sign in sign up
<<
Home , Alan Dean Foster, Algis Budrys, Enemy Mine (novella), For a Breath I Tarry, George Guthridge, Human guise

SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW

$2.00 SPRING 1981 NUMBER 38 REVIEW (ISSN: 0036-8377) Formerly THE CRITIC

P.O. BOX 11408 FEBRUARY 1981 — VOL.10; NO.l

PORTLAND, OR 97211 WHOLE NUMBER 38 PHONE: (503) 282-0381 RICHARD E. GEIS; editor & publisher PAULETTE MINARE'; ASSOCIATE EDITOR

PUBLISHED QUARTERLY FEB.; MAY; AUG.; NOV.

SINGLE COPY — $2.00 COVER BY LETTERS.40 ALIEN THOUGHTS BY THE EDITOR.A CHRISTOPHER PRIEST FRED SINGER THE ENGIftS OF THE NIGHT STEVEN GRANT ESSAYS ON SF IN TIC EIGHTIES TONY DAVIS BY BARRY N. MALZBERG.6 NEVILLE J. ANGOVE RONALD R. LAMBERT INTERIOR ART-- AND THEN I READ.... ED PESKYS BY THE EDITOR.11 JAMES VAN HISE STANLEY SCHMIDT WWXX&Mffl ROBERT COULSON 11; 24,30; 51,67; 68; 2 A STRING OF MYS AlLEN KOSZCWSKI-7; BY GREGORY BENFORD.14 IAN COVELL OLE PETTERSON-8 ^ ^ r_ GEORGE KOCHELL-10;20,34;53 RICHARD BRUNING-12; 13;22 THE VIVISECT0R AND THEN I SAW. MIKE GILBERT-25,42 BY DARRELL SCHWEITZER.21 BY THE EDITOR..!’.. .51 RANDY MOHR-26;27;28, ,, (AND ALAN DEAN FOSTER) ROBERT LIEBERMAN-32,42;43 -33;31 THE KURT ERICHSEN-38 BY .23 OTHER VOICES...w.. .53 BRUCE CONKLIN-40;50 BOOK REVIEWS v KURT REICHEL-44 BY PAULETTE MINARE' GEORGE M. O NALE-47 NOISE LEVEL LYNNE HOLDOM ROBERT WHITAKER---48 A COLUMN BY JOHN BRUNNER.2A DEAN R. LAMBE RANDY RUSTIN-55 ELTON T. ELLIOTT JOHN MUNDY-56 FREDERICK PATTEN interview: JACK WILLIAMSON JOm DIPRETE CONDUCTED BY NEAL WILGUS.26 ALLEN VARNEY STEVE LEWIS smu PRESS NOTES MICHAEL VERNON MACKAY BY TIC EDITOR.30 NEAL WILGUS Copyright (c) 1980 by Richard E. KEITH SOLTYS Geis. One-time rights only have been acquired from signed or cred¬ BLUES ited contributors, and all other A POEM BY NEAL WILGUS.32 THE HOTLIlt rights are hereby assigned to the SF NEWS contributors. BY ELTON T. ELLIOTT.61 TEN YEARS AGO IN SF THE ALIEN CRITIC A FEATURE BY ROBERT SABELLA.32 SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW Available in microform from: OXFORD MICROFORM PUBLICATIONS, LTD SHORT FICTION REVIEWS Wheatsheaf Yard, Blue Boar Street ANALOG-PATRICIA MATHEWS.... Oxford OX1 4EY, United Kingdom F&SF-RUSSELL ENGEBRETSON... OMNI—MARGANA B. ROLAIN SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW is published SMALL PRESS—DARRELL SCHWEI at 1525 NE Ainsworth, Portland, OR ASIMOV'S—ROBERT SABELLA 97211. NO ADVERTISING WILL BE ACCEPTED MY TWO CENTS' WORTH Second Class Postage Paid BY F.M. BUSBY.39 at Portland, OR 97208 REVIEWS— THE HITCH HIKER S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY. ... INTERNATIONAL C&WSPiPACY , / THE INTEGRATED MAN. OF ELECTRIC TeWCR CCMBVOIS-' h - STARSHIP WOKEN. seeking a/oRLY, coM$>UESr-.- /►i' DIRECT DESCENT. THE MIND GAKE. THE FLUTE-PLAYER. WHITE . WHO KILLED UTOPIA. PORT OF SAINTS. HAUNTED. THE TRAVAILS OF JANE SAINT.... RATNER S STAR. THE DESCENDANTS OF STAR. DREAM MAKERS. THOUSANDSTAR. THREE-RING PSYCHUS. WORLD ENOUGH, AND TIME. PROSE BOWL. MIRROR FRIEND, MIRROR FOE. AN ENEMY OF THE STATE. THE LURE OF THE BASILISK. Freddy's book. HOKEWORLD. THE LAST DEFENDER OF CAIELOT.. SHADOWMAN. THE RAGGED EDGE OF SCIENCE.... TTC PURPLE PTERODACTYLS. SAMUEL R. DELANY: PRIMARY & INCREDIBLE COINCIDENCE. SECONDARY BIBLIOGRAPHY.22 THE GAKE OF LIFE. : A PRIMARY & KEDUSA'S CHILDREN. SECONDARY BIBLIOGRAPHY.22 THE MAN WHO CORRUPTED EARTH., SUBSCRIPTIONS JULES VERNE: A PRIMARY & THE REVOLVING BOY. SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW SECONDARY BIBLIOGRAPHY.22 P.O. BOX 11408 KIRK'S WORKS—AN INDEX.30 PORTLAND, OR 97211 NEWSLETTER #32.30 w-ny boes For One and Two Years WONDER WART-HOG AND THE NURDS At Four-Issues-Per-Year Schedule OF NOVEKBER.30 CARTOON HISTORY OF THE UNI¬ VERSE, VOL.5: BRAINS AND UNITED STATES: $7.00 One Year BRONZE—THE RISE OF ANCIENT $14.00 TVo Years GREECE. THE SJXTH BOOK OF VIRGIL FINLAY. CANADA*: US$7.50 Che Year new libertarIan manifesto!! US$15.00 Two Years *Canadians may pay with personal THE MUCKRAKER'S MANUAL cheques if the chequing acct. HOW TO ORGANIZE AND MANAGE YOUR number on their cheques is print¬ OWN RELIGIOUS CULT.31 ed in computer numerals. (Thus THE WORLD POWER FOUNDATION— ,, ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS, NEW AND OLD, we become slaves to the needs of ITS GOALS AND PLATFORM.31 the Machine.) SCIENCE FICTION - A REVIEW OF ARE HONORED AND FULFILLED ON AN ISSUES NUMBER BASIS. SPECULATIVE #4.... UNITED KINGDOM: Send pound equiva¬ LIVING FREE... lent of US$7.50 One Year THE SPACEGAMER #32.. US$15.00 TVo Years SF COMMENTARY #60/61. Next Issue.. to agent WM. DAWSON 8 SONS NOT KELLOW...... Cannon House, THE COLONISTS #1. Folkestone, Kent CT19 5EE ANALOG-Nov-Dec-Jan,,,,,,. or write them for current quote F&SF-Nov-Dec-Jan. INTERVIEWS WITH OMII-Oct-Nov-Dec.. SOME BACK ISSUES OF TAC AND SFR SMALL PRESS MAGAZINES. AND ARE AVAILABLE FROM: FANTASY TALES FANTAST (MEDWAY) LTD NIGHT VOYAGES 39 West Street, THE ANTHOLOGY OF SPECULATIVE PLUS SOKE SURPRISES Wisbech, Cambs., PE13 2LX POETRY DARK FANTASY AUSTRALIA: Send A$ equivalent of GOTHIC SELECTED ESSAYS FROM US$7.50 One Year ETERNITY THE. QF. THE-NIQU US$15.00 Two Years asimov's—oct-Nov-Dec. BY BARRY N. MALZBERG to agent SPACE AGE BOOKS THE STUNTMAN. 305-307 Swanston St. THE AWAKENING. Melbourne, 3000 Vic. FADE TO BLACK. TERROR TRAIN. ALL OTHER FOREIGN US$7.50 Che Year CABO BLANCO. 'BUT WHY DOES US$15.00 Two Years PRIVATE EYES. paid in US$ cheques or money orders WILLIE & PHIL.. ZIP COt>E: 2 except to agents.

LOVING COUPLES. MAKE ALL CHEQUES, CHECKS AND . MONEY ORDERS PAYABLE TO SCIENCE THE WANTING FACTOR. FICTION REVIEW THE GROTTO OF THE FORMIGANS.... UTOPIA 3. SAVE A HASSLE AND EXTRA EXPENSE STAR LOOT. IF YOU MOVE WE NEED YOUR FORTER THE FORBIDDEN FOUNTAIN OF OZ... ZIPCODE AND YOUR NEW COMPLETE A MIRROR FOR OBSERVERS.. ADDRESS. WHY CALL THEM BACK FROM HEAVEN?.9. him out of here. Now, where was I? ALIEN THOUGHTS "Lying, as usual, about money, power and Hugoes." BY THE EDITOR Oh, yeah_uh? DANN YOU, ALTER! I was saying that I did lose persepctive for a while... It is true that I had come to expect to win at least one Hugo every year. SOUR GRIPES But now, chastened, humbled, Over the years I have kept my eating loser's pie, I see now that peace...suffered the slings and I was hubritic [new word] to a arrows of outrageous morons... sickening degree. [Hubricious?] I am accused often of running "And now you only expect a a prozine here. SFR it is said, Hugo every other year, eh, Geis?" actually (horrors!) pays some of "Yes...NO! Get out of this its contributors...and Geis actual¬ editorial before I get really ly admits he makes a (shudder) a-n-g-r-y!!! Now, where is that profit every issue. How can this incantation? Had it pinned to profiteer, this capitalist cur, the wall_ Ah, there. this fascist downtrodder of the Wid evokun allienum in ovem poor amateur publisher get dis lactarium hades... away with winning Hugos so often? "Urggh...blechh.■.well, if Is there [they lament] no.justice? you put it that way, Geis-" The answer is that no, there Gone? is no justice. Only idealists, "Gone." Liberals and some of the inexperi¬ Okay. I have nothing more to enced believe there is justice in say. Except that I could publish SFR without paying a cent to any life. They know the difference, all right. They just want to have it both ways, contributors. It wouldn't be quite But back to prodom and The as good in certain respects, but if possible, with me. Taint of Profit in SFR. Let me perhaps better in others. I could But these occasional bites on make this perfectly clear: I esti¬ the leg irk me, piss me, croggle my be pure as the driven Trufan and mate I make about $300 per month still put out a better, more inter¬ greeps. from SFR. I also make a small sti¬ I comfort myself with the know¬ esting zine than anybody. But I pend from REG and about $1200. per ledge that soon these bugs will be refuse ads now, don't I? I trade, self-published 500-copy edition don't I? I have accepted a Tru- gone. I survive. I continue. I sf/sex novel I put out. This, plus outlast the bastards--and bitches. fannish vow of poverty haven't I? the help Paulette provides for the GREAT (HOD IN HHEAVEN, WHAT MORE utilities, some food, etc., and the Please note that I didn't win DO THEY WANT? interest from savings keeps the a Hugo in 1980. This troubled me So fuck'm. From now on, no wolf from the door (though he re¬ a bit at first, but I shrugged--- more Mr. Nice Guy! Attack my mains, snarling, down at the com¬ "You nearly shit bricks, Geis! amateur standing at your own risk! er) . You roared around the house tearing I have spoken. Net income last year was less your remaining hair and shouted than $5000. curses and maledictions upon the I AM RICHARD E. GEIS! I When I was writing novels full heads of Charlie Brown and Bob SHOULD BE EXEMPT FROM SHIT! time I made double and triple this Shaw. It was so—" amount---and that was years ago Alter! I forbid you to— when a dollar was worth a whole "—hideous a performance I 50*. had to cut my sensors to the bone. I pay as few of the contribu¬ I thought you were going to—" tors to SFR as possible. Because ---reveal... Damn you! Keep if I paid everyone (especially the out of the editorials! You'll POLICY, POLICY...WHO'S GOT THE reviewers, now) I'd wipe out the have your precious reviews to POLICY STATEPENT? entire profit margin and would be cavort ini forced to stop publishing and go to "Geis, you've got to face the YOU DO, GEIS. work for a living. fact of your disease. You've got As George Jessel might say, a terminal case of Hugo Greeditis, "Mini..fan publishing is my life." and only will cure it." I am, as you will note of these if he were a fan. I am and it is. YOU...WILL...NOT...SAY...AN¬ writs, broadening the scope, widen¬ Without naming names, I note OTHER. ..WORD! ing the range, stretching the fence of what I review, note and discuss sourly that most of those who bitch "I mean, all that bragging a- in these unhallowed pages. about SFR's "prozine" qualities are bout wanting fifteen Hugos... That It has been my perception that very eager to trade with me; they was rather gross, Geis. I—" SFR is/has become too...too much send awful little crudzines and ex¬ I'll use the exorcism, Alter, devoted to sf and fantasy. As far pect to get SFR every issue, on the if I have to! You'll be confined as m£ contributions go. Others are assunption that in this respect (to to the nether brain for thirty commanded to stick to their lasts. their advantage) I am a fanzine pub¬ days on used synapses and veinous [If the shoe fits...] lisher and honor the ancient obli¬ blood. One more word--- gation of trading at least one-for- So here there be items of var¬ Alter? ious and sundry subject. That's one or all-for-all. Alter-Ego? my privilege. But they don't send their small Ha! I knew that would scare mimeo'd effort to ANALOG or OMNI or I'll be reviewing films of all even AMAZING and expect to trade. types...everything I see. The variety in Small Press Notes 419 black is somewhere around $10 As proof of my new emotional will widen. per tube. fiber I am able to exorcize Alter. And in future issues Ghod only Considering the cost of a re¬ See? No acidic interjections knows what I'll review in my book built ink gun, and new ink, and from him. No insults. I have in¬ review columns. mimeo paper, it becomes only a lit¬ corporated all his lovably malicious [Of course, I receive very few books tle more expensive to have Action qualities into my character and am for review that are not sf/fantasy/ Print do my next novel in reduced now a sweetheart/vicious bastard. occult, so don't expect too much print this size, two columns. There are those of you who variety in that direction, come to There likely will be another think I have been a VICIOUS BAST¬ think. Me, BUY a book?] Toi King adventure: her persecution, ARD/ sweetheart all along. To those imprisonment and eventual triumph people I have only one thing to over the fanatic of Cholb. say. And next time I'll have the You may be right. So it goes. novel written before I annouice it. I was over a week late in mailing THE FORCE MAJEURE out the copies of THE CORPORATION STRIKES BACK which were promised A major publishing house on for Dec. 15. The original deadline the East coast has signaled a was November 15. Things like thht A PLEATHING PLETHORA drastic change in policy to book¬ bother me. stores: No Returns; if you order it Is what I've got. It's the same you keep it. STAR WHORES LIVES! In SFR #36 I old story you've heard before and They have come to the same con¬ listed only 20 copies left of that will hear again. Editorials like clusion I did in the Fall of 1979; novel, and sure enough, about 45 this are a form of therapy for me, it's simpler, and in the long run people ordered it. We usually add¬ a kind of confessional... more profitable, to make each sale ed issues to the late-orderer's sub¬ You see. Father, I had every final; no exchanges, no credits, scription, instead. intention of using all those re¬ no returns. This saves incredible THEN, after SFR #37 went to views. The issue didn't seem very amounts of labor, bookkeeping, and press, I was mooching around under crowded at first, but... headaches. It gives a truer, the mimeo work table in the other I did away with the bacover swifter knowledge of sales and half of the basement [This half illustration to free up one more trends. It assures a perhaps used to be two Party Rooms. If page for the book reviews, but- smaller (but harder) profit. the architect and builder could I know I promised several peo¬ That's the force of The Market see them now!] and found to my ple their words would appear in this at work, even in the casual, snob¬ horror and pleasure, an extra box issue, and I'll...I'll do better bish, often byzantine book biz. of copies of STAR WHORES. next issue. I promise. Of course, this major publisher So...there is one more oppor¬ In the meantime I must prost¬ does not [as yet?] require advance tunity to get the first Toi King rate myself before these long-suf¬ payment on all orders and is thus sex/sf adventure. $4. per copy. fering contributors and must bash vulnerable to a possibly huge loss I'll autograph it for free, if you my head against the floor and whine in unpaid and uncollectable accounts. wish. I now count 68 copies of and beg forgiveness and tear my In the next six months I expect STAR WHORES available. And that, I hair and roll in ashes and cow dung a of publishers to be cut to promise you, is all there are! and all like that. [After doing it the bone by the conglomerates which a dozen times it isn't so bad...in- bought them a few years ago. Vast fact...] holding companies are merciless when So, Father, my agonized apolo¬ it comes to cutting losses and gett¬ gies to Michael Vernon MacKay ing rid of no-profit operations. Steven Edward McDonald The next leg down in -his reces¬ Ronald R. Lambert ALTER GOT SCREWED AGAIN sion/depression will see lots of Tom Staicar blood in Publishers Row in NY. I know I promised him a page Andrew Tidmarsh Come to that, I expect to see in which to rave, but...well...a Andrew M. Andrews at least two sf magazines fail in funny thing happened on the way to Sue Beckman 1981-82. But then, I'm an opti¬ the layout table. Pat Mathews mist. Actually, it happened earlier. W. Ritchie Benedict [Which two? AMAZING and FtjSF. ] I did a series of thumbs-down re¬ Donn Vicha views and thought I'd run those as Nicholas Santelli h'is. But they were in standard My shame is unlimited, my humil¬ review format, and that (afterward) iation total, my guilt overwhelming. didn’t seem to be Alter-Ego's style. I may just go upstairs and o.d. on Time, in the meanwhile, was Lorenz - pistaschio nut ice cream. Fitzgeralding past me with FTL speed, I am of course pleathed---pleased TOI KING & THE GESTETNER and the looming DEADLINE was grind¬ to have so many quality reviewers As many of you know, I've ing me to a pulp. sending their efforts to SFR. I been mimeographing my homemade This explanation is a bit eso¬ thank them. I list below the titles sex/sf novels, using the trusty teric, I fear. Actually, I'm no of books reviewed which will appear Gestetner I bought in Santa Monica longer at home with Alter. He...he next issue so help me ghod, may Ghu's about ten years ago. But the time embarrasses me. And, too, I'm be¬ lightning strike me down where I has come to phase out good ol' You coming tougher in my own write, able sit- Sonovabitch and restrict him to do¬ to pan tall books with a single ZZZZZZZZZZAAAPPP!!! ing subscription and order forms. phrase. Well...a single paragraph. Ha, missed me again! His ink pump is leaking again, So I feel I don't need Alter- —if I lie. and of the 100 tubes of 419 black Ego no more. I have hardened, be¬ SPACE WARS—WORLDS & WEAPONS ink I bought in 1970, only a few come occasionally vicious when THE SPACE MAVERICKS tubes remain. I bought those for need arises. about $4.50 per tube. Now_NCW ALIEN THOUGHTS CONTINUED ON PAGE 67 enciries OF THE flGHT

BY BARRY N. MALZBERG Selected Essays From upon a readership a larger proportion THE ENGINES OF THE NIGHT: Science Fiction in the Eighties of which are emotionally involved with the literature than the readers To Be Published By DOUBLEDAY of any other genre. The ENCYCLOPEDIA reminds me of the one-line criticism of Shaw's plays (perhaps it was Men¬ cken but I am not sure) that a liter¬ ate alien could, from them alone, learn everything that it needed to BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO ENGINES OF But never, as I kept on reminding the Nion know about humanity except that it myself, through the decade had had possessed genitals. Nicholls and ambitions which were initially large- his staff make everything about sci¬ These essays on science fiction scale. Science fiction had never were written and conpiled by a writ¬ ence fiction perfectly comprehensible really been an adventure but an ex¬ except for the existence of a 700,000- er whose first science fiction ap¬ periment. How far could I go, what peared in the late nineteen-sixties, word trade paperback in definition could I get done, what could I say, and explanation which can expect to who rose to minor prominence in the how much could I publish before they sell through the life of its copy¬ early to mid-seventies, watched his caught on? was my basic question. career suddenly (and not entirely for reasons of his own doing) plumnet in I found out. the middle of the decade and who 1980: New Jersey spent the last years of that decade lurching toward the Bethlehem of the eighties not so much trying to be bom as to assess the roughness of the beast. The career in many ways paralleled the arc of political and social revisionism through that SOME NOTES TOWARD THE TRUE AND THE period, the questioning of institu¬ TERRIBLE tions and institutional cliche, the sudden shaking of those institutions I first referred to the true and and then, after Nixon's eviction in terrible unwritten history of science the middle of the period a speedy fiction in a review of James Gunn's and effective counter-revolution ALTERNATE WORLDS: AN ILLUSTRATED HIS¬ which gave some of the invaders a TORY in 1974 but did not begin to rough ride out of the temple. develop the concept until I spoke at I have not had (Lord knows!) the UCal Berkeley in 1978. Standing at most successful or prominent career the podium, shaking with fever, amp- in science fiction in the seventies icillin, dread and wonderment that but I have had, I think, the most any stranger would pay $3.75 cash on clearly synptomatic, the career which the barrelhead to listen to me (there did indeed, as implied above, most were about 40 such remarkable parallel and survive in reaction to in the audience) I said that the his¬ the larger political and social dev¬ tory of science fiction must, almost elopments of the time. The perspec¬ by definition, largely exist in the tive is peculiarly ; I mike no interstices; that almost by defini¬ claims for its universiality but cer¬ tion the field could be truly explain¬ tainly for its particularity: no ed only by material which would be one else at the beginning of the new by turns libelous, private, intuit¬ decade could regard science fiction ive or paranoid and that even the quite this way. Any one of us who most rigorous and lucid of scholarly read or write in the field could works could only deal with the symp¬ make that statement of course, but tomatic representations of the great if there is particular cachet in underside of the field. this perspective it may be because it I must have been anticipating in is, more than the careers of most sci¬ that speech the publication a year ence fiction writers, metaphoric. and a half later of the dense, schol¬ And then, perhaps it is not: my arly and invaluable ENCYCLOPEDIA OF career is no way for a young science SCIENCE FICTION edited by Peter Nich- right well over two million copies. fiction writer to go; I am no model olls (the best reference work on our (Try that in quality lit, mystery, of a Modem Major General. Reading field which has appeared to date) be¬ Western or romance. THE GOTHIC EN¬ and writing a lot of science fiction cause the Nicholls work manages in CYCLOPEDIA? THE ILLUSTRATED HISTORY over a long period of time (and it one intricate and exhaustive volume OF SERIOUS WRITING? BARLOW'S BOOK has been, folks, a long p.o.t. here¬ to make clear to insiders and outsid¬ OF FLANNERY O'CONNOR CHARACTERS?) abouts) will if nothing else grant a ers alike practically everything The true unwritten history is certain humility, modestly garbed in about science fiction that they would where the answers lie and the unwrit¬ sackcloth and cosmeticized with ashes need to know to get through the doc¬ ten history cannot --by definition, I sally beyond the mirror at my own toral orals except for two factors: he pointed out laboriously --be com- risk now and hardly in a spirit of a) How it got this way, b) why it posed -- but in a spirit of scholar¬ adventure. has its peculiar and binding effect ship and sacrifice I would like to offer a few notes, leads as it were toward what it would contain and with what it would have to deal. Perhaps, by the end of the twenty-first when Copyright (c) 1981 By Barry N. Malzberg 7 all of us now reading, writing and propitiating the category are all 2) die of the clear synptoms of ed¬ J.G. Ballard, Brian W. Aldiss, safely dead and with the evolution Ursula K. LeGuin, Samuel R. Delaney, itorial decline (this ties, in a way, of multiplex stereophonic video-tape to the point above but only by sug¬ , Larry Niven, Michael cassette recall ... the abolition of Moorcock, R.A. Lafferty, George Ef- gestion; hear me out) is the increas¬ the written that is to say ... the ing proportion of material in a mag¬ finger, Terry Carr, Gardner Dozois, true unwritten history might, at azine or book line written by a de¬ A.J. Budrys, Langdon Jones, Harlan least be spoken or retrieved, might Ellison, Kate Wilhelm, James Sallis, creasing number of contributors; ven- find a form that is to say. George Zebrowski, Norman Kagan, Theo¬ ery, laziness, exhaustion or friend¬ To the unborn and the penitent, ship seem to make almost any long¬ dore Sturgeon, Pamela Sargent, Phil¬ hence, a few suggestions: term editorship vulnerable to this lip K. Dick, Robert Sheckley, Roger Zelazny. 1) "MDdem" science fiction, gener¬ condition. (I am not saying that ally dated as having begun in late science fiction in this case is any is disqualified 1937 with the ascent of Campbell and different than any other genre.) from this list: his last story, "The going on through the rest of that and The ASTOUNDING of the late nineteen Callibrated Alligator" was in the the next decade was a literature cen¬ fifties had narrowed to four or five 2/60 issue. (He obviously, though, tered aroind a conpact group of peo¬ regular contributors in between whom did not sell Campbell in the sixties.) ple; it was no Bloomsbury but there a few asteroids squeezed the short James Tiptree’s first story and one could have been no more than fifty stories: Silverberg, Anvil, Garrett, other appeared in ANALOG. Niven's core figures who did ninety percent Janifer/Harris and Reynolds mist have first ANALOG piece was published in of the writing and the editing. All accomted for seventy percent of the 1972; it was apparently the last of them knew one another, most of magazine's contents in the period story that JWC ever bought. them knew one another well: lived 1958-62. Over at GALAXY Fred Pohl, together, married one another, col¬ Robert Sheckley and Phillip M. Klass And yet, for all of this, when laborated, bought each other’s mat¬ must have contributed more than half I heard of JWC's sudden death on erial, married each other's wives the contents in the last three years and so on. For a field which was of Horace Gold's editorship (1957- conceptually based upon expansion, 1960). This is not to dispute that the smashing of barriers, the far- this core group might have overtaken reaching and so on science fiction the magazines sinply because they was amazingly insular; one could al¬ were the best, at least in terms of most speculate that this insularity meeting the editorial vision (and and parochialism were the understand¬ there is no disputing that the GALA¬ able attenpts of frightened human be¬ XY group at least includes three Of ings faced with terra incognita to the best ten writers of science fic¬ hold onto one another and to make tion to date) but the consequences their personal lives as limited and of such narrowing are obvious: the interconnected as possible. It could medium becomes insular and ambitious further be speculated that this par¬ potential contributors become dis¬ ochialism shut off an entire alter¬ couraged. There is, needless to say, native science fiction (Alexei Pan¬ a fine line an editor must tread be¬ shin has intimated this possibility tween bringing around himself the but not this particular set of reas¬ best writers he can and giving them ons) : who is to know what writers encouragement and buying from friends and manuscripts not in any way con¬ and familiars but the line is visi¬ nected with the Central Fifty lang¬ ble and the demarcation clear: Canp- uished in slush piles or in stamped, bell in the early forties was an one self-addressed return envelopes? side of it and in the late fifties Science fiction was being cooked up was on the other and the quality of in offices and parties and bedrooms the work and its persistence today and club meetings; people would (very little of the late fifties AS¬ stream from Central to write it up TOUNDING is reprinted more than once and send it back in (and then write if even that) constitutes a kind of up next month's issue taking up the judgment. stuff already laid down in print) but the field was based on personal access and very few writers and stor¬ 3) The clearest signal of John W. ies were getting into the magazines Canpbell's loosened grip and influ¬ without personal acquaintance with ence on the field from 1960 (the other writers and with the editors. time at which his obsessive pursuit The first thing that of pseudo-scientific chicanery such did in the forties as a science fic¬ as the Dean Drive began to become tion writer manque was to accept Fred his editorial obsession rather than Pohl's invitation to come out from vice) is to compile a list of those Oregon to Brooklyn and live with writers who arose to prominence in the Futurian Club; the yoimg Asimov that decade who never published in was introduced to present contribut¬ ANALOG and once for my amusement a ors by Canpbell before Asimov had long time ago (while JWC was still sold a word; Malcolm Jameson, pens¬ alive, for I wanted him to see it) ioned off by the Navy for medical I did so and published it. Here is a reasons, began to write science fic¬ partial list of science fiction writ¬ tion (and became, briefly, an AS¬ ers who did not appear in ANALOG from TOUNDING regular in the mid-forties) the issue of 1/60 until the last is¬ at the urgings of his old friend and sue assenbled by JWC, 12/71: fellow Navy officer Robert A. Hein- lein. 8 7/11/71 and called Larry Janifer (who psychically and were writing (be¬ plethora of wrote a great had not known) I trembled at Jani£er*s cause of the dominant presence of deal of fantasy but did not appear, first remarks and felt that they were John W. Campbell in the market) to a as far as can be determined today, so: "The field has lost its cons¬ consistently higher standard, an im¬ to any extent in the other category cience, its center, the man for whom posed rigor and a specialized back¬ magazines.) we were all writing. Now there's no ground. It was inpossible then as The rigor of the medium, the de¬ one to get mad at us any more." now to write science fiction without the most intimate reading knowledge mands of the market and the anonymity 1980: New Jersey of the form sinply because the field in which the work was done must have was advancing so quickly in its lang¬ had their effect upon these writers. Asimov's position is on the record uage and devices that each story eith¬ er made a direct contribution to the but one can only speculate what sci¬ ongoing literature or risked rejec¬ ence fiction did to the Kuttners who were turning in work like "Vintage tion on the basis that it did not. ANONYMITY 8 EMPIRE Season", "Mimsy Were the Borogroves", Pace Pronzini, my collaborator, "Shock", "When the Bough Breaks” for For the culture at large, the with whom I have had arguments on a cent-and-a-half a word, what sci¬ forties science fiction writers at this subject (and have found most of ence fiction did to Van Vogt who was the time were indivisible. There is the time that he Was in the right), writing over a hundred thousand words no more graceful way to put this. Western, romance, sports, certainly of science fiction a year working There were for the first half of the mystery writers might have been no sixteen hours a day in a small apart¬ decade no books at all, no antholog¬ less serious about their work, no ment (and filling in the empty spaces ies, no reprints, no second serial less dedicated or professional than with confession stories), what sci¬ rights. Novels and stories were science fiction writers. They cer¬ ence fiction meant to Heinlein who written for the magazines, were pub¬ tainly were not their inferiors tech¬ wrote SIXTH COLUW for $900, BY HIS lished and went out of print, presun- nically, and the anonymity in which BOOTSTRAPS and UNIVERSE for about ably forever. Asimov has written they worked must have had effects $300 apiece, all of these writers that everything about his career post- upon them no less profound than it putting up with their work without 1946 came as a surprise; he had no did on the science fiction writers. an inkling that it would ever appear idea at the time he was writing FOUND¬ again or would be read by other than ATION or the series or anything But the science fiction writers the 50,000 -- 10,000 readers, mostly else that these stories would live be¬ were specialists. If they did not young, who composed the central aud¬ yond the issues of the magazines in have a thorough working knowledge of ience for the science fiction maga¬ which they appeared. This did not the literature and the cutting edge zines. bother him in the least; what other they sinply did not survive. By purpose did science fiction have ex¬ 1940, only a very few of the science fiction writers who had been in AS¬ In a sense this anonymity may cept to live briefly and go away for¬ have been liberating -- me of the TOUNDING when Campbell became editor ever in the magazines with funny tit¬ benefits of writing without sense of were still publishing in the maga¬ les? There was sufficient reward in posterity or audience may be a great zine, the others had been thrown out becoming a part of the ongoing liter¬ and abounding sense of freedom, the and their names -- Schachner, Schoep- ature in a form which had gripped conviction that since what one is flin, Cummings -- were legion. They you in childhood. The Queens Science had been evicted not through malice doing really does not matter one can, Fiction League may not have been the accordingly, do anything one wants -- on Canpbell's part but because they world but for the young Asimov its were either unable or unwilling to and the texts and comnentaries of the approval and awe were all that he meet his editorial demands and Canp¬ time indicate that to a certain de¬ could have asked. bell did much better by bringing to gree all of the writers felt this the magazine writers who had no sales way. It was a new kind of fiction It must be understood that in background or alternate markets at being written in a different fashion; this respect science fiction was no all so that he could work with them the knowledge that it was break¬ different for its writers than the through literature of a sort might from the outset ... and because they other branches of popular literature have been comforting to writers who would not have developed alternate which were appearing in the torrent could rationalize that what they did markets where they could have made of pulp magazines which, in the hun¬ was too ambitious, too good for a as much money for far less effort. dreds suspired in various degrees of mass audience. Nonetheless, the rec¬ (Most of the thirties generation health until wartime paper shortages ord makes clear that almost all of science fiction writers were pulp and finally television destroyed them the forties generation of science generalists who wrote through the at the end of the decade. Western fiction writers were at the entire range of fiction iragazines and romance writers, adventure and end of the decade and looking for and for whom science fiction was on¬ sports pulpeteers also worked for a other things to do. Heinlein had ly a small percentage of their work. half a cent to two cents a word and turned (after a few sales to COLLI¬ Schachner and Arthur Lee Zagat for knew that when the magazines went ER'S and THE SATURMY EVENING POST, two were enormously prolific and suc¬ off-sale their work would never be the first science fiction post-1926 cessful pulp writers; science fic¬ seen by a non-relative or -lover that had ever appeared in the nation¬ tion was only 10% of their output again. (Mystery writers did have a al magazines) to the juvenile book and after their eviction from the small book market but in the pre-MWA market and was writing on contract premises less than that ... but they days only a vanishingly small percent¬ for Scribner's with only a few "ad¬ are remembered now only for their age of magazine work could in expand¬ ult" novels -- THE PUPPET MASTERS, science fiction.) Del in his ed form find a book market and ad¬ DOUBLE STAR, THE STAR LUM4DX, THE time did a fair amount of work for vances, averaging around $250 even DOOR INTO SUM4ER -- serialized in the confessions and sports magazines for first-rank writers like Woolrich the magazines. L. Ron Hubbard with but others of the first Campbell gen¬ were an insignificant part of their A.E. Van Vogt and Katherine MacLean eration -- Heinlein, Asimov, Sturg¬ income.) The difference between sci¬ had disappeared into the Dianetics eon, Van Vogt -- wrote very little ence fiction writers and those of the Institute from which the latter two other than science fiction. (The other pulp genres, however, was that emerged to write again only a decade Kuttners under their own names and a science fiction writers took their and a half later. Asimov had taken work seriously, put far more into it a doctorate in biochemistry and in 1949 after a few months of excru¬ puts on one's tattered prophet's ciating ambivalence, had taken a robes -- quite disgraceful. full-time teaching position at Bos¬ ton University (the controlling as¬ No excuse to blame the reader- pect of his decision had been that ship. The readership is not inter¬ ested, really, in the visionary, the he had never made nor had any reas¬ GIVE ME THAT OLD-TIME RELIGION on to believe that he ever could dangerous, the threatening or the make a living from science fictioij. difficult, that is true, but their Science fiction does not -- per¬ expectations have been formed almost The Kuttners had returned to haps it cannot -- depict the future. completely by what has been given school at the Uhiversity of Southern What it does, as A.J. Budrys pointed them. Great writers make great aud¬ California, seeking undergraduate de¬ out a long time ago, is to offer sen¬ iences; it did not have to be this grees in psychology and going on to timentalized versions of the past or way. The sinple and solemn truth, graduate study; did a brutalized ones of the present trans¬ however, is that as NASA and the net¬ series of mysteries for Harper § Row muted into a template of the familiar. works conspired to reduce the most and a few fantasy novels but his The future cannot by definition be awesome events of the twentieth cen¬ name, with the exception of a single portrayed; it will need a terminology tury to interstitial pap between ad¬ story (finishing off the series that and ethos which do not exist. Per¬ vertisements, most of us were in the became MUTANT) never appeared in AS¬ haps true science fiction, an accur¬ boondocks, slaving away on our por¬ TOUNDING after 1950 and only once in ate foreshadowing of the future, if tions and outlines and our ginmick GALAXY. Del Rey and Sturgeon stayed such a thing were at all possible, short stories, trying to figure out in the hunt but oddly changing their would be inapprehensible. It is im¬ what new variation of Frank Rus¬ markets to do so; Sturgeon published portant to point out however, that sell we could sneak by Campbell, what only one story in ASTOUNDING in the as futurologists not only our devic¬ turn on a 1947 plot by Van Vogt out nineteen-fifties and del Rey a bare es but our credentials are miserable. of a 1956 sketch by Dick might work scattering. ** The creation and ex¬ this one last .time for three-cents-a- It is true -- as a notorious ex¬ pansion of the book market for sci¬ word markets. While we slogged on in ample -- that as late as 1967, no ence fiction, the restoration to the Sixties recycling the recyclable science fiction writer had understood print (and in certain cases highly for one thousand dollars in front renunerative print) of the work writ¬ that the Landing, when it occur¬ red, would be tied into the media money the liars and technicians were ten in anonymity must have been high¬ working ably to convert the holy in¬ ly gratifying to these writers but it and that it would be seen by several hundred million people. None of us to garbage and a daimed good job appeared to inspire none of them to they (and we) made of it too. The return to the steady production of saw it. The closest any of us came was Richard Wilson in a short-short liars and the technicians put the science fiction. An entire new gen¬ space program out of business by eration -- one could say several gen¬ story, "Harry Protagonist Brain- Drainer" in a 1967 issue of GALAXY the mid-seventies. Perhaps it might erations --of science fiction writ¬ all have been different if we had ers were needed to pursue the vastly which speculated that the first land¬ ing on Mars, witnessed by most of stayed on the job ... but then again expanding category in the fifties all of us know that science fiction and, of course, they presented them¬ the population of this planet on the Intermedia, would expose the as¬ has almost nothing to do with the fu¬ selves; among them were the finest tronauts to the hypnotic and mind- ture so why feel guilty about it? I writers who had ever worked in the destroying powers of the Secret Mart¬ don't. And "Harry Protagonist Brain- form and collectively they gave sci¬ ians who would turn the minds of Driver" is still around somewhere if ence fiction its best decade. most of us to jelly. This is not anyone wants proof that we weren't en¬ But the first Campbell genera¬ bad thinking for 1500 words and was tirely copped out. tion did not play a significant role handled with Wilson's customary luc¬ No, ma'am, as the bishop said to in the science fiction of the fifties. idity and elan but it had very lit¬ the widow, I don't feel guilty at Nor did Campbell; he was the only one tle to do with the conditions that all. I just followed the scent. who stayed behind, doing exactly as NASA and the networks were jointly he had been doing but science fic¬ evolving and the question of mass 1980: New Jersey tion had been taken from him and as audience was strictly for the sub¬ the decade progressed surely he knew plot, a means of setting up the one it and his magazine began to show his satiric point. Wilson wins the NASA/ I ESSAYS FROM ENGINES OF THE NIGHT increasing bewilderment and recrimin¬ CBS I Saw It Coming Award but only WILL CONTINUE NEXT ISSUE. ation. The price the forties had by default and since the award pays inposed had been exacted, the battle only in honor (of which NASA and CBS had, long after the fact, been won have offered science fiction almost ... but only after the writers had none) Wilson will have to be content ceased to fight it and this late out¬ with his otherwise decent career and come from early and lonely struggle, 1969 for MYIHER TO THE this must have been the true bitter¬ WORLD. ness of the decade for the writers For the rest of us -- Heinlein, long after the decade, unable to re¬ Asimov, Clarke, Anderson and the six¬ produce their best work. Anonymity ties visionaries too, the movers and is, at least, an openness of promise; shakers who were attenpting to write outcome, whatever it may be, is a Street Science Fiction --no honor weight upon the heart. whatsoever and no excuse. That a 1980: New Jersey genre built upon visionary format whose claim to public attention through the early decades had been based upon its precognitive value **Sprague de Camp turned to non¬ should have utterly failed to glinpse fiction, juveniles and a scatter¬ the second or third most significant ing of fantasy and was no factor social event of the decade is -- one in fifties science fiction. 10 On the back we read: "DO YOU AND THEN I READ.... WANT TO SEE ? There is mounting that life, true life, be¬ gins after death. Researchers into This type of sex writing I find the phenomenon of Life-After-Death anti-erotic, and I wonder why sex have found incredible similarities editors buy it? Is the key indredi- in the reports of thousands of per¬ ent copious cunt juice, gobbled jism sons who were pronounced clinically and fuck holes? Is~the small read¬ dead and then revived. Virtually all reports have these elements in ership of sex novels turned on not by well-written erotic imagery, but by common: Departure from the physical crude trigger words and gross action? body; a loud, humming noise; passage I'd rather not believe that. through a long, dark tunnel; a white But the two Hustler books I've light waiting at the end." That would lead most anyone to read, and a few Heatherpool Press novels I've seen recently indicate expect a "non-fiction" book about that is the case. life-after-death...if the credit, "A Novel By RUDY RUCKER" was not no¬ BY THE EDITOR This is no attack on Victor Koman; ticed. he's a beginning pro and he hit the right market at the right time. But This kind of misdirection and STARSHIP WOMEN his novel is terrible by any measure. slanting of the covers (It has a By Victor Koman non-fiction type cover/title make¬ Hustler 10-190, $2.95 up.) isn't blatant. And the novel Order from: Spectrum, Dept. E, is about one man's incredible ex¬ POB 5184 periences while in an out-of-body Willowick, OH 44094 DIRECT DESCENT state. But it smacks of manipula¬ This novel was originally titled By tion a bit beyond the call of norm¬ SAUCER SLUTS by the author [a sf fan- Ace 14897-2, $6.95 al profits. '■rriter/publisher]who was told by Sam If you want to read two 1954-ish The story is about a Felix Ray- Konkin III that the ms. would sell short stories by Frank Herbert about man, a man with problems, who is a with that title no matter what was a future is which Earth has through mathematician [as is the author] on the pages. I guess it did. the eons become an Archives for the and who finds he can spring his It was written in 1976. galaxy, and is once-in-a-while soul free of his body. It is terrible erotica and bad threatened by idiot galaxy govern¬ In this state of existence one science fiction. ments ... time he meets a ghost, a soul-eater, The story is about two young These "pack rat" stories are from and embarks upon a wild, mind-boggl¬ men on Earth who are kidnapped by ASTOUNDING and have had, I suppose, ing journey across the universe to a four lovely, green-skinned young a modicum of editing and rewriting planet of mathmatical extremes called women aboard a saucer. by Herbert...enough for the editors Cimon where all souls come for ev¬ The women are desperate search¬ to mislead the potential buyer with aluation and placement after their ers for males who can father the cover proclamation: "The Newest Earth body dies. a new generation of their species; Work By FRANK HERBERT. Author of Rucker has worked out a math/ the green men have died off (and had ." physics structure for the afterlife, too-small cocks anyway!). The format is the trade paper¬ and infinity is explored up one side The women are wowed by Bill and back: hardback size pages, book paper, and down the other. Jim's whangers and sex begins im¬ a stiff heavy stock cover, and a rip- As I say: wild, wonderful, inven¬ mediately. And so on as the saucer off $6.95 price. tive and spectacular. It's math sf, pulses its way to the women's home You get about 25,000 words and and it's fascinating, if at times a planet. 61 full-page and occasional double- bit boring as Rucker explains the Alas, the men cannot fertilize page ink drawings by Garcia. Garcia math and physics beyond my interest the women, and Jim goes crazy when is a good comnercial artist and some level. he realizes that the time warp factor of his drawings are effective. Most The incredibilities are so fast means if they ever return to Earth are space-wasters to fill out the and furious and far-out that disbel¬ hundreds of years will have passed necessary page count for the book. ief grows.apace. And in the end it here...and he kills himself and one Unless you're a completist, this appears that the whole experience may of the women. "novel" of two barely related stories have been a drug/alcohol trip in Bill is more resilient and stays (separated by thousands of years) is Felix's brain. the course, helps overthrow an anti- a gyp. This is definitely not new This will not appeal to the oc- science dictatorship that has taken Herbert fiction. cult/supematural/religious readers over on the planet Nivn [!], becomes who may buy the book expecting some¬ a pom star there.... thing else. Koman likes alliteration and The Vigin Books paperback, in prose poetry: thin trade paperback size, has a '"Mmiimi," she said, never missing simple, effective infinity symbol a beat in her job on my meat.' WHITE LIGHT in white light on a textured, darker 'Ngio laughed and kissed the By Rudy Rucker background. Very appropriate cover, crown on the top of which rested a Ace 88564-0, $2.25 effective. Though the type used for tiny diamond of homy-honey. ' Virgin Books, UK, LI.95 the text inside is about 9-10 point And so on. All the crude words size; too small for comfortable read¬ for sex and genitalia are used. All Once again deception by the Ace ing, I think. But I have old eyes, the sex is willing, wild, perfect, packaging decision-makers. The and tired. and uncomplicated (except for posi¬ blurb at the top of the page reads: tioning) and a lot of it is patently "First, LIFE AFTER DEATH, then ILLU¬ so exaggerated and gross as to be SIONS, and now—" impossible. 11 WHO KILLED UTOPIA sentenced to 'total reprogramning' stairs going from one floor to an¬ By Paul Walker in a state hospital/prison by means other. The stairs were white. Carlyle Books CS7062-T, $1.95 of a sensory deprivation tank. There were also rails, so people [Available from Burt Libe, POB 1196, Her dream is the battle for her walking on the upper levels of Los Altos, CA 94022. Send $2.50.] mind in her subconscious as she the buildings wouldn't fall. The Mr. Libe bought a large stock struggles to retain Self and Val¬ whole place looked like an overgrown of Paul's book from Carlyle, feel¬ ues. The dreamscape is varied, peo¬ school. There were people in this ing the publisher is not interest¬ pled with wizards, and men. university, but these people were ed in promoting or seeking much She is fighting, also, to keep her different. They were of all types distribution for the novel. three children. -some were baldheaded, some people Carlyle to my knowledge has At times the dreamscape becomes had green hair, some walked around been publishing straight sex novels a nightmare. in cat-burglar-type costumes with for-at least fifteen years. I I found the novel fairly inter¬ red goggles.' was surprised to learn that they esting, but too private. Hie point is, Bailey doesn't at least occasionally publish a Virgin packaged it to look like know his writing is a disaster. non-sex novel. Their print-runs the worst kind of blatant porno¬ He cannot "see" the mistakes. He are low and their distribution is¬ graphy. cannot correct the mistakes. n't appropriate for non-sex novels. And the editors---if that is By accepting and publishing this the correct term for those who han¬ novel they probably haven't done dle ms. in a vanity press house--- much for Paul's writing career. are not about to violate his prose; [Or his pocketbook, or theirs.] it would insult him and would be WHO KILLED UTOPIA has some in¬ THE DESCENDANTS OF STAR too damn much work. triguing and captivating elements: By Thomas C. Bailey The second paragraph is one- the scenes involving "rogue" Exposition Press $5.50 page long, and an equal disaster. as they attempt to murder people 325 Kings Highway Many are called to the art and are tensioned and gripping. The Smithtown, NY 11787 craft of fiction, but few are good Poet---a giant computer whose heart Bailey has the right writer enough. is a human brain [going mad at last?) instincts—his Prologue has good And if you perhaps cannot see is handled well. And the technique ideas as it sets up a narrative the errors and horrors in the above and technology required to insure of the ancient past...from 5100 quoted paragraph, do not try to Earth society remains violence-free A.D. write for a living: you'll starve is foreboding. But the first two paragraphs to death. The novel is a future mystery of chapter one reveal him as an novel: the hero, Brazh, must discov¬ amateur in the worst sense. Terri¬ er who is programing the robots to ble sentences, malaprop phrases kill, and why. Earth's civiliza¬ and words.... tion is at stake. And, at the end, The first paragraph: his own life is at risk. 'The land was as green as a Yet the novel is flawed by a DREAM MAKERS carpet on the floor of any house. subtle lack of skill--of control--- By Charles Platt It was a beautiful vista, mountains of the material. I had trouble be¬ Berkley, $2.75 green and serene, clouds drifting ing sure who was speaking several Subtitled "The Uncommon People over them like dreams. In the times, and couldn't keep several Who Write Science Fiction", these middle of this green vista there of the main characters clear in my 28 profiles of the famous and well- were buildings. These buildings mind. known are extremely well done. looked like those in a futuristic And the last line- The edi¬ Not interviews...not sinply university, which it was. The tor should mercifully have blue- Q and A's. These are more fully buildings were streamlined, yet they penciled it. Brazh has gone too fleshed encounters that give Charl¬ were imposing. Instead of steel, long without sleep, is emotionally es' informed personal inpress ions they were made of beige brick— and physically exhausted. He meets and judgements as well as the writ¬ handmade. There were windows and his wife outside the Council Tower, er's responses to some usual and and after rejecting breakfast and sleep, says, "Let's fuck." It was a slap in the face and completely inappropriate.

THE TRAVAILS OF JANE SAINT By Josephine Saxton Virgin Books, LI.95 Ify problem is that I sometimes don't review a book while it's fresh in my mind. And—like Chin¬ ese food---some books just...disap¬ pear from the mental stomach without a trace.

A fantastic dream novel written by a feminist. The opening pages tell us Jane is a revolutionary and has been unusual interview questions. and a new society begins to foim, THE DENEBIAN GREEN-BEAST CAFE We see the writer at home, oft- and contending social forces clash TOWARD HER, MOVING WITH A CURIOUSLY times with his guard down, playful, in attempts to control and direct FLOWING MOTION, ITS TENTACLES SWAY¬ sometimes savage.... always revealing mankind with this new 'wild talent'. ING IN A SENSUAL DANCE OF ALIEN of self. John has some fun examining how LUST. SHE STOOD FROZEN AGAINST A Readers of SFR have been privi¬ an army would control its soldiers, RUDDER OF ROCK AND STARED AT THE leged to read two of these profiles how it would fight a war...and how THING IN HORROR. ---the Ellison and the Dick---and it would try to dominate various And— know the quality and flavor of these cults and freedom-lovers. profiles. An interesting but incredible SLEDGE STALKED ACROSS HIS In some instances it must have novel. PLUSH OFFICE, LEAVING FOOTPRINTS taken a bit of courage to okay an Excellent cover by...whoever IN THE THICK SHAG CARPET LIKE interview with Charles Platt, and in (no credit line), and an attractive ANGRY DOUGHNUTS. VELDA VANCE, an Appendix several authors take ex¬ new cover format for Zebra. ALLURING BEAUTIFUL SECRETARY TO ception to a few of Platt's observa¬ SLEDGE AND CHANDLER INVESTIGATIONS, tions and interpretations. LOOKED UP IN ALARM. "SOMEBODY These profiles/interviews are MURDERED MILES CHANDLER LAST NIGHT," endlessly interesting, even excit¬ SLEDGE GRITTED TO HER, "AND STOLE ing. And this book is a Must Read THE MICAWBER DIAMOND HE WAS GUARD¬ for any sf fan or hardcore reader. ING." Certainly it is necessary for any Some of these stories are [I self-respecting library. By Bill Pronzini § Barry N. Malzberg admit] readable and captivating as One quibble: Charles claims he St. Martin's Press, $9.95 they pour from the contending hacks. could only manage to interview one The editors of St. Martin's de¬ And this overall satire of woman (Kate Wilhelm, and that by cide to publish a strange book sports, writing, society...life... mail with Damon Knight) because most once in a while. I first noticed is a giver of wisdom in its fashion. women sf writers aren't all that this tendency in their issuing Dave But the reader is left with the un¬ well known, and most write fantasy Lanford's AN ACCOUNT OF A MEETING easy suspicion that the wisdom, too, anyway. WITH IENIZENS OF ANOTHER WORLD--1871. may be trite...hackwork. Listen, if he can include Ed¬ Now, this delicious, truth-tell¬ WHERE DOES THIS MOCKERY STOP? ward Bryant and Hank Stine, he can ing satire of pulp writing and writ¬ include C.J. Cherryh and , ers . Hacks. to say naught of and Imagine a future in which pop¬ M.Z. Bradley. ular hack writers are treated like Those profiled/interviewed in pro athletes---with individuals in this book are: , Thomas leagues, semi-final write-offs, and Disch, Robert Sheckley, Kurt Vonne- finally—the Prose Bowl. gut, Jr., Hank Stine, Norman Spinrad, This novel is about Rex Sackett, AN ENEMY OF THE STATE , Samuel R. Delany, the Kid, as he pulp-proses By F. Paul Wilson Barry N. Malzberg, Edward Bryant, his way to victory...but not before Doubleday, $10.00 .C.M. Kombluth (in¬ he is beset by villains, betrayal, A novel of the LaNague Federa¬ directly), , Philip self-deception_all the formula tion. A Libertarian novel that Jose Farmer, A.E. van Vogt, Philip problems a hero must face. preaches basic economic truths that K. Dick, Harlan Ellison, Ray Brad¬ But he sits at his desk in the statists hate to hear, especially bury, Frank Herbert, Damon Knight, Bowl with thousands of screaming about inflation...or rather the Kate Wilhelm, Michael Moorcock, J. fans in the stands, and he writes calculated debasement of currency. G. Ballard, E.C. Tubb, Ian Watson, category fiction according to the This novel, though ostensibly John Brunner, Gregory Benford, Rob¬ luck of the draw. His opponent is about a future independent cluster ert Silverberg, and . an old pro—The Cranker. of Earth colonies who are in econ¬ There is also a short bio on Their contest is one of endur¬ omic bondage to Earth as one-crop Charles Platt himself, self-writt¬ ance and quality control: whoever suppliers of food, is actually root¬ en. reaches 10,000 words first--wins! ed in the present-day economic cris¬ Thus: is of America. Wilson systematically shows the reader how and why the government devalues the currency, shows the no- win trap it sinks into, and shows/ tells the average citizen how to op¬ pose and frustrate the government THREE-RING PSYCHUS By John Shirley tactics. Zebra. $1.95 The story is about Peter La John likes to play fiction gam¬ Nague's plan to overthrow the USA- es with the collective unconscious. style Outworld Imperiun and put in He believes (apparently) that a mass place a Libertarian, free-market unconscious will exists, and that economy and minimal government. in extremis it can cause violent In doing this his clever tactics social/cultural/physical events. and strategy are very effective. In THREE-RING PSYCHUS the whole His near downfall and calculated of humanity loses weight and floats risk of death are simply plot devic¬ upward into the sky... Soon there es to make the novel readable and are great clotted strata of people involving. They work, but they are thousands of feet above cities and transparent and obvious. country.... This is a "different" sf novel; There are problems of survival. readable, instructive, eye-opening, But soon people leam to control a and a bit clunsy. new ability---levitation by will--- n 14 »«B 36 63"»3« BY GREGORY BENFORD with someofthecircuitrybutwe make oneoriginalonyellowpaper, My newestsystemforwritingisto cide thisintheevening,asIread move slowlywiththenovel.Ide¬ both considerourselvescountry folk ment andtakingthedataanalyz¬ quarter thanlast.There'strouble months laterafterwe'dallgivenup, ed theothers,leavingonlyapart¬ Eklund's wifethrewasnitandburn¬ metal cabinetinmyoffice.Ever and fileitinastackthebig ed theyelloworiginalsheets,I a carbononblueandthendohand carbon copiesoflastweekend'swork. over thebluesheetswhichare at aconventionmonthago, and . We'dhadagood longtalk assistants say. since Delllosttwocopiesofthe rethought those,andfinallyamend¬ corrections ontheblue.OnceI've across thebay fromMobile,and at heart. discovered wehavemuchthe same to workalone,buildingtheexperi¬ lab coursetorequireeachstudent ly. EversinceIchangedtheP5E the rigbeginstooperatesuccessful¬ fool aroundwithit,guidedmoreby dents appeartobedoingbetterthis teaching assistantsarehandlingthe labs I'mrunningandcheckhowthe FIND THECHANGELINGms.andGordon take thecarbontouniversity intuition thananythingelse,and Franck-Hertz experiment.Thestu¬ ial roughcarbontobediscovered6 feelings aboutsomeSFthemes and Cliff Simak,forhiskindnoteabout interest fromthem;sotheteaching ing ithimself,therehasbeenmore I've beencautious. Tuesday, May6,1980.Things Wednesday, May6.Igobythe I writeathank-youletterto I wasbominsouthernAlabama, writer, withinstinctsdeveloped and havemanagedtofindabeachtown, bama in1948,returningoccasional¬ naturalness, proximitytoacity Laguna Beach,whichcombinessome spent mostofmyfirstdecadeliving Copyright (c)1980 by GregoryBenford compared withteachingagriculture often. Iconsidermyselfasouthern sprawl) andthechancetobenear trained ortookassignmentsindis¬ ly forlongstayswhilemyfather the oceanwheneverIlike,whichis the sea.Ilikeruralsurroundings in smalltowns,onfarms,alwaysnear can accent.(Ilaterfound that tant placesunsuitableforfamilies. there. MyfatherfoughtinWWIIand and tothisdayItend lapse in¬ in smallAlabamatowns.WeleftAla¬ found theAmymuchtohisliking, to anapproximation ofwhateverac- of accentsandspeechmannerisms, this seemedtomakememore aware st Southerners,andinadolescence scious myselfoftheprejudice again¬ at firstsuppose.Iwasacutelycon¬ of Oklahomain1963,mostlybecause Bachelor's degreeattheUniversity publishing afanzine,VOID.Were¬ been back.InGermanyIbecamein¬ but ourthreeyearsinJapanwere trained myselfintoastraight Ameri¬ type whoisclevererthanmanywould similar toEisenhower,acountry School inOklahoma,andIgotmy mandant oftheUSArmyArtillery We lived"ontheeconomy"inGermany, it wasclosetohome.Ifyfatheris father retiredafterbecomingCom¬ turned toDallas,Texasin1957,and terested inSFfandomandstarted an andlikedit,thoughI'venever spent onabase.IsawlotofJap¬ ed anartillerybattalioninGermany. staff intheKoreanwarandcommand¬ (the greatersouthernCalifornia I becamecaughtupinscience.My He wasonMacArthur'sgeneral cent those around me are speaking. on the new Wolfe, ho-hum on the Spin- After moving to California for grad¬ rad, expect commercial success for uate work in 1963 I gradually slid the Silverberg), check a local book¬ into a Californian mode of speech. store for what's new (not much) and Get me excited about something, read a on the beach. though, and the southern vowels will Walk home with Mark and play catch. leak out.) Watch NORMA RAE on the movie chan¬ nel in the evening, drink a bottle The day's second mail delivery of Chardonnay. arrives. There are reprints of a paper I did with my now-graduated Friday, May 9. This is colloq- student, Bob Buschauer. Bob now uium day in the physics department teaches at Cal State Polytech at Po¬ and I am one of the three colloqui¬ mona, a solid school, and he seems um chairmen this year. I arrive at to enjoy it greatly. Our paper con¬ my office to find a taped telephone cerns the luminosity of pulsars, series of increasingly anxious mes¬ trying to set theoretical limits. sages from a graduate student who MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRON¬ works with our colloquium speaker. OMICAL SOCIETY is a good journal to The speaker is sick and can't make publish in: reasonably swift, at¬ it. I iranediately confer with the tentive, neat and read by a larger other chairmen and we find a substit¬ range of people than ASTROPHYSICAL ute among our own department mem¬ The Japanese dinner is relaxing and JOURNAL, or AP J, the American lead¬ bers. Another crisis averted. I the hostess takes me to the auditor¬ ing journal. Also, MONTHLY NOTICES settle down and read the mail --a ium where about 100 people are mil¬ doesn't have page charges. I've al¬ few reprints of papers on plasma ling around. I make a few notes ways felt rather like a vanity press physics, a membership bill from the while I am being introduced (I have¬ writer when I pay charges, though American Physical Society, a fanzine n't planned anything beforehand) and of course in the sciences these things and a letter from a reader of IN then launch into a discussion of SF are looked upon differently. THE OCEAN OF NIGHT -- and then be¬ as a market, what a newcomer can ex¬ gin to think about a theoretical pa¬ pect, how to roll with the editorial Fall asleep reading Faulkner. per I have been writing on galactic punches, etc. I make a few jokes Thursday, May 8. This is the jets. These are the huge gouts of about being a writer and the talk one day a week I definitely set a- relativistic electrons which are e- as a whole goes over well. The crowd side to stay home and work. Usual¬ jected from distant galaxies, which seems to want the real insiders' gos¬ ly I write; often fiction. Something we see in the radio frequencies. sip and how-to elements, rather than nudges at me, a TV presentation of What ejects them we don't know, and abstract lit'ry discussion. I give "The Music School" by Updike, seen I have dealt only with the dynamics it to them. After about an hour I last night, plus some research I've of the jets. I review my calcula¬ ask for questions, and then sign a been doing on NGC 1097, and I go in¬ tions and make a new note about rami¬ few books --a ceremony that always to my study to make notes. I begin fications. Then a quick lunch and seems a bit strange to me -- and work on a short story, "Plates", I'm off driving for an hour to Cal¬ then I'm off, free. A few drinks at feeling that I'll try out a few para¬ tech. There I walk around a bit to the hostess's house and the long graphs for feel and then get down to renew my inpressions of the long drive home. On the way I listen to the ever-looming novel. I start out tiled hallways and find Roger Bland- a Vivaldi program and try to plot the by hand, as usual. Doesn't come ford's office. We talk for an hour next chunk in the novel. easily. I have started without look¬ or so and then I look up Peter Gold- ing up my notes made when the basic reich. Peter and I have waged a bat¬ idea occurred to me about seven tle against a French mathematical Saturday, May 10. Letter from a years ago, but now I take out the physicist over a particular relativ¬ Polish SF society, asking for bio and notebook, tear out the pages and lay istic radiation mechanism which may books. I make a few notes for nov¬ them beside my own recent scribbling. be relevant to pulsars and quasars. el purposes, reread notes from before Goldreich proposed the mechanism and skim the latest PHYSICS TODAY, Most of my original plot, in¬ years ago and I studied it, reproduc¬ marking pieces of possible use for volving a graduate student, I can't ing his results and adding some soph¬ the Britannica summary I do at the use. The basic idea, though -- dis¬ istication to the mathematics later. end of the year. Then I chuck it covery of an extragalactic phenomen¬ The Frenchman has atteupted to show all for the day and walk down to the on which casts light on events at that an even more sophisticated cal¬ center of Laguna with the family, the center of our own galaxy -- will culation shows that the mechanism looking in on the bookstores. Play work. I try a few more paragraphs, fails. We have tried to duplicate with Alyson and Mark on the beach. runmaging for the proper voice. Must his calculation and, surprise! --it In the afternoon Joan and I goto an be first person, yes. A certain dis¬ turns out he is dead wrong: the opulent brunch, the annual meeting tance, an assessing gaze, but an op¬ mechanism remains, essentially as of the Laguna Beach Chamber Music en man, inquisitive. The atirosphere we proposed it. Goldreich and I Society. It is in the home of a of Caltech, yes: and abnptly I see are rather happy with this result, rather rich man, the place dripping why I've started this story, this and we speculate on the motives of with 18th and 19th Century Italian day -- tomorrow I'll visit Caltech the Frenchman, whose handling of the art and furniture. Wonderful food. and something will surely click into whole affair has been rather rude. Joan is made president of the Socie¬ place. I put away my notes and ty and there is discussion of the write a memo about university stuff I leave shortly after 5 pm and concerts for next season. (One of and then go after the novel. Meet drive to a large home in Pasadena, the advantages of our location is Mark at his bus stop, walk down with where I am expected for dinner. that we can walk down the hill to him to his music lesson. He discus¬ I am to give a talk on writing SF hear some of the best chamber groins ses seriously what he wants for his and the market in the 1980s to an in the world.) I eat rather more birthday. I swing by the library annual Pasadena Writers' meeting. than I should, as usual, hitting while he is in his lesson, glance at slightly above my 3500+ /day the PUBLISHER'S WEEKLYS (favorable 15 That evening Rick and Asenath Keith Kato brings by the replot¬ even scientific in the strict sense. Stembach come by to show us the ted . Some of it doesn't square So we have to rely on the spectrun four black and whites Rick has done with the way we've thought about the as a crucial test. Son of a gun, it for a story of mine to appear in theory. seems to work out. EESTINIES. Fine stuff. Rick is a Make some notes about "Plates" in Goddam back is bothering me quiet, intense and an exceptional the evening. again. talent, probably the best to emerge in SF in over a decade. My back therapy seems to be do¬ Friday, May 16. Talk to Silver- berg about stock market. I have a Sunday, May 11. Mother's Day. ing some good. I sleep fairly com¬ sense, developing strongly over the Presents for Joan, brunch out. Work fortably for the first time in a last year, that anyone who has fam¬ in the garden. Call my mother to week. ily obligations must pay much atten¬ chat. Practice softball with Mark. tion to economics. The classical Work on "Plates". Wednesday, May 14. I attend the sound investments are drifting close Honors Lunch for outstanding gradua¬ Monday, May 12. A proofed vers¬ to the rocks and even the small clunp te and undergraduate students in the ion of an astrophysics paper of mine of capital the Benfords have needs School of Physical Sciences, one comes in from AP J for checking. Te¬ guidance. Silverberg takes a very from each department. Our graduates dious work. I spend an hour with traditional investment policy, never are getting better and better. One Keith Kato, my graduate student, dis¬ sells anything, doesn't fool with cussing experiments he's doing. of them asks me if I have a new nov¬ real estate, etc. To me this is Keith is also an SF fan, and even at¬ el coming out soon and I manage to madness, particularly in his tax tends conventions, subscribes to fan¬ deflect conversation away to matters bracket, but on the other hand, he scientific fairly soon after answer¬ zines, etc. That he should wind up is a reliable source of information having a part-time SF writer as a ing the question. I realize I am on the more traditional stocks. major professor is one of those co¬ getting fairly bored with describing Faculty meeting at 11, about two incidences a writer would never dare the publishing biz to outsiders, es¬ new assistant professor appointments. use. He works well and is making pecially since it's unbelievably ir¬ rational . Both gain approval. I remember how, good progress. We discuss two pap¬ when I attended my first such meet¬ ers we've been preparing for the I figure out a new way to explain ing in 1971, I had expected solemn plasma physics journals. I don't the Kato data. Work on that through and profound deliberations. Instead, want to send them to the journal the afternoon. there is a comfortable and jokes yet, because something nags at me are made. But the business is ser¬ about the theoretical explanation. Call from Owen Davies at ONMI, ious and the decisions are gradual¬ I ask Keith to recheck all the data asking if I'll write some Astronomy ly arrived at, sampling the bulk of and replot the points in a different colimns for them. I agree. Dead¬ the opinions before any votes are way. Plasma seminar that afternoon. line for the first is tight: June L taken. Both leading candidates for Letters from John Douglas at Si¬ Thursday, May 15. Work on the the positions gain approval. I'm mon and Schuster, enclosing very fav¬ short story, think about the novel. glad of this; we can use a new plas¬ orable letters on TIM5SCAPE from An¬ When I run out of writing steam I do ma experimentalist, and this one thony Burgess and Walter Miller, Jr. some more calculations regarding the looks good. I am running my own lit¬ Wow. These are people I admire the Kato data. This explanation looks tle experimental group, even though much better than our earlier ideas. hell out of, as we Southerners say, I'm a theorist, and I can use some Some uncertainties in the calcula¬ and their approval is gratifying. help. tion, though, make it difficult to Tuesday, May 13. I conduct my reliably predict the power we should Letter from a fanzine editor, usual discussion section for the in¬ observe. Luckily, the data lies Dan Steffan, asking if I'll write a troductory physics course. The stu¬ within a reasonable parameter range retrospective about the days when dents seem bright. In the afternoon for the theory. For this you pay Ted White, Terry Carr and I edited I finish reading the AP J proofs. the price that the observed power a fanzine together, VOID. What the This paper has two Italian co-auth¬ in the 1 cm wavelength range doesn't hell; I decide to do it. Should be ors; I really should get in touch help confirm the theory very well. fun. I often write just because I with them about the changes I've made Theories that can be adjusted to like writing itself, pushing out the here and there in the light of re¬ agree with just about anything aren't words. The fact that sometimes this cent new radio astronomy maps, but useful; in fact, since you can't make is a way of not working on fiction, there isn't time, so I go ahead. a prediction with them, they aren't which is tough going, I try to ig¬ nore. Saturday, May 17. Softball game of Mark's; they lose. New PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY has a great positive review of TIMESCAPE. This makes me feel definitely up the whole afternoon, until I remind my¬ self that I can't let myself be tos¬ sed about by the winds of critical opinion. Burgess and Miller, sure, but not some faceless reviewer. It is easier to believe this than to practice it, though, as every author knows. Trouble is, I know that the SF audience as a whole is more int¬ erested in wish fulfillment fantas¬ ies than anything else, and that's not my vector. The question is wheth¬ er I should seek a larger audience, maybe outside SF, which has my inter- ests. It is hard to ignore the flat a loan for $250,000 from the Regents fact that most of the SF crowd is a has come through, so it looks like passing throng of adolescents and sho' 'nuff success. And I'll be probably always will be. The act of glad as hell to be quit of the job. faith you hear from such high priests Tuesday, May 20. Work on some of the biz as Dave Hartwell is that radio astronomy data. In the even¬ there remains a literate, sensitive, ing I write the astronomy piece for long-term audience for what Zebrowski ONNI, taking as subject good ol' NGC always calls "high SF". I seriously 1097. There's a beautiful color doubt this proposition but I can't print they can use. disprove it. Certainly the awards don't bear on the point; they're Wednesday, May 21. Spend most from a minute fraction of the read¬ of the day in the lab, peering at ers. Oh, well. I'm pretty sure a recalcitrant experiments. The quan¬ lot of the SF crowd will dislike tity of sheer fiddling in experiment¬ TINE SCAPE's space devoted to charac¬ al physics is numbing. That's why I ters and historical background. decided to get out pf it, after spend¬ There is even a whole chapter about ing two years tracking down vacuum a doctoral exam; I know that won't leaks and electrical faults in a nu¬ play with a lot of them. I suspect clear spin resonance lab. It was a the characters, middleclass types wise decision, for one of my nature. whose interests are cerebral, won't Now I'm back supervising exactly ent and it would be valuable to watch appeal to the large readership who that sort of thing, but the pleasure him develop. apparently want something currently is that I get to look at results, and Mare rewriting on "Exposures". passing for hugely relevant, forward- can sidestep most of the grunt labor. Am I avoiding working on the novel? thinking insight: sensitive far-fut¬ Of course, there's dog work in the¬ This is what it usually feels like ure folk atop their heroic horses. ory, too. A lot. if my subconscious is hanging back from doing something. Oh, well; no Oh, well, I made all my choices point in forcing matters. about the book long ago; only now, Thursday, May 23. In one long at some remove, can I begin to see session I finish "Plates", about Saturday, May 24. Picnic on the how it blends into the field. It's 6500 words. Decide to call it "Ex¬ beach with friends. Read a few sci¬ this way with every book. I posures”. entific journals. More on "Expos¬ always have my own later evaluation Friday, May 23. Lunch with one ures". of my work, and by my lights the of the two novelists in the U. C Irv¬ Sunday, May 25. More beach, more Graham Greene division into enter¬ ine writing school. His pen name is notes on the novel. I've got thick tainments and novels is useful. In Macdonald Harris and he was nominat¬ notebooks of them now, so detailed that sense only IN THE OCEAN OF NIGHT ed for the National Book Award (for I wonder how I can mine it efficient¬ and TIMESCAPE are my novels, with a THE BALLOONIST) some years back. He ly for material. possible reservation about IF THE tells me horror stories about main¬ STARS ARE . The first two are stream publishing. Tales of agents In early afternoon I get tired my own favorites, so I don't forgetting their clients, of neglect of pushing ideas around and resolve know whether I'm identifying ambi¬ from well-thought-of houses, of in¬ to quit, go for a walk, and then a tion with achievement or not. You cestuous ingroups. Sounds familiar. notion comes into my head, a theme never do, I guess. Such reflections He lets drop that none of his books for a short story. I mull it over are typical of the time a novel is has ever earned out its hardback ad¬ for two or three minutes and then, about to come out, for me. There is vance, despite several paperback acting on inpulse and no small amount I think, a steady conflict between sales. And his advances don't seen of frustration with the novel, I conrnercial values and personal ones, all that high, either. SF does have find myself rolling clean paper in¬ all warring inside the same person. its pluses. to the typewriter and beginning with¬ I write some things for the sheer out pause, writing the thing as fast joy of production, to be a crafts¬ Thesis exam for a doctoral stu¬ as I can go. Malzberg often writes man, to be a pro. Nothing wrong dent. He does reasonably well. Stu¬ afterwords to his stories saying with that. (Then why do I sometimes dents have an odd notion -- I remem¬ "written in 37 minutes on February feel a curious, undefined conflict?) ber it from my student days -- that 4, 1972" or the like, and I've al¬ faculty love to cut them up on oral ways puzzled over how that could be, I go home and reread the Tom exams. In fact, a professor likes but now I find myself making it all Disch essay in the Nichols SF AT nothing better than to find a student up as my fingers move, and in 61 LARGE volume. I wonder at times why who tells them something interesting minutes -- daim, I was trying for a he's still in the field. Why is in a clear way. It's far more de¬ Gene Wolfe? I'll have to ask them perfect hour -- I finish "Slices", lightful to be told something new the first story I've written in quite sometime. than to merely sit in judgment. a while without any planning. In Sunday, May 18. Self doubt I go for one more therapy ses¬ the mid-1970s'I wrote by dictation squashed or maybesatiated, I write sion for my back, before my trip. and knocked out some of my best stor¬ a long major scene in the novel, a It seems better. They're still al¬ ies ("White Creatures", "Doing Len¬ scene I've been planning for weeks lowing me only swimming as exercise. non") in a Sunday morning, going and have balked from writing so far. I have sustained enough injuries in hell for leather. It has its re¬ Faculty brunch at the chairman's the last three years to give one wards. "Slices" is a conmercially viable story, I suppose, but its home; excellent. Interesting results pause. Either I'm getting careless value to me is mostly in the steam from the neutrino folk. or the machine is giving out. I blew off by writing it. Monday, May 19. Meeting at lunch Letter from Malzberg. He is bit¬ to finish off details of setting up, ter, as usual, about the SF field. See David and Marilee Samuelson at long last, a student-operated I wish he could overcome it and write in the evening; swimning and SF bookstore on campus. I've been work¬ some more, for he is a singular tal- talk. He tells some funny stories ing for this for three years and now 17 about his class in essay writing. is no wind. We talk for a while and then climb back down. I spend the evening looking at fresh radio maps of extragalactic sources with extended jets -- radio sorcery, indeed -- and talking to the team which works on such matters. We eat out in a "nearby" (15 miles) town; okay Mexican food. I stay up to midnight, watching data come through that I'm interested in. It is displayed on a TV screen which can provide a number of different color contrasts. It is eerie to see a radio galaxy in blue and green, with red background.

Before falling asleep in the mo¬ tel-like on-site room they've given me, I read the story in He speaks well of the new Gary Wolfe est and I made the imnediate deduc¬ NEW VOICES III that Railroad has giv¬ critical volume. tion that joining the Sputnik sendup en me. Pretty good. was a smart bet. And it was more Monday, May 26, Memorial Day. Wednesday, May 28. Up early, fun than the notion of pounding a As Laguna fills with tourists I flee, breakfast at the cafeteria. The VLA typewriter, too; life itself, idiole, taking a two-step flight to Albuquer¬ is a national lab run by the Assoc¬ can easily beat a garret. I don't que. My government car isn't there iated Universities, and thus is free regret the decision. to meet me, so I grab an Avis and of the officialdom air of other labs drive north, stopping at Indian sites Turn in the Avis, pick up the -- notably, it's nothing like the for the lovely view near the Rio GSA car, drive south along the Rio Earnest Lawrence Livermore Lab, where Grande. This is a marvelous crystal¬ Grande to Socorro. It's a wind¬ I did fusion plasma research for four line land, sharp and imnediate even swept little town with a small tech¬ years before joining the UCI Physics in the gathering dusty heat of early nical college in it. I pass through department. I spend the morning dis¬ simmer. I went this way often some and at 70 nph wind through 55 miles cussing results with the observers. years ago, when I was working with of steadily ascending mountain count¬ It turns out my suggestion of map¬ people at Los Alamos -- which is vis¬ ry. The specks of white ahead re¬ ping NGC 1097 in the radio was done ible on the distant etched plateau, solve into radio disks, all mutely only weeks before. Surprisingly, still V'd with gullies of snow. I peering at a spot in the sky, laid there is absolutely no sign of the liked Santa Fe then and coming into out in a Y-shaped pattern, each arm jets which appear in the optical. it now, as arranged, I turn off and at least 14 kilometers long. The This casts into grave doubt the mod¬ find George RR Martin's house. Lisa Very Large Array is the biggest rad¬ el of ejected black holes; the jets Tuttle is there, too. We talk, gos¬ io interferometer ever built, placed were supposed to be their wakes. sip, go to dinner. I tell them about 7000 feet up on the floor of an an¬ Well, I say, maybe some things are a famous SF writer who maintains he cient lake bed. The altitude gets ejected from the center of NGC 1097 mist screw every day, and the dif¬ above most of the interfering water but it's mild stuff, perhaps a climb¬ ficulties of prearrangement this gets vapor in the atmosphere and also is¬ ing of gravitationally bound stars. him into. Railroad's office is a olates the site from commercial in¬ The idea doesn't seem very promising, shrine to SF; I reflect on the fact terference. (You can pick up a TV but there must be some explanation that mine is a hodgepodge of books, show from a thousand miles away, and the absence of a radio trace never quite put in order. I like though, if you want.) merely deepens the mystery. orderly offices but only occasional¬ ly get mine into shape. I wonder if I drive across the site and go After lunch I give the first of anybody has ever tried classifying into the big main building, where two talks on the theory I've been writers on a scale of neatness. Jack Bums greets me. He takes me working on over the last year: stab¬ on a walking tour of the facility. ility of relativistic jets. It is Tuesday, May 27. Wake up star¬ It's nearly finished, due to open, well attended and seems to go over ing at Railroad's hardback collec¬ with a senator cutting the tape, well. That evening we eat at a tion. He makes breakfast and Lisa October, 1980. As we approach the steak restaurant which uses local tells about life in . I went to radio dishes loom 14) and up until, beef and for the first time in my high school in Dallas and the details as we climb on the catwalk, I real¬ life I cannot finish the steak; it somd as though they haven't changed ize they are each as big as a two- must be 2 1/2 pounds, easy. much. I am impressed with the level storey house. The wind shrieks I stay up late, watching maps of economic difficulty she is willing through the heavy mounts, at least come in from the computer processing. to put up with to write. I wonder thirty miles an hour. The control In one of the sources a small, jet¬ if I would do the same, all for the room is moving them into position like spike appears. Interesting. nuse. No, I think, on the drive back to lock on vertical, because they to Albuquerque, I wouldn't. I made can be unstable in winds like these. Before falling asleep I spend that decision, without really think¬ Vertical minimizes the cross section, some time relaxing by trying to re¬ ing it through clearly, back in Dal¬ but of course it shuts down the VLA derive a mathematical result I got las. My sourly cynical fanzine writ¬ too. Climbing into the bowl of a some months ago. It's fun and calms ings of that time -- which I've been stationary, moored disk, I manage to the mind. The trouble with doing it reviewing lately for the I-remenber- twist my back some, but I forget at the end of the day is that my VOID piece -- bring back to me my about it in the surprising heat of metabolism is variable, and I lose hardheaded self of the late 50s and the sun-catching bowl. Here there my mental keenness at night. I find early 60s. My parents had persuaded I can't reproduce the result. The me that life was tough, life was earn¬ 18 hell with it. I do exercises for my back and Stay up late, talking and peer¬ draft, anyway, so I resolutely for¬ go to sleep. ing at the screens. get Terry's comments until I have worked through the new elements in Thursday, May 29. I awaken ear¬ my own mind. It is probably true ly and can't get back to sleep, so Friday, May 50. Up early, into that an attempt to portray the way try the problem of the night before. my GSA car, stop in Socorro for a scientist confronts a problem (or This time it comes easily. I also breakfast, then on to Albuquerque. in critical hyperbole, The Unknown) write down some notes on the novel Call Suzy Chamas from the airport will seem undramatic and maybe even which occurred to me as I was waking and chat about good ol' S§S and fem¬ falsely quiet to most readers. One up; this nudging of the subconscious inism in SF. My flight is late, I must keep that in mind. has become a standard work habit with miss my connection in LA, and arrive me in these crowded days. in Orange County (at the newly named Sunday, June 1. Write a bit in John Wayne Airport) just in time. the morning, trying to get the sense I reach the Physics department col¬ of a scene in the novel. I've start¬ Same routine as yesterday. loquium, which I'm supposed to host ed thinking of the book as a set of When the VLA people called me up this time, about halfway through a scenes to be attacked one at a time and invited me out I had no idea it talk on Jupiter by a Caltech Voyager and stacked atop each other. One of was so isolated. You could get fidg¬ astronomer, Andy Ingersol. Good the hardest things in writing, for ety out here; most people take the stuff. We talk at the wine and me, is the realization that the read¬ bus to Socorro, 55 miles, but it's cheese afterward, and I get the lat¬ er goes through all your carefully- no metropolis. I think of myself as est scoop on the . Then some wrought passages and plot turns like a country boy, but this isn't count¬ work with Keith Kato, pick up the the wind, gobbling them up, proces¬ ry, it's a giant pool table framed mail, and home for a late supper sing, living, the drama at a pace by mountains. and a few blissful moments spent that takes you months. So the read¬ In early afternoon I review my simply standing under the olive tree er inevitably sees a different book, seminar and, finishing early, I call and looking at the Pacific. Odd has a different sense of the pace. up Dave Hartwell in New York. I sit name; it's the least peaceful of all How does a writer correct for that? watching the dishes tilt and talk the oceans I know. I dunno, really. Rereading helps, about the advertising budget for Saturday, May 31. Open my mail but after a few readings of a poured- TIhESCAPE. Turns out there isn't and find (a) a paper from PHYSICS OF over text, I become blind to it and any. Also, a maneuver Norman Spin- FLUIDS to review; (b) 2 ; can't see it fresh for many months. rad and I worked out, whereby the pa¬ (c) letter from FUTURE LIFE about This is one thing which forces my perbacks come out early to capital¬ a personal opinion piece from me; drawn-out style of writing novels. ize on the hardback reviews, has (d) copies of the cover Ted White I get off a note to Vicki Shoch- been okayed for Norman but not for got Dan Steffan to draw for the new et at Berkley/Putnam, changing a me. *Sigh.* More strange bookbiz. issue of VOID we're planning; (e) word in the galleys of JUPITER PRO¬ galleys of a critical piece on aliens There are some damn good conments JECT, which appears in updated form in SF I did for a volume to come from after my seminar. I make some notes this October; the latest notions Southern Illinois Press, called to use in later research. This is about Ganymede, learned yesterday BRIDGES TO SF (I gave a talk at the the kind of science which can't be from Andy, makes this necessary. Of first Eaton Conference on SF at UCR- carried out by reading the journals. course, next year the opinions will iverside, which was fun because I It makes up the bulk of how science probably be different, but ... is really done, and I've reflected got to put in a lot of jokes; writ¬ often on how little the historian of ing it up was work, but publishing Monday, June 2. It's beginning science gets to glimpse this. (I the proceedings of the conference to look as though the radiation pro¬ won't even mention how little of it will probably help it establish it¬ cesses in our current experiments is in SF ... ) In the old days, to self, it says here.); (f) a paper are similar to those which occur in be sure, a scientist wrote letters to from PLASMA PHYSICS to review; (g) the Type III solar radio bursts. his peers, and they saved them. The "Exposures", rejected by Terry Carr. These are intense cascades of radio correspondence was human and often I had more or less guessed he would¬ noise emitted when a volley of weak¬ garrulous. Now when a scientist n't like it, since it is an under¬ ly relativistic electrons are eject¬ gets an idea, he vrrites a letter and played piece, but his comment that ed from the sun. The electrons pass publishes it formally in a letter the style is "flat" mystifies me. through the near-solar plasma and journal. A lot of the zest is lost. Oh, well; I'm going to do another excite plasma waves, which then lead Another Mexican restaurant to¬ night; excellent. After returning to the control room of the VLA, and wait¬ ing for new results on the screens, I punch into the FTS line and call Spinrad in NYC. He has a good over¬ all vision of what's happening at Simon § Schuster, though the news still isn't pleasant. I call Char¬ lie Brown, too, to see if he has any roundabout dope. He has, and alto¬ gether I begin to feel better about the advertising dustup. My agent has written a letter in protest to the SfjS publisher, getting Dave into a bit of hot water, but the underly¬ ing fact is that S(*S is treating the whole SF line with monumental indif¬ ference, and the larger audience I and others had hoped to reach isn't going to be easily fouid. to radiation. The complex way the ed particle devices. He listens to because the going is tough here, and plasma waves turn into bona fide el¬ my story about the Soviet paper and we are largely without a critical ectromagnetic radiation is a subject remarks that, indeed, it seems beams audience which can mirror our con¬ of decades-old discussion, with a would emit radio waves, but no one cerns. The critics are busy unearth¬ lot of Russian theorists involved. in the US has considered this yet. ing Wells and enbalming LeGuin, so The American theorists have propos¬ We both wonder if the surfacing of a practicising writer gets no useful ed an interesting mechanism, with this Russian paper is a tip of an feedback. As the field becomes more the Russians saying it was implicit iceberg. mature (in something more than the in their earlier work anyway. (They sense that mature means old enough seldom like ideas unless they thought This is about as close to defense- to go see durty movies) maybe this of them first.) But our data is com¬ related work as I get. I put it out will improve. In part, development patible with a certain modification of my mind and spend the afternoon of some SF writers is held back by, of the recent theory, which means writing the PHYSREVLETTERS paper. to use Carol Carr's phrase, agora- the mechanism may be widespread. One virtue of being a part-time writ¬ bibliophobia: fear of the literary This would be the first time a lab er is that you can pound out a sci¬ marketplace. I wonder how strongly experiment has shed light on an astro- entific paper at what is, for a sci¬ it acts on writers on the margin, of physical process of this kind. I re¬ entist, lightning speed. I finish whom there are many. Thank God my solve to write it up for PHYSICAL RE¬ the paper in three hours. limitations are my own, and not im¬ VIEW LETTERS. The evening's mail brings a crit¬ posed from outside. One parenthetical point is that a ical paper on SF. I read it over Tuesday, June 3. More work on particular aspect of turbulence the¬ quickly after dinner and after put¬ the experiment. Take the figures ory is needed to complete the calcu¬ ting the kids to bed. Joan has a down to get them spruced ip for the lation of radiated power in our ex¬ meeting connected with her work on PRL paper. periments, and I had resolved to do art, so I read some Faulkner and mull the calculation soon. But a few over the vast span between High Lit I write a quick page for the Li- weeks before Dean Smith at Colorado, and scruffy ol' scifi. In the eyes lapa mailing. Lilpapa is an amateur called to say he'd found the mathe¬ of many it is a true abyss. I re¬ press association which essentially matics worked out in a new paper in member that several people have re¬ functions as a letter-substitute the Soviet literature. Dean speaks marked to me that I seemed influenc¬ among its members, who are Bob Tuck¬ Russian and so is about a year ahead ed by, among others, Silverberg. In er, Bill Rotsler, Silverberg, Carr, of the translation service. The cal¬ my frame, though, both Sberg and my¬ Norm Clarke, Boyd Raeburn, Bob Shaw, culation is quite specifically direct¬ self are influenced by modem liter¬ Sid Coleman, Jim and Hilary Benford, ed at the parameter range appropriate ature itself, a fraction of Sberg's Joan and me, Dick Ellington (fj Pat), to our lab experiments. Question: short stories and perhaps a quarter Steve and Grania Davis, the Busbies, Why does it appear naked, without of his prominent novels. In the mid Tom Perry, and Dean Grennell; old- reference to any application? It 70s it simply seemed he was an edit¬ time fans and pros. seems unlikely someone would just up or who was open to variant ways of I leave the liiiversity early and and do this problem without motiva¬ telling a story, so I sent him some meet my family in Bluebird Park, La¬ tion. So why have no experiments work. The ways of translating tech¬ guna. It is Mirk's 7th birthday and similar to ours been mentioned in niques from the "mainstream" into SF 12 of his friends are there with Aly- the Soviet literature? are many and varied, and seldom does son to eat cake and play softball. direct imposition work; the subject A further implication is that Running the game among 14 fierce matter is too different. Actually, charged particle weapons, passing players turns out to require more how anybody could see Sberg themes through our atmosphere, very probably diplomacy than I'd anticipated, but emit radio waves. Coincidentally, I or approaches in my work is a mystery we make it through without major dis¬ receive today a call from my twin to me. putes. I can remenber, wryly, being brother, Jim, who is working on as¬ But it does seem to me anyone just as competitive as they were, at sessment of Soviet progress in charg- with anbition in SF must try to learn that age. from the experiments of his peers, Home, put the still-excited kids to bed, and relax with a bottle of wine. I reread these diary pages. My intention has been to sinply put it all down, not forcing the events to make some point -- that's the job of fiction -- but instead to see, in part for my own curiosity, how all the frayed details of the profession¬ al life twine together. It is an un¬ usual act, doing science and writing about it in fiction at the same time. Lately I've been trying to enlist the readers' responses to the devic¬ es of realism, in the cause of the fantastic. An odd enterprise. Read¬ ing through these days, I can't sun them up. They're just there. In a few years they'll be gone utterly, except for some scraps of memory, a few bits of fiction, cancelled checks and tax returns. Joan comes into my office, where I've just typed this, and we go to bed. ************************************ EVERYTHIN^- THAT S, ] KNOW iT. IF JON% IT ISN'T THE VIVISECTOR KNOWi-E>

FREDDY'S BOOK By John Gardner Knopf, 1980, 246 pp., $10.00

It used to be, back before fan¬ a lot of treachery. A completely tasy became an established publish¬ cynical, morally exhausted bishop ing category, that virtually any fan¬ changes sides a few times before fin¬ tasy book that got published was ally acconpanying the knight on his something very special. You know: quest. There is a tender sequence GORNENCHAST, THE LORD OF THE RINGS, dealing sinply with the joys of be¬ JURGEN, THE BROKEN SWORD. All uni¬ ing home, and the knight's love for que, one-of-a-kind books. The prob¬ his family. (Of course events drag lem since the fantasy boom has been him away.) In other words, for all that too many fake-medieval fantasy the fantastic goings-on, the story novels have been about as interchange¬ has a realistic streak to it, while able and as interesting as Women's at the same time remaining rather ov¬ Hystericals (or, to borrow Rachel ertly an allegory. (In the medieval Payes' term, bodice-rippers). As a sense -- after the exanple of the result, when I read FREDDY'S BOOK im¬ best works of the period anyway, mediately after attempting a routine where the "story" and allegory both By Roger Zelazny Del Rey paperback Dungeons 8 Dragons dovetail into one another unobtrus¬ Pocket, 1980, 308pp., $2.50 analogue, the shock was like junping ively, as opposed to the heavy-hand¬ into a cold swimming pool after a ed PILGRIM'S PROGRESS approach.) It's been a good while since Ze¬ long time in the sauna. It's that Ultimately, the knight must come to lazny had a new collection out. This different. FREDDY'S BOOK is one of some understanding of what evil one is overdue and will doubtless be those special books. I suppose at means. Then he does battle with the welcomed by anyone who hasn't read the height of the fantasy boom in a clinex fully as bizarre all these stories in their original they come along about as often as and powerful as that final encounter appearances. Two of them "Damnation they always did, which is infrequent¬ with in Dante. All of this Alley" and "He Who Shapes", are the ly. It's a book with real intelli¬ eerily echoes the concerns of Freddy, original versions of what la¬ gence behind it, with real substance. the reclusive giant. The prologue ter became novels, and there are And Gardner can write. (This I did is there for a definite purpose. If good reasons for preferring the orig¬ inals. "Damnation Alley" particular¬ not previously know. It's the first the book has any serious failing, it ly is more vigorous and direct than thing of his I have read.) His peo¬ is that we don't see enough of Fred¬ the novel. Zelazny prefers "He Who ple are real. His descriptions are dy to readily be able to recognize Shapes" to , even vivid. His imagery stays with you. the stanp of his personality on the though that is a fairly successful main story. Still, it's all there. The book is also a bit of a puz¬ book in its own right. The novella The book turns on itself, over and zler. Some readers will object to was the first in that category to over to reveal new subtleties. the long preface, in which a tour¬ win a Nebula and is a splendid piece ing lecturer meets a professor who of work, one of the few stories from claims to have a son who is a "mons¬ ter", then goes to the professor’s house for a tedious and exasperating visit, ultimately to meet -- Freddy, a shy, obese giant of a youth who lives in almost total isolation from the world in a book-filled room. The first irony one notices is that Freddy, a physical and emotional cripple, is hardly the giant of a tale, and yet he has written a book (the text of which takes 75$ of the novel) which rather does resemble a fairy tale. Well, it does and it doesn't. It's a story set in 16th Century Sweden, incorporating a lot of real history (Freddy's father is a famous historian of Scandanavia), about how one man is aided by the Devil and becomes king, while his kinsman, a knight, is ultimately sent on a seemingly mad mission to kill the Devil. Along the way, there is the ftytholatry Craze of the 1960s to The cover by Carl Lundgren is this bit of info handy, I suggested handle material correctly: i.e. striking, but a little flat to my to the uncle that he tell his nephew not as gaudy decoration, or as basis eye. (who is also convinced that Jimmy for science fictional "retelling", Carter is a bom-thrice Satanist) but as an organizing metaphor to hold that Ronald Reagan is the Anti-Christ the story together. A myth, after since he has three names of six let¬ all, is basically a large figurative ters each, in hope that this would construct which enables its audience THE RAGGED EDGE OF SCIENCE snap him out of it. to understand something which is oth¬ By L. Sprague de Camp A valuable addition to the Crank- erwise beyond its grasp. It is nei¬ Owlswick Press, 1980, 244pp., $16.00 ology section of any library. ther true nor false; it is a device. (A scientific exanple would be the This is a collection of essays old "planetary" model of the atom.) from various magazines, 1950-76, a The Zelazny story is about the de¬ sort of conpanion to SPIRITS STARS structive, forbidden love and much 8 SPELLS, but not organized as a of the action takes place in engineer¬ single work the way that book is. SAMUEL R. DELANY: PRIMARY 6 SECONDARY ed dreams, so it becomes entirely ap¬ A little bit of material overlaps, BIBLIOGRAPHY, 1962-79 propriate and fitting that the skel¬ but not much. As usual, all is writ¬ By Michael Peplow 8 Robert Bravard eton on which all this hangs is the ten in de Camp's lucid, informative G.K. Hall and Co, 1980, 178 pp., $15 story of Tristan and Isolde. style. ROGER ZELAZNY: A PRIMARY 5 SECONDARY Some of the other more disting¬ Some of the articles debunk var¬ BIBLIOGRAPHY uished stories in the collection in¬ ious crank ideas. All of them at By Joseph L. Sanders clude "For a Breath I Tarry", which least touch on areas from whichpseudo- G.K. Hall and Co, 1980, 154 pp., $15 may be loosely described as science and cultism spring. Thus we JULES VERNE, A PRIMARY 6 SECONDARY and gone mechanical have the scientific explanations for BIBLIOGRAPHY (but that is a simplification --it various archeological wonders which By Edward J. Gallagher is more); "Come Now the Power" (a von Daniken would have us believe G.K. Hall and Co, 1980, 387 pp., $30 1966 Hugo nominee if I remember cor¬ are the work of spacemen (also an rectly) , a touching account of a amusing review of CHARIOTS OF THE The latest volumes in the G.K. failing telepath's attenpt to give a GODS?). Fantasy readers might be Hall bibliography series. All are bedridden girl a vicarious life; and particularly interested in "The Quar¬ first-rate works of scholarship. I the title story, which I think is one ter-Acre Round Table". Fans of Char¬ read the Zelazny with particular in¬ of the best things Zelazny has done les Saunders' Imaro series might want terest since I am involved in a sim¬ in years. It involves various Arthur¬ to read about a real Black African ilar project for Underwood-Miller. ian figures lingering in the present civilization in "The Pyramids of As far as I can tell, we've got some day but fortunately does not hinge Kush". Most of you, I think, will Sanders doesn't know about, and the on the old recognition gimmick. You appreciate the opportunity to learn reverse may be true. There is an in¬ know: surprise! The hero is simply about (from more than hearsay) such formative introduction, plus listings Lancelot. Instead it is an exercise things as the alleged Mount Shasta of fiction, non-fiction and writings in the often rewarding sport of apoc¬ mystery (which keeps turning ip in about, plus some appendices. The De- ryphal endings. Ancient Greek poets science fiction), the Kabbalah (which lany volume has an even more extens¬ work lots of stuff about what final¬ is not a NECRQNOMIOON), etc. All of ive introduction and lots of surpris¬ ly became of this or that hero of it becomes useful when you encounter ing information about early appear¬ the Trojan War. A modem one wrote the old siperstitions still alive a sequel to the most famous of these, ances, unpublished novels and the and well. Bridey Murphy is deftly like. I think I note a touch of de¬ THE ODYSSEY. (He called it THE ODY¬ demolished on linguistic grounds in fensiveness in the "about" section, SSEY, A MOIERN SEQUEL, since the fad less than a page. And then there’s for numbered sequels hadn't set in with hostile reactions to EHALGREN "The Great Satanist Plot", which I downplayed. Or else the authors as¬ yet, and ve're spared THE ODYSSEY II.) would have found useful a few weeks sume that anybody seriously enough before I read it, when I met a man interested to buy this book has only I even did one once, explaining whose nephew fell under the sway of what happened to Caliban after THE minimal interest in such. Entry a fundamentalist preacher and really TEMPEST was over. Zelazny carries on D196 puzzles me: believed that the Masons are devil- a thread from the great tangle (ball worshippers. He also claimed that "Schweitzer, Darrell. "Dhal- of yams?) of the Arthurian cycle, Catholics are "just as bad". As it gren". Science Fiction and Fan- revealing what finally became of turns out, the Papacy started the ru¬ tasy Review, 87 (February), Lancelot, the ensorcelled Merlin, mor about the Masons. Not having R18-19 " Morgan La Fay, and (maybe?) the Holy Grail. This story won a Balrog This is marked "unseen". If they award. ever find it, I'd appreciate seeing a copy. I haven't the foggiest no¬ Other superior effort is "The En¬ tion of what it is. I'm not even gine at the Heartspring's Center". sure what the periodical was. (De- Also included are a selection of Zel¬ lap's, Searles', and the Borgo Press azny's early short-shorts from Cele zine never lasted 87 issues, and to Goldsmith's magazines (including his the best of my knowledge I never first two professional pieces) and wrote a review of IHALGREN for any¬ some very recent work which strikes body. I did write an article yclept me as rudimentary and lacking the "Dully Grinning 'Delany Descends To lyrical quality of his very best. Disaster" which ran in GOBLIN'S Among the very early ones are some GROTTO and later in OUTWORLDS, but of the screwball humor pieces, the they didn't list it. likes of which he seldom does any¬ more. "The Stainless Steel Leech" The Verne bibliography is for for example, is about a robot vamp¬ libraries only, I suspect. ire. ************************************ THE ALIEN INVASION

This fast-breaking news flash mission to turn the Earth into a ... should have reached you fifteen BY LARRY NIVEN world safe for Pierson's puppeteers years ago. Sorry, gang, I was slow ... and a world desperate to purchase on the uptake. The Pierson's pup¬ power from the puppeteer-owned Gener¬ peteers must have been on Earth for al Products Corporation. But they much longer than that, but it's been should be easy to recognize. at least fifteen years since they They are compulsive meddlers; first showed their hand. they are fanatics on the subject of We've known about these aliens safety; their meddling causes many for about that long. They rule a deaths due to power brown-outs and sizeable interstellar trading enpire. E? blackouts, because they don't under¬ Three-legged creatures four feet tall stand industrial power at the rela¬ at the shoulder, two-headed, with tively tiny levels practiced on mouths that serve also as hands and Earth. They don't want us doing re¬ a brain case between the bases of this fashion would be the same if he search in ENA, because we might the necks ... their biological skills had changed a 100-watt bulb for a stumble onto their own methods. must be almost magical, to have dis¬ 40-watt bulb, anywhere in his house. Their understanding of human beings guised themselves as human. They It's tempting to jump to the conclu¬ is faulty. sion that the man can't add and sub¬ should have changed their characters If a two-headed, three-legged tract. This is difficult to believe too, since that was what gave them creature has enough biological skill of a Pierson's puppeteer. away. to disguise itself as human, it may The puppeteers are cowards. No, But ... puppeteers throw huge equally well be using dolphin or that's too simplistic. Cowardice is amounts of power around very casual¬ whale form to meddle with the cust¬ a philosophy and a religion with the ly. In escaping the galactic core oms and evolution of those intelli¬ puppeteers. They are fanatics as re¬ explosion they didn't bother with gent races. Now, a good many organ¬ gards safety. On the puppeteer world spacecraft; their Fleet consists of izations, .including Jacques Coust¬ there are no hard surfaces and no five worlds moving almost at light- eau's, are trying both to save the sharp comers to raise bruises . speed. Mr. Nader may be confused by whales and to ban nuclear power Their machinery and their power a problem of scale. An electric plants. It seems a peculiar pair¬ sources are infinitely dependable. typewriter uses too little power for ing of totally unrelated subjects -- a puppeteer to notice. unless these disguised puppeteers are And they caused the Man- trying both to build a world safe 3) Consider the automobile seat Wars in order to breed a "rational" for puppeteers and to protect their belt as of, say, 1974. That seat kzin; they brought into being the spies among the cetacean population. Birthright Lotteries in order to ex¬ belt was designed to Mr. Nader's periment with human evolution; they specifications. I own a 1974 car. One more point. Puppeteers do caused the Fall of the Cities on the My seat belt not only screams at me not favor space travel. The human in order to gain a trade if I don't have it fastened, but longing for the stars is not in them. advantage. Clearly the puppeteers won't let me start the car. A sane puppeteer is never seen off his own planet; he doesn't trust love to meddle, especially with al¬ And a woman was raped by four spacecraft. Our invaders did not ien species. big men because her car wouldn't come here willingly, and they are start. They didn't give her time to It now seems certain that Ralph not sane even by puppeteer standards. Nader is a Pierson's puppeteer. His fasten her seat belt. Any human be¬ record speaks for itself: a fanat¬ ing could have predicted such a re¬ A Pierson's puppeteer may be ex¬ ical pursuit of safety in all things, sult. pected to seek power of one kind or often to the point of madness. But And any human being could have another. If he chooses politics, he will vote against funding for human- there is corroborating evidence. predicted that strokes and ulcers and heart attacks would be caused by built spacecraft; in favor of ever 1) Ralph Nader has been quoted more restrictions on nuclear power as saying that plutonium is the most a car owner's frustration with his arrogant machinery. Or with the plants; against fusion research; and toxic substance on Earth. Now, there in favor of preserving the environ¬ 55mph speed limit, for that matter. are not many poisons that will sig¬ ment regardless of cost to citizens. Ralph Nader didn't. nal you from across a room, if you're What he says in public may sound id¬ carrying a Geiger counter. But Mr. 4) You want more proof? There's iotic to human beings. Problems of Nader's statement is stranger than a way to go after it. If Mr. Nader scale will confuse him; he may be that. It is as if he never heard of is indeed a Pierson's puppeteer, or found speaking of solar-powered auto¬ botulism toxin, which is thousands even if he fears atomics as much as mobiles and the like. His private of times more toxic than plutonium. he claims, he certainly carries a dealings may follow puppeteer pat¬ How many among you have never Geiger counter at all times. Find¬ terns: blackmail as a part of norm¬ heard of botulism toxin? Could it ing it may take some skill. It could al trading, for example, and an un¬ be that his species is immune to bot¬ be wristwatch-sized, or ring-sized healthy level of paranoia. ulism toxin? or even implanted. As I say, they should be easy # # # to recognize. And what do we do 2) Mr. Nader is known to have switched from an electric typewriter We have no way of knowing how then? to a manual, in order to save elec¬ many puppeteers now wander among us Frankly, I haven't been able to trical power. It's easy enough to in human guise, going about their think of a thing. compute that the power he saves in 23 ************************************ ope are desperately short of convert¬ ible currency, and oblige foreign visitors (unless, as was the case NOISE LEVEL with us in Poland, they are official¬ ly invited) to exchange a minimum am¬ a. column ount of pounds/dollars/marks/what- have-you to cover petrol/gasoline, johfi bpunnep food and accomnodation. This did give us some small head¬ aches in Czechoslovakia; we sinply are not used to going around trying GO EAST/ YOUNG MAN! to get rid of money! We were stay¬ ing with the Nesvadbas in their very Among the minor beneficial spin¬ pleasant ground-floor apartment fac¬ offs which have resulted from my ing on the Winohrady Park -- and, as taste to try out on some of our agreeing to succeed Brian Aldiss as it happened, on a bloody great trench friends, to wit: "How many Poles co-chairman of the European SF Assoc¬ dug for new drainage-pipes, but that does it take to organise a science iation (organisers of the so-called could have happened any time -- and fiction convention?" "Eurocons" which in theory alternate being royally entertained, as for in¬ between Eastern and Western Europe stance by being taken to a castle in "I don't know -- how many?" at two-year intervals), there came the country (we would say palace) now "Che! Only unfortunately he's an invitation to be Guest of Honour owned by the Writers' Union, and to not on the committee this year." at a convention in KrakOw, Poland, the national sculpture nuseun in a in September 1980. Bob Shaw was al¬ small town not far away, where we so invited, and the organisers' plan were variously fed and wined and What had happened was ... Well, was that we should fly to Warsaw, kept amused. So we had to go to it may not have escaped your notice pick up the (blocked) zlotych owing great lengths to get rid of this that there had been some general dis¬ to us for publication of our work conpulsory supply of Czech crowns, affection with government-sponsored over there, and continue by train or and were lucky to wind up being able unions in Poland just prior to our plane to Krakow. to pour the last of them into our arrival; in fact, at one point we petrol-tank just before crossing the were much afraid we'd have to cancel Marjorie had a better idea. border into Poland. the trip. Looking at the map, she pointed out that in fact the overland distance Even so, we were astonished when, The sponsoring body of this Kra¬ was shorter than some trips we've returning Ada another frontier post kow con was the local uniArersity stu¬ undertaken to Greece or even Southern en route to Piestany, Bratislara and dents' union. The term had just be¬ Italy, and moreover we could visit Vienna, we were told we couldn't make gun, and the first thing the students Josef Nesvadba (author of our compulsory exchange there --we'd had done on re-assembling for the new LTD. and IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE AB¬ have to go to a hotel in the next semester had been to abolish their OMINABLE SNOWMAN) if we went via Pra¬ town if we wanted some Czech money to union. Result: the banks refused gue. Moreover, I suddenly spotted buy lunch with ... to honour the cheques of an organis¬ on the likeliest return route a spa- ation that no longer existed ... town called Piestany, where my fath¬ So the whole thing got under way er went to be treated for a back in¬ In Poland, we did have some slight a day late, and our accomnodation jury in the 1930s, and which he had difficulty. Oh, we had the same A*as a sleazy transit hostel which always spoken of with affection. trouble disposing of our money, this students use when coming to Krakow time my earnings for the publication So we drove. for short courses (and which was of three short stories, which added closed down the day of our departure I must confess I was victim of up to something like two months' sal¬ for cleaning, repairs, re-painting the usual propaganda before we left, ary for a middle-grade executive: no and disinfection), and ve were sup¬ going to inordinate lengths to make kidding! I was given over 13,000 posed to be fed in a canteen some sure a breakdown didn't inconvenience zlotych; I was told most of my friends miles away, and we never got to see a us unduly -- like renting a boxful were earning about 7000 per month. conplete programme of events, except of spare parts for our car from the But the problem wasn't suiple; it a draft which had been circulated by Automobile Association ... but the was due to the fact that the Polish post so late that we found our copy machine is eight years old and of a Embassy in London had omitted to warn on returning to England, and which discontinued type. (In the upshot, us that, even though we'd been offic¬ had in any case been ceremonially our only problem was a blown head¬ ially invited and were exenpt from tom up in front of us in the Krakow light bulb, and that was changed in the tourist exchange obligation, Students' Union office as out of date France.) Moreover, I listened to ex¬ there were exceptions -- like fil¬ patriates and others who warned of ling the tank of the car (which I got away with because the punps were five-hour customs searches at the Yet and still the trip was fun. self-service and I'd already put 50 border, and confiscation of all print I shall particularly remember gamb¬ ed matter. Seeing as how we planned litres in before anyone thought to ling on the incomprehensible menu at ask me for the government coupons) to take multiple copies of my books the restaurant called Hawelka, facing to give away ... and hotel rooms, which we did have the Old Market, and coming up time to use the night before and the night and again with excellent food, even after the actual convention. though it did once take Marjorie Said convention was distinctly three goes, two drawings and four Was it worth it? Well, for the different from anything one is used waiters and waitresses to rustle up peace of mind, maybe. But in fact to in the West, and that's putting it a fried egg. The whole centre of our only delays at frontiers or any¬ mildly. It inspired me to create a Krakow, inside the ancient fortifica¬ where else were due to one single Polish joke, which I had the bad tions (mostly demolished in the 19th cause: the countries of Eastern Eur¬ 24 Century), is a pedestrian zone, and that makes it one of the pleasantest outright bankrupt after "winning" and bum the houses and loot the mu¬ cities I have ever visited. History World War II; on the other, the dis¬ seums . lies around every comer, naturally, mal resignation to not being able to Thirty-five years. and we had the good fortune to be do whatever the hell you feel like shown some of it by Roman Czekaj, doing for fear it might be called I am forty-six years old. My who works for the British Council in "subversive". country hasn't been invaded since Warsaw but was bom in Krakow and 1066 except by soldiers in the ser¬ Yet and still the people we met, vice of the (notional) legal ruler. had time to show us around places and even those we just crossed on like the coffee-house "Mihalika's The United States has never been for¬ the street, or asked the way from, mally invaded, and indeed has tend¬ Cave", full of tum-of-the-century were as lively and likeable and ed to go rather the other way. souvenirs and puppets used to put on friendly as anybody could wish. satirical plays fifty years ago. What casts a grey depressing shad¬ Is it, can it be, that these ow over these delightful people is We shall not in a hurry forget people are under some sort of tyran¬ these contacts with the past, which nical yoke? If so, then the police less the omnipresent bulk of the So¬ viet Union (oh, it's there, make no is far more alive in Eastern Europe are hiding -- neither in Prague nor than in our part of the world, like in Krakow did I sqe as many police mistake about it! And it's like all the trumpeter sounding the hours as in London or New York, and those dinosaurs, sluggish and prepared to from the tower of the Krakow cathed¬ trairple on any small, lively, active I did were mainly in patrol cars in creature which threatens to move ral, and breaking off partway through a hurry to get somewhere else. to coimnemorate the day when a Tartar quicker and maybe change the world arrow took the trumpeter in the thr¬ in irritating ways) than the absol¬ Yet and still I know that Dr. Jos¬ oat and someone had to relieve him. ute certainty that if the United ef Nesvadba, for four years after That was four hundred years ago, and States and the West in general, ev¬ the "events" of 1968, was dispatched it's still being kept up. er turn loose their weapons of indis¬ to a country town to pursue a career criminate destruction, they -- and unworthy of his talents, and all the And if you want to see what one come to that we British -- are doomed film-scripts he had formerly written of those Tartars looked like, you were of no avail to prevent his tem¬ buy a hobby-horse doll of him. For porary exile. They do not expect the Russians what did we walk into? to start a war, any more that I do. By the same token, I recall the A folk festival! (For those who They share, in spite of all, a vivid Hollywood producer turned property- are unaware of it: the other passion recollection of what the last one developer whom Marjorie worked for Marjorie and I share is , so in London, who had had to give up actually was like; they do not think this was a real coup.) of it in terms of conquest or glory, his career because Senator McCarthy but of ruined homes and dead bodies We were walking back from the and his goons regarded a line in a and lost kinfolk. Much as they hate old Bastion Gate where there is an movie script like "Share and share the predicament they find themselves open-air art exhibition, and sudden¬ like, that's democracy!" (spoken by in, which I already conpared to Brit¬ ly we discovered we were following a a girl doing the washing-up to her ain the 1950s (long queues at shop- traditional folk-band. In the great husband, by the way, and foreshadow¬ doors, many shortages down to and square of the Old Market they had ing Women's Lib!) as pro-Russian, including toilet-paper), they are too set ip stalls selling -- and ¬ and I further remember that master¬ well acquainted with wars of conquest strating - - traditional, crafts like piece of doublethink which led op¬ with themselves as victims to want pottery, leatherwork, weaving, lace- ponents of Hitler to be described to support another. Conplain as making, carving and so on, and there in the fifties as "premature anti- they do about the internal policies was this huge dais with about 800 Fascists" if they turned in despera¬ of their governments, there is one watts anplification laid on, and tion to the Conmunist Party because thing on which they are agreed: so bands and teams of dancers and choirs it was the only body warning people long as their leaders are assured of of singers and kids in traditional about the Nazi threat. a commom foreign policy with the Rus¬ costune ... You see what I mean when I say a sians, there is small chance of an¬ It was tremendous. It was the sense of history comes over very other war wrecking their cities and one time during our visit to Poland strongly on a visit to Eastern Eur¬ farms. when we saw everybody smiling. ope. Hearing that trunpeter in Kra¬ For this they will put ip with kow -- standing on the battlements more than you or I would. of the Wawel Castle and looking over Traveling around this world of the Vistula -- admiring the painted ours is always like making a journey coats-of-arms on a merchants' house I found this, to put it mildly, through time. And I don't mean that, in the Old Town Square in Prague -- educational. I'm not used to think¬ in the present case, sijiply because looking at a public clock where the ing of those American and NATO mis¬ (harking back to Czechoslovakia) I hours are not marked by regular hands siles as being aimed at me. But all sat down at the desk where Karel Ca- but carved manikins, who have been during our visits to Prague and Kra¬ pek used to work -- the author of marching on their solemn way for cen¬ kow the thought kept coming back: RUR and WAR WITH THE NEWTS, of course turies with occasional interruptions suppose WIMEX were to go wrong again -- and wrote a tribute to his memory from foreign invaders ... now and not be caught in time ...? in a leather-bound book which has This is something neither we nor been in use for a generation. Try it,if you can, as a mental our American cousins can truly appre¬ exercise. Like I say, it's educa¬ No, I mean it far more because ciate. tional. what I saw in Poland and Czechoslov¬ All over Poland and Czechoslovak¬ akia carried me back to Britain und¬ ***************** (************ ia we saw signs up to comnemorate a er post-war rationing and to what remarkable and astonishing achieve¬ /POTHtY-rfAcH ASPIBIW& I've read about and heard about, the ment. In 1980 it had been thirty- United States under the grey oppres¬ five years since anybody came byto sion of the McCarthy era: on the one sack the farms and rape the women hand, the sheer economic which afflicted us Britons because we were 25 AN INTERVIEW WITH

CONDUCTED BY NEAL WILGUS

SR: I think H.G. Wells' THE TIME Wells' early SF that the "Autobio¬ Gissing refused to compromise. MACHINE and the 1950s radio version graphical interpretation" of THE HU¬ The individualist to the end, he of your classic THE just MANOIDS became clear to you. That destroyed himself. Wells was able about tied in being my own introduc¬ is, the HUMANOIDS character Clay For¬ to make all sorts of rewarding con- tion to science fiction, back in my ester, who represents the romantic promises. I don't think any com¬ Golden Age (13), so naturally I want rebellion of your youth, paralleled plete and final resolution is ever to ask a number of questions about the life of Wells' contemporary Geo¬ possible. In the novel, as I see THE HUMANOIDS. It might be approp¬ rge Gissing, while Frank Ironsmith, it, Ironsmith is clearly the winner, riate to start with something on who cooperates with the Humanoids, rewarded by the Humanoids. Forester Wells, however, since he's a special parallels Wells himself as the suc¬ is a tragic victim of his unyielding interest of yours also. I'm think¬ cessful conpromises of maturity. romantic selfhood. When I wrote the ing of course, of your doctorate re¬ Since THE HUMANOIDS is told mostly novel, my sympathies were clearly search on Wells which resulted in from Forester's point of view and with Forester, but still I understood H.G. WELLS: CRITIC OF PROGRESS. Is Ironsmith is a traitor and sellout that he was doomed. it safe to say --we all came out of in Forester's view -- who is the real Wells' TIME MACHINE? "hero" of the story? SR: Do you ever regret that evolu¬ tion from Forester/Gissing to Iron- WILLIAMSON: It does make a sort of WILLIAMSON: I,m not sure 1116 story smith/Wells? sense to say we all came out of has a hero. I've always been far Wells' TINE MACHINE. Of course he better pleased with the craftsman¬ WILLIAMSON: Certainly. But not so didn't invent SF. Mary Shelley and ship and feeling of the original nov¬ keenly now as I did thirty years ago. Poe and Verne and a lot of others elette, "With Folded Hands". The I grew ip a sort of passive rebel, had led the way. But I think he was novel was written not so much because a generally isolated and somewhat the first of us who knew Darwinian I had any better solution to the prob¬ hostile outsider. I have gradually evolution. That gave him a sense of lem as because I was excited by the come to see the necessity and enjoy how change happens and a way to see chance to sell a serial to Campbell. the rewards of what I guess I can the future that nobody else had Given our own evolutionary inheri¬ call the social conpromise. I'm in¬ found. I think that does explain tance, I think we're all caught in a trigued by all the accumulating evi¬ his work -- his whole life. It shap¬ universal conflict between out ind¬ dence from the sociobiologists and ed our way of thinking. ividual needs and impulses on one certain anthropologists that our minds hand and the demands of our society as much as our bodies are shaped by SFR: In the afterword to the new on the other. Wells and Gissing in our evolutionary past. Wells, I expanded edition of THE HLMANOIDS, their own lives, dramatize the is¬ think, was ahead of his time in his you note that it was while studying sues. awareness of this.

SR: This may be picking nits, but just out of curiosity -- why is the inventor of the Humanoids named Sledge in "With Folded Hands", and Mansfield in THE HUMANOIDS? Why wasn't the name made to conform in the new edi¬ tion that contains both stories?

WILLIAMSON: Credit for the changed names in THE HUMANOIDS is due to Or- rin Keepnews, who was an editor at Simon and Schuster when they bought book rights. He wanted a lot of changes I probably shouldn't have made, but that was my first book sale to a major publisher and I was anx¬ ious to play the game. I might add that the names in the book were chosen to fit a conven¬ tion of my own. Since the setting is on another planet in the far fut¬ ure, certainly the people are not speaking English, yet -- following a rule of Wells himself -- I wanted to make everything except the Human¬ oids seem as familiar as possible. convention was that the book was translated into our English by a sys- tem in which names are represented ters of a novel, to look for the by images, usually physical. Hence themes so that they can be clarified Sledge. Hence, also Mansfield. and intensified. I have a feeling I still prefer Sledge. But I that meaning should be there, but didn't make any revisions in the that it should come from the story book for the Avon reprint. Revision, as it takes shape, not from me. Get¬ once begun, can go on forever. I ting back to the stories about the feel that generally my time is bet¬ Humanoids, I feel that they are more ter spent in writing something new. pessimistic about our technological In fact, when Fred Pohl offered me future than I am. the contract to do THE HIMANOID TOUCH I felt pretty reluctant to go back to SR; Although I haven't seen it yet, the Humanoids at all. I'm grateful, I'm glad to hear of a sequel to THE now, that he made me an offer I could HUMANOIDS called TEN TRILLION WISE not refuse. MACHINES -- looking forward to read¬ ing it. Why was there not an earlier sequel, or perhaps a Hunanoids ser¬ SFR: About that controversial end¬ ies, since that's a popular thing in ing -- I'm afraid I gullibly accept¬ SF? ed the Humanoids-tum-out-to-be-good- guys-at-the-last-minute ploy at face WILLIAMSON: The sequel is now cal¬ value and missed your "dystopian" led THE HUMANOID TOUCH. Though I twist altogether, each time I've read liked TEN TRILLION WISE MACHINES, THE HUMANOIDS. In your discussion that's a long title to go on the cov¬ of the different interpretations in er of a paperback, and the editors the Afterword to the expanded edi¬ at Holt asked for something with tion it seems to me you neglected "Humanoids" in it. Jay Kay Klein this alternative -- that the face came up with THE HUMANOID TOUCH -- value acceptance of the Hunanoids is for which I mean to send him a suit¬ correct and they really are the best ably inscribed copy. Your question and the pulps. The quality magazines thing that could happen to the hunan was more or less answered earlier. race. Isn't that what Iransmith is for people with education and brains, I was convinced that "With Folded the slicks for people with money to all about? Hands" had said all I really wanted support the advertizers and the pulps to say about the humanoids. Fred for the rest of us. I think we're WILLIAMSON: It seems to me that any Pohl convinced me that I was wrong. evaluation of the ending is neces¬ slowly outliving the stigma. sarily relative, sinply because of SR: As a professor of literature But, about THE HUMANOIDS as a the old conflict between the indivi¬ at Eastern liiiversity dur¬ mainstream classic, I certainly don't dual and society has no final solu¬ ing the 1960s and 70s, did you find expect to witness that. Thirty years tion. We're all bom naked shriek¬ serious acceptance of THE HUMANOIDS, ago I had no notion that it would ing individualists. Most of our in¬ or SF in general, a problem? Is a still be alive in 1980. I hope peo¬ dividual pleasures and pains will al¬ science fiction classic like THE HU¬ ple do keep reading it. But I think ways be individual things. But we MANOIDS ever likely to be accepted "With Folded Hands" is much superior can never live alone. We have to be as a mainstream classic? A Classic in terms of craftsmanship and impact socialized --by our parents, by our -- with capital C? -- and I'm holding ny breath until peers, by all society. In the end, I see what people think of THE HU¬ the rewards of social conformity may WILLIAMSON: As a professor of Eng¬ MANOID TOUCH. well become the highest of all. lish at ENMU, I found being a science But each of us, individually, has to fiction writer a considerable asset. SR: Like a lot of your stories be conditioned to perceive that, and I think most of my colleagues re¬ (and a lot of SF in general), THE HU¬ none of us is ever completely con¬ spected me for it. My science fic¬ MANOIDS is about the awakening of a ditioned. Incidentally, spending a tion course was popular with the superman (Forester) -- and by implic¬ couple of weeks in the People's Re¬ students and certainly a delight for ation about the next stage of evolu¬ public of China last year, I became me. It's true that some members of tion. It's been interesting to note convinced that the Chinese probably the English department look down on that writers outside the SF world have the most efficient system for science fiction -- and on nearly have begun to take Superman serious¬ socialising the citizen now in opera¬ everything else written since the ly. British existentialist Colin tion. Eighteenth Century. But that was Wilson, for instance, who has made never really a problem for me. Our a career out of tracing the Superman Obviously THE HIMANOIDS is a SR: personal relations were smooth en¬ theme all over the map and who points story with a number of meanings and ough. to A.E. Van Vogt's work as contain¬ messages but it's also a gripping ing evolutionary insights. Do you Certainly, I can see science melodrama. Would you say you are a think this is another SF theme about fiction works accepted as mainstream story teller first and only second¬ to catch ip with us? Are we on the arily interested in meanings and mes¬ classics. In most of the world, sci¬ verge of the next step up? sages? ence fiction has always been part of the mainstream. Here in the United WILLIAMSON: About the next stage of WILLIAMSON: I suppose I am a story¬ States, I think it got into the fa¬ evolution, I think the most exciting teller first. When I'm working on mous ghetto largely because of the futures are in genetic engineering. something, I need to be totally con¬ accidental circumstances of the pub¬ Up to now, evolution has been most¬ vinced, totally involved. That means lishing industry that identified it ly by hit-or-miss trial and error. that I must think of meanings as well as a pulp genre, at a time when we Within the next century, if biologic¬ as settings and characters and plots. had three very distinct sorts of mag¬ al process is allowed to continue, I like to stop work, after a few azines, the quality group, the slicks we can control it. The question, of pages of a short story or a few chap¬ 27 course, is whether that will be al- lowed. The issues are both ethical of what I'm writing --to create an among the present-day be¬ and practical, certainly worth hard illusion of truth that holds for me cause of the book? debate. I won't try to predict the as well as I hope it will for the outcome, but the potentials are im¬ reader. That involves asking how WILLIAMSON: I did meet John Parsons mense, for the science fiction writ¬ the story assumption can be related and I think he was anxious to meet er as well as the genetic engineer. to science as well as to the rest of me because he had read the novel. I Incidentally, my next-to-last novel, the known and accepted universe. imagine that he was a little disap¬ BROTHER TO , BROTHER TO GODS, pointed that the story had pretty was an effort to project the possibi¬ SR: By the time you came to write well used up my interest in witch¬ lities as far as I could. (My 1951 DARKER THAN YOU THINK you had already craft. As one result of the meeting novel, DRAGON'S ISLAND, was publish¬ explored psychoanalysis rather ex¬ I had an opportunity to*attend a cult ed several years ahead of Watson and tensively --is your own psychoanal¬ meeting that I found fascinating, Crick and I wanted to take a new ytic experience reflected in Will though I never had any inclination look.) Barbee's story --or your other fic¬ to follow that up. I have had oc¬ tion? casional letters from other witches SFR: Most Williamson fans would -- I recall one in England -- who probably agree that your "second WILLIAMSON: DARKER was written while always seem to imagine that I am far masterpiece" is DARKER THAN YOU I was under analysis with Dr. Charles deeper into the dark arts than I THINK, the science-fantasy novel that W. Tidd. I spent a year with him have ever been. Actually, about all originated in the fabled pulp maga¬ while he was at the Menninger Clinic things supernatural, I'm a pretty zine UNKNOWN, in the early 1940s. in Topeka, but then dropped out. stubborn skeptic. The thing that struck me about DARKER Deciding I needed mere, I followed when I reread it recently, was the him to Beverly Hills for another SR: Is there likely to be a sequel strangely compelling air of other- to DARKER THAN YOU THINK to comple¬ reality about it -- the feeling that ment the new one to THE HUMANOIDS? everyday life is a mechanical sham Perhaps a view of what life will be and that there is another, more dy¬ like when Barbee and his kind estab¬ namic reality behind the facade. The lish a witch's utopia? same atmosphere seems to be present in other UNKNOWN classics such as 'WILLIAMSON: I have no plans for a Heinlein's UNPLEASANT PROFESSION OF sequel to DARKER. I think much of JONATHAN HOAG, Hubbard's FEAR and the effect of the original novel others. Was this a suggestion or comes from the realistic contemporary conscious policy on the part of UN¬ setting, an effect which would be KNOWN'S editor, John W. Campbell, hard to preserve in a witchs' utopia. Jr., or just something that develop¬ ed on its own? SR: In both of the books we've been discussing, as well as in short sto¬ ries such as "Hindsight", you've used manipulation of probability by human WILLIAMSON: The only comment comes will power as a pseudo-science ex¬ to me is to remark that Campbell, in planation to justify ESP and other his uninterruptable monologues and psi-powers that defy presently under¬ in his famous letters, was always stood physics. Is this just a con¬ urging writers to use a principle of venient bit of fiction you've found fantasy outlined by H.G. Wells -- useful in story telling -- or do you though well enough known, of course, think psychophysical control of prob¬ to such earlier writers as Defoe. ability may eventually become a real¬ The method is to use only one new or year. Certainly the experience is ity, as many SF ideas have in the impossible assumption in each story reflected in the story. Dr. Glenn past? and make everything else seem as or¬ -- if I recall his name -- has as¬ dinary and logical as possible. I pects of Dr. Tidd. There is a strong¬ think a good deal of the effect of er reflection in the theme of the WILLIAMSON: My skepticism extends DARKER THAN YOU THINK comes from the story. In its resolution, Will Bar¬ to ESP. When I was working on THE fact that it is set in a very ordin¬ bee comes to terms with things he HUMANOIDS I read several of Rhine's ary American -- drawn in part, has feared. He recognizes and ac¬ books, but they opened my mind only incidentally, from Topeka, . cepts elements of himself that he briefly. None of the supposed evi¬ has never admitted. Something of the dence for ESP is convincing to me. SR: DARKER THAN YOU THINK is fan¬ same sort was happening to me. I But still I regard the psi element tasy in that it deals with witches feel that the basic aim of analysis in my stories as more than "a con¬ and lycanthropy, yet there are pseu¬ is to come to know and like yourself. venient bit of fiction", because it do-scientific explanations for all I think the power of the story --if is such a useful metaphor for all the magic. The same thing is true it has power -- comes from a succes¬ communication. I do feel that ad¬ about many UNKNCWN -- was sful dramatic representation of that vances in communication are changing this a Campbell policy? sort of psychological change. our culture and our world in more ways than we now realize, and that WILLIAMSON: Campbell certainly did they seem likely to go on more rap¬ not insist on scientific explanations idly than ever. The fictional psi was interested to note in in UNKNOWN. But, if you're trying to SFR: I effects give us a useful avenue of your piece on "The Campbell Era" (in follow the Wellsian method, if you speculation about them. want to make everything logical and ALGOL) that you once met the fabled Jack Parsons, the rocket designer rational, you have to accept the fact SR: I was struck by the almost and witch coven leader and that he that the logic and rationality of Lovecraftian atmosphere in your first took DARKER THAN YOU THINK very ser¬ everyday life is nearly always based published story, "The Metal Man" -- on science. Speaking personally, I iously. Do you have a following which also struck me as the proto¬ need to convince myself of the truth 28 type of the UFO story. Were you aware of HPL's work at the time wastes available in ponds or in geo¬ tion that anybody wants. I think the "Metal Man" was written? logic sites, there is a good chance awards do encourage and reward the that the techniques of the next cen¬ creation of fine science fiction. WILLIAMSON: When I wrote "The Met¬ tury will make it possible to reuse al Man" ray own background in fantas¬ them for generating more power than SFR: I'm always interested in the tic fiction was pretty well limited we got the first time through. creative process so I like to ask to a year or two of back numbers of about how writers work and where . The two stories that SR: You've often comnented on the they get their ideas. Do you have had most impressed me had been Mer¬ classification of SF writers into op¬ any insights on how to tap the creat¬ ritt's THE PEOPLE OF THE PIT and timists and pessimists and have con¬ ive levels? Lovecraft's THE COLOR OUT OF SPACE. sistently included yourself among There must have been influences from the pessimists. Yet your works that WILLIAMSON: I used to think that both of them. I'm familiar with -- even downbeat the whole process of writing could be classics like THE HUMANOIDS and DARK¬ rationalized, reduced to a system. SR: "The Metal Man" makes refer¬ ER THAN YOU THINK -- don't strike Once I set out to keep an elaborate ence to the AEC and since the story as all that pessimistic and your file of elements to be combined into dates from 1928 and the Atomic Energy characters certainly don't give up fiction -- settings and plots and Commission wasn't created mtil 1947 in despair like many modem anti- characters and themes. My file be¬ I assume the story was updated a bit heroes. came a graveyard for ideas; I never for publication in THE PANDORA EF¬ needed or wanted to look into it for FECT. Are other Williamson reissues anything. What I write comes out of such as the Legion of Space series WILLIAMSON: 1 do regard myself as inpressions and emotions and concerns also updated? ■ generally optimistic. I think the that are alive in my mind at the time pessimistic sort of SF has an unfor¬ of writing. I try to allow a role WILLIAMSON: THE I^TAL MAN was up¬ tunate edge, simply because a fire for the unconscious, try not to out¬ dated for THE PANDORA EFFECT. I can alarm -- even a false alarm -- is so line anything too rigidly, try to think of few other substantial revis¬ much more exciting than the assurance trust that the story will come to ions made so late in the game, ex¬ that all is well. I think we have live and grow in my mind and emotions cept for several other magazine too much pessimism haunting us and as it takes form on paper. pieces revised for book publication. that our undue terror of technology The original UNKNOWN version of DARK¬ keeps us from developing new tech¬ ER THAN YOU THINK was only 40,000 nologies that could go on solving SFR: Finally, what new projects are words. The book is more than twice our problems. I like to say that in the works now that you've gotten that long. technology has been causing problems back to full-time writing again? since man learned to start fires. SR; In the new introduction to THE In the end, we generally manage to WILLIAMSON: My working title for HIMANOIDS you say that despite your live with them. the novel-in-progress is THE QUEEN misgivings about atomic power -- mis¬ OF THE LEGION. Another story of the givings which in part generated THE In addition to the numerous Legion of Space, with a girl -- grow¬ HIMANOIDS and stories like "The Equal¬ SR: awards you've won -- including the ing into a woman --as protagonist. izer” -- that you are now strongly recent New Mexico Governor's Award I was doubtful at first about being pro-nuke. My own misgivings about which is probably not widely known in able to present her well, but I've nuclear power center mainly around the SF world -- you've served two come to know and like her now. Most the fact that after 30 years of the terms as president of Science Fiction of my doubts are gone. I'm doing it peaceful atom (so-called) we still Writers of America. What's your re¬ for Pocket Books. It should have haven't figured out what to do with action to Christopher Priest's at¬ been finished a year and more ago, the radioactive waste. Since New tack on the SFWA in a recent SCIENCE but THE HIMANOID TOUCH took longer Mexico has been pushed as a dumping FICTION REVIEW? Should the SFWA - than I had expected, and SFWA took ground for some of those wastes (and and the Hugo and Nebula awards --be a lot of my time and energy for two resisted) the issue strikes pretty abolished as Priest seems to be sug¬ years. The editors have been remark¬ close to home here in the Southwest. gesting? ably patient. I bought a word pro¬ Are you really satisfied, a year cessor a few months ago, and am feel¬ after Three Mile Island, that nuclear WILLIAMSON: I have written a brief ing fairly fluent in its language. power and the attendant waste dispos¬ answer to Chris Priest for SFR. I With better than half the book into al is safe? do respect his concerns about the the conputer and safely back out awards, but I think the Nebulas and again, I feel that it is shaping ip WILLIAMSON: own opinion is that Hugos -- and SFWA -- are worth pre¬ better than I had hoped for. we do know what to do with radioac¬ serving. I think Chris is writing As for other items: Fred Pohl tive wastes. The great problem ab¬ from the viewpoint of the self-suf- and I still have a collaboration to out disposal is the largely irration¬ ficent and dedicated artist, who complete. WALL AROUND A STAR to car¬ al terror of them. Of course, noth¬ probably doesn't need them. But, as ry on the action begun in THE FARTH¬ ing in life is totally safe, but on fellow craftsmen in SFWA, we can help EST STAR. I hope that my share of the record use through a whole gen¬ each other in many ways, die of the the book is almost done, and I look eration, nuclear energy has proven ways is in the effort to get paid forward to seeing the work in print itself far safer than coal or even for what we write. The Nebula sel¬ -- I dare not say when. A couple of oil. Burning coal releases a lot ection process isn't perfect. I short stories coming up, though I more radioactivity than has ever es¬ think we have improved it. The big prefer longer things. For a year or caped from nuclear plants. It's in¬ problem with all literary awards is so I've been planning another novel teresting that Americans are so lit¬ the fact that there is no objective that I'm feeling more and more anx¬ tle troubled by killing 50,000 peop¬ standard of evaluation. Art has to ious to start. But it's far better le a year with private automobiles be evaluated subjectively, and dif¬ to write something than to talk or and go into hysteria about the pos¬ ferent people make different evalua¬ write about it. sibility that Three Mile Island will tions -- otherwise, only a dozen or cause maybe one death from cancer in so writers could produce all the fic- SFR: Thank you, Mr. Williamson. maybe twenty years. If we keep the 29 ************************************ THE SIXTH BOOK OF VIRGIL FINLAY SMALL PRESS NOTES Edited by Gerry de la Ree $15.75 7 Cedarwood Lane BY THE EDITOR Saddle River, NJ 07458 These large-size, hardbound, gloss-stock books are exceptionally well made, and the late Virgil Fin¬ lay deserves them. All of these KIRK'S WORKS—AN INDEX OF THE ART 150 or so pen drawings are from OF TIM KIRK Finlay's best period, when he was Edited by George Beahm working with perfected techniques Heresy Press, $10.00 at highest skill levels. 713 Paul Street, This volume is of his astrolog¬ Newport News, VA 23605 ical covers and interiors for AST¬ An exceptionally fine Index ROLOGY YOUR DAILY HOROSCOPE and featuring a color cover of Tim at EVERYWOMAN’S DAILY HOROSCOPE. his wrap-around best in humor, and This is a must for Finlay lov¬ including 225 of his best illustra¬ ers and artists who want to observe tions and paintings from his begin- how a master of stipple and line ings in and prodom to date. achieved his effects. Many from the early SFRs and PSYs. There’s a long interview with Tim by Beahm, many photos of Tim at work and play- And the run¬ ning index of his work seems as WONDER WART-HOG AND TIC NURDS OF complete as humanly possible. N0VEM1ER This 9x12 122-page book of high By Gilbert Sheldon $7.50 by mail. Writ 6 published by Ted White [1014 quality paper and printing, is well Rip Off Press. N. Tuckahoe St., Falls Church, VA worth the money. Mild-mannered Philbert Desanex, 22046] and Dan Steffan [823 N. Wake¬ For those of exclusive tastes a winp, is really Wonder Wart Hog, field St., Arlington, VA 22203]. there is a limited edition of 100 a super being from another planet PONG is two-weekly, personal, nunbered copies, signed by the art¬ living on Earth in disguise. all the good things. It is avail¬ ist, editor and book designer (Mich¬ So this take-off on Superman able for T 8 R (Trade 8 Response) ael Symes), with dust wrapper for is a comic strip satire which ent¬ and all others pay $5.00. the hardbound version of Red Silv- ers into all kindsa easy battles: This is a good old fashioned ertex and gold foil lettering. welfare,politics, nuclear terror, faanzine, pure of heart and 4 pages There are 80 copies available at pro football, science fiction, offset. $25. each. motorcycle and car racing, pesti¬ Mistn’t forget the lovely lence, famine, economic collapse, George Barr painting in color and romantic love...to name a few. which celebrates Tim and his There is some good invention creatures, in the frontispiece and some good lines, but too much position. is knee jerk and cliche. NEW LIBERTARIAN MANIFESTO I guess you can’t be subtle in By Samuel Edward Konkin III comic strip format, eh? New Libertarian Enterprises And there’s never any real POB 1748 FANTASY NEWSLETTER #32 tension: Wart-Hog is impossible to Long Beach, CA 90801 Edited and published by Paul harm, being indestructible. In this booklet Sam puts forth and Susan Allen. $1.95 This is a softcover, quality his idealistic view of man's nat¬ P.0. Box 170A book, 214 or so pages, good paper, ure and (like statists of various Rochester, NY 14601 color cover. stripes) ignores the other half of This is a class production. man's nature. Offset, always a fine cover, usual¬ He sketches a scenario for the ly by Fabian, columns by Karl Ed¬ coming (he and others hope) convers¬ ward Wagner, Susan Scwartz, and an ion to a totally free, non-statist, interview this issue with Robert Market-ruled economy, culture and Reginald, plus listings and reviews HE CARTOON HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE society in America. of current and projected fantasy Rots o' ruck. (and sf) publishing...photos, VOL. 5: BRAINS AND BRONZE—THE RISE OF ANCIENT GREECE. He convincingly shows that a good artwork inside... A very By Larry Gonick partial free economy--an underground valuable, necessary monthly maga- Rip Off Press $1.50 economy--already exists in varying POB 14158 degree in all countries, including San Francisco, CA 94114 that great nuthah of statism, commu¬ I suspect a bit overpriced, More great illustrated history, nist Russia. though, at $1.95 for 32 pages in¬ comic format. What fascinates and But he never directly answers cluding covers and 4+ pages of ads. appalls about ancient times is the the obvious question: if libertar¬ Just as among the prozines incredibly naked lust, murder, loot¬ ianism, the free economy, are so there is a weeding-out process as ing, revenge that prevailed in the inherently Good and natural, how The Market makes its choices, so in highest circles—especially in come we don't have it, and how come the sf/fantasy newszine and semi-pro the ruling circles. Life in those there isn't much if any evidence of zine field there is now going on a times was tough! Somehow Larry Gon¬ an "Agorist" society in the past? thinning out as customers decide ick brings all this into focus with [A logical variation of "If you're they can’t afford any longer to buy saving humor and insights. This so smart, why ain't you rich?"] three or four semi-prozines, and cut is a remarkable series. He, like other idealists, says back to one or two. It’ll be in¬ in effect, "If only we could once teresting to see who survives. 30 establish our system everybody would see its virtue and wouldn't want to It requires a person of such total LIVING FREE is a clearinghouse go back to any degree of statism!" solipsism and/or contempt for peop- of self-help ideas and practices; But he's missing something: ple, that all but a verrry few people there are detailed sketches for var¬ a degree of state control---of gov¬ in this world will find this book ious devices, there are product re¬ ernment! ---is natural to mankind. unuseable. Yet, as a source book ports (like the Koolatron solid- We want it! We are perhaps instinct¬ for a novel---it's a treasure. state fridge)...hints on scrounging ual ly wedded to government on every This also is available from and farming, building, cheap trans¬ level--the family, the tribe, the Loompanics, as above. portation— city state, the nation- This issue (#10) contains a If you can't find it in the short article/letter from John Free¬ past or the present, you won't have THE WORLD POWER FOUNDATION-ITS man on "Auto Living--In a Pinch." it in the future. Always something GOALS AND PLATFORM There are discussions of private in between the pure extremes of tot¬ Edited by Harold Thomas $6.95 + $1. power systems, container farming al state control and total Market Loonpanics, as above. (with comparative year-to-year crop invisible control. This seems a put-on, but you yields)...and other bits and pieces Statism isn't just an unfortunate never know, sometimes. What the of fascinating lore, news and help. disease mankind is subject to; it's World Power Foundation wants to es¬ Ten pages, letter-size, offset. part of our nature. In fact, you can tablish is: Slavery Well worth it. He trades for zines. make a better case for dictatorship than for freedom, as the best form Polygamy & Polyandry of social organization for mankind, Morality equal to Pleas¬ given man's history to date. ure. But Sam rejects any conpromise, Carnal any attempt to use government to Debt-free Economics THE SPACE GAfER #32 October 1980 trend society toward a more free set¬ Promises, promises, promises. 7207 Ckiion Crossing Dr. up. To deal with statism is to deal The book does have a good "pow¬ Austin, TX 78744 with the devil; those who do are er" bibliography with capsule des<- A very valuable magazine to impure, revisionists, and should be criptions and reviews. Also a list¬ those heavily into sf and fantasy reviled and condemned. ing of what it calls Reactionary games of various kinds. The hobby So it goes. Publishers—meaning essentially is big business now, and with a anti-establishment libertarian, con¬ host of new games coming out all spiracy and really reactionary pub¬ the time, the review section in this lishers. zine must be a must-read. THE MUCKRAKER'S MANUAL $2.00 -for a copy. By M. Harry $7.95 + $1 shipping. I heartily approve the use of a Loompanics protective mailing cover over the POB264 full-color spaceship cover. Would Mason, MI 48854 SCIENCE FICTION—A Review that some other sf (fiction) maga¬ Loompanics has in past years Speculative Literature #4 $2.25 zines could do that if envelopes published some beyond the -palo books, Edited and Published by Van Ikin are not practicable. some "underground" books, such as Dept, of English those which tell how to assume a Ihiversity of Sydney different identity and accumulate New South Wales 2006 "fake" ID, and books on cheap, home¬ Australia made bombs, etc., as well as many This is approximately the e- on self-defense, knife-fighting, quivalent of England's FOUNDATION, and so on_ Many on counter¬ although far inferior as to inter¬ culture living styles. est and format. SF COTENTARY #60/61 $3.00 The Loompanics catalog is Who ever reads this professor¬ mist reading for anyone who wants to Edited and published by Bruce Gil¬ ial twaddle? More pertinent, who get a glimpse of the tough, real lespie, GPO Box 5195AA, Melbourne, would ever pay to read it? world of killing, living different Victoria 3001, Australia. Nevertheless, if you wish to Offset, lettersize, 32 pages, and thinking different. try a copy, the North American This one, by "Harry", is by an and full of informed personal opin¬ agent is Terry Green experienced, no-shit reporter, and ion, some of it cantankerous and 9 Parkhurst Blvd. highly personal, about sf writers his tips and how-to's are hard- , Ontario earned. It's not padded, and it's and their works, about sf in gener¬ CANADA M4G 2C4 al, and about SFWA. not in professorese. It's 127 pages Terry notes that #5 will cost $2.50. of the true quill. If you wanted to For instance, both Ursula Le write a novel about an investigative Guin and Stanislaw Lem say they reporter, this would be a goldmine. don't read sf anymore, and give their reasons. Fascinating. SF CGWENTARY is subtitled, 'the independent magazine about HOW TO ORGANIZE AND MANAGE YOUR OWN science fiction'. All other sf RELIGIOUS CULT „ Written, edited and published by fanzines, I presume are dependent, By Duke MzCoy $6.95 + $1. shipping. Jim Stunm $1.00 Step-by-step you are told chill¬ part of a great, controlled Voice Box 29, Hiler Branch, which dictates.... ing truths and savage realities a- Kenmore, NY 14223 bout people, -dynamics, and Oh, not to be missed in this I've been meaning to review this issue is Brian Aldiss' flensing led...probably unwillingly...into a magazine for a year. Jim lives free, cunning, psychopathic, manipulative opinion of Samuel Delany and his on land he owns, and he believes in writing. world. What Duke McCoy tells is self liberation through self-suffi¬ true---you can smell its ugliness. SFC is a fine zine; the result ciency in food, energy, shelter, as of years of experience, perspect¬ But only a sociopath will actually much as possible. go out and follow these rules, tips, ive and personal and mail friend¬ ships . schedules and become a cult leader. 31 Edited and published by Chris TEN YEARS AGO IN SF Estey, 600 S. Kent St., G 45, CYBORG BLUES JAN-FEB-MARCH, 1971 Kennewick, WA 99336. 504 per, offset, 10 pages, One of my brains is missing, BY ROBERT SABELLA letter size, mailed first class. One of my brains is missing. A sloppy, sprawling, confusing Che of my valves is hissing and one of my brains is missing. The Nebula nominees for 1970 were persoanlzine, kind-of> with too- announced with the following stories small print and awful layout. gamering the most nominations: RING- One of my brains is missing. That said, please note it is WORLD (30 nominations) and AND CHAOS &ie of my brains is missing. also extremely interesting, honest, DIED (25) for Best Novel; "Ill Met Che of my lips needs kissing seeks to discuss fundamentalities, in Lankhmar" (17) and "The Region Be¬ and one of my brains is missing. and above all contains a no-holds - tween" (17) for Best Novella; "Con¬ barred, gutlevel interview with tinued on Next Rock" (21) and "The One of my brains is missing. John Shirley which will open your Slow Sculpture" (21) for Best Novel¬ One of my brains is missing. eyes wide. et; "The Island of Dr. Death and One of my bladders is pissing Order the issue with the Shir¬ Other Stories"(19) and "Entire and and one of my brains is missing. ley interview. And then order Perfect.Chrystolite" (17) for Best the one with the Geis interview; Short Story ... The ORBIT original One of my brains is missing. Chris has persuaded me to Tell All. anthology series received 10 of the One.of my brains is missing. (Of course I've Told All before, 19 short fiction nominations ... Qie of my thats needs thising but that was years ago! People Frank Herbert quit his newspaper job forget. And so do I.) and one of my brains is missing. to write science fiction full-time, 5 years after the publication of Che of my brains is missing. DUNE! ... A Philip Wylie script en¬ One of my brains is missing. titled "LA 2017" appeared on the tel¬ Most of my levels are blissing evision show THE NAME OF THE GAME, but one of my brains is missing. starring Gene Barry on January 5 ... THE COLONISTS #1 Terry Carr's original anthology UNI¬ Edited and Published by Johnny Rob¬ One of my brains is missing. VERSE and Robert Silverberg's NEW inson. $2.00 One of my brains is missing. All correspondence to: The Colonists, Che of my brains is missing. DIMENSIONS both began accepting sub¬ 630 Marion St. NE, Salem, OR 97301 Che of my brains is missing. missions for their first issues ... Phone: 838-5334. The April issue of FANTASY AND SCI¬ Subtitled 'Realistic Magazine -- Neal Wilgus ENCE FICTION was a special Poul And¬ About the Colonization of Space', erson issue, featuring his highly- this letter-sized 32-page offset praised novella "The Queen of Air magazine features an illustrated and Darkness” ... All the Robert story of pro quality about life in Lowndes-edited magazines folded, in¬ cluding THE MAGAZINE OF HORROR, START¬ a variety of space colonies around Altair, far in the future. The RICHARD LING MYSTERY STORIES, WEIRD TERROR artwork and story and optimism are TALES and BIZARRE MYSTERY TALES ... by Robinson, who sketches a great E. married Judy-Lynn Ben¬ outflinging of humanity to the stars. jamin ... Terry Carr announced he He urges support for the L-5 Society GEIS was leaving to freelance and similar efforts. edit. This marked the demise of the He wants contributions of real¬ critically acclaimed Ace Science Fic¬ istic space colony life fiction, A PERSONAL JOURNAL tion Special series ... Keith Laumer articles, and artwork. He wants suffered a stroke from which he re¬ contact with those of you of like # A jaundiced commentary on covered ... Virgil Finlay died on mind. current events. January 18 at age 56 ... C.C. MacApp died on January 15. He was in his Johnny isn't sure if he'll be # A Libertarian viewpoint. § Personal counter-culture mid-fifties. at his current address very long, by the way. Those among you who living notes. would like to sell THE COLONISTS please contact Bud Plant, Inc., $3. for five issues. Mercury Press announced the fold¬ Box 1886, Grass Valley, CA 95945. $6. for ten issues. ing of VENTURE after a one-year at¬ [Plant is a distributor of small tempt to revive it as a companion Richard E. Geis press items.] magazine to F5SF ... Artists Steele P.0. Box 11408 Savage and John Giunta died ... Not¬ Portland, OR 97211 able science fiction books publish¬ ed included RINGWORLD by Larry Niven REG nearly ready for mailing zz and THE TOWER OF GLASS by Robert Sil- verberg ... GALAXY MAGAZINE conplet- ed serialization of I WILL FEAR NO EVIL by Robert Heinlein to a chorus I GET A UOT OF ART OF LARGE of resounding boos by most critics ... The Winter issue of WORLDS OF SIZE, AND ALMOST NO ART FIT FANTASY contained THE TOMBS OF ATUAN TO FILL HOLES THIS SIZE. I by Ursula LeGuin complete in one is¬ sue. This was later published as NEED SMALL FILLOS. THEY WILL the middle volume of her Earthsea SAVE EE HAVING TO WRITE FILL¬ Trilogy which culminated in the Nat¬ ional Book-Award-winner, THE FARTH¬ ERS LIKE THIS. EST SHORE. 32 ************************************ ANALOG After November's drought, the De¬ cember issue was more than welcome. Reviewed By Patricia Mathews Skipping the serial as always, I read straight through two editorials, a jest taking Asimov's name in vain, and all the rest of the magazine, FIRST, AN APOLOGY: My last review publicity stunt and an engineering stopping only for practical neces¬ was full of typos, errors and trans¬ rabbit out of a hat. The point is sities. positions. I spelled Charles Arent's obscured by irrelevancies and the name at least two different ways in hero (referred to as Don, but called The best story is Timothy Zahn's the course of one review and trans¬ Yank --an example of this story's "A Lingering Death", a tidy treat¬ posed "Gribbin" to "Briggin". Bad gratuitous confusion) being childish ment of spacegoing Earthlings and a typing and bad proofreading, and I all over the place. A little more planetbound but long-lived race wil¬ apologize to both men. facility in tale-telling and it ling at long last to trade secrets. might have amused a few of the read¬ But -- what's the catch? Worse, in scolding ANALOG for strain¬ ers. ing my eyes, I referred to the edit¬ "Grain of Truth” by Charles Spa- or as "Bova". That is a stupid er¬ Best of the shorts is Ted Rey¬ no, Jr. is a series of letters be¬ ror, totally inexcusable, for which nolds' "Meeting of the Minds". How tween a total stuffed shirt at the I offer Editor Stanley Schmidt a do you question a baby about a dis¬ Klaus Primate Research Center and heartfelt apology. aster that happened before he was his sister about a recreat¬ bom, and at what cost? An inter¬ ed race of prehistoric arctic human¬ stellar massacre hangs on the answer. oids: the names telegraph the punch, Editor’s Note: I owe Patricia an but isn't this the December issue, apology for not catching at least "The Bully and the Crazy Boy" after all? Amusing. one of those errors-the "Bova." by Marc Steigler pits conquering fe- No excuses. The reasons I often linoids against the human capacity "Gift" by Michael McCollum con¬ don't read contributions closely for hara-kiri when backed against cerns a benevolent alien with a enough is that I'm busy, lazy, the wall and depends on whether or cheap source of solar power to sell; and have come to trust the, con¬ not you accept the basic premise. again, where's the catch? But I tributor. But even the best of The hero was recently the guest vil¬ keep thinking of the optimism of lain on Dick Tracy where he went by Heinlein's "Let There be Light". the name of Breakdown. The form, bartender tells what cus¬ tomer told him, is a little awkward. "Velvet Rose of Evening" by Wil¬ The Noventier 1980 issue of ANALOG Mack Reynolds always makes the is not an easy read. It is impos¬ liam Tuning again hangs on the read¬ er accepting the basic premise: that reader plow through pages of Reynold- sible to pick up a copy and just sian economics; in "The Union Forev¬ start reading, with pleasure, except a dying scientist would make a discov ery and then give credit to a has- er" the lectures come before, after at the L. Sprague de Camp article on and during every incident. Other biology, evolution and natural se¬ been father he's resented for years. lection, which is very readable; It can be made plausible; Tuning give it to the kids if they ask about hasn't done it. these subjects. As for the fiction: Last and least is "Testing" by The lead novelette is "A Greater Laurence M. Janifer. Premise: that Infinity" by Michael McCollum. Who a wise elder race is waiting for has taken over H. Beam Piper's PARA¬ the rational people -- those who ans¬ TIME lock, stock and nomenclature, wer opinion polls with "Don't Know" with a -ish Cold War plot. to dominate on Earth -- completely The villains are said to be (not failing to notice that one has been shown as) nasty, but the Good Side's elected President of the United cultural inperialism menaces the States recently. At least Gerald good old Europo-American sector un¬ Knave stays well in the background less the hero can come up with a this time. talking point to save the day. Hard¬ er to plow through than Bova. There is also a very good letter to the editor, name withheld, about "The Sword Sleeps" by Ray Thome equality of opportunity as practiced must have sold on the strength of in this culture. the gimnick, which involves a Poly¬ nesian volcano, an island government's 33 than that, it starts out ostensibly Now the good news: Christopher Unfortunately, Candy sounded, as a tale of an idle young man who Colunbus meets modem management di¬ not like a kid, buut like Robert Hein- finds a worthwhile purpose, reluct¬ rectives in A1 Chamitz' "Sailing lein. I would believe 18, but never antly, after being drafted -- and Through Program Management". (The 11, no matter how precocious; the then pulls the old switcheroo. Very artist drew Chris as 18th, not 15th personality was wrong. Remenber nice if you have a gift for skipping Century; oh, well.) I laughed myself that, sir, when you start your nov¬ or like Reynolds on economics. sick; a victim of the "Matrix Manage¬ el, and send me a copy. ment" directive locally was Not Amus¬ Now the bad news, for I used to I liked the index at the back of ed. Too painful. like Lee Correy. However, his ser¬ the magazine and the non-fiction was ial, SHUTTLE DOWN, which started out "Green Winter" by F. Paul Wilson, good. as a reasonably decent sort of off- shows a hunter of a mutant race tom we-go adventure, soon degenerated in¬ between his beliefs and his heretic to whining, backbiting and an incred¬ daughter's proof that the "hairies" ible view of human relations all sep¬ he hunts are sapient. Old theme, arated by masses of "Roger-AOK" high- nice treatment. tech-talk. "Heroic Measures" by Edward Wel- F&SF Whining? I've heard the endless len raises a man from the dead to ex¬ griping about the way those wicked ecute him for a crime he now has no ol' welfare programs are ruining our memory of. Is this justice? Reviewed By spaceships; nary a word about the Charles V. de Vet's "Expendable" ultraconservative Watchdog of the is a secret agent whose identity is Treasury types (like the Representa¬ Russell tive from New Mexico) and I'm sick transferred to the bodies of execut¬ ed criminals for his various missions of it. I'm a space freak and I vot¬ ed Libertarian -- but. Surely a people with that capacity would use it for more than "Spy Vs. Engebretson Backbiting? The hero's deadhead Spy'". boss is "A retired jet jockey, over¬ The November of FfjSF features a age to make shuttle pilot". The novella by Harlan Ellison, ALL THE Chief Astronaut thanks you, sir. LIES THAT ARE MV LIFE. It is also The description is dead-on except included in Ellison's new collection for contents. of stories, SHATTERDAY, which was Incredible? I quote: "(Jackie reviewed in the last issue of SF RE¬ Hart, mission specialist, bucking VIEW. For that reason I won't re¬ for pilot) never would or never could view it here, except to say it is make the grade through utilization an interesting and offbeat story. of feminine wiles". As if doing so "Lord of the Dance" by Gary Kil- were somehow the norm! As for her worth is a supernatural story about efforts to allay the suspicions there an antique collector who is almost of, "She was ... almost a female car¬ collected himself by a sinister icature of a man". And that, sis¬ group of inmortals. The author con¬ ters, is Catch-22. Damned if you do jures up a menacingly dark atmos¬ and damned if you don't; follow the phere in the setting of an English lead character's dealings with Jack¬ village, and does a conmendable job ie, Pepto-Bismol in hand. It gets of creating a rounded main character. worse, I assure you. The story even has a credible upbeat Sorry, Lee. I loved ROCKET MAN ending, in contrast to most of the in my college days. horror stories in these last three issues. William S. Doxey, whose style is a bit reminiscent of Cordwainer Smith, has written a sly story of There are no bad stories in future intrigue entitled "Rheeman's the January S, 1980 issue of ANALOG, Space". It begins slowly and builds not even Lee Correy's serial "Shut¬ to an ironic climax as Rheeman, a tle Down". The high-tech talk is at secret police agent equipped with a mininum and the dilenma of the as¬ all kinds of whimsical James Bond tronauts, who must move their craft "Emergence" by David R. Palmer, paraphernalia, attempts to apprehend off Easter Island and nust deal with is billed as an end-of-the-world nov¬ an armed robber. a Latin American government and Poly¬ elette. It is also a very good Gift¬ nesian culture meanwhile, is nicely Thomas Sullivan's "The Fugue", ed Child (New race variety, superior told. It is still supremely irritat¬ concerns the rape and impregnation endowments, etc.) story and should ing in spots: does Correy really be¬ of an astronaut by her fellow astro¬ either be pared down to that or ex¬ lieve that a total jerk like report¬ naut, or so it seems. Her partner panded into a novel. er Alice Arnold would be hired by insists he is innocent. The problem any network in the country unless The conflict between the parents here is that the story is written in she had some redeeming qualities? of Candy Smith-Foster on how to rear a straightforward and gripping man¬ And I hope he resolves the nasty, de¬ a gifted daughter was beautiful, and ner, but is resolved with nebulous meaning power struggle between Shut¬ again, painful. The government's re¬ symbolism. tle Commander Frank King and Mission action to these kids (a triple-blind "-- An Unfortunate Incident in Specialist Jackie Hart or at least education program) was straight out the Life of a License Examiner" by shuts them both ip when third part¬ of next year's Gifted Child Quarter¬ R.M. Lamning is a relentlessly grim ies -- foreign ones at that -- are ly- portrait of future overpopulation. around. Couples must be licensed to have children and the method of licensing with a science fictional basis, is is an interview between the examiner 'The Autopsy" by Michael Shea. The and prospective mother. Because only other thing I've read by Shea child-bearing is discouraged, the is his 1974 novel, A QUEST FOR SIM- seemingly bland interview is a tricky BILIS, a continuation of the adven¬ OMNI verbal obstacle course designed to tures of 's Cugel the Clev¬ disqualify the applicant. "An Unfor¬ er character. Shea did a remarkable tunate Incident ..." is about bureau¬ job of imitating Vance. The Autop¬ Reviewed By cratic corruption, personal conpro- sy" retains some of the convoluted mise and love, among other things. syntax of his novel, but the style Pathos and irony are juggled with re¬ and subject matter are the author's Margana B. Rolain markable deftness in this thoroughly own. I don't think I have ever read depressing and fine story. a more gruesome story; several pages are devoted to a graphic and medical¬ ly- exact description of an autopsy. October,1980 Harrowing enough in itself, that is "Prairie Sun" by Edward Bryant only a prelude to the inventive, ob¬ "Rautavaara's Case" by Philip K. The Decenber issue is a mixed scene creation Michael Shea springs Dick bag of stories ranging from conpetent- on us later. A strong argument ag¬ "Easy Points" by Kathleen V. ly uninspired to excellent (with one ainst intellect overshadowing emo¬ Westfall truly bad contribution). tion and triunph of the human spirit November "Melpomene, Calliope ... and Fred" are the main themes of "The Autopsy". "Prime Time" by Norman Spinrad by Nicholas Yermakov is a humorous An excellent story -- not for the December fantasy about a writer with writer's faint-of-heart or weak-of-stomach. "The Hunting of Hewlish" by Sam block who procures the services of a Nicholson Mise by the name of Fred, Mise of "St. Amy's Tale" by Orson Scott hebephrenia and dissociation. A sil¬ Card ly story, perhaps, but I grinned all the way through it. "Prairie Sun" is a descriptively written story about trophy hunters Barry N. Malzberg writes "The I'm running short of space and have already dropped several stories from the future, told them from the Twentieth Century Murder Case" in viewpoint of Micah Taverner, the boy his usual monochromatic, gently in¬ reviewed, so, although the January issue contains quite a few good stor¬ of the past that they plunder. The tense style. It is a tale, literal¬ story captures the feel of pioneer ies, I'll have to skip over most of ly, of the nurder of the Twentieth life on the trail west: the hard¬ them. Century and the efforts to track ship, a little of the desperation. down the culprit. "Batteries Not Included" by Ron Micah's little sister is critically "Uncle John and the Saviour" by Goulart is a murder mystery set in ill with smallpox when he meets up is a story of personal the year 2010 in Greater . with the two strangers from the fu¬ revelation. of Indianapolis, Despite the bantering tone, there is ture and one of them tells the hard¬ an , comes to the town of a serious theme similar to that in ship-matured thirteen-year-old boy Greenhill to deliver a sermon. His A CLOCKWORK ORANGE. more about themselves than he should. The ending is the superb part, and I logic curcuits are scrambled by the "Rosfo Gate" by Coleman Brax is won't spoil the story by revealing it questions and replies of Uncle John, a quietly-understated tale of com¬ the story's non-believer protagonist. munication between a human boy and "Rautavaara's Case" is a night¬ Before He expires, however. He deliv¬ a young extraterrestrial. It's a marish tale of a human brain being ers a spontaneous, non-progranmed re¬ refreshing change from the more com¬ artificially revived after death ply to Uncle John. This is a very monly melodramatic alien encounter through alien intervention and the good and somewhat opaque story that story. interpretation of the worship of requires careful reading. Christ by those same aliens accord¬ Mildred Downey Broxon's "Walk ing to their own attitudes. Some "Neander-Tale" by James Hogan is the Ice" is also about an alien con¬ readers, myself included, would find a cutesy polemic in favor of nuclear tact, and a very strange one. The that this story takes an effort of power. It seems this Neanderthal humans are Eskimos and have no idea persistence to finish. has discovered fire and his fellow the creature they have befriended is cavemen are up in arms over this dan¬ not human. Most of the stOTy is an "Easy Points" is an entertaining gerous and new-fangled invention and accurate description of Eskimo cul¬ satire on bureaucratic inefficiency. ... well, I'm sure you can take it ture that makes the early American Henry Cutter, government "middle man¬ from there. pioneers look like suburbanites. ager", has invented "The Game", which is guaranteed to provide his fellow "The Tents of Kedar" by Robert George Alec Effinger's best writ¬ government enployees with obsessive F. Young is a well-written story of ing is found in his short fiction, as fun but the public with varying de¬ racism and its self-destructive con¬ a reading of "Breakaway" confirms. grees of frustration. The rules are sequences; however, the deus ex mach- It is another of his sports stories, outlined in the story as the reader ina that holds the plot together is this time ice hockey played on a rides along with Henry. very creaky. Otherwise, a good story. three-mile-long icefield on a planet whose temperature is close to absol¬ In Norman Sprinrad's "Prime Time" 's "The Other Mother" ute zero. The protagonist, Vadaz is a haunting study of the relation¬ television programming is a way of Zajac, is an archetypical loner who life -- literally. Senior citizens, ship between a single mother and her pays a high price for his solitude. for presumably a fortune, can retire children, clothed in the vestments The scientific extrapolation is fas¬ to 'Total Television Heaven", a place of a horror story. The scenes be¬ cinating, yet Effinger keeps the where customers are awarded their tween the main character, Sara, and her children, Michael and Melanie, story's focus on the main character own private tanks of plugged-in, and his obsessions. A very enjoy¬ electronic, taped-fantasies bliss. will ring true to the ear of any able story. John and Edna, once married to each parent. other, show us two ways to adjust -- Another horror story, this one 35 or to go crazy. In the December issue, the undis- adequate newsstand markets, none of dipping into the Big Pond. This putable gem is "St. Amy's Tale" by the good stories would be published sort of insularity is not good.) . This prose spell in the small magazines, because the However, the stories strike me as begins: big ones offer more money and bet¬ nothing but gratuitous sex and vio¬ "Mother could kill with her ter exposure. However, as interest lence, and I've had enough of them. hands. Father could fly. in horror and fantasy fiction expand¬ All of which leaves me in the ed far faster than the markets in These are miracles." odd position of trying to assure you the late 60s and early 70s, small that FANTASY TALES usually has more "St. Amy's Tale" is not your typical magazines popped up overnight like post-holocaust story at all, because new fiction than this and it's usu¬ toadstools. Some of them vanished ally better. And of all the stories it is at once: an allegory, the re¬ as fast. Some of the early pioneers counting of a personal tragedy and a included, only the Schifino is real¬ (WHISPERS and WEIRDBOOK) are still ly bad. There was a nifty conflict between two kinds of real¬ with us. ities within the story. There is no tale by in the pre¬ satisfactory way to describe it, and Not all are oriented along the vious issue. An original Kane epic it is well worth more than one read¬ /UNKNOWN axis, of course, by will appear in ing. but science fiction small press mag¬ the next one. So don't write this azines have never been as successful off, okay? "The Hunting of Hewlish" in the because they've always had serious Also keep an eye on NIGHT VOYAGES same issue is indeed a satire as de¬ competition from the professionals. scribed by ONMI editors, but it's which will be featuring more fiction No one has yet found an area of spec¬ in the future. The current (6th) is¬ hard to decide what exactly that it ialty that doesn't, although I think is a satire of, beyond the obvious sue contains only one story, actual¬ it would be possible to do so with ly a prologue to Charles Saunders' one on the myth of the female hunter what we used to call "new wave" or "Imaro" novel. Saunders is another of men. Sibyl and Roxanne are twin "experimental" SF, since that doesn't who has built up quite a reputation sister sirens, known as "huntresses" seem to be a commercial proposition in the small markets. He's also a who maintain their luxurious life by anymore. NEW WORLDS could probably far better writer than Schifino. preying on suitable human males. do it, though the newest incarnation However, their boredom has at last has published very little fiction as Another one-story magazine is gotten the better of them and they yet. TOE ANTHOLOGY OF SPECULATIVE POETRY, decide to hunt sailors. Their op¬ posite temperaments lead them to pur¬ Two ground rules: I intend most¬ #4, which is mostly what it sounds sue their prey in different fashions ly to discuss what is worthwhile in like, but to celebrate the presence of but with the same predictable results: the small mags. I don't see the an R.A. Lafferty interview and some the huntresses themselves are snared. point of dragging out something you poems, there is also a short story, wouldn't see without searching for it "Phoenic", which is a delightful snip¬ The Januray issue of (Mil was and then telling you it wasn't worth pet of Lafferty-esque weirdness, unavailable for review. your trouble. Also, I would like to which has both a homey and a mythic skip reprints. quality about it. Buy the magazine. It should be a collector's item. (The verse is by the likes of Mich¬ Both of these rules will be brok¬ ael Bishop, Tom Disch, Joan Vinge, en as I please. Otherwise, for in¬ Warner Munn, , Jack stance, I wouldn't have nuch to say Dann, etc.) SMALL PRESS about the 6th issue of FANTASY TALES which is certainly the most succes¬ To get back to rules and general¬ sful small press magazine in Britain. izations: the aforementioned if-it's- MAGAZINES The cover story, "Ever the Faith En¬ any-good-it'11-sell syndrome also oc¬ dures" by , ap¬ curs in the small press. There are peared as an original in THE YEAR'S a few exceptions, but not too many. Reviewed By BEST HORROR STORIES. It's fairly (One is ELDRITCH TALES. Stories from good Wellman, which means a strong there have been included in THE YEAR'S background, but a plot that aborts BEST HORROR. ELDRITCH pays in copies.) Darrell Schweitzer as soon as the Legendary Thing has fly observation is that if the pay¬ been paraded on stage once. "Dreams ment goes below 1/24 a word, the May Come" by H. Warner Munn is a re¬ quality drops off sharply. Even at print from UNICORN, an adequate 1/24 one teeters on the brink of am¬ Let me begin with a word of ex¬ twists-of-fate tale. My own, "The planation. One of the basic facts ateur stumblebunimity. (Is that a Story of the Brown Man" is a reprint word? It is now.) I find DARK FAN¬ of the writing life is that if a from FANTASY/CROSSWINDS, which had a story is any good, it will sell some¬ TASY #22 teetering. "The Flat on circulation of 200 and sold out in Rue Chambord" by Galad Elflandsson where professionally. This is why ex¬ two weeks, and if it were written by (who apparently got his start here perienced fanzine readers don't read someone else I might say more. This the fiction in fanzines. and is yet another who has built up leaves us with "The Elementals" by a considerable following, etc.) is Ah, but what if there aren't Frances Garfield, which is too cute quite competently written, and even enough markets? Another matter en¬ for my taste, "The Last Trick" by has an arresting premise (Disgusting tirely. The magazines I will be re¬ Dave Reeder, which is one-fright hor- hunchback in a foul slum has an inex¬ viewing in this column are non-news¬ or (similar to one-punch science fic¬ plicably beautiful wife and, behind stand publications which feature fic¬ tion) , and "The Lair of the White all the clutter, an absolutely pala¬ tion of professional quality. (The Wolf" by J.R. Schifino, which I do tial flat that he rents out cheap. difference is that if you read the not like at all. Schifino has his Why?) but when the end pulls a Has- story as a critical exercise, to un¬ fans. His hero Lupus Lupolius is tur-out-of-a-hat trick, the original derstand what's wrong with it, or be¬ building up a following. (Another promise is lost amongt the Nameless cause the author shows promise and quirk of the small press field is Horrors. (I also wonder why charac¬ you want to encourage him, that's that it is possible for a writer to ters ride carriages in 1920 or there¬ amateur. If you read it for enjoy¬ develop a reputation there and even abouts, but never mind.) The other ment of its merits, that's profes¬ become quite popular without ever two stories in the issue have, with sional.) In theory, if there were 36 varying degrees of conpetence, run- over-by-a-truck endings. It does KNOW) is a handsome production, with the newsstands as GALILEO did.) It not strike me as particularly effec¬ a surprising amount of good poetry pays as much as AMAZING (and faster, tive to introduce a character, strut (not something one normally sees in though I should mention that it is him around a bit, then kill him off these magazines), some interesting overstocked at the moment) and at¬ pointlessly. articles and one story that really tracts professional writers. There are good colunns by Andrew Offutt, Much more to my taste is the fic¬ grabbed me: "Cyrion in Wax" by Tan- Mark Pflock and Ed Bryant. A rotat¬ tion in GOTHIC #3, which is a maga¬ ith Lee. On the surface it's stan¬ ing "Writing SF" column was written zine devoted to the 18th and 19th dard wizard-killing in a standard by me last time, by Roger Zelazny Century tradition (rigidly but rath¬ setting, but the interesting part is this time. I interview Greg Benford er vaguely defined by the editor) of what drives her hero: he seeks dang¬ this time. The fiction is on the Walpole, Mrs. Radcliffe and that er, even pain needlessly it seems, same level as that found in the news¬ crowd. "The Voice of Blood" by Jean because he is completely bored with stand magazines, which means I'm not Mmo is a strong, almost-vampire life and after sensation. So he may that thrilled with all of it, but tale, definitely not for the squeam¬ well be the most decadent fantasy consider it mostly competent. Three ish. "The Narrow House" by Phillip hero ever (next to whom Elric is a stories I conmend to you: "Under- C. Heath is simply superb, one of Boy Scout) or else ...? This is one the best Victorian pastiches I've of the few cases where the unsolved muck With Quill Tripstickler" by John Shirley for its bizarre alien envir¬ seen in a long time. It definitely riddle of a character's motivations has the feel of the period, the style keeps the story going. "Devil on onment, "A Sinple Twist of Fate" by Grant Carrington for good character¬ of the period, without the verbiosity ray Stomach" by Andrew Offutt and Rich¬ ization in a short space, and "Flaw¬ most people expect of the period. An ard Lyon has a less interesting char¬ less Scale, Perfect Meter" by Benton accomplishment, that. Also a strong acter, but some very nasty magic. horror plot, embodying the basic ele¬ McAdams for an intense portrait of a man driven to destruction in the ment of as defined quest of artistic perfection ("the by Lovecraft: the discovery that perfect sound", sort of a Unified one's whole conceptual foundation for Field Theory pf music). McAdams is existence is wrong and rapidly com¬ a new writer. His first story ap¬ ing apart. Lee Weinstein's "The Lady peared last issue. He is sometimes in Darkness" does a much better job weak on detail, but his stories have of pastiching THE KING IN YELLOW life. than Elflandsson did (above), and it is what I would call a distinct Also alive, in a cruel, ghastly oddity. There's no denying that it way, is Stephen Leigh's "And Speak of has effective moments of atmosphere, Soft Defiance", which is about in¬ that it is well-written, but the pre¬ trigue in an imaginary royal court. mise is so silly that one is remind¬ Fantasy, I guess, though there is no ed of the old claim that Gothic is fantastic element. It's a reprint really a form of parody. You see, from the old series ETERNITY, which instead of Nameless Things, the hor¬ ran 1972-75 if I remember right. ror which drives folks mad when they read about it in Forbidden Books is, ah ... Feminism, a cult called Sis¬ ters of Purity: '....Following the legal re¬ forms, and social and govern¬ mental reorganization of the "Keeper of the Wood" by Caradoc Addresses and per copy prices. turbulent seventies and eight¬ Cador is one of those stories that (Remember that small magazines tend ies, homosexuality had lost its almost works because it is almost to be overpriced. This is no less stigma and the old feminist and beautiful: almost. I could have us¬ true in the mainstream, where PARIS gay movements had largely sub¬ ed less synopsis, more scenes and REVIEW will cost you $3.50 and KEN¬ sided. However, some of the drama. Cador is trying to do a leg¬ YON REVIEW $5.00. It's economics more radical feminist groups end in the manner of Dunsany, and not scale working, against you.) quite succeeding. All the other had remained in small pockets, FANTASY TALES, , stories are at least readable. You ready to bolster the Sisters 33 Wren House, Tachbrook Estate, Lon¬ can't expect magazines like this to movement when it hit our don SW1V 3QD, England. 78p or $3.00 publish nothing but great stories. shores. It rapidly spread by direct post. Cheaper if you get They are the workaday fantasy mark¬ from city to city and state it from a dealer. Fantasy Centre al¬ ets, in which the average appears. to state like a contagion, ways stocks it. infecting woman after woman... To find the great, you pick and choose. NIGHT VOYAGES, Gerald Brown, P.O. (P- 14)' Box 175, Freeburg, IL, 62243, $2.50. That's the 1980s, by the way. Which I will do more next time. Like TOE KING IN YELLOW this is set These magazines tend to be so infre¬ TOE ANTHOLOGY OF SPECULATIVE a few years in the future. So we quent the ones left over will prob¬ POETRY, Robert Frazier, Box 491, Nan¬ have a Victorian horror story about ably still be current. tucket Island, MA, 02554, $1.75. feminism ("You insidious disease! And now a word about ETERNITY, DARK FANTASY, Shadow Press, Box You foul mocker of men!" quoth the #2. This is a science fiction maga¬ 207, Gananoque, Ontario K7G 2T7, Can¬ hero at one point) set in our fu¬ zine. All of what I said about sci¬ ada, $1.00. ture, which, if one doesn't get over¬ ence fiction not making it in small GOTHIC, Gothic Press, 4998 Perk¬ ly offended, is definitely an Anomaly press doesn't quite apply, because ins Road, Baton Rouge, LA, 70808, and Curiosity of Literature. this is a definite attempt to go pro¬ $3.25. DRAGONFIELDS #3 (actually the fessional from a small base as GALIL¬ first under this title, it being a EO did. (And I hope the editor has ETERNITY, Stephen Gregg, P.O. combination of two earlier magazines, enough sense not to coirenit suicide on Box 510, Clemson, SC, 29631, $1.75. DRAGQNBANE and BEYOND THE FIELDS WE 37 that has a fantasy tone but is actu¬ ally pure science fiction. The plot is sinple: Gleia is not sure if she loves Shounach enough to remain ASIMOV'S with him on his quixotic quest for revenge or if she would rather ac- conpany Deel, a carefree female danc¬ Reviewed By er. When both Gleia and Shounach are captured by a despotic ruler con¬ templation takes a backseat to anger Robert Sabella and fast-paced action. Conclusions are reached somewhat simplistically -- both the emotional trauma Gleia Editors of science fiction maga¬ is undergoing and their attempt to zines are basically insecure about escape the despot -- but not so con¬ their readership. They feel the trived as to be unbelievable. My traditional pulp urge to hook the one gripe is that the story reads reader right away before they lose like part of a larger tapestry which interest in the magazine. Thus, Try new Granny's Branmes makes for occasional confusion. nearly every issue begins with the Still I would not mind reading the feature story, the attention-getter, Cereal-mode with natural rest of the series, if indeed it in hopes of hooking those casual chemicals/ does exist. readers (that is, anybody without a A conclusion on the three stor¬ subscription) and then gradually ies' ijipact? Both Davidson's and rambling -- and at times it is out¬ fades away in a morass of mediocre Clayton's should interest many, al¬ right distracting -- although it stories and articles. though not all readers into returning does create the feel of the medieval next issue. Considering the overall George Scithers seems imnune to setting wonderfully. And the plot batting average of science fiction this insecurity since ASIMOV'S is -- well, again, rambling is the most magazines, two out of three ain't formatted more like an original anth¬ appropriate word. There’s a pagan/ ology than any other magazine. Each bad. religious ceremony conducted by two # # # issue begins with a book review col- drunken ministers, a kleptomaniac um (surely as far from an attention- dragon, a long chase through the Two other stories deserve mention. getter as is possible) which is then countryside and somehow it all man¬ followed by a mixed bag of short fic¬ ages to come together at the end al¬ "Laughing Man" by Sydney Van tion and articles, finally concludes though, truthfully, by then it bare¬ Scyoc (Nov.), was a pastoral story with the feature story, usually a ly natters. The parts are definite¬ reminiscent of Edgar Pangbom. It long novelet by a name author. Ap¬ ly better than the whole but it's was about the naive hopefulness of parently Scithers feels confident all good fun and a reminder that Av- youth versus the unquestioning de¬ that his bread-and-butter stories ram Davidson remains one of the most votion to tradition of adults, sure¬ will keep his readers' interest original thinkers in science fiction ly a well-used and frequently abused enough for them to read as far as or fantasy. topic. The ending was unexpected and the issue's centerpiece which will although the unanswered questions then leave such a favorable impres¬ On the surface "Catch the Sun" are naggingly annoying, it was re¬ sion the reader will eagerly await by Barry Longyear (Nov.), seems a freshing that neither hopefulness nor the next issue. fairly competent story about an ex¬ tradition got their comeuppance. ploratory team a planet The ultimate test of ASIMOV'S which rotates so slowly on its axis John M. Ford is one of ASIMOV's policy is how it affects the sales. there is a constantly moving habit¬ stable of writers who seems to appear It is unlikely Davis Publications able strip bordered by unbearable at least once per issue. Until now has done any conprehensive market desert on one side and freezing ice everything I've read by him seemed surveys although we can safely as¬ on the other. The problem is that basically shallow with no real pur¬ sume Scithers' policy is not hurting spreeding the planet's rotation, pose except to fill pages. That sales since ASIMOV'S currently leads while it would create ideal farming changed with "Slowly By, Lorena" all the traditional science fiction conditions, would totally destroy (Nov.), a quantum leap for Ford. A magazines. The only test we can the primitive inhabitants' lifestyle modem doctor vacations in a paral¬ make here is whether the concluding which is intertwined with their re¬ lel world experiencing its version novelets are good enough to leave ligion. The story's main concern is of the American Civil War. Through the desired favorable impression. not the technology but the relation¬ a freak accident he is unable to re¬ After all, if the stories are fail¬ ship between three humans and the turn home and for five years exper¬ ures, where is the benefit of high¬ primitive aliens. While its concern iences the trauma of warfare and lighting the worst stories? is laudable the story fails primarily the woefully inadequate medical prac¬ tices which kill more soldiers than "Peregrine: Perplexed", by Av- because the motivations are both the actual fighting. With his ad¬ ram DBvidson (Oct.), is a delightful simplistic and unconvincing. The vanced knowledge he is able to make although somewhat eccentric fantasy story's conclusion follows directly small inprovements and save lives set in Davidson's whacky vision of from that motivation and raises that otherwise would have been lost. the late Roman Enpire. Authority is doubts more than it satisfies. My He anticipates the war's end when he fragmented into Eastern, Western and advice is to read the story lightly can make an even bigger difference Middle Enpires; Goths and Vandals without asking too many questions -- in the advancement of medicine. are at the gates of Rome; so many since none of them will be answered Then he gets a chance to go home religions abound -- all legitimized anyway -- and you might find it an and must choose between making that -- it is hard to tell the churches adequate time-passer. difference and returning to his safe, apart without a scorecard. Much as "Companioning", by Jo Clayton sensible life. A genuinely moving, I enjoyed reading this story I can¬ (Dec.) is a basically likeable story thoughtful story. not promise the same to everybody. Davidson's style can best be called 38 to do so) take his or her own chances? Jack Chalker makes a good point, Since the writer has the option of that SFWA (for reasons of sheer log¬ pulling a given edition from consid¬ istics) can't function well on behalf eration in favor of a later one, I of writers in other countries. He Re the Priest/Williamson/Poum- don't see how anyone could get hurt. suggests a good answer: formation of elle/Chalker discussion of SFWA, a similar groups in those other coun¬ few sidelights. Anything that can Jerry gives very good coverage tries, and liaison between all of be said of the merits/demerits of the of the Lem matter, but misses on a them, including SFWA. That method Nebula Awards can be said of nearly fact or two. If it's true that "it could work. SFWA trying to Big-broth- any awards system in any creative was elsewhere established that honor¬ er, worldwide, wouldn't work at all. field of endeavor, whether awarded ary members do not pay dues", that I think Jack misread Chris by fans, peers or some sort of blue- fact was not known to the officers Priest's line "suppress freedom of ribbon jury. All such systems have at the time the Lem Situation arose, speech" to mean officer-censorship faults and always will; attenpts to including the Treasurer who was also of the SFWA FORUM, and then came up improve matters are laudable and Membership Chairman (per the By-laws), defending something that, to my know¬ sometimes help. To speak of abolish¬ who made the decision re Lem. And ledge, never happened. "... the ment is, I think, fruitless in this one other item here; after the honor¬ censoring officer was not imnediate- case; the Nebula Awards are speci¬ ary membership was revoked. Presi¬ ly past ..." Well, in the only FOR¬ fied in the By-laws of SFWA, which dent Fred Pohl wrote to Lem, apolo¬ may be changed only by "a majority of gized for the confusion and official¬ UM hassle I know about, that could even remotely fit the description, those voting, that majority to con¬ ly (and cordially) invited Lem to sist of not less than 25% of the ac¬ take up the active membership for the (appointed, or more accurately, volunteer) editor was doing the cen¬ tive menbership". Regardless of the which he was qualified, and, in case soring. Not to rake up old cold merits of Chris Priest's case (and Lem had any problems getting money beefs with my friend Ted Cogswell, he's not alone, surely), I simply sent from Poland to the U.S., Fred but for a time he inadvertently of¬ doubt that the membership will ever offered to stand good for Lem's dues. vote to abolish the Awards. So we And Lem did answer; maybe Jerry did fended a segment of the membership may as well buckle down to trying to not see a copy, or has forgotten, and would not print their protests, feeling that "the kook fringe" did¬ improve the selection system. Per¬ but Lem expressed appreciative thanks n't deserve a hearing. Well, as sonally I think the current rules, to Fred Pohl while politely declining while not perfect (what is?), are to take up the offer. Veep I was then the "Complaint Desk" designed to operate as fairly as pos¬ for Pres Fred Pohl; I got the com¬ sible at this point. With one ex¬ Regardless of a glitch or two, plaints and decided they needed some ception which I'll note in a moment. though, Jerry did make the point action. So I leaned on Ted much that inviting a person to take the more than I would have liked to do, In Jerry Poumelle's otherwise appropriate grade of membership (and to the effect that either he gave excellent presentation, he errs by as noted here, offering to subsidize his dissenters a fair break of (be¬ saying that U.S. publication is re¬ him) rather than a grade to which he'd ing also in charge of Publications) quired for SFWA menbership; the By¬ not been entitled in the first place, I would direct the Treasurer to with¬ laws specify no such thing. In is hardly an attempt to (in Chris draw SFWA financial support from fact, not even English-language pub¬ Priest's words) "suppress freedom of the FORLM. This fiat is in print, lication is required. I think the speech". I mean, is it? in the FORUM, by the way. Well, Ted non-existent restriction is one that and I got bugged with each other many of us usually take for granted I'm not denying that when fun- loving Ted Cogswell ("Brigadier Gen¬ for a while, but we got over it because very seldom do we bother to fairly soon. I think, though, that look things up. The Nebula Rules, eral, U.S. Podiatric Corps, Retired") Jack's paragraph (SFR #37), bottom though, do require (and this is the ran the Lem diatribe* on the cover of of page 23) is intended to refer to above-mentioned exception to fair¬ the SFWA FORUM, some few came on with a touch of lynch-mob mentality. Andy Offutt as the officer-censor ness) U.S. publication. It's reason¬ in the case. Which was not the case; able, in a way; most SFWA members What I'm saying is, it didn't pre¬ X dunnit, but as anti-censor. Andy read no language but English, and vail. gave me moral support, though, and items published in Britain but not when he was elected Pres, Ted figur¬ in the U.S. aren't likely to be seen ed Andy would lean harder (I guess) by enough members to give such works ‘(which was not in Lem's own words, but hyped-up for extra feistiness by and Ted resigned as FORUM Editor (I a decent shot at getting on the fin¬ miss his zany antics!). al ballot, let alone winning. But an East German translator — a fact --in the interests of fairness, why not known to most of us until much That's all I have, for now. I not remove the U.S.-publication re¬ later.) hope it'll clarify a thing or two. quirement and let anyone (who wishes 39 ************************************ # CARD FROM ROBERT A BLOCH 2111 Sunset Crest Drive Los Angeles, CA 90046 November 5, 1980 LETTERS 'By golly (as Harlan would say), here it is, the day after election and I can hardly wait for your com¬ ments. Meantime, however, the cur¬ rent issue of SFR more than suffic¬ # CARD FROM HARLAN ELLISON 'As almost everyone knows, I've 34 84 Coy Drive been out of SFWA for quite a while -- es. Just saw your "Vivisector" in Sherman Oaks, CA 91423 and intend to keep it that way -- Baltimore at the World Fantasy Con¬ November 7, 1980 and my leavetaking was for what I vention — where I asked a pretty continue to feel were good and suf¬ formidable cross-section of hyphen- 'Good for you, publishing the ficient reasons. So I am hardly an SF fantasy-SF writers what they "Inside the Whale" responses of Wil¬ apologist for the organization. thought of the Nebula Awards. Most, with a furtive glance around and a liamson, Poumelle and Chalker to 'Yet, Priest's position was plea to DNQ, averred that they were Mr. Priest's comments re SFWA in clearly wrong and cast aspersions dismayed by the status of said same. SFR #36. on SFWA that were not deserved. Mr. Your thoughtful pieces by the three Lem (both in his own voice and through SFWA officers certainly offer no the voice of the mischievous Franz spirited defense — only an apologia. Rottensteiner) continues to sow seeds of dissension and he was treated far 'As for Stanislaw Lem, I'm hap¬ more equitably than he deserved by py to have been among the first to SFWA. It's a shame Priest doesn't to take a public stand — in print -- know that.' against his membership, his opinions and then-available translations of his "masterpieces". 'Speaking of masterpieces -- your cover is a delight. I love the wig and horns on Nixon, though I # CARD FROM MICHAEL MOORCOCK think the Judy Merril figure is a 7 November, 1980 trifle exaggerated. Hoping you are the same.' 'Thanks for the latest SFR which I enjoyed. Re "Inside the Whale"—I didn't know Chris Priest ((I, unfortunately, am the same: had left SFWA. I left it a while with a figure a trifle exaggerat¬ ago—the decision being triggered ed-by 20 pounds. Around the by the Lem stuff. I think Lem is waist.)) a boring old fart, insular and nar¬ row-minded. I also think that of Anderson, Poumelle, etc. Poumel- le's letter reflects the provinc¬ ialism of most of the membership and that's why I prefer to stay out of SFWA. I remain a member of the Writers Guild here. Society of # LETTER FROM JACK WILLIAMSON Authors, and Authors Guild there. Box 761, Portales, NM 88130 None of these organizations are as November 2, 1980 claustrophobic as SFWA. Incidental¬ ly, almost all OK SFWA members be¬ 'I was glad to see the letters came members of Writers Guild a on "Inside the Whale" by Jerry Pour- couple of years ago.' nelle and Jack Chalker in SFR #37. About freedom in the SFWA FORUM: although I appreciate Jack Chalker's ((I, too, think Lem an arrogant, comment that maybe I didn't know the pretentious, overpraised writer lid was on, I think I should say whose opinions on non-socialist that I did encourage the FORUM edi¬ sf and fantasy are tainted and tors to edit letters from members. warped by envy, ignorance and I felt, and still feel, that there misunderstanding. Further, I were three sorts of material we think this contempt he manifests should not print: is based on and springs from weakness, not strength, of intel¬ 1.) Letters of no use or inter¬ lect, talent, culture, manners, est to SFWA or its members. Print¬ morals, and politics. In short, ing it was costing us about ten I think he's a literary fraud bucks a page and there are sorts of and yet I pity him, for I fear letters that I thought the member¬ that when Russia invades Poland ship should not be asked to subsid¬ and "cleans house" of "revision¬ ize. ists," etc., he may be one of 2.) Letters that looked to be the casualties.)) libel. At that time, we were not in¬ corporated. Officers were clearly subject to suit for damage. Some of our members were at times intemper- one parcel to me, then redistributed In the end I passed the work over to locally. There was a real saving in Andrew Stephenson. He put up with expense by doing this. Shortly aft¬ the unreliable mailings, irrelevant 3.) Letters written in language erwards we got going. What I had letters and perplexing silences for offensive to many of our members. not anticipated was that for whatev¬ two or three years, then he jacked As an Army veteran and a student of er reason, material sent to Europe it in as well. Now it's done by linguistics, I try myself to keep an was subject to wholesale unreliabil¬ Fred Clarke. open mind to dialectic variation. ity and apparent lack of interest. But we did print one letter, well 'It is from this experience — I would be responsible for, say, 30 enough intended, so phrased that it not from anything else -- that I am members. In a typical mailing from caused one respected member to re¬ convinced the generalized SFWA at¬ the U.S. I would be sent 28 copies sign in indignation and several of¬ titude to overseas members is that of SFWA BULLETIN, and these would be ficers and former officers to ad¬ they are a nuisance, that they are accompanied by 32 address-labels. dress their indignation to us. Al¬ not first-class citizens, that they Of these 32 names and addresses, at though the FORUM is officially con¬ are not at all relevant to the run¬ least a half would be incorrect or fidential, it is in fact widely read, ning of SFWA in particular and SF in out of date, three would be for peop¬ and I didn't and still don't see general and that they are more troub¬ le of whom I had never heard, and any reason for permitting language le than they are worth. All the cor¬ five would be for people I knew had in it that offends a good part of respondence I amassed over the years resigned. I used to dread receiving our membership and would certainly bespeaks of this attitude. the SFWA parcels, knowing that I lost offend a large part of the public at a day whenever they turned up. Every 'But here is 's large. time I had to write back to the States version of what happened: "... for 'The only charge of censorship asking for extra copies, asking for a while we had an overseas member that I recall came from a member who confirmation of new members' addres¬ who received our communications in was unhappy with the settlement with ses, asking why their records were bulk form sent by air express, af¬ Ace Books --a settlement worked out always out of date. More often than fixed local postage and mailed them. by Jerry Pournelle and generally re¬ not, any reply I got came late; some¬ Unfortunately, the member who was do¬ ceived with gratitude by other mem¬ times there was no reply at all. ing that proved unreliable and a num¬ bers; it resulted, I believe, in to¬ ber of overseas members complained tal payments of about a quarter mil¬ that they hadn't received their bal¬ lion in back royalties which the pre¬ lots until after the election was vious owners of Ace had failed to fsMdMEMTiyM /S’ oMUiy' \ finished; and no one else has volun¬ pay. I felt the publication of the I MEET;/) ON THE MOVE. J teered". letters this member wanted to print This- Aq-pwcr is ~\r 'None of this is true. One thing would in itself have been a viola¬ that’s odd is that Pournelle was tion of our agreement with the new ^OHO§- * FAST President of SFWA while I was agent, owners of Ace, and I advised the edi¬ and yet he seems not to realize that tor not to print them. The circum¬ it was me. Perhaps he's thinking stances were described in the FORUM it was Andrew Stephenson; if so, he and I understand that the member in had better start apologizing, as And¬ question did receive a probably gen¬ rew (a mild person) spluttered with erous settlement of his claims rage when he read Pournelle's account against Ace.' of what is on record as being one of SFWA's biggest fuck-ups in a decade of incompetence. 'As far as I can see, this pas¬ sage from Mr. Pournelle's letter is characterized by the same hyperbole as elsewhere. Which brings me to Things never got any better; with # LETTER FROM CHRISTOPHER PRIEST the second matter of fact. every change of administration the 1 Ortygia House, 6 Lower Road 'Mr. Poumelle's account — which Harrow, Middlesex HA2 ODA incompetence became more committed and inspired. After about a year, I is remarkably defensive, considering England -- of how Stanislaw Lem was kicked 5 November 1980 had to hire a secretary to deal with all the correspondence (at my pers¬ out of SFWA, confirms almost every¬ 'I suppose the responses from onal expense). One parcel contained thing I wrote in my article. But by Jerry Pournelle and Jack Chalker (to over 80 copies of the BULLETIN, print¬ a marvelous piece of sophistry, what my SFWA article) were fairly predict¬ ed on heavy-stock quarto paper and we now discover is that Lem wasn't able. And I'm fairly predictable in air-mailed at extortionate cost. To thrown out, but was being done a fav¬ that for the most part I continue to this day I don't know why I was sent or! We all thought he had been fir¬ disagree with them. But a couple of the extra copies; I held on to them ed; now we're told he turned down the matters of fact have emerged from Mr. for two years, then sent them to be chance of promotion! Pournelle's letter. recycled. There was not one single But seriously, the old lies con¬ 'Firstly, he goes to some pains mailing, in all the time I acted as tinue. Why won't they admit they to explain that overseas members are agent, that was straightforward. threw Lem out? Why do they go on with this pretence that Lem was break¬ a financial burden on SFWA. I didn't 'As a result of this, I am not¬ ing the by-laws? Pournelle is a for¬ mention any of this in my article, be¬ oriously unsympathetic to the pleas mer President of SFWA ... why does he cause it wasn't pertinent to the arg¬ that SFWA officers do it for love, perpetuate the falsehood? ument, but in the early 1970s I be¬ do it unpaid, and give of their came SFWA's European Agent. The idea spare time. SFWA officers normally '(We, the people who stick up for cooked up between myself and James serve for one or, at most, two years. Lem, would probably forgive them if Gunn, was (a) to save SFWA money and I slogged away, unpaid, unacknowledg¬ only they'd confess.) (b) to speed SFWA publications and ed and unthanked, for five years. ballot-forms to European members, 'Incidentally, to pick up a point the material would be airmailed in 41 from Jack Chalker's letter: Chalker says that I "revere" Stanislaw Lem. '1. The Nebula is confined in 'For example, under this system It makes no difference to my stand theory and practise to work publish¬ we might now be deciding that a Neb¬ on the Lem Affair ... but the fact, ed within the U.S.; the Hugo, in ula-winning novel like THE DISPOSSES¬ and the whole point, is that I don't theory at least, is open to work SED was indeed influential, that it "revere" Mr. Lem. I've never met from all countries. had outlived mere popularity, that him, I've never corresponded with '2. The Nebula is voted on by it has enduring qualities, and has him, and I don't care for the pieces had a long-term effect on the way we of his fiction I've come across. a select group, limited in number, and one which represents a narrow understand and enjoy and write sci¬ The only work of his I've read to ence fiction. But would we say the the end was his article about SFWA. band of literary taste; the Hugo is open to anyone who registers for a same about other Nebula winners, I am about as disinterested in Lem such as RENDEZVOUS WITH RAMA or THE as it is possible to be. , its electorate is unlimit¬ ed in number, and its literary taste GODS THEMSELVES? In five years' 'Finally, the Nebula Award. is as wide as possible (in SF terms). time, will we see as a Here are some quotes from the people seminal work?' who wrote to SFR: '3. The Nebula operates an on¬ going nominations system, encourag¬ 'Jack Williamson: "I'm not sure ing vested interests to lobby and that the Nebulas have been any more campaign; the Hugo nominations are valid than the Hugos". Robert Bloch: write-ins. "It will be interesting to see just # LETTER FROM RED SINGER 'Yet in spite of this, the Neb¬ how the Nebula system is defended U.P.S.F. COORDINATOR ula is interchangeable with the Hugo after Priest’s analysis". Jerry HANAU AFRICAN SCHOOL Poumelle: "The Nebula Award is fa¬ as a popularity poll. Defenders of APO, NY 09165 the Nebula often point to the fact tally flawed". Jack Chalker: "Priest December 16, 1980 is more charitable than I am. The Nebulas are and will remain a joke". 'Your columns on the chicanery (The last two quotes from people in the publishing industry provides blustering against my arguments ...) much food for thought. I never fail 'Yet again we hear the solitary to be amazed at the human capacity defense of the Nebula: the Award for duplicity. People are self-serv¬ brings in money, both to the winners ing; they'll sell their souls for a and to the organization. For this, promotion, prostitute themselves for SFWA puts up with its fatally flaw¬ an ego boost, double-deal for a lit¬ ed joke. tle geld. Anyone who agrees jrith Rousseau that human beings are in¬ 'Although Mr. Poumelle seems to herently good, is himself blissfully think I was urging that SFWA be ab¬ naive. olished, the point was that the Neb¬ ula should be abolished to help re¬ 'All people are alike. It is store SFWA's standing. only the degree, the intensity of the need that sets apart the double¬ 'It is my direct experience that dealing son-of-a-bitch from the saint individual SFWA members say and re¬ Early Christian monks flagellated peat the sort of things that Pour- themselves, starved, stood up for nelle and Chalker said in their let¬ weeks at a time, went to the limit ters. No one seriously believes that without sleep and one even lived on the Nebula means anything any more. top of a fifty-foot pillar for thir¬ No one has ever denied my arguments. ty years. They wanted recognition: Yet Poumelle claims the "vast maj¬ that both the Nebula and Hugo have partly from their fellow man but ority" of members wish to keep it. frequently gone to the same titles, mostly from God. I happen to believe that it is the and claim this legitimizes the Neb¬ contrary that would be true. But be¬ ula. Why can't they see that the op¬ 'Cultures differ, times differ cause the assumption persists that posite is true? For the Nebula to but people remain the same; driven any award is better than no award, have any independent justification, by a need for self-esteem, a need to feel one's life has purpose and mean¬ successive SFWA administrations pus¬ its criteria and, thus, its benefic¬ syfoot around the subject. My art¬ iaries should be quite different. ing. Fof most people of the past, religion provided that meaning; but icle said we should junk the Award 'Although I believe writers' once and for all. If SFWA polled take away God and the vacuum is fil¬ organizations should not give prizes led with money, power, praise, sex¬ its members directly on that subject it seems urgent that SFWA should go ual conquest and generally outdoing the membership would endorse the ab¬ on doing something. It appears to olition with a sense of relief. the other guy in the competitive fulfill some kind of need. In which tumble we call human society. Even 'Chalker also says that the argu¬ case: a few years ago I suggested those early monks played one-upsman- ments against the Nebula apply equal¬ a constructive alternative. This ship for God's favor. ly to other awards, notably the Hugo. was to replace the Nebula with a re¬ Wrong. For the following reasons: trospective prize, awarded every year 'Perhaps we are this way because to titles published (say) five years we evolved this way. Pugnacity, ag¬ earlier. This would have the un¬ gressiveness and selfishness were doubted advantage of diminishing the survival traits in our primitive effect on sales and promotion, thus predecessors. It was a brutal exis¬ emphasizing the literary nature of tence but it insured the strongest the award. Also, it would have a possible species which is what nat¬ valid rationale behind it: SFWA ure is all about. Our ancestors would be acknowledging that certain learned that cooperation aided sur¬ named works had had an influence on vival, so they congregated in groups. the way SF is written and appreciat- Within the social group males natur¬ ally jockeyed for leadership posi¬ tions and territory. Those that em- wonder at the otherworldliness of # LETTER FROM STEVEN GRANT their plight, then you have what is 649 E. Johnson St, #1 known as writing. Madison, WI, S3703 'The point of all this is that if August, 1980 one seriously digs into the core of human motivation, then characters 'As you're usually interested become more believable, and, for in conditions on the East Coast, that matter, so do plots. let me assure you: they stink. I'm bailing out before the crash, and 'George R.R. Martin did this I'll feel a little better when I'm superbly in and that's why living somewhere where you don't it won many awards. The idea was have to depend on distributors to fine, but it was his understanding get food. Rents here are abominable of the flaws of human behavior that -- some places are one-room with formed the basis of the plot and kitchenette and bathroom (and a few made it zing with reality. It work¬ without bathroom) for $895 and up. ed because we recognized a bit of My own one-bedroom, in a mildly scum¬ ourselves there. my but perfectly satisfactory area, 'Kate Wilhelm’s WHERE LATE THE is $265, and considered the best bar¬ SWEET BIRDS SANG, literally sings gain in town by everyone I know. with human characters and their fail¬ The price will be going up to over ings. She took human beings, mul¬ $300 when I leave -- and it will tiplied them into clones and develop¬ still be the best price in town. ed problems from their less than per¬ Transportation is getting continual¬ fect psyches. ly worse, thermal conditions are at their blazing' worst, blocks of street¬ 'Which brings me to alien creat- lights suddenly go out at night as you are walking down the streets, erged with the higher statuses got taxes and every other cost are going the best territories and the best la¬ 'Science fiction writers know up and up, and every third person dies -- and mated. Those at the bot¬ that if you scratch an alien you will you meet walking down Broadway — tom got nothing and died childless. find a human lurking beneath. No and I live far north of the really The weak die off, the strong have matter how weird, nebulous, scaled or crazy section of it — is talking to babies. So we evolved into aggres¬ mucus-dribbling an alien is, his mo¬ an imaginary friend at the top of sive, competitive, cooperative soc¬ tivation must be human. If he had no his lungs. ial beings. recognizable human qualities, he would be unintelligable. The fastest 'On top of everything. Citibank 'Now take this pugnacious creat¬ way to lose your audience is to hand and Chase Manhattan are moving to ure whose instincts force him to com¬ them a pile of esoteric claptrap that South Dakota. What's good enough pete for a place in the dominance does not fit with a human's percep¬ for Citibank is good enough for me.' hierarchy, put a suit on him and tion of reality. If the alien is send him to a New York publishing sentient then his motivation, no mat¬ house, and you have the first explan¬ ter how cleverly disguised, must be ((I don't understand how all those ation as to why he'd sell his mother. human. crazy people manage to pay their rent. Or maybe you have to be 'Obviously, not all of us feed 'I'd better stop here or that our ravenous egos by stomping our crazy to live in New York and pay very human emotion, boredom, might fellow man. But fear of failure, exorbitant rente?)) set in. My train of thought, fueled failure itself, fear of not gaining by your editorials, really chugged the admiration and respect of our peers and fear of living meaningless lives, drives us to extremes. You 'After all is said and done, how¬ work your run?) off to put together ever, you are correct in your warn¬ SFR. I woTk all hours of the day ing. Not too long ago I took one and night to write science fiction. of those "writer's tests" to qualify What do we want? A little recogni¬ for a writer's school -- only I an¬ tion, a little approbation, some mon¬ swered the questions wrong, just to ey and a comfortable niche on the sta¬ see what would happen. My responses tus hierarchy. to the word usage, vocabulary and powers of observation sections were 'Human beings are bom to jockey clumsy and inappropriate, certainly for position. They hunger for accep¬ not the work of a potential writer. tance, crave recognition, seek out And guess what? They sent me a coup¬ stimulation and spend their lives le of glowing letters about how well in quiet desperation, knowing full I did and how promising my writing well they have failed. potential was. They spend their 'Which brings me to the writing days lying to people. I couldn't of science fiction. live like that. 'Science fiction begins with 'Yes, Richard, it's a tough road; ideas. Plot wraps the idea in an in¬ we are ambushed at every turn. Still triguing package while characteriza¬ it's the only road we've got. tion carries the whole thing forward. 'Thanks for the warning. And Characters have generally been sub¬ keep doing the superb job on SFR. ordinated to idea and plot in this It's the best thing around in the genre. That's acceptable. However, field.' if the reader can be made to hunger for the fate of the characters and 43 come subjects of strict scrutiny # LETTER FROM TONY DAVIS # LETTER FROM NEVILLE J, ANGOVE Chairman SFSA (once a criminal, always ...) POB 770, Canberra City ACT (Science Fiction South Africa) 'A British paperback edition of Australia 2601 C/0 Newsroom, THE STAR Brian Aldiss' THE PRIMAL URGE receiv¬ October 6, 1980 POB 1014, Johannesburg 2000 ed a listing because of the sensual South Africa lady (naked, by the way) on the cov¬ 'The main point of this letter is October 16, 1980 er -- so the contents themselves the assumption inherent in Reynolds' weren't banned — only the cover. bald statement "I cannot think of a 'A few words from this end of Unfortunately I never saw any copies single case in history of a people the world ... on sale without the cover. who had achieved Capitalism ever go¬ 'A crying shame is not being ing back to Feudalism ..." (and so 'There is an appeal board called on, until the end of that paragraph). able to find a new SF title in the the Publications Appeal Board which local bookstores, a crying shame is will review banned books and some¬ 'Firstly, the only real element trying to find Volume 20 of E.C. times overturn the banning, although of social evolution that varies is Tubb's Dumarest series and finding not too frequently. the aggregation of power -- societ¬ Volumes 19 and 21 on the racks, and ies' power structures evolve from a REAL crying shame is not being 'And sometimes a hardcover book the single absolute leader to the able to buy a helluva lot of SF tit¬ will be banned but its paperback mass "democracy" and back again with les because they are BANNED. version will get through. And some¬ monotonous regularity. All other times even the British paperback factors are really only superficial. 'That's right, banned. And not version will be banned but not the just because there may be pom. It For example, the North American soc¬ American version. Don't ask for an ial system can just as easily and could be for reason of religious con¬ explanation. tent or drugs or even because of accurately be described as Feudalis¬ the dust jacket cover! 'I'm not sure whether some of ts as it is described as being Cap¬ Dick Geis' serials printed in SCI¬ italistic: There is an absolute 'This is the case in South Africa ENCE FICTION REVIEW would get through monarch (but under parliamentary con¬ where the Directorate of Publications here. I do have my doubts!' trol vis a vis Prince John), a large protects the public from "undesirable group of political heavies (who are literature". There exists a mammoth ((I'm amazed that SFR seems to get not necessarily elected representa¬ tome which is regularly updated and through to the few SA subscribers. tives) , and a larger group of vested contains thousands of book titles If SFR does get through unexamined interests whose financial support is which have been banned in South Af¬ it is only because the customs/Post- needed for the political administra¬ rica over the last 25 years or so. al examiners, etc. assume it a dry, tion to function (the barons) . Fin¬ 'And science fiction hasn't es¬ safe, academic publication.)) ally, there are the masses -- serfs, caped the purge. artisans, merchants who must be ap¬ ((I'm sorry your government is peased in various ways and to vari¬ 'Skimming through the "Jacob¬ so afraid and stupid; naked censor¬ ous degrees or they will withdraw sen's Guide of Objectionable Litera¬ ship such as you describe is a sure their support from the incumbent. ture" one can find all sorts of SF sign of ham-handed incompetency and Even in the Middle Ages, the King titles and sometimes it really bog¬ obvious lack of subtlety and imag¬ had to have either the support of gles the mind why some books cannot ination.)) the masses or the support of the ba¬ be inq>orted to South Africa. rons or of the clergy in order to 'There are several topics which survive,. The only in which Capital¬ are "no-nos" here: sex, religion, ism differs from Feudalism lies with politics, mysticism and drugs. the fact that the serf can leave his master without fear of death — and 'One early SF title to face the that was not an important defining censors' wrath was an Ace "D" ser¬ criterion for Feudalism anyway! ies double by L. Sprague de Camp and Clifford Simak with "Ring Around the Sun" and "Cosmic Manhunt". Having read these stories it's hard to fig¬ ure out why the book was banned, ex¬ cept there is a rather sultry-look¬ ing blonde on the paperback cover. 'Other banned notable SF writers include: Brian Aldiss, Michael Moor¬ cock, Harlan Ellison, Samuel Delany, Norman Spinrad and even Robert Hein- lein. Heinlein was banned for "Stranger in a Strange Land" — like¬ ly because of the religious implica¬ tions and the censors probably were not too wild about "groking". Moorcock's "" was ban¬ ned for its religious views, and Philip Jose Farmer's "Flesh" -- no need to comment on that one. 'John Ballard has also had sev¬ eral books banned, including CON¬ CRETE ISLAND, CRASH and HIGH RISE. 'One problem seems to be that once one of an author's titles is banned, other subsequent books be¬ 'Finally, "(Feudalism)" is not ing wrong with human emotion or with Masters and Johnson claim that sex¬ "one of the most inefficient socio¬ human instinct. There is nothing ual preference is in all but a very economic systems the human race has wrong with human emotional nature, few cases entirely a matter of con¬ ever devised". It survived -- and or with human instinctual nature. ditioning. As evidence, they cite probably is still surviving — a Consider: It is inconceivable that the high rate of success trained damn sight longer than Capitalism in we could have evolved with the emo¬ therapists have in reconditioning its present form. The only measure tions and instincts that we have un¬ homosexuals to become heterosexuals. of efficiency is longevity — if it less they had rational purpose. We All they have to do is desensitize promotes the status quo, then it is are capable of anger because we need them to certain stimuli and sensitize unarguably efficient, because the anger. We are capable of fear be¬ them to more appropriate stimuli. prime purpose of any socioeconomic cause we need fear. We react to cer¬ Masters and Johnson claim it is high¬ system is the survival of that sys¬ tain stimuli with sexual interest ly successful. (It is on this basis tem. Feudalism probably offers the and arousal because that is how our that they conclude that homosexual¬ most stable form of social system species reproduces. ity is not a physiological malady, that was ever evolved with the only but merely a preference resulting 'Am I denying that there is any from conditioning.) Homosexuality, other contender for this honour be¬ problem? No. I acknowledge that thus, is both caused by and can be ing the religious dictatorship.' bloody fanatics in Cambodia have all reversed through conditioning. Sure¬ but exterminated their own race and ly nothing could be more fundamental¬ ((I suspect that both Feudalism that Big Brother over there in Mos¬ ly emotional and instinctive to hu¬ and religious dictatorship thrive cow would just love to introduce us man nature than sex, and yet look at best in times of minimal technolo¬ to their "workers' paradise" where how freely it can be manipulated! gy, mass ignorance, and very low it is always 1984. I acknowledge standards of living. Until our that humans who are not clinically 'We have problems because we do civilization breaks down and a ter¬ insane nonetheless can shoot down in¬ not rightly or fully understand rible anti-science movement takes nocent strangers on the street, mol¬ things. We invoke the wrong emotions place, I see no future for Feudal¬ est children and raise taxes. at the wrong times to the wrong de¬ ism. ) ) 'But the problem is not emotion grees, out of ignorance. We misun¬ (or instinct). The problem lies derstand social situations, we mis¬ elsewhere. It is not in the ration¬ understand ourselves, we jump to al faculties either. So where is it? faultily-reasoned conclusions, we develop misguided, ill-conceived at¬ 'There is something in between. titudes and thusly we condition our¬ Between our rational faculties and selves to respond inappropriately in # LETTER FROM RONALD R. LAfDERT our emotional/instinctual nature certain situations. 23S0 Virginia, Troy, MI 48084 there is an interface. It might be Nov. 14, 1980 called psychological conditioning. 'The obvious answer -- the real It might be called mindset. It answer -- to all our problems is to 'When you (and certainly you are might be called attitude. Or out¬ seek wisdom, quaint as that may sound not alone in this) inveigh against look. All these things are involved. It takes understanding for us to be able to steer our individual courses emotions as the bane of humanity, 'The fact is we choose when and through life competently. could it be your Judeo-Christian cul¬ where to invoke our emotions and ac¬ tural conditioning speaking? Virtu¬ tivate our instincts. Emotions and 'Of course, none of us have liv¬ ally all the credos that have shap¬ instincts are faculties that we use. ed long enough to develop all the ed the spiritual climate of our soc¬ If someone says something to you that wisdom that we need. So we resort iety hold that man is sinfu) -- i.e., is ambiguous but might be insulting, to shortcuts, or crutches. These full of sin, in the sense that some¬ you may stand there for awhile in are rule-of-thumb policies such as thing in him is inherently uncouth puzzlement, trying to decide if you manners, customs, moral codes, etc. and morally unclean. This is common¬ ought to be angry. You do not be¬ By following these we usually are ly referred to as man's "lower" nat¬ come angry and undergo all the in¬ able at least to minimize mistakes — ure or "bestial" nature, which in stinctive preparations for combat though by no means do we eliminate turn is usually associated with emo¬ until you decide you ought to. them. But if our lifespans were sub¬ tions -- especially those that seem stantially extended, then we might to be instinctively triggered (after 'Of course, not all such decis¬ all have time to develop enough wis¬ all, people say, nothing could be ions are conscious decisions. But dom to deal with the increasing com¬ more animal-like than to be driven even the unconscious decisions are plexity of modem (and future) life by "primitive" instinct). As a re¬ made on the basis of conditioning with growing competence and rely sult, when we see somebody behave that you have set up by previous less on crutches. with uncalled-for violence, we im¬ conscious decisions — or by your 'Certainly there is more than mediately conclude that the problem general attitude, mindset, etc. The mere time involved: wisdom can only is emotion. From there we go on to way you consciously view and inter¬ be learned by those who try to learn blame all the ills of the world on pret the world around you determines it and high intelligence obviously emotion. how you will use your emotional/in¬ stinctual faculties. affords a natural advantage. But I 'No wonder the character of Spock maintain that human beings, as pre¬ in had such wide appeal; 'Even the most fundamental emo¬ sently constituted, are perfectable. because obviously, if this reasoning tions and instincts we possess have We are capable of infinite develop¬ is true, the ultimate solution to no inherent power to rule us, as if ment, given the time. all our problems must be to eradic¬ we were helpless puppets pulled by is necessary. ate emotion. But, even as was re¬ our DNA strands. All humans are 'The "human problem" is solvable. peatedly demonstrated in the TV ser¬ bom with an instinctive fear of fal¬ It is within the capabilities of our ies episodes, the Vulcan philosophy ling. Yet astronauts can live and present faculties. We need not erad¬ is insupportable and patently sinple- work for extended periods in the minded. free-fall of space and rollercoasters icate our emotions or strive like are ever popular at amusement parks. medieval monks to exorcise our "bes¬ 'I will utter my heresy as dis¬ tial" nature. Like Jesus Christ tinctly as possible: There is noth¬ 45 said, "The truth shall make you free". We can go to the stars as we ((Yet-it is in the no tune of 'As for accomplishments. Card are, and be good. The means are with¬ man to also be an idealist, some¬ has made far more money than I have. in our grasp.; times. You have to accept thai. I suspect my income as a writer too. I do, somewhat reluctantly. could scarcely keep him in tieclips. ((No, I didn’t 'inveigh' against e- But, then, I'm slightly tainted But I would not trade places with motions as mankind’s bane (and with a kind of idealism, too.)) him for anything. This only drives blessing) because I want something home the fact that money is not the done about it. I was stating what only thing in life, that it should I consider a basic reality: we are not be one's primary goal. mostly ruled, subtly ofttimes, and 'For this flash of moral enlight¬ nakedly, by our emotions. Where enment, I thank him. self-interest enters the room, in¬ telligence is recruited to justify and implement an emotional decision. 'Some news, which you will doubt¬ # LETTER FROM DARRELL SCHWEITZER less have in fuller detail before ((Ahh...I shouldn't blame it all 113 Deepdale Rd. on emotions; I mean basic drives, you go to press again, GALAXY and Stafford, PA 19087 GALILEO have folded. I'm sure this instincts, imperitives—food, Oct. 30, 1980 shelter, mating, nurturing... these will bring on another one of your priorities masked by "civilization" 'Orson Scott Card's genteel wit gloomy editorial comments, but from and social/cultural conditioning, and his unerring ability to discern the viewpoint of the selling writer, make us do this, say that, etc., in when a fight is being picked with I don't think it has any immediate varying degrees among our fellows. him and when it is not, as manifest¬ impact. Both were so infrequent and ((I do not think this state of ed by his article in SFR #37, has so overstocked that they were not affairs is bad or should be changed caused me to stop and weigh the pos¬ markets. They were only potential by tinkering with drugs, with genes, sibility that I might be wrong, that markets, which might have developed with conditioning or de-conditioning. I may have said and written things in a year or two, once they'd gotten ((My position is as before: look without thinking, in a slapdash, care¬ on schedule and worked off some of through history, look around you at less, thoughtless manner. their backlogs. the world today. What you see is 'I am not talking about the dis¬ 'This is not to say I don't re¬ what you’ll get. No radical social cussion of the Lynn books. I refuse gret their passing. I do, very or psychological changes are possi¬ to discuss them further in this con¬ much. GALAXY was one of the most ble for mankind. We might succeed text, because the author is too fine important magazines in the history in killing off 90% of us, but that's a person to be needlessly dragged in¬ of the field. It has ceased to be a likely the worst that will happen... to such a petty squabble. major force late in the Baen editor¬ if that is actually a bad thing from ship, but its final termination now some points of view. 'You see, I have said in public is particularly sorrowful because ((I see no point in dreaming of and in print several times that the there was a glimmer of hope that it an ideal "solution" to the perceiv¬ attacks on Orson Scott Card made by would be re-established. ed "bad" side of man's nature. Man Ted White and others, mostly in is indivisible; start tinkering and THRUST, but also elsewhere, are un¬ 'My personal regret is that the Ghod knows what you’ll bring about. fair and uncalled for. While I have only story I ever had published in Further, I think mankind is instinc- never been a great proclaimer of GALAXY was a dumb little joke which tually so conservative it will not Card's storytelling or critical abil¬ probably contributed to its decline. permit any changes in the DNA which ities, I'Ve said more than once that I had a story in the backlog (bought would actually threaten the species I thought it unduly harsh to suggest in 1977) which was a lot better, and that Card's very existence as a pro¬ if published, at least wouldn't have ((I frankly consider idealists fessional writer indicates something dragged it down further. (So this fools unable or unwilling to face seriously amiss in the publishing story remains sold only to an anth¬ reality. It would be far better to industry, or that certain editors ology in . I shall have to learn the real rules of life, play have a lot of explaining to do. Fur¬ find a new American market for it.) by them, and have that happiness ther, when Card became the butt of 'Apparently the damage done to that goes with being in tune with coufttless jokes at conventions, when GALILEO through the attempt to go your self, instead of dreaming im¬ a prominent reviewer called him "the to newsstand circulation was so great possible dreams and being unhappy worst writer going", I expressed re¬ that it could not be repaired. There with what is, what was, what damn gret at the fact that fandom appar¬ are two morals here: a non-slick, well will be. ently requires a whipping boy and 8*5 x 11" is has selected Card, now that we don't complete suicide in this country. have to kick around. I It will be placed on the newsstand “THE COVBK i S’ HAVJNq- a F(jM> have even expressed some relief that next to the large comics, the read¬ •RAISEF WiTH TANE FOUbA Ah* the Card-as-Elwood syndrome seems to ers of which do not buy anything CHEEYi- TE.i^S AWIU. i be dying down, since I felt that no which has solid pages of print in ODMTPlBiTE ? writer or editor should be treated it. I've been predicting the immed¬ that way unless he has given enough iate failure of every magazine of offense as to overwhelmingly deserve this type since WITCHCRAFT 8 SORCERY it. And since there are so many am¬ and I haven't been wrong yet. The SHEE-1T.' iable mediocrities floating around only one I've seen that had half a i k) the opd and they serve a constructive pur¬ chance was VERTEX, which was slick, daYs^ I'i) ow pose (to give the outstanding writ¬ and which revived today in the wake that I saw no reason for Card to be COSMOS, ODYSSEY and the rest have all singled out as a special target for suffered very poor sales for this widespread contempt. reason. ASIMOV'S ADVENTURE struck me as an interesting experiment, be¬ cause it was actually designed with the realities of the situation in mind (whereas the sophisticated COS- MOS wasn't), but still the deadly ((I realize each new editor fact that comic book readers don't thinks he or she has the right editor¬ read fiction got it. Publishers will ial angle, the slant, the good taste, have to learn that any science fic¬ to wrest a chunk of existing reader- WITH A WORD tion magazine which hasn't got a huge ships of large size to his magazine. budget must be digest-sized. The Doing-it-Better approach requir¬ PROCESSOR,I CAN es a lot of money to finance the mag 'The other moral is that a pro¬ until enough sampling readers agree HACK OUT SCI-FI, fessional, all-subscription magazine and switch. is viable. GALILEO proved this. If ((The only possible alternative WESTERNS AND the newsstand magazines ever fail to Doing-it-Better is Doing-it-as- completely, this is clearly the way well-hut-with-flairt If a new ed¬ GOTHICS JUST BY to go. It's the way to go anyhow, itor has a great in-print personality to diversify the field with more than and is willing to permeate the maga¬ REPROGRAMING four editorial viewpoints. So let's zine with it, that will work. John keep our fingers crossed for ETERNITY THE NOUNS... Campbell comes to mind. Sam Merwin, and hope Gregg isn't foolhardy enough perhaps. Ted White, too, but he to go newsstand in that format. didn 't have quite the right personal¬ 'Elton Elliott is wrong when he ity. states that the paperback magazine ((Most present sf/fantasy editors format is "virtually unused". Was seem afraid to show themselves in he around in the early 70s? Does he their magazines. Meaty, gutty, remember the Elwood avalanche? What flavorful, human editorials are ex- about NEW WORLDS QUARTERLY and QUARK? trememly rare.)) What about NEW WORLDS monthly, SCI¬ ENCE FANTASY and IMPULSE, all of which were paperback magazines in the fullest sense, complete with serials and departments? Not to men¬ tion Carnell's "New Writings in SF" series which began in 1964.

'Actually the paperback magazine # LETTER FROM ED MESKYS is a concept developed in the main¬ RFD #1, Box 63 stream in the 50s with DISCOVERY, Center Harbor, NH 03226 NEW CAMPUS WRITING, NEW WORLD WRIT¬ 29 Nov. 1980 ING, etc. and carried over into sci¬ ence fiction by Fred Pohl with STAR, 'John Boardman has no longer later to blossom in SF just as it been able to read/tape SFR for me was dying in the mainstream. It is for some time now and I need added my favorite King book but his as hardly new or unploughed ground. As volunteers. Could you please put well) as it develops nicely around I see it, the science fiction origin¬ something in SFR asking if any of a lot of characters without excess al anthology/paperback magazine is your readers would be willing to wordage and dull detours. King is now coming back as a major force tape SFR for me? I will, as before, a very fine writer, but a book like after a collapse brought on by over- share the tapes with other blind THE DEAD ZONE is good King but not exploitation, a phenomenon I call fans.' great King. THE SHINING also suf¬ the Post-Elwood Depression. fers from too much excess exposition but when it delivers it packs a whal- 'Actually, the original series lop. I suggest you avoid THE STAND anthology concept goes much further at all costs as its 800 pages has a back both in the mainstream (AMERI¬ lot of interesting characters peop¬ CAN CARAVAN, CROSS SECTION) and in ling an only novelette-length plot fantasy, (Lady Asquith's GHOST BOOKS ... and that book has 300 pages less and others), which takes us back to # LETTER FROM JAPES VAN HISE than King actually wrote (as his pub¬ the 1920s. And Charles Dickens edit¬ 10885 Angola Road lisher cut it from 1,100 pages to ed these Christmas annuals in the San Diego, CA 92126 800, or it'd be even worse!), so middle of the last century ... ' November, 1980 don't pass King off yet. edited by Kirby McCauley has a fine 'Thanks for your review of the 40,000-word short novel by King tit¬ Harlan Ellison issue of the RBCC. led THE MIST, which is a better place ((I’ll be the devil's advocate here I just wish you had noticed on the to start on King than THE DEAD ZONE. and say four editorial viewpoints "Important" page that single copies are enough. There are probably only require 75f postage. That makes you 'I recommend his collection, four basic policies to follow, in and FANTASY NEWSLETTER that made the NIGHT SHIFT, as it has quite a wide science fiction/fantasy: the "hard" same mistake, and maybe some other variety of tales, with only a few sf of ANALOG, the "soft" of FSSF, reviews out there that I haven't weaklings. "Children of the Com" the action-adventure quasiJuvenile and "The Mangier" are the two strong¬ of ASIMOV'S, and the Best-we-can-do est stories in that book, although of AMAZING. 'I noticed your review of THE you may prefer others yet. It also ((All the natural slots are DEAD ZONE. I can understand your has "One for the Road" which is a filled. Other readerships—Sword points and although I enjoyed the sort of short story sequel to SALEM'S & Sorcery, for example, seem not to book very much myself, I can see LOT. So give King a chance. He is want a magazine format. The Cthul- where someone just coming to King a fine writer and worthy of being a hu readership, for another, can sup¬ might wonder what all the shouting best-selling author, and in fact on port only a few small circulation is about. I suggest you read SA¬ the Dick Cavett show last week he semi-pro efforts. A revival of WEIRD LEM'S LOT (which remains not only was on with , TALES was tried and it failed. 47 and George Romero, and Cavett remark- ed that King had become the best¬ her privilege, but she utterly mis¬ book/magazine from your parents. selling writer in the world. The sed the point. Of course it had Same for the bed-bouncer historicals. tendency is to dismiss those who seem "extremely bad science at its heart"; Golden Age of gothics is 12. (The to be too successful, but in this that was its reason for being. It fact that a lot of middle-aged men case his work does deserve the at¬ was a satire; sorry if it was too read pom — and middle-aged women tention. subtle for you. Yes, you learn that read bed-bouncers -- is easily dis¬ if you want to test for A, you must posed of. Second childhood. Though, 'I had just started reading GHOST filter out what is not A. But some admittedly, a few of the readers nev¬ STORY before I received SFR #37 and tests do wind up filtering out A, er got out of their first childhood, was pleased to see the review as it's mentally.)’ nice to know the book is headed some¬ where interesting since it also suf¬ 'And I might point out that my fers from using too many unnecessary training did go a little beyond "be¬ words to get where it's going, but ginning lab science".' I'm willing to ride it out one more time in order to reach the pay-off.' "...I pushed the fly into her mouth with my tongue. "'Croak,' she said, 'Croak.'" ((I still suspicion that an element of deliberate padding-or self- indulgence-goes into the writing of a lot of the pb best-sellers. The editors and publishers want # LETTER FROM ROBERT COULSON 200,000 to 500,000 word Route #3, Hartford City, manuscripts, because "Big" books are Indiana, 47348 "in". And a thick book by a "name" Dec. 16, 1980 appears to justify a big fat cover price. 'Arthur R. Tofte, in addition ((That'8 okay. But it makes for to his Laser novels, also had five novels whose intensity and tension stories published in AMAZING, FAN¬ are too often watered down by words, TASTIC ADVENTURES and FUTURE in the words, words to stretch a 100,000 years 1938 and 1939. (Unfortunately, word plot to twice or thrice that his writing style didn't improve ov¬ legnth. That is bad writing, even if er the intervening years.) He also it is endured by admiring and loyal had a of KING KONG and readers.)) a bad fantasy novel from Major. Very nice little man; very poor writer. 'In his ecological niches, Lam¬ bert left out an important point: there are always fewer predators than there are prey. (And the pred¬ ators are -- nearly always -- more intelligent.) It's a jungle out U LETTER FROM STANLEY SOMIDT there, baby .... Editor of ANALOG 'If pure capitalism has never 380 Lexington Avenue existed, then Wilson has no idea if New York, NY 10017 it would really work as he predicts. November 5, 1980 These airy social theories .... 'Just finished with interest 'I think I'll start a system of Patricia Mathews' review of our June YANDRO AWARDS, To Promote, Preserve through October issues. Far be it and Protect the Sort of Science Fic¬ from me to presume to argue with a tion I Like. Everyone else does it, reviewer on points of taste (I lis¬ why not me? # LETTER FROM GREGORY BENFORD ten, appreciate the kind words and 1105 Skyline Drive, Laguna try to take into account any valid 'The lack of science fiction in Beach, CA 92651 negative criticisms), but please, the new glossy science mags is mere¬ Dec. 2, 1980 folks, let's at least get the facts ly evidence that the mass-market straight. reader wants what he/she firmly be¬ 'I was very happy you wanted to lieves as "truth" in magazines. Fic¬ take A STRING OF DAYS. I wrote it 'For instance: Ben Bova hasn't tion magazines haven't done well in a flatout, no-manipulation way been associated with ANALOG for over since WW II, when the facts of life and just decided to let the events two years -- and even if he had been, speak for themselves. Thus there he would not have been the one to became more awesome, strange, intrigu¬ ing — and sickening — than mere is no "point" imposed, which I think determine the details of type face fiction was allowed to be. Now, the in the end is more valuable than and layout. My October editorial cheap fiction is served up on TV and some staged version of life/times. was not on "how to write science in paperbacks, and magazines and articles he will buy" — and I've 'Could you mention somewhere in newspapers are supposed to be pure heard from a good many readers who the Feb. issue that A STRING OF DAYS and factual. You know, like NATION¬ did understand what it was really is also published in FOUNDATION, the AL ENQUIRER and SOLDIER OF FORTUNE about. The article on galaxy forma¬ British SF journal? FOUNDATION is and TRUE CONFESSIONS. "They wouldn't tion was by Dr. John Gribbin, not the best semi-academic journal, I let them print it if it wasn't true." "Briggen", and Charles Arents' name think, but it gets little circula¬ is not "Aments". 'The golden Age of pom is 13, tion in the U.S. too; it's really not very interest¬ 'And I can't resist a closing 'I liked this SFR (#37) quite a ing if you don't have to hide the comment on Charlie's story, which lot. I read the extended reviews Ms. Mathews did not like. That's 48 more thoroughly, and in fact would recommend to you that SFR provide film, pages 10/11) of myth to add to Vfooster doesn't actually say what the some summary of the outstanding work the legend. HAMNER has been book's about. Not a difficult thing of the year. LOCUS supposedly does producing --as you may know, though to overlook, since Cherryh seems to this but it appears so late -- typ¬ I understand the U.S. TV versions are have the same difficulty most of the ically, halfway into next year -- censored on much blood -- a TV series time. As for THE SPINNER: I agree that it's pretty useless. I don't called HAMPER HOUSE OF HORROR or totally with McDonald, with the fur¬ know how you would go about finding something similar. Anyway, one epi¬ ther note that after I received a the outstanding work -- maybe poll sode had a bride raped by a werewolf, copy of her latest, THE FLUGER, I re¬ your best reviewers, including your¬ and made pregnant, like many before viewed my Piserchia collection (and self? or just list your own? (Cer¬ her. Subsequently this woman — and I do have them all) and there and tainly less work, that!) But it here's the new-myth bit — started then decided to sell them all; I do would be of use. to eat more and more raw and rawer not know what happened to Piserchia, meat, desired brutality during sex, 'I'm on the Nebula Jury this but after STAR RIDER she seems to nev- often to extreme levels, and was pre¬ year and it is a ferocious task. to have spent more than a few pages pared to return to the werewolf to The shorter lengths particularly on plot, penning longer and longer give birth (and die). And there you are hard -- there's less good work, stories with less and less sense. thought weren't fun.... and many more so-so cases. But the 'Page 33: What McDonald misses novel is very strong this year.' 'Page 29: What amuses me about in his review of the LORD OF THE the Cherryh review is the fact that TREES/MAD GOBLIN double-volume is ((I have resisted, and will continue to resist, the kind of "Best" lists you mention.. .until the field shrinks to the point where one person can read all of it in a year. Hot like¬ ly to happen soon, huh? All I ex¬ pect to do in these pages is keep on publishing as many reviews as possible, given this format, and not really pretend to do a compre¬ hensive job. Every week I know there are novels published which no one will likely ever read and re¬ view for SFR. It's sickening.))

# LETTER FROM IAN COVELL 2 Copgrove Close, Berwick Hills, Middlesbrough, Cleveland TS3 7BP, England 18 Dec., 1980

'I want to say that I -read Russ Martin's RHEA about a week before I read Paulette (Minare', nice name)'s review of it. The book was issued under the title CHAINS in this coun¬ try. I agree with everything the lady says with the note that she should make a few more comments ab¬ out the book beyond the plot — com¬ plex as the plot becomes, and she only really talks about the first half or so -- giving her own reac¬ tions to the explicit brutality, or using it for a springboard on simil¬ ar books. (In my country, after the outrageous opening of about a dozen similar mass-murder-of-women-in-erot- ic-circumstances, including the foul DRESSED TO KILL, a woman's organisa¬ tion boycotted then attacked a cin¬ ema showing the latter film and then went around wrecking erotica book¬ shops and sexshops within walking distance. That violence will esca¬ late. Especially since we currently have an unfound maniac who started with prostitutes and now kills one woman on average of about six months or less.) 'We have a new facet (sic your the fact that there is a non-erotic passion is so ugly, adulterous and pair of sequels to the savage book, destructive (the distraught husband A FEAST UNKNOWN -- so he has missed allows himself to be killed) that the many references and plot details relationships are an insult to every¬ THE from the first; read without that thing Smith believed in; the second first volume (look at the subtitles is that Tedric, naturally for Eklund, of the Lord Grandrith books!)--you is remote, uninvolved and almost asex CORPORATION miss a lot. ual, so removed he is impossible, 'Orson Scott Card's denigration so unfeeling he too is an insult to STRIKES BACK of THE FORGOTTEN BEASTS ... in res¬ Smith who fervently believed that pect of RIDDLEMASTER and DHALGREN on men and women desired eath other and A NEW EROTIC SCIENCE FICTION NOVEL behalf of TALES OF NEVERYON (I thought more often than not thought of sex¬ BY RICHARD E. GEIS ual encounters as at least possible, both were rubbish) has convinced me THE STAR WHORES SAGA CONTINUES- yet again (I really do thank Card if constrained. Eklund, I repeat, Toi King, Sex Guild Companion, is for these constant reminders), that has gone as far overboard in his ni¬ kipnapped by the corporation she I'll stay away from Card's own work. hilistic, crude, cruel, vicious and frustrated in STAR WHORES. Taken We have no common ground on artistry, emotionally empty works that Smith — to Phallus, the pleasure planet, style, sentiment, authors or enjoy¬ did he have any defender with clout injected with a new, powerful sex ment. If he didn't keep doing this -- would probably have had Eklund re¬ drug, enslaved, she must make her reminding, I, forgiving soul that I moved from the series after the sec¬ escape and seek a terrible revenge. am, would one day actually try to ond if not first book. That the ser¬ read a second Card novel. God for- ies continues to appear — especial¬ fend me. ly with no notification that Gordon Eklund is involved -- is an insult 'The short fiction in magazine/ to Smith fans... and that means me.' anth reviews were very neat, and keep me in touch with who is publishing what and where. My only grouse (the plural of grouse is grease — and that i£ something to grouse about) is with Patricia Mathews who can't seem to stop inserting her own pet CANNED MEAT feelings about feminism versus male chauvinism. (For someone dedicated to the eradication of such practises, I just love this line: Life in a computer-run domed "... A man of our culture and city and the failing civiliza¬ his years bore no traces of tion of which it is a part. the weaknesses common to Roi and Eelia, two young citi¬ zens of the dome, two children My italics, naturally. If that is of Great Mother Computer, meet not rampant female chauvinism of the and experiment with forbidden blindest sort ...) 'P. 58/59: Since you quote by Covers and interior illustra¬ C.M. Kombluth, may I suggest once tions by Bruee Conklin again that you reread and urge others $5. to reread SHARK SHIP by CMK? A ter¬ Order from: rifying story now it is true. Same Science Fiction Review thing happened with another book I POB 11408 read the other day, pubbed in 1971; Portland, OR 97211 it is deadly accurate on the current state of politics. You wouldn't know it -- an English book by an En¬ NOW AVAILABLE $4.00 per copy glish author. f~VAAT IgglblGUUXJS1 'I have said a little more than 1 MOUlSb /\MYfc>ME TwTA^Alidsn) I meant, but I thought the final com¬ A MANlC-DEPeeSS/Vf ? r ments might be of interest to you: STAR WHORES 'ALIEN REALMS, latest in the Lord AVAILABLE AGAIN - A FEW COPIES Tedric series written by Gordon Ek- $4.00 per copy lund is still being published over here with only E.E. Doc Smith's name The first Toi King sex/sf adven¬ on the cover, and no word, in or out, ture. Love & Death on an Inter¬ that says anything about a collabor¬ stellar mining ship. ator and especially Eklund. What is bothersome, is just how far Eklund is diverging not only from Smith's orig¬ inal (very original) concept of Ted¬ ORDER FROM: ric, but also from Smith's ethics/ morality. Point 1: The only pas¬ SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW sion so far shown in the series is P.0. BOX 11408 strictly alien (mutant) males with PORTLAND, OR 97211 attractive Earth women -- an Eklund trademark but not Smith -- and one AND THEN I SAW....

BY THE EDITOR

THE STUNTMAN (r) plays with illus¬ ion and reality as it portrays a movie within a movie within a movie. The focus is on a young drifter being chased by cops who accidental¬ ly kills a stuntman (he thinks) and is taken on by the all-mighty Direct¬ or, played with godlight sophistica¬ tion and cynicism by Peter O'Toole. It is O'Toole's movie, a fine, fascinating acting job---a bravura performance actors love. The illusions created by the stunt crew and special effects dept, are interwoven with reality..."real¬ ity"...and the Game is monitored and controlled and enjoyed by The Direc- or. To my mind the movie cheats at he goes over the edge and sinks in¬ The film does cheat, especial¬ the end...or seems to...and betrays to a killer James Cagney personna. ly at the end. But still...it's what seems to be its bedrock reali¬ The movie becomes utterly pre¬ worth seeing as a gripping, involv¬ ty . But maybe_ dictable and boring, even unto the ing, high:tension movie. You may want to see this film revenge killings and final death twice, once for the movie, once scene. just to watch O'Toole. He's very If you're a movie buff you might fine in this. want to see it; the movie does pay a bastardly homage to the oldies. CABO BLANCO (r) is a sloppy, cliche- THE AWAKENING (r) ridden, awkward, miscast botch about stars Charlton TERROR train (r) a bar/hotel owner (Charles Bronson) Heston as an obsessed archeologist is a well-made, in a coastal town on a Central Ameri¬ who discovers the undefiled tomb of tightly paced, suspense/horror film can country. He is wanted for an evil Egyptian queen 4000 or so with roots in HALLOWEEN. murder in the USA and must pay off years old. There is a Dark Power A psycho who was critically the locals to keep from being deport¬ released--and the ancient creature's traumatized as a college freshman ed. The time is ---1948 or so---and soul attempts ressurection in the during Hell Week [He was lured into up on the hill lives a powerful es¬ body of Heston's daughter. a bedroom by a girl in the dark and caped Nazi. Into the town comes a The story spans eighteen or climbs into bed with a planted cor¬ lovely young woman... twenty years and is well-made, with pse . He freaked out!] seeks his Seems everyone is seeking the fine sets, convincing effects, a lot deadly revenge on those involved in treasure in a sunken ship in the of menacing low-key scenes with the prank on a Senior class week¬ harbor. All is stereotype and cliche. high-key tension. end outing on a special train hired This is a turkey and only for Very convincing in its way. The by one of the class who is Rich, very dedicated Bronson devotees. R-rating is for violence and grue. four years later. This will easily be on TV in a Jamie Lee Curtis (who played a year or two. lead in HALLOWEEN) is one of the girls involved in the prank. The killer, disguised as one PRIVATE EYES (g) and then another of the class, goes featuring Don about his deadly revenge. The body Knotts and Tim Conway as inept, count goes up, the train crew try to Laurel 8 Hardy detectives in Eng¬ FADE TO BLACK (r) find him, the Guilty Ones get terri¬ land investigating of promises more fied.... a Lord and Lady Morley, is a fine than it delivers, through no fault It's a bloody film. And, as in movie for anyone 12-years-old and of the actors and actresses involv¬ HALLOWEEN, there is an element of under. ed. the supernatural as the killer per¬ It's all sight gags and moron Take a young jerk who is obsess¬ forms feats of travel from car to shtick. Some fine bits-of-business ed with old movies, burden him with car of the train, and survives var¬ but mostly creaky situations in¬ a bitch mother, cruel fellow workers ious attacks that would kill/dis¬ volving the "murders" of all the and boss... Add a girl who thought¬ able ordinary men and which seem staff of the Morley mansion and lessly stands him up on a date... inpossible. a run-around in secret passages. Anyway, already marginally Some horse manure humor must schizoid and paranoid and dangerous. 51 have strained the G-rating a bit. HERO AT LARGE (g) triggered by reflected light from sniggeTingly superior to that is a movie that pieces of this mirror. The double¬ "comic book kid stuff." would have wowed the public thirty killing: the Evil Force thrusts a So the actors and actresses or forty years ago, as it pounds long butcher knife through a boy's delivered the dumb dialogue with away at idealism, doing Good, help¬ neck till it emerges eight inches straight faces, went through their ing people.... from his mouth. Gore. Then his dump actions, and pretended they John Ritter, a really good girl friend comes to see what he's weren't embarrassed. comedy-character actor, plays a doing, in the inside his The audience was not amused. struggling young actor in New York car, and the Evil Force turns the No one likes to be patronized and who takes his movie promotion "role" boy's head to show her the horrible produced-down-to. as Captain Avenger seriously, and way he died, she recoils but the The problem was in conception foils a robbery of a mom 5 pop Force slams the car door against and whoever conceived this movie store, likes the furor it causes, her, pushing her suddenly forward as a campy bit-of-fun with an old and tries it again... to a death-kiss with the boy--the comic strip-should be shot. Cynical media manipulators try blade penetrating the back of her The original comic strip is to use him, he almost loses his girl throat to her spinal column. superior to this movie. The open¬ friend... He is conned into a phony Some short bare-breast scenes, ing credits showed flashes of pan¬ Captain Avenger heroism, is "unmask¬ as a buxom teenager is unable to els from the original. ed,"and in a black moment is about stop her hand from first cutting It comes to me now---I see! to slink away, his life, his career her bra loose and then piercing her — the director, producer, scenar- in shreds. But he is a real hero, throat with a scissors. ist---they were satirizing, re¬ and cannot resist rescuing a boy Mostly bad acting, too. A Jerry creating [but doing it better!] from a burning building, gets his Gross production, perhaps made in the FLASH GORDON movie serial with reputation back, his girl, and we Italy, partly. A downer. Don't Buster Crabbe! smile and feel good as the movie see it. But...why? Don't they even ends. New York has been saved from yet realize s-f films' are now meas¬ an evil mayor, an evil PR man, and ured against and THE EM¬ the idealistic citizens of New York it's MY turn (r) PIRE STRIKES BACK? Don’t they are energized with admiration and gives Jill Clayburgh yet know why Lucas wins and they renewed hope and virtue. another turn as a thirtyish woman at lose? He loves science fiction. Sure. loose ends, seeking a direction in He puts every bit of integrity and her life. She did it better in AN realism he can manage into his UNMARRIED WOMAN. This time there films. He doesn't cheat! And he WILLIE & PHIL (R) are more laughs and less misery. doesn't insult his audience. explores, in the Charles Grodin plays the lover The "creators" of this FLASH European movie-maker's style, the who loses her, and Michael Douglas GORDON obviously felt contempt for deep friendship between two young plays the man who might get her, the material and the audience. I men and the woman whom they share maybe. hope they take a multi-million and who shares them. They all go A kind-of a Feminist film. dollar bath! through changes---life-style, values Grodin seems to be making a Don't pay money to see this; and character, over a period of career of this type of role, as in it'll only make you weep at the nine years and across the country the new SEEMS LIKE OLD TIMES (which wasted sets and costumes, the (and world) and back. In the end I haven't seen yet). scenes that were thrown away. the woman leaves them to pursue her This is worth seeing for Gro¬ This kind of shit is not what career...or so it seems. din 's scenes; he's very good. the 15 to 25-year-olds want to see This film speaks about loyalty, in science fiction. the varieties of love, sex, and But 60-year-old monkeys see is also probably essentially dis¬ SUPERMAN and the 60-year-old monkeys honest in that the likelihood of do FLASH GORDON. Badly. three such ideally suited, altru¬ Wait for the TV showing; it istic, pure, loving individuals might be better suited for the tube. getting together quite by accident LOVING COUPLES (r) The price is right. is vanishingly small. WILLIE 5 is a forgettable PHIL is as idealistic and phoney in bedroom farce featuring Shirley Mac¬ its way as HERO AT LARGE in its way. laine and...uh... I forgot. # CARD FROM ALAN D. FOSTER 'In re your comments on the film But the acting is good, the She plays a doctor whose doctor THE OCTOGON in #37, the problem with humor and low-key satire is fine, husband doesn't appreciate her... Norris' films is that he is a very and the movie moves right along. They both take lovers... The usual gentle, soft-spoken, easy-going fel¬ Worth seeing but not believ¬ safe American sex jokes and compli¬ la who has mastered a very violent ing. cations. Happy American Ending. discipline, and his producers and writers can't reconcile his actual persona with his physical abilities. Not to mention the fact that film¬ makers don't understand karate and accomplished practitioners of karate THE BOOGEY MAN (r) don't understand film. borrows from THE EXORCIST, THE AMITYVILLE HORROR, FLASH GORDON (PG) 'For example, Norris' fight was produced, HALLOWEEN_to name a few. It is a scenes are technically expert but directed, and scripted to be a clumsy supematural/horror film whose not half as exciting as they ought tongue-in-cheek extravaganza, to only originality is in a grotesque to be. The viewer who goes to see allow the youth audience to be new way to kill two people. The Evil his films generally wouldn't know wowed by great, colorful costumes ghost/force/soul of a murdered man, kata from kat food, a point which and fantastic sets, and to feel released by the breaking of a mirror Bruce Lee always understood.' which "witnessed" his murder, is 52 OTHER UOICES

THE WANTING FACTOR By Gene DeWeese Reed, secure in his sure know¬ Playboy Paperbacks, POB 690, Rock¬ ledge, now able to sleep peacefully, ville Center, New York, NY, 11571. considers himself a "called" minis¬ November, 1980, 303 pp., $2.50. ter, and refers to the unsavory can¬ ISBN: 0-872-16693-7 nibalistic practices of Christian re¬ ligions in the taking of comnunion, REVIEWED BY PAULETTE MINARE* the Holy Eucharist and transubstant- iation. This is a superior, unique and well-written occult mystery. Not un¬ Professor Vincent Emerson of the til the end of the book does Gene De¬ university is experimenting with an Weese let the reader know the ident¬ "alternate religion", using 30 young ity of the villain who is bringing people. The initial excitement has spiritual death to many townspeople, become boring in devising more and leaving only soul-less empty husks more outlandish rituals and methods which walk and talk normally but of symbolically sacrificing a per¬ whose souls have been wrenched out, son. His solution: "It is only log¬ screaming and lost into a cold, ter¬ ical to take the next step, to move rifying limbo. This difference can beyond symbolism to reality!" easily trigger into action hereto¬ Love interest, both homo and fore repressed desires, angers and hetero, is provided by a psychic, frustrations. Evanne Link, her psychic friend, Car¬ la Devlin and Aaron Whelan, a news¬ By Daniel da Cruz The multi-faceted religious over¬ Del Rey/Ballantine, 1980, $1.95 tones, with no resemblance whatsoever paper reporter, all of whom are try¬ to seances, levitation and such, can ing, along with the police, to find REVIEWED BY DEAN R. LAM3E provide much food for thought. The the source of this horrifying rash villain, thousands of years old, is of violence, to eliminate it. There Consider the following premises: himself a terrified, self-loathing are so many highly-interesting char¬ (1) Three black American college religious victim with parallels to acters that I cannot touch on them professors will have no qualms about the life and death of Christ. In his all here. spending three years in darkest Zaire confusion, he thinks on page 190: At the end of the book, after on a tribal study that they know is really a secret mineral survey for "Why ... If a God truly exists, the villain's identity is known, he the South African diamond syndicate. then why does He allow me to go deliberately allows himself to die. (2) When her helicopter crashes on? If He wants me to alleviate Now, at last, as his life is ebbing, while escaping Angola, Cuban mercen¬ suffering, why does He allow me he will know the truth which he has ary officer Consuela Millan -- after to be the instrument of so much been always seeking: Do his healing an initial .45 caliber misunderstand¬ horror and death? Could it be powers and powers of resurrection ing -- will inmediately jump into vengeance? ... Could (He) be come from God? Has he been wrong to bed with black anthropologist May¬ that petty and unforgiving? ... denounce God as false because he has nard Griggs. (3) Despite their sim¬ Was I too successful? ... Could died countless deaths and his own ilar New York ghetto backgrounds and the ego of God be that tiny? ... ever-increasing healing powers have radically-differing ideologies, both He could not know the answer, counteracted his own wounds so that Consuela and Griggs will lapse into not until this life was ended -- he must go on and on living, being an instrument of horror to others? flippant American college student was allowed to end ...And then, English. (4) A hitherto-unnoticed ... it would be too late -" Or does eternal damnation await him this time? And what is eternal damn¬ race of termite people, complete In this setting of Brower, an ation? He learns that too. with telepathic queen, will capture Indiana university town of 10,000, these two sweethearts. (5) Lamarck¬ the victims are many. Reed Davis, THE WANTING FACTOR is definitely ian evolution. (6) Well-telegraph¬ who has been "saved" in a tent reviv¬ the elite among occult books, so ed plot twists ... ah, why go on! al meeting, works in a mortuary and highly distinctive both in material Why should anyone go on? is praying incessantly for a vision, and in writing expertise, that the a sign, to be a savior, and prepares reader can easily suspend any dis¬ ************************************ to kill the Anti-Christ. He receives belief he might feel about psychic confusing "visions" but always man¬ phenomena. ages to rationalize them. He is puz¬ ************************************ UTOPIA zled that in his latest "vision" 3 there was no blood on His thorn-tom By George Alec Effinger brow, but blood is on His lips. Sud¬ Playboy, 192 pp., $1.95 denly it becomes clear to him as he REVIEWED BY LYNNE HOLDOM rationalizes on page 174: The cover blurb states that this "... On His lips, as if the book is a mixture of Doonesbury and drops of blood were words! ... Kafka. This is an excellent capsule Of course! It was so simple! summary of the novel, unlike far too Blood was the answer!" 53 many blurb summaries. It appeals to very specialized tastes, but I pre¬ in the book, large portions of which in Regency Romances). They soon en¬ dict that those who do like this nov¬ take place on a planet of wealthy counter one of Ozma's searchers, Ka- el will like it very much. Unfortun¬ eccentrics. The planet, El Dorado, bunpo the Elegant . Since ately I am not one of these. I pre¬ is the setting for some of the fun¬ Ozma (an old friend) doesn't recog¬ fer novels with some sense of plot, niest events -- the Salvation-Army- nize him, Kabumpo assumes that High not a continual flow of japes and type chapel sequence is particularly Toby has enchanted her and is kidnap¬ obviously symbolic incidents. hilarious. There are some factions ping her by leading her astray. So on the planet that plan to intrude he joins them as a friendly stranger There isn't much plot. One Dr. in a nearby conflict and the Survey and tries to unobtrusively divert Waters of New Mexico has perfected a Service has blackmailed Grimes into their course back to the Emerald way to produce people fit to live in finding out what they are up to, ev¬ City -- which makes them suspect his Utopia. He practiced his theories en if it means becoming a space pir¬ good intentions when they discover in a small town in New Mexico (U-l) ate in the process. this. The story, then, follows the then New Mexico (U-2) and now sever¬ usual Oz formula of a journey through No pyrotechnics here, just good al nations of Europe have donated a magical landscape -- land to Utopia-3. A couple dozen solid story-telling. If you have Creek, the Molasses Morass, Wyndup not read a John Grimes novel I urge people are chosen to live in it. Town, Cleanitupia, Hourglass Pass and One Bo Staefler sneaks in by acci¬ you to get this one. many more -- with the subplot of the dent along with an Arab kid who acts ************************************ suspicions of the travelers towards as his servant. The book concerns each other, and Kabumpo's increasing itself with the doings of Bo Staef¬ exasperation as well as his well- ler, Eileen Brant (who takes up res¬ meant attenpts to rescue Ozma, make idence in Florence) and Norman Moore THE FORBIDDEN FOUNTAIN OF OZ him appear more and more sinister to (who does the same in Prague). They By Eloise Jarvis McGraw § Lauren her. don't appear to do much except laze Lynn McGraw The McGraws have a deft touch at around. If this is Utopia, who needs Illos by Kinderhook, IL, Internation¬ wordplay that even surpasses Baum. it? Dr. Waters seems to have ideas al Wizard of Oz Club, 1980 Lambert, a white lamb where most an¬ of getting control of all this land W4 pp., $7.00 * imals are colored to match their hab¬ but this isn't really explained itats (the blue Winkie country, etc.) REVIEWED BY FREDERICK PATTEN either. is ostracized as a "blank sheep". The mechanical-toy inhabitants of Now maybe all this makes sense an In recent years Sherlock Holmes Wyndup Town swear "what in the works?" a symbolic level. It sure doesn’t has undergone a popular renaissance rather than "what in the world?" A on a realistic one. I can't believe and there have been many books, some Suggestion Box offers such cryptic that all this land would be simply reaching best-seller status, to con¬ forecasts as, "Patches of Morning abandoned so a couple dozen people tinue his adventures. The land of fog. Possible precipitation. High could take up residence. Can you im¬ Oz is still a copyrighted property, altitude. Lucky day for parrots, agine evacuating Florence or Venice but the publisher has been generous school-teachers and mountain climb¬ or Stuttgart? What's more the new in allowing the International Wizard ers bom on Tuesday. All others inhabitants aren't doing anything of Oz Club to commission new titles should avoid eating oysters." but living the ideal hippy existence in limited editions. The first two only rather drug-free (Utopia disap¬ of these were by Ruth Plumly Thompson In one respect this special Oz proves of drug use). And unless the who had written 19 Oz books between book differs from its commercial pre¬ Red Array has changed, I can't imag¬ 1920 and,1939. But Ms. Thompson's decessors. They were all written for ine them giving up one millimetre of writing had lost its old magic and young children. Some of them verge Poland, Czechoslovakia or East Ger¬ even diehard Oz fans couldn't get on being patronizing. THE FORBIDDEN many or these people leaving their enthusiastic about the result. FOUNTAIN OF OZ is superficially for newly-freed homelands. children, but it repeatedly lapses Happily, that can't be said for into a mature vocabulary. "He was There are some cute touches (I the Oz Club's third title. Eloise wondering feverishly if it would do enjoyed these as they were more in¬ Jarvis McGraw and her daughter, Lau¬ any good to create a diversion -- teresting than the regular text) ren McGraw, had written the last of¬ perhaps by falling into a swoon or such as "Extra Credit", "More Streets ficial Oz book in 1963. THE FORBID¬ breaking suddenly into a mazurka..." and Roads", something familiar to the DEN FOUNTAIN OF OZ has all the spark¬ In particular, High Toby's early elementary school bunch and "Have You le of L. Frank Baum's early volumes. 19th-Century dialect, "What d'ye take Been Paying Attention?" --a quicky It also has a brisk style that avoids me for, a clunch?" yelled Toby. quiz, but these hardly make up for the cloying cuteness that Baum and "You jest point me that road, and no enduring the rest of the book. his successors periodically lapsed more argle-bargle, or I use me pops!" ************************************ into. The result is a book that’s would seem to be incomprehensible to not just for nostalgia buffs or com- young children. But of course this pletist collectors, but for all who book is not intended for children, enjoy good juvenile fantasy. but for the adult readership of the STAR LOOT An amusing series of mishaps re¬ International Wizard of Oz Club. As such it's an excellently-crafted By A. Bertram Chandler sults in Princess Ozma getting total work, apparently sinple but not sim¬ DAW, $1.75 amnesia and the idea that she must escape from the Emerald City. While plistic. Adults will enjoy it and REVIEWED BY ELTON T. ELLIOTT her friends (all the old familiar so will children if adults are handy Oz cast) search frantically for her, to explain the hard words for them. This is the latest novel in the Ozma (disguised as a boy) wanders off (Such as those who read aloud to saga of John Grimes. In this novel into the wild countryside of Oz. She their children.) The Oz Club's lim- Grimes is forced into spying for gains two conpanions: an earnest itied editions are not wellknown out¬ the Survey Service that had at one young lamb named Lambert and a Gil- side of Oz fandom, but THE FORBIDDEN time accused him of mutiny (THE BIG bert-8-Sullivanish brigand, Tobias FOUNTAIN OF OZ deserves to be. Don't BLACK MARK -- also from DAW). The "High Toby" Brindlecull, Jr. (a parody pass it up. old Grimes "luck" is in full force. of the lower-class kindhearted rogues * The $7.00 includes postage. Make There are several pleasant scenes 54 checks payable to the International Wizard of Oz Club. Send to Fred M. THEY WALKED LIKE MEN, ALL FLESH IS It's hard to list all the ways Meyer, 220 North Eleventh Street, GRASS and ALL THE TRAPS OF EARTH. this book is funny. There are the Escanaba, MI, 49829. All are Avon paperbacks.) names, like Lunkwill and Fook and ************************************ ************************************ Zaphod Beeblebrox. The characters, like Slartibartfast (he helped de¬ sign the coastlines of Earth; he got A MIRROR FOR (©SERVERS THE HITCH HIKER S GUIDE TO THE an award for Norway) and Marvin the By Edgar Pangbom GALAXY wretched robot -("Pardon me for breath¬ ing, which I never do anyway so I Dell, $1.95 By don't know why I bother to say it, Reprint of a 1954 work, 223 pp. Harmony Books, 1980, he, $6.95 oh God I'm so depressed"). The set¬ REVIEWED BY JOHN DIPRETE REVIEWED BY ALLEN VARNEY tings, like Magrathea (whose inhab¬ itants will build worlds to your Very good writing, excellent This is the funniest book I've specifications; you wouldn't believe prose style and poetic brilliance ever read. Based on the Hugo-nomin¬ their catalogue). The dialogue, infuse this narrative of Good vs. ated 1978 BBC Radio series, it was which features numerous exchanges Evil, in the guise of two Martian published in England last year (Pan like this one, between Ford and Ar¬ Observers -- one a Do-Gooder intent Books) and has finally made it over thur: on Earth's survival, the other a Ren¬ here. I had to go to London for a '"You'd better be prepared for egade who hankers for our destruc¬ two-dollar paperback; on the whole the jump into . It's un¬ tion. (Er, the former is Good, the it's cheaper to stay home with the pleasantly like being drunk." latter is Evil.) Both vie for the hardcover. heart and soul of Angelo Pontevecchio, "'What's so unpleasant about be¬ The Guide of the title is a re¬ twelve-year-old genius upon whose ing drunk?" fate the life and strife of Earth laxed Encyclopedia Galactica, con¬ abides. cerned not with dry history or stat¬ '"You ask a glass of water."' istics but with what you need to Winner of the International Aw¬ know about anything. How to avoid And the plot, which tells how ard (for this book), Edgar Pangbom the gaze of tne Ravenous Bugblatter and why the Earth was created, why has written several near-classics: humanity is only the third most in¬ WEST OF THE SUN, DAVY and STILL I telligent species on it, instead of PERSIST IN WONDERING (all new Dell (as is widely sipposed) the second; reprints). and among other matters, the Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, A MIRROR FOR OBSERVERS is high¬ the Universe, and Everything. ly recomnended for souls who lust for hard SF, poetic virtuoso and But most of all what makes this people-centered fiction. book special is the little asides. ************************************ Not just how to mix a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster or the physics of the Inprobability Drive. But, for ex¬ ample, details of the nest of the WHY CALL THEM BACK FROM HEAVEN? Dalnogran Frond Crested Eagle: "It By Clifford D. Simak was constructed largely of papier Avon, $1.95, 191 pp. mache' and it was virtually inpos¬ Reprint of a 1967 work sible for a newly-hatched baby eagle to break out of it. The Damogran REVIEWED BY JOHN DIPRETE Frond Crested Eagle had heard of the notion of survival of the spec¬ This is straight SF, with the ies but wanted no truck with it." extrapolation idea being ... cryon- Little gems like that dropped in as ics. further proof that our galaxy is a crazy place. Earth's worldwide future indus¬ try of freezing the dead, to preserve The book adapts only the first bodies until death can be cured, lays four episodes of the six-part radio the groundwork. series, but the incomplete resolu¬ tion won't bother you; the book mov¬ Main theme: crime and punish¬ Beast of Traal. The best way to es so fast and funny you'll never no¬ ment. There's a verdict of execu¬ smuggle Antarean parakeet glands. tice. Imagine STAR WARS as if it tion for a high felony which leads Why an interplanetary hitchhiker's had been written by P.G. Wodehouse, to -- non-freezing; a guilty defend¬ most inportant possession is his tow¬ Monty Python and Gilbert 6 Sullivan. ant is denied cryonics (and, hence, el. On the cover of the Guide is Better yet, don't try; read it. eventual imnortality) at life's end. DON'T PANIC in large, friendly let¬ ************************************ Side theme: a priest who seeks, ters. In short, a wholly remarkable numbly, the One True God. A fanatic. book. A suffering, agonized soul, threat¬ Ford Prefect, an itinerant re¬ THE INTEGRATED MAN ened by "cryonic atheism". searcher for the Guide, hitches a By Michael Berlyn Incidentally, the poetic title ride to Earth and has been stranded Bantam, 1980, $1.95 of the book refers, in a pleading for fifteen years as the story manner, to the moral questions in¬ starts. He escapes with a Terran REVIEWED BY DEAN R. LAM1E volved in reviving the dead. friend, Arthur Dent, only moments If you believe in very, very before the Earth is blown up to make Good readable book. Action- large scale integration, you'll be¬ way for a hyperspatial express route. oriented. lieve this book, for the whole of From here the story becomes improb¬ Donald Sherman -- personality, be¬ (Several new reprints of Simak able. And hilarious. havior, ROM and RAM memory -- is on titles have recently appeared -- one integrated circuit chip (well, .ctually four chips, four Shermans). as his investigation becomes an end HE FLUTE-PLAYER Anybody with the appropriate neck re¬ in itself. By D.M. Thomas ceptacle becomes Sherman, and Sher¬ As always with Spinrad's novels, Picador: London: 1980 man's microcircuit march through the it's easier for me to find reasons 156 pp., LI.75,paper galaxy is a mission of revenge. why I shouldn't have liked the book REVIEWED BY WILLIAM GIBSON When Sherman's parents die as a than reasons why I did. In THE MIND result of chip and receptacle slav¬ GAME the characters are two-dimen¬ This is an extraordinarily fine ery to the Morrison Mining Company, sional -- though the Hubbard figure fantasy novel, winner of the "Gol- Sherman vows to kill Alex Morrison is imbued with a certain charisma lancz/Picador/Guardian Fantasy Com¬ or at least put him out of business despite his boozy, con-man approach petition", that will probably be by killing planets-full of slave min¬ -- and the prose includes occasional read by only a handful of American ers. Vladimir, one of the designers boners like "he had been too inside "fantasy readers". I understand of the electronic slavery system, his own head to notice" (p. 19) and that an American edition is now out, duplicates young Sherman and plugs "bubbling alchemist laboratories" although I haven't seen it. him into his world-hopping quest. (p. 250). A major secondary charac¬ Vladimir, of course, has his own ter suddenly disappears without ex¬ Elena, the protagonist, lives in jealous reasons for terminating evil planation 160 pages into the novel a country that might be Russia, or magnate Morrison. Meanwhile, back and the plot's single unbelievable some Kafka-esque Germany, in a city on Earth, Wiliam and Sandy Carter coincidence is a dilly, as Jack made up of equal parts of Leningrad are suckered into Morrison's deadly stumbles upon a Transformationalist and Berlin. Elena's story is a har¬ mines and Morrison has his own prob¬ "Master Contact Sheet", potentially rowing fable of totalitarianism's lems with wife and mistress. Most damaging to the movement, sinply ly¬ necessary war on art, a story to of the action and characters come to¬ ing around on a desktop. some extent based on the lives of gether on independent Lanta 2 and Mandelstam, Pasternak, Akhmatova and Yet these flaws, however serious, Morrison's Lanta 3 -- including the Tsvetaeva. This is a tremendously ultimate in coming together when do not diminish the absorbing devel¬ moving book set in one of the chil¬ Sherman plugs himself into both a opment of the novel. Weller is not liest and most believable hells I've male and a female body. strongly characterized, but he be¬ run across in fiction. A story of comes an Everyman we synpathize with the survival of love and poetry in There are no real surprises and as he fights to retain his own thought of the death camps. no great disappointments by close of processes while relentlessly bluff¬ this story; it's an adequate page- ing his way up through the cult heir- Sorry, no unicorns. turner. You might sooner believe in archy. "Processing" is the key. ************************************ peanut butter, and in Peter Pan, but Whether it's an entire culture be¬ if you believe in really large-scale ing insidiously subverted (THE KEN integration .... IN THE JUNGLE, A WORLD BETWEEN) or ************************************ a single character growing and chang¬ PORT OF SAINTS ing despite himself (BUG JACK BAR¬ By William Burroughs RON, THE MIND GAME), Spinrad's books Blue Wind Press: Berkeley: 1980 are entirely concerned with process. THE MIND GAME 174 pp., $5.95, paper, $15.95 cloth He chronicles, with absolute integ¬ By Norman Sp inrad rity and an unequalled sense of pace, REVIEWED BY WILLIAM GIBSON , 1980, 342 pp., $2.50 the slow transformation that canes REVIEWED BY ALLEN VARNEY with (to borrow the title of his In spite of my considerable ad¬ earlier mainstream novel) "passing miration for Mr. Burroughs' best Sprinrad's new (and little pub¬ through the flame". work, I have to admit that I enjoy¬ licized) mainstream novel is of mar¬ ed this about as much as Darrell ginal SF interest, since it deals THE MIND GAME, with its well¬ paced handling of powerful material, Schweitzer would. The book seems to with a pseudo-scientific pop cult have been assembled from out-takes based on Scientology, which has been would make a terrific movie (with the Hubbard part played by Ed Mc¬ of THE WILD BOYS, an earlier and called a "science fiction religion". better work. It bored me, and I'm Spinrad's creativity would be more Mahon) . As it stands, it's a very good book, well worth the time. a Burroughs fan from way~back. Bur¬ inpressive were his books ’Transform¬ roughs does a lot of things for ationalism" not so obviously a stand- ************************************ in for Scientology and its founder not a duplicate of L. Ron Hubbard; but clearly this novel gains much of its power from its horrible resemb¬ lance to reality. Jack and Anne Weller are a lov¬ ing Hollywood couple who are abrupt¬ ly separated when she is drawn into the clutches of Transfo'rmationalism. With his wife spirited away by the church to parts unknown, Jack pursu¬ es every course of action imaginable to regain her, but finally he has to play along and undergo Transforma¬ tional "processing" himself. He plays a "mind game" with the Trans¬ formationalist movement to convince them his conversion is sincere while avoiding being "programmed". As he infiltrates further into the cult's organization, he almost loses sight of his original goal (to find Annie) small presses and Burroughs complet- on the obligation he'd so lightheart- laughing three times before I'd fin¬ ists are always hauling out these edly accepted. ished the first hundred pages.) signed and nunbered editions of The ghost story is a slowly- Billy Twillig, fourteen-year- things you just Can't Get; PORT OF building thriller, alternating with old Nobel Laureate and inventor of SAINTS is a reprint of one or more scenes of adolescent social life as Zorg theory, is called upon to de¬ of these from 1973. Bruce invites some local girls to cipher the first message from space. It's impossible to understand the manor and makes plans to turn it Good start, but after 438 pages I the British "new wave" thing histor¬ into a swinging place for the summer. was expecting a little more in the ically without reading Burroughs. Why is Alex the only one afflicted way of endings. And I read DHALGREN The man was a complete outsider (in by the supernatural presence? Why is three times with increasing pleasure, more sense than one) who appropriat¬ the spirit careful to hide its mani¬ so as far as most of you are concern¬ ed the conventions of American maga¬ festations in seemingly-natural ed, I have the literary equivalent zine SF and tried to use them on causes whenever anyone else is a- of a cast-iron stomach. Western consciousness like a rusty round? Why do these manifestations ************************************ can-opener. But if you want to alternate between pleading summonses check him out, read NAKED LUNCH. and murderous attacks? Alex reluct¬ ************************************ antly acknowledges the parallel be¬ tween his refusal to face the super¬ THOUSANDSTAR natural problem and Bruce's refusal to carry his share of their mundane By Piers Anthony HAUNTED chores, and he accepts the final Avon 75556; c. 1980; 294 pp., $2.25 By Judith St. George responsibility: finding out who the First printing, June, 1980 Putnam, 1980, 158 pp., $7.95 manor's previous owners had been and REVIEWED BY STEVE LEWIS Jacket by Judy Clifford why they had really died. The reader 0-399-20736-8 will guess far sooner than Alex just The fertile imagination of Mr. what the Von Dursts had been, but it Anthony seems to know no bounds. REVIEWED BY FREDERICK PATTEN is a puzzle until just before the How many other writers could take an old kids' game like Scissors-Pa- I don't usually care for Young climactic confrontation as to why their spirits won't lie still and per-Stone, and make a grand-quest Adult fiction that's overtly didac¬ science fiction novel out of it? tic, but HAUNTED is so well written what their intentions are towards Alex. You know how it goes, don't you? that it's easy to overlook this. Scissors cuts Paper, Paper covers The novel puts a teenaged caretaker HAUNTED is two stories skillful¬ Stone, Stone blunts Scissors. There into a haunted house for a simmer. ly interwoven. The supernatural is another version known as Man-Chick- The vividly-described setting, the mystery is successful on a fully ad¬ en-Worm. Man eats Chicken eats Worm puzzle of who the ghosts are and what ult level, and the writing quality eats .... they want, the excellent suspense of is of a considerably higher level the attacks against Alex and the nat¬ than that found in many mainstream Galactic Segment Thousandstar is uralness of the characters more than horror thrillers today. As a result, having a competition. The host bod¬ make up for the unsubtle message HAUNTED will be enjoyed by more ma¬ ies are being provided by the cohab¬ about Accepting Responsibility. ture readers than the book's adoles¬ itants of the nearest planet to the cent cast and educational alternate goal: the Hydros, who can beat the Sixteen-year-old Alex Phillips theme would indicate. It's worth Erbs, who in turn can beat a Squam, is the son of a lawyer who's the cus¬ who can beat a Hydro. Heem of High- todian of a lavish but isolated Pen¬ crossing into the Young Adult sec¬ tion of your library to pick it up. falls is a Hydro -- sort of an intel¬ nsylvania estate. Red Roof Farm had ligent water balloon -- and it is been the property of an elderly coup¬ ************************************ •his bad luck that the transferee to le, the Von Dursts, who recently died his mind is illegal, a female Solar- in a suicide pact. Mr. Phillips has ian. Not only that, but transfers gotten his son and a colleague's son, between members of opposite sexes an older college student, the job of RATNER'S STAR are generally considered impossible. keeping up the estate until the heirs claim it in a couple of months. Al¬ By Don DeLillo Well, of course they fall in ex's conscious thoughts tell us that Vintage: New York: 1980 love. Wholly platonically, it goes he's looking forward to proving by 438 pp., $3.95, paper without saying. The competition this sumner job that he's not a child they face consists of three parts: any more. However, his accompanying REVIEWED BY WILLIAM GIBSON the intellectual challenge, the pil¬ subconscious raisings make it clear oting challenge and the physical that he really is immature, eager For my money, this is a turkey. challenge. Heem learns a lot about for the perquisites of adulthood but And I'm supposed to like this stuff. himself, including the details of unwilling to consider its responsi¬ Someone, probably , had his species' reproduction ritual, a bilities. said somewhere in print that this secret so sinister that all the oth¬ was one of those borderline SF nov¬ er adults of his kind are afflicted The story is uphill from here. els that make the run of the genre with a sort of racial amnesia. look silly. Oh, boy, I said, and Alex's initial glee at having the The competition itself turns out rubbed my hands together. What I run of a luxurious manor is quickly to be of the non-zero-sum variety, got, when Vintage reprinted the 1976 shattered by an unexpected discovery. mathematical jargon for a game in hardcover, is a kind of long dry His reaction is to run home, but a which cooperation is suggested if shuffle through a series of turns desire to not look babyish brings not required. And thus a meaningful that owe a lot to Pynchon and Von- him back. After all, he can stay part of the gap between Alien xeno¬ negut. The writing is good, some¬ out of the spooky part of the house phobias is bridged. TTie book's a times brilliant, and parts of the until the more mature Bruce arrives must for game-players of all persua¬ book are quite funny. (I laughed and Alex can dump the problem on him. sions, theoretical as well as role- out loud a total of three times, But Bruce turns out to be a totally playing, or for anyone for that mat¬ though, and when I first read GRAV¬ irresponsible college jock and Alex ter who just plain likes a rollick¬ ITY'S RAINBOW I fell out of bed unhappily realizes that it's up to ing good space quest. him to shoulder or to publicly aband¬ 57 ************************************ WORLD ENOUGH, AND TINE tains a plot thread that will be fam¬ is inhabited by humans, but which By James Kahn iliar to fans of Oriental martial- may or may not actually be Earth. Del Rey/Ballantine, 1980, $2.25 arts movies. There arises the distinct impression that civilization on this planet has REVIEWED BY DEAN R. LAMBE Hosato is a free-lance trouble¬ been stagnating for some time, but shooter in a 23rd-Century galactic that may only be due to the fact that civilization. He is hired for ind¬ This novel was a learning exper¬ the village of Skelleth, where the ience -- for the writer; all the ustrial sabotage against one of the action begins, marks one of mankind's reader learns is the value of two two rival robot-manufacturing cor¬ outermost limits. and a quarter clams. The Homeric porations on a mineral-rich but unin¬ quest herein-- labeled SF, yet scarce¬ habitable planet. McCrae Enterprises Beyond, to the north, lies the realm of the overmen, to which sup¬ ly fantasy -- begins three centuries is a large, environmentally-sealed hence, when one of the last Humans, complex guarded by an elaborate mech¬ erior race is Garth a member. It is Garth's mission, based on the sayings Joshua, and his Centaur friend. Beau¬ anical surveillance system (control¬ of oracles, to capture a basilisk, a ty, discover that their brides have led by Asimovian positronic brains) fearsome creature of nearly invinci¬ been kidnapped and their northern and an intelligent human security ble powers. Overmen are definitely California homesteads are in ruins. staff. Hosato's plan is to get hir¬ stronger and more powerful than ord¬ The villains of the piece, a Vanpire, ed under a cover identity, and once inary men, but any further degree of a Griffin and an Accident, are all inside McCrae to find some means to superiority is not quite so evident products of decadent 21st Century destroy the complex and escape be¬ when it comes to intelligence. genetic engineering, and evil Vampires fore Security penetrates his dis¬ are enslaving Humans for nefarious guise. What he finds at McCrae, how¬ It is said that one glance at research in a southern "City with No ever, thrusts the novel's first plot the basilisk, which dwells in the conpletely into the background and Name". In their search for vengeance ancient crypts beneath Mormoreth, sends the story in an unexpected dir¬ and lost loves. Josh and horse's-ass will turn a man or overman imnediate- Beauty are soon joined by cyborg Jas¬ ection. A third plot soon appears, ly to stone. This is no mere legend. mine, a semi-bright Cat, and the odd which does not supplant the other Garth must not only capture it but butterfly, as they wander through two here but seems intended to be¬ he must also return it alive to Skel¬ war -- and earthquake-scarred lands. come the main focus of an obviously- leth, where the Forgotten King awaits intended sequel. Bears, unicorns, , hobbits sat¬ them both. yrs, non-were wolves and dragons are Although MIRROR FRIEND, MIRROR Garth’s mission is one of vanity. but a few of the smart Animals and FOE will never be called Significant His desire is that his name be re¬ mythological beasts who hinder and SF, it's admirably skillful in its membered until the end of time. At help the seekers of truth and just¬ mingling of three separate stock book's end he has begun to wonder ice, although the mad ENA twisters plots. Also to its credit is its (finally) if the price is worth it, were apparently all WASPs, for no authors' determination to keep every¬ and yet in nicely understated fash¬ non-Westem legendary creatures ap¬ thing on an intelligent level. The ion, he has learned a way in which pear. characters are clever and most of he may yet succeed. Narrative and dialogue gradually them are likeable, which keeps the become conpetent by the "what does it reader guessing whether any of them And with that, somehow the sing¬ all mean, really?" end. will really be killed off or not. ularly simple-minded plot of this eminently likable adventure fantasy are not mixed, but miscegenated -- The motivation is plausible -- ex¬ which while now legal in Virginia, cept for the climactic battle, which seems suddenly to expand to fulfill is still painful in prose. If Dr. just isn't convincing despite a con¬ all the requirements of a full -fledged Kahn really knows fencing, he learn¬ trived attempt to justify it. (But novel. ed while writing, for Jasmine's epee Hosato's predicament is desperate ************************************ is called saber and used as machete enough that most readers will over¬ and broadsword before any reasonable look the implausible motivation.) duel occurs. Even California is Finally, the novel ends with an emo¬ hardly world enough and 300 years tionally-satisfying conclusion that falls short in time for all this sil¬ nevertheless leaves the reader anx¬ ly scientific nonsense. The credu¬ ious to pick up the sequel to find lous and gullible are invited to fol¬ out what happens next. low more of this "all but the kitch¬ I don't know how much of MIRROR en sink" plotting in the sequels to FRIEND, MIRROR FOE is due to George this first of a trilogy. Takei (Hosato certainly reflects a ************************************ lot of his Mr. Sulu persona) and how much to , but the com¬ bination is a success. I hope this writing partnership stays together MIRROR FRIEND, MIRROR FOE for many more books. By George Takei and Robert Asprin ************************************ Playboy Press, 1979, 223 pp., $1.95 Cover by Ken Barr. 0-872-16581-7. THE LURE OF THE BASILISK REVIEWED BY FREDERICK PATTEN By Lawrence Watt-Evans American popular culture's hori¬ Ballantine/Del Rey 28624; c. 1980; zons have expanded in recent years. First Edn., March '80; 195pp., $1.95 Today's SF light adventure is often thinly-disguised melodrama of a more REVIEWED BY STEVE LEWIS exotic sort than the Westerns of This is a quest novel, pure and yore. MIRROR FRIEND, MIRROR FOE is sinple, taking place on a world that standard but it not only features an Oriental hero, it con¬ 58 HOf-EWORLD The cover announces that HOME- are not very emotionally involving -- By WORLD is the first volume of a tril¬ Willy Newbury is little affected by Bantam, 1980, 199 pp., $1.95 ogy, so be warned that it has a clif- what happens to him, and the reader 0-553-13917-7. fhanger ending. In fact, since I is no different. dislike reading serials before they REVIEWED BY FREDERICK PATTEN If you're a fan of de Camp's or are finished, I hadn't intended to if you've read and enjoyed a Willy I don't know which SF writer read HOMEWORLD this soon. I just Newbury story and you can suspend first came up with the naive young glanced at the first few pages and your disbelief in the occult -- then aristocratic hero who joins a revol¬ I couldn't stop reading ... this prescription is for you: "To utionary movement to overthrow his A*********************************** be taken in small doses (one or two futuristic oligarchy and restore glo¬ stories) just before bedtime". bal social equality. But Harrison's ************************************ HOMIWORLD is one of the best exanples SHADOWMAN of this plot that I've read. By George W. Proctor Fawcett Gold Medal, 254 pp., $1.95 Engineer Jan Kulozik is a Brit¬ 1-4350-3; c. 1980; 1st printing, ish member of the technocratic elite June, 1980 that keeps resource-depleted 23rd- INCREDIBLE COINCIDENCE Century Earth running. He accepts REVIEWED BY STEVE LEWIS By Alan Vaughan his upperclass's luxuries as their New American Library, $2.25 It begins with an assassination just due for keeping the dull-witted, 247 pp., 1980 attempt, to prevent the independence dole-supported masses alive. Jan is of a planet where violence is unknown. vacationing in the Red Sea when his REVIEWED BY JOHN DIPRETE Not only that, but as an experimental yacht is sunk and he is picked up by world controlled by the ruling Zivon Aside from the fact this collec¬ £ mysterious submarine. Jan leams Conpany's strict psychological screen¬ tion brings together in one place things that are totally incompatible ings, it is a planet where death by more staggering accounts of syncron- with the world-picture he has been violence is utterly inconceivable. icity than any volume of its type, taught, and he becomes aware that part of the book's major interest the masses are neither as unintel¬ The target is Jonal Cassell. He lies in its "between-the-lines" mat¬ ligent nor as grateful to their mas¬ is head of the Autonomy Party on Tula erial which the author, Alan Vaughan, ters as he'd thought. A beautiful and he wakes up from the attack on generously provides. Previously ed¬ member of the underground takes him his life with a voice in his head. itor of PSYCHIC magazine (now titled on an eye-opening trip among the low¬ And with some urgency the voice is NFW REALITIES), Vaughan discloses be¬ er classes, and ... you can take it encouraging the desire for counter- from there. violence that he seems to have been hind-the-scenes glimpses of his life secretly nursing inside him. --a world of psi conventions, excit¬ But as it's often been said, ing talents, magazine editors, over- there are few new ideas in SF; what There are two essentially simil¬ the-globe trips and -- incredible makes a particular story readable ar sorts of science fiction story coincidence. Along the way, Mr. is how well it's retold. HCMEWORLD that all this brings to mind, first, Vaughan emerges as a serious, witty is told very well indeed. Harrison of course, the rough-riding pulpish Scholar of Psi, pursuing a charged, has constructed a grim but plausible days of THRILLING , unusual career. The reader, out of future. Jan begins as an unattract¬ say. Secondly, and of slightly more envy, wishes he, too, could become a ively-spoiled brat whose initial mo¬ recent vintage, what this reads ex¬ writer and researcher of the bizarre. tivation for interest in the under¬ actly like is the second half- of one Accounts of syncronicity (Jung's ground is less of altruism than of of your better Ace Doubles. SF fans term for "meaningful coincidence") resentment at having been duped all with long memories or large collec¬ cover diverse categories: the woman his life by Government Security. He tions will know exactly what I mean. who finds the man of her dreams (pre¬ shows egotistic glee at pitting his ************************************ cognition? telepathy?); the author computer talents against Security's (Vaughan) who finds lost proof sheets all-pervasive surveillance network. turn up on a park bench after mis¬ Only gradually does Jan become a con¬ sing three years (ESP? clairvoyance?); cerned and likeable individual. Fans THE PURPLE PTERODACTYLS a collision between two motorists, of human interest will appreciate By L. Sprague de Camp Ian Purvis and Ian Purvis (accident? this character development. The en¬ Ace, April 1980, $2.25 mere coincidence?); and many other gineering aspects of 23rd-Century occurrences. society will interest the mechanical¬ REVIEWED BY MICHAEL VERNON MACKAY ly minded, and Jan's adventures into .Syncronicity, according to Jung, espionage will thrill fans of sec¬ De Camp's latest is a collection is an "acausal" connecting principle, ret-agent action. of tales about one Willy Newbury, a equal in importance to the day-to- middle-aged banker with an affinity day causality found in physics, bio¬ for the occult. It is typical de logy and natural science. Indeed, WF) i t IT UMSMT FfW^-iNCf exKCTc-Y, Canp. Each story is professionally claim proponents such as Vaughan and crafted. Several, like the title others (most notably David Bohm, an story, "Balsamo's Mirror", "United eminent physicist), syncronicity may Imp" and "Darius" are superb. Anoth¬ be the Prime Factor behind all psi er third are good professional stor¬ phenomena -- ESP, clairvoyance, pre¬ ies, but lacking in either ideas or cognition, etc. Not surprisingly, inspiration. The final third, like Bohm is working on a model of the "The Figurine", "Priapus” and "A universe (one Vaughan approves of) Sending of Serpents" are hackneyed stating that "consciousness creates by their hoary conception of youth. space, time and matter ... (that) ... cause and effect are illusion". Most stories, however, are en¬ tertaining, filled with de Canp's A fine collection of entertain¬ characteristic light humor. They ing -- and useful -- coincidences. 59 ************************************ THE GAME OF LIFE group project, really, with several next logical step. But times are contributions by Robert Anton Wilson hard for the priests of high techno¬ By Timothy Leary logy. Nader's Raiders held him back Peace Press, 3828 Willat Avenue, and a whole staff kicking around ideas and graphics, GAME is the best when pollution was the big problem Culver City, CA 90230 and as soon as he has that solved Paperback, 8 1/4 X 11, 294 pp., $8.95 of Leary's lunacies --a whole zoo of funny ideas by one of the funni¬ fuel economy turns out to be the REVIEWED BY NEAL WILGUS est idea men yet. next hurdle. But the Arabs are looking for Timothy Leary is an idea man who ************************************ something to do with all those pet- sometimes writes fact and sometimes robillions. With their backing Gus writes fiction but usually manages scrounges three used shuttles and to entertain, stimulate and amuse medusa's CHILDREN sends them out to the asteroid belt regardless of the format he uses. By Bob Shaw to bring back a nice nickle-iron as¬ THE GAME OF LIFE is the fifth volume Dell, $1.95 teroid. of a series unfortunately titled "Fu¬ ture History", and while it isn't REVIEWED BY ELTON T. ELLIOTT Of course it doesn't turn out to science fiction, there is enough be that simple. Gus' son wants his This book has an unusual taste pseudo-science and extrapolation company and his friendly Arab backer to it. It reads as if it were the here to satisfy all but the most is suspected of plotting a coup second part of a trilogy. Background^ manding senses of wonder. against his brother. The astronauts characters and several major discov¬ find that their muscles don't work Although Leary uses the ancient eries were introduced in such an off¬ so well after a few months in zero-g. Tarot deck of cards as a framework hand manner that I began to feel Finally, their nicke-iron asteroid to erect his theory, GAME is not an like somebody had dropped me into turns out to be more than they bar¬ occult or parapsych book any more the second or third act, where it is gained for. than it is SF or fantasy. What it presumed the audience understands is, really, is Leary's head-trip all that went before so events don't Despite a more than usually com¬ writ large, the summation of every¬ have to be explained in the same plicated plot, Edmondson brings things thing he's been writing about most fashion as in the first act. to a tidy resolution. His characters of his career. And just as he once are oddball enough to be interesting used the TIBETAN BOOK OF THE LEAD The plotline focuses on the in¬ and the plot moves along smoothly. and the TAO TE CHING to dramatize habitants of a bizarre water world I don't know whether events could ac¬ and illuninate the psychedelic exper¬ and the awesome power controlling tually happen like this but he left ience of the 1960s, so now he has the waterworld. A power that is in¬ me wishing that they could. tent on conquering Earth. The plot dramatized and illuminated his ************************************ SMI2LE scenario (Space Migration, also involves Hal Tarrant, an algae Intelligence Increase, Life Exten¬ farmer, in a near-future Earth. sion) by clever use of the Tarot So far so good, but then just THE REVOLVING BOY deck. as the story is unfolding and the By Gertrude Friedberg Actually, it's only the 22 trump events are grinding towards a tre¬ Del Rey, $1.95 cards (the so-called major ) mendous conclusion -- the book ends. 1980 (reissue), 184 pages that are used anyway -- those myster¬ I was left wanting more, much more. ious, provocative figures such as But what is in the book is excel¬ REVIEWED BY JOWJ DIPRETE The Fool, The Wheel of Fortune, The lent, full of the verve, color, pace This Del Rey reissue of a 1966 Devil and Strength, which seem to and original ideas that are Mr. be archetypical calling cards direct hardback by a rather obscure author Shaw's forte. Even with its flaws is surprisingly good, despite its from the Collective Unconscious. The NEDUSA'S CHILDREN is a charming and Leary theory of evolution and destiny obvious juvenile packaging. The at times exciting book. is based on the idea that our ENA simple plot concerns Derv, a young program moves through 24 separate ************************************ boy who likes to twist and turn, due stages (we're now completing number to his origins in space. At school 12, by the way) and it is to illus¬ Derv's peers call him "the boy who trate this neuro-biochemical blue¬ whirls"; but for what reason -- THE MAN WHO CORRUPTED EARTH print that the Mad Doktor uses the ahhhh! By G.C. Edmondson 22 trumps -- plus two of his own de¬ Ace Books, 1980, 312 pp., $2.25 At first Derv goes through sev¬ vising. Illustrated the whole thing eral childish stunts or compulsions is -- with a great variety of charts REVIEWED BY KEITH SOLTYS of daily revolutions; later he mat¬ and graphs, cartoons, photos, simp¬ One of the staple plots of pulp ures to somersaults and complicated lified outlines of the famous Rider- writers was a variant on the mad "free fall" gymnastics. He does this Waite Tarot deck and especially fine to "get right" ... to feel better. psychedelic drawings by Pete von scientist idea -- the mad million¬ Sholly, who should really be apprec¬ aire. Your friendly entrepreneur It's a good split-level yam ap¬ iated by SF fans. would mortgage his enpire (and may¬ pealing to both young and adult read¬ be his soul) to be the first into ers. Scientific entanglements (out space. Heinlein's THE MAN WHO SOLD of place in this particular narra¬ The biggest problem with GAME THE MDON is probably the best exanple tive) bog the story down slightly in and with the series in general, is of this type of story. the middle; and in Part Two events Leary's excessive repetition, which Things haven't worked out like are upset by a radical passage of is partly inevitable due to the nat¬ that but old ideas die hard. THE time. But incidents pick up there¬ ure of the 24 recapitulating stages MAN WHO CURRUPTED EARTH takes this after, and suspense heightens. and partly a deliberate technique de¬ idea and places it in a modem set¬ signed to brainwash the reader -- The story is a pleasure to read, ting. Leary is a master psychologist, aft¬ having funny, breezy, well-told prose er all. Fortunately, Leary never Gus Danpler has made his mil¬ and likeable, if not-too-deep charac¬ loses his sense of humor and never lions in the aviation industry and ters. THE REVOLVING BOY won't turn runs the risk of becoming another L. sees expansion into space as the your stomach. Ron Hubbard or Wilhelm Reich. A 60 ************************************ Why not spend the same amount on a greater number of titles? The answ¬ er might be that the "blockbuster mentality" is (according to the F.N. S% report) "brought on by the bottom- 1JIK line psychology of conglomerate own¬ ership". Norman Spinrad, President of the SFWA, writing in the October 1980 issue of LOCUS, puts a finer point on it: "I have more than once pointed out that the publishing in¬ BMil dustry is being gobbled up by enter¬ tainment conglomerates. Now we be¬ gin to see the results. In the TV game, better than 90% of all project¬ ed series are expensive flops ... the remaining 10% generate the prof¬ IITllRl its. We are now dealing with the same corporations, hence the same corporate mentality. Expectation of a high rate of failure. Unwilling¬ S-F NEWS BY ELTON T. ELLIOTT ness therefore to invest the energy and money necessary to make each book count". their financial eggs into what they Others in the industry think REMEM3ER THE ADDRESS FOR THIS hoped would be fast-moving super¬ COLUMN IS: ELTON T. ELLIOTT, bestsellers". Sales were horrible that because of layoffs and cutbacks in personnel, executives are too SFR, 1899 WIESSNER DRIVE N.E., and many houses suffered major los¬ SALEM, OR 97303. ses, "leaving even less money for frightened to change. One source the houses to buy paperback rights who requested her name not be used to ... clothbound books". Without said, "A recession has never happen¬ the lucrative money from the paper¬ ed in the business before, most have back rights, cloth publishers tried no idea how to deal with the situa¬ a variety of ways to save money, but tion, what to change to make the fin¬ raising prices and using cheaper pa¬ ancial returns move towards the old THE RECESSION -- Part II per and shoddy bindings probably cost 1S% growth each year; a lot of peop¬ le just freeze up ... everywhere you The book industry is in big them sales. Finally in the last year, look there is panic just under the trouble, although in my last column with no options left, many publishers surface". I reported sales figures q? 20%. cut the number of titles issued and Those figures, disputed by several reduced their staffs. (In the last As if things weren't bad enough knowledgable sources, and other ev¬ decade New York publishing has lost already the Internal Revenue Service idence seems to indicate that sales 221 of its workers.) A few publish¬ ruled as the result of a recent Su¬ declined markedly in 1980 as did the ers tried more questionable practic¬ preme Court decision, that busines¬ number of titles published. How es, holding onto authors' royalties ses cannot reduce the values of their much less won't be known until PUB¬ (see story later in this column), in¬ inventories for tax purposes. This LISHER'S WEEKLY finishes its tally, dulging in "creative" bookkeeping and will result in titles going out of several months from now. "'(As soon as editorial and publicity staff be¬ print sooner, smaller print runs as the results are known. I'll re¬ gan to be reduced, vicious in-fight¬ forcing another increase in book port them here.) The publishing in¬ ing resulted. prices and make publishers even more dustry appears to be finding out the reluctant to publish books that might hard way that books are, at long last Why, if sales were declining and be perceived as being non-comnercial, no longer recession-proof. Up until financial resources were tight, did meaning less variety and an even now every time the economy went some paperback publishers adopt such greater reliance on "blockbusters". through a rough period, be it one- a high-risk policy as investing large The irony is that the Supreme Court dip, double-dip, mini or maxi-reces¬ amounts of money in a few titles? case had nothing to do with publish- sion, the book industry as a whole wasn't affected. But with prices for hardcovers tripling in the past decade, and quadrupling for paper¬ backs, customers could no longer buy in quantity, and with the economy pinching the budget, they could no longer buy on inpulse. It gets worse. A Field News Ser¬ vice report mentions that "as shop- owners found keeping slow-moving books ... intolerably expensive, re¬ turns of unsold books to publishers shot up. Ever-increasing shipping charges" especially for hardcovers "added to the burden ..." Another problem especially at the mass mark¬ et paperback houses, is what the Field Service report called the '"blockbuster mentality'" which re¬ sults in the houses putting "all ing; it was concerned with warehouse average reader probably won't notice inventory write-offs from tool com¬ any major changes, other than fewer panies, automobile spare parts, etc. gaudy SF art and history books. Senator Moynihan is introducing leg¬ But, cheer ip, things could be islation in the 97th Congress to ex- worse; this isn't the automobile in¬ enpt publishers from the ruling. Re¬ dustry, and yoxi re not an executive gardless of what happens, this has for Chrysler. Are you? created one more headache for an in¬ dustry already beset with numerous migraines. How about science fiction? What # QRycai.lggO does all this doom-and-gloom talk Oi November 14-16 1980, at the signal for a publishing genre that, downtown Hilton in Portland, Oregon, with the exception of the last five over a thousand people attended the years, has been considered peripher¬ second Orycon. Guests included Poul al at best? Anderson, Duane Ackerson, Jean Auel, Well, science fiction appears Mildred Downey Broxon, Ed Bryant, to be faring better than the industry Dichard E. Geis, George Guthridge, as a whole, but it is still beset Norman E. Hartman, Dean Ing, Richard with problems. Dell and Berkley Kearns, Ursula K. LeGuin, Elizabeth have cut the number of titles issued A. Lynn, George R.R. Martin, Vonda per month and several other lines N. McIntyre, R. Faraday Nelson, are expected to follow suit. Not , Sue Petrey, , everybody is retreating. Ace Books Marta Randall, Jessica Amanda Salmon- which was the first to cut back, son, John Varley, M.K. Wren (alias from ten titles a month to about Martha Kay Renfroe) and many more. eight, has no plans to reduce their Fritz Leiber was the Guest of Honor, line further. Bantam and Avon have F.M. Busby was the Toastmaster and not been buying until recently, but I was the Fan Guest of Honor. neither has plans to cut back. Del The people were friendly, the con has sold a novel to Pocket, FEVRE Rey and DAW are holding firm, at six DREAM, which will be marketed as a comnittee was fantastic and very help¬ and five titles respectively per ful and I had a marvelous time. mainstream book. His Hugo-and-Neb- month. DAW Publisher, Donald Woll- Thank you to all the nice individuals ula-Award-winning novelette, "Sand- heim told me that the recession has who conp linen ted me on my column; I kings" has been optioned for the "not affected us ... we're doing appreciate your comments very much. cinema. very well". I talked to many of the authors Some conpanies which had no reg¬ # The convention also featured a who were present and did my journal¬ ular lines are now entering the field three-way intercontinental hookup istic duties. The following are on a monthly basis. Playboy started with Arthur C. Clarke in Sri Lanka, from my notes, so those of you to Fritz Leiber at the convention and about a year ago and Warner is cur¬ whom I talked at the convention, if rently buying (see article in Book Harlan Ellison in Sherman Oaks, Cal¬ you're omitted or I've made an error, ifornia. In a wide-ranging conversa¬ News), although the first titles in please write me. Although I am a their program will not start appear¬ tion, Clarke, Leiber and Ellison teetotaler, it is my fervent belief ing until this fall. Pocket Books talked about the future, Harlan slam¬ that the air in a convention hotel has recently expanded to five titles ming fundamentalists like the "Moral is intoxicating, and a couple of a month. TOR Books, the new conpany Majority" and the conservative poli¬ minutes of breathing it has effects started by former Ace Books Vice Pres¬ tical trend in general; he also not too unlike alcohol. ident, Thomas Doherty, will release gloated over the fact that he was two titles per month under the editor¬ # M.K. Wren has sold the PHOENIX one of the few authors whose works ship of James Baen. trilogy to Berkley for $45,000.00. weren't out-dated by the Voyager fly¬ Book I in the series, THE SWORD OF by of Saturn. He also marveled over What does all this mean? Well, THE LAMJ, will be out in February. the braided "F' Ring, while Clarke it dictates a period of retrenchment The second and third books are ten¬ mentioned how much he enjoyed liv¬ for the publishing industry as they tatively set for Juie and October of ing in Sri Lanka, and how he never try to figure ways to renovate an in¬ this year. intended to write again, at which dustry plagued by an inefficient out¬ point Ellison asked him if he'd like moded distribution system, rising In April Doubleday will print to write a story for THE LAST DANG¬ costs and an unsure general economy. the fifth novel, A SEASON OF HATH, EROUS VISIONS. Clarke mentioned the For the SF genre it indicates slight¬ in her mystery series featuring a potentialities of conputer micromin¬ ly fewer titles, smaller advances bookstore owner, Flagg, who iaturization; they commiserated over and increasing encroachments on auth¬ lives in a fictitious town on the publishers, with Ellison revealing ors' rights. This is not the time Oregon Coast and dabbles as a detec¬ he is going to sue Harper 8 Row be¬ for a novice writer to consider SF tive. cause they allowed Dell to have ads writing as a full-time occupation, # Ed Bryant is working on a novel for SF books in the back of the lat¬ not if she or he wants to eat, that for Pocket and also has a story col¬ est softcover edition of IEATHBIRD is. Fewer first novels will be pur¬ lection, PARTICLE THEORY, in prepar¬ STORIES. chased, first and second novelists ation. are going to find more resistance in There was an audience of several selling upcoming works and the more # George R.R. Martin has a book hundred people listening, and at one visible names in the field may have coming out in March from Simon 6 point hats were passed around to pay to stifle their pride and take ad¬ Schuster/Pocket. February will see for an extra fifteen minutes of con¬ vances significantly less than their the publication of BINARY STAR #5, versation. last few novels coirananded. In fact, which contains an expanded version # Joe Scanlon has sold an SF pom some writers may have to take "mun¬ of his novella, "Nightflyers". He novel to Hustler Paperbacks, titled dane" jobs to make the rent. But the 62 UP URANUS. # Paul Pruess has a new novel out third publication, SCIENCE FICTION teriorated. There just isn't any in February from Bantam, titled RE¬ TIMES, a monthly SF news publication, money here beyond what is required ENTRY. The novel takes place in a has been sold to Andrew Adams Whyte. to keep our creditors from closing large accelerator. Mr. Pruess has Whyte wrote a book preview column us down. Indeed, there might even be produced many educational films and for GALILEO and later for SCIENCE some question about that. We are put¬ has been editor and associate produc¬ FICTION TIMES. Avenue Victor Hugo, ting together the October issue with er of several network TV entertain¬ McCaffrey's parent company will con¬ the knowledge that it might never see ment specials. tinue to publish it. print". # Fritz Leiber has sold a novella McCaffrey's first major publica¬ to Terry Carr's original anthology tion was FICTION, a little magazine ANALOG and ASIMOV'S remain on series, UNIVERSE. He is working on that foundered when it printed an their fbur-a-week schedule. FANTASY a Lovecraftian/ Mythos novel¬ extra four thousand copies for pro¬ 8 SCIENCE FICTION and OWI are month¬ ette, "Terror From the Depths", is motion. GALILEO'S first issue, pub¬ ly. AMAZING and ARES appear bi-month¬ writing the sequel to "Blue Grass" lished at about the time FICTION went ly. DESTINIES is winding down with and is working on another Change War under, had a print run of 8,000 -- two or three issues left (depending story. 1,500 were sent to FICTION subscrib¬ ers and the rest sold out quickly. on when you read this). The BERKLEY # Jon Gustafson has a fiction SF SHOWCASE comes out three times Encouraged by this McCaffrey sent out (non-SF) novel at Avon. a year. nearly 1 million promotional pieces ft Marta Randall is working on a to various lists, creating huge grow¬ fantasy novel for Dell. She is edit¬ th, and by the third year, there ing the NEW DIMENSION'S original an¬ were over 57,000 subscribers. Most thology series with Robert Silver- were cut-rate Publishers Clearing A new magazine is planned for berg; number 12 will be out from Pock - House type, where little money is an April-dated, February-released et sometime this year. NEW DIMEN¬ made unless the subscriber renews magazine, , publish¬ SIONS is not open for stories at directly. The mailings cost consid¬ ed by Gallery. this time. erable money, creating cash-flow problems. They tried several compu¬ # Elizabeth A. Lynn is writing a ter labeling firms, but had problems children's book, SILVER HORSE, with getting out copies and renewal not¬ Jeanne Gamoll. She is doing a novel, DIED: DORIS PITKIN BUCK ices, which cut into the subscription THE SARDONX NET, for Berkley-Putnam. She was 82 when she died of a list substantially. And from Pocket early in 1982, is pulmonary embolism. Many of her KYRIE OF THE WOLVES, illustrated by They did succeed in getting Dell stories were published in FgSF. . Distributing to supply newsstand ser¬ She also wrote poetry, and vices. The deal was: Dell would newspaper and magazine articles oi # Dean Ing has two story collec¬ furnish them with $38,000 an issue travel and gardening, and, with tions coming from Ace Books. This as an advance against 40% sales of her husband, Richard, on remodel¬ info from the Orycon program booklet. 110,000 copies. When combined with ing and landscaping. the remaining subscriptions it added Mrs. Buck graduated from Bryn it Jean Auel is working on the sec¬ Mawr College and had a masters ond novel of the Earth's Children up to over 150,000 copies to produce degree from . series. The first book, her first and mail. Sales were worse than pro¬ jected, coming to around 20%. GALI¬ She had taught English at Ohio novel, CLAN OF THE CAVE BEAR, was LEO owed Dell $55,000 and Dell want¬ State University. She was also recently on best¬ ed to reduce the advance to 10%, an actress. She was a member of seller list for several weeks. whereupon McCaffrey pulled GALILEO the SFWA. She died on or about # William Gibson has just sold out of newsstand distribution. December 7th, 1980. a story to CMNI. In the meantime, McCaffrey was it Steve Perry is working on His buying GALAXY magazine, with its nu¬ fifth novel, THE HANSEN VARIATION. merous debts chronicled all too of¬ His first, THE TULAREMIA GAMBIT, ten in this column (it still owes # ROYALTIES will be out in May from Fawcett. Frederik Pohl over $800 for example). The final deal was made weeks before It has been brought to my atten¬ # Oscar Rossiter has finished a tion that several authors have lodg¬ new novel, THE A.C. SCROLLS. the Dell deal fell through. Now Mc¬ Caffrey was stuck with two magazines ed complaints against certain pub¬ it F.M. Busby has completed a se¬ on his hands, with a combined debt lishers, claiming that the publish¬ quel to RISSA KERGUELEN, titled THE at present of over $150,000. They ers- were tardy in reporting royalt¬ ALIEN DEBT. Another novel set in published one issue of GALAXY, but ies. Several sources have claimed the same universe, Tregare, THE PI¬ didn't even have enough money to it is common practice among various RATE YEARS, is in planning. Others mail it to subscribers. The cash¬ houses to hold an author's royalty out to market or under way include flow problems finally swamped SF check and or statement for an extra a suspense novel, AND IT COES OUT TIMES, which stopped publication in six months beyond the contractual HERE, another novel, SLOW FREIGHT TO June. Bowing to the inevitable, Mc¬ agreement, maintaining that the FOREVER and a story collection, Caffrey announced suspension of GAL¬ houses profit by cashing in the in¬ WORLDS IN MY MIND. ILEO and GALAXY and the sale of the terest. The SFWA's attorney, Alex SF TIMES, in the late fall of 1980. Berman, wrote a letter in the August GALILEO'S last issue was published 1980 SFWA FORUM outlining the situa¬ in November of 1979. GALAXY'S abort¬ tion. At Noreascon SFWA business ed issue was published in July. meeting, David Hartwell and Donald Wollheim presented the publishers' # MAGAZINE NEWS In a letter mailed on October 18, side of the issue, and Alex Berman 1980 to writers with work accepted reported about the situation to the GALAXY and GALILEO have folded; for publication in GALAXY, Editor members present. both magazines were published by Vin¬ Floyd Kemske foreshadowed the immi¬ cent McCaffrey, who also owns Avenue nent: "The cash situation has de- I talked to both Mr. Berman and Victor Hugo Bookstore. McCaffrey's 63 Mr. Wollheim about this matter re- cently by telephone. They present tion is a potential lawsuit". ten it the same way for a Dell ... diametrically opposing viewpoints on paperback original ... except per¬ And what could be done to help practically every aspect of the sit¬ haps that I let the sex be slightly the problem? Mr. Wollheim said that uation. First, the matter of with¬ more graphic and put a little more a lot of authors have the "wrong at¬ holding royalties: Mr. Berman re¬ emphasis on the love story. But the titude" towards the industry, that ports that it is an "industry-wide final product should appeal to the authors and publishers are "not com¬ phenomenon" that has been "going on housewife who occasionally reads peting, but complementary" and that for a long time". Mr. Wollheim says as well as to the hard¬ while he can "understand the authors' that it is a "matter of not compre¬ core fantasy/horror fan". He also point of view" and that they are in hending how publishers work"; he gives credit to his agent A1 Zucker- the "same tight bind", however, when went on to mention that with the re¬ man of Writers' House "for running it comes to the money, in the "last cession publishers are "tight with the show so well". analysis, for the author it is two money ... like any other damn bus¬ months, for the publisher it is a # A Change of Hobbit, the Los An¬ iness". life investment". geles SF speciality store, is moving Then there is the question of to a new location, 1853 Lincoln Mr. Berman says two things could publishers holding onto royalties Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA, 90404, be done to alleviate the problem: for an extra six months: Mr. Woll¬ 11/2 blocks south of the Santa Mon¬ (1) "Fix up the contracts -- pay heim says that it doesn't make sense ica Freeway on the east side of the on time, or penalties", and (2) "Live for a publisher to hold an author's street. The new store of 4800 square up to current contracts -- specific royalty check for six months because feet -- almost five times the size of accounting of the number of books there would be "no interest" gained, the former location -- resumed busi¬ printed". as most publishers hold royalty mon¬ ness on January 19. The telephone ies "on business accounts" or check¬ .number is (213) GREAT SF. ing accounts. Mr. Berman reports § F. Paul Wilson has sold a novel, # THRUST has a new address as of that many publishers are "paying THE KEEP, to Morrow for $50,000 with January 1981: 8712-Inngport Terrace, late, reporting late" and when the a graduated division of the paper¬ Gaithersburg, MD, 20760. Due to the statement does arrive it is ofttimes back money, favorable to Mr. Wilson, move the winter issue will not ap¬ innacurate". And Berman went on to once the softcover rights are sold. pear, but the magazine will continue say that "it's a serious problem", He spent 14 months writing it -- the with issue number #17 to be released that a "lot of money" is involved novel was acquired for the cinema in in April as the Spring 1981 issue. and "not only in SF" but across the advance of book publication, with industry. the rights going to CBS Theatrical What has caused the problem? Films. It will be produced by Gene # By his 65th birthday, November Mr. Berman maintains it is the re¬ Kirkwood and Howard Koch, Jr.; the 24, 1981, Forrest J. Ackerman expects sult of the "conglomerates ... mass contract calls for a two-year option to have nine new books bearing his media", the "Hollywood mentality of at $100,000 against a $200,000 pur¬ byline in print: work for hire ... a flat fee and chase price. Wilson will also get gosh: wow: (sense of wonter) that's it". Wollheim responds that $50,000 in deferred condensation SCIENCE FICTION . Bantam this is always an "area of confusion", from first profits, a possible A TREASURE TROVE OF IMAGI-MOVIES that the authors "always feel that $50,000 in bonuses based on best¬ .Donning the publisher is conning them". He seller performance and 5% of the 'S "LONDON AFTER MID¬ went on to mention that a lot of pub¬ film's net profits. The rights to NIGHT’ REVISITED.Yoseleff lishers are "all scraped for dough" Morrow were sold in a hardcover auc¬ (With Philip J. Riley) because the recession causes book¬ tion after the deal with CBS. stores to go out of business or not A REFERENCE GUIDE TO AMERICAN The novel tells of Nazis in Ru¬ pay distributors, who then turn ar¬ SCIENCE FICTION FIUB: 1897- mania confronted by a vanpire releas¬ ound and do not pay the publisher". 1980 (4 volumes, with Albert ed from a vault after a 600-year in¬ He mentioned that the cash-flow is Strickland; $120 set, 4000 carceration. Wilson mentioned in a so slow that the publishers are so copies ordered prior to pub¬ "strapped for money around royalty letter that "The nice thing about lication) time" that banks advertise in PUB¬ THE KEEP is that I've not had to ITALIANTHOLOGY . (With Luigi LISHER'S WEEKLY, offering loans to make any compromises to make it a Cozzi) help the publishers out. He went on mainstream book -- I would have writ¬ to say that, many times "authors feel publishers should take all the risks", when it is "actually a part¬ nership" and that "paranoia" about publishers is "standard procedure". He also said that a lot of authors think that because some publishers are shoddy, all of them "are dishon¬ est -- one bad apple and everybody gets a bum reputation”. What is happening right now? Mr. Berman says that "major battlelines are being drawn" but that there's "nothing concrete as of this time, but the SFWA has formed a committee" to look into the matter and that the conmittee will make a report "by April at the business meeting". I asked him about possible courses of action and he replied that the SFWA could "confront certain publishers" and that one option under "contempla¬ THE GREAT BOOK OF SCIENCE FICTION al work poetic justice. The above # STARLOG/FUTURE LIFE FILMS . T.I.S. Pub. info from FUTURE LIFE. STARLOG's circulation figures, The August 20th NEW YORK DAILY While Guest of Honor at a ten- according to their "Statement of Own¬ day "fantascienza" film festival in NEWS reports that Columbia Pictures ership, Management and Circulation", Rome, Forry received an Italian "Hu¬ brass are plotting CLOSE ENCOUNTERS averaged paid newsstand circulation: go" -- his third international one. OF THE FOURTH KIND, wherein "it'll 113,333, with average mail subscrip¬ A.E. van Vogt also received an Ital¬ be sexual contact between humans and tions 20,713, for a combined total ian "Hugo". aliens", reported a Columbia source. yearly average paid circulation of You read it here first, folks. Forry and Wendayne will be Guests 134,046. But their statement in the September, 1980 FOLIO 400, a survey of Honor at the Perry Rhodan May Con¬ Philip Jose Farmer's novel, THE conducted by FOLIO: THE MAGAZINE FOR vention in Amsterdam. Other May ev¬ MAGIC LABYRINTH, spent several weeks MAGAZINE MANAGEMENT, is as follows: ents for Forry include shooting a on the NEW YORK TIMES' bestseller Average newsstand sales, 330,000 and three-day TV show in Zagreb, Yugos¬ list. The entire Riverworld tetral¬ 27,600 subscriptions for a total es¬ lavia; visiting Ljubljana, Brussels, ogy (TO YOUR SCATTERED BODIES GO, timated circulation of 357,600. Berlin, the Greek Isles, Athens and THE FABULOUS RIVERBQAT, THE DARK DE¬ Distribution companies use FOLIO for Istanbul; and being made an Honorary SIGN and THE MAGIC LABYRINTH) has information when they are choosing Doctor at a Florida university. been optioned by Metromedia Producers what magazines to distribute. This Corporation. # THE BOOK OF PREDICTIONS by Irv¬ info from SF CHRONICLE. The manage¬ ing Wallace, Amy Wallace and David Film rights to Philip K. Dick's ment of FOLIO is looking into the Wallechinsky has a section in it for THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE, have discrepancy. predictions by science fiction writ¬ been sold to producer Charles Swartz Helmut Gabriel, editor in charge ers. The book which went to press and director Stephanie Rothman, film¬ of PERRY RHODAN MAGAZINE, the larg¬ early in 1980, also has a section ing to begin this fall. for "psychic seers", one of whom, est SF magazine by circulation in Bertie Catching from Texas, predicted SEX AND VIOLENCE’. Sweden has Germany, has according to a story in that in 1984 Iraq and Iran would go among the world's most lenient laws SF CHRONICLE, left the magazine over to war. regarding sexually-oriented mater¬ an alleged bribery attenpt; he re¬ ials; anyone can purchase them and portedly agreed to buy a large amount Arthur C. Clarke and G. Harry books, magazines, films and erotic of material from the publishers of Stine were among those interviewed. irrplements are readily available. STARLOG and FUTURE LIFE on an exclus¬ Both took care to point out that But like all countries Sweden has ive basis in return for which Mr. Ga¬ their "predictions" were based on ex¬ its own standards of what is obscene, briel would receive a kickback. Af¬ trapolations from past and present where violence is frowned upon so ter Mr. Gabriel's departure, a large events. Like its predecessors, THE much that quantity of material necessary for PEOPLE'S ALMANAC and THE BOOK OF has been banned for children under production of current and future is¬ LISTS, this book is published by 15 on the grounds that the film is sues was reported missing. Morrow. "too violent and too frightening".

# AWARDS # MDVIE/TV NEWS: # A.E. van Vogt won $50,000 in an THE BRITISH FANTASY SOCIETY AWARDS: out-of-court settlement with 20th The October 10, 1980 edition of Century Fox for his claims that the the WASHINGTON STAR reported that Novel: movie ALIEN was based on his story, has announced plans Tanith Lee . DEATH'S MASTER "Discord in Scarlet". The settlement are under way to get STAR TREK back Short Fiction: was for "similarities" in storyline. to TV. The negotiations with Para¬ Fritz Leiber ...."The Button Molder" This precedent should make movie mount were caused by the financial Small Press: studios chary of scripts that are success of the movie which spawned FANTASY TALES 5 . Edited by too close to known SF works. interest in doing a TV series. Rod- . Steve Jones 8 Dave Sutton denberry believes the original cast Film: # Kable News is the new distrib¬ would return, but only if it was a ALIEN ... utor of Ace Books. Ace's former dis¬ 90-minute or two-hour show. Artist: tributor, PDC, was purchased by Lar¬ Stephen Fabian ry Flynt. F§SF remains with PDC. John Sayles, author of such mem¬ One of Flynt's associates purportedly orable novels as UNION DUES and PRIDE Comic: Heavy Metal .... Edited by Ted White beat up a distributor who was late OF THE BIMBOS (I) and screenplays, in paying. PIRANHA and BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS, WORLD FANTASY AWARDS: has completed the script for Steven § Hank Stine, current Editor of Spielberg's top-secret flying saucer/ Novel: Starblaze Books, has become consult¬ extraterrestrial film. Rick Baker Elizabeth A. Lynn .WATCHTOWER ing editor of Belmont/Tower Books. Short Fiction -- Tie: will make the aliens. Ron Cobb, art # The American Book Awards have Elizabeth A. Lynn ."The Woman director for CONAN, will direct. cancelled the science fiction cate¬ . Who Loved the Moon" I, ROBOT is set to go at Warner ...."Macintosh Willy" gory because the SF field already Brothers, directed by Irvin Kirshner Anthology/Collection: has its own awards. What about the (director of THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK), AMAZONS!.Edited by Jessica Pulitzer? from a script by Harlan Ellison. . Amanda Salmonson § Diana King has been named as an Another Asimov work, "Nightfall", Artist: editor of THE TWILIGHT ZONE. This is being developed for the screen by info from LOCUS. 's New World Pictures. Special Award -- Professional: The film will be produced by Julie Donald Grant (Publisher) Special Award -- Non-Profession¬ # Isaac Asimov appeared on the Corman for an estimated $5-7 million recent BBC/NOVA special, ALL ABOUT dollars. Ms. Corman described the al: Paul C. Allen ... FANTASY NEWSLETTER TIME, explaining to actor Dudley Asimov story as difficult to screen- Moore several time paradoxes. Asi¬ adapt, but desires to do the origin¬ 65 mov, who celebrates his birthday at the start of the year, turned sixty. on Kirk's life-support system. Nfarch: Local FM stations in the Portland The new novel won't be re¬ area reported the fact several times leased until June. Harry Harrison . WHEELWORLD on the first and second of January. This info from "Today's People" Janet E. teirris ... THE GOLEEN SWORD in the 10/15/80 WASHINGTON POST. # Jessica Salmonson has sold THE April: TOMDE GOZEN SAGE to Ace Books. Walter Tevis . MOCKINGBIRD # Janrae Frank sold a novel to Kenneth C. Flint-A STORM UPON ULSTER Starblaze, set in the Sharone Amazon (Fantasy based on Irish legends) # SMALL PRESS! Enpire. Janet E. Morris. .WIND FROM THE ABYSS PHANTASIA: # Hank Stine and Janrae Frank have married. They first talked to¬ Early 1981: a new science fic- # BERKLEY: gether on the telephone after Mr. tion novel by Larry Niven and Steven John Silbersack, Senior SF Editor, Stine purchased her novel. Later Barnes, THE DREAM PARK MURDERS. has resigned to pursue a writing car¬ they became engaged, and the first Dustjacket wraparound art by Rowena eer. No replacement will be hired time they saw each other was on their Morrill. according to Victoria Schochet, SF wedding day. Ms. Frank will serve February: THE GATES OF CREATION Editor-in-Chief. Melissa Ann Singer, as the Assistant Editor at Starblaze by Philip Jose Farmer, the second in currently editorial assistant, will and Tower. the five-book World of Tiers series, become Assistant Editor. # Nick Yermakov has sold three with wraparound dustjacket art by books to Berkley, JOURNEY FROM FLESH, George Barr. AFFAIR OF HONOR and CLIQUE. # DAW: In the upcoming year: Three books # Somtow Sucharitkul has sold a SABER PRESS: by C.J. Cherryh and two by Tanith book, THE STARSHIP AND THE HAIKU, to Lee. a Japanese publisher. Its first publication -- seven full-color posters from paintings by # Alan Ryan has sold an original tffi-ee fantasy/SF artists: THE NORTH¬ # DELL: anthology to Warner, PERPETUAL LIGHT, ERN GIRL and THE DANCERS OF ARUN by a 150,000-word original collection of Eric Ladd, who is the artist for February: science fiction dealing with the re¬ Berkley hardcovers; WATER DRAGON by James Frenkel (Ed.): ligious experience. This is an in¬ Eric Ladd; STEEL WYOMING and DRAGON "Nightflyers"..George R.R. Martin vitation-only anthology. Some of SHIP, cover-paintings from F§SF by "True Names" .Vemor Vinge the authors already committed are Barclay Shaw; THE SECRETS OF THE Michael Nborcock.COUNT BRASS Brian W. Aldiss, Philip Jose Farmer, SORCERESS and PEGASUS' DREAM by Tom Thomas M. Disch, Robert Sheckley Xidd. and . Several are available in both signed/limited and general editions, while others are sold on a limited edition basis only, ranging in price # DEATHS: from $6 to $30. For more info write: Kris Neville, 55, died of a heart 104 Charles Street attack December 23, 1980. His SF Suite 112 -BACK ISSUE ORDER FORM- short fiction appeared in ANALOG, Boston, MA 02114 $1.25 EACH GALAXY, F&SF and AMAZING. He wrote THE MUTANTS, among other novels, and STARMONT: Dear REG: I enclose $ . was currently working on a project Please send back issue(s) #5 #6 involving the early SF magazines. March 19: THE SCIENCE FICTION #8 #9 #10 #11 #14 #15 #16 Sue Petrey, died December 6, REFERENCE BOOK, edited by Marshall #17 #18 #19 #20 #21 #22 #23 1980"! She wrote "Spareen Among the Tyrm, 460 pages, softcover, $12.95. #24 #25 #26 #27 #28 #29 #30 Tarters" for F£|SF and recently sold Full-color cover and interior illos #31 #32 #33 #35 #36 several other stories to Ed Ferman. plus many black-and-white, by Vin¬ [Circle #'s desired] I saw her at Orycon, where she gave cent DiFate. The long subtitle, A COMPREHENSIVE HANDBOOK TO LITERATURE, me one of her marvelous backrubs, $1.50 EACH “ «7 and heard later that she had gone SCHOLARSHIP AND RELATED ACTIVITIES OF THE SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY home feeling rather ill. She will Science Fiction Review FIELDS, is helpful to library buyers, be missed. SUBSCRIPTION COUPON explains STARMONT publisher, Ted E. Susan Wood, 32, died of undeter- Dikty. STARMONT address: Dear REG; Start my subscription mined causes on November 12, 1980. POB 851, Mercer Island, WA, 98040 with issue #_ She won a Hugo, along with her then husband Mike Glicksohn, in 1973 for $7.00 OfE YEAR / $14.00 TWO YEARS their fanzine ENERGUMEN. She won the Hugo for Best Fan Writer in 1974. At the time of her death she was on Address. a medical leave-of-absence from her BOOK NEWS! English professorship at the Univer¬ sity of . # BANTAM! City. February: State.Zip. Ursula K. LeGuin-THE BEGINNING PLACE # KIRK DIES On page 113 of Philip K. Dick . VALIS SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW Vonda McIntyre's latest STAR TREK Paul Preuss . RE-ENTRY P.O. Box 11408 novel, Capt. Kirk, conmander of Paddy Oiayevsky.ALTERED STATES Portland, OR 97211 the USS Enterprise for 15 years ...dies. Dr. McCoy pulls the plug 66 March: # SIGNET: Mildred Downey Broxton .TOO LONG February: . A SACRIFICE (Dell's first fantasy special) Mark J. Mr.Garry . THE SUN DOGS Michael Moorcock .THE CHAMPION . OF GARATHORM # WARNER: April: Contrary to market reports you may Cynthia Felice . THE SUNBOUND have read elsewhere, Warner is look¬ Michael Moorcock.THE QUEST ing for three sample chapters and an .FOR TANELORN outline, not complete manuscripts.

# DEL rey: # FINAL WORDS! Due to the lengthy feature reports, Judy-Lynn del Rey (Ed.)...STELLAR #6 the book news was shortened -- back Piers Anthony .SPLIT INFINITY to normal length next issue. Market L. Neil Smith . THE VENUS BELT reports were also delayed. Next is¬ .STAR SURGEON sue I'll report on how SF is viewed . CLOSE TO CRITICAL by a few bookstore proprietors, the L. Frank Baum. .THE TIN WOODMAN OF OZ results of PUBLISHERS' WEEKLY survey. I've had several requests to include February: more regular information from foreign Robert L. Forward . DRAGON'S EGG markets, particularly Britain. If Paul 0. Williams.THE BREAKING anybody who lives abroad can help, .OF NORTHWALL please write me. William Term..THE SQUARE ROOT OF MAN Thanks to all who sent Christmas Jaan Kangilaski . HANDS OF GLORY cards and kind words -- it makes my Jaan Kangilaski ...THE SEEKING SWORD work worthwhile. L. Frank Baum .THE MAGIC OF OZ March:

Larry Niven .... RINGWORLD ENGINEERS ALIEN THOUGHTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 Lee Killough.DEADLY SI LENTS Alexis A. Gilliland...THE REVOLUTION . FROM ROSINANTE Larry Niven. RINGWORLD DUNCTON WOOD Larry Niven. PROTECTOR THE DEFETER FLOWER L. Frank Baum . GLINDA OF OZ WILD SEED KILL THE DEAD THE BUG WARS THE JULES VERNE COMPANION # noiRi ftiay : HAN SOLO S REVENGE DRINKING SAPHIRE WINE ANTIMONY Walter Tevis . FAR FROM HOME THE HOUSE THAT STOOD STILL (A story collection, half of which THE VISITORS This appeared in GALAXY, IF and FfiSF; THE HAUNTED MAN Publication.... the other half is never-before publishers' stories written for schrodinger's cat: THE UNIVERSE this collection.) NEXT DOOR THE BARBIE MURDERS AND OTHER STORIES THE CATALYST # POCKET: ENGLAND INVADED February: BREAKING GLASS (MOVIE) . THE SABLE MOON GENESIS REVISITED Richard Lupoff (Ed.) . WHAT IF? aliens! .VOLUME II A TOLKIEN COFPASS WAY STATION David J. Skal .... WHEN WE WERE GOOD Richard Cowper . PROFUNDIS ENGINE SUMFER Jane Gaskell . SOME SUMMER LANDS That's the list as of Jan. 7, is Available in but the mail has more.... And so goes my travail, the MICROFORM horrendous attempt to keep up with # SIMON & SCHUSTER: the reviewers and the publishers. But I shall not buckle under the March: All science fiction/fantasy load, nor wobble under the incoming. University both hardcover and softcover, will be published under the "Timescape Books" This is my fight! I'll win, I tell Microfilms imprint. you! International Gregory Benford .TIMESCAPE *Gasp* *Groan* See you next (To be published early 1981 in issue. paperback as a "Timescape Book", ************************************ may be confusing.) 67 SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW 018 In- SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #29 Inter¬ BACK ISSUES terview with Lester del Rey; Inter¬ views with John Brunner, Michael view with Alan Burt Akers; "Noise Moorcock and Hank Stine; "Noise THE ALIEN CRITIC Level" by John Brunner; "A Short Level" by John Brunner; SF News, SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW One for the Boys in the Back Room" SF film reviews. |V0 OTHER BACK ISSUES ARE by Barry Malzberg. AVAILABLE SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #30 Inter¬ SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #19 In¬ views with Joan D. Vinge, Stephen $1.25 per copy terview with Philip K. Dick; Inter¬ R. Donaldson, and Norman Spinrad; EACH ISSUE CONTAINS MANY REVIEWS. view with Frank ; "The "The Awards Are Coming!"’by Orson EACH ISSUE CONTAINS LETTERS FRO! Notebooks of Mack Sikes" by Larry Scott Card; S-F News; Movie News. WELL-KNOWN SF $ FANTASY WRITERS, Niven; " Fear" by Freff; "The EDITORS, PUBLISHERS AND FANS. Vivisector" by Darrell Schweitzer. SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #31 Inter- view with Andrew J. Offutt; "Noise THE FOLLOWING LISTINGS ARE OF SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #20 In¬ Level" by John Brunner; "On the Edge FEATURED CONTRIBUTIONS terviews with Theodore Sturgeon of Futuria" by Ray Nelson. and ; "Noise Level” by THE ALIEN CRITIC #5 Interview John Brunner; "The Vivisector" by SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #32 Inter¬ with Fritz Leiber; "The Literary Darrell Schweitzer; "The Gimlet view with Andrew J. Offutt, Part 2; Dreamers" by ; "Irvin Eye" by Jolin Gustafson. Interview with Orson Scott Card; Binkin Meets H.P. Lovecraft" by "You Got No Friends in This World" Jack Chalker. SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #21 In- by Orson Scott Card; "The Human terviews with 5 Ed¬ Hotline" by Elton T. Elliott. THE ALIEN CRITIC #6 Interview mond Hamilton, and with Tim Kirk; with R.A. Lafferrty; 'The Trench¬ "The Dream Quarter" by Barry Malz¬ ant Bludgeon" by Ted White; 'Trans¬ berg' "Noise Level" by John Brunner. SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW tt53 Inter¬ lations from the Editorial" by view with Charles Sheffield; "A Marion Z. Bradley. SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #22 In¬ Writer's Natural Enemy--Editors" terview with John Varley; "S-F and by George R.R. Martin; "Noise S-E-X" by Sam Merwin, Jr.; "After¬ Level" by John Brunner. thoughts on Logan's Run" by Will¬ THE ALIEN CRITIC #9 "Reading iam F. Nolan; "An Evolution of Con¬ Heinlein Subjectively" by Alexei sciousness" by Marion Zimmer Brad¬ and Cory Panshin; "Written to a ley." SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #35 Inter- Pulp!" by Sam Merwin, Jr.; "Noise views with Fred Saberhagen and Don Level" by John Brunner; "The SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #23 In¬ Wollheim; "The Way It Is" by Barry Shaver Papers" by Richard S. Shav¬ terviews with A. E. Van Vogt, Malzberg; "Noise Level" by John er. Jack Vance, and Piers Anthony; Brunner; "Coming Apart at the "The Silverberg That Was" by Rob¬ Themes" by Bob Shaw. THE ALIEN CRITIC #10 An Inter¬ ert Silverberg. view with Stanislaw Lem; "A Nest of Strange and Wonderful Birds" SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #36 Inter- SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #24 In- by Sam Merwin, Jr.; Robert Bloch's view with Roger Zelazny; A Profile terviews with Bob Shaw, David G. Guest Of Honor speech; The Hein¬ of Philip K. Dick by Charles Platt; Hartwell -and Algis Budrys; "On Be¬ lein Reaction. "Outside the Whale" by Christopher ing a Bit of a Legend" by Algis Priest; "Science Fiction and Polit¬ Budrys. ical Economy" by Mack Reynolds; An Interview with Robert A. Heinlein; SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #25 In¬ "You Got No Friends In This World" terviews with George Scithers, by Orson Scott Card. SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #14 In- and Ursula K. Le terview with Philip Jose Farmer; Guin; "Flying Saucers and the Sty¬ "Thoughts On Logan's Run" by Will¬ mie Factor" by Ray Palmer; ONE $1^50from#3?onward iam F. Nolan; "The Gimlet Eye" by INMORTAL MAN--Part One. John Gustafson. SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #37 Inter- SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #26 In¬ view with Robert Anton Wilson; "We- SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #15 In¬ terviews with Gordon R. Dickson 're Coming Through the Window!" by terview with L. Sprague de Camp; and Larry Niven; "Noise Level" by Barry N. Malzberg; "Inside the "Spec-Fic and the Perry Rhodan John Brunner; "Fee-dom Road" by Whale" -- Jack Williamson, Jerry Ghetto" by Donald C. Thompson; Richard Henry Klump; ONE INMORTAL Poumelle and Jack Chalker; "Uni¬ "Uffish Thots" by Ted White. MAN--Part Two. ties in Digression" by Orson Scott Card. SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #16 In- SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #27 Inter¬ terview with Jerry Poumelle; "The views with Ben Bova and Stephen True and Terrible History of Sci¬ Fabian; "Should Writers Be Serfs... ence Fiction" by Barry Malzberg; r Slaves?"; SF News; SF film news; "Noise Level" by John Brunner; The Ackerman Interview; ONE IM- 'The Literary Masochist" by Rich¬ NDRTAL MAN---Part Three. ard Lupoff.

SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #28 Inter¬ SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #17 In¬ view with C.J. Cherryh; "Beyond terview with George R. R. Martin; Genocide" by Damon Knight; ONE IM¬ Interview with Robert Anton Wilson; MORTAL MAN---Conclusion; SF News; "Philip K. Dick: A Parallax View" SF film news 5 reviews. BACK ISSUE ORDER FORM ON PAGE 66 by Terrence M. Green; "Microcos- mos" by R. Faraday Nelson.