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IN THIS ISSUE Gwyneth Jones An Appreciation by MitchisonNaomi by Kristin King Change theWorld? by Shweta Narayan Three Lessons by Meriam Mary by Sussex Lucy Thief of Lives by M.J. Locke Up Against It by Francesca Lia Block Fairy Tales inElectri-City by Andrea Hairston Redwood Wildfire and by Carolyn Ives Gilman Isles of Forsaken the by Kathleen AnnGoonan SharedThis Dream Kimberly Moffitt edited by Regina Spellers and Blackberries Redbones and by Ryman Geoff Where Are You? P Can Science Fiction F Mr Mead F Paradise Tales B Memoirs of aSpacewoman G eature eatured oems ooks randmother R E eviewed A ssay rtist

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a g ma by by Managing Editor Vol. 1 No. 3—July 2011 Lew Gilchriist

Reviews Editor Features Nisi Shawl Can Science Fiction Change the World? h 3 Features Editor Essay by Kristin King L. Timmel Duchamp Where Are You? h 5 Arts Editor Poem by Mary Meriam Kath Wilham Three Lessons h 9 Poem by Shweta Narayan

$4.00 Grandmother Magma Feature Memoirs of a Spacewoman by Naomi Mitchison h 6 An appreciation by Gwyneth Jones

Reviews Paradise Tales by Geoff Ryman h 8 Reviewed by Victoria Garcia Blackberries and Redbones edited by Regina Spellers and Kimberly Moffitt h 10 Reviewed by Tanya C. DePass This Shared Dream by Kathleen Ann Goonan h 11 Reviewed by Deb Taber H Isles of the Forsaken by Carolyn Ives Gilman h 12 Reviewed by Nic Clarke 2 Redwood and Wildfire by Andrea Hairston h 14 Reviewed by Maria I. Velazquez Fairy Tales in Electri-City by Francesca Lia Block h 16 Reviewed by Jennifer Stevenson Up Against It by M.J. Locke h 17 Reviewed by Karen Burnham Thief of Lives by Lucy Sussex h 18 Reviewed by Cynthia Ward

Featured Artist Mr Mead h 22

© The Cascadia Subduction Zone, 2011

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In This ISSUE Cover banner collagraph of the Cascadia subduction zone by Marilyn Linden-Bode n

n

Cont. on p. 4 p. on Cont.

But a seed has a better chance of growing growing of chance better a has seed a But

imagined. a seed down and it will grow into a tree. tree. a into grow will it and down seed a

social movement that nobody has, as yet, yet, as has, nobody that movement social enough. Sure, sometimes you can just toss toss just can you sometimes Sure, enough.

and it could form a seed for a successful successful a for seed a form could it and model. Though it’s a start, it doesn’t go far far go doesn’t it start, a it’s Though model.

have imagined, but it could be a great story, story, great a be could it but imagined, have the world. I call that the Johnny Appleseed Appleseed Johnny the that call I world. the

be nothing like the organizer might herself herself might organizer the like nothing be vate people to act, and in that way change change way that in and act, to people vate

story. Of course, that second story would would story second that course, Of story. - moti will that — society better a of ­ vision speaks to the soul soul the to speaks

thor might be inspired to write yet another another yet write to inspired be might thor is missing: a dream that that dream a missing: is a a — fiction can plant the seed of an idea an of seed the plant can fiction

- au the and idea, her with happened what to work, but something something but work, to change. They have the idea that science science that idea the have They change.

and a desire to get right right get to desire a and organizer might tell the author of the story story the of author the tell might organizer science fiction can be a visionary force for for force visionary a be can fiction science

have visions and goals goals and visions have would be interesting, and full of story. The The story. of full and interesting, be would Many science fiction readers believe believe readers fiction science Many

for saving the world. They They world. the saving for what the story’s author imagined. But it it But imagined. author story’s the what better future come from? from? come future better

carry out an effective plan plan effective an out carry The result, of course, would be nothing like like nothing be would course, of result, The est one percent. Where do new visions of a a of visions new do Where percent. one est

not equipped to form or or form to equipped not

is an organizer, might try implementing it. it. implementing try might organizer, an is - wealthi the of enrichment the than rather

in the United States are are States United the in

told all her friends about it. A friend, who who friend, A it. about friends her all told the health and welfare of the entire world world entire the of welfare and health the

[A]ctivists and organizers organizers and [A]ctivists

story with a vision for social change and and change social for vision a with story humanity as a whole successfully promotes promotes successfully whole a as humanity

pose a reader got really excited about a a about excited really got reader a pose need visions of different futures, in which which in futures, different of visions need

- Sup us. in spark a lights what sharing and political visions a bad name. And yet we do do we yet And name. bad a visions political

hosting a salon or party, perhaps, perhaps, party, or salon a hosting — other Russia. Such collective dreams have given given have dreams collective Such Russia.

the organizers spend time talking to each each to talking time spend organizers the tatorship of the proletariat led to Stalinist Stalinist to led proletariat the of tatorship

collaboration, in which the dreamers and and dreamers the which in collaboration, - dic the of dream the and genocide, to led

But there is potential for an even closer closer even an for potential is there But ples, the US dream of Western expansion expansion Western of dream US the ples,

ing whenever they pick up a book. book. a up pick they whenever ing - exam two just take To sort. wrong the of

wealthiest one percent. percent. one wealthiest

- dream collective the in participate often any old dreams. We’ve already had plenty plenty had already We’ve dreams. old any

the enrichment of the the of enrichment the

often readers of speculative fiction, and and fiction, speculative of readers often bers of people to believe in. But not just just not But in. believe to people of bers

entire world rather than than rather world entire

share it with someone else. Organizers are are Organizers else. someone with it share - num large for enough big dreams — sion

3

health and welfare of the the of welfare and health

We make the dream, or we read it, or we we or it, read we or dream, the make We

- vi needs movement social successful A

successfully promotes the the promotes successfully

tribute. We’re all collectively dreaming. dreaming. collectively all We’re tribute.

will save the world? save will i

humanity as a whole whole a as humanity

- con can fiction speculative of authors and the social and political movements that that movements political and social the

different futures, in which which in futures, different

And that’s where the readers, editors, editors, readers, the where that’s And What do we need to do? How do we build build we do How do? to need we do What

[W]e do need visions of of visions need do [W]e

of the world’s peoples and problems. problems. and peoples world’s the of leftists in the US and elsewhere are asking, asking, are elsewhere and US the in leftists

tive change with a complex understanding understanding complex a with change tive issue and identity-issue movements. Now Now movements. identity-issue and issue

- posi for vision a combines that and soul and also fragmented into a host of single- of host a into fragmented also and

thing is missing: a dream that speaks to the the to speaks that dream a missing: is thing sustainable, and over time they weakened weakened they time over and sustainable,

- some but work, to right get to desire a and ments gained enough ground to become become to ground enough gained ments

ing the world. They have visions and goals goals and visions have They world. the ing - move these of none But world. better a

- sav for plan effective an out carry or form the population and gave them hope for for hope them gave and population the

in the United States are not equipped to to equipped not are States United the in movement galvanized large sections of of sections large galvanized movement

and other leftists, activists and organizers organizers and activists leftists, other and Women’s Liberation, and the Civil Rights Rights Civil the and Liberation, Women’s

ing fifteen years working with anarchists anarchists with working years fifteen ing mous social movements such as socialism, socialism, as such movements social mous

- spend after formed opinion, my in But - enor century, twentieth the In shape.

plan and do the work of carrying it out. out. it carrying of work the do and plan In the US particularly, our Left is in sorry sorry in is Left our particularly, US the In

save the world? the save

also gardeners, the organizers who make a a make who organizers the gardeners, also good enough to save humanity from itself. itself. from humanity save to enough good

movements that will will that movements

we need not only Johnny Appleseeds, but but Appleseeds, Johnny only not need we

nobody anywhere in the world has a plan plan a has world the in anywhere nobody the social and political political and social the

To move from inspiration to social change, change, social to inspiration from move To

an English speaker in the United States, States, United the in speaker English an do? How do we build build we do How do?

its fruits, and acquire more seeds to plant. plant. to seeds more acquire and fruits, its far as I can tell from my vantage point as as point vantage my from tell can I as far what do we need to to need we do what

ing tree, the gardener can come back, enjoy enjoy back, come can gardener the tree, ing and convulsive economic crises. And as as And crises. economic convulsive and elsewhere are asking: asking: are elsewhere

- fruit-produc rich, a into grows it if point, ing, environmental degradation, wars, wars, degradation, environmental ing, [L]eftists in the US and and US the in [L]eftists

protected from invasive species. At some some At species. invasive from protected - warm global catastrophic count: can we

Maybe even nourished with compost and and compost with nourished even Maybe ry, our world is facing more threats than than threats more facing is world our ry,

when it is watered, tended, and watched. watched. and tended, watered, is it when A decade into the twenty-first centu twenty-first the into decade A -

Essay by Kristin King Kristin by Essay

| Can Science Fiction Change the World? the Change Fiction Science Can Change the Synchronicity, collaboration, learning: Guin has pointed out, it is an ambiguous we change our dreams; our dreams change utopia. In it, the ideals of anarchism have World us. This kind of collaboration needs to been institutionalized. In their fervor to (cont. from p. 3) happen more often. stop marriage partnerships from becom- ing ownership, the citizens set up rules that work against Shevek and his wife, giv- In 2009, I was a member of the anar- ing them job assignments far away from chist/socialist organization Common Ac- each other. The parallel in the real world is tion. We engaged in coalition-building, that groups of anarchists tend to crystal- social justice work, and the development lize their ideals into rules, and the people of new theories. On comparing notes, we who aren’t living by the rules are excluded were struck by the influence of specula- from the group because they aren’t anar- [W]e were struck by the tive fiction on our political development. chist enough. influence of speculative We were also inspired by a science fiction (3) L. Timmel Duchamp’s five-book and fantasy discussion group in Chicago fiction on our political Marq’ssan Cycle. Where many utopias called Think Galactic, which was found- development. present a harmonious and orderly view ed by three anarchists reflecting on their of society, the Marq’ssan Cycle presents a experience at the WisCon science fiction region in struggle. The Pacific Northwest convention. Free Zone, another ambiguous anarchist We decided to host a panel on specu- lative fiction at Seattle’s annual anarchist utopia, is perpetually defending itself book fair. Ariel Wetzel, Lambert Rochfort, against threats from both inside and out. and I planned the panel “Beyond The The Free Zone is a work in progress, as any Dispossessed: Anarchism and Science society, anarchist or not, will always be. As Fiction.” We invited L. Timmel Duch- such, it’s a more realistic role model than amp, Nisi Shawl, Eileen Gunn, and Saab a full-fledged utopia. (We just need some Lofton, and then we put together a list of extraterrestrials to defend the Zone, and H science fiction texts that had influenced we’ll be set.) us — not just anarchist books, but other The Marq’ssan Cycle also presents an 4 anti-authoritarian texts, feminist books, important figure, Hazel. She is just an or- and world-imagining books. dinary woman, gradually drawn into po- Here are a few of the works that I chose litical action. How many role models are to discuss on the panel, either because they there for ordinary women? Not a lot. We have influenced my politics, or because ordinary women can’t imagine ourselves [W]e put together a list of they question political assumptions that becoming politically active because we’ve science fiction texts that anarchists and other leftists often make: never seen ourselves as heroes, and it’s had influenced us (1) Octavia E. Butler’s trilogy Lilith’s partly as a result of this that many groups Brood. Lilith’s Brood poses a question of leftists are male-dominated. But Hazel that anarchists need to answer. Is it pos- models an ordinary woman hero, who is a sible that the human race is doomed to bit bemused when people outside the Zone wipe itself out because genetically, hu- see her as a dangerous radical, because her mans dangerously combine both hierar- work within the Zone feels so natural and chical tendencies and great intelligence? ordinary. In other words, she is building Anarchism seeks to abolish hierarchy, but revolution the same way she used to make to what degree is that possible? It is com- coffee as a secretary. mon for anarchist groups to eradicate their (4) China Miéville’s Un Lun Dun. I formal hierarchical structures only to miss chose this novel because of Deeba, who informal hierarchies. As I see it, the aim at first plays second fiddle to the Real of anarchism needs to evolve — not to hide Heroine. She’s an unlikely heroine, rather from hierarchy, but to confront it openly an un-hero who ends up having to take and to establish egalitarian relationships on somebody else’s quest. What happens wherever we can. when she uncovers a plot and presents it to (2) Ursula Le Guin’s The Dispossessed. Anarchists often take the book’s civili- the Real Authorities? She discovers they’re

more invested in their own power than in

zation on the moon of Anarres as a role Cont. on p. 20 model for a utopian society, but as Le n

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. Review Lavender and 2010) (Exot, Poets 30

Filled with Breath: 30 Sonnets by by Sonnets 30 Breath: with Filled of editor the and 2011), Kitchens,

(Seven (Seven Zodiac Poet's The and 2006) Metrics, (Modern Flatbroke

The Countess of of Countess The of author the is She Poetics. Prose of Journal A

Sentence: Sentence: and Poetry, in Life American Foundation, Poetry Times,

The New York York New The in recently appeared have poems Meriam’s Mary

white smoke. white

lack the apple without you. without apple the lack is touch My touch. never we though her, of sake

I track. the round and round over, and over galloping the for out and inside burn I and say, they crime, a is

go I dull. Never full. rooms house, whole this had We This direction. my in sometimes directions, all in hair

you? are Where longing. of nettles the sharp How her blows wind the way the me, against her of brush

Kay Jackie accidental the blouse, white her in delight I How

Mew Charlotte

thunders. Be with me again. again. me with Be thunders.

dark unrelenting the where you without do I what determined. determined.

Then apart. do we what Then together. do we What

am I mansion. a have I last. they while night, and day 5

Hacker Marilyn of lights blue the all for feet, your at weeping fall and

i here you bring I table. My bed. My garden. secret My

speechless. speechless.

Lowell Amy

me makes womb red her with she but stride,

in skies take I arms. her in me takes eyes her with she Where are you? are Where

oh she, but stride, in bridges cities, mountains, take I ever: and Now them? with What’s me. from away

Grahn Judy name your took they and name, your said I Susie.

Dickinson Emily

the rivers are colliding. Are you home? you Are colliding. are rivers the

and rising, is balloon The bed. our proms, for place scholars have searched. The poets assure me. assure poets The searched. have scholars

No feeling. is face My feeling. of full so is face Her The this. explain to poetry science, history, no

Rich Adrienne is There aside. books boys, some with smoking bus,

I see her waiting on the corner for the yellow school yellow the for corner the on waiting her see I

from her shoulder. her from

Rossetti Christina

fall dress the Let Emily. Christina, Charlotte, Hilda,

place that storytellers go. I went there to find her, find to there went I go. storytellers that place

ever.

the learned I Early finished. I Pure, inhaled. I Putrid, as sweet as are greens her though memory, her loses

Sexton Anne farmer The she? is heavens the of corner what In

Tsao Wu

Where are you? are Where

is empty. Then my lungs have lost the use of calling: of use the lost have lungs my Then empty. is

chirping in the yard, but not in my language. my in not but yard, the in chirping

strand the until pearl, by pearl by, go years and pearls A flock of goldfinches answers, goldfinches of flock A you? are Where

my all her give I Say her. with love in am I Say Sometimes while I’m writing, I call out for you: for out call I writing, I’m while Sometimes

Doolittle Hilda Sappho

by Mary Meriam Mary by Where are you? are Where n Diving into the Dream Memoirs of a Spacewoman by Naomi Mitchison An Appreciation by Gwyneth Jones

Memoirs of a Spacewoman, according who stay at home grow old. Ironically, to Hilary Rubinstein, who introduces what Naomi Mitchison — herself removed my New English Library edition (1976), from education at puberty, like a proper “is not a memoir.” The fictional narrator Edwardian young lady — achieves, is that of this Sixties classic gives no account of rare thing in science fiction, a convinc- her childhood, her background, her early ing portrait of scientists at work (I think struggles. She plunges us into the midst of of Asimov’s The Gods Themselves, as being a rich and perilous scientific career, with in the same mode). It’s the world of her the minimum of modest preamble: “I father and her brother, both eminent sci- think about my friends and the fathers of my entists, and of her social circle, which in- children, I think about my children....” But cluded James Watson of DNA fame: but that’s how Naomi Mitchison does things, here she makes it her own. as an acquaintance with all her writing will As in real life, the most troubling prob- show you. It’s the way she lived her life, lems the scientists face are ethical ones. arguably. No reservations, no hesitation, It’s the pursuit of pure knowledge, versus just dive in. the dreaded Mineral Ministry — wreckers Mary the Spacewoman calls herself a of living worlds. It’s the highly intelligent “communicator.” I want to call her a xeno­ centipedoids, who use attractive warm- semanticist, because there’s nothing soft- blooded bipeds as their principal food- focus about her work. She and her fellow source. It’s the poignant First Contact scientists/explorers risk their lives and adventure with the “caterpillars and the H sanity on field trips to alien planets, at- butterflies,” where one team-member, pas- tempting to make contact, generally sionate and impulsive Francoise, finds her 6 nonverbal, with whatever conscious life duty of non-interference tested beyond the they find. Mary’s training involves many limit. If there is a single agenda in these hours of “contemplation,” which I know encounters, it’s the problem of Utopia, I’m going to call meditation, but that’s echoing Mitchison’s own Utopian writings only half of it. The rest is lab science. The and asking questions like those posed by technique is to find out what works in Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. Can the field by exposing yourself to the alien we live without exploitation? Is it ethical presence, then coming home and tracking to sacrifice the wellbeing of the masses to down the chemistry behind the meeting the hope of a perfected future? Is it logi- (Mary’s contemporaries are fully aware cally possible to contact another species of the molecular basis of biological com- (or race) without “interfering”? munication). Horrible allergic reactions, When I first read Memoirs, I knew two devastating emotions, vomiting fits are a modes of approved mainstream sf female common hazard; if things get even more characters: the feisty perfect girlfriend and invasive, that’s just part of the job. If Mar- the nurturing perfect mother. I knew the tians (friendly three-foot-high bipedal deconstruction and reaction against these King Crabs) communicate with their sex organs, Mary will cheerfully strip and do SF “realism” is not an likewise, at whatever cost. If volunteers issue. We never know are needed to have living, alien, pseudo- what a spaceship looks embryos grafted to their bodies, Mary is like; we never find out fearlessly intrigued — it’s this last research how “time-blackout” project that nearly costs her her sanity. travel works, except

Grandmother Magma SF “realism” is not an issue. We never that it keeps you young, know what a spaceship looks like; we never while those who stay at

find out how “time-blackout” travel works, home grow old.

except that it keeps you young, while those n

n

extreme tourism in her time. her in tourism extreme

yoga, and has done some some done has and yoga,

fish and two cats; practices practices cats; two and fish

- gold some son, and husband

in Brighton, UK, with her her with UK, Brighton, in

Terrain Topics; Local Terms.” Local Topics; Terrain (2009). She lives lives She (2009). Spirit being

Routledge, NY, 2004, pp. 125-151; “Otherworldly Conversations; Conversations; “Otherworldly 125-151; pp. 2004, NY, Routledge, Arthur C. Clarke, the latest latest the Clarke, C. Arthur

have been nominated for the the for nominated been have , , Reader Haraway The in Haraway Donna by discussed also it’s And

honors, several of her novels novels her of several honors,

tal.shtml (2009). Among other other Among (2009). Space

- http://www.strangehorizons.com/reviews/2008/06/an_experimen Imagination/ and (1999)

Deconstructing the Starships Starships the Deconstructing Vol. 15, Lesley Hall, Aqueduct Press, 2008, which can be found at: at: found be can which 2008, Press, Aqueduct Hall, Lesley 15, Vol.

and reviews are collected in in collected are reviews and , Conversation Pieces, Pieces, Conversation , Work and Life Her Mitchison: Naomi of review

novels for adults. Her essays essays Her adults. for novels

is discussed in Nic Clarke’s long, insightful insightful long, Clarke’s Nic in discussed is Spacewoman a of Memoirs

several highly regarded sf sf regarded highly several

the name Ann Halam, and and Halam, Ann name the ary 2011, pbk, 192 pages, ISBN-13: 978-1849210355. ISBN-13: pages, 192 pbk, 2011, ary

horror and thrillers, using using thrillers, and horror - Febru UK, Glasgow, Boyd, & Kennedy , Spacewoman a of Memoirs

novels for teenagers, mostly mostly teenagers, for novels

more bibliographic information for that edition: Mitchison, Naomi, Naomi, Mitchison, edition: that for information bibliographic more

fantasy, is the author of many many of author the is fantasy,

by specialists in Scottish Writing Kennedy & Boyd. Here’s a little little a Here’s Boyd. & Kennedy Writing Scottish in specialists by

critic of science fiction and and fiction science of critic

in various editions and at various prices. It was recently reprinted reprinted recently was It prices. various at and editions various in

Gwyneth Jones, writer and and writer Jones, Gwyneth

Gollancz, London, January 1962. It’s readily available second hand, hand, second available readily It’s 1962. January London, Gollancz,

was first published by by published first was Spacewoman a of Memoirs Mitchison’s Naomi

How to Find It Find to How

7

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ethical ones. ones. ethical

scientists face are are face scientists

problems the the problems

most troubling troubling most

As in real life, the the life, real in As

was astonishing. astonishing. was

the way things are.... It was insouciant; it it insouciant; was It are.... things way the

without “interfering”? without

word of apology or explanation; it’s just just it’s explanation; or apology of word

another species (or race) race) (or species another

fathers for her children. And all without a a without all And children. her for fathers

cally possible to contact contact to possible cally

posite sex, except sexually, or as prospective prospective as or sexually, except sex, posite

- logi it Is future? perfected

male scifi hero, she barely notices the op the notices barely she hero, scifi male -

masses to the hope of a a of hope the to masses

young woman, and just like your average average your like just and woman, young

rifice the wellbeing of the the of wellbeing the rifice

are of inestimable intellectual value. As a a As value. intellectual inestimable of are

- sac to ethical it Is tation?

qualities qualities female her that convinced danger;

- exploi without live we Can

there isn’t any. She’s casually heroic, cool in in cool heroic, casually She’s any. isn’t there

asking questions like… like… questions asking

she lives the dream. the lives she

Mary doesn’t struggle against oppression: oppression: against struggle doesn’t Mary the problem of Utopia… of problem the

, , Memoirs In us. of rest the as dreams same

like Joanna Russ’s “Female Man.” Man.” “Female Russ’s Joanna like having in these encounters, it’s it’s encounters, these in

the richness of her life, she dreamed the the dreamed she life, her of richness the

before: a woman of the future, actually actually future, the of woman a before: ­ be If there is a single agenda agenda single a is there If

caste, she suffered oppression, and despite despite and oppression, suffered she caste, ent. I’d never met an sf character like this this like character sf an met never I’d ent.

used today. But despite her privileged privileged her despite But today. used which does something more and differ and more something does which -

if she’d known both terms the way they’re they’re way the terms both known she’d if yet encountered Octavia Butler’s fiction, fiction, Butler’s Octavia encountered yet

called herself a womanist, not a feminist, feminist, a not womanist, a herself called Suzy Charnas, Ursula Le Guin. I hadn’t hadn’t I Guin. Le Ursula Charnas, Suzy

Maybe Naomi Mitchison might have have might Mitchison Naomi Maybe stereotypes, in the fiction of Joanna Russ, Russ, Joanna of fiction the in stereotypes, n The Master of Speculative Sex Paradise Tales by Geoff Ryman, Small Beer Press, July 12, 2011, 320 pp., $16.00 trade paperback/$9.95 DRM-free e-book. Reviewed by Victoria Garcia From the epic fantasy of The Warrior in essence, a fable, though it has more of Ryman’s narrative struc- Who Carried Life to the hypertext slice-of- a contemporary, urban feel. There, the un- tures are often nonlinear, life of 253, Geoff Ryman’s novels have been mourned dead speak through cell phones but never obtrusively so; both challenging and civilizing the world and laser printers, and the callow, brand- characters are complex of fiction for over twenty years. Often un- mad child of a deposed dictator earns re- and nuanced, but almost mistakably fantastic or sfnal in content, demption. The other Cambodian story, always sympathetic, or at Ryman’s books also exemplify some of the “Blocked,” is also a lovely read. least engaging… best characteristics of more mainstream or The stories about digital identity, per- mimetic work. Ryman’s narrative struc- sonhood, and culture are likewise strong tures are often nonlinear, but never ob- on the whole. “Warmth” reads like a riff trusively so; characters are complex and on “I Sing the Body Electric,” though it nuanced, but almost always sympathetic, seems to owe as much to the “wire mother” or at least engaging; and while his sub- primate psychology experiments of Harry ject matter is frequently raw, the rawness Harlow as it does to Bradbury. Though the is always handled with strength, finesse, ground it treads is not new, it offers fresh, and clarity. thoughtful, and compelling insight. Also In between publishing gorgeous, genre- engaging is “V.A.O.,” a cyber caper story shattering novels, Ryman has also pro- in which the wily hackers are the disen- duced a handful of shorter works. A franchised residents of a nursing home. quartet of the novella-length pieces were The best of the post-cyberpunk pieces, and published together as Unconquered Coun­ arguably the best story in the collection, is H tries in 1994. The current volume collects “You.” Here, the reader engages the story the balance of his others. With original as viewer of the life-record of an archae- 8 publication dates that range from 1985 ologist, who is viewing the life-record of to 2009, this book offers a wonderful lens her younger self, who is in turn viewing the through which to view the progression of life-record of an archaeologist who came Ryman’s craft. before. Though that may sound unwieldy, The collection begins with the lightest Ryman handles this multiplexing with un- and most fun tale in the lot, “The Film- obtrusive grace. As the story progresses, we makers of Mars.” In it we are shown a are introduced to aliens with a new kind lavish cinematic interpretation of Edgar of language and a new kind of compound Rice Burroughs and introduced to a stork- intelligence. By showing the reader these jointed alien queen with a taste for old alien collective beings through a hybrid Hollywood glamour. Though thoroughly point of view, Ryman is able to give the fanciful, the story could almost be consid- reader a sense of both her own potential ered a form of hard sf in which the techni- to be a participant in a collective mind and cal heft comes from silent film history and of her own incipient alienness. “You” is a early special effects engineering. perfectly glorious story. The next piece is the first of three set in Detectable false notes can be found in Cambodia; a group that constitutes some very few of the stories. The most jarring of of the most powerful material in the book. these occurs in “Birth Days,” a story pub- “The Last Ten Years in the Life of Hero lished in 2003 and nominated for a num- Kai,” a fable with Buddhist notes written ber of awards including the Tiptree and in an understatedly epic tone, concerns the BSFWA award for best short story. The a warrior who fights to free his people piece is set in a world in which homosexu- from the tyranny of magic and discovers ality has been definitively shown to be the

Reviews the wages of both heroism and leadership. product of alien intervention; specifically The other Cambodian stories include “Pol the insertion of alien genes into the human

Pot’s Beautiful Daughter,” which is also, genome. The protagonist, a gay molecular

biologist with a brisk, conservative mother, n

n

with careless sisters' skin. sisters' careless with http://www.shwetanarayan.org

She can be found online at at online found be can She Telling. Stone zine poetry the of 4 issue of with musk, wound around wound musk, with

Clarion 2007, was a Nebula finalist in 2011, and was guest co-editor co-editor guest was and 2011, in finalist Nebula a was 2007, Clarion

Their flutes are oiled are flutes Their

the Octavia E.Butler Memorial Scholarship for writers of color at at color of writers for Scholarship Memorial E.Butler Octavia the

tales, and writes poetry, prose poems, and short fiction. She received received She fiction. short and poems, prose poetry, writes and tales, their catches. catches. their

She is a PhD student in linguistics. She loves folk tales and fairy fairy and tales folk loves She linguistics. in student PhD a is She

preserve preserve

Arabia,The Netherlands, and Scotland before moving to California. California. to moving before Scotland and Netherlands, Arabia,The

too well how to piece together remake remake together piece to how well too Shweta Narayan was born in India, and lived in Malaysia, Saudi Saudi Malaysia, in lived and India, in born was Narayan Shweta

they cannot bake it dry. Only ash is safe. They know They safe. is ash Only dry. it bake cannot they

deep enough, drowned so sodden so drowned enough, deep

It can't be ripped fine enough, buried enough, fine ripped be can't It

2. Burn it. Burn 2.

to make you dance. you make to

into a trap. a into

for them, and string it string and them, for twilight notes into your loosening bones bones loosening your into notes twilight

Might as well hollow a gourd a hollow well as Might to bamboo flutes skin-wrapped, and sink and skin-wrapped, flutes bamboo to

and you gleam whole. Don't get distracted; get Don't whole. gleam you and before they set those wondering smiles wondering those set they before

till every paper flake is gone is flake paper every till don't get distracted. Strike distracted. get don't

rub worry hurt hurt worry rub babble, their eyes and gestures wide wide gestures and eyes their babble, —

Our simpler sisters know this: scrape this: know sisters simpler Our like hatchlings, their excited their hatchlings, like

and hide, silent. If they see you you see they If silent. hide, and —

3. If you see them, stuff your ears your stuff them, see you If 3. 1. Shed the whole skin. whole the Shed 1.

9

Three Lessons Lessons Three by Shweta Narayan Shweta by

i

creator John Aegard. John creator

sure of a book. a of sure ulations were in crisis, same-sex pairings pairings same-sex crisis, in were ulations with her husband, comics comics husband, her with

- trea challenging and beautiful a is It work. where. She lives in Seattle Seattle in lives She where. - pop when because millennia throughout

- else and , Review Indiana Ryman’s existing fans and those new to his his to new those and fans existing Ryman’s lates that human homosexuality persisted persisted homosexuality human that lates

Polyphony, The The Polyphony, in published

I recommend this collection to both both to collection this recommend I

- postu Ryman , denouement the In money.

fruit fly. Her fiction has been been has fiction Her fly. fruit

up and cheer. and up Ryman’s speculation was absolutely on the the on absolutely was speculation Ryman’s

and infertility in the male male the in infertility and

tist, “Omnisexual” made me want to stand stand to want me made “Omnisexual” tist, it’s important to note that, in some ways, ways, some in that, note to important it’s

the cellular bases of fertility fertility of bases cellular the

- scien fertility a as and fiction speculative

damental conceits are beyond ridiculous, ridiculous, beyond are conceits damental ington, where she studies studies she where ington,

world, and bear fruit. As both a reader of of reader a both As fruit. bear and world, - fun story’s the of many though And - Wash of University the at

mind can form connections, respond to the the to respond connections, form can mind a graduate student in biology biology in student graduate a ence for “Birth Days.” “Birth for ence

Victoria Elisabeth Garcia is is Garcia Elisabeth Victoria the myriad wondrous ways that body and and body that ways wondrous myriad the - audi wrong the exactly be therefore, may,

ways a body can become truly alien, and and alien, truly become can body a ways the genetics and cell biology of sperm. I I sperm. of biology cell and genetics the

is included in this collection. There we see see we There collection. this in included is lections I am a graduate student, studying studying student, graduate a am I lections

to stand up and cheer. and up stand to

strated gorgeously in “Omnisexual,” which which “Omnisexual,” in gorgeously strated that when not reviewing short story col story short reviewing not when that -

nisexual” made me want want me made nisexual”

comes to speculative sex. This is demon is This sex. speculative to comes - the parent’s bowel. I should note, however, however, note, should I bowel. parent’s the

- “Om scientist, fertility a

aside, Ryman is a true master when it it when master true a is Ryman aside, a series of pregnancies carried to term in in term to carried pregnancies of series a

speculative fiction and as as and fiction speculative

I should also note that, “Birth Days” Days” “Birth that, note also should I

ence, which involves, among other things, things, other among involves, which ence,

As both a reader of of reader a both As

no gastrointestinal childbearing required. childbearing gastrointestinal no the absurdity of the story’s underlying sci underlying story’s the of absurdity the -

exactly what Ryman suggested, but with with but suggested, Ryman what exactly strong and satisfying are overshadowed by by overshadowed are satisfying and strong

in the fertility of male conspecifics. This is is This conspecifics. male of fertility the in fortunately, the parts of the story that are are that story the of parts the fortunately,

from females makes up for any reduction reduction any for up makes females from homophobia, and self-determination. Un self-determination. and homophobia, -

as it does to Bradbury. to does it as

carry the gene, the increase in offspring offspring in increase the gene, the carry ing frame for questions about identity, identity, about questions for frame ing

experiments of Harry Harlow Harlow Harry of experiments

is hypothesized that within families that that families within that hypothesized is intervention conceit provides an interest an provides conceit intervention -

mother” primate psychology psychology primate mother”

in women. It It women. in — produce increased fertility increased produce

the story structure is elegant; and the alien alien the and elegant; is structure story the owe as much to the “wire “wire the to much as owe

correspond to male homosexuality do do homosexuality male to correspond

pregnancy. The characters are compelling; compelling; are characters The pregnancy. tric,” though it seems to to seems it though tric,”

at least some of the genes that appear to to appear that genes the of some least at

facilitate male-male fertilization and male male and fertilization male-male facilitate - Elec Body the Sing “I on

of 2009, research has begun to show that that show to begun has research 2009, of cures for homosexuality and technology to to technology and homosexuality for cures “Warmth” reads like a riff riff a like reads “Warmth”

could become extraordinarily fecund. As As fecund. extraordinarily become could spends the story developing both medical medical both developing story the spends n Our Bodies, Our Hair positive way, or was he met with resistance to his new locs? Blackberries and Redbones: Critical Articulations of Black Hair/Body I could identify with Dr. Ashe’s long- ing for locs — I’ve wanted them for quite Politics in Africana Communities, edited by Regina Spellers and a while myself, but always thought that Kimberly Moffitt perhaps the time wasn’t right or that they Hampton Press, 484 pp., $97.50 cloth/$40.61 trade paper might not be well received in a profes- Reviewed by Tanya C. DePass sional environment. I was right there with him as his family and friends reacted to Rarely do I read a book and feel the urge the change he had made. to tell everyone I know to go get a copy, but What stuck with me was how people Blackberries and Redbones is one of those kept saying he looked more professorial books that I think everyone should read. with his locs. I’ve never assumed one had Rarely do I read a book It’s not merely a bunch of opinion pieces; to have locs to fit in with one’s academic and feel the urge to tell it addresses the issues of black bodies and peers. Perhaps if you were teaching African everyone I know to go get black hair politics with a critical eye. And and Black Diaspora studies, then maybe I a copy, but Blackberries it takes care to do so in a way that is ac- could see an expectation to look a certain and Redbones is one of cessible to people who have anything from way, but this idea that Dr. Ashe somehow those books that I think a passing interest in these issues to those everyone should read. seemed more professorial based on having who have made them the topic of serious locs stumped me. I hope to read a follow- academic work. At first I was intimidated up to this essay to see if he kept the locs, by the book, because I thought maybe I or if he discovered that having them wasn’t needed an advanced degree to tackle criti- what he thought it would be. cal essays and such, but I was thankful to Second, I want to touch on “Pretty find this wasn’t the case. Color ’n Good Hair: Creole Women of There’s no topic that is left untouched in New Orleans and the Politics of Iden- the book: colorism, our bodies, the experi- tity,” by Yaba Amgborale Blay. Based on H ence of “loc’ing,” aging as a black woman, interviews conducted prior to Hurricane dealing with our hair (our wonderful Katrina, Ms. Blay’s essay looks into col- 10 and apparently mystifying hair), being orism, aka being “color struck” within our LGBTQ within our community, the issues community, specifically in regard to the and politics involved with whites adopt- heritage of Creole culture. Being someone ing Africana hair stylings, all are addressed who is fairly light-skinned and partially of and dissected, and opened up for discus- Creole heritage, I was drawn into the sto- sion through questions appearing at the Each essay touched ries told by Ma’Deeya and her two daugh- end of every essay. Each essay touched me ters, Inka Book and Red. Their words took me in a different way, in a different way, either by how I related either by how I related to me back to tales told by my grandmother, to the authors’ experiences, or by showing who could have easily passed for white and the authors’ experiences, me how they dealt in their lives with the or by showing me how was often mistaken as such. issues on which the pieces they’ve penned they dealt in their lives As I read it became apparent that color- concentrate. with the issues on which ism was going on within the essay itself, in The book contains too many essays to the pieces they’ve penned Ma’Deeya’s frequent references to the skin concentrate. address individually here, but I want to tone of the researcher and the assessment highlight two from Section One. First, that she could have never advanced in “Twisted: The Dreadlock Chronicles,” by Creole society. I often wondered what the Bert Ashe, a professor at the University of author’s skin tone had to be for the elder Richmond. I was especially excited by how of the family she was interviewing to keep the author relates his hair journey from remarking on it. This question almost dis- short, sharp cuts to finally sitting in the tracted me from the tales of quadroon and chair at the barber shop and feeling like his octoroon balls, where fair-skinned black getting loc’d was meant to be. As someone women as well as mixed-race women were in the midst of the loc’ing journey as well trotted out in front of European American as someone who works in academia, I fo- suitors. I was appalled to learn that these cused in on this essay like a hawk. Was Dr. balls were a way to keep the Creole race as

Ashe’s journey similar to mine? What had fair as possible and to maintain a separate

he gone through? Did his journey end in a identity from their darker brethren. n

n

gious, changing both the past and present. present. and past the both changing gious, ent an interwoven set of approaches to to approaches of set interwoven an ent Cont. on p. 13 p. on Cont.

- egre be can errors the and error, and trial - pres book the does only Not ideas. its

bringing it into practice requires much much requires practice into it bringing is is Dream Shared This of strength The

The problem with this theory is that that is theory this with problem The shame.

human race. human of female-fronted spy thriller movies to to movies thriller spy female-fronted of

ering in the transition to a mature, healthy healthy mature, a to transition the in ering tion puts the makers of the modern spate spate modern the of makers the puts tion

- ush and war to end an bringing humanity, - ac and intelligence feminine of bination

guiding principles can activate altruism in in altruism activate can principles guiding - com book’s The it. has family Dance the

ity, education, and archetypally feminine feminine archetypally and education, ity, the true nature of the device, they know know they device, the of nature true the

- plastic neural increased of combination a better world. While they don’t understand understand don’t they While world. better

Device. The Device’s creator believes that that believes creator Device’s The Device. the Device to enforce their own vision of a a of vision own their enforce to Device the

istry, aided by the ever-evolving Handtz Handtz ever-evolving the by aided istry, World War II. There are those who want want who those are There II. War World

movies to shame. to movies

- biochem and nanotechnology through international espionage dating back to to back dating espionage international

fronted spy thriller thriller spy fronted

acters try to bring the world to peace peace to world the bring to try acters Intertwined with all of this is a tale of of tale a is this of all with Intertwined

modern spate of female- of spate modern

- char the as created are which streams,

remember nothing of their previous lives. previous their of nothing remember

puts the makers of the the of makers the puts

the Dance family through different time time different through family Dance the has gone missing and her brother and sister sister and brother her and missing gone has

intelligence and action action and intelligence

The story follows various branches of of branches various follows story The one in which her mother mother her which in one — in a new world new a in

bination of feminine feminine of bination

read. — occasionally uncomfortable occasionally Kennedy assassination, only to find herself herself find to only assassination, Kennedy

- com book’s The

if if — in this endeavor, making for a valuable a for making endeavor, this in she travels back in time and prevents the the prevents and time in back travels she

succeeds succeeds Dream Shared This Goonan’s Ann Jill Dance discovers this at age 17, when when 17, age at this discovers Dance Jill

gles might mean in the real world. Kathleen Kathleen world. real the in mean might gles nonlinear approach to time and memory. memory. and time to approach nonlinear

- an new these what about think to reader between potential worlds and accesses a a accesses and worlds potential between

perspectives on humanity and entices the the entices and humanity on perspectives neural pathways; it also splits the pathways pathways the splits also it pathways; neural

Science fiction at its best reveals new new reveals best its at fiction Science The Handtz Device not only opens human human opens only not Device Handtz The

Reviewed by Deb Taber Deb by Reviewed

11

Tor, July 2011, 368 pp., $25.99 pp., 368 2011, July Tor,

i Goonan Ann Kathleen by Dream Shared This

eace Comes in Every Box Every in Comes eace P n

whatever that means. that whatever

- fill earshot, of out is mother their once long after you’ve read it. read you’ve after long and will eventually grow up, up, grow eventually will and

one grey-and-black tabby, tabby, grey-and-black one but her daughters give Ms. Blay the truth truth the Blay Ms. give daughters her but and your classes talking about these issues issues these about talking classes your and

Chicagoan and is mum to to mum is and Chicagoan attitude Ma’Deeya claims it’s not rude, rude, not it’s claims Ma’Deeya attitude Diaspora studies, because it will keep you you keep will it because studies, Diaspora

on her own. She’s a lifelong lifelong a She’s own. her on

In response to direct questions about her her about questions direct to response In gender studies, women’s studies, or African African or studies, women’s studies, gender

old enough to hold a book book a hold to enough old

the interviews on which the essay is based. based. is essay the which on interviews the enough as a textbook for anyone teaching teaching anyone for textbook a as enough

ten sci-fi as soon as she was was she as soon as sci-fi ten

family’s matriarch was with her during during her with was matriarch family’s Redbones and Blackberries recommend can’t

- writ and Galactica, Battlestar

that factored into how forthcoming the the forthcoming how into factored that deal with these issues every day, all day. I I day. all day, every issues these with deal Star Trek, Trek, Star series original

dark complexion. She writes about how how about writes She complexion. dark idea what it’s like for people of color to to color of people for like it’s what idea was raised on a diet of of diet a on raised was

37-year-old sci-fi fan who who fan sci-fi 37-year-old of Ghanaian descent, and has a relatively relatively a has and descent, Ghanaian of read this book, so that they can get a small small a get can they that so book, this read

Tanya C. DePass is a a is DePass C. Tanya of the essay, Ms. Blay reveals that she is is she that reveals Blay Ms. essay, the of non people of color, especially, ought to to ought especially, color, of people non

not have gotten a man. Towards the end end the Towards man. a gotten have not I leave you with the recommendation that that recommendation the with you leave I

ole community the essay’s author could could author essay’s the community ole or level of interest in the topics presented. presented. topics the in interest of level or

family often saying that within the Cre the within that saying often family - from them, regardless of ethnicity, gender, gender, ethnicity, of regardless them, from

terviews again and again, the elder of the the of elder the again, and again terviews ing. I think that anyone can get something something get can anyone that think I ing. presented. presented.

her cool as her color is brought into in into brought is color her as cool her - mative, well-written, and thought-provok and well-written, mative, - of interest in the topics topics the in interest of

give Ms. Blay lots of credit for keeping keeping for credit of lots Blay Ms. give - infor are book the in essays the of All ethnicity, gender, or level level or gender, ethnicity,

other blacks across three generations. I I generations. three across blacks other them, regardless of of regardless them, untouched.

get something from from something get when talking about discrimination against against discrimination about talking when any person of color who reads it will be left left be will it reads who color of person any

think that anyone can can anyone that think see how sanguine Ma’Deeya comes across across comes Ma’Deeya sanguine how see essay really hit home for me, and I doubt doubt I and me, for home hit really essay

thought-provoking. I I thought-provoking. in this country, but it still bothers me to to me bothers still it but country, this in dren’s photos because he was dark. This This dark. was he because photos dren’s

tive, well-written, and and well-written, tive, one aware of my history as a black woman woman black a as history my of aware one neglected to display one of her grandchil her of one display to neglected -

- informa are book the I shouldn’t be too surprised, nor as some as nor surprised, too be shouldn’t I - Ma’Deeya is; they point out that she even even she that out point they is; Ma’Deeya

All of the essays in in essays the of All As someone who comes from Creoles Creoles from comes who someone As ing the author in on just how color struck struck color how just on in author the ing n Complicated Freedoms son accustomed to the complexities of the Court,” says one, right before complaining Isles of the Forsaken by Carolyn Ives Gilman that the Admiral’s policy of integrating the ChiZine Press, July 2011, 312 pp., $15.95 Inning and the Native wings of the Navy means the end of all that is decent and or- Reviewed by Nic Clarke dered in the world. Isles of the Forsaken is a refreshing read. The man to whom this comment is de- A secondary-world fantasy novel that livered is Joffrey, one of several Islander isn’t set in pseudo-medieval Europe is a characters who have made careers within rare treat, if less unusual than it used to the colonial establishment, and whose A secondary-world fantasy be. A secondary-world fantasy novel that stories bring out the contradictions and novel that isn’t set in engages with gender and colonialism in a difficulties of embracing “progress,” when pseudo-medieval Europe nuanced, intersectional, and entertaining progress means subordination. As a Torna is a rare treat…. A way is even rarer. naval officer, Joffrey is both insider and secondary-world fantasy Hemmed in by the expectations of an outsider, and during the novel he comes to novel that engages with over-achieving family, idealistic Nathaway realize the fragility of that position. Lack- gender and colonialism in Talley flakes out of law school and heads ing the dubious cushion of being a model a nuanced, intersectional, for the so-called Forsaken Islands, in order minority, Harg, the largely unsung Adaina and entertaining way is to Make A Difference. His role, as he sees hero of the Innings’ last war, feels both even rarer. it, is to mediate between the locals and the inequality and threat more keenly; un- Inning Empire, smoothing the Islanders’ checked imperial domination, he knows, path from “poverty and ignorance” and means strip-mined Islands and “children “the most horrible superstitions” to the withered young by Inning contempt.” civilized liberty of Inning rule. This will, The character who most embodies the he imagines, bring him personal fulfill- novel’s keynotes of clashing freedoms and ment and the Islanders’ gratitude. intersecting oppressions is Spaeth, a Lash- That none of this goes as planned prob- nura — someone capable of healing others H ably won’t come as a surprise. What I ap- with her blood — on the island of Yora. Al- preciated about Isles, though, is that it goes though she has the appearance of an adult 12 wrong in such interesting ways. This is not woman, Spaeth was magically “created for (just) Nathaway’s story; his voice is only enjoyment and delight” seven years be- one of many that are heard during the fore, by her Lashnura lover Goth. Their novel, and most of the others belong to relationship is, frankly, disturbing given Islanders. Gilman quickly goes beyond the its clear imbalance of power, although we surface tale of smug, cackling imperialists see very little of it directly, Goth being ranged against wan, noble, and above all elsewhere for much of the novel. Gilman silent native victims. She probes the capac- works hard — if not wholly successfully — to ity of individuals on both sides for imagi- problematize the dynamic of manipulative, nation and generosity, exploitation and controlling father figure and naïve, impres- cruelty, without losing sight of the power sionable young woman. She explores how Gilman…probes the differential in relations between colonizers Lashnurai power gives them a vibrant, ur- capacity of individuals and colonized. gent connection with their physicality and on both sides for imagi- The Islanders themselves are riven by sexuality. It makes for an interesting magic nation and generosity, an ethnic and cultural divide, between the system with a real overtone of danger. exploitation and cruelty, stocky, rural-dwelling Adaina and the fair- It is also a magic that carries highly re- without losing sight of er-skinned, urbanized Torna. The Torna, strictive obligations to land and communi- the power differential in having played nicely with their new Inning ty, and Spaeth is positioned as a potential relations between colo- overlords, have a privileged status among victim on this axis, too. Healing creates nizers and colonized. the conquered peoples and the lion’s share an emotional and spiritual bond between of political and economic power; the wari- healer and healed that is both exhilarating er Adaina have been forced onto marginal and confining for a Lashnurai. Spaeth’s re- lands, and resent the Torna as collaborators. luctance to give up her autonomy to this Even as they play the two communities off role is movingly portrayed, and the Yorans’ against each other, the Innings we meet claims on Goth — and on her as his suc-

are disdainful of these “primitive” conflicts. cessor — are painted as predatory as well as

“Race hatred is refreshingly primal to a per- understandably desperate. Again, Gilman n

n

Cont. on p. 15 p. on Cont. - technol its until feel fiction science than improvement in youth around the world world the around youth in improvement

Handtz Device’s effects more of a fantasy fantasy a of more effects Device’s Handtz vating an interest in education and self- and education in interest an vating

plained until well into the book, giving the the giving book, the into well until plained - culti in succeed devices real-world These

- unex technology the of much leaves nan and their potential benefits in classrooms. classrooms. in benefits potential their and

- Goo as part, reader’s the on trust some to the modern use of tablet computers computers tablet of use modern the to

requires requires Dream Shared This Reading other children in distress, draws attention attention draws distress, in children other

ingly innocuous items. innocuous ingly features of their devices, using them to aid aid to them using devices, their of features

- seem and tools, learning toys, intriguing The way the book’s children interact with with interact children book’s the way The

of the Handtz Device wrap themselves in in themselves wrap Device Handtz the of

tial for cultivating a better human nature. nature. human better a cultivating for tial in the characters. the in

characters, much as the several iterations iterations several the as much characters, - poten the provides on, early attended erly and neural pathways grow grow pathways neural and

are enveloped by the unfolding lives of the the of lives unfolding the by enveloped are - prop when children, in plasticity neural much as shared memories memories shared as much

progression wherein the ideas ideas the wherein progression — nonlinear mention, illustrating Goonan’s point that that point Goonan’s illustrating mention, letting the story grow grow story the letting

though justifiably justifiably though — out into a smooth a into out the characters’ situation, situation, characters’ the The child characters also merit positive positive merit also characters child The

and the story itself. This soon straightens straightens soon This itself. story the and that places the reader in in reader the places that fectiveness of the Device as it matures. it as Device the of fectiveness

lationship between the ideas of the story story the of ideas the between lationship is near-meta storytelling storytelling near-meta is - ef the as well as equivalents, world’s own

on the reader’s part,… it it part,… reader’s the on - re call-and-response a almost in result characters are working against and our our and against working are characters

requires some trust trust some requires Dream progressions are at odds. These instances instances These odds. at are progressions encapsulates many of the prejudices the the prejudices the of many encapsulates

This Shared Shared This Reading where sometimes the ideas and character character and ideas the sometimes where toys in their cereal boxes. This single scene scene single This boxes. cereal their in toys

occasionally in the first third of the book, book, the of third first the in occasionally Company to include Handtz-augmented Handtz-augmented include to Company

pathways together. This approach falters falters approach This together. pathways encourages the head of the General Mills Mills General the of head the encourages

leaving the reader to connect the neural neural the connect to reader the leaving scene where Bette Dance, spy and mother, mother, and spy Dance, Bette where scene

like sparks of neurons firing in the pages, pages, the in firing neurons of sparks like The book truly shines in a sharp, witty witty sharp, a in shines truly book The

of the Device’s iterations and potential potential and iterations Device’s the of the characters. the

secret all at once, but rather drops hints hints drops rather but once, at all secret memories and neural pathways grow in in grow pathways neural and memories

story. She doesn’t let the reader in on the the on in reader the let doesn’t She story. tion, letting the story grow much as shared shared as much grow story the letting tion,

ideas reinforces their emergence in the the in emergence their reinforces ideas - situa characters’ the in reader the places

13

world, but the way Goonan presents those those presents Goonan way the but world, however; it is near-meta storytelling that that storytelling near-meta is it however;

time, memory, and the concept of a better better a of concept the and memory, time, ogy is revealed. This is not false suspense, suspense, false not is This revealed. is ogy i

(cont. from p. 11) p. from (cont.

blogs at Eve's Alexandria. Eve's at blogs Dream Shared The

, and and , Vector and SFX, rizons,

­ Ho Strange for fiction views

they are not truly free.” truly not are they - re also She 2012. in ledge

- impar impersonal, by ruled state a archy,” are susceptible to hatred and unreason; unreason; and hatred to susceptible are - Rout by published be will

Medieval Arabic Narratives,” Narratives,” Arabic Medieval - “lex a is Empire The Islander. and Inning otherwise be capable of.... The unhealed unhealed The of.... capable be otherwise

Muslim Conquest of Iberia: Iberia: of Conquest Muslim the central clash of perspective between between perspective of clash central the ways of moving and acting that we might might we that acting and moving of ways

of her doctoral thesis, “The “The thesis, doctoral her of

choice can be completely free. Here lies lies Here free. completely be can choice make us stiff and unsupple; they cut off off cut they unsupple; and stiff us make

history. A revised version version revised A history.

her growing awareness of the fact that no no that fact the of awareness growing her fered is still with us in some way. The scars scars The way. some in us with still is fered

and teaches medieval Islamic Islamic medieval teaches and

and and — on which she will make her choice her make will she which on his or her soul. Every harm we have suf have we harm Every soul. her or his -

UK, where she researches researches she where UK,

will be rescued from her fate, but the terms terms the but fate, her from rescued be will “[I]n life, a person accumulates pain in in pain accumulates person a life, “[I]n Nic Clarke lives in Oxford, Oxford, in lives Clarke Nic

sion in Spaeth’s story is not whether she she whether not is story Spaeth’s in sion Island way of life: of way Island

- ten narrative the Pleasingly, themselves. plains, this is why healing is central to the the to central is healing why is this plains,

meaning, of course, for for course, of meaning, — entirely by their own efforts. As Goth ex Goth As efforts. own their by entirely - is best for her for best is

slates, whose position in life is determined determined is life in position whose slates, by people convinced that they know what what know they that convinced people by

be completely free. completely be

and people are not blank blank not are people and — Inning or Adaina, Spaeth is surrounded surrounded is Spaeth Adaina, or Inning is not level not is

fact that no choice can can choice no that fact

rather than less, constrained. less, than rather to stage a trial on Yora. The playing-field playing-field The Yora. on trial a stage to

ing awareness of the the of awareness ing

Nathaway’s sister Rachel, are differently, differently, are Rachel, sister Nathaway’s confusion and chagrin when attempting attempting when chagrin and confusion

choice - grow her d an —

and Inning women, as we glimpse through through glimpse we as women, Inning and ning law, as Nathaway discovers to his his to discovers Nathaway as law, ning

which she will make her her make will she which

mination as the community’s demands; demands; community’s the as mination required to operate effectively within In within effectively operate to required - fate, but the terms on on terms the but fate,

bit as much of a threat to her self-deter her to threat a of much as bit - But this ignores the cultural knowledge knowledge cultural the ignores this But be rescued from her her from rescued be

sible for their own actions.” own their for sible every and well-meaning, (paternalistically) not whether she will will she whether not

- respon be to men frees which gift “a says, both be to shown is superstition horrible in Spaeth’s story is is story Spaeth’s in

create a just society: it is, as the Admiral Admiral the as is, it society: just a create from maiden helpless beautiful, the save [T]he narrative tension tension narrative [T]he

Its proponents assume that law alone can can alone law that assume proponents Its to intent avowed Nathaway’s civilization

tial laws rather than fallible human beings. beings. human fallible than rather laws tial representative-of- matters; complicates n Beautiful Recovery Redwood and Wildfire by Andrea Hairston Aqueduct Press; February 28, 2011; 448 pp.; $20.00 Reviewed by Maria I. Velazquez Redwood and Wildfire centers on love, While Redwood and Aidan’s love is the hoodoo of the blues, and survival. central to Redwood and Wildfire, this is This nuanced and This nuanced and exuberant exploration not the kind of love story where people exuberant exploration of of American identity is set immediately get rescued. Like a blues singer, Hairston American identity is set before and during the Great Migration, refuses to “make hurting pretty.” When immediately before and when many black Southerners fled the the nephew of the man who attempted to during the Great Migra- racism of the American South, sharecrop- rape her mother successfully rapes Red- tion, when many black ping, and lynch mobs only to discover the wood, the scene is visceral, powerful, and Southerners fled the racism, poverty, and tenements of north- honest. Redwood’s complicated emotional racism of the American ern cities like Chicago. This history drives response to both her rape and its effects South,…only to discover a story of parental legacies, familial ghosts, (including her rapist’s death) reverberate the racism, poverty, and and self-recovery. throughout the text, highlighting that part tenements of northern In 1898 in Peach Grove, Georgia, a of what Hairston is arguing for in Red­ cities like Chicago. white lynch mob murders Garnett Phipps, wood and Wildfire is the radical utility of a black conjure woman who shot the white grief as a component of nation-building man who tried to rape her. The night of and emotional recovery. The cycle of blues her death, Garnett sends her family, in- and its explicit lyrical connections to grief, cluding her daughter, Redwood, on a jour- trauma, healing, and the physical becomes ney through time and swamp so that they a metonym for American history, con- can escape that same fate. Aidan Cooper, quest, and slavery. Hairston suggests that H [T]his is not the kind an Irish-Seminole teenager, sees the mob the only way out of this historical trauma is of love story where people in action but is unable to stop them. In- through. Love can be redemptive, but only 14 get rescued. Like a blues stead, after Garnett has died he cuts her when coupled with a sustained engage- singer, Hairston refuses to body down and lays her to rest in a church, ment with the past through storytelling: “make hurting pretty.” so that her family will be able to prop- national, regional, and personal. erly mourn her passing. Garnett’s death What is especially interesting about haunts both Aidan and her surviving chil- Hairston’s argument is that she explicitly dren, particularly Redwood, similar to her links this personal and emotional recov- mother in looks and talent. As Redwood ery to the history of technology and per- grows into a beauty, a conjure woman, and formance. Upon her escape from Peach a fiercely independent intellectual, the Grove, Redwood’s passion becomes acting, same forces that killed the mother begin to singing, and performing. Because she is bit- coalesce around the daughter. These forces ter about the roles she is offered as a black threaten both her life and her nascent rela- woman and has a commitment to telling The cycle of blues and its tionship with Aidan, one of the few people stories where black and brown people can explicit lyrical connections in Peach Grove who fully believes in Red- be heroes, Redwood begins fundraising to to grief, trauma, healing, wood’s magical prowess. create a movie featuring black and brown and the physical becomes a When Redwood kills a white man in- actors in prominent roles. This project metonym for American his- tent on raping her, she flees north in order grows to incorporate Redwood’s ghosts, the tory, conquest, and slavery. to escape a new lynch mob. Because of her Christian influence of Chicago’s black club …Love can be redemptive, rape and her rapist’s death, Redwood no women, the loa Erzulie, pirates, and Red- but only when coupled longer trusts her own hoodoo; she has lost wood’s own rebirth. Throughout, Hairston with a sustained engage- the belief and trust necessary to perform places an emphasis on the technologies of ment with the past through truly powerful magic. Aidan, her friend stories and self-narration: journaling, oral storytelling: national, and confidante, covers for the killing for histories, fables, songs, vaudeville, film, and regional, and personal. several years, remaining in Peach Grove the work of writing fiction. until he too is forced to make the journey Hairston challenges the reader to con-

to Chicago. sider recovery from trauma as a process

and as a journey, not as a destination or n

n

com to learn more. learn to com

- mak of trap storytelling the into falling

her online at www.inkfuscate. at online her

those who resist it? resist who those ent mix of good and ill, yet Goonan avoids avoids Goonan yet ill, and good of mix ent and various anthologies. Visit Visit anthologies. various and

to force that world upon upon world that force to - differ a about bring can intentions good Magazine Fantasy in peared

is possible, is it ethical ethical it is possible, is - ap have stories Her fiction. the device underscore how easily and often often and easily how underscore device the

izing in dark speculative speculative dark in izing altruistic, warless world world warless altruistic, time streams or worlds that spin off from from off spin that worlds or streams time

- special press small winning

the reader: if creating an an creating if reader: the neath the action and situations. The many many The situations. and action the neath

Apex Publishing, an award- an Publishing, Apex

leaves unanswered for for unanswered leaves

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the senior book editor for for editor book senior the

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performs slave duties for for duties slave performs without connections to the US. Also, the the Also, US. the to connections without long after the story ends. story the after long

Deb Taber writes, edits, and and edits, writes, Taber Deb other significant events, particularly those those particularly events, significant other maining characters are left to ponder them them ponder to left are characters maining

but Goonan doesn’t pay much attention to to attention much pay doesn’t Goonan but - re the and readers but herself, for tions

prime turning points for worldwide peace, peace, worldwide for points turning prime - ques these answers character One good?

War II and the Kennedy assassination are are assassination Kennedy the and II War esque device acceptable if its intentions are are intentions its if acceptable device esque

lacks subtlety: World World subtlety: lacks Dream Shared This in hind it all, is an Orwellian Big Brother- Big Orwellian an is all, it hind

The presentation of some of the ideas ideas the of some of presentation The - be And world? better a on bringing from

changes in an increasingly unified world. unified increasingly an in changes ethics, is that reason enough to hold back back hold to enough reason that is ethics,

that empowers children to make positive positive make to children empowers that it? In the end, if we have qualms about its its about qualms have we if end, the In it?

presenting a far more advanced alternative alternative advanced more far a presenting to force that world upon those who resist resist who those upon world that force to

lustrates where our modern devices fail, fail, devices modern our where lustrates istic, warless world is possible, is it ethical ethical it is possible, is world warless istic,

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ments where this sort of technology and and technology of sort this where ments What gives the book its ultimate power power ultimate its book the gives What

15

- environ world third and cities inner in world-gone-completely-wrong.

when they’re made accessible, particularly particularly accessible, made they’re when ing these offshoots simplistic examples of of examples simplistic offshoots these ing

i alumna of Smith College. Smith of alumna

Ron Brown Scholar and an an and Scholar Brown Ron

(cont. from p. 13) p. from (cont. virtual world. Maria is also a a also is Maria world. virtual

Light Center, an adults-only adults-only an Center, Light

Dream Shared The

racist blogosphere, and Red Red and blogosphere, racist

Color Association, the anti- the Association, Color

tention to the Bellydancers of of Bellydancers the to tention

at at — is not precisely one of forgiveness of one precisely not is - at particular paying building,

tral legacies and survival. and legacies tral as a component in community community in component a as men who caused her death. His storyline storyline His death. her caused who men

examines the use of the body body the of use the examines - ances of evidence as half-memories and remembering the names and faces of the the of faces and names the remembering

blog. Her dissertation project project dissertation Her blog.

that relishes its own fragments, allusions, allusions, fragments, own its relishes that right” by loving her family as his own and and own his as family her loving by right”

com), a feminist pop culture culture pop feminist a com),

wood’s Gullah past to create a narrative narrative a create to past Gullah wood’s

haunts him as well, enjoining him to “do “do to him enjoining well, as him haunts

(www.thehathorlegacy. Legacy

lands. These stories intertwine with Red with intertwine stories These lands. - While Aidan is not Garnett’s child, she she child, Garnett’s not is Aidan While

he Hathor Hathor he T for blogs She ing.

removal of Native peoples from Georgia Georgia from peoples Native of removal

to think about multiple types of trauma. trauma. of types multiple about think to

- writ creative of power the

migrants; and the histories of the forced forced the of histories the and migrants; Hairston also challenges the reader reader the challenges also Hairston young people in DC discover discover DC in people young

swamp; the American stories of Irish im Irish of stories American the swamp; - Aidan and his guilt. his and Aidan bia-based nonprofit that helps helps that nonprofit bia-based

- Colum of District a Voices, druid; the Native legends of Okefenokee Okefenokee of legends Native the druid; oncile with her brother and his anger or or anger his and brother her with oncile

serves on the board of Lifting Lifting of board the on serves dess-protector of Ireland composed by a a by composed Ireland of dess-protector her multiple selves before she can rec can she before selves multiple her -

Maryland, College Park. She She Park. College Maryland,

- god the to paean a Amergin,” of “Song

and her rapist. Redwood has to reconcile reconcile to has Redwood rapist. her and

student at the University of of University the at student

thologies, including a brief excerpt from from excerpt brief a including thologies, free herself from the ghosts of her rape rape her of ghosts the from herself free

Maria Velazquez is a doctoral doctoral a is Velazquez Maria

shares with Redwood combine Irish my Irish combine Redwood with shares - over black lives that Redwood is able to to able is Redwood that lives black over

triumphant talks of survival. The stories he he stories The survival. of talks triumphant lenging the boneyard baron’s sovereignty sovereignty baron’s boneyard the lenging

a witness both to histories of murder and and murder of histories to both witness a - chal directly and spirit, unquiet mother’s

vening is Aidan himself. He is called to be be to called is He himself. Aidan is vening through completing the film, releasing her her releasing film, the completing through destination or a goal. a or destination

person who truly blames him for not inter not for him blames truly who person - and as a journey, not as a a as not journey, a as and and Aidan becomes unstable. It is only only is It unstable. becomes Aidan and

able to identify several of its members, the the members, its of several identify to able from trauma as a process process a as trauma from project, her relationships with her brother brother her with relationships her project,

reader to consider recovery recovery consider to reader the lynch mob murder Garnett and was was and Garnett murder mob lynch the ing success in her fundraising for her film film her for fundraising her in success ing

Hairston challenges the the challenges Hairston nett or Redwood for it. While he watched watched he While it. for Redwood or nett in the Chicago arts scene and starts see starts and scene arts Chicago the in -

least, not one where he needs to ask Gar ask to needs he where one not least, - a goal. As Redwood rises to prominence prominence to rises Redwood As goal. a n Snarky Sweet Fairy Tales in Electri-City by Francesca Lia Block A Midsummer Night’s Press, March 2011, 78 pp., $13.95 Reviewed by Jennifer Stevenson

There are two schools of journalism, I and after many days and many nights was told as a child: the “gee whiz” school the one i had not recognized before and the “aw shit” school. Those who write Block’s lovers come came to my door about love and magic tend also to fall into as elves, as centaurs, as these two schools, although not both at Reunion is a recurrent theme in these satyrs, giants, vampires, once, and generally they like to finish on poems, an optimistic one. Optimism, in zombies, witches, and fact, makes this collection remarkable. warlocks. The fairies seem a down note. “Aw shit” is more sophisti- cated, and it gets you invited to read in Even “The Vampire” takes a turn for the to be friends and advi- better: sors.… the species count coffeehouses. but a strange thing happened does get dazzling. Francesca Lia Block’s Fairy Tales in Electri-City mocks fairies and takes them the vampire no longer felt empty seriously, assigns animal heads to old lov- he no longer felt thirsty ers and new lovers, accuses and thanks, and ends: despairs and hopes. In that order. Thank goodness! I never had much patience for and together they stepped the young turks in black leather, their into the dark and polished private prominent Adam’s apples working as they stone garden drone about gas works and love failing in of merciful memory the gutter. In “Bear and Deer,” a bear finds his fa- Block’s lovers come as elves, as cen- ther dead in a cave: taurs, as satyrs, giants, vampires, zombies, H A red tailed hawk circled above his head witches, and warlocks. The fairies seem to the bear recognized his father’s spirit 16 be friends and advisors. I’m an experienced bird watcher, but the species count does get for he had learned dazzling. Block also writes here about in- that not to believe in such things cest, the emotional kind anyway, with a light makes life a cave touch that sidesteps Plath’s grotty bodily without an opening fluids, or the bald rage of Sharon Olds. to spring On the fairy waterslides of these poems, Accustomed as I am to poetry about the reader rides a seamless continuum breast cancer, men murdering prostitutes from childhood wonder to the explo- with shotguns, and the deaths of children There’s lots of mor- sive, possessed, and possessive miracles a presented with the grittiest realism, I was dant humor, yes, rescuing child experiences in incest; to the reitera- blinded by the optimism, even the certain- the poems from the “gee tive plunges into disappointment, rejec- ty of good news in these poems. Block salts whiz” cutes. But their tone tion, and grisly self-transformation of the her fairies with plenty of snark, but reading is far from dark. loves she finds in adulthood; and finally, to them, I actually came to trust her. She was smooth passage into mature love, to a hero going to get me home safe. You don’t get a woman can believe in. It all happens to that much, these days. one person, not to some robot or monster chopped up, reassembled, critiqued, rede- signed, renamed, wandering in pieces and bereft. This woman befriended by fairies is whole. I was blinded by There’s lots of mordant humor, yes, res- the optimism, even the cuing the poems from the “gee whiz” cutes. certainty of good news in But their tone is far from dark. I’ll only these poems. Jennifer Stevenson is the mention three individually, briefly.

author of Trash Sex Magic. In “Tin” the speaker finds and loses her

She lives in Chicago. love twice, in magical guises: n

n

the crisis unfolds, Jane often acts in ways ways in acts often Jane unfolds, crisis the

Cont. on p. 19 p. on Cont.

character we’re introduced to. However, as as However, to. introduced we’re character speak to it using a musical interface. musical a using it to speak

solid marriage. At least, that’s the sort of of sort the that’s least, At marriage. solid crisis, and the computer experts learn to to learn experts computer the and crisis,

good at her job, and also has a real and and real a has also and job, her at good forms in the life support system during the the during system support life the in forms

worked hard to achieve her position, is is position, her achieve to hard worked Plus, there’s a rogue AI that spontaneously spontaneously that AI rogue a there’s Plus,

usually really identify with: a woman who’s who’s woman a with: identify really usually are safely heterosexual binary pairings. pairings. binary heterosexual safely are

sioner. This is the sort of character that I I that character of sort the is This sioner. most of the foregrounded relationships relationships foregrounded the of most

- commis resource the Jane, there’s Then polyamory are unremarkable, even though though even unremarkable, are polyamory

be dead several times over. over. times several dead be background wherein gay marriage and and marriage gay wherein background

ment/military guy Sean, the kids would all all would kids the Sean, guy ment/military diversity being whitewashed out), and a a and out), whitewashed being diversity

- govern lifetime tough-yet-understanding ethnic backgrounds (without their cultural cultural their (without backgrounds ethnic

and b) without the constant assistance of of assistance constant the without b) and less forms, a cast of characters from diverse diverse from characters of cast a forms, less al binary pairings. binary al

of one action-based set piece after another; another; after piece set action-based one of - gender sometimes and exotic into modify - heterosexu safely are ships

in maneuvering the kids to be at the center center the at be to kids the maneuvering in bio- ­ self- who people of group a got also - relation foregrounded the

a) the hand of the author features heavily heavily features author the of hand the a) able, even though most of of most though even able, the Magic Kingdom” whuffies.) You’ve You’ve whuffies.) Kingdom” Magic the

comes evident throughout the book that, that, book the throughout evident comes - unremark are polyamory to Cory Doctorow’s “Down and Out in in Out and “Down Doctorow’s Cory to

- be it However, . Brother Little like books in wherein gay marriage and and marriage gay wherein “sammies.” (Locke acknowledges her debt debt her acknowledges (Locke “sammies.”

out), and a background background a and out), sort of protagonists that Doctorow features features Doctorow that protagonists of sort rate each other with positive or negative negative or positive with other each rate

diversity being whitewashed whitewashed being diversity exactly the the exactly — than the government forces government the than others allow the colonists to constantly constantly to colonists the allow others

(without their cultural cultural their (without viduals who are sometimes more effective effective more sometimes are who viduals rights the colony is handsomely paid), and and paid), handsomely is colony the rights

diverse ethnic backgrounds backgrounds ethnic diverse

- indi resourceful generally are and blers equivalent reality TV show (for which which (for show TV reality equivalent

[A] cast of characters from from characters of cast [A]

- nanoassem with hacking some do friends content back to Earth for use in a future- a in use for Earth to back content

appeal to him: adolescent Geoff and his his and Geoff adolescent him: to appeal turized and are omnipresent. Some beam beam Some omnipresent. are and turized

Doctorow, and I can see how it would would it how see can I and Doctorow, - minia been have cameras ubiquity: media

the book carries with it a blurb from Cory Cory from blurb a it with carries book the On the contemporary side, we have total total have we side, contemporary the On

Turning to the characters, I notice that that notice I characters, the to Turning Martian Mafia. Mafia. Martian

17 any more. any that the only available ice belongs to the the to belongs ice available only the that

ity mining the asteroids” future for granted granted for future asteroids” the mining ity

Equations-style, orbital dynamics says says dynamics orbital Equations-style,

i

- “human a take to hard bit a it’s out, stalled and air) has been sabotaged, and Cold Cold and sabotaged, been has air) and

ration of the solar system has completely completely has system solar the of ration Kuiper Belt (used to give the colony water water colony the give to (used Belt Kuiper

- explo manned current our way the Given the colony’s last ice shipment from the the from shipment ice last colony’s the

in this future when it obviously isn’t now? now? isn’t obviously it when future this in erarchy, and a traditional existential threat: threat: existential traditional a and erarchy,

etry or energy make such a thing profitable profitable thing a such make energy or etry - hi government traditional a is There dens.

- rock in advances What place? first the in - gar botanical fantastical grow researchers

allowed the asteroid cluster to be inhabited inhabited be to cluster asteroid the allowed where miners look for useful metals and and metals useful for look miners where

going deeper: what are the economics that that economics the are what deeper: going side we have the asteroid cluster setting, setting, cluster asteroid the have we side

for a communications frequency. And And frequency. communications a for it a contemporary feel. On the traditional traditional the On feel. contemporary a it

terial would block it; it’s a horrible choice choice horrible a it’s it; block would terial genre traditions, with some updates to give give to updates some with traditions, genre

story. story.

electromagnetic spectrum. Any flimsy ma flimsy Any spectrum. electromagnetic - is firmly rooted in core core in rooted firmly is It Against Up

cohere into a compelling compelling a into cohere

meters is in the UV/X-Ray portion of the the of portion UV/X-Ray the in is meters

one of the impressive novels of 2011. of novels impressive the of one

elements, but they rarely rarely they but elements,

cate on the 6.5 nm wavelength. 6.5 nano 6.5 wavelength. nm 6.5 the on cate -

that this book isn’t going to stand out as as out stand to going isn’t book this that

It has many promising promising many has It

One character tells another to communi to another tells character One - notes. While there is plenty to praise, I feel feel I praise, to plenty is there While notes.

the book really grabbed me. For example: example: For me. grabbed really book the I often got tossed out of the story by off- by story the of out tossed got often I

I would never give a second thought had had thought second a give never would I stop reading the book and nitpick it, and and it, nitpick and book the reading stop

myself distracted by trivial details to which which to details trivial by distracted myself a compelling story. I was all too able to to able too all was I story. compelling a

problems is the pacing. I repeatedly found found repeatedly I pacing. the is problems ing elements, but they rarely cohere into into cohere rarely they but elements, ing

and I suspect that the root cause of both both of cause root the that suspect I and too easy to put down. It has many promis many has It down. put to easy too -

and the world-building somewhat thin, thin, somewhat world-building the and by Laura Mixon writing as M. J. Locke, Locke, J. M. as writing Mixon Laura by

Despite all this, I found both the plot plot the both found I this, all Despite , a “debut” sf novel novel sf “debut” a , It Against Up found I

Reviewed by Karen Burnham Karen by Reviewed

by M.J. Locke, Tor Books, 400 pp., $25.99 pp., 400 Books, Tor Locke, M.J. by It Against Up

Updated Asteroids Updated n n Slim, Essential, Subtle

Thief of Lives by Lucy Sussex Twelfth Planet Press, 2011, 102 pp., Aus $18 plus postage Reviewed by Cynthia Ward

The names of important American writ- mother of chemistry. What more might she ers of feminist speculative fiction, like Oc- become, if they have a meeting of minds? tavia E. Butler, Joanna Russ, Suzy McKee Tapputi rejects his offer of alliance so Charnas, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Vonda abruptly that many readers won’t buy it, N. McIntyre, are generally known to U.S. given the cool, flexible intelligence she has science fiction and fantasy fans. The names displayed to this point. Sussex’s spare prose of important Australian feminist sf writ- style, generally strong, works against the ers, like Sylvia Kelso, Justine Larbalestier, story here; Tapputi’s thoughts and back- Thief of Lives is a good Rosaleen Love, and the latest recipient of ground aren’t developed enough to make choice if you want to read Australia’s Peter McNamara Achievement her panicked reaction convincing. How- a skilled feminist writer Award for science fiction professionals, ever, Tapputi’s sharp mind and Azubel’s working in multiple genres. Lucy Sussex? Not so much. Sussex would ambivalent attention hold readers through And if you’re a Sussex fan, have left an indelible mark on feminist to Sussex’s affecting conclusion. you already know that like speculative fiction solely for “My Lady Up next is the quotidian slice-of-life all her work, it’s essential. Tongue,” her delightful dystopian lesbian tale, “The Subject of O,” in which college Shakespearean story, which received Aus- student Petra wonders what the big deal tralia’s Ditmar Award in 1989. But, with is about orgasms. When she becomes un- Judith Raphael Buckrich, she also co-edit- comfortable about the dildo perched on a ed a central text, She’s Fantastical: The First gal-pal’s mantel, you might suppose the Anthology of Australian Women’s Speculative story’s heading straight (as it were) into H Fiction, Magic Realism, and Fantasy (Syb- lesbian-awakening territory, with perhaps illa, 1995). a disappointing detour to the sexist B&D 18 You wouldn’t guess Sussex’s importance suggested by the titular allusion to “The to feminist sf by the opening story (and Story of O,” and perhaps an extended visit sole reprint) in her new collection, Thief of to Petra’s sexually abused childhood. But Lives. It’s good feminist fiction. But Ned Sussex is far too subtle a writer to take Kelly Award finalist “The Fountain of Jus- those obvious turns, presenting us with an tice” is crime fiction. ending that rejects misogynistic bullshit As the story opens, a well-known crook and celebrates a straight woman’s sexual may go to prison for a crime he didn’t awakening. commit. Not that the drug-lord’s a client Thief of Lives’s fourth and final entry of lawyer Meg. She serves folks like Jen, gives the collection its name. The novelette who wants to drop charges against the also gives the current image of urban fanta- boyfriend who put her in the Spinal Inju- sy — chick with attitude and a hot vampire/ ries Ward, and Jen’s juvie son, Petey, whose werewolf/fae boyfriend — something of a Thief of Lives’s fourth and activities may have framed the drug-lord. radical makeover. Competent instead of final entry gives the collec- A critique of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s smart-mouthed, and a lot scarier for that, tion its name. The novelette assertion that coincidence has no place Ally is the bodyguard of a badly damaged also gives the current image in crime fiction, “The Fountain of Justice” U.S. woman writer, and a sexually ambigu- of urban fantasy — chick may confuse readers as it returns to its ous vampire whose pursuits are quite other with attitude and a hot frame story. But its ending presents all the than romance or sex. The slow revelation vampire/werewolf/fae necessary dots for the reader to connect. of Ally’s and her prey’s true natures, and boyfriend — something of a The next story, “Alchemy,” is undeniably her true reasons for visiting the U.K., make radical makeover. speculative fiction. Bored demon Azubel “Thief of Lives” a rare pleasure — one in- enjoys tasting mortal minds, and he’s never creased by repeat readings. tasted one quite like a young Babylonian Lucy Sussex’s trim and excellent new perfumier’s. Azubel can see possible fu- collection, Thief of Lives, isn’t the place to

tures; and he sees that Tapputi may be the start if you want an introduction to her key

feminist speculative fiction (that would n

n

magazine's Roundtable Blog. Roundtable magazine's

Locus edits She Futura. Salon

tale with the new modern genre tropes. genre modern new the with tale

, and and , SFSignal Horizons,

the classic exciting asteroid belt adventure adventure belt asteroid exciting classic the

Strange Strange as such venues for

a bit longer for a book that really updates updates really that book a for longer bit a

science fiction and fantasy fantasy and fiction science

tum the narrative generates. I’ll be waiting waiting be I’ll generates. narrative the tum few years she has reviewed reviewed has she years few

- momen whatever undermines between in cal engineer. For the past past the For engineer. cal

a younger audience, but the lack of focus focus of lack the but audience, younger a - electri an as Center Space

She works at NASA Johnson Johnson NASA at works She piece fights might have more impact on on impact more have might fights piece

tionally a fiction reviewer. reviewer. fiction a tionally The YA protagonists and whiz-bang set- whiz-bang and protagonists YA The

- avoca and engineer an ally

pily overlook minor slips such as that. that. as such slips minor overlook pily

- vocation is Burnham Karen

- hap I’ll hooked, me has really book a

lected communication frequency. When When frequency. communication lected

- se poorly a as trivial so something about

which is the only reason I’d notice or care care or notice I’d reason only the is which

19

vince. I often found my attention drifting, drifting, attention my found often I vince.

- con to failed simply or disbelief, of sion i

- suspen my undermined either that parts

that I wanted to like, but too many other other many too but like, to wanted I that

In the end, there were parts of this book book this of parts were there end, the In

in Los Angeles. Los in

was difficult for me to do so as well. well. as so do to me for difficult was

completing a novel. She lives lives She novel. a completing

characters that didn’t take her seriously. It It seriously. her take didn’t that characters Successful Fiction. Cynthia is is Cynthia Fiction. Successful

had no problem understanding the other other the understanding problem no had ing Cultural Differences for for Differences Cultural ing

- Bridg Other: the Writing this point seemed paranoid to me, and I I and me, to paranoid seemed point this

diversity writing workshop, workshop, writing diversity system-wide TV show. Jane’s insistence on on insistence Jane’s show. TV system-wide

Press, 2005), based on their their on based 2005), Press,

surveillance as part of a popular solar- popular a of part as surveillance

(Aqueduct (Aqueduct Approach Practical

all of this to a colony that is under 24/7 24/7 under is that colony a to this of all

Writing the Other: A A Other: the Writing authored

cluster. Somehow they are supposed to do do to supposed are they Somehow cluster.

simply failed to convince. convince. to failed simply With Nisi Shawl she co- she Shawl Nisi With

are told this happened to another asteroid asteroid another to happened this told are suspension of disbelief, or or disbelief, of suspension anthologies and magazines. magazines. and anthologies

we we — of the leadership in a series of coups of series a in leadership the of and other other and Perverse, the of either undermined my my undermined either

Asimov's, Garden Garden Asimov's, in stories armed mercenaries, and assassinate most most assassinate and mercenaries, armed many other parts that that parts other many

Cynthia Ward has published published has Ward Cynthia then move in, subdue the populace with with populace the subdue in, move then wanted to like, but too too but like, to wanted

lieve. However, Jane is sure that they will will they that sure is Jane However, lieve. parts of this book that I I that book this of parts

In the end, there were were there end, the In only ones with available ice. That I can be can I That ice. available with ones only -

and timed it so that they would be the the be would they that so it timed and

Mob engineered the initial catastrophe catastrophe initial the engineered Mob

an existential threat. Jane warns that the the that warns Jane threat. existential an

work, it’s essential. it’s work,

tally bought into the idea that they were were they that idea the into bought tally

sex fan, you already know that like all her her all like that know already you fan, sex

shrill rather than urgent, and I never to never I and urgent, than rather shrill -

in multiple genres. And if you’re a Sus a you’re if And genres. multiple in -

warnings about the Martian Mob seem seem Mob Martian the about warnings

to read a skilled feminist writer working working writer feminist skilled a read to

that struck me as flaky or immature. Her Her immature. or flaky as me struck that

is a good choice if you want want you if choice good a is Lives of Thief

However, However, ing from Ticonderoga Press). Ticonderoga from ing

(cont. from p. 17) p. from (cont.

- forthcom Lies: The Essential Lucy Sussex, Lucy Essential The Lies:

Matilda Told Such Dreadful Dreadful Such Told Matilda be probably Asteroids Updated Change the exercising legitimate leadership, and she cific Northwest Free Zone is anything like has to save the world herself. As do we all. Ecotopia? Still, it was gratifying to see a World major science fiction author take note of (cont. from p. 4) the list and send it out to Wired.com. It It was an exciting panel. Along with shows that when we do little things like talking about our favorite books, we this panel, we’re changing the canon, touched on the connections between so- pushing the boundaries of what we dare cial movements and literature, as well as to dream. the ways books had influenced our poli- And that matters, because powerful, tics. Did the panel change the world? Yes, world-changing dreams do exist, and peo- a little; in any case, it made it outside of ple have implemented them in the past, the anarchist book fair and into a wider or are implementing them right now in discussion of science fiction and anar- the present. You’ve probably heard of the chism. Blogger Shel Graves posted our Zapatistas. But did you know that Don Did the panel book list, along with some of the panelists’ Quixote accompanied Marx and Bakunin recommendations, to the Northwest Sci- into Cuba and Florida by way of cigar fac- change the world? 1 Yes, a little ence Fiction Society News blog (http:// tories? Do you know anything about the 2 nwsfsnews.blogspot.com) in the article “I Free Women of Spain? Or the Horizon- 3 Wanna Read SF Anarchy.” talidad movement in Argentina? Check Graves’ article drew a couple of silly them out. You might find they make for comments about our omission of “anarcho- good stories — stories that we need. capitalist stuff ”— works by Robert Hein- So move over, Heinlein. Science fic- lein, Vernor Vinge, and Neal Stephenson. tion — like feminism, like anarchism — is Now, I’m quite sure this term makes sense moving on. in the minds of the people who use it, but I don’t think they’re using the standard defi- nitions of either the words “anarchism” or Endnotes H “capitalist.” I can’t make any sense out of “anti-authoritarian proponent of rich folks 1. “Lost and Found Sound: Cigar 20 having power over other people due to Stories.” Narr. Andy Garcia. their control over vast political, social and All Things Considered. NPR. economic resources, plus a private army to 14 May, 1999. we're changing the canon, straight to the pure theory. But it’s not just 2. Ackelsberg, Martha A. Free Women pushing the boundaries of silly, it’s the wrong dream. of Spain. Anarchism and the what we dare to dream. Bruce Sterling also complained about struggle for the emancipation of And that matters, the list in a blog post on Wired.com, “I women. AK Press, 2005. it’s pretty much green feminist 3. Ed. Marina Sitrin. Horizontalism: Ecotopian West Coastie anarchist Voices of Popular Power in sci‑fi. I don’t see much in there Argentina. AK Press, 2006. that would keep Nestor Makhno single fat bourgeois strung up by the heels and machine‑gunned. Kristin King is a writer, par- ent, and activist who lives in I can’t tell whether this is meant to be Seattle. Her work has ap- taken as tongue-in-cheek or is pure and peared in Strange Horizons, simple mockery. Does Sterling really Calyx, The Pushcart Prize think that Makhno’s military exploits de- XXII (1998), and other plac- fine anarchism — or even Makhno, for that es. She enjoys reading, her

family, reading, Doctor Who, matter? Or that all the feminists in our

and more reading. reading list are pacifists? Or that the Pa- n

n

V for Vendetta for V — Alan Moore Moore Alan

Street Station Street

China Miéville Miéville China Iron Council, Un Lun Dun, Perdido Perdido Dun, Lun Un Council, Iron —

Suzy McKee Charnas Charnas McKee Suzy The Holdfast Chronicles Holdfast The —

The Quiet War Quiet The — Paul McAuley McAuley Paul

Cassini Division Cassini

Ken MacLeod MacLeod Ken The Star Fraction, The Stone Canal, The The Canal, Stone The Fraction, Star The —

A.D., The Strange Case of Sarah Manlove Sarah of Case Strange The A.D., — Saab Lofton Lofton Saab

Brian Wood and Riccardo Burchelli Burchelli Riccardo and Wood Brian DMZ —

Home, Four Ways to Forgiveness to Ways Four Home,

Brian K. Vaughan Vaughan K. Brian Y: The Last Man Last The Y: —

Ursula K. Le Guin Guin Le K. Ursula The Dispossessed, Always Coming Coming Always Dispossessed, The —

Amy Thompson Thompson Amy The Color of Distance, Virtual Girl Virtual Distance, of Color The —

Brave New World New Brave — Aldous Huxley Huxley Aldous

Michael Swanwick and Eileen Gunn Gunn Eileen and Swanwick Michael “Zeppelin City” “Zeppelin —

Dreaming

Nalo Hopkinson Hopkinson Nalo Midnight Robber, So Long Been Been Long So Robber, Midnight — Michael Swanwick Swanwick Michael The Iron Dragon’s Daughter Dragon’s Iron The —

Cecelia Holland Holland Cecelia Floating Worlds Floating — Charles Stross Stross Charles Singularity Sky, Iron Sunrise Iron Sky, Singularity — 21

Sarah Hall Hall Sarah The Carhullan Army Carhullan The — Bruce Sterling Sterling Bruce “Maneki Neko” “Maneki Net, the in Islands — i

Eileen Gunn Gunn Eileen Stable Strategies and Others and Strategies Stable — Joan Slonczewski Slonczewski Joan A Door Into Ocean Into Door A —

Idoru — William Gibson Gibson William Starhawk Starhawk The Fifth Sacred Thing Sacred Fifth The —

Ticktockman” Nisi Shawl Shawl Nisi Filter House Filter —

“‘Repent, Harlequin!’ Said the the Said Harlequin!’ “‘Repent, — Harlan Ellison Ellison Harlan

The Female Man, The Two of Them of Two The Man, Female The — Joanna Russ Russ Joanna

Tsunami, Blood in the Fruit, Stretto Fruit, the in Blood Tsunami,

Mars, Antarctica Mars,

Alanya to Alanya, Renegade, Renegade, Alanya, to Alanya — L. Timmel Duchamp Duchamp Timmel L.

Red Mars, Green Mars, Blue Blue Mars, Green Mars, Red — Kim Stanley Robinson Robinson Stanley Kim

Magic Kingdom Magic

The Amber Spyglass Amber The

Little Brother, Down and Out in the the in Out and Down Brother, Little — Cory Doctorow Doctorow Cory

The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, Knife, Subtle The Compass, Golden The — Philip Pullman Pullman Philip

Like Grains of Sand of Grains Like

It

Dhalgren, Triton, Stars in My Pocket Pocket My in Stars Triton, Dhalgren, — Samuel R. Delany Delany R. Samuel

Marge Piercy Piercy Marge Woman on the Edge of Time, He She and and She He Time, of Edge the on Woman —

Talents, Lilith’s Brood Lilith’s Talents,

George Orwell Orwell George 1984 —

Parable of the Sower, Parable of the the of Parable Sower, the of Parable — Octavia Butler Butler Octavia

Alice Nunn Nunn Alice Illicit Passage Illicit —

Use of Weapons of Use

Iain M. Banks Banks M. Iain Consider Phlebas, The Player of Games, Games, of Player The Phlebas, Consider — Cris Newport Newport Cris The White Bones of Truth of Bones White The —

M.T. Anderson Anderson M.T. Feed — Pat Murphy Murphy Pat The City, Not Long After Long Not City, The —

The Moons of Palmares of Moons The — Amadahy Zainab The Invisibles The — Grant Morrison Morrison Grant

October 18, 2009 18, October

Discussed at the Seattle Anarchist Bookfair Anarchist Seattle the at Discussed Some Science Fiction/Fantasy Works of Interest to Anarchists to Interest of Works Fiction/Fantasy Science Some Bio-mechanic Anthropomorphism He created 54 individually designed playing cards, adapting some of his existing charac- Mr Mead ters and drawing other new ones. The charac- ters are grouped into suits, with Birds as the Tom Mead, alias Mr Mead, is an Hearts, Horned Beasts as Diamonds, Cats illustrator/animator who favors the as Spades, and Foxes as Clubs. As the Crack surreal or otherworldly side of art. A interviewer said, “[t]he images reveal a literal traditional artist working from the Ja- hell of an imagination, a creative mind that maica street studios in Bristol, Eng- throws unexpected images and ideas together land, Mr Mead has applied his fertile with a remarkable frequency, forming night- imagination and skilled hands to marish yet endearing creatures that pose more creating a series of anthropomorphic questions than they answer.” inhuman animal characters, a few of Created primarily in pen and ink, many of whom are shown here. He “draws the the originals pieces are drawn large scale. For stuff of his nightmares; dark, soulless smaller pieces Mead uses a fine dip pen to get creatures with hollow eyes and me- the detail. For the larger pieces he draws on chanical hearts.”† But there is a hint big sheets of sanded medium-density fiber- of humor in each piece. In an inter- board (MDF), often going through up to 45 view with Crack about his work, Mr pens each drawing. He tends to work on a Mead replied to a comment, “You ob- lightbox but occasionally on the floor. Some viously see a certain darkness in this originals have been as much as 6 feet tall, and Photo courtesy Luke Vagnolini combination of animal and human,” he is working on concepts for massive paper with this: “A lot of people say that, but I drawings and murals to cover the sides of don’t think I’m there yet in terms of dark- buildings. ness. I’ve always loved doing the hollow What else is next for Mr Mead? He is cur- eyes because I think it de-humanizes the rently collaborating with a writer on a graphic characters immediately. It doesn’t mat- novel. The reason this whole series of bio-me- H ter what they look like. You get rid of chanical animals started was because he began the pupils and it seems to completely get to think about creating a dark folk-tale book, 22 st rid of their souls. No I wouldn’t say they old folk tales, brought into the 21 century. were dark, I would say they are a little bit After initially trying to write up the stories tongue-in-cheek; I find them quite funny.” himself, he realized he needed a partner for And what is the backstory that led to the project and that a compilation of stories his current work? He says, “From an early was much too ambitious. So, Mead searched age I have been terrified of people wear- out a writer colleague, picked one tale (a well- ing animal suits, all due to Reginald Mills known Korean folk tale, “The Fox Sister”), and 1976 ballet film, The Tales of Beatrix Potter. turned it over to his partner to begin the pro- To this day I still cannot watch it! Recent- cess of reworking the old tale into a graphic ly though I decided to embrace my fear novel. It’s going to be a huge undertaking, cre- to try and get over it instead of running ating a full world with every character deep- away; ever since I have been drawing ani- ened and imagined anew. This will surely be a mal people. I like the idea of people mixed world worth entering. with machines and have nicknamed what I do as ‘British Bio-Mechanic Anthropo- † From an interview with Crack: June 18, http:// morphism,’ which is a bit of a mouthful!”‡ www.youlovecrack.com/article/300/mr-mead Mr Mead draws what he is scared of and ‡ Coates and Scarry interview: draws to release his inner demons. http://coatesandscarry.com/mr-mead/ This unique anthropomorphism has For more about Mr Mead and his work: dominated Mead’s recent work, includ- http://www.mrmead.co.uk/ ing a one-a-day series where he labored to http://www.antlersgallery.com/ produce an image daily, which morphed http://www.jamaicastreetartists.co.uk/ into a recent series of playing cards shown [“Happiness Disaster” is the cover illustration for last April at the Antlers Gallery in Bristol. Kristin Livdahl’s novella, A Brood of Foxes,

Featured Artist

(Check out the show here: http://www. Aqueduct Press, 2011.] antlersgallery.com/project/dark-suits/.) n

n

Happiness Disaster Happiness Dark Suits Cards Suits Dark

The Voxman The

Diving Bull Diving Cat Blanche Cat

23

i The Feast of Children of Feast The Aqueductistas at WisCon 35

Nancy Jane Moore, Andrea Hairston, Eileen Gunn, & Nisi Shawl in the panel “Black Souls in White Clones: Swimming in Shawl’s Timmi Duchamp at the Aqueduct Table in the Dealers' Room ‘Deep End’”

Eleanor Arnason at the Sunday afternoon Aqueduct Reading

Nancy Jane Moore, Carolyn Gilman, Mary Anne Mohanraj, Eileen Gunn, & Claire Light during the Aqueduct reading at Michaelangelo's Coffeehouse $4.00 The Cascadia Subduction Zone PO Box 95787 Seattle, WA 98145-2787