELL ENGEBRETSON.43 ALIEN THOUGHTS DESTINIES-PATRICIA MATHEWS.44 GALAXY-JAFtS J.J, WILSON.44 REVIEWS- BY THE EDITOR.A OTT4I-MARGANA B. ROLAIN.45 PLAYBOY-H.H. EDWARD FORGIE.47 BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS. THE MAN WITH THE COSMIC ORIGINAL ANTHOLOGIES —DAVID A. , _ TTE HUNTER..... TRUESDALE...47 ESCAPE FROM ALCATRAZ. TRIGGERFINGER—an interview with JUST YOU AND Ft, KID. ROBERT ANTON WILSON SMALL PRESS NOTES THE ELECTRIC HORSEMAN. CONDUCTED BY NEAL WILGUS.. .6 BY THE EDITOR.49 THE CHILDREN. THE ORPHAN. ZOMBIE. AND THEN I SAW.... LETTERS.51 THE HILLS HAVE EYES. BY THE EDITOR.10 FROM BUZZ DIXON THE OCTOGON. TOM STAICAR THE BIG BRAWL. MARK J. MCGARRY INTERFACES. "WE'RE COMING THROUGH THE WINDOW" ORSON SCOTT CARD THE EDGE OF RUNNING WATER. ELTON T. ELLIOTT SF WRITER S WORKSHOP I. LETTER, INTRODUCTION AND STORY NEVILLE J. ANGOVE BY BARRY N. MALZBERG.12 AN HOUR WITH HARLAN ELLISON.... JOHN SHIRLEY AN HOUR WITH ISAAC ASIMOV. ROBERT BLOCH CITY.. GENE WOLFE TIC DEAD ZONE. THE VIVISECTOR CHARLES R. SAUNDERS BY DARRELL SCHWEITZER.15 FRANK FRAZETTA, BOOK FOUR.24 ALEXIS GILLILAND Tl-E LAST IMMORTAL.24 ROBERT A.W, LOWNDES DARK IS THE SUN.24 LARRY NIVEN TFC MAN IN THE DARKSUIT.24 INSIDE THE WHALE RONALD R. LAMBERT LETTERS BY JACK WILLIAMSON TIE SUNDERED REALM.24 F. PAUL WILSON FIND THE CHANGELING.24 JERRY POURNELLE RICHARD S. MC ENROE JACK CHALKER.18 THE SCALLION STONE.25 CLAY KIMBALL SF AND FANTASY AUTHORS.25 ORSON SCOTT CARD takeoff!.25 CHARLES PLATT THE TALKING COFFINS OF CRYO-CITY.25 AND THEN I READ.... STUARD DAVID SCHIFF BY THE EDITOR.24 NELSON W. BLACK

Copyright (c) 1980 by Richard E. OTHER VOICES.26 THE HUMAN H0TLIISE Geis. One-time rights only have BOOK REVIEWS BY TERRY CARR S-F NEWS been acquired from signed or cred¬ STEVE LEWIS BY ELTON T. ELLIOTT.60 ited contributors, and all other JAFES J.J. WILSON rights are hereby assigned to the PAULETTE MINARE contributors. MARK MANSELL DOW VICHA THE ALIEN CRITIC MARTIN M. WOOSTER BACK COO BY MARCO BIANCHINI SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW STEVEN E. MCDONALD Available in microform from: GENE DEWEESE OXFORD MICROFORM PUBLICATIONS, LTD KATHLEEN D. WOODBURY Wheatsheaf Yard, Blue Boar Street JOW SHIRLEY Oxford OX1 4EY, United Kingdom DEAN R. LAMBE ELTON T. ELLIOTT SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW is published PAUL HARWITZ at 1525 NE Ainsworth, Portland, OR TOM STAICAR 97211. NO ADVERTISING WILL BE ACCEPTED UNITIES IN DIGRESSION Second Class Postage Paid BY ORSON SCOTT CARD.36 at Portland, OR 97208 WARHOON 28. INTERIOR ART- HE GATES OF HEAVEN. ... INTERNATIONAL CbWSPifWCV' , / | OF ET1_E.CXR.1C "PoWER COM PA/0 Its.' 0 _ THE MAKING OF STAR TREK tim kirk—2,4,10,24,49,67 THE MOTION PICTURE. smiw^ h/orli> congest... ALEXIS GILLILAND—3J>,8,9,15,16, RHEA. THE DEVIL WIVES OF LI FONG. ^,^,26,28,29,30,33,40,41,46,48 IF YOU COULD SEE PE NOW.... GHOST STORY. KURT ERICHSEN-3L3b THE FADED SUN: KUTATH. ALLEN KOSZOWSKI—17,34,39 THE SPINNER. KURT REICHEL—17 DRAGON S EGG. RANDY MOHR-7,22, A SHADOW OF NIGHT FALLING.. BRUCE CONKLIN—14,5.1 OCTOBER S BABY. MIKE GILBERT—20 ,, ALL DARKNESS PET. PAUL CHADWICK—25,42,44 THRICE IN TIPE. BUZZ DIXON-27 ^ THE ARTIFICIAL KID. RICHARD BRIBING-32 STAR GOD. D.E.P.—37 SCAVENGERS. RANDY RUSTIN—38 STAR DRIVER. JAPES MCQUADE-43,55 JAPES SHULL—-46 SUBSCRIPHONS LORD OF THE TREES/lTE MAD GOBLIN; SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW HARVIA-56 GOLDEN VANITY. P.O. BOX 11408 THE OGDEN ENIGPW. MARCO BIANCHINI-61 PORTLAND, OR 97211 SHATTERDAY. JOFN MUNDY-64 THE MASK OF THE SUN. For One and Two Years WEB OF ANGELS. At Four-Issues-Per-Year Schedule FANTASY FOR CHILDREN-CHECKLIST..2 THE DANCERS OF ARUN/WATCHTOWER..5 ANALOG-June-July-Aug-Sept-Oct,. UNITED STATES: $7.00 One Year ASIMOV'S-September.. $14.00 TVo Years F&SF-September-October., .43 DESTINIES-Summer, 1980.44 CANADA*: US$7.50 Che Year GALAXY-Vol.40, No.l.44 US$15.00 Two Years OPNI-June-July-Aug-Sept.46 *Canadians may pay with personal PLAYBOY-July.42 cheques if the chequing acct. TFE BERKLEY SHOWCASE-Vol.1-2....47 number on their cheques is print¬ DESTINIES-Spring-Sumner, 1980...4/ ed in computer numerals. (Thus NEW VOICES III.4/ ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS, NEW AND OLD, we become slaves to the needs of NEW DIMENSIONS ID.47 ARE HONORED AND FULFILLED ON AN the Machine.) OVERLOAD #3. 49 ISSUES NUMBER BASIS. HONOR TO FINULKA #3.49 UNITED KINGDOM: Send pound equiva¬ PALADIN.49 lent of US$7.50 Che Year THE NEW ADVENTURES OF JESUS.49 US$15.00 TWo Years THE CARTOON HISTORY OF Next Issue. to agent WM. DAWSON 8 SONS THE UNIVERSE, BOOK ONE.49 Cannon House, THE AFFAIR OF LOGICAL THE S.F.P.A. POETRY POSTCARD Folkestone, Kent CT19 5EE LUNATICS SERIES.i.j,..49 By Philip Jose Farmer or write them for current quote THE DENVER FANZINE MONITOR 1-3..49 SOME BACK ISSUES OF TAC AND SFR MASQUERADE.49 ARE AVAILABLE FROM: THRUST #16....49 AN INTERVIEW WITH JACK WILLIAMSON FANTAST (MEDWAY) LTD FANTASY NEWSLETTER #30.49 39 West Street, A HISTORY OF THE HUGO, NEBULA, SELECTED ESSAYS FROM Wisbech, Cambs., PEI3 2LX AND INTERNATIONAL FANTASY THE ENGINES OF THE NIGHT AWARDS.50 BY BARRY N. MALZBERG AUSTRALIA: Send A$ equivalent of SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY US$7.50 One Year PSEl A STRING OF DAYS RBCC ‘ US$15.00 Two Years BT:: BY GREGORY BENFORD to agent SPACE AGE BOOKS 305-307 Swanston St. Melbourne, 3000 Vic.

ALL OTHER FOREIGN US$7.50 Che Year US$15.00 Two Years All foreign subscriptions must be paid in US$ cheques or money orders except to agents.

MAKE ALL CHEQUES, CHECKS AND MONEY ORDERS PAYABLE TO SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW SAVE A HASSLE AND EXTRA EXPENSE IF YOU MOVE WE NEED YOUR FORPER ZIPCODE AND YOUR NEW COMPLETE ADDRESS. Playboy. Ace showed 20% growth ALIEN THOUGHTS (but is still in deep trouble). Pinnacle actually lost ground in BY THE EDITOR 4 sales during the year-and soon after that lost Patricia Mathews and Don Pendleton. Wow. Playboy's sales, worst in the business, a- mounted to $6 million, which cer¬ tainly qualifies as paltry. I do notice out here that Playboy actual¬ ILLUSION AND REALITY, PART II ly has a hard time getting on some newsracks.' OF COURSE there are honest pub¬ lishers, editors, agents. I would This man himself has inform¬ even go so far as to say the major¬ ants and news tentacles that reach ity of them are honest and ethical deep into the corporate and con¬ and moral. It is a pleasure doing glomerate guts of the publishing business with them. business. But. Finally, from a writer friend When you read THE WALL STREET in the East: JOURNAL every day...when you read BUSINESS WEEK every Saturday (if 'You tell them all the truth the post office has done its job) in your editorial in this new SFR ...you soon notice an alarming and good for you, but do you think evidence and incidence of utter they'll listen? Do you think ruthlessness in the corporate they want to hear it or are capable world. I mean, these guys play of learning from it? Do you think for blood! we were? The only way to know the And as for corporate behavior truth is to live it....' toward the public!! They lie, I suppose learning things the cheat, shortweight, skim, mislead, hard way—the expensive way—is you name it. Then when they're 'At _ they didn't mention for most people the only way. Es- caught they deny, lie, obfuscate, a 2nd printing of_, specially the young and inexperi¬ stonewall...and if brought kicking ... No mention on the statement. enced: they're taught so much i- and screaming to the wall by pri¬ At _ two extra printings dealistic shit in school to make vate or government evidence and took place—maybe another 40,000 them nice, tractable sheep for lawsuits, will then reluctantly copies is my guess-and were not a lifetime of shearing. agree to a 'consent decree' which even mentioned on the statement. Some rules to live by as a means they deny they done wrong 'The only defense a writer has writer might be: but will agree not to do it no is to lose, immediately and for¬ more. Sometimes they are fined ever, the illusion that he can DON'T BELIEVE AN EDITOR UNTIL a small amount (of their ill-got¬ make it by himself-and find him¬ YOU HAVE A CONTRACT. ten gains). Sometimes small self a tough macher like Engel or DON'T BELIEVE THE CONTRACT corporations are even put out of Jay Garon who can deal with the WILL BE LIVED UP TO BY THE PUB¬ business. SOBs on their own terms. Those LISHER. The point is that in a terri¬ guys can make a man rich. They bly large percentage of corporate take a big chunk themselves but DON'T SPEND ADVANCE MONEY UN¬ executives' minds, ripping off they earn every goddamn bit of TIL YOU GET THE CHECK. (AND IF the public, their employees, their what they take.' YOU WANT TO BE REALLY CAREFUL, suppliers...anyone...is okay—as DON'T SPEND THE MONEY UNTIL THE This man, a long-time, full¬ long as they can get away with it. CHECK CLEARS.) Witness, for a small example, time professional freelance writer the miscalculation a high executive with many novels to his credit, DO BELIEVE THEY'LL SCREW in the Pocket Book organization who sells to the big-name pocket- YOU IF THEY THINK THEY CAN GET who tried to steal writers blind book publishers, is speaking of AWAY WITH IT AND IT'S WORTH THE with a new 'slave' contract. He two of those publishers above. EFFORT. In another conmunication he was fired---not for the raw deal DO TRY TO GET THE BEST, MOST has this to say: he was trying to give writers, but POWERFUL AGENT YOU CAN. for failing, for misreading the 'Somebody leaked me the paper¬ outrage of SFWA and others and back ratings from the BP report. There are probably more rules their power. Bantam is atop the market with and possibly other writers can send Now I'll quote some recent $93 million sales and 14% of the in their favorites and most hard- comnunications from an informant market-but only showed 6-7% learned . with special knowledge. profit (that's why Jaffe had to I can't resist adding a few 'SFR 36 received and digested. go). Harlequin is second at $63- general life rules: $70 million, followed by Pocket, Thanks for not telling where you NEVER, EVER, BELIEVE ANY POLI¬ Dell, NAL, Fawcett, Avon, Ballan- got the info in "Alien Thoughts." TICIAN. Only one inaccuracy: in the skimm¬ tine. (But Harlequin showed pre¬ er outfits (which is to say all of tax profit of 25-30%, highest of DOUBLECHECK, AS SOON AND AS OFT¬ them) there is not two sets of all. Wow.) Then come the also- EN AS YOU CAN, ANYTHING ANY LAWYER books but three: one for the IRS, rans: Berkley/Jove, Warner (which TELLS YOU. one for the laundering process, showed amazing growth during the AND one for the writer. You year, going from $24 million to The area of interpersonal rela¬ don't think they tell the writer $33 million in sales), Ace, and tionships is a mine field I'll stay how many copies he actually sold, the two bottom dogs. Pinnacle and clear of at this time. I could eh? 4 write a book.... All I'm saying in these editor¬ ["Just agree to bring back "The display the series of Stephen Fabian ials is have no illusions about Alter-Ego Viewpoint" next issue. covers promised for the next year. your fellow man and woman, especial¬ You'll have room."] We are entering a new era for ly where money is concerned. Don't I-I-I...0h, shit! All right! this nation—and for sf and SFR. make a big hairy point of it to any¬ Turn off the gland, damn it! You So from now on—heavy covers and one, just don't trust anybody who can have one page. more Geis. hasn't proven they deserve your ["Two pages!"] As for the nation---more fin¬ trust. And even then- ONE PAGE! Now that's it! Get ancial and social crises and no the hell out of this editorial! end to obfuscating bullshit from Oh--the Fall, 1980 F AND SF Cut loose or I'll go to Doc Myers the politicians. BOOK CO. list [#128] contains this again and have him give me a special short comnent on the current state kind of injection-" of sf: ["N-no... Not Diexophenogrot- ifemliporate again!"] 'For the first time since the Yesss! Now get back down into early 1950a, there is a serious your hole in the afterbrain. fall-off in the publishing of new ["All right, but you promised, science fiction. Hardest hit are Geis! One page!"] ISN'T SOMETHING MISSING? the hardbacks as only DOUBLEDAY, Yeah, yeah... Shit. Now, HARPER 5 ROW and SIMCN AND SHUSTER where was I? "The Affair of Logical Lunatics" have maintained full schedules for ["You were saying you were a by Philip Jose Farmer, scheduled the upcoming period. DEL REY, ST. lousy writer."] for this issue, is not here because MARTIN'S and most others have cur Yes... No! I was saying that Phil wanted time to make some revis¬ their schedules back or stopped en¬ when lots of goodies come in from ions and updates. I hope to have tirely. For the first time since Big Name Pros I naturally make those in time to make #38. its inception, there are no new room for their material by cutting DEL REY hardbacks scheduled for back on my own writing. I'm natur¬ Actually, Phil did me a fav¬ the Fall or Winter.' ally lazy. or. If he had gotten around to revising and amending "Lunatics" Of course adding pages could I'd have been unable to get all result in my simply escalating of the must-publish items that to similar crises again, because arrived for this issue into this there is always a desire to add issue, with the result...well, MORE! MORE, I SAY!! one more page of book reviews... I'd have.... I might have added 16 more pages. Well, therein More what? More pages in SFR. But four more pages will be a lies madness, suicide, bankrupt¬ because every damn issue I'm fight¬ great help. And adding a heavy cy and migraine headaches. ing to get in this or that—and cover will set off the Fabian so every dann issue I get letters nicely.... I'm not going to be making saying, "What? Only two pages of any money off this price increase, I've wanted to do this—add Geis this issue?" by the way. The printer has vul- a heavy cover using colored stock They don't count all my pages turishly informed me that the ---for years. I've done it sever¬ of reviews, the churls. They want heavy cover will cost about $500. al times as long-time subscribers more pages of editorials like this. more. And when you add the extra will remenber: #23, #15, the mimeo¬ But I am offered many goodies postage that must be paid because graphed editions, the half-sized for SFR I cannot resist. Such as of the extra weight.... And next issues.... Lost in the mists of the 25 page ms. that Greg Benford July another big postal rate in¬ time. sent today, "A String of Days"— crease. ... Each time---#15 and #23 espec¬ a diary involving his professional Listen, I’m going to quit ially, the extra cost made me lives of professor and writer. Ex¬ this rat-race when I'm 62! Hear flinch and retreat. I didn't cellent, fascinating, revealing. that? Only nine more years of think the subscribers and bookstore this wonderful travail. [I assume I have to accept things like buyers would pay the extra cost Social Security will still be in that...material by Benford, Malz- willingly...would object. place by then, paying benefits.] berg. Fanner, Card, etc. etc. But now by Ghod, I think SFR And the pages dwindle down...to is worth 25# more, and I think a precious few.... And in the 99% of the buyers will feel that back of my mind a voice says, way, too. "Jesus, Geis, these guys are far better writers than you are! The So! This issue---as you can readers would surely rather read plainly see---the retail price of their words than yours!" SFR creeps up to $2. per FORM-U-LA...AND THE LIVIN' IS ["That's my voice, Geis! Ac¬ copy. I refuse to use the market¬ EASY.... tually, the readers would rather ing psychology of 'make it $1.95 I'm continually amazed, when read MY words than yours, but ---that way the buyer gets a nickle I think about it, at the durabili¬ you keep—"] back and feels better about spending ty of fiction formulas. I'm amaz¬ Alter-Ego, you are in quaran¬ two bucks.' This way it's simpler ed that 1^ continue to watch and tine! I'll hear no more from you! and honester. read and enjoy formula fiction [---censoring me and rejecting The subscription increases can after at least fifty years of non¬ my ideas! Let me have my review be seen on page 3. Everything sim¬ stop consunption. column back! Let me—"] ply goes up $1. per year. 25

INTRODUCTION

Robert Anton Wilson is a much- messages from the dog star, Sirius, WILSON: Not at all. I feel happy, interviewed author. There may be the uses and abuses of drugs and sex, joyous, vibrant and tranquil in ev¬ others but to my own knowledge inter¬ the secrets of synchronicity, Timo¬ ery muscle, fibre, cell, molecule, views with R.A.W. have appeared in thy Leary's cosmic mission, the il¬ atom and quark. I have arrived at NEW LIBERTARIAN WEEKLY, CONSPIRACY luminations of the Bavarian Illumin¬ the position where my chief commod¬ DIGEST, CONFRONTATION, WEIRD TRIPS ati and SMI2LE. He has also collab¬ ity is wit, and as Bernard Shaw dis¬ and SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW -- the orated with Leary on a number of covered before me, you can make a latter being my first interview with pieces, most notably several essays bundle in that market by sinply tel¬ him and in fact the first I ever con¬ in Leary's NEUROPOLITICS (1978). ling the truth. People are so ac¬ ducted. customed to lies and euphemisms that Like the characters in ILLLMIN- all you have to do is state the facts One reason Wilson is interviewed ATUS!, Wilson is unpredictable, some¬ in plain, unvarnished language and so often is that he's available and times inconsistent, often brilliant, you will immediately acquire a repu¬ cooperative, but more important is always entertaining. So here's yet tation as a most wickedly funny the fact that he can be relied upon another interview with the man with scoundrel. to give provocative and stimulating the Cosmic Triggerfinger. I don't -- often outrageous -- answers. think you'll be disappointed. What's more, his comments are usual¬ SFR: Well, then, even if you claim ly about something inportant and ILLUMINATUS! was a totally comner- controversial -- and Wilson usually cial venture, you admit that it con¬ takes a strong position, often un¬ tains wit or truth, or is it truth predictable, always witty, literate, disguised as wit? urbane. WILSON: ILLUMINATUS contains very Wilson was bom in Brooklyn in little wit or satire; it is a simple documentary presentation of the ba¬ 1932 and suffered through the con¬ ventional upbringing and education sic gambits and strategies of prim¬ ate politics. If it's a funny book, of our times but somehow survived SR: Why did you write ILLUMINATUS!? it all without losing that unique that's because there's something in¬ nately comical about the higher pri¬ sense of self and universe display¬ WILSON: To make money. I have dis¬ ed in his writing and interviews. mates, such as chinpanzees, baboons covered that, contrary to Holy Writ, and humans. Other classical studies In the early 1970s he worked as an it is not true that with God all Associate Editor of PLAYBOY where he of primate sociobiology, such as things are possible. It is not even Ernest Hooten's APES, MEN AND MORONS met Robert Shea who was eventually true that with Zen all things are to collaborate with him on that un¬ or Machievelli's THE PRINCE are rath¬ possible. And, despite what I may er funny, too, but they are also ser¬ ique three-volume ronp known as IL- say at other times, it isn't even LUMINATUS! In the meantime Wilson ious documentaries, like ILLIMINATUS true that with cocaine all things and not intended as satire. managed to turn out numerous pieces are possible (it only seems that on a variety of subjects for a var¬ way). But with cash, brothers and iety of publications and to work on sisters, all things are possible. books such as THE SEX MAGICIANS, PLAYBOY'S BOOK OF FORBIDDEN WORDS, SR: Was that your motive? Are you SEX AND DRUGS: A JOURNEY BEYOND totally conmercial? WORDS and THE BOOK OF THE BREAST. By the time ILLUMINATUS! was WILSON: Absolutely. If I speak to published in 1976 Wilson had left you with the tongues of men and of PLAYBOY and moved to California to angels and have not cash, it is as try his hand at full-time freelance nothing. If I have faith to move writing. One of the first (and best) mountains and have not cash, it is results of this successful venture as nothing. For now abideth faith, was COSMIC TRIGGER: FINAL SECRET OF hope and cash, these three; and the THE ILLUMINATI (1977) ,'a non-fiction, greatest of these is cash. somewhat autobiographical treatment of many of the themes that have oc¬ SFR: Aren't you a bit cynical and cupied him over the years, including bitter? the Crowleyanity of Aliester Crowley, 6 ing how many Leftists answer that assault on the monotheist "one real¬ they'd make everybody equally poor. ity" delusion. By taking one person That's on all fours with saying that, of average intelligence (myself), I if you could make everybody healthy show many different reality-grids or give everybody the bubonic plague, the brain can construct if you make you'd give them the plague. I don't a determined effort to break down think any school of psychology can all the inprinted, conditioned, yet explain the Left; it would take learned and habitual reflexes that a bile specialist to account for program perception into one static them. world-view. I believe that about 99.99999% of all human stupidity is caused by inprinted and conditioned SR: In a letter to SCIENCE FICTION perception-sets. As Tim Leary says, REVIEW some time ago, someone named we have literally been robbed blind; Boschen takes you to task for a book we have literally taken leave of review in which you referred to Mar¬ our senses. We are like badly-wired tin Gardner as "high priest of the Materialist Church". Boschen says robots bumping into each other -- SFR: George Scithers, editor of you're a Materialist too and a mem¬ sleepwalkers, as Gurdjieff said. ISAAC ASIMOV’S SF MAGAZINE, sunned ber of the same church. Any comments The practise recounted in TRIGGER up what you've said about commercial¬ on Materialism? of switching your reality-map fre¬ ism recently by saying he's only in¬ quently, over months and years, terested in competing for "beer mon¬ WILSON: In the immortal words of makes you aware of billions of sig¬ ey" -- small change his readers might John Mitchell, I mis-spoke myself. nals usually screened out by habit¬ otherwise squander on booze. With¬ What I meant to say, and usually do ual reflex-circuits in the brain. out criticizing this policy -- it's say (as on page 101 of COSMIC TRIG¬ I regularly switch circuits from his magazine after all -- don't you GER) is that Gardner speaks for the Materialism to Buddhism, from Bud¬ think there's more to writing than "Fundamentalist wing of the Material¬ dhism to Sufism, from Sufism to beer money and ego-boo? ist Church". If I'm a Materialist something I've never tried before at all, I certainly represent the and each neurological quantum jump WILSON: Fucking aye. I am passion¬ Liberal wing. But I would rather teaches me more. To remain stuck ate about style, which is the white call myself an Operationalist than in one ego, one belief-system, one heat that makes a sentence glow; a Materialist, since Materialism is morality, one set of conditioned re¬ the reflection in words of the ment¬ a body of dogma and I am allergic to flexes, is literally walking zombie- al intensity of the writer. I'd like dogjnatisms of all kinds. Operation¬ ism. We should be able to turn chan¬ to write the greatest novel of the al i^.' is a method of thinking, a nels in our brain as easily as we do 20th Century. Since James Joyce ev¬ kind of semantic hygiene; a tool, on our TV sets, or switch programs idently beat me to that pedestal, rather than a doctrine. When I dis¬ as efficiently as a computer tech¬ I'll settle for writing the second sent from mystics and parapsycholo¬ nician. As the old Zen story has greatest novel of the 20th Century, gists, it is not because I think it, a monk asked a Zen Master, "How if I have it in me. lfy point is that what they are talking about does one find the Tao?" And the merely that I don't agree at all doesn’t exist -- I know from exper¬ Master replied, "Walk on!" Any with those who tell us money is evil. ience that it does -- but because place we stop or stick, any emotion¬ To me, the supreme evil, the most their terminology is operationally al or dogmatic hang-up, is a place cruel and obscene of all evils, is meaningless. I try to restate the where we have become deaf, dumb and lack of money. I've talked to junk- facts about altered consciousness blind to billions and billions of ies about withdrawal symptoms and I in precise scientific language, op¬ signals which would tell us of a don't think that's any worse than erational language -- which causes much bigger and funnier reality, if what the average husband/father goes the mistics to call me a Materialist. we would only open ourselves to through if his money supply is cut Meanwhile the Fundamentalists of the them. The universe is a Big Mother. off abruptly. Orthodox Church of Materialism, such as Gardner, would regard me as a I would predict that when we mystic for thinking and writing Following this line of thought, abolish poverty (by the National SR: about such subjects at all. But I'd like to protest against the Dividend of Pound and Douglas, or that’s to be expected on a primitive "Never Whistle While You're Pissing" the Negative Income Tax of Friedman, planet. When you try to build a concept from ILUMNATUS. Isn't it or through the economy of abundance bridge between two gangs of rival more important to develop simultan¬ arising out of the new technologies fanatics, each side thinks you're eity -- both halves of our brains of people like Bucky Fuller and Ger¬ preparing an invasion route for the at once -- rather than such single- ard O'Neill) there will immediately other side to over-run and massacre mindedness? be a dramatic, almost "miraculous" them. The idea of communication and decrease in suicides, homicides, synergetic pooling of information Every yoga is worthwhile if violent crimes in general, schizo¬ WILSON: just does not penetrate the dogmat¬ it teaches you something new. Hie phrenias, neuroses, psychosomatic ic mind. Dogmatists are Senders in yoga of total concentration on pis¬ ailments and the swinish bad manners William Burroughs' terminology, not sing is not my invention; I got it of Capitalist society. As Mae West Receivers. from R.H. Blythe, who got it from a said, "I've been rich and I've been Zen Master whose name I don't remem¬ poor, and rich is better". To me SR: Perhaps that's a good way of ber. If you've learned all you can that's as axiomatic as "I've been getting deeper into your own philo¬ from that exercize, by all means try sick and I've been healthy, and sophy expressed in COSMIC TRIGGER. other programs. The human brain is healthy is better". Why did you write COSMIC TRIGGER? a multi-purpose conputer. Use it to My friend, Wayne Benner, has a the utmost; learn as many of its single question by which he judges WILSON: Primarily, to make money. functions as you can. Mathematics people: "If you could make every¬ Secondarily, it's an exercize in is a more powerful brain-change de¬ body equally rich or equally poor, guerilla ontology --a calculated vice than LSD, for instance, but few which would you do?" It's astonish¬ people have discovered that yet -- despite the fact that the most impor¬ doom brigade wants a punishing fut¬ Illuminati (whether he knew it or tant new ideas always come from ure and hence declares it inevitable, not) was John Von Neumann, who pre¬ mathematicians or from scientists by the same psychological trick by vented World War III. How did Von trained in mathematical yoga. Do¬ which Marx, who wanted socialism, Neumann do that? He devised mathe¬ ing every single thing you're afraid declared it was inevitable. On the matical game theory and invented of is another good yoga. Since many other side, I think rather well of the first programmable computer. As of us are going to live 800 years or myself (as you might have noticed) a result of these innovations, the longer, it is very worthwhile to and of other people, and I think hu¬ primates now feed their war game start using our brains better -- for manity deserves and has the wisdom strategies into remorselessly logic¬ fun and profit -- which is what Leary to achieve the SMl2LE mutation, al computers, which tell them over means by Intelligence Increase or which will give us all the Space we and over again that they can't win 12. I call it the H.E.A.D. Revolu¬ need, all the Time we need, and all a nuclear exchange, and so war has tion -- Hedonic Engineering And De¬ the Intelligence we need to enjoy been limited to symbolic (although velopment. If you don't know how to Space and Time. I admit this is as still tragic) skirmishes over small enjoy your brain, longer life will much a projection of my Hedonism as areas like Indo-China. Von Neumann just mean more time to get yourself the doomsday scenarios are a projec¬ was using the basic Illuminati law into miserable and frustrated states. tion of the masochism of their crea¬ that you can only change primate be¬ tors. The real issue is, to anybody havior radically by teaching the not awed by authorities and dogmas: primates a new technology. Witness SFR: I've been looking into the what kind of future do you want, the dramatic changes in chimpanzee works of Aleister Crowley recently and how hard are you willing to work behavior after somebody taught them and was struck by the prophecy in to create that future? the simple manual technology of sign- THE BOOK OF THE LAW about the 1980s language. Similarly, the Wright Bro¬ being another major conflagration. SFR: In my book THE ILLUMINOIDS I thers, Einstein, Henry Ford and such This ties in with the dire predic¬ do my best to make a case for the types have caused more behavior tions I've been reading about in continuing Illuminati conspiracy, a change than all the politicians, po¬ CYCLES OF WAR: THE NEXT SIX YEARS, la the John Birch Society etc., but licemen, prisons and psychologists by R.E. McMaster, Jr., which shows I never came up with any real proof in the world, by introducing new a variety of predictions for disas¬ that Weishaupt's Bavarian Illuminati technologies. And, of course, the ter in the 80s. Given these, and continued to function beyond 1787 new technologies of Space Migration, various other gloom-n-doom philoso¬ when it was suppressed. Yet the Intelligence Increase and Life Ex¬ phies floating around, how can you myth persists (with who knows what tension, if and when we achieve them, seriously expound the optimistic core of truth) that the skull-dug- will cause more behavior change than SMI2LE philosophy (Space Migration/ gery going on today is part of the a million operant conditioners like Intelligence Increase/Life Exten¬ same plot. Do you think the present Skinner. sion) which predicts various world¬ Masters are direct descendants of saving revolutions coming up? Weishaupt's crew? Distant cousins? Different species? SFR: How is the cause of Discord- WILSON: In the first place, the fu¬ ianism coming? ture is up for grabs. It belongs WILSON: First of all, who are the to any and all who will take the present Masters? The Cowboys? The WILSON: We already hold Northern risks and accept the responsibilit¬ Yankees? The old boy network in California and have agents in all ies of consciously creating the fu¬ England? I don't think any of these the media in America, France, Eng¬ ture they want. Karl R. Popper mammalian predator bands have any¬ land, Denmark and Germany. I con¬ wrote a book around 30 years ago thing to do with the Illuminati at fidently expect a Discordian Pres¬ called THE POVERTY OF HISTORICISM all. You might as well say that a ident in the White House by 1984 which is still, I think, unrefuted. gang of chimpanzees combining ("con¬ and a Discordian Pope in the Vatican Popper demonstrated, very rigorously, spiring") to drive another gang of by the 1990s, if not sooner. that there is no way any person or chimpanzees off the turf are the Il¬ group of persons or any computer can luminati. These second-circuit ter¬ SFR: The usual objection to the con¬ predict the future exactly. His ar¬ ritorial rituals have nothing at all cept of synchronicity and related gument seems to me as sound as Heis¬ to do with the real goals of the Il¬ ideas like the so-called 23 enigma, enberg's Uncertainty Principle, to luminati, who are operating several the law of octaves and so on, is which it is in many ways analogous. evolutionary mutations beyond that. that the observer of such phenomena In the second place, I have never Specifically, a real member of the is choosing the data deliberately said that the SMI^LE scenario must happen; I only say that it can hap- pen. I am not in competition with the Delphic oracle. In the third place, there is no such thing as purely descriptive Futurism; future projections are always somewhat pre¬ scriptive. They are projections in the psychological as well as mathe¬ matical sense. My guess is that if you ran a battery of standard psyche tests on the gloom-n-doomsters, you would find that basically they are guilty, masochistic people. They don't like themselves much, and they like other hunan beings even less. (This is classically illustrated by one guy who wrote a denunciation of the Space Colony idea in CO-EVOLU¬ TION QUARTERLY and said he thought humanity deserved to perish.) The to enphasize a "pattern" that might monstrate the creation of an altern¬ to live in science fiction, which not otherwise be there. Do you ative reality. It's very much like is the most exciting and funny real¬ think these things are objective the old Marx Brothers routine: ity to be in. Of course, I don't reality or subjective selection? "There's $1000 in the house next mean the misanthropic kind of sci- Paranoia? All of the above? door". "But there is no house next fi; I mean the cosmic and noble vis¬ door". "Then let's build one". I'm ions of people like Clarke and Hein- WILSON: I refuse to answer on the going beyond guerilla ontology to lein and Olaf Stapledon. There is grounds that it might tend to incrim¬ guerilla Futurism. simply nothing better to live for inate me. I may have already given than the idea that humanity has a away too much by mentioning that Von SFR: 1)0 you really think a work of noble destiny and that you can be Neumann was One of Us and that We art can alter reality? part of the love-energy-brains net¬ control a large part of the media. work that will make it possible. Let's just say that "reality", so- WILSON: Ideas alter reality. Very called, is an evolving, ever-chang¬ concretely, if you believe a certain SFR: To y°u have any concluding ing, quantum-junping energy-dance, woman won't ball you, you will not thought? not a rigid and block-like box con¬ make a pass at her, and she will ball fining us. Those who know how to somebody else. If you think you WILSON: Yeah. As Ezra Pound once swing with the dance are co-creators can't get a job, you will not go in said, the only real enemy is ignor¬ of the next hour's reality, the next for the interview. If you think you ance -- our own. day's, the next year's, the next can't pass the exam, you will not century's ... The reality of any bother to study. instant is the temporary resultant I feel that the writings of of the ontological guerilla warfare people who have lost faith in human¬ between rival gangs of artists, tech¬ ity are semantic poison. I heard nicians and magicians. John Archi¬ one of these embittered authors on bald Wheeler of Princeton uses the ILLUMINATI BIBLIOGRAPHY TV a few nights ago, saying explic¬ term "participatory universe" to itly what is obvious to any reader describe what I'm getting at here. Daraul. Akron. A HISTORY OF SECRET of his fiction: he doesn't like the It comes down to what Weishaupt said SOCIETIES, 1961, Pocket Books Paper¬ human race. I think self-hatred and 200 years ago: we are all freemas¬ back. hatred of himanity are self-fulfil¬ ons in the literal sense, builders ling prophecies which can very def¬ Roberts. J.M. THE MYTHOLOGY OF SE¬ of our own experience. initely produce all the worst gloom' CRET SOCIETIES, 1972, Paladin paper¬ If this still isn't clear, I n'doom scenarios, if enough people back (British). can say it in words of one syllable, believe in them; but conversely, we Robinson. John. PROOFS OF A CONS¬ citing the late Redeemer of Biblical can solve all our personal and soc¬ PIRACY, 1798; reprinted 1967 as an fame: "Ye are all Gods". (John, ial problems, if we believe in our¬ Americanist Classic by Western Is¬ 10': 34.) selves and in humanity. lands, Belmont, Massachusetts, 02178. Every minute you have a choice SFR: I understand you'll have a whether you will put out positive Shea, Robert, and Wilson, Robert science fiction trilogy coming out energy or negative energy. You alt¬ Anton. ILLUMINATUS!, 1975, Pocket soon and are working on an occult er your own future, without noticing Books paperback (Vol. I -- THE EYE novel' called THE DEVIL’S MASQUERADE. it, by those little momentary decis¬ IN THE PYRAMID; Vol. II -- THE GOLD¬ ions. You alter the whole future of EN APPLE; Vol. Ill -- LEVIATHAN). WILSON: The occult thriller will be humanity, even more obliviously, by published first and is now called the effect of those decisions on oth¬ Wilgus, Neal. THE ILLUMINOIDS: Se¬ MASKS OF THE ILLUMINATI. It's set cret Societies and Political Para¬ er people around you. No energy is in Zurich, Switzerland, in 1914 and ever lost. What goes around comes noia, 1978, Sun Publishing Co.; the principle characters are Albert available from Neal Wilgus, Box around, as some wise hippie once said Einstein, James Joyce and Aleister 25771, Albuquerque, NM, 87125. Crowley. It should be in the book¬ You give negative energy to B, stores early next simmer. The sci- Wilson, Robert Anton. COSMIC TRIG¬ B passes it on to C, C to D, and so fi trilogy is called SCHRODINGER'S GER: Final Secret of the Illuminati, on, forever, or until it comes to CAT and is a kind of quantum comedy, 1977, And/Or Press, Box 2246, Berke¬ based on the most literal possible somebody conscious enough to refuse ley, CA, 94702; also available in to pass it on. When that one cons¬ reading of the Everett-Wheeler-Gra¬ Pocket Books paperback edition. ham multi-universe interpretation cious individual makes that decision of the Schrodinger equations. That and performs the alchemical transnu- Wilson, Robert Anton. SCHRODINGER'S tation of turning the bad energy in¬ is, it's the parallel worlds theme CAT, 1979, Pocket Books paperback. to good before passing it on, a that's been done and redone and al¬ whole new chain of good energy is ************************************ most done to death in sci-fi, but I started. This is what the Sufis really think I have an unusually com¬ mean when they say we don't begin ical slant on it. That'll be out I FKEFES.'mE' STELUimQ- to understand our real responsibil¬ in winter '79-80, in some universe ities. Today is the first day of 'SCE/aj CE\ or other. The action or actions of the rest of the universe. SCHRODINGER'S CAT are set in various possible realities that might emerge Can art create reality? Damn¬ by 1984 and, if the Everett-Wheeler- ed straight. I know people who are Graham theory is true, the publica¬ living in gloomy Naturalistic novels tion of the trilogy should cause the of the '30s, and people who get in¬ readers' subsequent experience of to the occult the wrong way are liv¬ 1984 to be more like my Hedonic pro¬ ing the paranoia of THE EXORCIST, jections than like the masochistic and people who are living in DAS projections of the doomsters. That KAPITAL, and people living in the is, the writing and publication of New Testament, and so on. I prefer the trilogy is a magical and scien¬ 9 tific experiment -- an attenpt to de¬ AND THEN I SAW....

BY THE EDITOR

BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS (pg)

the basic plot idea behind THE SEVEN SAMURAI and THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN: a peaceful planet is threatened with slavery by a space lord. The planet sends a nebbish to seek out help. He recruits a mixed bag of criminals, eccentrics, idealists and these odd seven manage to defeat the evil lord. The nebbish is played by Richard Thomas as an Innocent beyond belief, and George Peppard and Robert Vaughn play it loose and sour respectively. They knew it didn't matter. The script was from GODZILLAville. Juvenile as it all was, never¬ theless I kinda enjoyed the movie. [Partly, I suppose, because Sybil ability...and with straight comedy. JUST YOU AND FE, KID (PG) Banning as a Valkyrie is fascinating There is humor and some satire is a slight¬ ---how could they manage to show so in the film. It was felt necessary ly awkward, but engaging and affec¬ much breast and not show a nipple?] that Thorsen have a loving woman tionate light comedy about an old John Saxon played the evil lord companion, pregnant with his child, man (George Bums) who discovers a Sador in broad maniac style, and his who has lived with him for years... naked teenage girl in the trunk of minnions were almost hilariously so that a pill-head psycho, seeking his immaculate classic car (a Pierce- fearful of him and evil in their revenge on Thorsen, could terrorize Arrow) and takes her home to care own right. and kipnap the ninth-month-gone girl. for her and solve her problem---a The peaceful planet Akir was And that sets up the hero-vs. psycho drug pusher is after her. shortchanged—the only surface set showdown at the end of the film. Brooke Shield is the girl. There showed a solar-oriented simple vil¬ What we have here is the continuing is a good troupe of comedy charact- lage, and only about ten people. triumph of The Formula. ter actors in support. It struck me that Sador was crazy But despite my grunches the The film says something ritual to want that mudball and its poor good acting, the characters and the about how senior citizens are real citizens (poor, proud but content). wild variety of criminal chases and people and usually competent and They couldn't pay the upkeep on his captures is good viewing and often need love too. high-tech space fleet for a day. funny. ************************************ The movie keeps up a very fast pace, does provide some fairly imag¬ ************************************ inative aliens/settings. But it all falls flat at the end, alas. THE ELECTRIC HORSEMAN (PC-) The old spaceship used by Thomas is an idealistic romantic comedy about an (only one left on the planet) to seek ESCAPE FROM ALCATRAZ (r) help is/was designed to suggest a pits Clint former rodeo champion (Robert Redford) woman's torso...very mammalian...and Eastwood as a highly intelligent fed¬ being exploited by a huge, insensi¬ the ship's conputer is equipped with eral prisoner who has broken out of tive conglomerate (he endorses break¬ a sexy/motherly voice. The producer, other prisons against "The Rock". fast food til it sticks in his craw Roger Corman, tried to use every Set in the period a few years be¬ and he sinks into liquor, women and trick in the book; keep it simple fore Alcatraz was closed down, the self-destructiveness). and fast for the kids, work on the film is utterly convincing as a A TV reporter (Jane Fonda) is adults with subtle sex and a big- look at prison life in a top-securi¬ intrigued by him, rubs him the wrong tits actress. ty federal prison, and at the types way, and triggers him to a desperate I admire the attenpt, but not of men who lived and worked in it. act of rescue-of-dimity-he steals the result. The movie is watchable Patrick MzGoohan as the pitiless, the conglomerate's $12 million cham¬ but you can't take it seriously. vicious warden is excellent. East- pion horse to keep it, too, from being exploited and destroyed by drugs ******************* ***************** wood is serious, impassive, perfect as the real prisoner he portrayed. (steroids, etc). The escape is filled with tension Fonda finds him in the wilderness and the ending is unsatisfactory, and they fall in love as they evade THE HUNTER (r) but based on fact. the minions of the law and the con¬ is at first very good It's a downer film, but absorb¬ glomerate . as it shows a modern-day bounty hunt¬ ing. Big business is the villain again er, "Pappy" Thorsen track and catch (as in all Fonda movies of late), and bail jumpers for a fee. ************************************ the individual can triumph. Steve McQueen plays Thorsen with This is a well-made, well acted his usual cool competence and believ- 10 film. Redford is entirely credible as the retired rodeo champion and servants away and makes plans to send They hear a radio report of very much at home on a horse and on him to an institution. masses of zombies taking over New the range. Fonda as a TV reporter The boy suffers from a fixation York... (That bitten Harbor Patrol is a natural. on his father's African collection, officer had obviously "awakened" and [Incidentally, we saw KID and especially a large statue of an ape, taken bites...and those people in HORSEMAN at the Mt. Tabor, the the¬ and is plagued by the memory of his turn...) atre which a couple years ago had a parents' deaths, by his fearful imag¬ End with a shot of thousands 994 Anytime admission, then went to inings, by his aunt's hatred of him. of zombies stumbling across a bridge $1.25, then to $1.75, then showed Reality and imagination are in¬ toward...Brooklyn? Sone nice nude scenes with love¬ CALIGULA and other sex films at $6 termixed as the film comes to its and $3.75 per seat...and (after the inevitable climax. ly young women in this film---before newspapers started refusing ads for Very good acting by all, good they succumb. CALIGULA) has now switched back to suspense, excellent production val¬ This is the goriest film I've the old 994: Anytime policy. ues, a touch of nudity, a memorable seen yet, as far as intensity and I'm happy to say they had a full line: "It was obvious she preferred realism are concerned. house last night.] his hand to his cock." ************************************ Written and directed by John ************** Ballard. Could he be J.G. Ballard? ************************************ THE HILLS HAVE EYES (r) turned out (as the companion feature to ZOMBIE) THE CHILDREN (r) to be the better of the two. Well destroys itself in acted, realistic, plausible...as a the opening moments when it asks the ZOPBIE (R) family of 7 in a station wagon with audience to believe a tiny leak in a is very explicitly, large travel trailer venture down a nuclear plant can create a transitory graphically gruesome, with extreme¬ deserted desert road far off the yellow fog which, hours later, miles ly realistic rending of flesh, bone and gristle. It's a very harrowing beaten track anid have an accident away, can change the insides of with the wagon. children only (as a school bus passes movie, and if you're not ready to see throats tom out, an eye pene¬ They are then preyed upon by a through it) and make of them killer small savage family of slightly zombies. They are supposedly so trated by a wooden splinter, horri¬ ble head wounds, open skulls, brains, mutated humans who have been in "hot" that their embrace literally hiding for twenty-five years or so. sears and cooks anyone they fully guts... Richard Johnson is the "name" (The atomic tests in the forties, embrace. The resulting fried corpses fifties were responsible for a single are well-done. Lovingly photographed. actor in this Italian film (but produced by Jerry Gross). There mutated infant. Its father, enraged They terrorize a wealthy country¬ at the infant boy for having (because side, especially their parents and is an actress named Tisa Farrow. The sip porting cast are competent of its size) killed its mother at siblings. The local sheriff manages birth, put it out in the desert sun to kill most of them (If the child¬ at screaming and dying. The movie opens intriguingly as to die...but it survived, found a ren's hands are cut off they die. a small sailboat enters New York wife, raised a brood of savage kids Nothing is explained. They are dead¬ harhor apparently with no one on who, with him and his daughter, sur¬ ly when their fingernails turn black. board. The Harbor Patrol boards vived by stealing from the few sur¬ They can only say "Mommy" or "Daddy" rounding inhabitants and from the and walk like zombies and smile en¬ her and a decayed creature—former¬ ly human—bursts from a hiding Army and Air Force installations.) dearingly .) There is brutal, unhesitating The movie has the gall to try to place and bites open the throat of ohe of the officers. [You can see murder here, the burning to death be symbolic as a new dawn comes and of the retired policemen father one of the surviving parents gives the severed artery shooting blood.] The creature heads for the other of the vacationing family, the birth (with corpses strewn around slaughter and eating of one of the the house) and life goes on. officer, who empties his revolver into it. The creature falls into pet dogs, attempted rape, the in¬ Except---they couldn't resist the water. tent to kill and cook and eat the it--the father sees with horror that baby of one of the policeman's his newborn, as it suckles at his The boat belonged to the hero¬ ine's father. A reported meets her daughters... wife's breast, has black fingernails. But the family fight back, The acting in this awful movie and they agree to go to the island one of their dogs (appropriately is adequate to horrible. There is in the West Indies which her father named Beast) cunningly kills two one short nude sequence. had frequented on his cruises. There they and another couple of the mutant's sons, and the young¬ DO NOT PAY TO SEE THIS. meet the dedicated doctor (Johnson) er son and daughter of the cop kill ************************************ who has been trying desperately to the mutant in a vicious ending of solve the recent upsurge of zombies the film. which has decimated the natives. Not a nice movie, but riveting, THE ORPHAN (r) [Che bite from a zombie and the and well done. There are flaws and was teamed with THE victim dies very quickly and then hard-to-swallow contrivances, but it CHILDREN and is a good, bizarre, becomes a zombie himself. Zombies has a gritty, hard-ball realism and multileveled, psychological/terror/ move very slowly, cannot speak, seek very well acted characters. horror film. Made in 1972 in Eng¬ only to bite and eat real people. ************************************ land, I think, it shows the trauma¬ They're not smart, but boy, are THE OCTOGON (r) tized life of a 10-12-year-old boy they persistent! The only way to is another Chuck who happened to see his mother ac¬ "kill" them is to shoot them in Norris martial arts plotboiler. He cidentally kill his father and then the head or otherwise render the still can't act. in remorse impulsively kill herself. brain in twain.] Isolated on a large estate, look¬ Only the heroine and the report¬ THE BIG BRAWL (r) ed after by his mother's bitchy sis¬ er survive to try to guide a motor puts tongue-in- ter, the boy loses his friends one by cruiser back to civilization. cheek as Jackie Chan martials his one as the woman "lovingly" sends the art^il^^ve^^h^^lace^^^^^^ 11 ■JUe’FiE CCfniDG TGGCGGG THE tUIGDCiJU

BY BARRY N. MALZBERG

# LETTER FROM BARRY N. MALZBERG INTRODUCTION TO at a party in the suburb in which I Box 61, Teaneck, NJ, 07666 live anyone who has read my work or "we're COMING THROUGH THE window" June 24, 1980 even heard of me before, urn, meet¬ ing me. 'Going through the files (I do For the first seven years of So, WE’RE COMING THROUCH THE WIN¬ it every couple of years whether I what I call my Career I preferred DOW In the Ace introduction I put need to or not) I came across the to detach the real personna from it this way: enclosed which I wrote as an intro¬ that of the writer, telling all and duction to my first published story sundry that the True Confessions "I had just quit a job for which UNEARTH (now deservedly no could be found in the works them¬ reasons falling outside any longer with us) would have run in selves (I was right, folks, but not analysis of science fiction, 1978 in their featured department of to the degree that it turned out; had been out of work a month first stories except that I had the my work was one outraged, private with no prospects of find¬ temerity to ask for a cent a word scream but I did not know how much ing another job, found my¬ (for the new introduction, the story I was saying) and then I fell off self unable to sell anything was gratis) and got it back with the wagon in mid-1974 and since then of any description, had my shocking haste. (Recrimination is have published autobiography every¬ wife at work and was taking about all that a middle-aged, mid¬ where. care of my then seven-month- dle-range writer has left; the col¬ old daughter when in Decemb¬ lapse of UNEARTH later that year I have told the story of this er of 1966, I wrote this gave me that ten seconds of pleasure story at least three times, in the story in one hour out of referred to in a different context introduction to DOWN HERE IN THE the blackest despair I have in the essay.) DREAM QUARTER, in Richard Geis’s ever experienced. It became SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW and in the my first science fiction sale 'Perhaps you'd like to run it. introduction to the story itself and I am assured by people I And perhaps you've read all this where it was first reprinted in FIN¬ respect that it is very funny. stuff before. (If you want to take AL WAR § OTHER FANTASIES (Ace, 1969) Which only goes to prove that it at your usual rates and you feel but I will tell it again. The sci¬ editors are right; keep them that breaking policy 6 running the ence fiction audience, as publishers in constant pain if you want 1200-word story itself would make it know, turns over 90% every four years them to do any decent work." all of a piece you can have the re¬ meaning that at best 10% of you were print rights gratis 6 I'll mail tear- reading this wonderful stuff in 1974 sheets. In fact I'll enclose tear- Which tone is a little callow and only a persistent 101 will still but essentially right on as we used sheets herewith 8 save a round of be glomming over the rockets in 1982. correspondence.) to say back in 1969 (along with pow¬ Then too, any genre writer remains er to the people or dump the Hump). 'SIGMUND IN SPACE in the new shrouded in obscurity (any writer, I would add to this that the "black- OMNI gave me fifty seconds of pleas¬ period these days); I have never met est despair" I had experienced as ure . I do concede.' 12 of eight years ago was a Mahler Land- ler compared to the Mahlerian hor¬ characterized by prolificity. I I haven't felt that sure about rors which hit me later and contin¬ have had a pretty decent run within anything in years. ue up until this very moment but the genre and even without (more there is truth in the assertion: I than half of my published output is Christmas: 1977 did not feel very good about life in other fields) and at least from when I wrote this story and I manag¬ the standpoint of the readers of UN¬ ed to use that misery as a source of EARTH, have little reason to complain energy which is one solution to the (and I don't, so there), but what problems of creative writing (my interests me most in this context most common solution) among many about WE'RE CCMING THROUGH THE WIND¬ others. Fred Pohl paid me $36.00, OWS is that clean, polished, con¬ which after agent's commission (I tained, neatly-put-together as it had an agent; the first of several is, the story gives absolutely no WE'RE COMING THROUGH THE WINDOW and probably the only decent human indication of a significant career. being among the lot) and charges it It is pleasant filler of the sort Dear Mr. Pohl: came to $29.94 which amount gave me which Horace Gold and his successors Unfortunately I, William Coyne, more comfort than I had to date ev¬ used by major writers or unknown at cannot send you a manuscript for con¬ er received although two previous the fringes of their magazine and sideration due to reasons very much sales to a minor men's magazine had there is no basis upon which to con¬ beyond my control which you will netted me almost ten times that clude that the perpetrator of this soon understand. All that I can do amount. Still, they were miserable story (K.M. O'Donnell by the way; in the very limited time, and with stories for a miserably obscure mark¬ I used a pseudonym in my early years the limited opportunities available, et; GALAXY was a respectable maga¬ for foolish reasons) would go any¬ is to write things down as best I zine and one which I could show to where in particular. Van Vogt's can in the form of this letter and my parents and friends. My parents first story, for instance, was as¬ hope that you will be patient and and friends did not mostly care, al¬ tonishing and perfectly foreshadow¬ understanding enough to see the as, (and it was only in 1968 or so ed his career; Ellison's first story great story possibilities in my prob¬ that I learned to go on writing for (published in this magazine's first lem. Perhaps after you see how im¬ my own reasons and not to make a issue) with all of its crudities is portant and unusual the situation is proper impression upon the Folks clearly Harlan Ellison but WCTTW is here you will consent to write a Back Home) and by the time the story not Malzberg but the work of a hund¬ story out of it yourself and keep appeared in print subsequent rejec¬ red or two hundred writers. Milton 50$ (fifty per cent) of the proceeds, tions at that and other markets had Lesser or Robert Sheckley could have which seems fair enough because you minimized my hopes of continuation done this a little better or worse; don't have to think up any ideas. but January 11, 1967, the day of the Phillip Klass or James Stamers could Or, if you -find yourself too busy sale, was a series of perfectly en¬ have the byline. WCTTW is perhaps to write it, you might turn it over closed moments of joy which I would characteristic of GALAXY but not of to one of your regular authors in not sacrifice. I have never been a writer. which case he will do the same thing so happy in that way again. Perhaps and I will allow him only 40$ (forty Which means of course that I had I have never been so happy in any per cent) of the sale price. But become, at this early point, already way again. Certainly, I can no long¬ since this is a million-dollar idea a professional because I wrote this er take any emotional satisfaction as you will see, there should be story sitting upon the individual from my acconplishments; last year plenty of money in it for everyone voice (mixed metaphor; sorry), sim¬ I received a low five-figure payment if you'll only work fast. ulating instead the tone of a mag¬ on a movie sale and my only concern azine. You have to make the scales, Last week I, William Coyne, in¬ was how soon or whether it would apeggi and intonation before the vented a time machine. That is cor¬ clear and how much time it would vibrato comes in; you don't do the rect, J created from my own notes buy me off the wheel. (On the other Paganini 24th Caprice until you've the first time machine. I, William hand I sold ny sixth piece to ANALOG done at least the earlier studies. Coyne, 29 years old, unemployed and just ten days ago and received ten There are a few writers who have bro¬ presently living in very cramped seconds of actual joi de vivre; all ken into print in full maturity and quarters. I built it by myself in may not be lost. Old men in their in control of their gifts -- T.L. these three furnished rooms on the sleep have random erections just Sherred, maybe Alfred Bester -- but West Side of Manhattan, running back like adolescents.) most of us start off learning to and forth between the hall sink and I did go on from this story as hold the fiddle. my bedroom because, like my own body, you all know. Nfy second SF sale, the mechanism is 85$ undistilled wat¬ I think WCTIW holds the fiddle FINAL WAR, to FSSF on 10/1/67, was er. The machine worked out very pretty well; I think it stands up, a breakthrough 14,000-word novel¬ well, considering that I know next for its frail length, as well as it ette of sorts and by the time I sold to nothing about electronics and ever did and I can think of many my first SF novel, THE EMPTY PEOPLE, the only science courses I have ever people who would say that it shows to Lancer in early 1969, I had sold taken were for my high school equi¬ a promising, minor facility, surely another dozen short stories or so. valency diploma. I am not very ad¬ the best thing I ever did, before I Between January of 1967 and March, vanced, as they say. Instead, I became prostituted to gloom and pre¬ 1975 when I made a conscious decis¬ just kind of fiddle around and I tension. Quarrel I not with these ion to give up my career in science guess I fiddled myself into the people; WCTTW has the assurance of a fiction (something I have discussed machine. writer who knows what he is doing endlessly elsewhere; not here, and knows that what he is doing is It is a very simple device, Mr. friends, not here and besides there right. Otherwise he would not have Pohl, and a very successful one; the are signs that I might be drifting quit that job or been at home with only trouble is that its range is ex¬ back slowly) I sold another 150 his infant daughter or had his wife tremely limited. At the present short stories in the genre and six at work ... or called melancholia time it will take me back only four collections and twenty-five novels; "black despair". months into time or forward seven¬ an output that by quantity will I teen minutes, it is poorly calibrat¬ think conpare favorably with almost ed and at no time can I leave the any writer in the history of a genre 13 actual time field, which embraces only five square feet. It is an just make more difficulties. The early model and it will have to be same thing happens every time I go refined then on part of the proceeds back in time; I'm always meeting my- THE from the story you will write about self on the way. me. Well, what it comes down to is CORPORATION In spite of the problems though, this: I'm always coming across my¬ it definitely works. Just last Tues¬ self new and the more I try to day I shot myself back three months straighten things out, the worse it STRIKES BACK in time, found the newspaper of that gets. As a matter of fact, Mr. Pohl, date lying on my desk and my own hum¬ I'm afraid to make any more jumps A NEW EROTIC SCIENCE FICTION NOVEL ble form, the form of William Coyne, because the more I've tried to BY RICHARD E. GEIS tossing fitfully upon the bed. It straighten out this situation, the THE STAR WHORES SAGA CONTINUES- was an eerie experience, meeting my¬ worse it's become. self for the first time and it shook Toi King, Sex Guild Companion, is me up considerable. But when I came Well, the truth is that there kipnapped by the corporation she back to the present time, with the are now about three hundred (300) frustrated in STAR WHORES. Taken help of the machine, and before I of us in these rooms, Mr. Pohl, all to Phallus, the pleasure planet, could even look around, I was inter¬ of us fooling around with these small injected with a new, powerful sex rupted by the dashing appearance of time machines and none of us getting drug, enslaved, she must make her my double who motioned me urgently along very well. I mean, I've stop¬ escape and seek a terrible revenge. and requested in a whisper that four ped trying to straighten myself out minutes hence I would please go back¬ but most of the others haven't yet ward four minutes in time. Then he ... they have to learn the hard way -- me -- vanished. and in the meantime there are just more and more of us. Right now It was very frightening, let me there are about 310 (three hundred tell you, talking to myself, William and ten) for instance, just in the Coyne in my own rooms. But I count¬ few short minutes I've been able to ed off the four minutes and used the borrow the typewriter from the other machine to go backward; then I met S3 of us who all are trying to write my earlier self and told him --me, letters for help. that is -- to go back four minutes in four minutes. Like that. As a matter of fact, we're about to be evicted for over-crowding, All right, Mr. Pohl, I know what Mr. Pohl, and in the bargain there's you're thinking right now. You're just no food or space left here any saying that this is all old stuff more. And any time one of us goes for you and your writers (even though out for food he seems never to come in my case, the case of William Coy¬ back with it ... not that it would ne, it happens to be one hundred do us any good because I had two per cent (100%) absolute true fact) cents (2f) in my pocket when this and that you've seen it a thousand all began and we would need several (1,000) ways. I read science fic¬ thousand of us to get enough food tion, too, or I used to read it be¬ to feed ten of us if you see. what fore I got into this mess. But stay I mean. with me, Mr. Pohl. There are a coup¬ le of things I haven't explained to This is my situation, the situa¬ you yet which will make clear why tion of William Coyne. What can I this situation is 100% sockaroo for (we) do? We need to make big money a good man like yourself. from the machine real fast, that's the point, but we can't get out of You can imagine how I got the the field, so how are we going to plans for the time machine, of make it? And then we just keep on course. That's right, a few months meeting up with ourselves and having ago I woke up in the morning to find to explain things all over again and AVAILABLE DECEMBER 15, 1980 all of them written out for me in we're all dead broke. Please, PRE-PUBLICATION PRICE: $3.00 my own handwriting on my dresser ta¬ please: would you have one of your (After publication: $4.00) ble (that was what I did when I shot writers, if not yourself, write a myself back the first time). I just story about me (about us) and send Order from: SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW used them. So I guess I didn't real¬ the money just as soon as you can? P.0. BOX 11408 ly invent it -- or, that all of us We're all kind of desperate, here. PORTLAND, OR 97211 invented it. But that is of little importance, Mr. Pohl, except to Hopefully, point out that I am not a creative WILLIAM COYNE PS: Yes, the publication date genius and that is why I need help William Coyne has been put back one in my situation very, very fast. William coyne § ... month. Paulette visited relatives for a month and You see the trouble is this: I I discovered (again) what told you that the machine didn't ************************************ bookkeeping and order fill¬ calibrate exactly and every time I ing are like. These filled go back to the present I don't get my days and allowed no free to the exact present’but instead a time for Toi King and her few seconds or minutes off in either travails. You now have 30 direction. So now, every time I extra days to get in your jimp around, I always come back to advance order. meet nyself, and if I junp back, and try to come in exactly on time, I 14 THE UIVISECTOR BY DARRELL SCHWEITZER

INTERFACES, Edited by Ursula K. the piece is written just so the LeGuin and Virginia Kidd prose may be savored, as an effect Ace, 1980, 310 pp., $5.95 for its own sake, not because the (trade format) writer has any idea of what to do with the material. This sort of LeGuin says this book began for thing can be impressive at very her "with reading anthologies of short length, but a real story can science fiction and thinking, 'Why have all of its virtues and many did they put this marvel and this more. trash together?"' So she teamed up Ed Bryant's "Precession" was op¬ with leading agent Virginia Kidd, aque to me. It communicated nothing. and compiled an anthology. Actual¬ ly they did rather well. INTERFACES Now, with the non-stories out of is an above-average book in what the way (and I'd say there are only strikes me as a very "average" (i.e. three, despite a review I saw else¬ mediocre) period for science fiction, where which claimed there were vir¬ Nearly as good is Philippa C. although at times I find myself ask¬ tually no complete stories in this Nfaddem's "The Pastseer", in which book), we can consider the rest. ing the same question LeGuin did. a shamaness, who guides her tribe's Many of them fail for a variety of I wish editors would remember migrations by sensing how previous reasons, but there are some impres¬ folk have done on the same route in that a story, to be a story and not sive successes. Not surprisingly a Tour of Wonders or an anecdote, the past, suddenly starts receiving for a book co-edited by LeGuin, sev¬ visions of a technological future. must have character development and eral stories are of an anthropolog¬ character change. It also must, as The setting and characters are sup¬ ical cast. Another common feature erbly portrayed, but the lack of ex¬ Mark Twain put, "accomplish something is a tendency to move away from ra¬ and arrive somewhere”. planation this time, I think, fails tional endings, into mysticism. in a way that the ending of "Earth Lhderstand that there is no NEW I imagine Robert Holdstock's and Stone" didn't. There is a dif¬ WORLDS style gibberish here. I sus¬ "Earth and Stone", had it been pub¬ ference between mystery and things pect all the writers had something lished in, say, ANALOG, would have happening for no reason. Neverthe¬ they wanted to say, and they were had some sort of scientific hocus- less, Maddem shows considerable pro¬ trying to say them as well as pos¬ pocus to explain everything some¬ mise as a writer. She is definitely sible, but ... sometimes things where along the way. It's about a better than she was a year or two just didn't work out, I guess. For time traveler caugjit up in the mys¬ ago. example, (speaking of NEW WORLDS) tery of a prehistorical people who I also liked "Set Piece" by Jill there is "Everything Blowing Up: bury themselves in the ground for Paton Walsh, a fable about art. Gene and Adventure of Una Persson, Hero¬ long periods of time, during which ine of Time and Space" by Hilary Wolfe's "A Criminal Proceeding" is they go into a kind of suspended an¬ a clever reducto-ad-absurdum, al¬ Bailey, which is part of a sub-stream imation, and have sexual intercourse of the Jerry Cornelius mythos devel¬ though not a major effort. "The New with the Earth. (The men anyway. Zombies" by Avram Davidson and Gran- oped by Michael Moorcock and later We are not told what the women do.) by others, mostly in NEW WORLDS. The ia Davis, about hippies and a rejuv¬ Since the story is about atavistic enating drug, is readable, although story has fairly elementary problems mysticism overcoming scientific rea¬ of point of view and focus, which the hero and heroine are too much son, it is only appropriate that the caricatures for the story to have surprise me, because I usually ad¬ protagonist should fade, at the end, much effect. "Household Gods" by mire Bailey's work, but I think its into mystery. And because Holdstock Daphne Castell is a fairly good ac¬ real failing, and that of most of depicts the setting (Ireland, 3rd most non-Moorcock Cornelius stories count of a trivial act which may la¬ millenium B.C.) so well, the result ter become the spark of rebellion is that the writers are content to is a powerful tale. just name the familiar names, shove against alien invaders. "The Sum¬ in some of the familiar images and Almost a parody of it, or of any mer Sweet, the Winter Mild" by Mich¬ situations and assume that is enough. of those stories in which one man ael Coney is about caribou hunting, It isn't, any more than the non-Love- goes into a strange environment and from the viewpoint of a telepathic craftian Cthulhu Mythos stories sends back reports while trying to herd with a group mind. These stor¬ which just name the Unnamables, quote understand the great mystery, is ies are all fairly good, although a few more turgid books, and end with Michael Bishop's "A Short History nothing to get excited about. the last lines in italics are enough. of the Bicycle: 401 B.C. to 2677A.D. Some of the others are disap¬ Twain's rule is violated. The story ..." The explorer finds himself on pointing. "Hunger and the Computer" a Platonic archetype world inhabited arrives nowhere and accomplishes no¬ by Gary Weimberg is very, very thing. by grazing herds of bicycles ... The slight. (A man starving in a space¬ results are fully as daffy as those ship gambles with the computer for John Crowley's "The Reason for in "Rogue Tomato", of pleasant mem¬ non-existent food.) It's more some¬ the Visit" is far more coherent. ory, and a bit more sustained. thing I'd expect to see as a fairly It is a delicately written anecdote These two are award quality, I respectable first sale in one of the about a man who may or may not be think. I just recommended them for minor magazines. The author has a receiving literary visitors from the Nebulas. long way to go. Alas, there is less past. One gets the impression that 15 of an excuse for some washouts by the big names. "Bender, Fenugreek, he stayed in publishing, which may beginning. He didn't just build up Slatterman and Mupp" by D.G. Coup ton have been to the benefit of that in¬ to what the book was about, say is yet another one of those stories dustry, but was a loss for science "Boo!" and stop. There is a conplete about the mousey little nerd in the fiction. Over the next few years, story, although we and the viewpoint regimented society who whimpers a on weekends and at odd moments, he character don't perceive everything bit, then goes off and kills him¬ worked on his first novel, TO WALK happening when they do. As in a de¬ self. None too soon, says I. Vonda TOE NIGHT (1937), and his second, tective story, there is a secondary McIntyre's "Shadows Moving" is about TOE EDGE OF RUNNING WATER (1939). plotline going on underneath the an old woman who wanders into the There were a few plays thereafter, surface one. desert, escapes into her own delus¬ but no more novels. He edited two In the hands of a pulp hack, I ions, and dies. The writing is fair¬ science fiction anthologies in the suppose this would have been about ly good, but I fail to detect a 1950s. I would guess that his pub¬ a mad scientist who nearly destroys point. James Tiptree Jr.'s "Slow lishing work, particularly after he the universe before he gets his Music" starts out beautifully, with formed his own company (William comeuppance and the hero can save some very lovely prose, but then be¬ Sloane Associates), sinply took up his beautiful sister-in-law. But gins to ramble. Virtually all of too much of his time. Both of his no, it is a gripping portrayal of a mankind have left this life for novels can be honestly called clas¬ man obsessed with communicating with transcendent inrnortality. One woman sics. Both are excellent. They his dead wife by scientific means. wants to stay behind and have babies. have seldom been out of print, and' Collaborating with his is a a grimly She tries to persuade a man to stay have been popping up over the years determined spiritualist, a memorab¬ with her. They take pills to have in a variety of editions, including le, if unsympathetic creation. sex. Both times they do there hap¬ once, an omnibus volume called TOE There are even lots of hostile and pens to be a corpse nearby. (Symbol¬ RIM OF MORNING. I was first aware ignorant villagers, whom a lesser ic, no doubt.) Ultimately, both of them in the Bantam editions of writer would have equipped with tor¬ transcend despite themselves, purely the 1960s. Those, by the way, were ches. I also suspect a pulp writer by accident. All of which might clearly marketed as supernatural would have done it as a short story, have meant something if the charac¬ horror. The new Ballantine edition since there isn't all that much "ac¬ is one of the few to label EDGE (one tion". But this was one of those assumes TO WALK TOE NIGHT will fol¬ instances when not being part of a low; they're never far apart) sci¬ genre paid off. It is obvious why ence fiction. Sloane's books are still in print. TOE EDGE OF RUNNING WATER might They are still enormously powerful, best be sunned up as a slightly ton¬ and they haven't dated at all. A ed-down Stephen King novel of 1939. human story, literately written, al¬ It is particularly interesting be¬ ways wins out over genre conventions. cause it has absolutely nothing to do with either the science fiction The Ballantine text, by the way, follows that of the 1955 revision, or the horror traditions of its per¬ iod. Pulp SF of the time was pain¬ which, as far as I can tell, involv¬ ed changing two or three words to fully emerging from the Gemsback Delusion, long-winded lectures, and include references to radar and at¬ omic energy, neither of which have pulp magazine stereotypes. Horror fantasy, what little of it there was, anything to do with the story. tended to be written in a Victorian breathless manner ultimately derived from Poe. Sloane wrote in a com¬ pletely modem style which one would SCIENCE FICTION WRITER’S WORKSHOP-I expect from the best mainstream nov¬ By Barry B. Longyear elists. He took time to develop his Owlswick Press, 1980, 161 pp., $5.95 characters with great sensitivity. Trade Paperback Both his nundane and his fantastic descriptions are convincing. This This is a How To Write book, aim¬ way the multi-dimensional vortex at ed at beginning writers. It is of the end is almost as convincing as interest to, for the most part, be¬ the small Maine village in which ters had any life in them. But ginning writers (surprise!) and al¬ the action takes place. At the same they are no more than stick figures. so those who are interested in Long¬ time, he was a little behind his The result is boredom. year's work. In the last year and contenporaries in that he continued a half he has made an astonishing We have here three superior to treat saience fiction concepts as entry into the field, rapidly becom¬ stories (Holdstock, Bishop, Nfaddem), if they were supernatural. (Fitz- ing one of the most popular magazine several okay ones and several less James O'Brien's "What Was It?" is a than okay ones. I don't know if you authors and proceeding to collect a good exanple of what I mean.) The Nebula, Hugo and Campbell in short want to pay six bucks for this, but average science fiction story makes order. Some might argue that it's it will be a fairly good buy when it its premise clear at once, then fol¬ still a little soon for him to write comes out in a mass market edition. lows it to some conclusion. A super¬ a How To book, that success has gone natural story often builds a great to his head, etc. But people who deal of mystery around what is going THE EDGE OF RUNNING WATER argue that aren't likely to get much on, then only at the end reveals By William Sloane out of this book, because they tend all, even then. Sloane took the to miss the point most of the time. Ballantine, 1980, 240 pp., $2.25 latter course in both of his books. However, unlike some of the cruder The point is that SCIENCE FIC¬ In 1929 William Sloane graduated horror story writers, he had enough TION WRITER'S WORKSHOP--I was writ¬ from Princeton and went to work in sense to write more than an aborted ten while Barry could still clearly publishing. Unlike the average lit¬ remember what it was like to be an erary young man just out of school. 16 amateur writer. Ten years from now he could not have written it. As a result, he is able to provide more BY THE EDITOR concrete advice on story mechanics than a more experienced writer, who, say, knows that you don't begin a story without a hook, or with a long I HEAR and boring lecture, takes this for granted, then goes on to mumble vaguely about art. That's not much good to the beginner. Examples are needed. Fortunately Longyear saved YOICE6.... all his false starts and rejects, and for every topic being discussed AN HOUR WITH HARLAN ELLISCN provides examples of how to do it Hourglass Productions and how not to. There is even a 10292 Westminster Av., section called "Fatal Flaws" which Garden Grove, CA 92643 consists of parts of rejected stor¬ A 60-minute cassette recording ies and explanations of why they of Harlan in "Loving Reminiscences were rejected. After each section of the Dying Gasp of the Pulp Era." there are exercises. This isn't Harlan is, as always, immense¬ the sort of book you skim through ly interesting and entertaining. once, then put back on the shelf. He is alone on this tape—no one Use it as a workbook. It is design¬ else is needed—and his memories ed for writing workshops, and was of his early days as a writer in New used by Longyear at one at the World- York...his encounters with editors cons this year. and how starving (or near starving) In short, this is the most sens¬ writers managed to survive in the ible writing book I have yet seen. 50's...are funny, stunning, and It is heavily into diagrams and out¬ nostalgic. Of greater interest to lines, and not everyone may write me are his comments on writing--- that way, but still these things his personal writing philosophy, are useful. It makes the reader his evaluations of his writings, think about what a story is, what his estimates of how his early life its parts are, and in what general changed him... His basic tenacity order they go. If you think this and drive are here revealed again, sounds like fornula, consider that and my admiration and respect are Longyear's outline (hook, backfill, again reinforced. bright moment, dark moment, climax/ For an amusing/serious look resolution) not only fits most mod¬ at writing for the pulps in the em stories, it fits HAMLET very 50s, and for a look at the ever- closely. Also OEDIPUS REX. In oth¬ naked Harlan psyche, this tape is er words, some things about story¬ required listening. telling are fairly universal. For example, that a story must have a point and it mist hold the reader's interest. Ignore that at your own peril. My one objection is that on page AN HOUR WITH ISAAC ASIMOV 1S5 Longyear maligns Johann Guten¬ Hourglass Productions berg by describing a book as the "Building a Firm Foundation" most ineptly printed since Gutenberg. is the title of this tape, but Actually the one example of the old the story behind the writing of boy's work I've seen was quite nice. perhaps the most famous sf story in the world—"Nightfall" is a- mong the more interesting—and surprising. Randall Garrett is the inter¬ viewer, but this is more a happy, funny conversation between old A selection, "Aesop", is read friends than an interview. by the author, Clifford D. Simak Asimov is a remarkable man Caedmon TC 1649 and his memories, still green, of As entertainment this isn't his beginnings as a writer—age very good—Mr. Simak doesn't 19---are fascinating, as are the read dramatically at all well. stories and anecdotes he tells a- So you're left with the exper¬ bout various editors of sf forty ience of listening to his story years ago. His relationship with and becoming involved with it if John W. Campbell, Jr. is recounted you haven't read it previously. with fondness and detail. "Aesop" is a good story about Isaac is self-revealed as a the problem of the inherent nature Good Guy—good humor, good friends of mankind in a dog's world, and and good appetite. You'd love how a 7,000-year-old robot solves to know him. He doesn't hate any¬ body. 17 SETTING TEE RECORD STRAIGHT ON THE SCIENCE FICTION WRITERS OF AMERICA

RESPONSES BY JACK WILLIAMSON, JERRY POURNELLE AND JACK CHALKER

TO "OUTSIDE THE WHALE" BY CHRISTOPHER PRIEST IN SFR #36

# LETTER FROM JACK WILLIAMSON # LETTER FROM JERRY POURNELLE '3. Priest isn't happy with our Box 761 12051 Laurel Terrace Drive membership requirements: particular¬ Portales, NM 88130 Studio City, CA 91604 ly that we require American publica¬ Sept. 4, 1980 August 5, 1980 tion for membership in the Science 'As a recent president of SFWA, "Golly! Chris Priest can sure Fiction Writers of America. I hope somebody answers the article manage to sound moral over not pay¬ 'Of course this is absurd. Mr. by Chris Priest. I was tempted to ing his SFWA dues! "Away and free", Priest says our policy "presumes try it myself, but I'm absorbed so "Outside the whale"-ye gods, I'd that entry to the American market completely in learning how to get never noticed that SFWA made any is the only test of professional¬ my novel-in-progress into a new attempt to enslave me. But let's ism", but has anyone ever been mad word processor (and safely out a- look at his charges. enough to claim that one cannot be gain), that I haven't time for all '1. "SFWA has encouraged deca¬ professional without being a member that might be said. dence by putting 'market' considera¬ of SFWA? If one hasn't much pub¬ 'I'm sorry Chris decided to tions before literature, by concen¬ lished over here, one might not want quit-in a series of letters, a trating on, say, the kind of success to be a member of SFWA. There is¬ couple of years ago, I tried to attached to making a lot of money n't much the organization can do for persuade him to stay. I think he rather than to the sort of success overseas members-although Mr. Spin- is rather too cynical about SFWA attached to writing well." rad is at this moment trying to and its members, but I think most change that, and has proposed a by¬ 'Whatever this means, I expect of his discontent comes from the law creating an overseas representa¬ SFWA is probably guilty. But how fact that he looks at the organi¬ tive on our Board of Directors in hell can you organize writing zation from the viewpoint of the (which will result in vastly over¬ well? I know a bit about how to ex¬ idealistic artist, not from the representing overseas members). tract money from publishers, and viewpoint of those who can't keep perhaps something about getting 'Yet Mr. Priest simply cannot writing unless their art is paid them to scrap yellow dog contracts. cease beating his straw man. He for. More than that I cannot do. makes the point that there may be 'The Nebula selection process more SF writers per capita in Brit¬ '2. Writers' organizations ex¬ is certainly not perfect-though ain, or in Australia, than in the ist, according to Priest, in order I think we have improved it great¬ US, as if that were relevant to any¬ (1) to lobby for the common good, ly. by going back to the three thing. But, he says, famous writers (2) provide a context within which rounds of balloting we began with, are "barred from entry to SFWA sim¬ isolated writers can contact their and by restoring the Nebula jury. ply because American taste was not peers, and (3) "to promote an ambi¬ Like all such contests, it will congruent with their work," meaning, ence, both commercial and artistic, always have one defect that can't I suppose, that they cannot find a within which creative freedom is en¬ be removed. Simply this: aesthet¬ US publisher. Yet-what does this couraged." ic judgements are necessarily sub¬ mean? That if they visit a US con¬ jective. One man's meat- We'll 'According to Priest, SFWA has vention they would not have the same never have objective evaluations, done well with the first and second privileges as SFWA members? Non¬ or total agreement about the most of those tasks; it is in the third sense. We have always welcomed non¬ excellent. that we are "derelict". members to all our functions except our business meetings. 'I'm not sure that the Nebulas 'If so, then we've done pretty have been any more valid than the damned well; how much do you expect '4. Mr. Priest resents the Hugos, but I think both have justi¬ for forty bucks a year? Once again: truth: overseas members must be sub¬ fied themselves — if not by Chris's I know something of lobbying for a sidized by US members' dues. Yet, idealistic standards, at least by better copyright law. I even know resent it all he will, it remains increasing the recognition and how to lobby against unreasonable truth. It costs us more to main¬ financial rewards for work that censorship. Creating ambiences tain an overseas member than that many readers have enjoyed.' sounds pretty tough for unpaid of¬ member pays in dues. For a while ficers who have their own books to that wasn't true: for a while we write. had an overseas member who received • 18 our communications in bulk form sent by air express, affixed local post¬ but paid no dues and could not vote. Joseph Conrad and William Shakes¬ age, and mailed them. Unfortunate¬ peare would disagree with that ob¬ 'Anderson left office and I be¬ ly, the member who was doing that servation. came President. proved unreliable, and a number of 'There was considerably more. overseas members complained that 'We heard from Mr. Lem precise¬ Some of it clever, most of it cur¬ they hadn't received their ballots ly once: he sent a letter to Forum mudgeonly. The article made no until after the election was finish¬ inviting SFWA members to send copies concessions whatever; there was not ed; and no one else has volunteered. of their published work to Mr. Lem's room in it even for civility. The Krakow publisher, who would consid¬ 'So: although we retain overseas tone was universal in condemnation. er them for translation and publica¬ members, in the past we haven't been It fairly dripped with sarcasm, some tion. To the best of my knowledge able to do much for them. No one in of which was directed against Poul he wrote nothing else whatever to Britain has offered to be our nego¬ Anderson personally. SFWA. tiator; and when I headed SFWA Griev¬ 'At this point let's pause and ances, I thought it obvious I could¬ 'Then Ted Cogswell discovered, note something: although Lem said n't do much from here. I had some in a digest of overseas press arti¬ in the article that he wanted to "re¬ success shutting down Israeli and cles, a translation of an article form US science fiction from with¬ Taiwanese pirates, but in both cas¬ by Mr. Lem published originally in in," which was the reason he accept¬ es that was done by working with a German newspaper. Cogswell ob¬ ed honorary membership in SFWA, he the US Dept, of State, not with ov¬ tained permission to reprint the made no attempt whatever to do that. erseas members. Norman Spinrad article and caused it to be publish¬ Indeed, the very article in question wants to change all that by elect¬ ed in the SFWA Forum. was published in a German newspaper ing an overseas SFWA director. I 'The article was, to say the and when Lem wrote it he had no wish Norman the best of luck, but I least, unflattering. It said that reason to assume any American writer decline to bet much on his chances. American science fiction was "uni¬ would ever be aware of it. It was '5. And now we come, I am sure, versally awful". Indeed, Lem found only by accident that ATLAS picked to Priest's real complaint: the in¬ not one single exception. Further¬ it up, and only due to Mr. Cogs¬ famous Lem Affair. And worse: for more, it transpired, he had only ac¬ well's efforts that it was brought we are accused not merely of inciv¬ cepted honorary membership in order to the atten tion of SFWA members. ility to a Famous Person, but of to "reform SFWA from within"; but 'Although the article mentioned that most horrendous of literary he found that a hopeless task. Anderson, Heinlein, and several oth¬ crimes, censorship, which earns us, 'Lem dwelt at great length on er US writers (all unfavorably), no in Priest's words, "eternal dishon- the mostrosity of "writing for beer copy was ever sent to any of them, money"-a phrase he had seen quot¬ in translation or in the original 'The best answer to that is a ed by Poul Anderson (who originally German-although Mr. Anderson reads short one: bat puckey. heard it from Robert Heinlein). Lem German, and one might have thought seemed to believe the quip was orig¬ that Mr. Lem owed Anderson that 'If there is any censorship in inal with Poul, and that it was some minimal courtesy. The first anyone the Lem Affair, it has been on the sort of official policy pronounce¬ other than Cogswell knew of the Lem side of Lem's adherents: as for ex¬ article was when it appeared in the ample the academicians, who will not ment by the President of SFWA. Mr. Heinlein had, on several occasions, SFWA FORUM, and the first Cogswell let the affair die, but have yet to warned his colleagues to "Remember, knew of it was when he read it in publish the actual facts of the case we're writing for Joe's beer money ATLAS many weeks after its initial — including my own letters. -and old Joe likes his beer," a publication in Germany. 'Yet the situation is, if not remark most of us interpreted to 'So: at this point a number of exactly simple, at least comprehens¬ mean that no one has to buy science members became angry. Mr. Priest ible. fiction; that we compete for the attributes this to "an influential 'The SFWA by-laws used to provide entertainment dollar, not the food political faction within SFWA, con¬ for numerous classes of membership, dollar. servative and regressive, one that only one of which, regular member¬ 'Lem saw it otherwise. He de¬ feels threatened by ideas and minor¬ ship, voted in either SFWA elections tected the fatal flaws of capitalism ity opinions." I don't know who he or the Nebula Awards. I quote the in that observation. You could nev¬ means. Perhaps Poul Anderson and final section of Article II on mem¬ er write literature while competing myself? But my reaction to the Lem bership: "Any person not otherwise with beer! Incidentally, I suspect thing was to send a rebuttal to eligible for membership may be elec¬ ted an honorary member by unanimous vote of the officers. A member so elected shall have all the rights and obligations of an associate member." It was elsewhere establish¬ ed that honorary members do not pay

'During Poul Anderson's admin¬ istration one of the officers pro¬ posed that Stanislaw Lem be made an honorary member. It was Poul's un¬ derstanding that Lem would be un¬ able to pay dues because of currency transfer restrictions, and thus hon¬ orary membership was 'appropriate. The officers were polled, the vote was unanimous, and Mr. Lem was duly enrolled as an honorary member, meaning that he got SFWA publications. ATLAS. (They Published it.) Poul could no longer remain an honorary bring in some revenue (through pub¬ did nothing. Mr. Heinlein did noth- member, and have asked him to join lication of the Nebula Award books). as a regular member. There is no 'Periodically one or another reason to presume that Lem would not 'Philip Jose Farmer, not known member proposes that we abolish the ignore that, as he ignored the let¬ for his dedication to right wing Nebula, but only a tiny handful want ter we actually sent. Would Priest ideologies and not noticeably afraid to do that. The rest, a vast major¬ and LeGuin have quit had it happen¬ of ideas, wrote to say that he was ity of the members, want to keep the ed that way? damned if his dues should subsidize award, flawed though it may be; and a man as discourteous as Lem. Phil 'So: I find the charge of cens¬ while tihs may be some kind of "col¬ Dick, also not notable for his right orship hard to sustain. Had SFWA lective view" and thus narrow-mind¬ wing notions, said much the same. revoked Lem's honorary membership ed, the by-laws unfortunately do not Some members complained that they and left no way for him to join the permit the broad-minded Mr. Priest had, as Mr. Lem suggested they do, organization, then Priest might be to over-rule the majority by his own sent books—at considerable expense, correct in saying SFWA "was lower¬ fiat. air freight to Poland being what it ing itself to the level of the State- 'Now Priest is right, the Nebu¬ is — to Lem's Krakow publisher, with controlled writers' unions that pre- la Award is fatally flawed, in that no result whatever-and that their censor and control writers in commun¬ it is given by a fairly small numb¬ polite letters to Lem asking why ist countries." Or would he? er of people, few of whom have read they heard nothing from Krakow pro¬ 'Good God no. Membership in a all the works nominated, fewer still duced no replies. Thus, they asked, writers' union is a requirement for all those published. Worse, the is it fair that this man continue making a living in a communist coun¬ better known the writer, the less to be an honorary member? try, but I never heard of a publish¬ likely to have read the works (be¬ 'There were, I suppose, a dozen er refusing anyone's work because he cause the less time available for or so complaints, with two Phils was not a member of SFWA (although reading), and the less likely to threatening to resign. we have had some publishers make it vote; so that the Nebula is inevit¬ clear they didn't much care for peo¬ ably awarded by about 150 of the 'There was also considerable ple who too prominently were members less-active members, and no rule evidence to show that Lem had already of SFWA). You can get many of the change is going to do much about resigned from SFWA. Certainly the benefits of SFWA membership without that. article implied it very strongly, joining: better standard contracts, when Lem said he'd only accepted 'The Grand Master Nebula (invent¬ higher standard royalties, better membership in order to reform us ed by, ahem, me) is given in a more and more informative royalty state¬ from within, but now he saw that was rational manner and seems not to be ments, entry to the SFWA suite at so controversial; but there will conventions, etc. etc. never be a good procedure for award¬ 'At this point the membership 'But even if one presumes mem¬ ing the regular Nebulae. secretary read the by-laws: and Lo!, bership in SFWA to be necessary for Stanislaw Lem was not eligible for 'Yet-is this a good reason for economic survival, Lem wasn't de¬ honorary membership, because he was abolishing SFWA? I presume that is prived of it. Indeed, he was offer¬ eligible for full voting membership. what Mr. Priest argues for. Yet ed the opportunity to upgrade his Furthermore, since he had books pub¬ even he sees some good in SFWA, some membership from associate to full lished in both the US and Canada, he moral purpose to the organization voting status. How, then, has he certainly had funds in the US with (although he left out perhaps the been harmed? It might be protested which to pay dues — and for that most moral of all SFWA's acts, its that he has been insulted, and that matter, despite his low opinion of strong defense of JRR Tolkien ethic¬ SFWA officers were themselves inciv- US science fiction, there were sev¬ al right to US royalties when il, and that, I suppose, remains a eral US members more than willing to through technicalities US publishers matter of opinion, for Lem had, aft¬ pay for him if there were the had no legal obligation to pay him er all, worked fairly hard at winn¬ slightest difficulty on that score. ing hostility; but to say that SFWA 'Mr. Lem was therefore informed threw him out when in fact we invit¬ 'As to our never reforming the that he could no longer be an honor¬ ed him to become a regular voting world, I hadn't thought that was ary member of SFWA, on the grounds member is to say more than the facts our purpose. I'm quite happy to that he was eligible for active mem¬ will support. have been president of the only bership; and he would be enrolled writers' association ever to audit 'This, then, is the real story as an active member should he choose a publisher's books in favor of its of the Lem Affair; and while it was to apply. He made no reply to that members; and although he has ceased "awkward and embarrassing", I'm not letter. at all sure that SFWA need have a to pay dues, Mr. Priest will contin¬ monopoly on feeling a bit ashamed- ue to enjoy our protection—quite 'Now: how is this censorship? possibly, if Mr. Spinrad's concen¬ True, it is unlikely that anyone and I, for one, am quite willing to tration on matters overseas bear would, at that moment, have examined discuss the subject. It's Lem's de¬ fruit, in England as well as over Lem's honorary membership in light fenders who won't print the facts of here.' of the by-law requirements had he the case. not published his loutish essay. '6. Mr. Priest doesn't like the (Loutish not because critical of Nebula Awards. Sigh. We can't win. • American SF, but because published Harlan Ellison quit SFWA because we without any regard for letting its don't have a Nebula for dramatic victims, individual or collective, presentations; Mr. Priest quits be¬ know of its existence. If you don't cause Nebulae exist. care for loutish, will backbiting suffice?) 'The Nebula was originally in¬ vented as a way to make money for 'If he had not published that SFWA. It has long since outlived essay, it is very likely that by that function, although it does now—five years, after all-some¬ one would have discovered that he 20 # LETTER FROM JACK L. CHALKER seems to me conventions and fanzines has no point. The rest of the first 4704 Warner Drive provide far more of this. It is true point seems to be that SF is commer¬ Manchester, MD 21102 that much of SFWA has been oriented cially now a successful medium and, 8/18/80 towards social clubbing, but I have as such, is decadent and in decline. never considered that aspect to be 'Chris Priest on SFWA deserves If being a commercial success is important or relevant and it often comment, but I think I should make such a horrible thing and great lit¬ receives too much attention by the it clear that I am speaking as a erature can only be written from the membership. fellow writer of SF (among other point of view of starvation from'an things) and not in any capacity as 'The third point is totally neb¬ attic garrett then we must dismiss officer or Power That Is in SFWA. ulous (no pun intended). I've read such folk as Shakespeare, Bacon, and, These comments are strictly my own. it several times and I still can not more recently, Hugo, Dumas, and understand what he wants. SFWA nev¬ Verne as evidence of decline, since 'The sentiments in his article er tells writers what to write, and all of them wrote for money and the are hardly new to the SF community, that's creative freedom. We certain¬ commercial marketplace and the ones but may be new to some of the read¬ ly can't tell editors what sort of I named above were quite successful ership of SFR and they deserve some manuscripts they must accept-then at it. Or did Shakespeare only de¬ commentary. It looks to me like we simply substitute our standards cline when they made the first film Priest's major objection to SFWA is for others. Is he saying that SFWA of HAMLET? What utter nonsense this that it isn't what he wants it to must make certain no one is reject¬ passage is-1 doubt if Priest him¬ be. I would feel a bit clearer on ed? Well, if so, then he'll have self believes this. Chris, if you his objections if I could figure out that decline in the field he sees in do beleive this, then obviously what just what it is he really does want his opening remarks with the result¬ you do is obviously publish your own SFWA to be—but the article itself ant flood of sheer shit. There's e- books at your own expense (cutting is so contradictory I can't figure nough of that now. The only sense out editors and all that goes with it out and doubt if he himself knows. that I can make of that third advo¬ them) and distribute as many copies Certainly I find his UI revolted, cation is the implication by Priest as possible so your greatness can broke free, and am now unshackled that writers are currently not cre¬ be discovered in the 22nd century. from this tyrannyu proclamation atively free, something which I've That's the only alternative. (that's the sense, anyway) that leads not noticed considering current off puzzling. Nobody has ever been 'As for commercial success, SF themes and treatments. Editors we coerced into remaining. It is is now in the same category as every shall have with us always, unless strictly a voluntary organization, other branch of fiction. Even his you publish your own books. I and while membership in it might revered Lem has had several movies think the charge that we do not ex¬ serve some individual interests it made of his work. If this success ist in an atmosphere of creative really has little effect on a career is decadence and decline, well, then, freedom is far too serious to be in writing. If you're good, you'll I defy Priest to come up with a tossed off in a one-liner as Priest sell. To attribute any coercive single branch of literature that does. If he can be specific, we'll powers to SFWA is to give it a lot does not also fit his definition of see, but I can't argue a line like more than it deserves—and yet, lat¬ decadence and decline. I can think that until I see evidence not pro¬ er in the article, he seems to de¬ of only one-poetry-and I haven't vided. cry the fact that it isn't a mono¬ noticed that that is Chris Priest's lithic union of all writers which 'Since this is the area where major artistic form. implies that very thing. You can't Priest says SFWA has "failed" I 'Ah, but now we come to the SFWA have it both ways. Let's look at think it would make a wonderful art¬ charge and it's fascinating. SFWA his points in order. icle detailing the evidence for this is concerned only with the market¬ sort of charge. To charge SFWA with '"SFWA, like all writer's organ¬ place and not with the qualitative not paying attention to this when izations, exists for three reasons: aspects of writing. Whose standards, Priest neper once detailed those Firstly to work for the common good Mr. Priest? Yours? Mine? The TIMES? charges and presented the evidence by creating a lobby. Secondly, to Leslie Fiedler? Tom Clareson? Geor¬ of a problem to SFWA says more about provide a social context within which ge Hay? Who says what quality is? Priest than SFWA. Otherwise, this isolated writers can contact their An awful lot of the best of litera¬ charge falls as something high-sound¬ peers. Thirdly, to promote an am¬ ture, not just SF, was attacked as ing and totally fabricated for lack bience, both commercial and artist¬ lacking quality when originally pub¬ of a real charge. ic, within which creative freedom is lished. An awful lot of what of encouraged." '"The expansion of the SF genre what the critics said was major and has been an acquisition of fatty important is so much dead paper now. 'The first SFWA in fact is. tissue rather than a hardening of The only test of quality in a work Whatever power and infulence it has muscular flesh. SF is now over-pro¬ is that it lasts. Dickens was oft¬ in the industry comes from its abil¬ duced with writers and markets ga¬ en dismissed by critics and even ity to create a lobby. You can still lore, series and sequels and film contemporary writers as a commercial stiff a poor SF writer, but not with¬ tie-ins and comic book versions and hack writing thrillers. Obviously out all the other writers knowing a- illustrated novellas, and all the there is something in his works that bout it — and often taking action. other decadent symbols of a declin¬ is universal to mankind, that con¬ The Pocket contract, the Ace audit, ing literary form.... SFWA has en¬ tinues to speak to subsequent genera¬ and quite a number of other less couraged this decadence by putting tions even through the technological headlined items which Priest does 'market' considerations before lit¬ revolutions. The collective which refer to are real accomplishments. erature, by concentrating on, say, Mr. Priest abhors so much is the on¬ No other writers' organization was the sort of success attached to mak¬ ly arbiter of quality. No specific willing to stand up on these issues. ing a lot of money rather than the collection of humans can do it. My We did. We won. And because we did sort of success attached to writing definition of quality writing would this gives SFWA an awful lot more well." hardly tally with Priest's own, nor clout with the industry than compet¬ should it. itive writing groups. 'Oh, boy! The first sentence is another sweeping generalization 'And yet SFWA is asked to deter¬ mine what is quality and nurture it. 'The second point, about social which not only has no substance, it I submit that history is the only context, I'm less certain about. It 21 judge of quality here; it can not are different laws , different types ing about decadence of the field and be manufactured except by the indi¬ of company set-ups we here are ignor¬ literary decline and how we have to vidual creative talent doing the ant of. I'd like a German SF Writ¬ promote quality over the market¬ work and can only be judged or ers Association because I really place then says "The best-selling recognized after the fact. Nor is would like to find out a little bit SF author lives in Poland, the quality an absolute—there are not about what happens to some of my world's best-selling SF series came only graduations, there are so many work in translation. There isn't from Germany." Lem is the Pole, of kinds as to defy any two rational one-and why not? Why is SFWA sup¬ course-a man who admits he writes beings' definitions. Or is Mr. posed to do that work and how could without creative freedom and has Priest charging that SFWA is not it without major organization in often been in hot water or failed promoting his own concept of quali¬ Germany? It would seem to me that, to get published because of the con¬ ty? I submit to you all-why rather than remake SFWA in the multi¬ tent of some of his works. Those should it? national image, the only solution approved get heavy marketing and to all this (and I think it's a good promotion in the entire Communist 'Or is he saying that SFWA one) is for each nation to create bloc which buys more books. That should become the Famous Science its own counterpart of SFWA. Then best-selling German series he's Fiction Writer's School and teach we could affiliate. But you can't talking about is Perry RhodanM! everybody how to write better? do it any other way. Creative freedom and quality, Mr. Who's going to do the teaching, Mr. Priest? And if both of those state¬ Priest? And to what end? I submit 'A novelist whose book appears ments of yours don't emphasize mark¬ that talent, creativity, imagination, only in German can join SFWA, con¬ etplace over creative quality noth¬ is not something which can nor trary to what Priest says. The ing does. should be taught. If it is, it be¬ problem is that we can offer him comes intellectual fascism. On the nothing in the way of services. 'Now, you can't have it both more mindane level, if Chris Priest When and if his book is published ways, can you? Or maybe you can if ever dropped me a letter telling me in this country we can be of serv¬ you doublespeak fast enough. how I should write in the future I ice-and that's the way most of 'Quoting individual members of might note his points but generally our non-US members use the organi¬ SFWA is really not quite kosher, I'd tell him to stuff it. I suspect zation. It seems to me that Priest's either. SFWA, like SF in general, I'd get the same reaction should main charge is that SFWA is not a and like human beings in general, the reverse be true. multinational organization-yet has its shere of nerds, reactionar¬ look what happened to World SF. It's 'Thus, SFWA can and must only ies, whores, etc. It also has a lot not a multinational organization be concerned with the marketplace. of creative people of all political because it doesn't work that way. It can not and should not presume and other stripes and I wouldn't This way it does. Nor is the en¬ to define the field for that is have it any other way. But quoting trance requirement a measure of pro¬ certainly the opposite of "encourag¬ an individual member's asshole com¬ fessionalism. One might charge that, ing creative freedom," as Mr. Priest ments to indict the organization since SFWA does not take those who put it. (something Priest said at the start write historical novels or westerns he wouldn't do, but I think I have 'An organization. World SF, was exclusively that it does not consid¬ demonstrated by now he wasn't read¬ founded on those high-sounding and er them professional, either. The ing what he was writing) is easy- meaningless goals and principles charge is nonsense. We'll be happy folks do it with the Bible all the I've discussed above. It's fallen to take their money-but we won't time. apart without its founders even be able to do much for them. agreeing on whether or where to hold 'I wasn't in SFWA when the Lem 'In other words, his argument a meeting. Reason: no two members honorary membership was instituted. is full of shit. had the same idea of the objectives Had I been, I would have opposed it, of the organization, and most mem¬ mostly in deference to a lot of oth¬ bers had the conviction that there 'Wow.... On page 18 ((SFR #36)) er non-US writers who weren't get¬ were no objectives whatsoever to it. Priest, who the page before was talk¬ ting in free. The principle was There weren't—and, therefore, there was no reason for it to exist. 'O.K. So SFWA is the Science Fiction Writers of America. Yes, it is—because the primary industry is here and because we can exercise some influence over it. We simply have no influence over the British, German, Japanese, etc. industries because we aren't there and don't know them well enough. However, if Britain has per capita more SF writ¬ ers than the US (as well it might) then they should know their industry. Where then is the British SF Writers Association? Certainly that indus¬ try could use one. But we Americans can't organize it—we aren't there and we don't know the territory. If it did exist, then I'd join and it could handle my complaints with British publishers just as SFWA handles their complaints on U.S. publishers. 'In terms of non-English language works, well, the same applies. There wrong. For the same reason I voted takes and did not institutionalize against throwing him out on the such practices. Again, it learns... grounds that, once you've done it, you're stuck with it. It was wrong, 'And, finally, we come to the ugly and unpleasant-but it's done. charge that SFWA has not fought the All the affair proves is that writ¬ "decay of the spirit." Priest ad¬ ers, just like everybody else, oc- mits that it's a nebulous thing. I cassionally act like assholes. The submit it's so nebulous as to be an¬ incident, however, is treated in other straw man set up because of a length as being symptomatic of the lack of anything concrete. SFWA is way SFWA regards non-English writers given credit for its victories, at and that is unfair. Mr. Priest will least the ones that made the head¬ either have to come up with an org¬ lines, but it is charged with not anization that didn't occasionally having continuous victories. Final¬ do stupid and wrong things or a pat¬ ly we get to the nub-Priest wants tern of SFWA doing such things for SFWA to become a union. But we this to have any validity. Instead can't have a union-not unless it's an isolated incident and I we're willing to blacklist, to think SFWA learned a lot from it. strike, and to enforce that black¬ Unless it's an established pattern list and strike on our membership- it has no validity in Mr. Priest's and that would create the intellect¬ argument—and no pattern is given. ually fascist monster Priest claims throughout he's against and yet 'Ah, the Nebulas. Here Priest seems to cry for. is more charitable than I am. The Nebulas were founded with at least 'Over the past 15 years or so, a fair number of SFWAns thinking SFWA has grown from a tiny idea in¬ RICHARD that an extra prestigious award was to the only writers organization I a good thing and meant more money. know that has actually influenced E. The Nebulas are and will remain a and moved the publishing conglomer¬ joke for all the reasons Chris ates. When it was being grandiose Priest states—but we'll have them or sweeping it failed miserably, be¬ GEIS with us always. No would I vote to coming a fan organization much less abolish them now, since that's where exclusive that the Fantasy Amateur A PERSONAL JOURNAL 50% of the income for SFWA comes Press Association. Where it has from and it is badly needed. But I limited itself to goals within its # A jaundiced, commentary on don't take them seriously nor hold reach and tried to perform what serv¬ current events. them in high regard. ices it could with what it had it H A Libertarian viewpoint. has succeeded brilliantly. # Personal counter-culture 'On the other hand. Priest's living notes. overall indictment of the Nebulus 'I'm sorry we don't have the per¬ might apply to any popular-vote a- sonnel nor means to influence the ward, Hugos included. Nobody can British publishers, Chris, but, hell. $3. for five issues. read everything, as he so rightly Future threw me out of that party $6. for ten issues. points out. I don't think this in¬ at SeaCon, too, and there wasn't a Richard E. Geis validates awards per se for several damned thing I could do about it....' P.0. Box 11408 reasons, the most prominent of which Portland, OR 97211 is that Hugo nominators, on the aver¬ age, read a hell of a lot, and good REG #lt nearly ready for mailing stuff tends to be fushed in fanzin¬ es, SFR, STARSHIP, you name it as well as the prozines. No award is perfect. On the other hand, if we're going to have awards at all, the alternative is some sort of blue CANNED MEAT ribbon nominating panel and look A SCIENCE FICTION NOVEL what happens there. Read Spinrad BY RICHARD E. GEIS on the late, unlamented National Book Award Jury. Life in a computer-run domed 'The FORUM was absolutely free city and the failing civiliza¬ until a certain officer was elected. tion of which it is a part. A majority elected him-and a maj¬ Roi and Eelia, two young citi¬ ority reelected him. In democracy zens of the dome, two children you rarely get the people that you of Great Mother Computer, meet need but you always get the ones and experiment with forbidden you deserve. If Priest had renewed for this year he would have found Covers and interior illustra¬ that the FORUM is not at all cendor- ed now. I might say that the censor¬ tions by Bruce Conklin ing officer was not immediately past $5. — I doubt if Jack Williamson even Order from: knew the lid was on. -But Norman Science Fiction Review took it off and I seriously doubt if POB 11408 it'll ever go back on again. And Portland, OR 97211 that is a more important fact than the FORUM'S shackled past. SFWA and its members corrected its mis¬ of the pursuing group. And I'll AND THEN I READ.... never forgive Phil for what he did to Deyv's intelligent, loving, loyal dog and cat. But the main thrust in this col¬ ************************************ lection is his newest full-color posters which he sells in large size from his home. In fact, this volume could be considered a cata¬ log of his latest offerings. But THE MAN IN THE DARKSUIT this catalog is worth the money ask¬ By Dennis R. Caro ed. Pocket Books 83153-4, $1.95 A cleverly told tale of intrigue ************************************ and improbable love in the future worlds of interstellar high corpor¬ ate crime and punishment. THE LAST IMMORTAL By J.O. Jeppson We have Bos Coggins, a some-time Houghton Mifflin, $9.95, 1980 sportscaster and most-of-the-time BY THE EDITOR A sequel to Mrs. Asimov's first investigator, and we have "Muffie" novel, THE SECOND EXPERIMENT, this Bernstein, a foodaholic (and crash is written in the same comic-bookish dieter) heiress and corporate Oper¬ juvenile style that turned me off ator falling intricately in love THE DEAD ZONE by Stephen King before. It's all magic science, as they try to discover the identi¬ Signet E9338, $3.50 absurd, incredible... involving an ty of the man in the darksuit who The first King novel I've read, imnortal good-guy alien robot from in turn is going crazy but who has and maybe the last. This 402 page another universe named Tec, an evil enormous power. book about a young man with pre¬ remnant few powerful aliens from What makes this novel exception¬ cognition and a kind of telepathic his original Alpha universe.... ally good fun to read is the very power (reception, and only by touch¬ The dust-jacket claims the auth¬ funny/clever dialogue between Bos ing the other person) is long on or grounded the novel in the author's and Muffie, as well as Bos's morbid padding and repetition, good at command of science and her Zen-like interior dialogue. It all rings creating the illusion of reality, interpretation of modem cosmology. true-to-life in spite of a certain but thin on plot. Uh-huh. Too bad she won't write delightful absurdity. The story is actually a series believable scenes, dialogue and ac¬ ************************************ of cliches with a predictable clever- tion. Believable, that is, to an twist ending. adult. Johnny Smith has so much trouble If you're thirteen years old, with his gifts, so much suffering, physically and/or emotionally/mental¬ so much hassle resulting from his ly, this will wow you. infrequent attempts to help people ************************************ THE SUNDERED REALM By Robert E. Vardeman when his wild, disturbing talent forces him to reveal special know¬ and Victor Milan Playboy Paperbacks 16732, $2.25 ledge, that the reading experience DARK IS THE SUN By Philip Jose Fanner Sword, sorcery, heroics, etc. is a downer. Ballantine 28950, $2.25 with a difference: it's realistic, King does have a deep understand¬ Phil Farmer does have a vivid, adult, and funny. ing of the human tragedy, the human inventive, wild imagination. He can, condition, the human joys of love The hero---Fost Longstrider--- as in this faaaaaar future sf adven¬ is a courier and in trying to de¬ and need, and this makes his books ture (the sun is dying, man!) detail rewarding and worthwhile. liver a precious jug to a wizard a complex tribal society, left-over becomes involved in a helter-skel¬ I do wish he didn't have to wonders, aliens, and some strange keep producing these excessively ter series of battles and chases creations of long-dead tech civili¬ that take him to a magically float¬ padded monstrosities in order to al¬ zations so well you believe! The low the publisher to justify an out¬ ing sky city, a plot-counterplot fate of mankind is at stake here, political-power struggle about rageous cover price. folk, and mankind can be so damned [But, the market prevails, and heirs, thrones... obstinate, superstitious and will¬ Sounds boring, the same old if enough people consider him worth fully ignorant! $3.50....] shit? Ha! There is a genie in The story is mostly taken up the jug you wouldn't believe, the ************************************ with young Deyv (of the Turtle tribe) rape of a beautiful princess by and his chase after a Yawtl who has a stone god, an aerial dogfight stolen his precious, status-rich on the back of an intelligent giant soul egg [Like a super Mood Ring. war eagle... Remember those?] I liked this one and look for¬ Peacock Press/Bantam, $8.95 Dev meets others whose Soul Eggs ward to the two remaining novels [$9.95 in Canada] [and equivalents] have been stolen which make up this trilogy—The If you wanted to mutilate this by the damned Yawtl. One other is War of Powers series: THE CITY IN large-sized trade paperback (let¬ Vana, from another tribe. True Love THE GLACIER will be published in ter-size, heavy, slick paper) you'd comes... The group follow the Yawtl November, and THE DESTINY STONE do it in order to cut out and frame and reach the lair of a witch named in December. at least a dozen of the beautiful Feersh the Blind. full-color prints. Environmental and social inven¬ Frazetta paints lusty ladies, tion follows invention as Phil leads the reader a merry, intriguing chase heroic men, horrific aliens, monst¬ FIND THE CHANGELING ers... above all he paints action through this long (405 p.) novel. By Gregory Benford and Gordon Eklund Curiously, it is the two human and gut-level emotion. There is Dell 12604, $2.25 characters who are least interesting humor, too, in the accompanying A Changeling can alter his body ink and color sketches. 24 to mimick any living form he wishes, and he firmly believes the nature Russell Kirk, who knew Basil Garret writes a series of short of the universe is chaos and unpre¬ Smith, wrote the Introduction. stories in the manner of---E.E. dictability. He is a dedicated, The normal price for this book Smith, Lovecraft, Eric Frank Rus¬ religious anarchist and he and his is $12., but Stuart Schiff is giv¬ sell, Asimov... There are out¬ species---few, growing fewer—are ing SFR readers a special $10 rate rageous Little Willie doggerals, hunted and killed by humans, by the effective for 30 days after this a series of reviews of classic sf Earth Consortium, as they individual¬ issue of SFR is out: Approx. from novels in poetic format—but they ly slip into a society and sow dis¬ October 26th to November 26th. are very short on judgement and very organization, riot, ruin. There is a signed(Russell long on recapping the plot, which Fain---the veteran Changeling Kirk) and slipcased edition avail¬ will possibly ruin the reading of killer, and Skallon, an idealistic able for $25. This is Kirk's first the original novel for the new-to- anthropologist sent with him---ar¬ limited edition and signed book. sf reader. rive on the plague-infested colony ************************************ It's all good fun, well worth planet Alvea in hot pursuit of a the reading, but, again, not for clever, ruthless Changeling. anyone without a long and deep back¬ These men go through personal ground in sf. emotional crises as they hunt the SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY AUTHORS ************************************ alien and try to escape the notice A Bibliography of First Printings of the Earth-hating colonists. of Their Fiction By L.W. Currey The Changeling plays games with G. K. Hall 8 Co. $48.00 them, kills, adroitly seeds the 70 Lincoln St. fragile society with destruction... and in the end attempts the ultimate Boston, MA 02111 This is a big, fat, well-bound emotional destruction of its hated hardcover. It is patently a refer¬ enemy--Fain. ence book, for libraries, for the Here's everything you want in a sf novel—action, sex, violence, serious collector and aficionado. pace, depth of characterization, Not all sf and fantasy authors are here included. Only approx, an intriguing, terrible alien, a the 215 or so most well-known. strange human society...and a thought- provoking philosophical problem to And it should be noted that the first printings are of books, consider. A superior science fiction novel. not short fiction. The fun section is the six pag¬ ************************************ es of pseudonyms listed: for in¬ stance the collaborative team of Tom Disch and John Sladek published under the pseudo Thom Demijohn. THE SCALLION STONE And (from the first page, also) By Canon Basil A. Smith H. K. Bulmer wrote as Ken Blake; Whispers Press and Marion Zimmer Bradley wrote Box 1492-W as Lee Chapman... In fact, as I Azalea Street, page through these pseudos I note Browns Mills, NJ 08015 that Bulmer, Bradley and Barry THE TALKING COFFINS OF CRYO-CI7Y It must rankle some less-than- Malzberg have quite a few pen By Shirley Parenteau great professional writers to dis¬ names. And who would have thunk Elsevier/Nelson Books, $7.95 cover that an "unknown" English that Bob Bloch was Collier Young! A young girl student of the fu¬ Reverend, now dead ten years, was A typical entry in this book ture is 'Sentenced to Freeze' in a able to write some of the best might be this one for a John Brun¬ utopian society because she impuls¬ ghost stories and/or occult stories ner novel: ively caused a local weather machine I've read in a long time. to make rain instead of hot, dry THE JAGGED ORBIT.New York: Ace There are five long short sto¬ weather. Books, Inc. (1969). Wrappers. No ries in this well-made limited edi¬ The judicial system, dominated statement of printing on the copy¬ tion hardcover, and all are in a by a logical computer, is absurd, right page.An Ace Science Fiction leisurely, often indirect style, and her sentence a virtual death Special 38120 (95$) in which most of the action and verdict, since almost all 'unsocial' tension is off-stage or recounted And so it goes for 571 pages. acts are punished by cryogenic en¬ capsulation and storage until future afterword by a second-hand teller, ************************************ and which seem structured as slic¬ scientists find a way to safely es of English countryside life as thaw those frozen. as well stories of ghosts, revenge, Kallie is rendered unconscious, murder.... TAKEOFF! By Randal1 Garret put into the capsule...and wakes up Basil Smith wrote with much Starblaze/Donning, $4.95 minutes later with only a few more grace and command and realism. 5041 Admiral Wright Rd. minutes' air supply. You really have to believe his Virginia Beach, VA 23462 What happens after that is pretty tales. good story-telling. Formula, but This is an "insider" book; gripping...if you ignore plotholes. It is by avoiding the direct most of its considerable hunor is third-person NOW technique that Throughout, this is a nice Juven¬ due to the reader's knowledge of ile novel, with a very moral heroine he convinces you by second-hand many of the "classics" and classics and a creaky, inplausible plot. accounts and accumulating detail of sf, knowing something of the Juvenile readers of any intelli¬ that these odd, ghostLy, occult leading sf authors, and also having gence will be insulted. events occurred. a perverted sense of humor. All Adult readers of any intelligence Stephen Fabian contributed fans have a perverted sense of will curse Elsevier/Nelson for not 10 full-page black and white il¬ humor. And most pros do, too. labeling their product. lustrations. Very effective and moody. 25 ************************************ OTHER VOICES

WARHOON 28 His contributions to the fan Published by Richard Bergeron, press began with a printed fanzine 1 West 72nd St, NY, NY, 10023 titled SLANT that enjoyed the sing¬ Hardcover, $25.00 ular distinction of having several of its SF stories reprinted in pro¬ Reviewed by Terry Carr fessional magazines. His own writ¬ ten contributions to SLANT were us¬ This is either the best SF-con- ually short, but his deadpan article nected book of the year or the best in the first issue, "Telekinesis and fanzine of the year, depending on Buttered Toast", ranks as a classic. your definition. If a sturdily hard¬ It's been reprinted several times bound volume of over 600 pages with and is included in WARHOON 28. embossed covers, endpapers and pro¬ fuse illustrations in two-and-three- All the rest of Willis's best But before he even start¬ color lithography constitutes a book, writing is here, too: "The Harp ed beating on his breast and then it must win next year's Hugo Stateside", "The Enchanted Duplicat¬ swinging on the chandelier, in the Non-Fiction category. On the or", "In Defense of the Pun" and all Korshak unaccountably turn¬ other hand, if the 28th issue of what 44 installments of his famous col¬ ed vicious, threatening to started as a fanzine that many years umn "The Harp that Once or Twice" -- 'strike here and there at ago, which presents text and draw¬ these will tell you not only what random' and to 'hit as many ings by people known primarily as fandom was like in the fifties and people at the tables as I fans, strikes you and the next year's sixties but also a great deal about possibly can'. Naturally worldcon conmittee as a fanzine, then the science fiction field itself. this terrified the guests it must win the Hugo in that cate¬ His analysis, in 1959, of why' sci¬ and they cowered in the gory. ence fiction magazines were losing shadows so that he could money and folding, was deadly in its not find them. This seemed But never mind the definitions: accuracy; his criticisms of John W. to infuriate Korshak even What's inportant for you to know is Campbell and H.L. Gold were sharp more. He knew they were that you have to buy this volume... but always much more in sorrow than there all right. He produc¬ yes, even at $25.00. The reason is¬ anger, and his essay on the moral n't just the stunning production, ed the registration lists to implications of the political ideas but the contents themselves, which prove it, and revealed black¬ in STARSHIP TROOPERS was the defini¬ consists of about 300,000 words of ly that he was going to 'shoot tive one, I believe. the best writing of Walter A. Wil¬ up and down the list, pick¬ ing out the highspots'." lis. (Plus some other stuff: art¬ Perhaps a few quotations would icles about Willis that admirably be useful to readers who've never Willis was in love with the Eng¬ delineate his fan career, character encountered Willis's writing; in any lish language, so it's not surpris¬ and influence on fandom.) case, I find the urge to quote ir¬ ing that he was instantly aware of resistible. Here's an example of There are, I'm sure, a lot of ambiguous phrases. Mach of his his humorously hyperbolic style, current readers who've never heard writing concentrated on puns, espec¬ from his account of the 1952 world- of Walter A. Willis -- or, if they ially "Willis Discovers America", con, when Earl Korshak was introduc¬ have, they've never been fortunate his fictional account of his visit ing the celebrities among the at¬ enough to read any of his articles, to this country in 1952, written be¬ tendees : columns or fannish stories. They fore his actual trip. Unlike most have a revelation and a revel coming, "Korshak's eyesight is on Willis admirers, I consider this for during the more than twenty years a par with his knowledge piece trivial, but I can't deny that when he was an active fan Willis of present day fandom, and he some of the puns were memorable: maintained a level of quality un¬ spent more time apologizing "The water level in the hold matched by any fan writer ever; he for the first than display¬ rises. The ship takes on a was, in fact, unsurpassed by aiypro¬ ing the second. After pick¬ heavy list, which is check¬ fessional writer below the level of, ing out a few notables in ed." say, Mark TVain. the front row he peered des¬ pairingly about the auditor¬ "'Oh, bother,' says Wil¬ You may ask, "If he was so ter¬ ium, finally being reduced lis. 'What a cell! I've rific, why didn't he become a pro¬ to calling on just anyone a good mind to retire from fessional writer?" The answer is whose name he happened to fandom in high dungeon.' that he simply didn't want to; he know. He had announced instinctively realized what a lot of "'You can't retire from first that he was going to fandom yet,' points out fans-tumed-pro had to learn the 'jump from table to table', hard way: that writing for money Shelby. 'You haven't even a prospect which delighted turns an enjoyable hobby into a started on your memoirs. those among us who felt that job. Nonetheless, he did once po¬ Lee Hoffman would never for¬ an acrobatic spectacle of give you. ’ lish a non-fiction book titled THE this sort was what the Con¬ IMPROBABLE IRISH (Ace Books, 1969, vention needed and were look¬ "'True,' says Willis. 'We written under the penname "Walter ing forward to a review of it must think of an egress.'" Bryan"; it was a well-researched in THE BURR0UQ1S BULLETIN. witty history of and conrnentary on (That last pun may be the brav¬ the Irish people). 26 est one ever committed, because Lee Hoffman, a friend whom Willis valu¬ al order, it becomes apparent while Hoffman, Arthur Thomson, Shelby ed highly, lived in the South when reading that through the years he Vick, Bob Shaw, James White and Ber¬ it was published in the early fif¬ became increasingly serious in his geron. There's also a page of pho¬ ties. Willis later explained, "I thinking and writing, and that the tos. knew she was of Illinois stock and reason he left fandom ten years ago ************************************ took the chance.") was neither weariness nor disillus¬ ion, but rather, his increasing con¬ Willis was a master of all types cern for human problems, especially of wit. In his report on his second THE GATES OF HEAVEN in his work in the North Ireland visit to the U.S., when his wife, By Paul Preuss government. Considering the recent Madeleine acconpanied him to the Bantam, 13409-4; c. 1980; Bantam history of Ireland, this was under¬ 1962 worldcon, he gave a rare exanp- edition. May '80; 210 pp., $1.95 standable and inevitable. le of the deadly way he could use Reviewed by Steve Lewis irony, in a comment on a boorish Willis's "serious" writing pro¬ social intruder: gressed from the passage above, pub¬ It is the year 2037. The search lished in 1953, throu^ihis defini¬ "...Bloch invited us to for extraterrestrial radio communi¬ tive defense and appraisal of fan- lunch and en route to cations from the stars is dubbed nish writing (1958) , the previously the dining room we were Project Cyclops, but instead of the mentioned piece about questions of joined by Mike McQuown, hoped-for discovery of alien life ethics raised by STARSHIP TROOPERS an unexpected privilege. from another planet comes a signal (1961) and a superb essay on writing One had to admire the from an experimental rocket ship later that year, culminating in his authoritative way in from the rebellious colony on L-5, 1969 analysis of The Irish Dilenma which he said 'Four, a ship thought lost forever, suck¬ and his philosophical article writ¬ please' to the Head Wait¬ ed into the open mouth of an un¬ ten in 1975 in response to Robert ress, and he was a great charted black star. Persig's novel ZEN AND THE ART OF help in filling up the MOTORCYCLE MAINTENANCE. The sudden shift in' story enph- embarrassing pauses asis is somehow unsettling. Some which tend to occur when Most of Willis's humorous writ¬ high-powered mathematical theories you are trying to make ing had a serious undertone; simil¬ suggest that mankind is on the verge conversation with a man arly, his more solemn pieces were of finding a pathway at last to the as dull as Bloch." always enlivened with wit. I repeat: stars --if only administrational He can be compared only to such The vast majority of Willis's politics are kept from interfering! a writer as Mark TWain. The opera¬ writing, however, was warm, compas¬ Much is made of testimony taken by tive difference is that you can sionate and perceptive. Here's his the Senate Space Committee, but in read Twain for free simply by visit¬ account of his first meeting with the long run the problem it poses ing a library, whereas in order to racial segregation in the South: is apparently nullified by the quick enjoy Willis you'll have to send expediency of sinply ignoring it. "On the way to Atlanta . . . $25.00 to Richard Bergeron, 1 West the bus had left several 72nd Street, NY, NY, 10023. I re- In fact, the book as a whole groups of Negroes stand¬ comnend that )ou do both. reads remarkably like one of those ing by the side of the fictionalized docudramas that seem road because the back You’ll also get to read Harry to pop up on television with increas¬ seats were full, though Warner's 12,000-word biography of ing regularity. Without its sup¬ there was plenty of room Willis (which is excellent even porting pseudo-historical backdrop, at the front. Eventual¬ though marred by minor errors of it is a story too weak and unsub¬ ly it stopped to let a fact), Peter Graham's perceptive an¬ stantial to stand as a novel by it¬ white on, and a colored alysis of Willis's writing, Tom Per¬ self. The essence has been boiled woman with two little ry's description of Willis in person away, before being served, as dead children followed. She and Bergeron's raisings on the ef¬ and yet unfinished as yesterday's and the children had to fects Willis had on him. newspaper. stand all the way to At¬ Plus sixty illustrations by Lee ************************************ lanta, though there were still seats at the front. Now everyone in the bus must have known there was something basically wrong about this, but since no¬ body would do anything about it, all us whites had to choose between des¬ pising ourselves and re¬ senting the colored woman, and presumably she had to make a similar choice with regard to the whites. This sort of thing must be hap¬ pening several times a day to everyone everywhere seg¬ regation exists, and it seemed to me that the at¬ mosphere of guilt and re¬ sentment in that bus per¬ vaded the whole South." Since WARHOON 28 presents Wil¬ lis's writing in mostly chronologic¬ 27 THE MAKING OF STAR TREK THE MOTION These two books are far and away the fall, her mother revealed to PICTURE better than David Gerrold's mildly Lionel that Rhea was not his child. By Susan Sackett interesting books, THE WORLD OF STAR Lionel promptly went to his study Wallaby trade paperback, $7.95 TREK, and THE TROUBLE WITH TRIBBLES and shot himself. (which contains more non-fiction ISBN: 0-671-79109-5-795 At fifteen all young men were than fiction). Those interested in Reviewed by James J.J. Wilson falling at Rhea's feet, but they ST and SF conventions should look bored her -- the one who did not up Joan Winston's THE MAKING OF THE This book is sort of a revised bore her rejected her, and Rhea ex¬ TREK CONVENTIONS (Playboy Press). acted a horrifying revenge. edition of Stephen Whitfield's 1968 The rest of the non-fiction ST books book, THE MAKING OF STAR TREK, which are far too fannish to be of much is now in its twenty-first printing. Rhea Carter reached her mid-for¬ interest. The Whitfield and Gerrold The first book is all about how Gene ties and wished to be youthful again, books, by the way, are currently av¬ Roddenberry developed ST, made the but rejuvenation could not be grant¬ ailable from Del Rey/Ballantine. pilots, sold them to a studio, sold ed -- there was only one diabolical the second one to NBC, etc. It also ************************************ way it could be done. has more information about ST, the Now, how in 1980, has Rhea been TV series, and the the people that able to stay youthful, beautiful and made it than you'll find in any oth¬ RHEA sensuous for over a hundred years? er one place. It deals so well By Russ Martin And how has she always managed to with the backstage things that hap¬ have wealth at her disposal? Rhea pen on a network TV show that I'm Playboy Press Paperbacks 747 Third Avenue, NY, NY, 10017 has left a trail of cruelty since sure it's been read by more than her early childhood. Her life has just ST and SF fans. ISBN: 0-872-16683-X 1980, 319 pp., $2.50 been sexually interwoven with high¬ Susan Sackett's new book is a- ly interesting characters of both Reviewed by Paulette Minare' long the same lines but deals more sexes, always with appalling conse¬ with the movie than with the TV show: quences to them; their families and I only wished the book could have Pressed on all sides, both by her others. parents and her elderly, hated hus¬ been written by someone other than Will Rhea be able to continue to Gene Roddenberry's personal' assis¬ band to produce a child, Rhea's moth¬ er deliberately, discreetly selected control others and herself, by her tant; I'd really like someone on demonic powers, throughout eternity? the inside to explain how some of a suitable father for her baby. And so it was, without Lionel Carter be¬ Russ Martin's style is often brutal¬ Shatner's worst performances got ly realistic. RHEA will keep you past the editing room. Ot how some ing any the wiser, that Rhea Carter was bom in 1796. captivated until you've read the of the sillier things stayed in the final page. film while other seemingly neces¬ By the age of three, Rhea was ************************************ sary details were cut. incredibly intelligent, which gave This book, along with the Whit¬ her indifferent mother the excuse to send her to Cameron's Boarding School field, is the most interesting of THE DEVIL WIVES OF LI FONG the non-fiction ST books to date. At age three-and-a-half, Rhea By E. Hoffman Price I think it would definitely be of began learning Greek and Latin. On Ballantine/Del Rey, Fantasy, $1.95 interest to SF and ST fans whether her fifth birthday she bought a fo¬ they liked the movie itself or not. lio-sized antique Latin book entit¬ Reviewed by Mark Mansell led LIBER IE MALO (THE BOOK OF EVIL), a set of instructions. First of all, the title -- eggh! Sounds like a 1950's B-movie. Rhea was unhappy on her weekends Besides, THE SERPENT WIVES OF LI FONG at home because of the tension be¬ would be more descriptive. But, mov¬ tween her parents. She followed ing to more important things, this some sinpler instructions in her Book, book marks the return of E. Hoffman care fill ly drew a pentagram on the Price, WEIRD TALES and other pulp basement floor and read the words of magazines' author, to broad reader- an incantation. Her actions summon¬ ship. Price, who had known such ed up a demon, and she asked that pulp greats as Lovecraft, Robert E. her parents love each other. When Howard, Clark Ashton Smith and oth¬ Rhea came home the next weekend the ers, gained the small press spotlight air of tension was gone from the a few years back with the publica¬ house, her mother, Elaine, had mov¬ tion of his immense collection FAR ed her clothes into the master bed¬ LANDS, OTHER DAYS by Carcosa, but room with Lionel. Now both parents this is his first (to my knowledge) seemed almost unaware of Rhea, spend¬ incursion into the mass paperback ing nuch time together, whereas her realm. father had doted on her -- his love does not seem to include Rhea now. Looking over the book, we find the story to be set in ancient Cath¬ Rhea retreated to her world of ay, and is about a poor apprentice's books and started writing Latin, so apothecary who marries two beautiful, her Book became more meaningful to wealthy and sorcerously talented her. When she learned she was to women, whom he later finds out to be have a brother or sister, seven-year- transformed serpents, though he still old Rhea summoned the demon again loves them anyway. From then on, and asked that she never have any the book tells of their struggles brothers or sisters. The deed was against two monks, one holy and fan¬ accomplished by Elaine's fall down¬ atical, the other greedy and cunning, stairs. In a drugged state after who, for different reasons, seek to 28 destroy the serpent women. Price, whose pulp stories in the lawyers, a doctor, a journalist, and 1930s were known for their local col¬ an aging playboy. Over the years, or and detail about eastern places the Millbum townsfolk came to call and customs, is generous in some their bi-weekly meetings in proper parts with his descriptions of Chin¬ evening dress to smoke cigars, drink ese ways and mores, as well as a brandy and discuss world affairs, well-painted-in background of the the Chowder Society. But at a party political and social customs. How¬ given by the doctor, the journalist ever, and this may be the shortcom¬ dies. And for the past year, their ing of someone used to the China por¬ conversation has always evolved ar¬ trayed by Ernst Bramah with its po¬ ound the question, "What is the worst lite and canny dragons and mandarins, thing that ever happened to you?" it just doesn't taste like China Their "ghost" stories, are, in and of (if you can make any sense of that). themselves, disturbing and seem to Touches like including prefixes such play on their unexpressed guilt over as Mrs., Miss, Dr. and Reverend don't an event fifty years before. help much, I'm afraid. As their unassignable fears grow The plot is more straightfor¬ into nightly dreams of doom, the doc¬ ward, though it tends to get bogged tor inexplicably dies and the son of down in descriptions of Li Fong's the dead journalist arrives on cue matrimonial bliss (or occasional to play his part and add his ghost lack thereof). The motivations of stories to the puzzle. The winter some of the antagonists, especially weather plays against them and up¬ the very holy monk, get a little con¬ state New York can have some ter¬ fused, as well. However, in the rible winters, but never has Mill- end the suspense builds up and cli¬ bum had so many fatalities. While maxes with a very satisfactory end¬ the occurrences have supernatural ing. overtones, you share with the char¬ acters a sense that there is a rat¬ So, in summing up, DEVIL WIVES ional explanation for what is hap¬ pening. But beyond that fragile is a good novel, though it probably year promise to a dead woman. As will not rate as a classic in any¬ shell of reason and their decades- the anniversary of what seemed an old feeling of guilt awaits a super¬ one's book. I guess this sounds innocent promise draws near, Miles presumptuous, for a neophyte to crit¬ natural creature of stupendous pow¬ becomes convinced that Alison Green¬ icize a book by one of the legends er and ruthless cunning and whose ing will return, her words still of the field, but I look forward to patient vengeance enfolds the entire echoing in his head, "If you forget, seeing future novels that are able town. Few are safe in day or at I'll come after you. If you for¬ to work out some of the shortfalls night. get, God help you." of this one. ************************************ (HOST STORIES makes THE SHINING Again, Straub puts you in the read like Dick and Jane Visit a bind of believing in Miles and shar¬ Haunted House. ing his hope that there is a natur¬ al, if grotesque, explanation for IF YOU COULD SEE ME NOW And Peter Straub's earlier novel what is occurring yet the overtones Pocket Books, 328 pp., 1977, pb,#2.50 is leaner and faster paced. In IF make you consider as he must, that YOU COULD SEE tC NOW, the style is (HOST STORY the unthinkable is going to happen first person narrative and Miles on the eve of that supernatural an¬ Pocket Books, 567 pp., 1980, pb, $2.95 Teagarden is not an instantly lik¬ Both by Peter Straub niversary. The ending grabs you able protagonist. He presents a pro¬ from behind and, as with the ending Reviewed by Donn Vicha logue wherein he and Alison Greening of (HOST STORY, you're gonna love make a promise to meet again at the it. "The terror that mounts and quarry in twenty years. Something ************************************ mounts ..." Stephen King. This is happened that night that Miles leav¬ just one line from three pages of es for us to uncover when he begins blurbs at the opening of (HOST STORY. his story almost twenty years later. Peter Straub is going to spend most He has returned to his cousin's farm THE FADED SUN: KUTATH of this spring and summer on the pa¬ in Wisconsin, intending to write a By C.J. Cherryh perback bestseller list with this book and recover from a tragic mar¬ DAW, 1980, pb, 255 pp., $2.25 spellbinding novel. The people in riage. The day he arrives the news this supernatural thriller are fresh all over the sparsely populated but Reviewed by Martin Morse Wooster and human, and for the most part, closely knit valley is that a young Straub places you among the inner woman has been brutally murdered. C.J. Cherryh is one of the fast¬ circle of his cast to share their As a stranger (from the past more est-rising stars in science fiction nightmares and the growing realiza¬ than in actuality), he is a suspect. today. From her first novel (in 1976) tion that the ghost stories of their In self-defense, Miles plays detec¬ she has earned two Hugo nominations, past are only a part of a larger, tive and learns the dark secrets and one Hugo, for the short story more sinister ghost story. By nev¬ concerning his cousin, a teen-aged "Cassandra". (Her novel nomination, er straying far from the rational hellraiser, the sheriff of the county, for THE FADED SUN: KESRITH was de¬ explanations for what occurs through¬ his grandmother and his cousin's in¬ served; her Hugo was not.) out the book, he plays on what could dolent daughter, named after Alison Her popularity appeals to a di¬ be called our intellectual fear of Greening. There are more deaths the unknown, that perhaps, anything and his work is interrupted by dreams verse audience; she is one of the few writers who has achieved strong is possible. haunted by the specter of his twenty- sales as well as high recommendations There were originally five mem¬ from the Science Fiction Research bers of the Chowder Society: two 29 Association. For Cherryh is, on the one hand, traditional in her approach RITH, powerful in its relentless ac¬ thousand good, bad and indifferent to SF (none of her work would offend count of the mri's destruction. But stories since and otherwise. What the Third Foundation, and Lester KUTATH has its own strengths, partic¬ Ms. Piserchia does is to take the Del Rey regularly raves about her, ularly in the accounts of the biology story and turn it inside out -- while as if on cue), but Cherryh is a con¬ and anthropology of the alien races there's the usual cast of characters servative intellectual, something described here. Cherryh is also the such as the police chief and the more than Alan Burt Akers or Anne best stylist to enter the field cop with woman problems, there's McCaffrey. For her novels concern since Ursula LeGuin; her Latinate some very strange changes ring on themselves more with traditional prose is strong, graceful, and a them -- the maverick inventor whose form rather than escapist content; pleasure to read. (She has stated trans-dimensional device creates the she is a neo-classical SF author, that she learned most of her writing problem is an agoraphobe; his wife not a late romantic. (To use an ana¬ skills from translating Virgil -- is trying to cure him; an old man logue from classical music, Cherryh an admirable model.) who appears to be a derelict is ac¬ is a Walter Piston to Poul Anderson's tually part of a group of old people THE FADED SUN: KUTATH is not of Carl Nielsen.) whose way of life is odd, conpelling, Hugo calibre, but is nonetheless a romantic, mildly fumy and ultimate¬ Cherryh's major work, thus far, solid novel well worth reading. ly chilling. So forth. However, is THE FADED SUN, a long novel div¬ Cherryh is not flashy, and does not, in too many cases, Piserchia indulg¬ ided into three parts: THE FADED as of yet, have her own claque; but es in moralising, resulting in ulbe¬ SUN: KESRITH (1978), THE FADED SUN: her quiet conpetence will continue lievable characters and incidents. SHON'JIR (1978) and this volume. The work describes a war between human¬ The story moves along at a fair¬ ity and regul. (So little is known ly good clip, with alien (delicious¬ about the regul that humans are un¬ ly horrible in its spideriness) aware of any reguli borders save for wreaking grand mayhem and plotting the ones with humanity.) to produce more of its own kind. In between the alien havoc, there's the The regul have hired mri, a havoc wreaked by the trapped inhab¬ race of soldiers, to fight reguli itants of the town, plus the odd go¬ wars. In Kesrith, the mri are an¬ ings-on of the senile old men and wo¬ nihilated, save for two; in SHON'¬ men ... which provide the key to the JIR, the mri, accompanied by rene¬ book's finish. gade technician Sten Duncan, hi-jack a ship and return to their home plan¬ Accepting the mayhem and the an¬ et; Kutath describes mri attempts to nihilation of daim near the entire fend off both human and regul invad¬ cast isn't so hard to take (being a ers. trick used by your average bestsel¬ ler, mini-series, disaster, whatama- It has been argued that this thingy), nor is the eventual trick- series is a desert epic in space, and-sacrifice ending. Up until the Lawrence of Arabia with blasters. last page, the book is acceptable This is not the case. Duncan is not alien mayhem stuff, for all the min¬ the leader of the rebellion, but a or flaws. rather insignificant follower; if he were mri, he would be ignored. He What kills it dead and leaves is also neither the hero or the pro¬ the sour taste is the forced irony tagonist of this novel; Duncan is of the ending -- one of the few sur¬ merely a catalyst of events, and viving characters escapes finally, lacks the preening egoism that so with the town going up behind him. disfigures Lawrence's life. (Law¬ When he goes to kill the last of the rence's account of his Arabian ad¬ aliens, he's shot dead. Bang. Aw¬ ventures, SEVEN PILLARS OF WISDCM, ful, ain't it? is still worth reading, provided one takes it as a novel, with as The ending sure as hell is. mich authentic history as the adven¬ Forced irony of that type, rather tures of Conan.) than a properly laid horror ending come. (hero survives, alien escapes and The key theme here is one of ************************************ goes to ground) is an amateur trick; "going native", of abandoning the I'm surprised an editor of DAW's civilized world for the joys of a caliber would let it past. militaristic, feudal order. The Ms. Piserchia has an obvious, fundamental image is that of retreat: THE SPINNER effective, colorful talent; it's retreat from the warships of galac¬ By Doris Piserchia better displayed in a book like tic powers, retreat even from the SF Book Club, DAW Books EARTHCHILJ). THE SPINNER can be read, conputers which provide Kutath with 184 pp. (SFBC) most of the contact between its in¬ but: caveat enptor. That ending creasingly barren cities, retreat Reviewed by Steven Edward McDonald sucks. into the caves and the joys of an ************************************ unknown race. It is as if the flee¬ A very odd book from a usually ing warships were pulling Duncan's odd and usually very entertaining humanity away from him, leaving Dun¬ writer that unfortunately leaves a can, isolated, nearly friendless, very sour taste in the mind. but pure. This narcissism places Basically, THE SPINNER is the DRAGON'S EGG By Robert L. Forward Cherryh squarely in the intellectual old story of the small town hit by Del Rey-Ballantine, $9.95 currents of our time. an alien-something, a la INVASION Reviewed by Gene DeWeese OF THE BODYSNATCHERS and several KUTATH is not Cherryh's best What kind of beings could evolve book. That honour remains with KES¬ 30 on a neutron star, where the tenp- erature is over 15,000°, the gravity Chinese-types in the Far East. These a chapter on background and this was is 67 billion times Earth's, and the last are the citizens of Shinsan, sometimes confusing. magnetic field is a trillion gauss? the Dread Enpire, whose destiny they Cook has the ability not only consider to be the domination of all You'll find out in considerable to grab my attention and not let go, the world. —and authentic—detail in DRAGON'S but to make me care about his char¬ EGG. The beings are small, a few The characters in the stories acters, even those who don't have millimeters across, and can barely are real people; so real, in fact, much to offer. His novels have a move, except in the direction of the that good-guy-bad-guy distinctions great deal to offer and much to magnetic lines of force. do not exist except perhaps between think about. the West and the Dread Enpire, and They live a million times as fast The books spoke to me of dedica¬ even the Shinsanese have what they tion: Varthlokkur's to Nepanthe and as we do, so that once they are consider justification for their contacted by hunans they prove to be Bragi's to Kavelin. They spoke of actions. very fast learners, resulting in an how people who cannot trust each ending reminiscent of a sort of in¬ Cook created an interesting hero other under ordinary circumstances side-out 2001. in Bragi Ragnarson. The man is very find that they can and must do so ************************************ human and makes mistakes that he pays to achieve a greater good. They for with dignity, and he never ceases spoke to me of destiny and how even to keep on in his fight to protect though it seems as though we may Kavelin. He is one of the few humb¬ seem to be without choices, we can The Dread Empire Series: led heroes I have encountered. He is decide how we will face the trials A SHADOW OF NIGHT FALLING not just a soldier, but a strategist of our lives. OCTOBER'S BABY I heartily recommend the Dread ALL DARKNESS MET Enpire Series. All by Glen Cook The problem with technology is Berkley, $1.95 for each book. ************************************ that it ignores us vampires- Reviewed by Kathleen D. Woodbury

Cook calls these three books a THRICE IN TIME By James P. Hogan series, and I believe that that is Del Rey-Ballantine, $2.25 a better term than trilogy. I would Reviewed by Gene DeWeese not be surprised if there is at least one more book someday, because Not quite time travel, but time Cook leaves one or two minor loose communication via a computer termin¬ ends, plus one rather large indica¬ al in this one. Paradoxes that re¬ tion that more can follow. sult from trying to change the past are given a new look, but that is The first book deals with the only the beginning. love of two men, Varthlokkur and Mocker, for one woman, Nepanthe. There are also miniature black The second and third books deal with holes orbiting within the Earth, the love Bragi Ragnarson has for his threatening to destroy it. There country, Kavelin. The protagonists are messages from future universes in the first book are supporting that apparently do not exist. There characters in the second and third is even an explanation for the Big and Bragi is a secondary character I can’t see myself in a mirror, Bang with which the universe theo¬ in the first book. The first book and now xerox machines won’t retically began several billion can be read without going on to the reproduce my handwriting. years ago. There may be a bit too second and third, and the second and much concentration on detailed sci¬ third can be read without having entific theory, but those sections read the first. They are complete and a philosopher as well. His depth can be skipped, and the remaining enough in themselves. of character is unusual. 90% is still a mind-boggler, like all of James Hogan's books to date. Magic figures heavily in the Mocker is another interesting ************************************ series. In the first book Varthlok¬ character. He is very intelligent kur uses the magic he has learned and clever, but comes across to most from the leaders of the Dread Enpire people as a fat buffoon. He manages to destroy the Empire of Ilkazar in to mutilate every language he knows, THE ARTIFICIAL KID By Bruce Sterling the West, an act of vengeance for including his "native tongue" and Harper 6 Row his mother who had been burned as a this adds to his foolery. He and witch by the enperor's wizards. In Bragi, along with a friend from the Reviewed By John Shirley the second and third books, Bragi, deserts to the South, Haroun bin a mercenary commander, and his men This is Bruce Sterling's second Yousif, worked together in their novel; his first was INVOLUTION OCE¬ come to the aid of the Queen of Ka¬ youth for several different employ¬ velin when her throne is threatened, AN (Pyramid). Sterling has expanded ers. Mocker, with his foolishness, my mind. He is not something on and end up fighting the Dread Enpire managed to distract many an enemy to prevent its march on the Western blotter paper that you dissolve und¬ from the inside while Bragi and Har¬ er your tongue. He's better than World. Along with his cavalry and oun conquered from the outside. His infantry he has a coven of wizards drugs—you feel like you've taken convoluted chatter adds an element them but there're none of the nasty directed by Varthlokkur who attenpt of comic relief to the often tense side effects. to combat the wizards of the Dread and suspenseful plot. Enpire. But THE ARTIFICIAL KID is not Cook does a good job. My only plotted hallucinogenically, nor is The distribution of ethnic types complaint would be that he broke up its setting mere delirium. Sterling is similar to our world. Scandinav- the story train every so often to do ian-types in the cold North, Arab¬ has done a good job of what Poul ian -types in the desert South and 31 Anderson calls "planet building." Sterling has given us an elaborate The Artificial Kid is Reverie's STAR GOD By Allen L. Wold interstellar culture, focusing part¬ premier Combat Artist, Bruce Lee St. Martin's, $9.95 icularly on the planet Reverie, and style, bound by a strict Code to the island city Telset. Reverie is fight using only his body and his Reviewed by Gene DeWeese orbited by numerous city-sized "one- nunchucks, grandiloquently flinging A neutrino cloud several light ills." and accepting challenges in the De¬ years across appears and humans and criminalized Zone, where the Combat Reverie has had its ecology com¬ members of two nearby interstellar Artists melodramatically mangle one plicated by its being stocked with civilizations begin having visions another for the sake of audiences flora and fauna from other worlds watching (after editing!) the video¬ Three mutually exclusive factions (including Earth), and by the pres¬ tapes. There are various gangs of form. One blames the visions on col¬ ence of the bizarre and gigantic combat artists; Arti (as his friends lective insanity. One insists they quasifungal living DNA-recombinance call him, for short), began as a come from God. The third believes experiment, The Crossbow Body, a menber of the Cognitive Dissidents. they come from the cloud, and that sort of vast Petri dish devising the cloud is a new life form. The variations of everything that comes The book's plot involves a power search for the answer is engrossing. its way. struggle between a Scientific elite who believe with the force or relig¬ There are problems with the nov¬ The decadent population of Rev¬ ious fervor in the deterministic el, however, including a certain pre¬ erie is supported by the profits of chemical nature of all Being, and tentiousness. It is reflected in, an interstellar corporation founded those backing Professor Crossbow, among other things, character names by the legendary Moses Moses, who who believes that in addition to like "Satinas" and "Luxiferos." Al¬ devoted much of his multicenturied chemical concatenation there is a so, the hero is supposed to be a lifespan to mining the metal-rich Gestalt holding within it the real mental superman who keeps getting planet Morning Star. meaning of life. Here again Ster¬ more super every few chapters, al¬ Many of the book's characters ling provides mind-expanding obser¬ though he never does anything more vations, through his characters, brilliant than your average high making the sense of gestalt and sec¬ school dropout. ret realms of being all the more For that matter, the aliens he real. meets and from whom he receives There is rumination on the tex¬ necessary information are far less ture of prolonged life, and the alien than their fanfares lead you inevitable degeneration process of to expect. consciousness that accompanies it, Despite the shortcoming, STAR that is terrifying in its profundity GOD holds your interest and gives and sense of verisimilitude. This, your wonderbone a good tingle now like other sections of Sterling's and then. complex book, have a feel of self- ************************************ exploration (accompanied by the reader's sense of recognition) char¬ acteristic of classic literature. Further underlining that quality is Sterling's prose which, while not self conscious, is beautifully clas¬ SCAVENGERS sic, conposed of strong, ringing By David J. Skal sentences and chillingly lucid imag¬ Pocket, 204 pp., $1.95 ery. Cover by Gerry Daly are centuries old, and must make The planet Reverie---which I Reviewed by Steven E. McDonald desperate psychological adjustments have sketched only faintly here— —or even periodic memory wipes— is both intricate and believable, A novel dealing with social ef¬ to combat a sort of cosmic ennui and and takes its place beside the more fects of RNA memory-injections, or, death-hunger. memorable alien worlds in SF, such as in the book, personality-injec¬ tions, in which society crumbles The Reverids spend much of their as Varley's Titan and Vance's Big while the new drug is made from the time editing their lifetapes. A Planet. processed brains of famous people, chief Reverid obsession is the busi¬ Like its hero, the novel is im¬ artists, musicians, in-people, who¬ ness of videotaping one's life, with perfect. Its resolution is satisfy¬ ever .... hovering globe-shaped cameras pro¬ ing but too pat. The story contains gramed to get all the best and most a few nagging discrepancies, at In which Brian utilises Tracy to dramatic angles, to be later edited least one bit of scientific implaus- try and bring back Kelly, an artist into exciting sequences which they ibility, and a few talky narrative who was his lover. As it's told from sell to subscribersin the oneills. limps. But Sterling's ceaseless in¬ two different first-person viewpoints Here is where some of the mind-ex¬ ventiveness, colorful scene creation, (with the occasional interruption pansion comes in. Sterling's des¬ and insight into the human condition from a first-person viewpoint in it¬ criptions of the integration of vid¬ carry us through. Here is a fascin¬ alics belonging to Kelly herself), eotaping with Reverid culture brings ating and thoroughly entertaining all in the present tense, reading to light a new dimension of time vision---a visionary adventure that like the production of an ORBIT writ¬ relative to human living. There is will have your pulse and your mind er filled with air, one might expect the subjective dimension, as Ster¬ racing. it to be hard going ... which it is. ling's pugnacious hero The Artific¬ ************************************ Worth it? Not really. Skal is a ial Kid lives it, and there is the capable writer, but his artistic no¬ constant overview of his life, ex¬ tions tend to get in the way of his ternal but influenced by his edit¬ story, which is basically kidnap-by- ing, provided by the perpetual moni¬ insane-jerk. The needed element of toring of his cameras. psychological manipulation fails to 32 materialise properly; all the charac- ters are unsynpathetic -- Brian's a LORD OF THE TREES/THE MAD GOBLIN gun to crumble in the face of the jerk, Tracey's a total inconpetent, By Philip Jose Farmer yet-benign star visitors. Vanity Kelley's a bitch --so that no one Ace Double Novel, 374 pp., $2.50 hides out with Humphrey McCloskey. really cares what happens to whom, New Yorker McCloskey and the golden Reviewed by Steven E. McDonald or why. Social desolation background alien are soon on the run, however, is unconvincing, Brian's descent into as Jaak's minions, evil Loper and Double-format reissue of inter¬ insanity is both silly and contrived Earth's authorities, hunt the alien linked Lord Grandrith and Doc Cali¬ (very much mad-scientist, with upward- girl. In their flight across chaot¬ ban novels, dealing with Farmer's directed lights in the face and giant ic North America, Vanity and McClos¬ revairp of Tarzan and pastiche of Doc hypodermic syringe), and the narra¬ key come to understand and love each tive totally without forward drive. Savage. The former is closer to other, as they strive to retain their parody with Lord Grandrith coming freedom and preserve Earth from slav¬ As for it being the ultimate across as a total braggart, while ery to Jaak's company. The solu¬ novel about cults (Edward Bryant's the latter is too close to the pro¬ tion discovered, while certainly not bacover blurb), it doesn't even both¬ totype to be really comfortable. In new to SF, is skillfully presented er to do more than mention the Church the meantime, the Silent Seven have and transcends the inherent message of the Extended Mind, the organiza¬ gained two members and departed from of the novel. tion supposedly behind the brain- the Shadow series to become the over¬ stormers, and, presumably, the col¬ all menace in both books. Other A fine hand draws even the sec¬ lapse of society as we know it. characters appearing include Moriar- ondary characters here, and plot de¬ ty from the Sherlock Holmes series. velopment carries breadth and depth. Bad book from a new author. Very nice job -- watch this writer. May he do better next time. On an overall basis, I can enjoy ************************************ Farmer's adventure writing --he can ************************************ keep a good pace and produce effec¬ tive prose (more than many adventure writers, who often just have the STAR DRIVER pace) -- but these books just don’t By Lee Correy swing that thing; the Tarzan inver¬ Del Rey/Ballantine, 1980, 244 pp. sion doesn't come off funny enough, TAKe -JH(5 CAf&OHA7& $1.95 and the Doc Savage imitation is just Reviewed by Dean R. Lantoe that: If Doc Savage is what you want, go get Doc Savage -- there's The accurate author's bio at almost a hundred of the novels avail¬ the end is a spoiler here, for I able now, in new and secondhand edi¬ would have loved to see a few downy- tions, and another eighty-some to cheeked youth "discover" Lee Correy come. Fanner's exercises in crossed as a new writer with fresh ideas. genealogy are fin in books like TAR¬ ZAN ALIVE and DOC SAVAGE: HIS APO¬ The more grey of tooth will recog¬ MS'ec- nize this work as the first new SF CALYPTIC LIFE, but here they're just novel by G. Harry Stine in over 20 wearisome. years -- conplete with all the off¬ ************************************ beat science that Stine has offered as non-fiction in ANALOG and else¬ where for some time. GOLDEN VANITY Mike Call, an out-of-work astron¬ By Rachel Pollack THE OGDEN ENIGMA By Gene Snyder omer and crop-duster pilot, is hir¬ Berkley, 1980, 225 pp., $1.95 ed by the strange research division Playboy Press, $2.50 of a heavy equipment company. Mike's Reviewed by Dean R. Lambe Reviewed by Gene DeWeese new laboratory colleagues have just discovered a radical space drive, If you were to cube Heinlein's Despite the hokey cover blurb— and plans are made for a flight to PODKAYNE OF MARS, take Pohl 8 Kom- "...based on astonishing fact!"— Mars by these Heinleinian individ¬ bluth's THE SPACE MERCHANTS to this is one of the better "govem- ualists who have only contempt for the tenth power, you would have a ments-will-stop-at-nothing-to-sup¬ the military-industrial conplex. reasonable indication of the start¬ press -the -truth" novels. ing point of Pollack's dramatic Surprise, the new invention is a In this case the "truth" is a first SF novel. "Dean Drive", that inertialess won¬ UFO stashed in a secret government der that would drive Newton to ap¬ The galaxy, seeded long ago with hanger at Dugway in Utah, and the plejack and Einstein back to the pat¬ humans, is completely controlled by "nothing" they won't stop at includ¬ ent office. Corporate backstabbing rapacious cartels. Jaak, chairman es lots of spying, lots of killing, and industrial spies soon force the of Conpany One, violates one of the and lots of chasing of the innocent¬ intrepid adventurers to lower their few laws enforced on the cartels ly involved hero, his New York edit¬ sights, however, and the space drive and this illegality leads to a or girl friend, and his blind math finally makes its public debut with Screamer, a growing hole in space- prodigy daughter whose braille- a Piper Cherokee overflight of a 727's time. While Jaak deals with arch¬ trained fingers and math genius are flight lane. Even engineers appar¬ enemy Loper to stop the Screamer, instrumental in deciphering the mark¬ ently accept some realities. he sends his teenage daughter. Gold¬ ings embossed on an artifact from The love affair between Mike and en Vanity, to safety. Vanity, thor¬ the UFO. oughly disgusted with her father's Tammy Dudley adds dimension to oth¬ The story moves fast, keeps you corporate rape of humanhome market erwise stock characters, and for all guessing, and ends with all the worlds, escapes her guardians and the old hat of half-baked notions spies, killers and chasers being junps through non-space to a newly- from which Stine has drawn his plot, identified and more or less disposed discovered humanhome -- Earth. STAR DRIVER is entertaining, is a of but leaving the UFO suitably un¬ good read. On Earth, where society has be- explained and mysterious. ************************************ 33 ************************************ buttons or tattered copies of JINGLE There's always the possibility of JANGLE COMICS, they're all links to editing before the book is publish¬ a world that never did or ever will ed) . I don't know whether it's be¬ exist: the world we refer to as the cause I've read so much of Ellison's past but which consists only of the non-fiction or because it is so ob¬ happy, imprecisely remembered aspects vious an attempt at using real peop¬ of childhood. The story also has a le as characters, but I found this similarity to Ray Bradbury's 1953 story a little unsatisfying. The story, "The Dwarf', about a boy who story is wonderfully written, espec¬ never grows up, mentally or physical¬ ially the tragically futile death ly. Ellison carries the idea much scene, but the character of Crow- further than Bradbury. stairs (and of Bedloe for that mat¬ ter) never seems to be resolved. Another SHATTERDAY time story is "Shoppe Keeper", about one of those The final story is "Shatterday". shops where you can buy eye of newt, There are some superb stories in Aladdin's lanp, or whatever and, this book, but this story and "Jef¬ once you leave the store, it disap¬ fty is Five" are certifiable master¬ pears and you never see it again. pieces. This is the story of an ad¬ Behind the story is Ellison's idea vertising man who is such a schmuck that there is a universal scorecard that his bad side and his good side recording everyone's wasted time so become separate individuals. The that penalties might be assessed. conversations between these two are Similarly, in "Count the Clock that studies in the way we perceive the Tells the Time", the penalty for "real world" and ourselves as a part wasting time is banishment into a of it. sort of limbo. This one, though, Harlan Ellison is one of the few has a more hopeful ending. masters of the short story. Some "In the Fourth Year of the War" say he is mellowing, becoming less is a time story only in that the potent as the years pass. Rather, main character, finally driven mad he is maturing, refining his art, SHATTERDAY by his inability to cope with the aging like a fine, strange wine. By Harlan Ellison present, takes revenge on all the Hardcover, Houghton Mifflin Company people from his past who ever caus¬ This book is not to be missed. Boston: Nov. 1980. ed him pain. But SHATTERDAY scarcely belongs next ISBN 0- 39S-28587-9 to those by Clarke, Niven and Pohl. "All the Birds Come Home to It is much more at home with books Reviewed by James J.J. Wilson Roost" is about someone's past com¬ by Hemingway, Bierce and Borges. ing back to him decidedly against It is an event. Ellison's earlier collections of his will. This story, as well as ************************************ generally excellent short fiction, "Would You do it for a Penny?", as good as they were, lacked a sense "Opium", "The Other Eye of Poylphem- of unity, of a single purpose. This us" and, to some extent, "Shatter- gradually changed. The stories of day", is about people's inability to THE MASK OF THE SUN 1974's APPROACHING OBLIVION were fine coiraiunicate with those supposedly By Fred Saberhagen and whole, yet for the first time, closest to them. Ace, $1.95 the package added something, became "The Man who was Heavily into an entity unto itself. No longer Reviewed by Elton T. Elliott Revenge" is a story of justice in were Ellison books indistinguishable which one man gets back at another from other Ellison books. Then, in THE MASK OF THE SUN, I'm happy for ruining his life. The injustice 1975, DEATHBIRD STORIES. In 1978, to report, is one of those rarities is that he is never able to know STRANGE WINE. Now, SHATTERDAY. in SF: a rollicking good action/ that he has taken revenge. These books add new dimensions to adventure story which at the same the concept of bookness. You have The main story of SHATTERDAY, time poses some serious questions to read SHATTERDAY, feel it, exper¬ according to Ellison, is the longest for the reader. ience it, to know what I mean. piece in the book, "All the Lies that The story begins when Tom Gab¬ are Nfy Life". This is a new story Harlan Ellison is obsessed with riel, a sunken treasure hunter, which is also appearing in the cur¬ the concept of time and all its im¬ finds off the coast of Florida an rent (as this is published) issue of plications, as with his award-winning Indian artifact (a mask which when FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION. The 1965 tale, '"Repent Harlequin!' Said worn gives the wearer visions of main character, Jimmy Crowstairs, strange events which have not yet the Ticktockman". Several of the bears a greater resemblance to El¬ happened). He attempts to sell it. stories in SHATTERDAY are evidence lison himself than most of his past When he suddenly disappears, his of this. The first, "Jeffty is fictional characters. Larry Bedloe, brother Mike attempts to locate him. Five", is among Ellison's most pop¬ the other main character, is a thin¬ ular and famous stories; it deals ly disguised Robert Silverberg. Ed Mike finds the mask and discov¬ with one aspect of Ellison's time- Bryant and Ellison's former assist¬ ers that its visions are warnings obsession: recapturing the past. ant, Linda Steele, make appearances of doom and ways to prevent it from It glorifies the trinkets cherished under different names, and Ellison's happening. Guided by the mask, Mike by a child growing up in middle-class housekeeper and Haskell Barkin (co¬ escapes three men who attempt to America in the 1930s and 40s. El¬ author of "Would You do it for a murder him, and through a series of lison first dealt with this in his Penny?") appear under their own fortuitous circumstances, ends up 1959 story "Free With This Box" (Col¬ names (this information is in the in an alternate world fighting along lected in his 1961 classic book, galley review copies of the book. with the Incas to prevent Pizarro GENTLEMAN JUNKIE). Be it a Captain from conquering that part of the Midnight Secret Decoder Badge, Pep 34 Western hemisphere. He is helped in his quest by the Incas from the 23rd el that should be considered when this way: "Wicked Black and his pi¬ Century in that alternate world and Hugo, Nebula or American Book Award rate crew decide to destroy every¬ opposed by forces from another al¬ time rolls around. thing spelled with the letter 'O'." ternate world which represent 23rd ************************************ As children usually ask for another Century Mexico under the Aztecs. book like the one they just enjoyed, Meanwhile, lurking in the back¬ the compiler has arranged the mater¬ ground is a mystery man by the name ial in sections by subject. There of Esperanza who seems to know an WEB OF ANGELS are sections covering alternative awful lot and who pops up in the By John M. Ford worlds, allegory and fable, mythic¬ strangest places in the oddest dis¬ Pocket Books, July, 1980, $2.25 al beings and creatures, time travel and talking animals, among others. guises at ofttimes crucial moments. Reviewed by Paul Harwitz To complicate matters further, the These areas are of obvious interest to adult fantasy readers, although mask that Mike wears is more than a From WEB OF ANGELS, one infers most of the titles described are for simple tool, as all the sides in¬ that Ford is an expert on computers, young readers. volved are out to get it, and if for he has convincingly extrapolated that isn't enough, it appears that "phone-phreaks" and "computer-freaks" This is not intended to be a Pizarro has a mask just like it. into a future where unauthorized man¬ complete encyclopedia or handbook, The action moves along quite ipulation of the "Web", a galaxy- and contains nothing to set the sub- rapidly; one never quite gets a feel spanning, inter-active cybernetic sys¬ categories in perspective. Single for the primary character. The pow¬ tem, is frowned upon by the author¬ line plot summaries are all that are er of the book comes from its re¬ ities to the point of rendering un- provided for the 1,650 books in the lentless view of Pizarro and his men cautious suspects quite seriously checklist, along with an index to as amoral barbarians despoiling a dead. authors and titles and a directory of publishers' addresses. civilization that if given half a Grailer, the protagonist, is a chance could mature into something child-prodigy who grows up in a pain¬ Those with children, librarians quite beneficial to the future of ful but enlightening fashion as he involved in any way with children's this alternate Earth. The Aztecs learns to exploit his natural-bom literature, and fantasy readers whose are not viewed in so friendly a talents more and more. interests include children's fantasy light; they make Nazi Germany seem will find this book a useful one. The author weaves in sidelights civilized by conparison. But the ************************************* primary power of the book, aside of fandom in an imaginative and en¬ from the complex, smoothly-handled tertaining way. Tarot cards of the REVIEWS IN HAND FOR NEXT ISSUE plot, is the portrayal of the Inca future are not still-lifes but ever- empire being ravaged by the con¬ changing pictures. Other original THE JULES VERNE COMPANION quistadors : touches include the current Regency SCHRODINGER'S CAT: THE UNIVERSE dance-craze taken to an extreme: if NEXT DOOR you miss a step, you die. THE BARBIE MURDERS 6 OTHER STORIES "Mike had expected the city to ALIENS! / THE BUG WARS be changed, but still the reality Better editing would have honed BLACK HOLES AND WARPED SPACETIME was shocking. Random rubbish was this book into an even finer novel, GENESIS REVISITED strewn about, and animal droppings but it is still well worth buying MEDUSA'S CHILDREN splotched the pavement. Here and and reading. It is refreshing to SPACE WARS -- WORLDS 8 WEAPONS there Spaniards' graffiti marked see a decent science fiction origin¬ HAN SOLO'S REVENGE the superb masonry of the walls. al paperback again. THE DEMETER FLOWER "But the worst changes of course WILD SEED / KILL THE DEAD were in the people. Inca beggars DUNOON WOOD had begun to lounge in front of the THE SPACE MAVERICKS Casana and elsewhere, asking for DRINKING SAPHIRE WINE food when a Spaniard or Pakoyoc pas¬ FANTASY FOR CHILDREN: AN ANNOTATED And Others.... sed. Idlers not quite beggars sat CHECKLIST at gates and sills along the streets. By Nadelman Lynn The children passing were often R.R. Bowker Co., 288 pp, $14.95 dull-eyed and fat with the starchy obesity of the ill-fed. Reviewed by Tom Staicar Hmw- Additives have finally come out of the closef. "... Gone, of course, were the This is a scholarly reference golden llamas, with their herders, work aimed mainly at the needs of the rows of maize, the altar -- the librarians and book collectors. It treasure all gone, like stuff that is a checklist of notable children's dreams are made of. books in the field of fantasy, most of them written at the reading level "At the edge of a pile of rub¬ of grades 3-8, but others suitable ble where a wall had recently been for all age groups. Some of the lat¬ knocked down, a young priest of ter include Richard Adams' WATERSHIP Christ, in a brown habit, stood ar¬ DOWN and SHARDIK, Baum's Oz books, guing with a minor priest of the Dickinsons' THE BLUE HAWK, LeGuin's Sun." trilogy about Earthsea, Tolkien's These are the scenes that the novels. Swift's GULLIVER'S TRAVELS history books like to ignore, but and Joy Chant's RED MOON AND BLACK thank heaven Mr. Saberhagen doesn't. MOUNTAIN. The gritty realism, and the Inc¬ Even some of the children's lev¬ an way of life combined with the ex¬ el books sound intriguing. I might citing plot make THE MASK OF THE SUN have a look at James Thurber's THE much, much more than just a rollick¬ WONDERFUL 0, which Lynn describes in ing good yam. They make it a nov¬ 35 By Orson Scott Card To begin: A quotation from Darrell Schweitzer's review of Eli¬ zabeth Lynn's THE DANCERS OF ARUN in SFR #36: Therefore I will devote a short a- The character, the dilemma, and mount of space to demonstrating that the skill in writing at the beginn¬ "Another reviewer recently ex¬ Mr. Schweitzer could not possibly ing of WATCHTOWER and DANCERS OF pressed grave disappointment in have been referring to me. ARUN held the reader's interest e- this book, and warned that the auth¬ nough that the reader read on with or had best get her act together be¬ I did express grave disappoint¬ the hope of a fulfilling experience; fore praise spoils her and she be¬ ment in Ms. Lynn's two books. How¬ and if the author got sidetracked in¬ comes completely rambling and self- ever, at no time did I give her any to martial arts as a solution to all indulgent. The problem, said the sort of warning or suggest that she life's problems and gave her book a reviewer, was that she didn't pick "get her act together." Ms. Lynn climax and catastrophe that had noth¬ up where she left off in WATCHTOWER and I have been publishing for ex¬ ing to do with the epitasis of her and we never found out what happened actly the same amoimt of time, and I book, and if the reader then grew to so-and-so. The problem, says I, think it would be presumptuous for frustrated and disappointed at this is that the reviewer is trying to a writer to give "warnings" or adopt betrayal of promise, then that is review the book he wants the author a superior tone toward someone whose too bad. to write, not the one the author record is at least as distinguished wanted to write. The subject matter as his own. All that I expressed in It should be obvious to all but of this book held the author's in¬ my review was my great liking for the most obtuse reader that Mr. terest enough for her to write it, her work and respect for her talents, Schweitzer and I are not at all in and if someone wanted something else, and a personal fear that she might disagreement, except over a very that is just too bad." not grow in those areas in which she minor point that I shall refer to is not yet excellent. But the only When I first read that passage later. After all, Mr. Schweitzer penalty that I implied was the ter¬ of lucid critical comment, it struck himself refers to the "sidetracking" rible punishment of not having me me that perhaps Mr. Schweitzer might in WATCHTOWER---he knew those things like her work---not much of a threat have been referring to my own review weren't intrinsic to the plot. And or warning there, I think. I ended of WATCHTOWER and DANCERS OF ARUN, he declares that ARUN lacks even the my comments on her work by saying by Elizabeth Lynn, in ETERNITY #2. plot of its predecessor. No, those that I hoped she would not be seduc¬ But after carefully reading Mr. future critics who examine the works ed by the siren of critical praise Schweitzer's comments and my own re¬ of Mr. Schweitzer will have to re¬ into writing mediocre books for the view, I can only conclude that Mr. ject the theory that he was referr¬ rest of her career. But how can my Schweitzer was commenting on someone ing to me in that quoted passage, personal hopes be construed as a else’s review of Lynn's book; and and instead will have to devote much warning by a person of good will? not just any review, but the sort effort to finding some review, some¬ of review that might be written by The most telling point, however, where, to which Mr. Schweitzer's a person of few accomplishments, a against the untenable claim that comments would be appropriate. halfling as editor, as writer, as Mr. Schweitzer was referring to my reviewer, and as wit. For if Mr. review is the fact that the reviewer The Book the Author Meant to Schweitzer's comments had been in¬ he is writing about said that "the Write tended to refer to my review, it problem" with ARUN "was that she did¬ Reviewers are always doing such would bespeak in him an ineptness n't pick up where she left off in unfortunate things. Like reviewing WATCHTOWER." Now, in my_ review, of as a reader that would make one sus¬ a book on the basis of what it should pect that he reads all other works course, I never said that was a prob¬ have been, instead of what it was— with equal unintelligence, something lem with ARUN. I said it was a prob¬ as Mr. Schweitzer so aptly put it, that we must reject out of hand, for lem with WATCHTOWER, a book which had "trying to review the book he wants Mr. Schweitzer's record as a reason¬ serious problems with the unity of the author to write, not the one the able, fair-minded, and clear-think- its plot. ARUN's problems were not author wanted to write." Just like ing critic makes his work the very with the fact that it didn't close those comments Robert Bloch made a- acme of the sort of work he does. the open ending of WATCHTOWER, but bout THE SCIENCE FICTION ENCYCLOPED¬ rather that it repeated the same mis¬ However, there are some readers IA in SFR #36. He wrote as though take of promising one book and deliv¬ who, having read my review and Mr. he< thought the conpilers of the book ering another. Indeed, I can sun up Schweitzer's comments, might leap to should have got their facts right! my views on Lynn's books by adopting the conclusion that he was referring What effrontery! Obviously, they the structure of Mr. Schweitzer's to me. This would be unfortunate, wrote the book they wanted to write. elegant last sentence from the pas¬ for it would make them think less of Obviously, their facts are wrong, sage quoted above: Mr. Schweitzer's ability, something Therefore, they plainly meant to that should be avoided at all costs. 36 write a book with wrong information. and it is so petty of Robert Bloch nielle and the other French and Eng¬ But no playwright does that to fault them for failing to do lish writers who insisted that the without compensating for it. If something they never meant to do. unities must be observed: the unity the play is realistic, and time of time, declaring that there must Some will say, of course, that must pass or place must shift, the be a perfect relationship between action stops and the set is changed, the plain fact that a book is called stage time in drama and the real an encyclopedia shows that the com¬ and the dialogue at the beginning of time represented' the unity of place, the next scene informs you how much pilers want the readers to think declaring that there must be a per¬ they are getting something accurate time has passed. Or, if the play is fect relationship between the dimen¬ not realistic, the manner of the and something complete. And if they sions in which the events of a play play lets you know that from the don't want us to believe those facts, take place and the dimensions of the outset. For instance, ROSENCRANTZ what in hell did they write the book stage; and the unity of action, de¬ AND GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD begins for? If we were to follow those who claring that the characters and di- with a flipped coin that turns up feel this way—and for the rest of lenrna with which the play concerns heads time after time, defying the this essay, we'll do just that—we itself at the beginning must be the laws of probability. The dialogue would have to conclude then that it's characters and dilemma with which is brisk and funny and absurd. You perfectly fair to expect a book to the play concerns itself at the cli¬ are signalled, clearly, that the deliver what it promises to deliver, max and through the denouement. playwright is messing with the laws and that if the book raises certain of cause and effect: you should not expectations in a clear, undeniable Now, the first two unities, of expect probability to play a very way, then a critic can reasonably time and place, are obviously not strong role in the events to come. fault the author for failing to ful¬ observed by anyone. Even Neoclassic fill those expectations. writers themselves had to strain at We see that sort of compensation the edges of those restrictions, and in science fiction all the time. I plan to use Lynn's books as a the best English critics of the time We don't begin our novels with dread¬ launching point for a discussion observed that violations of them fully long disquisitions on what the that follows. This is not because weren't so bad. But I submit that planet the story concerns is like, WATCHTOWER and ARUN are unusually those two unities are perfectly val¬ or with detailed explanations of badly written—in most ways they id: that is, the writer must either dates. (Well, unless we're playing are very well written. What flaws follow them or conpensate for break¬ games, as George Lucas was with STAR they have are not so glaring that ing them. WARS's long-ago-in-a- galaxy-far-far¬ the books deserve flaying at such away opening.) Yet we carefully ob¬ When you're watching a play, length; I hope Elizabeth Lynn her¬ serve the unities, showing within for instance, wouldn't you be annoy¬ self, an unfailingly decent person, each scene only events in real time ed if, suddenly, without changing will forgive the criticism and ac¬ and in a single place, and whenever scenery or interrupting the dialogue, cept my liking and respect for most we must skip time we either leave a the actors did things that could not aspects of her work. line space or mention the passage possibly have been done in that of time, and whenever we must change space or that amount of time? If a Rules and Compensation places we make it clear that we have woman was inpregnated in line 10 and moved and, usually, where to. In a recent episode of "Stayin' gave birth in line 53? What would Alive," Norman Spinrad's column in happen to your willingness to be¬ In other words, we have not prov¬ LOCUS, he quite correctly lashed out lieve in the proceedings? ed that the unities of time and at the notion that there are "absol¬ ute standards" by which literature may be judged. I agree with him. I can't think of any literary rule that can't be broken, to good effect, by a good writer. But this does not mean that there are no rules. Rather, it means that the rules are descriptive, rather than prescriptive; that is, that while it is quite possible to look at the works of good writers and find principles that govern the works — the best works---of the ov¬ erwhelming majority of them, these principles are rules only in the sense that Einstein's proscription of faster-than-light travel is a rule. If you design and build a spaceship that breaks that rule, you won't be punished—you will be greeted with applause, prizes and high taxes. If, however, you design and build a spaceship that tries to break that rule but fails, then you will quite properly be ridiculed for your ignorance of the laws of phys¬ ics. What are some of th'ose rules? Why not begin with those classic whipping-boys of our unfettered time: the three unities. Much sport has been had at the expense of poor Cor- place are uninportant---we have mere¬ do we get for climax and resolution, Once the reader has thoroughly iden¬ ly become skillful at compensating then? Why, we get Errel's decision tified with a character, the writer for regularly breaking those rules. not to rule in Tomor because he must exert special efforts to switch The only mistake that the Neoclas¬ has accepted the philosophy and dis¬ the reader to following another sical made was in treating those cipline df the chearis. But was thread. rules prescriptively, and criticiz¬ that a dilemma the writer led us to For instance, Lynn could have ing those works that broke the rul¬ care about? Not at all. Until it compensated by making Errel fascina¬ es without regard for whether the was resolved, it was hardly even ting and contradictory, and giving writer compensated for his violations important. Errel was only a minor him a dileima that merges with Ryke's of the unities or not. character, one we never much cared and finally overpowers it, and by about. making Ryke himself become an un¬ Unity of Action Lynn is not alone in getting trustworthy narrator by doing things This digression was not irrele¬ sidetracked by a character into be¬ that the reader sees are stupid or vant, for now we come to where the traying her book. Irwin Shaw's wrong, and by submerging Ryke's third unity, the unity of action, NIGHT WORK, for instance, starts personality (as Doyle does with Wat¬ applies directly to WATCHTOWER and with a fascinating character who son in the Holmes stories). DANCERS OF ARUN. gets a once-in-a-lifetime, highly But Lynn uses none of these or In both books, Lynn makes it illegal and dangerous opportunity any other directly compensatory clear that she is writing within to be fabulously wealthy—and he strategies. Instead of getting the traditions of the novel and the takes it. The reader cares immedi¬ more interesting, Errel gets more romance as they have usually been ately what will happen to him, how and more reflective and boring. In¬ written: That is, she is not play¬ it will all turn out. But how does stead of a dilemma, Lynn gives us a ing games with reality; her style, the novel end? With the death of a boring utopia in the land of the though effective, is not eccentric, killer dancers (and it need not have and the reader is meant to stay been boring, had she only made the close to the work and identify place a little less unbelievably with characters in the traditional perfect). Instead of merging with manner. If she had played some of Ryke, Errel diverges from him, mov¬ Kurt Vonnegut's stylistic games, ing off the center of the reader's for instance, we would have known interest. Instead of making Ityke to expect the writer to play tricks untrustworthy, Lynn continues to on us, and instead of watching the give him just the reactions the characters, we would be watching reader would have—bafflement and the writer perform. Lynn does not subconscious rejection of these do this: there are no signals what¬ hollow, dull earnest people who have soever that she means to be cute. become monomaniacs about dancing to the exclusion of all other intellec¬ So the reader, quite naturally, tual, spiritual, or physical pur¬ begins to identify with Ryke, the suits, except old-time farming and point-of-view character in WATCHTOW¬ a bit of communalism. And instead ER. He is faced immediately with a of retiring Ryke entirely, she keeps fascinating dilemma in loyalty: Be¬ him ip front enough that the reader cause of his loyalty to his lord, can't help but hope that she will he would do anything to help his eventually get back to him and re¬ lord's heir, Errel. His conqueror. solve his original dilemma. Col Istor, threatens to kill Errel if Ryke doesn't serve him. So, for In short, Lynn not only broke his late lord's sake, Ryke vows to the rulr of unity of action, but help the man who destroyed him. And also did nothing to compensate for Lynn doesn't stop there, for she fairly interesting minor character. it. then skillfully reveals Col Istor I sat there, puzzling out what Shaw Here, of course, is where Mr. as a man of sensitivity and feeling, was doing, until I finally realized Schweitzer and I will disagree. He one that a man could serve loyally that he was expecting me to respond found that her language was good e- and with love. Yet Ryke chooses to as if I loved that minor character. nough and the rather puerile device stay with his earlier loyalty. What And that, if I did, the ending would of the utopian dancers was interest¬ will this do to him later? When he be quite satisfactory. But I didn't ing enough to condensate, so that on betrays Col Istor, what will happen? love that character. I had identi¬ balance he liked the books. I found What price will he pay? What will fied with the character who began that these things did not compensate Col Istor do about it? the book and provided the point of at all, but rather deepened the dis¬ view throughout. All these questions are ignored. appointment I felt at the artless The climax demanded by this rising Likewise, with Lynn's work. She ending. This is a subjective re¬ action is some sort of confrontation began WATCHTOWER with one action, sponse, and where I could only hope between Ryke and Col Istor. Instead, and ended it with another. that a very talented writer would Lynn drops Ryke entirely except as a not come to believe critics who said Does the book fail just because pair of eyes through which we see she was writing masterpieces, Schweit¬ it breaks a rule? Yes and no. Yes, the story of Errel and two androgy¬ zer could quite sincerely state that because the book certainly fails and nous women. Is there a confronta¬ she was already writing books with it certainly breaks the rule. No, tion with Col Istor, the strongest only trivial flaws. We agree on because it's quite possible to sub¬ character in the book? No—we on¬ what the flaws were, more or less merge an interesting point of view ly learn about his killing offstage —we merely disagree about whether character and follow a different after the fact, as if if didn't mat¬ they ruin the book. thread and still have a very satis¬ ter. Do we see what this conflict fying book. But the writer must of loyalties does to Ryke? No---we compensate in order to bring it off. Shackles Everywhere don't know a damn thing about him, except that he's still alive. What 38 There are many other rules, some general to all literature, some u- steps to help their work survive complaint. nique to prose fiction, some pecu¬ the flaw. I know too well what liar to science fiction or fantasy. happens then: my own first novel And if I gave offense by hoping Writers remain ignorant of them to flagrantly violates the very prin¬ that the errors in WATCHTOWER and their peril. For instance, a large ciples I'm criticizing WATCHTOWER THE DANCERS OF ARUN would give rise nurber of imitators of Tolkien have and DANCERS OF ARUN for breaking. to similar growth rather than repi- seen that he characterizes shallowly, And the work fails, for that reason. tition and stagnation, it was only not realizing that he compensates Though there are readers who have in the well-founded hope that Lynn by deliberately using a powerful found other values that conpensate has it in her to be as excellent a mythic and archetypal underpinning for the flaws, I am not one of them. writer as Delany, Wolfe, Crowley, that his imitators are inconpetent It's one of the loveliest things a- or McKillip. They do her no favor to bring off. Stephen R. Donaldson bout being a living writer. I can who tell her that she has already and Patricia McKillip, however, un¬ get better as I learn more. It's arrived. derstood this, and instead of the also one of the best parts of read¬ hollowly derivitive SWORD OF SHANNA- ing new works by writers whose pre¬ [P.S. In fairness to Elizabeth Lynn, RA, they wrote the intensely char¬ vious works you have read: the ones I should point out that while I be¬ acterized Thomas Covenant books and who don't endlessly imitate them¬ lieve my assessment of the flaws in the wonderfully mythic (and also selves are always growing, and while these two books is accurate, my op¬ well-characterized) Riddlemaster you may hate the results of the lat¬ inion that they outweigh the good Trilogy. est experiment, the next work or the points of the books may be colored one after may show you in success by some bias. Elizabeth Lynn's Where a rule is broken, a work what the others failed at trying to first nomination for the Campbell must either conpensate or fail. acconplish. If the plotless DHAL- Award was the same year that I won, Which is why I repeat my hope that GREN is the price I had to pay to and I have had ample opportunity to Lynn will not be fooled by too much hear how many people felt that if approval from the literary set into God were in his heaven, Lynn would thinking that good style is enough. have won. This was before I read This is not a warning. She can anything of hers; and I was not im- have a very satisfying career with muie to being hurt by some of the lots of respect and other payoffs more cruel assessments of my work if she stands pat and doesn't grow in comparison to hers. ---look at how well some writers have done with that policy. And ex¬ [This was, naturally, in the back perimenting and changing have their of my mind as I approached my first risks—look at some of Damuel R. reading of Lynn's novels. Don't Delany's glorious botches or Zelaz¬ suppose that this made me a hostile ny's tendency toward fitful incom¬ reader: I very rarely bother read¬ pletion. Personally, I think that ing a book I know I will not give a I would rather err with the experi¬ fair reading to, and ever since my menters who are trying to grow than unfair and rather stupid pan of Si- with the stand-patters who sing the mak's MASTODONIA in these pages a same songs to the same audiences couple of years ago, I have refused year after year. Which way Lynn to review a book I approached with will choose is entirely up to her; hostility unless the book won me there are anple precedents for both over despite that hostility. choices, and the possibility of [In the case of Lynn's books, I failure is no greater in one than honestly didn't feel any conscious in the other. We still read the antagonism toward her or her work--- works of experimenter DeFoe and why should I, when she has never stand-patter Swift (not a fair gen¬ been anything but uifailingly cour¬ eralization, actually), remembering teous to me? And when I began read¬ the first for being the start of a ing I was enthralled, pleased by powerful new genre, and the second the style, fascinated by the situa¬ as being the zenith of the ancient tion and characters — in short, I art of satire. reacted like a totally accepting, My real reason for hoping Lynn unbiased reader. However, when I patches up the weak places in her "Oh, hom culi! Wiy t ffetp it, rtrthe*? started noticing flaws, how am I to work is selfish: I like so much a- be sure that, while the flaws were bout her work---her language, her m My fae/wls JtweoA/e." real enough, I didn't let some un¬ ability to create character and e- conscious resentment magnify the im¬ voke scenes, her manipulations of portance of those flaws in my esti¬ stock elements to serve new purpos¬ mation? es— that if she wrote a book that be able to read TALES OF NEVERYON, [I am not unsaying anything I said did better at plotting effectively then it was worth it. If the dens¬ above. I am merely warning you--- or conpensating for plot lapses, it ity of THE FIFTH HEAD OF CERBERUS under penalty of missing out on some would be that rare reading experi¬ led to the layered beauty of THE very fine reading—not to let my ence: an excellent book. And that's SHADOW OF THE TORTURER, then I'd lengthy discourse on the problems not a warning. That's a plea. gladly read a thousand CERBERUSes. If the impenetrable mysteries of of Lynn's books unduly discourage Rules do not shackle anyone, ex¬ THE EEEP and the clumsy opening of you from trying them. I used her cept those who are ignorant of them. THE FORGOTTEN BEASTS OF ELD could work illustratively—to show my For the ignorant will-either follow always lead to ENGINE SUMMER and point, not because her novels real¬ them blindly, never knowing what the Riddlemaster Trilogy, I would ly warranted such lengthy dissection. they're actually doing with their gladly read flawed works without Lynn may well have compensated bet¬ work, or will break them unwitting¬ ter than I think she did.] ly, without taking the necessary 39 ************************************ ANALOG hardly worth all the labor. "Toad¬ stool Sinfonia", by Laurence Jani- Reviewed By Patricia Mathews fer, is simply dreadful despite an extremely clever -- ANALOG-clever -■ technological gimmick. If Janifer The June, 1980 issue of ANALOG On the good side, Ing has obviously been in the Southwest and has been wants to imitate Raymond Chandler begins with THE HUMANOID UNIVERSE by he should read some Chandler first, Jack Williamson. For those who around a real pueblo, the setting of the story, long enough to observe and then not bother trying to up¬ have never read THE HUMANOIDS, this date him. will give them a very good idea of it closely. I was overjoyed by the what they have missed. Those who enclosed map of Pueblo country, but have, might find that it covers the kept looking for his fictional pueb¬ same ground as the earlier book. lo of San Saba. I want to read the next installment. August, 1980, finishes the ser¬ The rest of this issue could be ial, ANASAZI, by Dean Ing, begun in selected as a "typical ANALOG" for Gary Allan Ruse's "Girl in the July. Friends, it is good. The a time capsule. There is a compet¬ Attache Case" is a negligible bit of wrapup was totally unexpected; I, ent mystery-in-space, "Given A, Then fluff about a college boy who invents for one, had predicted that the res¬ Bee", with an interesting gimmick a matter transmitter. "Gambler's ervations's Clown Society would take that the title gives away. Spider War" by Marcia Martin and Eric Vini- care of the aliens, since the truth Robinson has a Callaghan's Bar story coff, opens with three paragraphs of was too unbelievable to tell the that ends in a hilarious in-group heavy exposition in italics and gets white man's justice; the three her¬ pun. There's a story, "Rings of no more readable as the story prog¬ oes wrapped up the job themselves, Death" about the pure researcher resses. The point, that one of the with the help of the Southwestern who discovers the Ultimate Weapon, contact ship crew and the aliens landscape. Even the personal inter¬ told by the worldly buddy who in¬ they are trying to contact both have actions, which I had found irritat¬ forms him of what he has done; a a penchant for taking risks, seems ingly overdone in the first instal¬ time-travel story, "One Time in Alex¬ lment, wound up very neatly. The andria" with the researcher from the postlude was unnecessary. future causing the disaster he set out to save something from; and the Gordon Dickson has the story of tale "Down East Encounter", of the a reluctant rebel on an alien-con¬ alien in improbable disguise show¬ quered Earth in "The Cloak and the ing himself to good old Howie the Staff". Dickson has created in the town loafer; it's a fish story. In eight-foot persons of the Aalaag the short, there is one of every kind of perfect nightmare version of boss, ANALOG (or ASTOUNDING) story and the conqueror, or for that matter, par¬ dateline could have been anything ent or husband: they can't be reas¬ from 1935 to 1995. Give this one oned with, for they don't grant you to your friends who want to know the status of a reasoning being; what ANALOG is all about. there is no way to make any sort of physical, moral or emotional dent on them whatsoever, and they have overwhelming numbers, armed force The non-fiction in the July, and control. Dickson deals in 1980 issue is better than the fic¬ archetypes and in this one he has tion, which ranges from B-plus qual¬ a dilly. ity to absolutely crummy. Going strictly from the top to By far the best story is Timothy the bottom, we have the nasty lit¬ Zahn's, "Hie Dreamsender", despite tle Randist parable, "Scrooge in a slow start and an overly fast wrap- Space", about a private-industry up. The combination of telepathy hero come to set a failing govern¬ and mysterious goings-on worked well, ment installation right. Propagand¬ in the best of the ANALOG tradition. ist Sam Nicholson lumps refusal to fire alcoholics,with equal opportun¬ The serial, ANASAZI, by Dean Ing, ity for men and women, a rotation had its flaws, including overdone system to be sure nobody hogs the characterization of the villainous Rim seat on a space transport, a aliens and the freaky second-leads. flight attendant of fifty, and a cumbersome translation system, as friend finds a Solution that renders "Standards", by Richard K. Lyon, if they were all evidence of gross one immortal and forever senile -- is a fairly standard ANALOG jest; decay. A good propagandist should perfect for removing roadblocks. No Campbell used to publish them by at least have a sense of proportion. resemblance to anyone or anyplace the ton. we know, right? James White's "Federation World" Rating for the issue as a whole: was a nice, readable tale of the Mack Reynolds, in "What the not bad. galactic civilization's induction Vintners Buy", has as usual some and examination center, and of an very clever ideas, a comic-book lev¬ el of narration and dialog, and a Earthman who takes the test. Not an The October, 1980 issue of ANALOG better grasp of theoretical politics obvious ending, either. "Fit to is good, in the rather dry tradition than of human behavior. He can, Print", by David Lewis, is the story of post-Campbell ANALOG. The non¬ however, plot reasonably well. of the struggling newspaper publish¬ fiction leads off with a Schmidt ed¬ er whose printing press brings back "The Olmec Football Player" is itorial on how to write science art¬ tomorrow's story today. Not bad'. a slight piece by Katherine MacLean icles he will buy; "The Physics of While this is a fiction review, that brought a smile as she explain¬ Haunting" is either a Campbellian let me mention the Tombaugh tribute. ed the Olmec heads' appearance in proof-of-psi or a magnificent put- I graduated from New Mexico State in terms of a college player with a on. Algis Budrys analyzes ASTOUND¬ 1964, so it would have been 1962 time machine and a taste for being ING in his day and earlier, with a that I took his course in astronomy. a Great Black God to a pack of prim¬ look at the An Lab scandals of his I should have taken more. If there itives. He was likeable enough to day, and Jerry Poumelle calls May's is anybody in that class who didn't make it, too. guest editor a liar on dark grey pa¬ per. Best is Dr. John Briggen's very love him, I never met him/her/it. "Faraway Eyes", by Rudy Rucker, good article on GALAXY formation. If there was anybody who didn't is another story of a waste dispos¬ learn, or doesn't remember, I don't al invention that involves other di¬ The fiction ranges from excellent know who it would be. He took us mensions, again semi-farcial treat¬ to abysmal. Tops is Steven Edward all out to see his backyard tele¬ ment. A girl disappears; consider¬ McDonald's "Ideologies", pitting a scopes and to look through them; I ing her employer and her boyfriend, space station security chief against seem to remenber sketching what we the leading characters, it was a a terrorist she knows painfully well saw. If Brad Smith didn't seem to sensible move. C-minus, and that's has a message that must be heard. hold the only position open in as¬ being generous. A-plus for honesty in treating a tronomy for miles around (it is, high tragedy that is normally given Barry Malzberg has "John Campbell: and was, a shoestring major; I the goodies-versus-baddies treatment; Another Remembrance". One page, thought of Smith vaguely as Tonbaugh's A for execution. graduate student; note singular) I small type on dark gray paper. Did¬ would have been tempted to major in n't Bova want anyone to read it? "Moment of Inertia", by Charles Sheffield, which leads off this is¬ it. Being dreadfully careerist in "Corley, by Gary Alan Ruse, is sue, is a gimmick story: a physic¬ those days, I passed 141 the chance, an old-man-in-the-path-of-the-free- ist with a new space drive takes his more fool me. At any rate, it's way tale; the purpose is to break test ship on a shakedown cruise and the one thing from NMSU I'll carry up an offWorld colony's Master Plan must be rescued by old-buddy space with me the rest of my days, that for colonization, which equates it pilot. The science was hard to fol¬ I took a class from Tombaugh. with urbanization. Rating: not low and impossible to assume-and-go- bad. on-from-there; a totally silly sub¬ Stephen Gould's "A Touch of plot involved a reporter who was al¬ Their Eyes" could have been great so a President's Daughter (Oh, Plan¬ The September, 1980 ANALOG has if he'd untangled his plot after et Stories!) and by her mere pres¬ neither high points nor low ones. writing the story. The CIA throws ence (qua female, not reporter) lous¬ So, in order: "Tactics of Despair", a psychic (empath? Something very ed everything up; they never said the lead story by Edward Byers, has similar) into a desert survival how, but the tale was interestingly a pigheaded military man (of high test and tries to recruit him, but told. honor and courage) causing disaster he's had a clairvoyant vision for Christopher Anvil's "The Gold of for himself, a friendly alien race years of where that will lead. The Galileo" reversed this with plausible and everybody concerned, by trying real story is in Johnny Galighty's but dull characters, a dry style, to force a situation he has not tak¬ life, and Gould tried to throw the but a worthwhile technical mystery en the time to understand, against whole thing into one short incident. the advice of the viewpoint charac¬ which more than carried the story. ter, the First Contact Envoy. If The science was easy to follow, Byers had told it from the colonel's granted the basic assumption; the standpoint instead, he'd have had basic assumption was easy to swallow. high tragedy rather than "I told you Hie ending was bigger than the basic so". situation. Charles Sheffield's "Hie New Charles Aments' "Self-Evident Physics" is a farcial rehash of the Truths" was a polemic, with a pack Galileo situation. This sort of of hysterics for characters and ex¬ thing is funny the first time you tremely bad science at its heart; see it. his contempt for the common person's brain reeks throughout the tale. "The Struldbrugg Solution", by In ’Truths" a psychologist, by blat¬ Susan Schwartz, is bitter farce ab¬ antly circular reasoning, has creat¬ out a non-tenured teacher in a col¬ ed a "fair" IQ test in which every¬ lege with no right to exist, in a body gets 100. A severely retarded world where the Redundancy Corps teenager's mother is thrown in to drags off failures to be sterilized, ram the point into the ground. The rendered mindless and set to doing one person who tries to uphold some society's shitwork. But a chemist standards of achievement is mobbed by people carrying "No Racism, No prisingly well is the portrayal of given a similarity of profession and Sexism" signs -- supposedly, then, strong and individualized female lifestyle. ("Inertia's" Captain Jean the enemies of racism and sexism are leading characters. I'm overjoyed Roker works, except for a moment of also the enemies of competence and to see the lie given to the old say¬ confusion about her sexual prefer¬ the intellect. Does he provide barf ing that while women can write be¬ ences .) bags with this, or Nazi membership lievable male characters, men have Of course, to the extent that cards? a very hard time writing female char¬ their only picture of a human being acters beyond a fixed range of rath¬ Look. In beginning lab science, was automatically masculine, the ef¬ er stupid stereotypes. Gordon Dick¬ the first thing you learn is that if fort is completely silly, but it's a son, in May "Tightbeam", described you want to test for substance A, pit that ANALOG writers have managed his long career writing in that trad¬ your test must filter out or ignore to keep from falling into for the ition and the effort it has cost him anything that is not substance A. most part. If you want to test for raw native to grow beyond it in middle life. Fellows -- congratulations. ability, you must filter out educa¬ I have the sneaking suspicion tional and cultural factors -- for that in some cases the ANALOG authors which there are many very good tests may have taken a common male charac¬ already -- and try to isolate abil¬ ter and put him/her in a female body, ity per se. It may not be possible. changed the pronouns throughout, and (Now do something that the total¬ To describe the attempt as Arents sent it off: "Moment of Inertia" may ly dreadful secondary female charac¬ did is both false and foolish. well be such an effort. But to the ters you've been using as a dunping extent that their idea of a human be¬ ground for all your dead stereotypes A NOTE ALONG THE WAY ing was automatically male, the sex- -- see Nina Velez in "Inertia" for change has worked; human beings are one of the lesser examples.) One thing ANALOG has done sur¬ human beings in most of what we do. ************************************

ASIMOV'S tongue-in-cheek style which usually shouts at the reader that all events Reviewed By Robert Sabella are farcical and not worth taking seriously. In this instance the style actually benefits the story because of its underlying theme. Let me begin with both a warning writers cannot always chum out a The protagonist, who keeps dropping and an apology. The warning: I high-quality story on demand. In into the parallel universe against tend to be a harsh critic. Precious the mid-sixties Fred Pohl used to his will, is tom between believing few stories are so finely-wrought comnission such stories from people he is in the midst of a great adven¬ that no areas could be inproved. I like Roger Zelazny and James Blish ture and fearing he is going crazy. feel obligated even when dealing with and the results were among both their When he tries to share his exper¬ stories I like to mention their fail¬ weakest stories. iences with his family, their skep¬ ings. Please keep in mind that I Undeterred by this practice's ticism only increases his self-doubts. will waste neither space nor effort flaws, or perhaps encouraged by its This is something which is missing on any story that I do not consider values, George Scithers has carried from nearly all science fiction set worthwhile reading. it one step further. The September in the contenporary world. How many Next the apology: Because of a issue of IASFM contains five stories people living in America circa 1980 slight deadline problem I am able (totalling approximately 60% of the could be thrust into a science fic¬ only to deal with the September is¬ issue's fiction) written around a tion universe and accept it as oth¬ sue of IASFM here. In future col¬ cover painting by Alex Schomburg. er than mental delusion? Sucharit¬ umns I will review all intervening Only one story is by an experienced kul addresses that problem and, in issues since this column. writer (Jack Haldeman) while four doing so, makes thoughtful reading are by relative newcomers (John M. out of a story that is otherwise On to the criticism. Ford, two by Sharon Webb, and Somtow pure hokum. A popular gimmick among science Sucharitkul). fiction magazine editors is to buy a piece of cover art and commission Alas, for all of Scithers' good a story around it. This is actually intentions, the gimnick fails. Four good business practice for two reas¬ of the stories are notably uninspir¬ ons: First, an attractive cover is ing. This may be partly due to Schom- a prime selling item for magazines burg's cover. Although cleanly whose chief product is "sense of won¬ drawn and fairly colorful it does der" and who need to attract the not inspire any "sense of wonder". casual newsstand perusers; second, I wonder what Scithers saw in it the acconpanying stories are usually that made him want to center an is¬ comnissioned to name writers who, sue around it. spurred partially by the guaranteed The only cover story worth read¬ sale, can whip out a decent story in ing is Somtow Sucharitkul's "Dear two-to-three days. This has the ad¬ Caressa" and even it is flawed. It ded advantage of getting those popu¬ is concerned with a parallel uni¬ lar names onto the cover of the mag¬ verse patterned after one woman's azine. pre-occupation with popular romance There is a disadvantage to this novels. The story was written in a practice. Even the most talented 42 Of the four stories unrelated to lowkeyed unease that sneaks up your ious thinking about alien invasions the cover, only Lisa Tuttle's "A spinal column as the story progres¬ rather than merely rearranging the Spaceship Built of Stone" is recom¬ ses. This time she is talking about same old cliches that too many writ¬ mended. Lisa Tuttle has never writ¬ alien invasion -- or is she? Does ers use. Someday an enterprising ten a bad story; some have merely an invasion necessarily mean taking publisher will assemble a collection been less good than others (and how control of another people's homeland of Lisa's short fiction and that many writers can make that claim?). by military force or can it mean sub¬ book should sell like cheap gasoline, She is most adept at creating a tly infiltrating the populace and as well as ruining at least a few sneaky feeling of horror. A typical gradually increasing your influence nights' sleep. Tuttle story will unsettle the read¬ until you have achieved your goals ************************************ er soon after it begins, causing a peacefully? Lisa has done some ser¬

F&SF Reviewed By Russell Engebretson

"Among the Cliff-Dwellers of the decent behavior and orderly surround¬ San Andreas Canyon", the September ings ; they must be reacclimated to cover story by Felix Gotschalk, is the vicious everyday life on Earth. full of Besteresque glitter and bom¬ Spo, the protagonist, becomes a bit On the positive side, Henderson does bast, but short of substance. The too well-adjusted. It becomes ap¬ a fine job of characterizing the pro¬ setting is California in the year parent that "Getting Back" is a tagonist, Nathan. She also paints 2073. The San Andreas Fault, now a double-edged title. a vivid picture of the harsh land¬ canyon, contains a comnunity of nine¬ scape and the rigors of living off ty-seven people. The surface about "Spidersong" is a fairytale about the land. Brenneker, a female spider who spins the canyon is covered with virulent Richard Cowper is one of my fav¬ her web in a lute and plays melodies spore cultures, huge toadstools plac¬ orite authors, but "The Attleborough on the strands of webbing. Laurel ed there by the Russians after the Poltergeist" is a minor piece. The is the owner of the rather cheaply- demonstration war of 1990. What ending is a new twist on an old idea made instrument; she is a young girl starts out as a survival story with and does have impact, but the story at the story’s beginning who decides love triangle, degenerates into a seems too many pages long to lead to become a musician. A story that wish-fulfillment fantasy with hero to such a climax, as is often the seems on the surface to be a juvenile and heroine literally screwing in case with surprise endings. the clouds. Gotschalk is not a bad becomes an adult's struggle to real¬ writer, but conflict is resolved too ize her dreams. When Laurel must "Wolfland" by Tanith Lee is yet easily. choose between a musical career and another werewolf story, but well- her husband-to-be, she opts for mus¬ handled and suspensefully written. "The Fear that Men Call Courage" ic and the choice is not an easy one. It reads like a darkly original ver¬ by James Patrick Kelly, is a predict¬ "Spidersong" is a touching, even poig¬ sion of "Little Red Ridinghood" and able but competent horror story in nant story of a woman's battle to in this version the main character which four hunters who have killed shape the course of her life. takes on the mantle of wolfdom pas¬ a fawn are picked off one at a time sed down from her grandmother. by a supernatural agency. Ian Watson gives us a sardonic In "The Curse of the Miondoro The October issue celebrates and blackly humorous view of SF fan¬ Nkabele" by Eric Norden, we are treat¬ dom in "The World Science Fiction ed to a fictitious correspondence FljSF's thirty-first year of publica¬ tion. All the authors, with the ex¬ Convention of 2080". The long-winded between the editor of FfjSF, Mr. Ed¬ speech of the Grand Old Man of Sci¬ ward Ferman, and an African SF fan ception of Bob Leman, are establish¬ ence Fiction, Jerry Meltzer, is a raised on 1940s pulps. Mr. Ferman ed names in SF, but this issue is weaker than the last. triumph of high sarcasm. is hexed, Isaac Asimov plugs his latest book ASIMOV'S GUIDE TO HEALTH, "Echo" by Walter Tevis, author My favorite in this issue is HAPPINESS AND REGULARITY THROUGH of THE MN WHO FELL TO EARTH, is bas¬ "Feesters in the Lake" by Bob Leman. SELF-NEGATION, and Harlan Ellison ed on the premise that the main char¬ The title is obviously a parody of is eaten by a boa constrictor. A acter's mind is recorded and stored H.P. Lovecraft. The story itself, very funny story. on a tape. The story goes nowhere however, is imbued with the shade of William Hope Hodgson, especially in Jane Yolen presents a more ser¬ from there, but relies on a trick ending which will surprise no one. the eerie and powerful description ious story, "The Sleep of Trees". The title is a giveaway, too. Al¬ of Howard's Lake and the deserted It concerns the erotic encounter of house that stands next to it. Not a vain actor and a druid, a confront¬ though the prose is polished, the only is "Feesters in the Lake" fright¬ ation of the sacred and the profane. idea is trivial. ening, it is also a moving story of It's a fine story written with grace 'Tell Us a Story" is a continua¬ the physical and mental decay of the and style. tion of the People saga by Zenna Hen¬ narrator's Lhcle Caleb, a decent man TVo more stories worthy of note derson. It didn't do a thing for who was just dealt a bad hand. This are "Spidersong" by Susan C. Petrey me; however, being a confirmed agnos¬ one grabbed me by the throat and and "Getting Back" by Jeffrey W. Car¬ tic, I am irritated by constant ref¬ shook me. I could nit-pick at a penter and Barry Malzberg. "Getting erences to Christian deities. The small flaw here and there, but it Back" is a grim comment on human nat¬ story comes too close to breaking would be nit-picking. You owe it to ure. Astronauts returning from long the science fiction writer's First yourself to read this one. Commandment: Thou Shalt Not Preach. stays in space have become used to ************************************ 43 DESTINIES Reviewed By Patricia Mathews

Ace Books, pb, 352 pp, $2.50

The Summer, 1980, issue of DES¬ more "understandable" to us ignorant some of these. Nor do I really want TINIES is a Heinlein-lover's delight, readers by throwing in a totally in¬ to know. featuring large chunks of his latest applicable Terr an stereotype "spoil¬ He counters charges, as second- book, EXPANDED UNIVERSE, and an adul¬ ed ... young" that took away from from-last on his mindlessness list, atory essay by Spider Robinson to the very real dignity the alien show¬ that Heinlein is a male chauvinist. lead off the issue (of which, more ed in the story and was a jarring (It would be amazing if a man of our later). The other non-fiction includ¬ false note. culture and his years bore no traces es Dean Ing on nuclear survival. Jer¬ The best of DESTINIES this is¬ of the weaknesses common to men, but ry Poumelle on spacesuit design, sue is in the Heinlein excerpt. It let that pass.) He refutes it, again, Frederick Pohl on particle physics, is a magnificent potpourri of pure by reading off a long list of female and the L-5 Society with a highly opinion; the heart of this part was characters and their virtues. True, technical discussion of a proposed a series of predictions written in and all to the good, but beside the lunar treaty. 1950, updated in 1965, and re-updat¬ point; he petulantly adds that they The fiction is so-so. G.E. Cog- ed in 1980. Fascinating. are all beautiful and want babies, which is what the feminists dislike, gshall has a story about a sentient Spider Robinson's article ap¬ rat and a spaced-out technician cal¬ proving that he has totally missed parently was designed to prove that the point. (And knows damned few fem¬ led "Frankie the Rat Man and Baron Heinlein can do no wrong, as a man or Von Ronk". inists.) The point is, do these wo¬ as a writer. He tackles every piece men have a freely chosen purpose of Larry Niven's "Retrospective" of criticism and shoots it down, val¬ their own? Or is their only role to sends four tourists back to the re¬ id or not. For exanple, that Hein¬ serve, love, adore and stand by the constructed scene of a natural disas¬ lein "preaches". He first cites the men? To the extent that this is true, ter; neither fear nor horror was ev¬ fact that EXPANDED UNIVERSE and the the author is acting as a male chau¬ ident, although they should have been. NOTEBOOKS OF LAZARUS LONG are sel¬ vinist. (There is one dreadful low ling well; then he continues with a Charles Sheffield's "Man Who point in 'Time Enough for Love", where disquisition on the Literature of Stole the Moon" brings in the Mob as the men at Lazarus Long's house sit Ideas. But even the Victorians knew the only organization free to indulge and eat while the women, members of that stopping the story to preach a the family, pop up and down every in space-travel without a myriad of sermon is not Literature of Ideas. petty regulations; the hero ends out¬ two minutes so that all the men get I intend to buy both of Heinlein's lawed but triumphant. their share of attention. Any man books-of-opinion; I like editorials. who asks what's wrong with that can And in "Vital Signs", by Dean But I. prefer them as is and not embed do the popping up and down next time Ing, a bounty hunter is sent out aft¬ ded in fiction. while the women eat in uninterrupted er a ferocious alien who is ravaging comfort.) Spider forgets what he the countryside and terrorizing ev¬ Again, that "All Heinlein's himself said earlier in his article: erybody; the bounty hounter manages characters are Heinlein himself". Heinlein is not an infallible god. to communicate and must face his He reads off a long list of male He'd be the first to tell you so, guilt in the alien's death, since characters from Heinlein's early and very rudely. He is a man. What's that death was made certain both by middle works, all of whom are distinc - wrong with that? the bounty hunter and by the fact individuals, to disprove this. But ************************************* that the alien acted more ethically the criticism is leveled against the than she needed to. Unfortunately, Late Heinlein, where I, for one, can the author saw fit to make the alien often hardly tell who is speaking in

GALAXY Reviewed By James J.J. Wilson

This is the first issue of GAL¬ devoted to installment number five AXY to appear in many months. It is of Fred Pohl's American Book Award also the first issue under the edit¬ winning novel, JEM. The serializa¬ orship of Floyd Kemske. It does tion was begun two years and sever¬ not follow the "strataform" page de¬ al editors ago in a much different sign widely discussed when the pub¬ GALAXY. Since the serialization was lishers of GALILEO and SCIENCE FIC¬ begun, as I'm sure you know, JEM has TION TIMES took over the publication, been published in hardcover, reprint¬ but it is the same large size as ed in paperback and has won and been GALILEO as promised (although this nominated for several awards. In issue contains a meager 72 pages). view of this, further review here It is evident that the main thrust is pointless. of the magazine is non-fiction. "In the Days of the Shubbi Arms" A major portion of this issue is by Steven Utley and Howard Waldrop, is a very short story about the peop¬ space hero, is a sensitively writ¬ as Canada was controlled by a country le of Earth who, after suffering un¬ ten story which deals with people called Normandy. In 1895 engineers der the control of conquering aliens and emotions rather than ideas and in Normandy invented a "traction¬ for several decades, devote their hardware. The author. Dona Vaughn, bearing drive". What it all comes time to coining up with jokes and a fairly recent discovery, is some¬ down to is that land-battleships in puns to spring on their masters as one to watch. While still develop¬ the form of giant robots were devel¬ a means of regaining control of Earth. ing her talent and her style, she oped and used in the wars between may remind some readers of Cordwain- the U.S. and Normandy. This fascin¬ "The Colony" is a short, 19305- er Smith. ating, tightly-written story is the type trick-ending story which uses first of a series. the idea of aliens leaving an ant The remaining fiction in the is¬ trap device in space to exterminate sue is "In the Days of the Steam humans. This story belongs in the Wars” by Eugene Potter and Larry The next issue, a Thirtieth An¬ back of a 1939 issue of SUPER SCIENCE Blamire. This is an alternate uni¬ niversary issue co-edited by H.L. STORIES. verse story set in the late 1800s in which the U.S. did not acquire Gold, should help to set GALAXY back on its feet. Now for some of the good stuff. the Louisiana Purchase from France. "The Night Machine", about an obscure Rather, it and most of what we know ************************************

OMNI Reviewed By Margana B. Rolain science (or perhaps magic, who knows?) for the purpose of curing the collective neuroses and manias Fictional insanity seems to have turns out. With her introduction of of the crew of the space probe ship, become an OWI specialty of late. brit, a mild drink which Bregg con¬ the Whipperly IV. Take for instance, three stories fuses with milk, and the ensuing con¬ from the June and July, 1980, issues: fusion over its significance, Bregg The author's ironic bite provides "Sigmund in Space" by Barry N. Malz- discovers that he has stumbled un¬ an amusing picture of Freud as he berg (July), "Matchianna" by Kevin expectedly onto the matter of invol¬ worries about his professsional suc¬ O'Donnell, Jr., and "Return from the untary sexual control for men. cess on this mission, obsessed the Stars" by Stanislaw Lem (both June). There is a great deal of ambig¬ meanwhile about one-upping his twent¬ ieth-century rivals, Adler and Jung, In the first, we find insanity uity which allows many of the state¬ whom he suspects, with reason, have as a collective problem of the mem¬ ments by both characters to be inter¬ been called upon before him. The bers of a space exploration crew. preted in more than one way, and the story follows Freud as he proceeds In "Marchianna" emotionalism and in¬ author has Nais explain her strange to try to retain objective calm while stability make up the personality terminology for whatever it is that he feels out the individual hysterias of a machine. And in the third goes on in her odd world in a way of the crew, and in the meantime al¬ story, insanity may well exist as a that is really not an explanation so keeps at bay the all-powerful ad¬ possible risk for the reader, induc¬ at all. The reader is left to guess ministrators who released him from ed as a reward for persistence. along with Bregg what she means. "the dream cube". His ultimate so¬ With Nais' reluctance to explain the Actually, unlike the other two lution is in itself satirical, since reasons for betrization --a pecul¬ stories, Lem's "Return" does not the cure Freud chooses is precisely iarly unexplained operation --a ter¬ deal specifically with psychology. the opposite of what the administrat¬ rible urgency enters the story, and The psychology is in the handling, a the reader knows that the final and ors want and what medical ethics dic¬ subtle but faintly nagging presence. most ominous revelation is about to tate. And the ultimate irony is that although Freud has succeeded over his In the story specifically, Hal be made. The suspense is killing. fellow "reconstructs", Adler and Bregg has returned from a hundred- I enjoyed this one the most of the Jung, it is from their concepts that plus ("... a hundred and twenty-sev¬ three, but I also found it to be the his solution is bom. en years. Earth time, and ten years, most frustrating. I mentioned the ship time") expedition to Fomalhaut, ambiguity; but also the ending was Although there are no surprises to find that Earth has changed in a something of a letdown, particularly in "Sigmund", the facetious charac¬ somewhat bizarre way. Bizarre be¬ after the suspense that went before ter portrayals, such as that of the cause the change involves, for one it. Perhaps I am no longer suffic¬ Whipperly's paranoid captain, make thing, that age-old relationship be¬ iently indignant about compulsory this one entertaining reading. A tween the sexes. mass control. Nevertheless, there specific knowledge of Freudian and is a kind of grace to the simplicity also of Jungian and Adlerian psych¬ After a beginning that describes of the language --in spite of the ology backgrounds would probably be Bregg's picki^p, presumably from a fact that that very simplicity and helpful to many readers. bar, by Nais, and their relocation economy of words is what helps create to Nais' apartment, the story be¬ The last of the three, "March¬ the sense of anfciguity -- and absorb¬ comes one long, torturously indirect ianna", is also a psychological tale ing from an intellectual point of conversation between the two. Bregg but less deft than "Sigmund". More view. first tries to establish a comnon accurately, "Marchianna" is a revis¬ bond of interest between them, or "Sigmund in Space" is, in con¬ ion of the ancient tale about the at least a basic introduction, but trast, an overt psychiatric study sculptor who fell in love with his he soon finds this inpossible simply of a problem to be formally solved, own creation of the "perfect woman" because he doesn't understand any¬ but a satiric study at that. Dr. -- with some twists. Marchianna is thing of what she means. So then he Sigmund Freud is brought back from a "female" machine, and her beloved tries to find out what she's offer¬ oblivion, through an unexplained and fastidious master is humanly ing him --or denying him, as it 45 male only in Marchianna's eyes. a humane society must enforce capit¬ al punishment, which has been rein¬ stated. The protagonist pits his wits against an apartment designed solely for administering death by surprise, on the grounds that fore¬ knowledge of one's own end is the unkindest cut of all. I won't reveal the ending, but there's a good deal of suspense about the eventual cause of Renfrew's po¬ tential demise which will keep any reader hanging on. "Our Lady of the Sauropods" by none other than Robert Silverberg finds us dunped with his marooned heroine into an artificially re¬ created dinosaur world, thanks to advanced methods of cloning. The story, in the form of the heroine's diary, takes her on a survival safari Mast of this tale dwells heavily other tale about the corruptive na¬ that ends in a near-fatal fall from on the details of Marchianna's dut¬ ture of power. This time the power a tree. The dinosaurs nurse her ies on board the uranium-mining is pyrokinesis, and the one fascin¬ back to health; she tunes into their spaceship which she and her master ated by its dread lure is a girl- collective consciousness, and becomes inhabit, and on her subservient ad¬ child named Charlie. their missionary for a new universal oration of Nakamura-san. There are Charlie is able to start fires conquest. also passages of her alienated, pas¬ with her mind, so the story goes, sion-warped, maudlin and self-loath¬ A reader grounded in sauria ref¬ because her parents were part of a ing analyses of Nakamura-san and her erence material will greater apprec¬ secret government experiment with relationship to him. (Or her lack iate the references to early paleon¬ a hallucinogen dubbed Lot Six. The of a relationship to him.) tologists and have a better picture drug not only bestowed psi powers on of each of the auropods described. For an inanimate consciousness, its victims; those powers were gen¬ Even so, there are some great de¬ Marchianna behaves very unmachinely, etically inheritable. Naturally, scriptive moments, such as the hero¬ kowtowing, indulging in sentimental¬ CIA-type agents are out to get Andy ine's frog-catching attempt. Some ity, and projecting her own weaknes¬ McGee and his daughter. The McGees of Silverberg's haranguing about the ses onto her "human" idol. take refuge on a remote farm, where greatness of the dinosaurs as oppos¬ the agents catch up to them. The There is a brief, abortive con¬ ed to the puniness of man, however, predictable result is a rip-roaring flict at the end of the story between can be almost as difficult to swal¬ government-agent roast that threat¬ low as the heroine's lunch of raw her and Nakamura-san. Descending in¬ ens to take the good guys along with to space madness caused by loneli¬ corythosaur meat. the bad guys. ness (or such is Marchianna's con¬ ************************************ clusion) , Nakamura-san orders March¬ "Firestarter" with its hallucin- ianna to destroy herself by leaping ogen-psi-powers premise may qualify into the "reaction-mass exhaust it as SF for OMNI, but the mood is tube". Marchianna refuses eventual¬ more similar to the occult horror ly, but this event serves to hurry novels for which King is known. her into a decision which comes as Once the drug experiment is explain¬ no surprise to the reader: to make ed, the story becomes a countdown to her master a wife to combat his lone¬ the inevitable showdown, complete liness. Which decision serves to with its morality ending. usher in, of course, the final twist The other August stories are which is the apparent reason for this Robert Scheckley's "The Future Lost" story: that the servile robot is and Paul J. Nahin's "A Father's actually the builder of her own task¬ Gift". The former is a dull rehash master. of the "sex makes the future a utop¬ Presumably, this story is meant ia" theme. And the latter is an un¬ to be a comment on the old question convincing yam around the idea that of whither the separation between Jesus Christ was actually mumnified man and machine? Personally, I and buried in Egypt, to be found in found it hard to get past Marchian¬ more modem times by a Doubting Thom¬ na's schoolgirlish masochism, al¬ as professor of philosophy in the though someone else might argue that Egyptian Museum at Cairo. it showed an appropriate shallow im¬ maturity befitting a machine that is trying to become human. Believabil- ity is in the eyes of the beholder. September's stories have mostly grimly humorous twists. Or perhaps it was my mood.

"Firestarter", a two-part ex¬ "In the Hereafter Hilton" by cerpt from Stephen King's novel in Bob Shaw,posits what might happen if thj^Jul^anc^LUgu^^LSSuej^^^^i^ 46 PLAYBOY Reviewed By H.H. Edward Forgie

"The Apotheosis of Myra" is sinmering biliously with dissat¬ be the first. A planet with a tril¬ By Walter Tevis isfaction, isolated on a distant, lion blades of grass singing the same PLAYBOY, July, 1980 sparsely inhabited Belson, saddled chorus is not bound to take its first murder lightly. Judging from two recent Walter with a chronically arthritic and al¬ Tevis' shorts, he's not only a mas¬ coholic wife, Myra. And he's going ter of the classical dissection of to kill her. Eventually, nurdered Myra (kil¬ led in a particularly poignant scene) the man-woman relationship, he's al¬ We're given a front row seat in¬ so a master of the creation of a does become "apotheosized", and if to the inner workings of Edward's the story has any problems, it is fetching and convincing milieu. cold and demanding mind, a mind bor¬ after lfyra's death. Tevis' imagina¬ That's something that takes most dering on what seems a self-willed tion seems to fade out for a moment, writers three hundred pages. Three psychopathology. It's a third-person, not enough to ruin the story, just hundred, at least. over-the-shoulder, in-the-mind point enough to give a sense of a discon¬ of view. Not only can we see tyra, Tevis reminds me of John Cheever, certing diminuendo. that is Cheever with nicely render¬ we can see Edward seeing Myra. Myra ed science fiction and fantasy woven is far more than the pathetic creat¬ That minor quibble aside, Tevis' in. Whatever the resemblance, Tevis ure Edward believes he's married to, prose is rich and packed with luster, has his own voice, his own style and and as he plunges ahead with his (perhaps luster is spread rather it works. malevolent plans, this discontinuity than packed). The story is struc¬ of perspective fires up the dramatic tured for maximum effect and with "Rent Control", published last tension at the same time it fore¬ the exception of the slight wavering year in ONMI, finished 12th in a LO¬ shadows the ultimate irony at story's- toward the end, it's clean clear CUS readers' poll of short stories. end. through. "The Apotheosis of Jtyra" is better, far better. The planet, Belsin, with its two Read it tonight! suns and moons, enthralling rings, ************************************ Edward Mac Donne 1, a grotesquely obsidian cliffs and singing grass, self-centered expatriate Earthling, has never had a murder. Myra is to

ORIGINAL ANTHOLOGIES Reviewed By David A. Trues dale

THE BERKLEY SHOWCASE, Vol. I THE BERKLEY SHOWCASE volumes take note. His "recomb" people are Edited by Victoria Schochet 8 John gave the greatest overall pleasure, so fascinating and bizarre, not to Silbersack, 280 pp., $1.95, Apr.,'80. with several stories by Karl Hansen mention so full of fictional poten¬ ("Sergeant Pepper", Vol. I, and tial, that I fully expect them to THE BERKLEY SHOWCASE, Vol. 2 "Doll's Eyes", Vol. 2) and one by gather the acclaim that Barry Long¬ Edited by Victoria Schochet and Howard Waldrop ("Billy Big-Eyes", year's "Circus World" stories have. John Silbersack, 200 pp., $2.25, Vol. I) both using bio-adaptation/ Hansens's pepheads (peppers) are re¬ August, 1980. mutation as the focal point for their constructed to produce a broad spec- IESTINIES, Spring 1980, Edited by fresh speculations in societies where trun of neuropeptides ingeniously James Baen, 320 pp., #2.25. continuing and absolute mutability secreted in various ways to give any are an integral part of daily exis¬ emotion needed or desired. They are IESTINIES, Summer 1980, Edited by tence, of life itself. respected and feared, loved and hat¬ James Baen, 351 pp., $2.50. ed, powerful and lonely, and while The strength of Waldrop's piece, "Sergeant Pepper" is more of a NEW VOICES III, Edited by George R.R. which has a weak storyline and a tel¬ straight-forward adventure tale in¬ Martin, 258 pp., $1.95, April, 1980. egraphed ending, is in his excellent troducing his creations, "Dolls use of consistent viewpoint, as much NEW DIMENSIONS 10, Edited by Robert Eyes" examines more closely one of of the story is related through the Silverberg, 188 pp., $10.95, August, the personal drawbacks of being a eyes of the bio-mutation "Billy Big- 1980, Harper 8 Row. lonely, manipulated recomb. I'm a- Eyes" as he searches for a lover, waiting more of these bizarre lit¬ lost and probably dead after a cos¬ tle tales. mic disaster has cut short her dis¬ covery mission. The beauty and poet¬ Janet Morris, in her first short ry of how Billy Big-Eyes sees his story, gives us a well-told fantasy universe as he continues his sad and ("Raising the Green Lion", Vol. I) fruitless search, makes the story Of the forty-two stories consid¬ with a philosophical bent and a com¬ ered above, there were a dozen or memorable. Strong imagery is the attraction here. fortable alchemic framework. It so worthy of some special merit, concerns old magics, sorceries, a few real turkeys, and a vast major¬ Hansen's two pieces (they share scheme gone awry, all told with rich ity of competent entertainers with the same future world) are just and convincing prose. A satisfying nothing particularly unique to rec- strange enough to make the reader venture and fine companion to Glen onrnend them. 47 Cook’s fantasy in Vol. 2, "Soldier of an Enpire Unacquainted with De¬ stories and it is a good one. "Beat¬ distant world. But even bearing the feat". This is another of his Dread nik Bayou", as in many of Varley's burden of his loneliness and insig¬ Enpire tales, and one I found to be pieces, uses sex changes freely and nificance Santiago C. leaves him, a worthwhile examination of person¬ this time it is for the furtherance and by extension, us, hope and al tragedy, sacrifice, love and the of the educational system. To be strength. A worthwhile theme, hand¬ roots of courage. precise, it is not the sex that is led quite smoothly, gives the piece changed, per se, but the minds of the feel that many of the other se¬ "Song of Mutes" by Ross Appel teachers who are transferred by con¬ lections did not. (Vol. 2) is noteworthy for its study tract to a child body (male or fe¬ of isolation cum schizophrenia, as male) in order that they may thereby Oh, Carter Scholz offered the is Pat C. Hodgell's "Child of Dark¬ guide their charges more efficiently second installment in the continuing ness" for its mutant off-worlders in the difficult task of growing up. adventures of a time traveler gone waging a violent battle against E- The kicker in this one is that one back to learn of Beethoven, "Amad¬ vil, set, of all places on a post¬ of the instructors also has an incog¬ eus", but clever and superficially holocaust college campus. nito instructor who has been watch¬ entertaining as it was in the reve¬ ing and guiding him to insure his lation of more historical data con¬ emotional stability. All of Varley's cerning Beethoven, I found it nothing sparkle and flash is again evident. but a redundant reprise of the popu¬ lar first piece from 1978. "Haute Falaise Bay" by Brenda Pearce is almost a carbon copy of As fine a writer as John Kessel The last two issue of DESTINIES what transpired in Wells' WAR OF THE is becomiig (he deals now more mature¬ this year have offered only eight WORLDS. A slimy blob of an alien ly with subject matter equal to his pieces of fiction and probably just lands in a cave in "Haute Falaise talent), his "Animals" left me rath¬ er disappointed. It was intriguing as well, for in many cases all they Bay" and before anyone can locate and kept me interested, although offer are fictionalized treatments the creature it dies from earthly somewhat baffled, but the ending of the ideas presented in the vari¬ organisms. Pearce's point is that failed to answer the many questions ous non-fiction articles in same, as because of our reticence (from hag¬ well as G. Harry Stine's, THE SPACE gling endlessly over what to do with thrown out, by inplication, along ENTERPRISE and others of that sort. the creature once it is found), the the way. Perhaps a little less ob¬ Therefore, the characters merely possible knowledge to be gained from fuscation and a trifle more straight mouthpiece the obvious in dry re¬ the alien is irretrievably lost. Ho- storytelling would quell my frustra¬ statements of what futurists advoc¬ hum. tion with his chosen style. ate today. Alan Brennart, who no longer Overall my gripe with this vol¬ An example of this is "The Man writes SF, has penned two of the ume is not with the quality of writ¬ Who Stole the Moon" by Charles Shef¬ more mature and sensitive pieces in ing, nor with the varying fresh ap¬ field (Sumner, Vol. 2, #3). It is the whole book and quite expectedly proaches (in most cases) in treating an account of governmental bureau¬ they're not SF. "Stage Whisper" the subject matter, but lies more in cracy, redtape, stupidity and how tells the story of an aged, ailing the area of the moral or the point some might, out of frustration, turn homosexual playwright and how one of made by the stories not being worth to organized crime to advance the his students must ccsne to grips with the effort (i.e. -- Felix Gotschalk's space program. It is, however, too the meanings of life as revealed whimsical, outdated "A Presidential short; it hurriedly outlines the idea through his art. "Queen of the Ma¬ Tape" and Marta Randall's tired and rather than giving the depth that gic Kingdom" speaks of loneliness as ho-hum "Circus"). might make it truly interesting to a lady moves from one to another in read. the many settings in a Disneyland of "Vital Signs" by Dean Ing as the period sets, searching for something lead novella in the same issue is no¬ she is destined never to find in any thing more than an unoriginal first of the fantasy worlds she inhabits. contact story where it is again point¬ It's a shame Brennart no longer pens ed out that we humans are the unciv¬ SF; his talent is obvious! ilized barbarians and the reverse is true of the "invading" aliens. Ing does have a good novelet in the Spring issue, "Why Must They All Have My Face?" It is powerful and frightening, but may not be as ob¬ vious a choice for award nomination NEW DIMENSIONS 10 is difficult as Editor Baen thinks. It is de- to assess. There are many new names, pressingly pessimistic in its pic¬ first sales, and even an above-aver¬ ture of the upcoming violent future age story or two, but after turning of our inner cities, but the pair of the final page it seemed that no one contrasting protagonists who must piece was memorable, at least in a fight during the day against each positive fashion. "A Chrysalis Lh- other just to survive and who love broken" by Peter Santiago C. did each other at night, makes the pic¬ strike a chord in me, however. It ture all the more convincing. is a sad piece, written sensitively, of one Mr. Sediki. He is, it turns out, nothing more than a genetic ex¬ periment who, once his part has been played, is more or less abandoned. He searches for his past for many years and discovers what he is and NEW VOICES III leads off with what he was designed for on a far another of John Varley's Eight Worlds 48 THE DENVER FANZINE MONITOR #1-2-3 SMALL PRESS NOTES Edited 6 Published by Eddie Abel who also owns and operates The Sec¬ BY THE EDITOR ond Foundation—The SF Collector's

Eddie is new to the fanzine, sf game, but he's eager to learn and OVERLOAD #3 Summer, 1980, $1.75 a grizzled veteran of life, having Edited by Don Chin. served a long term in federal prison 1951 Quaker St., Eureka, CA 95501. on a pornography rap, and is an Am¬ [price is $2.25 by mail.] erican Original—much like Jack Subtitled The Fantasy Humor Woodford in writing style: cantank¬ Magazine, it is a comicszine, full erous, brutally, cynically honest, of not-quite professional picture direct, wild, neurotic, maybe a bit stories, mostly intended to be funny, crazy: a "character". a few of which are, mildly. He is serializing his book, Essentially for the under-13ers. PORNOGRAPHY: THE MENACE THAT NEVER It is 48 pages, offset, letter- WAS, in the IDNITOR. His story of size, color covers, heavy stock. how he got involved with porno, how he was busted and prosecuted is breathtakingly honest. This man doesn't give a shit what he says a- HONOR TO FINUKA #3 Summer, 1980 Goes to a Faculty Party; The Daily bout himself or others! $1.00. Grind; and Jesus, Saviour of the These Monitors cost $1. each, Edited by K. Cockrum and M.K. World. and worth it. Read this man while Koester, 309 Allston, #16, And, as God says in exasperation you can; he may be jailed for sland¬ Boston, MA 02146. in the final episode, "I AM THE CREAT¬ er any day now. Notable for the first half of a OR, NOT THE REPAIRMAN!" KPFK (radio) interview with Jack We'd better get our act together. Vance. Second half next issue.

MASQUERADE -- The Magazine if Sci¬ TFE CARTOON HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE Book One: From the Big Bang to Baby¬ ence Fiction Costuming. $4. Edited/published by David Lubkin and lon. [Includes volumes 1 6 2 of the Edited and Published by Mike Resnick, Eileen Roy. 404 Michigan, East comic book series, revised, edited, 11216 Gideon Lane, Cincinnati, OH 45242. Lansing, MI 48823 and with a couple new jokes!] Essentially a How-To magazine, [$6. by 3rd class mail. $6.25 by By Larry Gonick with lots of photos-with a defin¬ UPS. $7. by first class mail.] Rip Off Press, $6.95 ite slant to the nude/seminude cos¬ What we have here is 11 short Probably the finest comicbook project of educational value ever tumes of past years, though Carol stories using the characters and Resnick makes the point that too backgrounds of specific TV shows published. Funny, real, accurate, much bare flesh distracts from the of the past: THE YOUNG REBELS, WILD, wonderful. What a delightful way to learn! costume, and judging is of costumes, WILD WEST, HERE COfC THE BRIDES/STAR not bodies. TREK, MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E., M*A*S*H, THE QUESTOR TAPES, THE MOD SQUAD, STARSKY 6 HUTCH. All written, I be- leive, by beginning/admiring writers. There are also two articles. The artwork is excellent, good, TIC S.F.P.A. POETRY POSTCARD SERIES and bad. PALADIN is offset, letter- size, 114 pages. is something new. Edited by Robert THRUST #16 (Fall, 1980) $1.95 Frazier, this first series is a Edited and Published by Doug Fratz package of 15 cards, postcard size, 11919 Barrel Cooper Road, with a poem decoratively printed on Reston, VA 22091 THE NEW ADVENTURES OF JESUS one side. There are five copies 40 pages plus covers... 7 pages By Foolbert Sturgeon each of three original poems by: of ads... Not too much for the Rip Off Press, $6.95 Joan D. Vinge: "There Are Songs"; price, to my mind. But you do get POB 14158 Ursula K. Le Guin: "To Siva the Un- an interview with Joan Vinge, col- San Francisco, CA 94114 maker"; uims by Ted White, John Shirley, It mocks, it japes, it satir¬ Gene Wolfe: "On Lyra III". Michael Bishop, David Bischoff, and izes...not Jesus, but hypocricy and I liked Gene’s poem best. good quality artwork. A few letters pretentiousness in the world...in¬ These are necessarily short from pros which clear up some mis¬ cluding the organized world of reli¬ poems; the Wolfe is longest at 12 information in a previous issue, gion. Frank Stack has written and lines. and which conment on items...a few drawn a real man Jesus with a tinge You can have 15 copies of a sin¬ book reviews.... of irreverence, a lot of humor, and gle poem, if you like, according to a jaundiced eye toward civilization. the info provided with this review This volume is a collection of set. previously published episodes: Sto¬ Cost: $2.25 postpaid. ries From the Good Book; Somebody We From: Science Fiction Poetry FANTASY NEWSLETTER #30 Nov. 1980 All Know Rides Again (Jesus in the Association, Rt.4, Box 192-E, Published and Edited by Paul C. Allen wild west); Jesus Goes to the Movies; Huntsville, AR 72740. 1015 West 36th Street Jesus Meets the Armed Forces; Jesus Loveland, CO 80537 Joins the Academic Community; Jesus 49 32 pages including covers, about 4 pages of ads. The price is due to Harlan Ellison, and is complete to increase with the December is¬ with a long, wide-ranging interview sue to $1.95 from $1.50. Regular in which Harlan is so simply flat- This and 1st class subscriptions increase out direct and un-phoney it is some¬ Publication.... to $15 and $22. Overseas subs to times breathtaking and always a de¬ $15 surface and $29 air. The light...a 19-page section of photo¬ schedule is nonthly, but this man graphs of Harlan's exceptionally has been iraintaining it for several well-appointed home—appointed with years now, constantly upgrading and a lifetime of sf, fantasy, etc. mem¬ inproving his magazine's coverage, orabilia, art, books, awards, spec¬ until now it is a very attractive ial constructions... Incredible. magazine indeed, with the added There are installments from THE HAR¬ benefit of small cover reproductions LAN ELLISON HORNBOOK, a long radio of upcoming titles. interview from WSHE in Miami, a nev¬ This issue features a profile er-before-published article by Har¬ of Colin Wilson by Wilson and Jef¬ lan, "Aaarghh! Help! The Giant frey Elliot. Also featured are Ant Ate My Maidenform Bra!" as well "On Fantasy" a column by Karl Ed¬ as reprints of "Basilisk" (with gra¬ is Available in ward Wagner, and "Collecting Fant¬ phic story artwork) and a comic strip asy" by Robert Weinberg. There is version of "Soldier"... another MICROFORM also a report on "The British interview_and more. I weary. Scene" by Mike Ashley. The artwork in RBCC is fine to For Complete Information WRITE : excellent. University If you are an Ellison fan you will HAVE TO get this issue of RBCC. Microfilms If you are curious and want your International mind blown you should get this is¬ A HISTORY OF THE HUGO, NEBULA, AND sue. If you hate Harlan, buy a copy INTERNATIONAL FANTASY AWARDS --- $4. and bum it...after reading it. Including complete lists of nominees and winners, 1951 through 1979/80 By Donald Franson and Howard DeVore A valuable reference! THE NATIONAL FANTASY FAN, V.^, No A Edited by Owen K. Laurion SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY 6101 Central NE, In his book PIRATES OF VENUS, PSEUDONYMS --- $2.50 Albuquerque, NM 87108 Compiled by Barry McGhan Burroughs had his hero wind Approximately 2500 entries, cross- The major organ of The National up at Venus instead of Mars indexed. A reprint of the 1973 Fantasy Fan Federation. This vener¬ because the moon got in the edition plus a 1979 supplement. able organization offers zillions way. Burroughs wrote: of outlets for the new fan to con¬ A must for collectors and afic¬ "With all our careful calcula¬ tribute, get to know the fan world, tion, with all our checking ionados . More complete than the L. from politics to artwork, from wel¬ W. Currey lists. and re checking, we had over¬ coming new fans to publishing. Any¬ looked the obvious; we had not The above two books are thing you want to try... taken the moon into considera¬ available from Howard DeVore tion at all." 4705 Weddel St. Dearborn, MI 48125 Many times over the years I have wondered if such a SNAFU was really possible. And so on 16 July I had my answer. I "JOINT" CONFERENCE #10 $2.00 now will quote from VOYAGER RBCC #151 $3-95 Special Science Fiction Issue MISSION OPERATIONS STATUS RE¬ Harlan Ellison Special Issue Edited by Kathryn E. King PORT FOR THE WEEK OF 11 July Edited and Published by King Publications James Van Hise, thru 17 July, 1980. R. Amor- POB 19332 ose writes.... 10885 Angola Road Washington, DC 20036 San Diego, CA 92126 "On 7/16, DSS 61 lost downlink "JOINT' CONFERENCE is an 'In¬ RBCC used to stand for Rocket lock from Voyager 2 for approx¬ mate-written literary magazine. imately two hours due to an un¬ Blast Comic Collector. But the Of the nine stories in this issue quarterly is now mature and adult expected spacecraft occultation one or two show genuine talent and by the earth's moon. Investi¬ and the juvenile sound of the old a neo-pro at work: K.A. Houston, name don't cut it no more, so Jim gation is in process to deter¬ for one. Michael Knoll for anoth¬ mine why advance notice of the has kept RBCC on the cover, but er. those letters now stand for "A occultation was not made to Supporting this magazine is for the project." Reader's Blend of Creative Commen¬ a good cause, not for its value as taries." entertainment. Editor King seems ---EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS Awkward, sort of phoney-sound¬ rather casual about it all, perhaps WAS A HARD-CORE STF ing... but he wanted to keep the because "JOINT" is published because WRITER RBCC, so.... of a grant from the Coordinating a one-shot zine from: Anyway, so what? This is a Council of Literary Magazines. That Harry J.N. Andruschak really fine large-size, offset, means govt, money and this is part P.0. Box 606 128 page + covers magazine of very of the welfare press. La Canada-Flintridge, CA 91775 high quality. This special issue is devoted, lock, stock and barrel. 50 LETTERS

# LETTER FROM BUZZ DIXON berg pegged as a cranky, whining, 7058 Hazeltine Ave, #22 sorry excuse for a writer with lit¬ Van Nuys, CA, 91405 tle or no talent and absolutely no 15 May 1980 sense of critical judgment. "The Way It Is" in SFR #35, has shatter¬ 'I must say I like your new (old) ed that belief. layout and format. I agree with your thinking, most of your readers 'Now, parts of it I disagree buy SFR through the mail or know it with strongly, but on the whole Malz- well enough to pick it up automatic¬ berg has made several rather astute ally. New readers will be referred observations. Nothing is wasted if to it by others and probably not buy it adds a new .utlook or perspective. it simply because it has a name auth¬ With this single article Malzberg or mentioned on the cover. has redeemed his literary worth. 'I especially like clumping all 'His interpretation of science the letters together in a good, old- fiction as junk is extremely thought fashioned letter coluim as this makes provoking. I've been involved in cross referencing them easier (but many a discussion on science fiction more on that later) . in which the topic of the really great, truly literature science fic¬ 'I realize you like Steve Fab¬ tion came up. Inevitably the dis¬ ian's work, Dick, but for a little cussion starts by naming several of variety why not use somebody else? the truly excellent works in the Oops, excuse me, the cover was by field. somebody else, it only looked like 'Then, gradually, the parameters and standards are lowered. Books 'Re Computer magazine sales, etc. that aren't particularly great are Right now the way the cable stations included because of historical or and the soon-to-be introduced disc conceptual importance. It usually video people are battling piracy and takes about thirty minutes to go unauthorized taping is by offering from naming THE STARS MY DESTINATION their films at far cheaper prices as a great book to including Doc ($2.00 to 25{ per film on cable and Smith on the list. *sigh* We look $15 for disc as opposed to $40 for for junk, we desire junk. When we a video cassette). Perhaps if the do have an opportunity to confine charge for reading a computer stored ourselves to really exceptional article was cheaper than the cost of works we invariably choose not to. storing it oneself the problem might be solved. 'Yet I wonder what the real mo¬ tives behind this are. I strongly 'Another method of combating com¬ disagree with Malzberg's statement puter literary piracy may be in a that "only weak people -- modem resurgence of fine book binding and psychology has led us to understand high quality magazines. Books may -- want out of the world". Modem become a status symbol and an invest¬ psychology is like science fiction, ment, going for high prices in orig¬ 90% garbage. Or maybe Malzberg inal editions before dropping down views himself as weak and since h£ to a few cents a read via computer likes science fiction all those who (needless to say, some period of do must be as weak as he is. Such time may pass before a book is avail¬ oversimplification is a gross flaw able in computer storage, thus en¬ in an otherwise thought-provoking couraging people to buy the books). Another method is to have several private computer storage firms (pub¬ 'Personally, I think nostalgia lishers) plus an open government is a prime reason for returning and/or public storage firm which again and again to junk. I've yet carries all written material the to meet a science fiction fan or en¬ publishers won't buy. Thus every¬ thusiast who didn't have a conceptu¬ one can get published if they so de¬ al rush when he/she first started sire. Likewise, if every literary reading science fiction. Since most property is on file and the holder fans start at very basic levels of said property is known, fabulous (juveniles, movie tie-ins. Star Trek rewards can be offered to anyone books, "classic" reprints by name turning in a pirate. authors, the mass magazines, etc.) it isn't surprising that their first 'For years I had Barry N. Malz- favorable impressions are linked to 51 low quality writing. As a reader grows more sophisticated and apprec¬ The background details (especially factor at all. If NEXT and the oth¬ iative of fine writing, there's the the terraformed Earth which we first ers make it, they will have done it problem of becoming too critical. see as a toy globe Kirk and Farrah by using the science orientation of A book that would enthrall and thrill play with) was terrific and well ex¬ SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN combined with a teenager may be only mildly amus¬ trapolated. I saw this film about the color photos of SMITHSONIAN and ing to an older reader who notices two weeks after I saw BRAVE NEW the lack of scientific language which several flaws in it. WORLD on TV; the two seem to fit might have turned off the general hand and glove. Pity it wasn't reader who found SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN 'A similar situation exists for done better. me and the movie DONOVAN'S REEF (no, 'Please inform J.J. Pierce 'It is interesting to note that not DONOVAN'S BRAIN, DONOVAN'S REEF). there was a sex guild for long sea SCIENCE 8 LIVING TOMORROW ran a read¬ This is an atrocious movie by John voyages in ancient times. They er survey in the Spring, 1980, and Ford featuring lots of fist fights were called cabin boys (see George the results were: least read and and corny dialog with John Wayne and MacDonald Fraser's FLASH FOR FREE¬ enjoyed -- science fiction content Lee Marvin. When I saw the film at DOM for details. No, it's not a of the first issue.' age twelve or thirteen, I thought porno novel, it's part of his ex¬ it was great. Today I realize it's cellent series of FLASHMAN histor¬ ((I wonder if science and science a real piece of trash, totally worth¬ ical novels). less and noisome -- junk, as it fiction are basically incompatible? were. But I still can't avoid stay¬ 'Time to close, all hell is Or is this a further evidence of ing up to 2 a.m. to watch it because breaking loose here at work. Steve the trend to specialization/special of the nostalgia value. Gerber (he of HOWARD THE DUCK fame) interest magazines?)) and I are writing scripts for an 'In the next part of Malzberg's animated, futuristic Conanesque Sat¬ article, he goes way off into left urday morning series called THUNDARR, field in regards to his supposed THE BARBARIAN. It looks like it "taboos" in the science fiction will either lay down and die or be field. Taboos #2, #3, and #5 are a smash hit. More on THUNDARR and # LETTER FROM MARK J, MCGARRY, non-existent. Taboos #1 and #4 are Company later.' EDITOR-PUBLISHER OF EMPIRE semi-true, while there is a prejud¬ Box 967 ice against doom-and-gloom stories New Haven, CT 06504 and mood pieces, there have been far ((Yes, as it has been said, "The 11 August, 1980 too many of both published in too golden age od SF is IS. And it 'Frankly, I'm rather disappoint¬ many magazines and original anthol¬ follows that the golden age of ed in your publication of I.G. Pen- ogies for them to be taboo subjects. westerns is IS. Some genres may require a higher emotional/intel- hall's letter in the 36th issue of 'His cliche plots were hilari¬ leatual age for their "golden" per¬ SFR. I am also rather disappointed ous. Two, however, (The Vigilantes iod-mysteries, for instance. in Mr. Oenhall not including in his and Hold That Tiger) have long since Maybe historicals, too. Would the letter one very inportant bit of in¬ fallen into disuse in America. It's gothic novel "golden age" be 22? formation: He states that he enclos¬ easy to see why the others are cliche Could be the "golden age" of porno ed a check for a year's subscription today -- in their original concep¬ novels is 44. Ahhh, cynicism...)) to EMPIRE SF in his correspondence. tions they were very entertaining Was that check ever cashed? and enthralling stories. Since suc¬ 'You, Dick, did not ask him. cess is always imitated, we shouldn't You also did not ask me (which, us¬ be surprised that four good plot out¬ ing a postcard, would have cost you lines were used over and over again 104—far less than the value of the to the point of becoming cliche and paper and ink used to bring 6000 tiresome. # LETTER FROM TOM STAICAR copies of Penhall's letter to the 2288 Hardyke Court 'The Japanese kabuki theatre has American public) if I had ever Ann Arbor, MI, 48104 an interesting approach to plots. heard of Mr. Penhall. July 13, 1980 They have a set standard of plots 'I have not. And it may inter¬ and characters, each with specific 'I recall that when PENTHOUSE est you to note that in August of actions and phrases to be depicted publisher Bob Guccione announced 1978, when Mr. Penhall sent his cor¬ with incredible exactness. Audience plans to publish OMNI, the SF world respondence from Australia, I moved going to a kabuki theatre know the was buzzing with rumors of other pub¬ from Albany, New York to New Haven, plot well in advance, they simply lishers who might start their own Connecticut. I would not expect you want to see how well the actors per¬ versions. TIME-LIFE just sent out to remember this, though we have cor¬ form them. Western opera works on a mailing of advertising brochures responded while I was at both the the same principle, too. which describe their entry into the Albany and New Haven addresses—but 'On to other things. You are OMNI market: DISCOVER. Litton has again, a postcard would have cleared an excellent film critic, Dick, already put out issues of their mag¬ up the letter nicely. with a keen eye and a ready wit, azine, NEXT, and a magazine called 'To reiterate: EMPIRE SF never capable of dissecting and effectively SCIENCE 6 LIVING TOMORROW has been received correspondence from I.G. critiquing contemporary cinema in an out for a few months. Penhall. If he sends mail to the erudite fashion (i.e.: I agree with 'The most striking feature of the Albany address we will never re¬ you a lot). new magazines is the lack of science ceive correspondence from him in the fictional content. It had always future. And, since Mr. Penhall sent been confidently assumed by SF peo¬ 'Your comments re THE BLACK HOLE, his letter in August of 1978, we ple that OMNI "proved" that big bucks SATURN 3 and BEYOND WESTWORLD were have fulfilled several hundred sub¬ await the promotion of an SF/science all on the nose. SATURN- 3 is an scriptions without a murmur of com- package magazine on glossy paper. entertaining film if you arrive aft¬ Now it might turn out that, ironical¬ er the first reel and leave before ((You overestimate by far SFR's the last one. There's a terrific ly, science fiction is not the key print run. And it cost about $2.00 idea buried underneath that mess. 52 to print his letter. ((Obviously Mr. Penhall sent his The Zelazny and Heinlein interviews reach me by sea-mail, but it takes letter to you first class. The post were concise and revealing, in par¬ over three months for a similar mag¬ office has a firm policy of forward¬ ticular Heinlein's comment about his azine to travel the same route in ing first class mail when an addres¬ being senile. Priest's article reverse. see moves and they are informed of pointed out in public what I've been '$1400 for printing SFR.'!??.'.' the new address. Did you neglect hearing from various people in pri¬ The lowest printing quote I have re¬ that little duty? The post office vate ever since the Lem episode. ceived from an Australian printer especially, I am informed, will ex¬ Schweitzer's comments about the age for 3,000 copies produced in a sim¬ ert extra effort to deliver foreign of people buying SF jibe with my own ilar fashion is $3500 -- at one first class mail rather than send it observations, but lacking any de¬ stage I had planned to put together all the way back across an ocean. terminate data I shan't forward any a vaguely similar magazine (although ((I assumed Penhall's check had conclusions. the similarity would be slight, been received and cashed; it is a 'As to your comments about the what with the absence of REG from natural assumption. Jf see that you publishing industry, I might add the contents) comprised of the best have sent a copy of your letter to that the La Cosa Nostra have their from Australian fans, and found out Mr. I.G. Penhall as well, so my fingers deeply into the distributing it would be cheaper to produce a vublishing his letter did bring a end of the publishing business. hardcover book! response to him. I now await word Some rumors hinted that one former on the check-was it cashed?)) 'Speaking of book production -- SF magazine owner was up to his ears I agree with Darrell Schweitzer's in mafia loans. No way to prove comments anent current book produc¬ this. Pity. I've been told by re¬ tion values: paperbacks are meant liable sources that the Federal to be now thrown away (and since Trade Commission is engaged in a los¬ some $9.00 mass-market ones have ing battle to prevent the mafia from started appearing on the bookshelves, taking over independent distributors that's a bloody lotto toss out) , and in large cities. Some people even CARD FROM ORSON SCOTT CARD the hardcovers do not normally re¬ say that the attempt on HUSTLER pub¬ tain any of their quality appearance 1079 East 600 North lisher Larry Flynt's life was be¬ Orem, UT 84057 even after a single reading. But I cause he was moving into the distrib¬ don't believe it is a matter of cost 9 July, 1980 uting business and was resisting ef¬ so much as a combination of market¬ forts by the mafia to gain control 'I'm glad you found the (fin¬ ing policies and convenience. A of his company. Who knows. With al) column useful. I was more poorer quality book can be produced the mafia involved, who wants to? than a little afraid it would be a little faster and at the same cost, 'I also have comments on Mack and can therefore reach the market 'And I'm more than glad you Reynolds'article, but those are so ahead of rival titles. And if a liked SONGMASTER. I'm not sur¬ long and involved, I think I'll save book falls apart sooner, if you want prised that it seemed implausible them for an article titled "SF's to retain a copy for your library, to you that a human voice can do Shortcomings: An Abridged List". you just have to buy another copy.' all that. It can't. With SONG- Thus does one join the ranks of the MASTER I finally realized that I angry young men. Ah, well, so it ((Is it possible the Australian am well over the edge into fantasy. goes.' post office is still using sailing I'm afriad that I can't bring my¬ ships? self to care much about science (d've suspected for many years in my stories anymore, which is that the Mafia has/has had power¬ ((I imagine most of the paper used why SONGMASTER is my last novel ful leverage in Washington-to in Australia is imported, which that will be marketed as science the point of (in past years, at must up the cost of printing tre¬ fiction. Might as well get the least) being able to "immunize” mendously. Perhaps labor costs are labels to fit the product. The certain porno publishers from relatively high.. .perhaps modem, more my work becomes fantasy, prosecution, while "targeting" cost-cutting printing equipment the better it gets, and vice others in the Justice De:pt. and is rare. versa. Again, thanks for liking Post Office, to eliminate some ((Reading may soon, for most peo¬ it and saying so.' competition. This use of the ple, be priced out of their reach. federal government isn't unusual, At least as a regular entertain¬ ((My problem as a reader is that ev¬ of course: the megabanks and fav¬ ment. And book collecting-)) en as fantasy, SONGMASTER snaps my ored oil companies do it all the credulity bone. Wasn't there some way you could have made those voice effects more plausible? Maybe link¬ ing the voice to specialized psi powers? The result of mutations?)) § LETTER FROM JOW SHIRLEY 20 Av. A, #2-1 # LETTER FROM NEVILLE J. ANG0VE New York, NY 10009 POB 770, Canberra City ACT August 19, 1980 Australia 2601 July 10, 1980 'Re your remarks on NY publish¬ ing: Yeah things are grim, but I'm # LETTER FROM ELTON T ELLIOTT 1899 Wiessner Drive NE 'Your comments about costs al¬ told this is something that happens Salem, OR, 97303 most caused me apoplexy. Current at intervals and is purgative. I July 23, 1980 Australian postal imposts average just hope I'm not one of the purged. out to three and four times greater I seem to have gotten in under the 'Congratulations' are in order; than those you suffer, and with a wire. I just got my first royalties #36 was a superlative issue. poorer service, too. For example, ever (except for royalties on short 'In short some reactions: Phil¬ it takes only two months for SFR to story reprints) for my 1st two ip K. Dick's asseverations were en¬ books. Have various foreign edit¬ tertaining as well as illuminating. 53 ions in print. An article on me in the next HEAVY METAL, by the way. 'As Priest says, the Nebulas that yourself. THE CLAW OF THE CON¬ It makes me out considerably punkier were a great idea in the abstract, CILIATOR has already been sold and than I am-actually I'm a progres¬ but like a Mafia victim at the bot¬ scheduled, as you know. The third sive rock composer/singer with New tom of a river, they don't look so book, THE SWORD OF THE LICTOR, should Wave (rock--not sf) analogues. I at¬ good in the concrete. Hoping you be in David Hartwell's hands around tempted to sell a concept for an or¬ are the same-' mid-September. As well as I can iginal anthology you would have lik¬ judge. I'll be working for the bet¬ ed (especially as I was going to sol¬ ((You may be mortorfied to see ter part of a year on the fourth, icit a story from you...I will if it the extent the Nebulas have been THE CITADEL OF THE AUTARCH. ever happens) BEHIND THE STARS: Sf defended-not by the publishers, 'I realize I don't represent the stories about conspiracy. Cosmic but by writers. I wonder if you've audience to which "Illusion and Real¬ conspiracy, paranoia. Hoping someone cemented any friendships by your ity" was addressed; but it seems to might hit on the truth! But the remarks? Were you plastered when me that you are — at least to some take-no-chances publishing atmos¬ you penned them? Stoned? Stop me extent -- doing the sort of thing phere squelched the antho's chances. before I find a use for sand, grav, Ripley § heirs do in "Believe It Or 'My agent tells me that if the el, lime and water. Hmrm.. .if Not". They show you the picture of truckers who deliver the new books you added gin...)) to bookstores don't like the way the some building, and say something like, cover looks—they won't deliver it! "The old charterhouse, Wixshire, has stood for three hundred and fifty And it languishes in the warehouses, eventually going out of print! Sup¬ years although it was built without posedly this has doomed many fine books...because the redneck CB nuts 'Certainly there are some dis¬ didn't like its looks! What a fuck¬ honest agents, editors and publish¬ ed up industry! There's a book by ers. But I have been around a good Jeremy Rifkin from Viking called many different businesses, and writ- ENTROPY that reminded me of your ing-and-publishing is as clean as viewpoint. I recommend it. Very any I've seen. (Have you ever been relevant stuff. The Platt Profiles around an industrial plant during a are the best of all the interviews, hard-fought strike?) I don't know how the boys out in Oregon wash their dope money, but "the boys" around ((The truckers' influence must Chicago practically always use a bus¬ by the reason for the recent in¬ iness outside the U.S. A foreign crease in the nakedness of the nak¬ ed ladies on sf covers, as well as business is much harder for the FBI the increasing numbers of nudes. (or whoever) to check on, and the Here I thought it was merely a re¬ "earnings" on which taxes must be sort to hard-sell basics by the pub¬ paid are taxed by the foreign govern¬ ment at much lower rates. The boys lishers. I, of course, do not are in pom to some extent, but I've need encouragement in my cover heard no indication that they're in¬ choices.)) to any other form of publishing — because their overhead is so high, they pretty much have to stick with high-markup items. Currently the big thing is chop-shops. You steal a new car, you tear it apart for the high-cost parts, you sell the parts # LETTER FROM GENE WOLFE and if you don't know the right peop¬ # CARD FROM ROBERT A. BLOCH Box 69, Barrington, IL, 60010 le, you chase an old engine block to 2111 Sunset Crest Drive August 11, 1980 the bottom of Lake Michigan. Now Los Angeles, CA, 90046 that's a tough, merciless, often August 1, 1980 'Thanks for the review. I appre¬ heartbreaking life. ciate your taking the time to read 'Christopher A. Priest's article my book thoroughly (as you obviously 'I agree with some of the things on SFWA is extremely persuasive, did), and I'm glad that you enjoyed Christopher Priest has to say; but particularly in his comments on the it so much. You're the first re¬ unless I am misreading him, he thinks Nebula Awards. I have never voted viewer thus far to comment specific¬ that science fiction writers in oth¬ on them because I've never been ally on the scene with Master Ultan er countries (unpublished here) able to read all the nominations -- in the library stacks, which is one should be welcomed in SFWA because but I've made it a point to read of my own favorites. SF is big in their own countries. most of the prize-winning entries Well, let's see... SF is certainly and found that in my opinion a rath¬ '(How's this for coincidence: big here in the U.S., where I live, er alarming number of them were When your magazine arrived, I was so I ought to be admitted to the sophomoric, pretentious imitations reading THE SINFUL ONES, by Fritz Science Fiction Writers of Japan, of Patchen, William Burroughs, Hesse Leiber. It's one of the best short where (to the best of my knowledge) and other obscurantists beloved by speculative fiction novels ever put I have never been published. It the publish-or-perish academics on paper, and it also has a scene in seems funny. It would seem funnier the stacks of a big library.) still if I hadn't learned from Phil¬ 'It will be interesting to see ip K. Dick that Japan never existed just how the Nebula system is defend¬ 'I wish I could give you some until I went there briefly, and that ed after Priest's analysis. But de¬ meaningful information here about it has since been tom down to make fended it will be: too many publish¬ sales and so forth, but I don't know room for Oklahoma. ers have touted too many "award-win¬ any more than you, at this point. ning" efforts and their investment SHADOW is #9 on the LOCUS hardback 'Speaking of which, I just pul¬ precludes any thought of backing list, but you will already have seen led out my SFWA Membership Directory. 54 Although Oklahoma boasts such writers as C.J. Cherryh and R.A. Lafferty, Best Magazine (Circulation under # LETTER FROM ALEXIS GILLILAND it has fewer SFWAns than England, and 1000) SPACE AND TIME, Edited by August 11, 1980 only one more than Australia. Quiz Gordon Linzner. question: What do Greece, Holland, 'SFR #36 is in hand ... and speak¬ Best Magazine (Circulation 1000 Hungary, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico, Sri ing of hands, the hand of the naked and Above) WHISPERS, Edited by Lanka and Sweden have in common? lady on the cover leaves a little to Stuart David Schiff. Answer: Each of those countries has be desired. Bianchini seems to be more SFWAns than the combined total Best Magazine, Small Press Comics coming from comic art, since the of Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Hawaii, ELFQUEST, Edited by Wendy and rest of the drawing is anatomically Iowa(.'), Mississippi, Nevada, N. Dak¬ Richard Pini. ota, Rhode Island (in happier days Best Writer, Science Fiction 'The Christopher Priest article the home of H.P. Lovecraft), S. Dak¬ Jon Inouye. is reasonable enough in tone, but ota, Vermont, Wyoming and the Dis¬ some of his underlying assumptions Best Writer, Fantasy/Sword and trict of Columbia. are curiously displaced from my own. Sorcery, Charles R. Saunders. 'To close this letter on a some¬ His notion of decadence, for instance. what happier note, let me recommend Best Writer, Horror/Weird I have always felt that literature, the movie I saw last night, THE Galad Elflandsson. especially great literature was de¬ FIENDISH PLOT OF DR. FU MANCHU. Pet¬ cadent popular entertainment. Best Writer, Non-Fiction er Sellers (this was his last), ro¬ Charles R. Saunders. 'This case is actually pretty bot spiders, Sid Caesar, a flying straight-forward to make. The pro¬ Best Writer, Poetry cottage, elixor vitae, a sinister cess is that the popular entertain¬ orchid, Chinese acrobats and much Steve Eng. er becomes discontent with his aud¬ more. (Since we were talking about Best Writer, Comics ience, and begins to write (or sing, gangsters, maybe I should mention Dave Sim. or paint) for other popular enter¬ that Sid Caesar plays an FBI man nam- tainers . . . his. most discriminating Joe Capone.) Also recommended: Best Artist: Science Fiction audience. This process continues, THE BLUES BROTHERS.' Stephen Fabian so that eventually, instead of an Best Artist, Fantasy/Sword and entertainment briefly enjoyed by ((As a nutter of fact I don't re¬ Sorcery, Tim Hammell. many, you have an entertainment en¬ ceive LOCUS; Charlie Brown doesn't joyed indefinitely by a very few ... Best Artist, Horror/Weird trade with fanzines, and I have or, in the extreme case, enjoyed for¬ Allen Koszowski. never felt the urgent need to sub¬ ever by nobody. scribe to LOCUS since I do trade Best Artist, Small Press Comics 'So much for the "decadent sym¬ with the other sf newszines. I'm Wendy Pini bols of a declining literary form". very glad to hear the SHADOW OF THE TORTURER is doing well. Best Cover Artist I hope that it is obvious that sci¬ Gene Day ence fiction will only become deca¬ ((Why not grant honorary member¬ dent when it starts to produce lit¬ Best Overall Artistic Achieve¬ ships in SFWA to those states erature. without existing members? They ment: Gene Day. 'I am also informed, by Somtow could appoint a few fans, per¬ The Dale Donaldson Memorial Award Sucheritkul, secretary of SFWA, that haps, to make sure there is no for Service to the Small Press since Priest's article was written, sexism and prejudice and parochial¬ Field: C.C. Clingan. ism and xenophobia in SFWA. That SFWA has mended its ways, and will seems democratic and fair. If 'So that's who won this year, confer membership for English and necessary, perhaps some SFWAns based on work done and magazines French publication. published in 1979. could be bussed from California and 'It is regrettable that I don't New York.)) 'All for now, and I do hope you have more cartoons to send you, but have the room and inclination to as I may have mentioned, serious print this stuff.' writing inhibits my cartooning. And -- Charles R. Saunders after taking care of the rewriting President, SPWAO for THE REVOLUTION FROM ROSINANTE, due out in March the last I heard, I started on the sequel, ROSINANTE ((This is the first time I've LONG SHOT. The first 19,500 words ever heard of the organization. of which break out very nicely as a I find it curious/odd that all novella, THE CONTRA DARWIN CONSPIR¬ # LETTER FROM CHARLES R SAUNDERS the winners have a sf/fantasy Box 3261, Station C ACY, which I am polishing up prepar¬ fandom or comix orientation. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1Y 4J5 atory- to submission. My wife, who Yet I know the small press world proofed it, congratulated me on my in the U.S. holds hundreds of non- 'At the risk of incurring some typing, so there is at least some¬ sf/fantasy zines and books; have ascerbic comments from you concern¬ thing right with it. Is there sex? you misnamed the organization? ing the proliferation of awards and A little. Is there violence? Yes. I'm sure those in SFR's reader- organizations, I'm enclosing a list Off stage, on stage, remembered from ship who are interested in SPWAO of the winners of the 1980 Small before the story begins, and running will contact you.)) Press Awards, sponsored by the Small on after the story ends. The major Press Writers and Artists Organiza¬ tion (SPWAO). I've also enclosed a flyer describing SPWAO. Perhaps you could find room in your next Small Press Notes to give us a plug. In a weak moment, you might even con¬ sider joining SPWAO. We'd be honor¬ ed to have you. 'The winners were: 55 loose end is a one-raegaton guided missile that is shot off and never heard from again. Of course, it gets taken care of in the novel. 'Possibly at Noreascon II I can get into the cartooning mode again, worldcons have often had that effect on me. Meanwhile I am having a good time turning my hand to writing.'

# LETTER FROM ROBT. A.W. LOWNDES I’m not saying I’d like to see all 717 Willow Avenue Hoboken, NJ 07030 Hell break loose, but I wouldn’t September 8, 1980 mind escaping myself for a few 'All thanks (however belated) days. for STAR WHORES, which I read twice and enjoyed thoroughly, no less the second time when I read it to see how well it stood up after I knew natives finally figured out how to 'I feel like the Frenchman who all the secrets. You did a very get Cargo Cult magic working. Some immigrated to England and became a good job of balancing the science, player left the game on the first British subject. Before, Waterloo mystery and explicit erotic ele¬ night to commit some industrial es¬ had been to him a defeat. Now it ments, none of the latter seeming pionage and wound up leaving a dead as if they were there just to pro¬ guard behind him ... It'll be pub¬ vide obligatory sex interest. Not lished by ACE, date as yet unknown.' ((Rmm. Would that natural reactor a masterpiece but a damned good, have given off significant amounts competent story -- and that alone of radioactivity... and could that ((Sounds like a winner; I salivate.)) puts it way ahead of the crowd. radioactivity have—long term— caused quickening mutations among 'So I have no hesitation what¬ the animals and proto-humans on the ever in ordering a copy of THE CORP¬ # LETTER FROM RONALD R. LAMJERT 2350 Virginia surface above?)) ORATION STRIKES BACK and here's a Troy, MI, 48084 check for it. I'll be looking for¬ August 17, 1980 ward to read more about Toi King and 'Going on to another subject, hope (though not expect or demand) have you followed any of the contro¬ 'I recant. Although in the past that there's a good mystery in this versy surrounding Dr. William Shock- I have boosted Creationism, I am ley and his views on race and gene¬ willing to admit that the weight of tics? I would like to point out a evidence favors Evolutionism, and I couple of things I think has perhaps ((I suppose there are editors who, can accept evolution theory at least been overlooked --by Shockley and out of modesty, would not print as an operational hypothesis. his detractors. your letter. I am not among them. 'The Oklo uranium mine is what I should mention here for the in¬ 'Dr. Shockley expresses concern did me in. This site in the Gabon formation of others that STAR WHORES that natural selection may be work¬ Republic in Africa shows unmistakable is sold out. Several copies are in ing to remove high intelligence from signs of having undergone nuclear fis¬ the hands of an agent, seeking a the human species. The more intel¬ sion as a natural reactor for a mini¬ wider audience.)) ligent people are having fewer and mum of 100,000 years, and most like¬ fewer children on average, while the ly for two million years. The dis¬ less intelligent people are prolif¬ tinctive fission products, their rel¬ erating like gerbils. If this keeps ative quantities, the time required on, he fears, ultimately genius will for the evident reactions to have be crowded out, and we will become a occurred, simply make the case in- race of neo-neanderthals, and des¬ arguable. Radiocarbon dating I can cend down the bloody road back to # LETTER FROM LARRY NIVEN get around, rock stratification I savagery. August 7, 1980 can get around, fossils I can get around -- but I cannot get around 'There is something wrong with 'Steve Barnes and I have turned this. There is no reasonable altern¬ this scenario, however. Dr. Shock- in a 110,000-word novel, DREAM PARK. ate explanation. ley is, I believe, overlooking the It was an ambitious project: a detec¬ fact that high intelligence and low tive story wrapped in a fantasy wrap¬ 'Nor can I make a distinction — intelligence humans occupy what can ped in a science fiction story. as many people try to do — between truly be called different environmen¬ The plot: Dream Park is a mid-21st- the obviously vast age of the physi¬ tal niches. Biologically, it is no Century entertainment park. Enter¬ cal Earth and the duration of life surprise that low intelligence hu¬ tainments include what amounts to on this planet, as if Genesis were mans proliferate: it has ever been a Dungeons and Dragons games, made as valid only for describing the origin law of nature that any species or realistic as possible with the aid of life. There are carbon seams as¬ subspecies will multiply until it of actors, movable landscaping, com¬ sociated with the uranium strata in overpopulates its environmental niche. the Oklo mine and the carbon almost puter-programmed battles, holograms This is one of the driving forces in certainly is organic in origin. and other tricks. The South Seas evolution, for it is in the crisis Treasure Game is a four-day game set of overcrowding that evolution be¬ in 1965, in which the New Guinea 56 comes necessary (evolution cannot occur in a stable environment). for blacks is indeed lower. And the reached the point where they are same holds true even for parts of 'What happens when a species literally capable of infinite devel¬ an I.Q. test that culturally should overpopulates its niche is that some opment as individuals. All they favor blacks, or at least not favor individuals with the ability to ad¬ need is to have their lifespans ex¬ whites. Culturally neutral tests apt to new niches are driven out to tended. They do not need to evolve have been applied, with virtually occupy those niches, while the rest biologically any further. They have identical results. However, all undergo famines, diseases, or inter¬ already reached the threshold of in¬ this proves is that the average I.Q. necine warfare until their popula¬ finity. Evolution can do no more. is less for blacks. And the reason tion is reduced to a level that the Henceforth, any changes humans want for this is simply that the low in¬ niche can support. to make in their physical form or in telligence segment of the black race their mental equipment can be achiev¬ 'Some may question my calling has reproduced at a faster rate than ed through direct, deliberate manip¬ the estate of low intelligence humans has the comparable low intelligence ulation of the DNA in our cells. an environmental niche. Another segment of the white race. While thing to call it, some might say, is the average intelligence may be low¬ 'Comment ?' segregation. However, as history er, thus, this does not mean that f (A niche in time saves nine? But has shown, you do not get people out the black race is inherently lower seriously... You have the danger, of their environmental niches by in intelligence. as seen in Cambodia, of an intelli¬ breaking up ghettoes and legislating 'The one really positive thing gent but fanatic group, in their integration. There are only certain in all of this actually involves one power niche, systematically killing things that a person with an I.Q. of of the factors that causes Dr. Shock- off all other peoples within their 85 can do. No amount of affirmative ley so much concern. That is the power who are also intelligent and action will enable him to become a tendency of high intelligence people educated. The human species is nuclear physicist. The environment¬ to have less children. This is a still-intelligent and stupid a- al niches are real, irrespective of truly incredible phenomenon whose like-largely controlled by emo¬ segregation/integration. real significance has been entirely tions. Our "feelings" wag our in¬ 'There are people stuck in the missed by most people. It is a phen¬ telligence too often in crucial overcrowded low-intelligence niche omenon, furthermore, that is not re¬ times. This is our DNA talking, who do succeed in breaking out and lated to race. Even black women, arfd how you can alter this internal, occupying new, less crowded niches. when they leave the ghetto and ob¬ structured, instinctual power-bal¬ These are the ones who manifest the tain college degrees, on average ance is the key question/problem required ability for adapting to the have only 1.9 children. Whatever is for mankind. We are our own worst new niches: high intelligence. As functioning here can only be a dir¬ enemy, be we genius or moron, and for the rest, who remain stuck in ect consequence of high intelligence. our curse and our blessing—our the old niche — the crunch must in¬ emotions ' power—is the core of 'Humans with high intelligence re¬ evitably come. The riots of 1967 our future. Any attempt to alter present the first species that has were a precursor. Society may intro¬ the power balance would be fiercely ever existed on earth which was able duce reforms to ensure that ghetto resisted on an instinctual level. to restrain itself voluntarily, and dwellers receive better justice and occupy its environmental niches with¬ ((I don't worry about the uncontrol¬ try to provide more job opportunit¬ out overpopulating them. No other led breeding of morons; as you say ies and make food stands generally form of life in the history of the sooner or later there is a weeding- available. But there is a limit to planet has ever been able to do this. out process—famine, war, pesti¬ what can be done to ameliorate the It is totally unprecedented. lence, etc.-and the intelligent situation, and nothing we do can will be able to survive such disast¬ solve the real problem, which is 'This surely represents a tre¬ ers better than the lesser intelli¬ biological and ecological in nature. mendous evolutionary advance, and gent, irrespective of race and creed may in fact prove to be the ultimate 'Getting back to Dr. Shockley's and color.)) biological justification for the ex¬ chief concern, high intelligence istence of high intelligence. people are in no danger of being sup¬ planted by proliferating low intel¬ 'Someone might question whether ligence people. This is because the fact that high intelligence peo¬ high intelligence people occupy en¬ ple are not overpopulating their vironmental niches that low intel¬ niches also means that for them, ev¬ 4 LETTER FROM F. PAUL WILSON ligence people are unable to enter. olution has stopped. In the biolog¬ 662 Rolling Hills Ct. Therefore the low intelligence peo¬ ical sense, it may mean just this. Brick Town, NJ, 08723 ple cannot compete with them. However, I believe that evolution is August 23, 1980 now concerned with mental attitude 'What we call the trades and more than with genes. People with '"And what is that socioeconomic professions actually constitute en¬ the right attitude can thrive on the system? vironmental niches. The medical pro¬ kind of rapid change that technology '"Feudalism. fession gives the doctor his food, introduces into our lives. These are '"They don't even have capital- shelter, security and everything else the people who are going to the stars. that is characteristic of an environ¬ They have adapted to the future. -- Mack Reynolds mental niche. No matter how many SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #36 children the low intelligence peo¬ 'People with the wrong attitude, 'Even? I like the way Reynolds ple have, they can never displace however, suffer from "future shock". zapped that in there, the implication the doctor in his niche. They probably represent an evolution¬ being that capitalism is just a step ary dead end -- and the irony of it above feudalism. I've got to put in 'Another error I believe Dr. is that it is entirely voluntary, a dime's worth (pre-1964) of comment Shockley makes is in implying, or at entirely involved with the way they on that. least allowing it to" be inferred choose to think and look at things, from what he says, that he believes and has nothing to do with genetics. 'But to do it right, let me be¬ the black race is inherently infer¬ gin by trying out a new political 'High intelligence people have ior in intelligence to the white spectrum -- the old Left-Right axis race. The average I.Q. test score 57 never did work. (For instance. Hit- ler is "Right Wing" and Stalin is res ipso loquitor. "heft", but their means, methods and 'They're winning. What little end results were identical -- and we had of a free market is on the H ,lioK let's not forget that the word Nazi run. Decade by decade we have mov¬ derives from the German National So¬ | WISDOM & ed further from the capitalist ideal cialist Party.) Instead, I propose I in THJ= C6uK(YA&> AT / and closer to the Marxists ideal. an up-down scale. At the bottom And year by year the average Amer¬ '\5lOD AM, TOMORROW ! ) we'll put all the systems resulting ican's pride in his society and in from the mystical/collectivist/sta¬ his work has dwindled along with tist axis -- the religious oligar¬ his self-esteem. He feels increas¬ chies, the Marxists, the fascists ingly impotent about controlling and the feudal bully-boy systems — the course of his life. Much of it where the church/group/regime is the is our own fault. As a people I center of concern and the individual think we have always lacked the in¬ cogs (people) are merely a means to ner resources to fend off the seduc¬ an end. At the top of the scale is tive appeal of the statist/collect¬ the individualist society which ivist philosophies of Europe (Marx¬ feels that if the sovereignty of ism, Fabianism, and the other crap- the individual is preserved and pro¬ isms) which promise to relieve the tected, all the rest of the social individual of responsibility for order will take care of itself. this, and then for that, until we're 'Capitalism is the only socio¬ completely dependent on Big Brother economic system compatible with the and can't imagine life without him. top end of the scale. Laissez-faire 'There are a number of roads we capitalism is the economics of per¬ can follow down to the final oblit¬ sonal freedom. You can dispose of eration of the individual. We can the fruits of your labor/life as you end up like USSR, a country glued wish, sharing them or hoarding them. together by its secret police -- a The choice is yours --no one will week or two without the omnipresent make you do either. You are given KGB and the Russian government would of the individual’s life, guarantee free reign in choosing your goals, crumble. Or we can look forward to an eventual discontent of such in¬ to do what you feel is important, our children becoming like those va- tensity and magnitude that a re¬ not what someone else thinks is in cant-eyed, blue-tunicked automatons volt will occur. The more extreme the best interest of the church/col¬ waving little red books of Mao- the central control, the greater lective/state. thought whom people like Shirley the revolution. Cycles...cycles... 'That scares the hell out of a MacLaine gush about on return from cycles....)) lot of people.' Think about it — China. actually being handed your life to 'I agree that SF should face do with as you will and can. these issues. I've done my share. 'What about equality? the brain- But Marxism is too much a part of washee asks. Look around you. Look today's world to have much place in at history. Systems that put liberty SF. Let's speculate on something # LETTER FROM RICHARD S. MC ENROE Assistant to the Editor ahead of equality (like capitalism) really different ... something that's ACE BOOKS, 51 Madison Avenue tend to do more for equality than never had a chance — Laissez-faire New York, NY 10010 systems which supposedly put it capitalism. September, 10, 1980 first (like Marxism). 'PS: May I suggest a brief biblio¬ 'But capitalism? That's a heavy graphy for anyone who wants to find 'Help. word.' All sorts of nasty dark shapes out what capitalism is really about? 'Ace Science Fiction is looking hovering about it. And of course Try ECONOMICS IN ONE LESSON by Henry eagerly to contact a young (?) man when one says the word, the American Hazlitt; or CAPITALISM: THE UNKNOWN (?) named David A. Smith. Over a system is immediately brought to IDEAL by Ayn Rand; or FOR A NEW LIB¬ year ago (well over) he sent a ter¬ mind. Wrong. The mongrel American ERTY by Murray Rothbard. These'11 rific novel for our consideration -- economy is not capitalist, but a mix get you started.' and absolutely no return address. of socialism and capitalism (placing At first we thought the fellow would it somewhere in the middle third of have to drop a line or call us or our up-down spectrum) with the form¬ ((If as you say pure capitalism has something to find out what we thought er steadily overgrowing the latter not 'been allowed.’ to exist for any of his work — but he hasn't. like mildew. length of time in human history, I would suggest there is a reason bey¬ 'If anybody out there knows Smith 'Pure capitalism doesn't exist. ond greed for power by the church/ or his agent or his friends or war¬ In fact, in no country at any point state/collective. I suggest an in¬ den or keeper: TELL HIM WE WANT TO in history have people been allowed stinctual social dynamics that auto¬ TALK TO HIM.' to practice laissez-faire capitalism matically keeps human societies from for any length of time. It's a sup¬ extremes for very long, hie in the pressed philosophy. The vast major¬ United States are clearly sliding ity of economics courses in this down into ever more pervasive cen¬ country are taught with Marxist/Key¬ tral government controls. 17e are nesian texts by teachers who hate willing to trade freedom for prom¬ # LETTER FROM CLAY KIMBALL and fear the free market. But the ised security. But the in-built, 1441 Delaware, Eden, N.C., 27288 suppression is not limited to the unavoidable stupidities and ineffic¬ August, 1980 educational establishment; the mass iencies of centralized government media have certainly proven them¬ spreading to more and more areas '"If the day ever comes when the selves to be anti-capitalism, and shriek movie is a really major type, as for our glorious politicians -- 58 right up there with, say, the pre- tentious Western, the implications lies) and the only publishers who etc. But life do go on, and even for the future of democracy will be appear to have shortchanged me on in 1933-34 75% of the people had bad." foreign rights or royalties are the jobs, more or less.) So if the -C.M. Kombluth ones nearest the sleazy end of the economy does not deflate and/or From THE SF NOVEL' market. The big conglomerates which collapse, if we do not end up with you dislike so much seem to me to a dictatorial president, and if have entirely more respectable ac¬ we do not reach 30% inflation... counting practices than small com¬ then I'll be happy to turn in my panies using tactics of expediency. membership card in the Doomsayers if LETTER FROM ORSON SCOTT CARD I do sometimes wonder, Dick, where Club and meekly keep my big mouth 1079 East 600 North your deep suspicions of the world, shut ever after. In the meantime Orem, UT 84057 the future, business and government I'm enjoying the Iraq-Iran war, the 6 August 1980 are leading you. election farce, and the terrible 'You've been increasingly pes¬ quandary of the Federal Reserve 'I just saw in the Noreascon Pro¬ simistic over the last few years. Board as it finds its every move gress Report that some fans are try¬ Characteristically, you prophesy will either lead to greater infla¬ ing to amend the Hugo rules to, in great doom for the publishing indus¬ tion or a deepening recession.)) effect, ban LOCUS and SFR from con¬ try at the same time that you com¬ sideration for the fanzine Hugo -- plain that they are producing so on the grounds that they're so suc¬ many books you don't have time to cessful that they actually can af¬ read them or even get other people # LETTER FROM STUART DAVID SCHIFF ford to pay some people something. to read them. Evidently things can¬ WHISPERS/WHISPERS PRESS Such stupidity! That's like banning not be quite as bad --at least not Box 1492-W Azalea Street beautiful girls from taking part in yet — as you are saying. Browns Mills, N.J., 08015 the Miss America pageant, on the July 30, 1980 grounds that they already get a lot 'My own experiences with New of dates. Why don't other fanzine York editors at present suggests 'I recently was the recipient of editors recognize that SFR and LO¬ that they are certainly buying few¬ bad news when I learned Frank Utpa- CUS did not always win the Hugos. er books by lesser-known authors at tel died on July 12th. His major Once upon a time they didn't even the moment, because money is tight¬ fame in our field came from his long¬ exist. How did they reach their ex¬ er, because lists have been trimmed time association with Arkham House alted state? By being good. And slightly and because inventories in and his illustrating Howard Phil¬ not just good --by being a hell of many cases are full. But what's lips Lovecraft's first book (the a lot better than anybody else. wrong with this? The field was al¬ 1936 Visionary Press edition of THE And if someone else wants a fanzine ready heading for trouble, overwhelm¬ SHADOW OVER INNSMOUTH). Hugo, I offer the perhaps unreason¬ ed with so many new books that no able suggestion that they be as fast one could keep any grasp of what 'Of course, I shall remember him and accurate as LOCUS while havipg was good and bad. A cutback must as a good friend and contributor to the good writing and eccentric but at the same time entail some raising WHISPERS magazine. I will always intelligent outlook of SFR. And of standards, I would think. I do treasure the covers he did for me.' then, having met the high standards not know anyone in New York publish¬ of competition, find something else ing who shares your dark pessimism to do that none of the others are and I certainly don't, if only be¬ doing. But no -- this is the age cause editors keep suggesting new of regulation and if competitors are projects to me, admittedly outside too tough, we Americans know that the SF field. LETTER FROM NELSON W. BLACK the way to beat them is to regulate 'I am tempted to buy a year's 9-23-80 them to death ... ' subscription to THE ECONOMIST, in hopes of tempering your outlook of 'By the way, the folks at the gloom and also your attachment to Science Fiction Bookshop in NYC ((ECCENTRIC??!!)) the ethos of monetarism, which I'm think you have thrown in the towel convinced will be discredited with¬ again but I assured them that is in the next ten to twenty years, at highly unlikely. I hope they're least as a system which can be suc¬ confusing you with another mag. cessfully followed in its purest 'Don Wollheim sounded testy form. However, you'd just tell me in that interview....' that THE ECONOMIST was being run by M LETTER FROM CHARLES PLATT men of power trying to allay the 9 Patchin Place, NY,NY 10011 ((A few days before your letter fears of the electorate ... July 30, 1980 arrived Elton Elliott called and said he 'd heard a rumor from the 'I was interested in your views 'I do like your pieces of opin¬ East that I'd folded SFR. It on the publishing industry. I not¬ ion, Dick, but I worry about where would be interesting to know ed that your only concrete example the opinions are leading you. where this story originated. As of idea-theft is Harlan's case, Please don't get too paranoid.' I told Elton, if I ever decide to which of course was brought against stop publishing SFR I'll give the a TV company, not a publishing com¬ ((In my case the proof of the world subbers two years notice. )) pany. It is odd that my own exper¬ reality and its future is in the ev¬ iences, here in New York, are so ents which are happening and will much at odds with yours. I find continue to happen in the next few most publishers surprisingly honest years. Admittedly, I foresee doom and many of the editors I know are (But not absolute doom-only a ter¬ decent people whom I consider rible financial collapse, a form friends. My literary agent has of dictatorship, depression, riots, higher moral principles than I have myself (she never tells even white 59 George R. R. Martin, Elizabeth A. Lynn, John DeCamp, Walt Curtis, Rich¬ ard Purtill, M.K. Wren, Eileen Gunn, Poul Anderson, Steve Perry, Jessica Amanda Salmonson, Ursula K. LeGuin, ill Jean Auel, Vonda N. McIntyre, Edward Bryant, Susan Petrey, Dean Ing, El¬ inor Busby, Mildred Broxon, Victor¬ ia Poyser, Richard Kearns along with special phone interviews with Robert Silverberg and Arthur C. Clarke. The Guest of Honor is Fritz Leiber, Toastmaster is F.M. Busby and Yours Truly (for whatever biz¬ arre reason) is the Fan Guest of Honor. Ah, sweet egoboo! 1111111 For more info write: OREGON SCIENCE FICTION CONVEN¬ TIONS, INC. POB #14727 S-F NEWS BY ELTON T. ELLIOTT Portland, OR, 97214 If you haven't reserved your ho¬ few pieces of fiction per issue. tel room, it will probably be too Still others like STARLOG, concen¬ REMEMBER THE ADDRESS FOR THIS late by the time you read this. I trate on films and print no fiction. COLUMN IS: ELTON T. ELLIOTT, hope to see you there. The paperback field also provides SFR, 1899 WIESSNER DRIVE N.E., fiction "magazines". Examples are SALEM, OR 97303. DESTINIES and THE BERKLEY SF SHOW¬ CASE. Although this area is more # MAGAZINES: fragile (i.e., if the editor of a ASIMOV'S and ANALOG are going publishing house leaves, the magazine to thirteen issues a year. This fol¬ might die), it still is an area for # COTENTARY lows the trend of other Davis maga¬ THE RECESSION -- Part I SF magazines which remains virtual¬ zines. The affect will not be not¬ ly unused. iceable until summer when both maga¬ For over a year now pundits have zines will appear near the middle of been telling us that the publishing Science fiction in magazine form the month. Both will carry the day, industry and in particular science is booming, but because the form is month and year of issuance. The fiction is in a recession, but re¬ so untraditional we ofttimes don't move was reportedly made to facili¬ cent industry figures show sales ip recognize it. We expect ASTOUNDING tate printers and distributors, who twenty percent over a year ago, and and instead we get OWI with a cir¬ are often rushed by the large numb¬ even during the recession SF sppear- culation ten times that of ASTOUND¬ ers of magazines at the first of ed to be less affected than was fear¬ ING at its height. Of course, the each month. ed at the beginning. amount of fiction is drastically re¬ duced, but again the market for nov¬ DESTINIES remains quarterly (see The question is: How did the re¬ els is four or five times what it the article following the Ace list). cession affect the field? Among mag¬ was a decade ago. Better yet, there azines, the all-SF digest magazine is evidence that the original anthol¬ FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION re¬ as ANALOG or FfiSF is on the way out. ogy market (depressed all during the mains monthly. FANTASTIC now com¬ Oh, to be sure a handful will re¬ boom of 1977-79) is beginning to re¬ bined with AMAZING will appear bi¬ main, nurtered by Joel Davis and Ed cover from overproduction during the monthly. ETERNITY is scheduled to Ferman, but the field will never early seventies. appear quarterly. THE BERKLEY SF have more than a half-dozen maga¬ SHOWCASE is on a thrice-yearly sched¬ zines. Even if venture money was A word of caution: Should our ule. ARES, the game magazine from there, the hard fact is there isn't foreign oil supplies be cut off and Simulation Publications, is a bi¬ enough newsstand space, for digest mandatory rationing imposed, the re¬ monthly. magazines will limit new entries. sulting depression in the country might bring the entire publishing in¬ GALAXY, according to news re¬ As for the TIME or NEWSWEEK size, dustry to its knees and force suspen¬ ports has appeared, although Looking there are two ways to orient such a sion of many a good magazine, but Glass Bookstore in Portland, a very magazine. One is to stick to the excepting such a drastic situation reliable outlet for SF publications, old format like GALILEO, as ASIMOV'S the SF magazine field should contin¬ did not have a copy in as of October SF ADVENTURES did and GALAXY will ue to branch into new areas bringing first, though they had ordered it be. Here the problem is not lack new readers to SF. some time ago. When it appears it of space but stiff conpetition and will supposedly be a bimonthly. the larger budget that such a form¬ Next issue I will consider the Same for GALILEO. at requires. book area of SF publishing and how the recession affected it. OMNI which is doing so well it Part of the conpetition will be has spawned a host of imitators, ap¬ coming from the new generation of pears monthly with a seven-figure magazines whose primary orientation circulation. Che of the new comp¬ is not fiction but some related as¬ # ORYCON '80 -- November 14-16 at etitors, DISCOVERY, published by pect. Some, like OMNI, concentrate the downtown Portland Hilton -- will Time-Life, is considering the inclu¬ on science but print several short have Duane Ackerson, Norman E. Hart¬ sion of science fiction. Most of stories per issue. Others like man, Ray F. Nelson, George Guthridge, the others cover science and closely ARES, concentrate on SF war and role- related areas but print no fiction. playing games while still printing a 60 According to a report in BUSINESS WEEK and several other publications. second month will feature as the lead # Barry Longyear will have four Bob Guccione, publisher of ONWI, book a new novel from Harry Harrison. stories in ASINDV'S: "Catch the PENTHOUSE, FORUM, VARIATIONS and pro¬ They also have an agreement to buy Sun" (Novella); "What's Wrong with ducer of CALIGULA, and Kathy Keeton, Andre Norton's next book as well. this Picture?" (short story) with president of Omni International, John M. Ford and George Scithers; Doherty, Baen and another editor plan to spin two magazines off ONMI. "Bloodsong" (Novelette) with Kevin (who will handle non-SF) will have One is reportedly a "straight SF mag¬ O'Donnell; "House of If" (Novelette); complete control over the titles, in¬ azine" with a heavy enphasis on fic¬ cluding cover artwork, contents, con¬ and from ANALOG, "Collector's Item" tion; some reports say the other tracts, packaging and promotion. (short story). magazine could carry fiction as well; Richard Gallen is providing the fin¬ He also has upcoming a hardcover no word on their editorial staffs or ancial backing. novel, CIRCUS WORLD, from Berkley- dates of appearance. Although the line will start with Putnam. Berkley also has published Unsubstantiated rumors abound only two books a month, Doherty is his CITY OF BARABOO and MANIFEST DES¬ about paperback houses starting their TINY. The latter sold to Japan. He quoted in SF CHRONICLE as wanting to own magazines or "house" anthologies. is currently working on a new novel, "... build a line that is at least the equivalent of what we had at BULLHANDS, "a two-hundred-year epic tracing the generations of bullhands Ace and hopefully better". (elephant handlers) who took to the Working as a book packager with star road with O'Hara's Greater # THE HUGO AWARDS: Gallen, Doherty plans to bring out Shows". Novel: THE FOUNTAINS OF PARADISE a Flash Gordon book and a Popeye By Arthur C. Clarke book based on the two new movies to Novella: "Enemy Mine" be released in time for Christmas. # William Gibson has sold a story By Barry B. Longyear He already has signed with the Juven¬ to UNIVERSE #11; a collaboration Novelette: "Sandkings" ile Book Club for over 500,000 cop¬ with John Shirley has been sold to By George R. R. Martin ies of each title. SHADOWS 4; another short to NEW Short Story: "The Way of Cross and WORLDS #216, and a short "Johnny Dragon" Ntiemonic" to OMNI. By George R.R. Martin # Poul Anderson has just returned Non-Fiction Book: THE SCIENCE FIC¬ from abroad. He reports that there TION ENCYCLOPEDIA are plans to revive SF in Denmark, # The director of the Michigan Edited by Peter Nicholls where it has been dormant for some Space Center at Jackson Community Dramatic Presentation: ALIEN. time and that an early part of the College, Jackson, Michigan, Mr. Char Pro Artist: Michael Whelan. project is a collection of all his les E. Gass, has proposed an "inter¬ Editor: George Scithers. Ythrian stories. national entertainment and education¬ Fanzine: LOCUS. al center for the collection, pres¬ Fan Writer: Bob Shaw. Of his novel, THE DEVIL'S GAME, ervation, exhibition and study of Fan Artist: Alexis Gilliland. craning out in November from Pocket SCIENCE FICTION". John W. Campbell Award (for new Books, he says, "be warned (it) is writer): Barry B. Longyear. something of a shocker, quite dif¬ "This $75-million-dollar enter¬ Gandalf: Ray Bradbury. ferent from my usual sort of thing". tainment-educational center is plan¬ ned for opening in 1987 and will con¬ # The 1980 WORLDCON was held in tain over $80 million dollars in rare Boston. The site for next year's # The Scandinavian Science Fiction event is Denver. The 1982 conven¬ science fiction and unique science Convention is being held October 24- fact exhibits and displays." tion will be in Chicago. 26 in Copenhagen. If you are inter¬ ested in some of the many SF activ¬ Also planned are an Ackerman ities, the conmittee's official ad¬ Wing, to house some of Forry's Col- dress is: FABULA 80 # Warner Books, the only major paperback house without a science fiction program, has started a sci¬ ence fiction line. Nancy Neiman, former Avon SF editor, has been hir¬ ed as a senior editor, and will head the new SF line. More information next issue.

# James Patrick Baen, SF editor at Ace, resigned his position and left at the end of August. He will join Thomas J. Doherty, former exe¬ cutive vice president of Ace Books and a prime mover behind Ace's strong SF program at the beginning of the Seventies, in a new publishing pro¬ gram. The books will be published in cooperation with Richard Gallen and Pinnacle Books and distributed through Warner. Ihe first titles will appear in May: a book from Fred Sabeihagen and another from Andre Norton. The lection. Forry reports that the # Keith Laumer has sold a novel, # Rumors have it that network ex¬ "Director of the MICHIGAN SPACE CEN¬ STAR COLONY, to St. Martin’s. ecutives at ABC-TV were so inpressed TER (a $20 Million Conplex) has pre¬ with exceTpts from the first hour of sented this proposal to the Mayor's COSMOS, the new PBS science documen¬ Office in Los Angeles in conjunction # Boris Vallejo has sold an erot¬ tary narrated by Carl Sagan, that with ny offer to the City of my Col¬ ic illustrated fantasy, MIRAGES, to they offered Sagan a prime-time show lection. My Ghod, you should see Ballantine. on ABC. Several weeks later they what this man envisions! --a Space telephoned with an even better idea: Ark resembling nothing so much as How would Sagan like to rescue BAT- the Mothership from CLOSE ENCOUNT¬ # Charles L. Grant has sold two TLESTAR GALACTICA? Sagan, according ERS!" Oxrun novels to Popular Library. to reports, was mortified and de¬ clined the offer.

# Craig Anderson reports: "Mich¬ # Stephen Spruill has sold a ael Caine's upcoming horror film, "semi-fiction book", THE LOCH NESS # Harlan Ellison has reached a THE HAND (Orion Pictures, directed PROBE, to Playboy Press. He has al¬ satisfactory settlement with ABC/TV/ by Oliver Stone from his own screen¬ so sold them a horror novel, HELL- Paramount. Plans to sue Ellison play) will be delayed in release by STONE. THE IMPERATOR PLOT, sequel over his remarks about the plagiar¬ months. The reason: the special to THE PSYCHOPATH PLAGUE, has been ism suit have been dropped. effects by Carlo Rambaldi were not sold to Doubleday. adequate and nuch footage will have to be reshot. The principle photo¬ £ The Terry Carr "Best of the graphy wrapped in june '80 with an # Jack Dann has just sold a new Year" anthologies have been drop¬ anticipated release date of February novel to Harper 6 Row, THE MAN WHO ped by Del Rey Books. Reason given: '81. It appears that this release MELTED. low sales figures. Pocket Books has date will not be met". (This was purchased the series. THE BEST SCI¬ originally from Marilyn Beck's col- ENCE FICTION NOVELLAS OF THE YEAR unn.) Rambaldi did the gangly-look¬ will be coniiined with the original ing alien at the end of CLOSE ENCOUNT¬ # Clyde Caldwell sued his former anthology, THE BEST SCIENCE FICTION ERS OF THE THIRD KIND. agent, Roy Torgeson for failing to pay for covers and other art assign¬ OF THE YEAR, which will be expanded ments. Caldwell also asked for the from 125,000 to 150,000 words, with # The SEATTLE ANTIQUARIAN BOOK return of artwork that Torgeson had annual publication date moved to May FAIRwilltake place Novenber 21-23. in his possession. Caldwell acted or June; at Del Rey it was July or through Vincent DiFate, grievance August after most of the conpeting M. Taylor Bowie, Chairman, an¬ "Best of the Year" anthologies were nounced that over 50 dealers from person of the Association of SF Art¬ ists, and was represented by Walter already out. The novellas volume the U.S. will be there, "Each dealer Little, the legal advisor for ASFA. was only tried for two years, and has expertise in a special field of apparently was comnercially uifeas- literature with subject matter run¬ The case came rapidly to trial able. (The above info from LOCUS.) ning the gamut from THE WIZARD OF OZ and Caldwell won the judgment. At to SHERLOCK HOLMES" as well as many this time Torgeson has not yet ap¬ Pocket Books now has both of other subjects. He goes on to state, pealed; however, SF CHRONICLE report¬ Terry Carr's "Best of" anthologies, "Our dealers will have first editions, ed in its August issue that collec¬ having recently picked up THE YEAR'S autographed books, old photographs, tion of damages is proceeding rather FINEST FANTASY (retitled THE FANTASY prints, rare documents and other un¬ slowly. Legal action contenplated ANNUAL) after Berkley dropped it. ique printed matter with prices rang¬ includes garnisheeing Torgeson's in¬ ing from $1.00 to thousands of dol¬ come from professional activities in lars". For information contact: the SF field. Jeri McDonald 8 Associates # THE 1980 LOCUS awards: 1818 Westlake N., Suite 415 Torgeson has been associated Science Fiction Novel: TITAN Seattle, WA, 98109 with Zebra Books for some time, By John Varley (206) 282-7596 served as consultant for their SF Fantasy Novel: HARPIST IN THE line and edited tyo anthology series, WIND by Patricia McKillip CHRYSALIS and OTHER WORLDS for them. Novelette: "Sandkings" He is the owner of Alternate World By George R.R. Martin # John Shirley has sold two main¬ Recordings, a record company which Short Story: "The Way of Cross stream/horror/occult novels to Avon, produces recordings of SF authors and Dragon" due out in '81. The titles are THE reading from their own works. By George R.R. Martin BRIGADE and CELLERS. Shirley is now living in Manhattan and performing OTHER WINNERS: Anthology, UNI¬ VERSE #9 Edited by Terry Carr; Sin¬ rock music, has just released a sin¬ # Stanton Coblentz has completed gle Author Collection, CONVERGENT gle from Park Avenue Records, is the a new science fiction work, his first SERIES by Larry Niven; Art (or Il¬ lead singer of FirsTongue and has in several decades. (This informa¬ lustrated), BARLOWE'S GUIDE TO EX- recently been signed by the same man tion from FANTASY NEWSLETTER.) Mr. TRATERRESTRIALS by Wayne Barlowe and who "discovered" Bob Dylan and Bruce Coblentz was a regular contributor Springsteen. Ian Sumners; Artist, Michael Whelen; to AMAZING STORIES in the late Twen¬ Magazine, F§SF, Edited by Edward Fer- ties and early Thirties. Among his man; Publisher, Ballantine/Del Rey; many classic novels are AFTER 12,000 Editor, Judy Lynn del Rey; Fantasy # Jack L. Chalker, currently teach¬ YEARS, THE SUNKEN WORLD and INTO Editor, Lester del Rey; Related Non- ing SF course at Goucher College in PLUTONIAN TEPTHS. The latter was Fiction, THE SCIENCE FICTION ENCY¬ Maryland, is working on a time-trav¬ reprinted by Avon in the early Fif¬ CLOPEDIA edited by Peter NichOlls. el novel tentatively titled DOWNTIM¬ ties and is now a much sought-after (Above information from LOCUS #235) ING THE NIGHTSIDE, plus another en¬ collectors' item. titled THE MESSIAH. 62 # Craig Miller formerly head of Fan Relations at Lucasfilm Ltd., that started with TITAN and continu¬ "Hawthorne Street and Oxrun Station", where he worked for three years pro¬ ed with WIZARD, will conclude with a foreword by Stephen King, interior moting STAR WARS and THE EMPIRE DEMON. illos by Andrew 3nith and a jacket STRIKES BACK, has started his own painting by Michael Whelan. promotion conpany. His conpany. Con Artists, has been signed by Warn¬ Both the Case and the Tierney # Harlan Ellison was approached er to distribute their upcoming SF volumes are priced at $6.95, the to rewrite Frank Herbert's screenplay films ALTERED STATES and SUPERMAN II. Grant collection at $11.95; all 3 for the Dune movie. He refused. It volumes can be advance-ordered by has been reported that Irvin Kersh- sending the appropriate amount to: ner, director of THE EMPIRE STRIKES ARKHAM HOUSE PUBLISHERS BACK, has been signed to direct the # Ted White is no longer editor Sauk City, WI, 53583 of HEAVY METAL. Reportedly there I, ROBOT movie for which Ellison has were differences regarding the fut¬ written the screenplay. No confirm¬ THE SOLAR PONS OMNIBUS by August ure direction of the magazine, among ation is available as this colunn Derleth and MASTER OF SHADOWS by Mar¬ rumors that it was more due to "of¬ goes to press. gery Lawrence, listed in previous fice politics". catalogs, have been indefinitely postponed. Arkham will honor re¬ quests from all those who advance- # Nominations are now open for ordered the above two titles by trans¬ # Thomas M. Disch won the 1980 the Prometheus Award, the Award giv¬ ferring their credit to other titles Campbell Memorial Award for his nov¬ en to the book which best exenplif- or by refunding. el ON WINGS OF SONG. Second place ies Libertarian values and philoso¬ Arkham has bought a short-story went to ENGINE SUM4ER by John Crow¬ phy, i.e., a belief in personal and collection from Greg Bear. ley, third to J.G. Ballard for THE economic freedom. UNLIMITED DREAM. This is the one Award that has tangible value. It consists of BORGO: $2500 in gold. The 1979 winner was WHEELS WITHIN WHEELS by F. Paul Wil¬ Their all-review magazine, SCI¬ son, and from the time of the an¬ ENCE FICTION FANTASY BOOK REVIEW, has folded. Subscriptions were tak¬ # DEATHS: nouncement of the winner to the ac¬ tual presentation, the value of gold en over by FANTASY NEWSLETTER for Arthur R. Tofte, 77, died of increased over 30$. For information completion. cancer on May 21, 1980, at his home about any aspect of the Award write: in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. Their Milford Series on SF writ¬ L. Neil Smith, 626 S. Nfeldrum, ers, of which I have seen one: AG¬ He had two SF novels published Fort Collins, CO, 80521. AINST TINE'S ARROW: THE HIGH CRUSADE by Laser Books in 1975, CRASH LAND¬ Mr. Smith is the author of THE OF POUL ANDERSON by Sandra Miesel, ING ON IDUNA and WALLS WITHIN WALLS. PROBABILITY BROACH, is quite active is reportedly unaffected. They have An SF juvenile, SURVIVAL PLANET, was in Libertarian politics and has writ¬ the first volume of Darrell Schweit¬ piblished by Bobbs-Merrill in 1977. ten quite a few articles on various zer's EXPLORING FANTASY WORLDS. aspects of Libertarian philosophy. Charles Percy Snow died July 1, His latest article is entitled "Rad¬ OWLSWICK: 1980 in London at the age of 74. ically Decentralized Defense". His A scientist as well as a novel¬ next novel is THE VENUS BELT. Already out is SCIENCE FICTION ist, his essay, "The TVo Cultures" WRITER'S WORKSHOP I, by Barry Long¬ which explicated the split between year, plus a volume of essays edit¬ the sciences and the humanities and ed by Jack Williamson titled, TEACH¬ called for understanding, particul¬ # SMALL PRESS: ING SCIENCE FICTION, in which Mr. arly on the side of humanities, was ARKHAM: Longyear has an essay entitled, a major influence on many SF writers "Science Fiction in the Primary He was knighted in 1957. During the winter/spring of 1980- School". 81, the following will be released: THE THIRD GRAVE by David Case concerns "a snail English village, STAKMONT: and the mysterious Lucian Mallory's quest for ancient Egyptian methods One of their latest releases in # It seems that Harper 8 Row for¬ of resurrection". Illustrated by the Starmont Reader's Guide series got to spend the $35,000,000 adver¬ Stephen Fabian. is one on Philip Jose' Farmer by tising money on LORD VALENTINE'S Mary'T. Brizzi, the third in a ser¬ DREAMS AND DAMNATIONS by Richard CASTLE that the contract called for. ies which will include volumes on L. Tierney is a story collection I hope to have a comment from Robert such writers as: Poul Anderson, Al¬ that ranges "from star-flung opal¬ Silverberg for the next issue. fred Bester, Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. escent realms of cosmically conceiv¬ Clarke, Gordon R. Dickson, Frank Her¬ ed grandeur, to the tomb-spawned ter¬ bert, Fritz Leiber, Ursula K. LeGuin, rors that lurk beneath the earth in H.P. Lovecraft, Andre Norton, Clif¬ eon-vanquished megaliths of alien # John Varley is conpleting the ford D. Simak, J.R.R. Tolkein, Jack antiquity". Illustrations by Jason Vance and Roger Zelazny. screenplay for the movie version of Van Hollander. AIR RAID for MCM. The title of the movie and the novel version for Mac¬ TALES FROM THE NIGHTSIDE by Char¬ STARBLAZE/DONNING: millan has been changed to MILLENILM. les L. Grant is this Nebula Award win¬ Varley is set to do thfe script as ner's first major story collection, Beginning in the surnner of 1981, well as the screenplay and noveliza- consisting of 14 stories -- tales of will be released the first of two tion. art books illustrating the heroines and heroes of SF. Volume I, THE HER¬ The third book in the series 63 OINES, will be illustrated with 52 Other titles include OCTAGON and SPECIMENS, both by Fred Saberhagen. SPECIMENS was originally published by Popular Library, but as soon as the rights reverted it was sold to Ace. Richard McEnroe has sold a "Buck Rogers" novel to Ace; this series is not connected with the TV show. Mr. McEnroe was recently hired at Ace Books. Charles Sheffield has sold Ace a novel, MY BROTHER'S KEEPER and two story collections, ERASMUS MAGISTER and HIDDEN VARIABLES.

# AVON November: Francine Mezo.TIE FALL OF WORLDS (The first book of a trilogy) Brian W. Aldiss .REPORT ON .PROBABILITY A (Part of a Brian Aldiss promotion; Avon will be reprinting several other Aldiss titles over the next few months.) Avon has bought a package of 14 James Blish books from his estate, to start appearing in early '81: TITAN’S DAUCHTER, STAR DWELLERS, QUINCUNX OF TIME, DOCTOR MIRABILIS, Susan Allison, the new editor at full-color paintings especially com¬ JACK OF EAGLES, FALLEN STAR, WELCOME Ace, told me that she foresees "no missioned by a variety of artists; TO MARS, THE NIOTD SHAPES, ANYWHEN, drastic change" in the Ace SF pro¬ each book will feature text and an THE VANISHED JET, THE DAY AFTER JUDG¬ introduction by David Bischoff. gram, although there will be a "bit MENT, WARRIORS OF DAY, SO CLOSE TO more fantasy and less non-fiction". In November they will publish HOME and MISSION TO THE HEARTSTARS. The line is inventories for the next THE MOON’S FIREATING DAUGHTER, a nov¬ year-and-a-half. el by John tyers Myers, a sequel to SILVERLOCK. As for DESTINIES, she reports that Baen will edit it on a freelance # BANTAM Darrell Schweitzer has a story basis until its inventory (of 3 or 4 November: collection, WE ARE ALL LEGENDS, and issues) is used up. She wants to as¬ Harry Harrison .HOMEWORLD a novel, THE SHATTERED GODLESS, com¬ sure writers that "nobody's stories (First in the To the Stars trilogy, ing from Starblaze. will be returned"; that if they have WHEELWORLD follows in March and con¬ been accepted, they will be printed. cludes in July with STARWORLD. ) BOOK fgws: Then she indicated DESTINIES will Ed Naha .THE PARADISE PLOT cease, although Ace will remain a # ACE December: short-story market as she has plans November: to begin another magazine or "house" Michael Beryln....THE INTEGRATED MAN Rudy Rucker . WHITE LICHT anthology, entirely different from L. Sprague de Camp.CONAN AND THE Eileen Kemaghan .JOURNEY TO DESTINIES. As for the recession, .SPIDER GOD .... APRIL 101H she said Ace was "not as affected by (Fifth of the series although it Robert Asprin (Ed.) .... TALES FROM financial ups and downs" because of appeared after #6: CONAN THE ....THE VULGAR UNICORN their policy of low advances, and will REBEL by Poul Anderson) (THIEVES' WORLD II) continue to issue seven or eight tit¬ Trish Reinus ....THE PLANET OF TEARS George Warren . DOMINANT SPECIES les per month. (An allegorical fantasy) Ursula K. LeGuin...CITY OF ILLUSIONS January: Andrew Offutt.. .WHEN EEATH BIRDS FLY Upcoming titles include: an un¬ Andrew Offutt.THE MISTS OF DOOM titled collection of H. Beam Piper's Janet E. Morris .HIGH COUCH Andrew Offutt....SIGN OF THE MOONBOW work; an occult witch novel by Lynn .OF SILISTRA (Last 3 are Comae Mac Art Books.) Abbey, THE GUARDIANS; a sequel to CALLAHAN'S CROSSTIME SALOON called Upcoming titles: THE BEGINNING December: TIME TRAVELERS -- STRICTLY CASH by PLACE by Ursula K. LeGuin, VALIS by Larry Niven.THE PATCHWORK GIRL Spider Robinson and a new anthology Philip K. Dick, RE-ENTRY by Paul Dean Ing .ANASAZI of high fantasy edited by Terri Wind- Preuss, MXKINGBIRD by Walter Tevis, Harry Harrison.MAKE ROOM! MAKE ROOM! ling. THE HUMANOID TOUCH by Jack William¬ Arsen Damey... .THE SPLENDID FREEDOM son, SYZYGY by Frederik Pohl and a Ms. Windling, who illustrated Philip Jose' Fanner.MAKER OF "period piece anthology" by Forrest BASILISK, edited by Ellen Kushner, .UNIVERSES J. Ackerman. Others are: KALEVIDE is now the Ace editorial assistant. Andre Norton . FORERUNNER FORAY by Lou Gobel, SLOW FALL RISING by H. Beam Piper . SPACE VIKING 64 Stephen Leigh, LETHIAN LAMENT by Kev- in O'Donnell Jr. and an erotic fan¬ # DELL # FAWCETT GBQUB tasy by Robert Nye, titled MERLIN. November: FAWCETT CREST Gregory Benford § Gordon Eklund. November: # BERKLEY .FIND THE CHANGELING Andre Norton . HOUN OF THE HORN Harlan Ellison.HEATHBIRD STORIES November: THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST by Rob¬ December: Eric Van Lustbader .THE SUNSET ert A. Heinlein has over 200,000 .WARRIOR Andrew M. Stephenson...WALL OF YEARS copies in print. (First book of a trilogy) Gordon R. Dickson.WOLFLING Phyllis Ann Karr . FROSTFLOWER .AND THORN Charles Platt (Ed.)....DREAM MAKERS: Jack Dann ... .. JUNCTION # PLAYBOY THE IN00M40N PEOPLE WHO WRITE John Brunner .TIMESCOOP November: SCIENCE FICTION Vic Milan 6 Robert Vardeman..CITY IN (Interviews with 29 SF writers) .THE GLACIER From Berkley's newsletter about It DEL REY (Second book in the War of Powers SF, WORLDS AHEAD, comes word of an November: trilogy; the first published by all-out bidding war for the right to Playboy in October was THE film Frank Herbert’s SOUL CATCHER. Clifford D. Simak.THE VISITORS SIND ERE) REALM) On one side is Robert Redford, on James Kahn .. WORLD ENOUGH, AND TIME December: the other a partnership between Mar¬ L. Frank Baum.TIK-TOK OF OZ lon Brando, Jane and Peter Fonda and L. Frank Baum....THE SCARECROW OF OZ Vic Milan 6 Robert Vardeman ... THE the Confederation of American Indian L. Frank Baum.RINKITINK OF OZ .... DESTINY STONE Nations. Leigh Brackett.THE STARMEN (Final book in the trilogy) .OF LLYDRIS Upcoming titles include a new January: fantasy novel by Orson Scott Card, December: Jacqueline Lichtenberg 6 Jean Lorrah HART'S HOPE; the first two books, Frederik Pohl..BEYOND THE BLUE EVENT . FIRST CHANNEL DREAM DANGER and CRUISER DREAMS of .HORIZON (Third in the Gen-Sime series) a trilogy by Janet E. Morris, a Bat- (Sequel to GATEWAY) tlestar Galactica novel by Michael Frederik Pohl.GATEWAY Other upcoming titles include: Resnick and a trilogy by Kevin O'Don- John Brunner . PLAYERS AT THE SAVAGE EMPIRE: THE WHITE WOLF by nel. .... GAME OF PEOPLE Jean Lorrah, and MOLT BROTHER, first Daniel da Cruz.THE GROTTO OF in a new series by Jacqueline Lich¬ .THE FORMIGANS tenberg. C.L. Moore ...THE BEST OF C.L. MOORE U DAW L. Frank Baum.THE LOST PRINCESS November: . OF OZ # POCKET Tanith Lee . DAY BY NIQTT . They have bought two new novels November: Doris Piserchia .THE FLUGER by G. Harry Stine (Lee Correy): SHUT¬ TLE DOWN is one of the titles. Poul Anderson.THE DEVIL'S GAME Lin Carter (Ed.).... THE YEAR'S BEST Damien Broderick.THE DREAMING .FANTASY STORIES: 6 .DRAGONS E.C. Tubb . WORLD OF PROMISE A.E. Van Vogt...MISSION TO THE STARS (Dumarest of Terra #23) Ted White. BY FURIES POSSESSED # DOIBLEDAY December: Virginia Kidd 6 Ursula K. LeGuin- November: (Eds.) . EDGES Ian Wallace . THE LUCIFER COMET Charles Grant (Ed.) .SHADOWS III (Original anthology: Stories by Alan Burt Akers (Kenneth Bulmer) ... Gene Wolfe, Avram Davidson, Thomas .REBEL OF ANTARES Eric Van Lustbader.BENEATH AN .OPAL MOON M. Disch, Damien Broderick and M. J. (Dray Prescot #24) High among others) Pierre Barbet . COSMIC CRUSADERS December: (Contains BAfflOMET'S MET BOR and its In other news from Pocket: Keith sequel never before published in Manly Wade Wellman . AFTER DARK Laumer has delivered his long-awaited America, STELLAR CRUSADE) Roy Torgeson (Ed.) CHRYSALIS 8 Retief novel. They have bought a Richard Purtill...THE STOLEN GODDESS new novel from Philip K. Dick, VALIS REGAINED and one from Marta Randall, Grant Carrington .TIME'S FOOL the sequel to JOURNEY, titled MISH, Walter Tevis . FAR FROM HOME for around $20,000.00. Jack Vance .THE BOOK OF DREAMS (Short-story collection) (Fifth and final book in the Demon Prince series) Also due in January is Jack L. # SIGNET Jack Vance . DUST OF FAR SUNS Chalker's mainstream novel, THE DEV¬ November: (Original title, FUTURE TINSE, a IL'S VOYAGE, about the sinking of collection of four novelettes) Zach Hughes. .CRUSHER MAN the U.S.S. Indianapolis, the ship Jack Vance...TRULLION: ALASTOR 2262 that delivered the A Bomb. Another Jack Vance.MARUNE: ALASTOR 933 title set for later in '81 is CHAN¬ Jack Vance.WYST: ALASTOR 1716 Irwin 6 Love .THE BEST OF TREK #3 NEL'S DESTINY by Jacqueline Lichten¬ DAW Books recently purchased a berg and Jean Lorrah. new 140,000-word novel ‘from C.J. Cherryh, DOWN BELOW STATION, plus a # SIMON & SCHUSTER collection of six original novelet¬ November: tes. Josephine Saxton sold them a ten-story collection. 65 Jerry E. Poumelle .... KING DAVID'S

SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #18 In¬ SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #29 Inter¬ BACK ISSUES terview with Lester del Rey; Inter¬ views with John Brunner, Michael view with Alan Burt Akers; "Noise Moorcock and Hank Stine; "Noise THE ALIEN CRITIC Level" by John Brunner; "A Short Level" by John Brunner; SF News, SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW One for the Boys in the Back Room” SF film reviews. M OTHER BACK ISSUES ARE by Barry Malzberg. AVAILABLE SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #30 Inter¬ SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #19 In¬ views with Joan D. Vinge, Stephen $1.25 per copy terview with Philip K. Dick; Inter¬ R. Donaldson, and Norman Spinrad; EACH ISSUE CONTAINS MANY REVIEWS. view with Frank Kelly Freas; "The "The Awards Are Coming!" by Orson EACH ISSUE CONTAINS LETTERS FROM Notebooks of Mack Sikes" by Larry Scott Card; S-F News; Movie News. WELL-KNOWN SF 5 FANTASY WRITERS, Niven; "Angel Fear" by Freff; "The EDITORS, PUBLISHERS AND FANS. Vivisector" by Darrell Schweitzer. SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #31 Inter- view with Andrew J. Offutt; "Noise SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #20 In¬ THE FOLLOWING LISTINGS ARE OF Level" by John Brunner; "On the Edge FEATURED CONTRIBUTIONS terviews with Theodore Sturgeon of Futuria" by Ray Nelson. and Joe Haldeman; "Noise Level" by THE ALIEN CRITIC #5 Interview John Brunner; 'The Vivisector" by SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #32 Inter¬ with Fritz Leiber; 'The Literary Darrell Schweitzer; 'The Gimlet view with Andrew J. Offutt, Part 2; Dreamers" by James Blish; "Irvin Eye" by Jolin Gustafson. Interview with Orson Scott Card; Binkin Meets H.P. Lovecraft" by "You Got No Friends in This World" Jack Chalker. SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #21 In¬ by Orson Scott Card; "The Human terviews with Leigh Brackett 5 Ed¬ Hotline" by Elton T. Elliott. THE ALIEN CRITIC #6 Interview mond Hamilton, and with Tim Kirk; with R.A. Lafferrty; 'The Trench¬ "The Dream Quarter" by Barry Malz¬ ant Bludgeon" by Ted White; 'Trans¬ berg' "Noise Level” by John Brunner. SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #33 Inter¬ lations from the Editorial" by view with Charles Sheffield; "A Marion Z. Bradley. SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #22 In¬ Writer's Natural Enemy--Editors" terview with John Varley; "S-F and by George R.R. Martin; "Noise S E-X" by Sam Merwin, Jr.; "After¬ Level" by John Brunner. thoughts on Logan's Run" by Will¬ THE ALIEN CRITIC »9 "Reading iam F. Nolan; "An Evolution of Con¬ Heinlein Subjectively" by Alexei sciousness” by Marion Zimmer Brad¬ and Cory Panshin; "Written to a ley." SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #35 Inter¬ Pulp!" by Sam Merwin, Jr.; "Noise views with Fred Saberhagen and Don Level" by John Brunner; "The SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #23 In¬ Wollheim; "The Way It Is" by Barry Shaver Papers" by Richard S. Shav¬ terviews with A. E. Van Vogt, Malzberg; "Noise Level" by John er. Jack Vance, and Piers Anthony; Brunner; "Coming Apart at the "The Silverberg That Was" by Rob¬ Themes" by Bob Shaw. THE ALIEN CRITIC *10 An Inter¬ ert Silverberg. view with Stanislaw Lem; "A Nest of Strange and Wonderful Birds" SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #56 Inter- SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #24 In¬ by Sam Merwin, Jr.; Robert Bloch's view with Roger Zelazny; A Profile terviews with Bob Shaw, David G. Guest Of Honor speech; The Hein¬ of Philip K. Dick by Charles Platt; Hartwell and Algis Budrys; "On Be¬ lein Reaction. "Outside the Whale" by Christopher ing a Bit of a Legend" by Algis Priest; "Science Fiction and Polit¬ Budrys. ical Economy" by Mack Reynolds; An Interview with Robert A. Heinlein; SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #25 In¬ "You Got No Friends In This World" terviews with George Scithers, by Orson Scott Card. SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #14 In¬ Poul Anderson and Ursula K. Le terview with Philip Jose Farmer; Guin; "Flying Saucers and the Sty¬ "Thoughts On Logan's Run" by Will¬ mie Factor" by Ray Palmer; ONE iam F. Nolan; "The Gimlet Eye" by INMORTAL MAN--Part One. John Gustafson. SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #26 In¬ SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #15 In¬ terviews with Gordon R. Dickson terview with L. Sprague de Camp; and Larry Niven; "Noise Level" by "Spec-Fic and the Perry Rhodan John Brunner; "Fee-dom Road" by Ghetto" by Donald C. Thompson; Richard Henry Klump; ONE INMORTAL "Uffish Thots” by Ted White. MAN--Part Two.

SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #16 In- SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #27 Inter¬ terview with Jerry Poumelle; 'The views with Ben Bova and Stephen True and Terrible History of Sci¬ Fabian; "Should Writers Be Serfs... ence Fiction" by Barry Malzberg; r Slaves?"; SF News; SF film news; "Noise Level" by John Brunner; The Ackerman Interview; ONE IM¬ 'The Literary Masochist" by Rich¬ MORTAL MAN---Part Three. ard Lupoff.

SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #28 Inter- SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #17 In¬ view with C.J. Cherryh; "Beyond terview with George R.- R. Martin; Genocide" by Damon Knight; ONE IM¬ Interview with Robert Anton Wilson; MORTAL MAN---Conclusion; SF News; "Philip K. Dick: A Parallax View” SF film news 5 reviews. by Terrence M. Green; "Microcos¬ mos" by R. Faraday Nelson.