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in this issue by S Michael by Rich Mark E Gender- S Luisah T Luisah by S Sea Change edited by T Small StepOne by E WalksShe inDarkness by Kirstyn McDermott Caution: Contains Small Parts and Djibril al-Ayad edited by Fabio Fernandes We See aDifferent Frontier by Arnason Eleanor Big Mama Stories Paris: APoem by Hope Mirrlees Lud-in-the-Mist and T by Gwynne Garfinkle a tipping point eeing C.M. Kornbluth as wo Eleusinian Mysteries G vangeline Walton .M. Wheeler er randmoth F B e eish atured ook galitarian ehani Wessely wanwick E P R ssay o em e A vi M rtist e ws a g ma

Kath WilhamKath Arts Editor TimmelL. Duchamp Features Editor Nisi Shawl Reviews Editor Lew Gilchriist Managing Editor $5.00 In This Issue Cover banner collagraph of the Cascadia subduction zone byMarilyn Liden Bode Electronic single issue:$3 $10 peryear Electronic Subscription (PDFformat): Print single issue:$5 Print subscription: $16/yr; www.thecsz.com Subscriptions and single issuesonline at: Caution: Contains Small Parts by Kirstyn McDermott Lud-in-the-Mist Paris: and APoem by Hope Mirrlees edited by Fabio Fernandes Djibril al-Ayad and Seeing C.M. Kornbluth as Gender-Egalitarian She WalksShe inDarkness by Evangeline Walton reviewed by Kiini Ibura Salaam One Small StepOne edited by Tehani Wessely reviewed by Andrea Hairston reviewed by Karen Burnham Big Mama Stories by Eleanor Arnason reviewed by Caren Gussoff reviewed by Cynthia Ward V reviewed by Nisi Shawl ol by Garfinkle Gwynne by Michael Swanwick Sea Change by Wheeler S.M. We See aDifferent Frontier . 3N Two Eleusinian Mysteries G Luisah Teish by Mark Rich er randmoth F B e a tipping point o atured ook . 4 E P — R ssay o em O e A vi add 9.5%salestax.] [Washington StateResidents Seattle, WA 98145-2787 P.O. Box 95787 Aqueduct Press To order bycheck, payableto: cto M rtist e h ws h 1 a r be g 20 h h 8 ma h 2013 h h h h 19 h 10 16 13 15 12 18

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men, and feel himself chastened.” himself feel and men, made this clear after an editor made a slip slip a made editor an after clear this made

(cont. on p. 2) p. on (cont. 2

tials to remain exactly as they were. He He were. they as exactly remain to tials arguments of of ­ arguments illogical and prejudice the

- ini byline’s the wanted strongly Cyril these changes were usually made against against made usually were changes these

known degree. known have been more or less permanent, and that that and permanent, less or more been have

- un some to too, accurately, and — takenly notice that any changes wrought by women women by wrought changes any that notice

- mis Kornbluth, C.M. about assumption has held progress back; let him also take take also him let back; progress held has

heroine.…”

the 1950s at least one reviewer made this this made reviewer one least at 1950s the ry book and see how many times mankind mankind times many how see and book ry

of an equally impossible impossible equally an of

accurately. In In accurately. — gested this in the 1930s the in this gested - histo good a of pages the turn Asimov Mr.

the impossible romance romance impossible the

- sug had Moore” “C.L. byline The female. into the story and the part they play. Let Let play. they part the and story the into

any better than he likes likes he than better any

minds of readers, that the author’s sex was was sex author’s the that readers, of minds

a difference in the way they are introduced introduced are they way the in difference a an almost-ridiculous hero hero almost-ridiculous an

with initials opened the possibility, in the the in possibility, the opened initials with mean less women; it means means it women; less mean not does hooey incredible adventures of of adventures incredible

Padgett sort of name. A byline beginning beginning byline A name. of sort Padgett I give my whole-hearted support, but less less but support, whole-hearted my give I the girl fans like the the like fans girl the

adopted something other than a Lewis Lewis a than other something adopted sible heroine.… To his plea for less hooey hooey less for plea his To heroine.… sible him to wonder whether whether wonder to him

I find it striking, however, that Cyril Cyril that however, striking, it find I - impos equally an of romance impossible has never occurred to to occurred never has

how often or how much. how or often how ridiculous hero any better than he likes the the likes he than better any hero ridiculous reply: “Undoubtedly it it “Undoubtedly reply:

[Mary] Byers wrote in in wrote Byers [Mary] although we have almost no idea idea no almost have we although — stories ­ almost- an of adventures incredible the

For another, Mary contributed to Cyril’s Cyril’s to contributed Mary another, For to him to wonder whether the girl fans like like fans girl the whether wonder to him to

one thing, Cyril respected Mary’s writing. writing. Mary’s respected Cyril thing, one in reply: “Undoubtedly it has never occurred occurred never has it “Undoubtedly reply: in

at-all cynical realities seems evident. For For evident. seems realities cynical at-all and advocated their expulsion. Byers wrote wrote Byers expulsion. their advocated and

sort. That the byline did reflect some not- some reflect did byline the That sort. ities in SF stories with women characters, characters, women with stories SF in ities

collaboration” of the Moore and Kuttner Kuttner and Moore the of collaboration” - qual weak associated had fiction, science in

he and Mary were pursuing an “invisible “invisible an pursuing were Mary and he dressing the issue of the “feminine interest” interest” “feminine the of issue the dressing

that friends told also he Yet pedience. - ad in Asimov, Isaac correspondents, these

- ex and convention with dance a in ing feminist. With youthful enthusiasm one of of one enthusiasm youthful With feminist.

- engag was Cyril that cynically conclude decade might have earned her the epithet of of epithet the her earned have might decade

ted this in his correspondence, we might might we correspondence, his in this ted a feisty spirit and an attitude that in a later later a in that attitude an and spirit feisty a

1 - admit he Since time. tax at up add would sent in by male fans, her responses reflected reflected responses her fans, male by in sent

ture bore some relation to how numbers numbers how to relation some bore ture voked by letters in the “Brass Tacks” column column Tacks” “Brass the in letters by voked

i - pic the into Mary bringing and II; War - Pro . Fiction Science Astounding of editor

married just before his service in World World in service his before just married field, Ohio, wrote to John W. Campbell, Jr., Jr., Campbell, W. John to wrote Ohio, field,

“M.” stood for Mary. He and Mary had had Mary and He Mary. for stood “M.” - Spring rural of Byers, Mary named reader

stood for Cyril. He had no middle name. name. middle no had He Cyril. for stood Late in 1938 a young science fiction fiction science young a 1938 in Late

ily name. In “C.M. Kornbluth,” the “C.” “C.” the Kornbluth,” “C.M. In name. ily

A debut. debut. A - fam his acknowledged time first the for

Kornbluth” marked something different: something marked Kornbluth” ing detective stories under a new one that that one new a under stories detective ing

maiden name, to boot to name, maiden the byline “C.M. “C.M. byline the — - publish began teenager, a as bylines of ety

column publication to her name her to publication column her her — - vari a adopted had who Cyril, 1946 In

bluth in the 1930s had only one letter- one only had 1930s the in bluth concealed.

- Korn Mary knowledge, my to Since, least within fan circles, might be said to be be to said be might circles, fan within least

plished and successful woman writer. writer. woman successful and plished a collaboration that had been unveiled, at at unveiled, been had that collaboration a

- accom an of disappearance the marked insofar as as insofar — a husband-wife writing team writing husband-wife a

be said to be concealed. concealed. be to said be

pearances of “Padgett” and “O’Donnell” “O’Donnell” and “Padgett” of pearances O’Donnell.” These men’s names concealed concealed names men’s These O’Donnell.”

within fan circles, might might circles, fan within

- ap the that inescapable seems feeling the include “Lewis Padgett” and “Laurence “Laurence and Padgett” “Lewis include

been unveiled, at least least at unveiled, been

For those who care about such matters, matters, such about care who those For on a regular basis. Their bylines came to to came bylines Their basis. regular a on

collaboration that had had that collaboration

Nothing less. Nothing their professional lives and collaborating collaborating and lives professional their team insofar as a a as insofar —

exactly “C.M. Kornbluth.” Nothing more. more. Nothing Kornbluth.” “C.M. exactly ers, made it known they were uniting uniting were they known it made ers, a husband-wife writing writing husband-wife a

name to be published in a book had to be be to had book a in published be to name - writ professional successful them of both [M]en’s names concealed concealed names [M]en’s

coming down in his insistence that the the that insistence his in down coming Catherine L. Moore and Henry Kuttner, Kuttner, Henry and Moore L. Catherine

the byline you can almost hear his fist fist his hear almost can you byline the publishing, and collaborating, newlyweds newlyweds collaborating, and publishing,

jacket. In a note to another editor about about editor another to note a In jacket. was not yet eighteen but already writing, writing, already but eighteen yet not was

In early 1941, when Cyril Kornbluth Kornbluth Cyril when 1941, early In and put “Cyril M. Kornbluth” on a dust dust a on Kornbluth” M. “Cyril put and

by Mark Rich Mark by

(For Those Who Have Seen Him as Anything But) Anything as Him Seen Have Who Those (For

y 1 Seeing C.M. Kornbluth as Gender-Egalitarian as Kornbluth C.M. Seeing C.M. Kornbluth as Although Asimov did respond in “Brass Drug addiction and alcoholism took her Gender-Egalitarian Tacks,” the full extent of the Byers-Asimov in their grasps and became, like Cyril, life (cont. from p. 1) conversation — serious on her part, boy- companions. Her exuberant life in wartime ishly boisterous on his — will almost cer- Manhattan damaged the young spirit that tainly remain a matter for conjecture. At had so captivated the prewar Futurians. the time, pulp magazines routinely printed All the same, her creativity survived. correspondents’ addresses, an act that en- In Chicago, where the Kornbluths lived couraged network-formation among fans. in the late 1940s, she worked on a novel [A] romance between Byers and Asimov, as a consequence, cor- whose beginnings Cyril regarded highly; the male Futurians as responded directly; Byers then traveled to and she became active in ceramics to the a whole and Mary Byers Manhattan to meet him; and she made a extent of doing commercial work. To the seems to have begun second trip in early January 1941, coin- best of my knowledge the novel beginning instantly — which seems ciding with his twenty-first birthday. This vanished. Her efforts in ceramics likely natural, given their time she made a longer stay in New York, survive, somewhere. Communist-influenced taking a room at the YWCA and meet- I have only undocumented evidence of egalitarian attitudes and ing local luminaries, including Donald one instance when Mary helped write a her assertive spirit. Wollheim, leader of the Futurian Literary C.M. Kornbluth story. It happened before Society of New York, and Campbell. Pre- the Kornbluths’ move from Chicago back sumably, too, she met Campbell’s secretary to the East Coast. Kate MacLean related Kay Tarrant, at a time when Tarrant was, to me, one evening when we sat talking invisibly, one of the most powerful women in the WisCon con suite some years ago, in science fiction publishing. Byers met a conversation she and Mary once had, I other Futurians, as well; and a romance think by telephone. MacLean mentioned between the male Futurians as a whole to Mary that she had read “The Marching and Mary Byers seems to have begun in- Morons,” which had appeared in Galaxy in stantly — which seems natural, given their April 1951. Communist-influenced egalitarian atti- “Did you like the beginning?” said Mary. H Mary held a place of tudes and her assertive spirit.3 “I liked it a great deal,” said Kate. pivotal significance “Good. I wrote that.” 2 in Cyril’s life. Those who have read my book C.M. The month “The Marching Morons” Kornbluth: The Life and Works of a Science appeared in print, the Kornbluths decided Fiction Visionary know more about Mary, to move back East. When they made the factually, than anyone else alive — with the move, Mary was pregnant. After this time exception of those who have had personal she may have had less time to help Cyril contact with her, whose numbers are few, with his career. and dwindling. Mary held a place of pivotal significance Cyril’s real embrace of the Moore and in Cyril’s life. She introduced him to sex. Kuttner visibly invisible collaborative mod- Their subsequent relationship disturbed el awaited the arrival of Judith Merril in his mentor and collaborator, the Commu- his life. nist but socially conservative Don Woll- In wartime New York, Judy Zissman heim, and seems to have forced Cyril’s had an absent husband but a very present break with Wollheim’s circle. Mary then young offspring. Being a mother undoubt- Cyril’s real embrace of the became Cyril’s life-companion: for they edly shaped the form her exuberance took Moore and Kuttner visibly married before he entered the Army. What in wartime and postwar Manhattan — the invisible collaborative happened during World War II proved of relatively sedate form of joining the same model awaited the arrival significance. We have no record that Cyril Futurians that Cyril and Mary had re- of Judith Merril in his life. and Mary had an agreement about their cently rejected. Judy found mentoring and relationship, as did later Futurian Judy companionship in fellow members Johnny Zissman and her serviceman husband Michel and Robert Lowndes — and later, Dan Zissman. Yet it seems evident that outside the society, in Phil Klass, who Mary, remaining behind in New York and published stories under the byline William working as a secretary, enjoyed a freedom Tenn, and Theodore Sturgeon. Divorced that observers in the 1960s might have from Dan Zissman, she in essence mar-

called liberated. She direly threatened her ried science fiction in early 1948 when she

prospects for future happiness, however. became Judith Merril. Later in the year n

n

in his solo writing before collaborating in in collaborating before writing solo his in tures a terrifying character who anticipates anticipates who character terrifying a tures

(cont. on p. 4) p. on (cont.

Cyril had employed Graustarkian form form Graustarkian employed had Cyril - fea also that novel the in appears way, the

­superior. ory. This bright young mathematician, by by mathematician, young bright This ory.

femalekind are not equal to malekind, but but malekind, to equal not are femalekind - the number Cantorian upon stumbles she

outlook as the feeling that certain types of of types certain that feeling the as outlook unexpectedly finds focus for her life when when life her for focus finds unexpectedly

The form not so much expresses a feminist feminist a expresses much so not form The leskaia type: a young woman student who who student woman young a type: leskaia

of things, unlike the embarrassing men. men. embarrassing the unlike things, of - Kova the of character a featured however,

to malekind, but superior. but malekind, to

down to the nitty-gritty, women are on top top on are women nitty-gritty, the to down it. Another novel of his that did see print, print, see did that his of novel Another it.

femalekind are not equal equal not are femalekind

advanced the notion that, when you get get you when that, notion the advanced

letters I believe he wrote some or much of of much or some wrote he believe I letters

that certain types of of types certain that

other words, the Graustarkian melodrama melodrama Graustarkian the words, other

Kovaleskaia. Because of comments in his his in comments of Because Kovaleskaia.

outlook as the feeling feeling the as outlook

even stupid about matters. As a form, in in form, a As matters. about stupid even

as Sophie Kovalefsy, known now as Sofia Sofia as now known Kovalefsy, Sophie as

expresses a feminist feminist a expresses

be somewhat self-deluded, feckless, and and feckless, self-deluded, somewhat be born genius mathematician whom he knew knew he whom mathematician genius born

The form not so much much so not form The

protagonist, the central male character, character, male central the protagonist,

­ Russian- the of life the on based novel a ing

the embarrassing men. men. embarrassing the

integrity. It required that the apparent apparent the that required It integrity.

- writ of dreamed Cyril years Chicago his In

on top of things, unlike unlike things, of top on

siderable competence, intelligence, and and intelligence, competence, siderable

completion and certainly never saw print. print. saw never certainly and completion nitty-gritty, women are are women nitty-gritty,

- con her end, the by revealed, that way

leading character may never have reached reached have never may character leading you get down to the the to down get you

her strength and power in a somewhat sly sly somewhat a in power and strength her

tant novel that featured a vibrant female female vibrant a featured that novel tant the notion that, when when that, notion the

around a woman character who exercised exercised who character woman a around

melodrama advanced advanced melodrama - impor most the although — bluth’s works bluth’s

an unusual story structure that revolved revolved that structure story unusual an

[T]he Graustarkian Graustarkian [T]he ­ Korn among companions had Valerie

eon, in his “Graustark” novels, employed employed novels, “Graustark” his in eon,

mid-20th century American Red-baiter. American century mid-20th

- McCutch Barr George Boucher. thony

pressor of women, and, symbolically, the the symbolically, and, women, of pressor

- An by later made remark chance a for

- op medieval the — the villain of the tale the of villain the

learned about for years, if at all, were it not not it were all, at if years, for about learned

working title, Kornbluth was pointing to to pointing was Kornbluth title, working

ian melodrama ian a form I would not have have not would I form a —

he had accused of being witches. With this this With witches. being of accused had he

- Graustark of lines along so did and , Cade

“pricked” this device into women whom whom women into device this “pricked”

Gunner Gunner title the bear would which novel,

ing a device that earned him his name. He He name. his him earned that device a ing

3 Cyril outlined that second collaborative collaborative second that outlined Cyril

- us Inquisition, the of part as land the eled

done. And Cyril and I were dividing it.” dividing were I and Cyril And done.

4

- trav Scotland medieval in witchpricker

i children. “So there was a lot of work to be be to work of lot a was there “So children.

intended no humor with this name. The The name. this with humor no intended

me. The household included Merril’s two two Merril’s included household The me.

. He He . Witchpricker was title working his for

never condescended in any way,” she told told she way,” any in condescended never

, may not have been Cyril’s: Cyril’s: been have not may , Valerie title,

as every bit as important as his own, and and own, his as important as bit every as

her difficulties by sheer mental ability. The The ability. mental sheer by difficulties her

was a sculptor, and he regarded her work work her regarded he and sculptor, a was

and she pulls herself free of of free herself pulls she and — drugged

to a great extent, a house-husband. Mary Mary house-husband. a extent, great a to

her lusty moments have come of being being of come have moments lusty her

extraordinary man in being willing to be, be, to willing being in man extraordinary

Valerie, however, discovers that some of of some that discovers however, Valerie,

one, and he was for that period of time an an time of period that for was he and one,

collaboration. and also sexual manipulation. manipulation. sexual also and — imposed

a devoted husband to Mary and a gentle gentle a and Mary to husband devoted a

in a visibly invisible invisible visibly a in some of which may have been editorially editorially been have may which of some

usually egalitarian in his actions. “He was was “He actions. his in egalitarian usually

Merril were engaging engaging were Merril — — engages in episodes of primal sexuality primal of episodes in engages

- un as Cyril regarded Judy bedridden. her

Kornbluth and Judith Judith and Kornbluth

cation; and it does feature a woman who who woman a feature does it and cation;

since Mary’s pregnancy, being at risk, left left risk, at being pregnancy, Mary’s since

joint-byline nature. C.M. C.M. nature. joint-byline

- provo sexual and sleaze of bit a welcomed

chores as cooking, cleaning, and childcare, childcare, and cleaning, cooking, as chores

then revealed Cyril Judd’s Judd’s Cyril revealed then

This novel saw publication in a line that that line a in publication saw novel This

Cyril and Judy split writing duties and such such and duties writing split Judy and Cyril

was Cyril Judd—and Judd—and Cyril was

. Valerie novel historical his for character

Cyril, Mary, and Judy shared a household. household. a shared Judy and Mary, Cyril,

upcoming serial’s author author serial’s upcoming

hard-headed, highly intelligent female lead lead female intelligent highly hard-headed,

During the writing of the second novel, novel, second the of writing the During announced that the the that announced

long afterwards, for instance, he created a a created he instance, for afterwards, long

ibly invisible collaboration. collaboration. invisible ibly magazine magazine Galaxy form,

minded, and technically competent. Not Not competent. technically and minded,

and Judith Merril were engaging in a vis a in engaging were Merril Judith and - , appeared in serial serial in appeared , Child

in that story: resourceful, independent- resourceful, story: that in ­ Korn C.M. nature. joint-byline Judd’s bluth bluth Mars Mars first, their before

ating women characters of the sort found found sort the of characters women ating was Cyril Judd Cyril was and then revealed Cyril Cyril revealed then and — duties equally. The month month The equally. duties

- cre in comfortable more bit a felt have to nounced that the upcoming serial’s author author serial’s upcoming the that nounced novels, sharing writing writing sharing novels,

writer half of Cyril Judd, Kornbluth seems seems Kornbluth Judd, Cyril of half writer collaborated on two two on collaborated - an magazine Galaxy form, serial in peared

interesting. Although Judy was the female- the was Judy Although interesting. She [Merril] and Kornbluth Kornbluth and [Merril] She , ap , Child Mars first, their before month -

missed as unimportant as missed a dismissal I find find I dismissal a — novels, sharing writing duties equally. The The equally. duties writing sharing novels,

- dis me, with interview an in Judy, that She and Kornbluth collaborated on two two on collaborated Kornbluth and She

“Cyril Judd” also published a novelette novelette a published also Judd” “Cyril she remained married to science fiction. science to married remained she

in his novelist’s toolbox afterwards. toolbox novelist’s his in Frederik Pohl. In the public eye, however, however, eye, public the In Pohl. Frederik

, and would retain it it retain would and , Cade Gunner on 1951 she entered her short-lived marriage to to marriage short-lived her entered she C.M. Kornbluth as ­Robert Bloch’s ­Norman Bates, but who, science fiction readers of the 1950s who Gender-Egalitarian unlike Bates, actually is a woman. subscribed to science fiction magazines or bought them on newsstands, and read (cont. from p. 3) Cyril may not have regarded his social them thoroughly. These readers tended to attitude as “feminist,” that being a term find their novels in the magazines, and to having different meanings in different keep those issues for future reference. If a times; yet in his interest in Kovaleskaia serial did appear as a book from a publish- he would have been aware of the ferment ing house, such readers were apt to buy in Russia in the 1860s, which encouraged that, too. Buying the book bore no neces- Cyril may not have young women to aspire to and sometimes sary connection to reading it, however: for regarded his social attitude achieve, as she did, intellectual liberty. they had read it already. as “feminist,” that being However he might have named his sexu- Robert Silverberg carefully read my a term having different ally egalitarian attitude, he demonstrated book immediately after publication and meanings in different it in his life and work. found himself taken aback when he learned times.… However he A problem arises, then. Why has percep- that The Space Merchants is an altered and might have named his tion of Kornbluth strayed so far from real- shortened version of the prior serial Gravy sexually egalitarian ity? Take a program item at WisCon, for Planet, published in Galaxy. From 1953 attitude, he demonstrated example, from a few years back. A panel’s until early 2010, when my book appeared, it in his life and work. description said that something — I fail to Bob thought he had read The Space Mer- remember what specifically — was “as un- chants when in fact he never had. He had imaginable as a feminist C.M. Kornbluth.” read only Gravy Planet — a superior and I have a few notions as to how and why sometimes beautiful performance. I regard this odd, contrary-to-facts perception the serial as quite Kornbluthian, even if came into being. Several major book pub- not as richly textured as the earlier Takeoff. lications in Cyril’s lifetime, for instance, As Cyril had done with the beginning must have encouraged such a perception. of Judy’s Mars novel, he completely re- Their bylines included the C.M. Kornbluth wrote a fragment of Pohl’s and placed it H A problem arises, then. name; and their texts have offered the read- within a novelistic structure — Graustark- Why has perception of ing world major signs of a writerly attitude ian, as it happens; and in this case he 4 Kornbluth strayed so far and writerly approach that goes far afield seems to have sailed on to nearly the end- from reality? from anything we could call gender egali- ing, which he left for Pohl to fill in. Pohl tarianism, anything we might say reflected turned this novel in to Galaxy as it stood, conscious awareness of society’s need to however, and soon communicated to Cyril offer to women and men opportunities to that editor Horace Gold was complaining achieve intellectual freedom equally. that the manuscript was too short. Cyril then finished the novel with the last gritty, Those who know about my long preoc- unusual chapters that hammer the nails on cupation with Kornbluth may be surprised the coffin of the male protagonist, who fi- to hear that I have never felt particular nally learns in his guts exactly what kind of enthusiasm for The Space Merchants, which I learned that key a dohinckus he is while finding the means people who had praised Kornbluth co-authored with Frederik Pohl. for restoring himself to usefulness in the The Space Merchants The novel starts slowly, and offers facile new society he has entered. for decades had never passages in places where humanistic ob- When The Space Merchants came out actually read it. servations might be more fitting. At about from Ballantine Books, however, it lacked one-quarter through it picks up veloc- not only that full-bellows diapason-and- The Space Merchants is ity — only to reach an ending we might at crescendo Graustarkian ending of Gravy an altered and shortened best call cute. Once I became acquainted Planet, but also vital parts of its novelistic version of the prior serial with the tautly dramatic Takeoff, Cyril’s structure, including the main display of in- Gravy Planet, published first novel, and the intelligently engag- tellectually free thought on the part of the in Galaxy. ing Mars Child, I wondered why The Space central female character, medical doctor Merchants had achieved such prominence. Kathy Nevin. In the book she appears as I discovered part of the answer after an airhead prone to giggles.5 publication of my Kornbluth: for I learned In their collaborations Kornbluth and that key people who had praised The Space Pohl seldom used the Kornbluth-Richard

Merchants for decades had never actu- Wilson system of the “hot typewriter” — a

ally read it. By “key people” I mean core system for producing a single, quick rough n

n

roaringly chauvinist character that Ross Ross that character chauvinist roaringly episode taking place on the planet Azor, Azor, planet the on place taking episode

(cont. on p. 6) p. on (cont.

lently demanded of himself,” express the the express himself,” of demanded lently for such scenes as this but because of the the of because but this as scenes such for

- si “he questions these and “bitterly,” made The novel appeared on Russ’s list not not list Russ’s on appeared novel The

ruminations ­ ruminations these corrected, until ideas and and did not take his hands away.” hands his take not did and

8

ing his own mistaken or off-kilter thoughts thoughts off-kilter or mistaken own his ing He set her down easily, crouching himself, himself, crouching easily, down her set He

- pursu character male the with novels, own curved under that loose shirt, he learned. learned. he shirt, loose that under curved

been taking the approach that he used in his his in used he that approach the taking been without too much trouble... She was ripely ripely was She trouble... much too without

of his style. Given that he seemed to have have to seemed he that Given style. his of her exhausted by heat: “He picked her up up her picked “He heat: by exhausted her

ten by Kornbluth, for it contains elements elements contains it for Kornbluth, by ten by a loose shirt.” Later that day he finds finds he day that Later shirt.” loose a by

- writ been have well may passage This was like, it was covered from neck to knee knee to neck from covered was it like, was

was all.” was wondered about her figure. Whatever it it Whatever figure. her about wondered

11

nest. For the egg came first. Motherhood Motherhood first. came egg the For nest. in Chapter Five: “Ross liked her face and and face her liked “Ross Five: Chapter in

the shredded scraps would be made into a a into made be would scraps shredded the ing the central female character, Helena, Helena, character, female central the ing collaborative or solo work. solo or collaborative

a first-folio Shakespeare to a broody hen; hen; broody a to Shakespeare first-folio a - meet first when thought this has Ross, ter, of any other Kornbluth Kornbluth other any of

of the F-T-L drive? It was like entrusting entrusting like was It drive? F-T-L the of - charac male main the Sky the Search In work to the exclusion exclusion the to work

truth appreciate the ultimate importance importance ultimate the appreciate — readers to that particular particular that to readers

Pohl, only six days more. days six only Pohl, great sonata, or discovered a great scientific scientific great a discovered or sonata, great

directing feminist-oriented feminist-oriented directing 7

only nine days, and whose revision, by by revision, whose and days, nine only ture, written a great book, composed a a composed book, great a written ture, the combined effect of of effect combined the

haps, for a book whose rough draft took took draft rough whose book a for haps, lists may have had had have may lists - pic great a painted ever had class which

- per impression, unsurprising an — bad Russ’s and Larbalestier’s Larbalestier’s and Russ’s could any female any could no single member of of member single no —

the novel verges on the embarrassingly embarrassingly the on verges novel the foundry? How How foundry? ­ baby- biological a to mean

chapters. It also confirmed my sense that that sense my confirmed also It chapters. self, did the greatest of scientific discoveries discoveries scientific of greatest the did self,

numbered ­ numbered even- in then and beginning, the - him of demanded silently he What, tom.

ian passages, of a muted sort, appearing at at appearing sort, muted a of passages, ian - cus sterile in embalmed or lost secret the

­ Kornbluth of previously than impression todians of a universe-racking truth; and see see and truth; universe-racking a of todians

that sense, although I gained a stronger stronger a gained I although sense, that - cus Cavallos, the like them, make F-T-L;

5 moment.” My latest re-reading confirmed confirmed re-reading latest My moment.” self-seeking; trust them with the secret of of secret the with them trust self-seeking;

lack of a single defining Kornbluthian Kornbluthian defining single a of lack women were basically inward-directed and and inward-directed basically were women

i , I called it “puzzling for its its for “puzzling it called I , Kornbluth In appears: “Women, Ross thought bitterly, bitterly, thought Ross “Women, appears:

accords with my experience as a reader. reader. a as experience my with accords In Chapter Ten the following passage passage following the Ten Chapter In

novel than Kornbluth’s, an assessment that that assessment an Kornbluth’s, than novel mechanized anyhow.” mechanized

10

as more his his more as Sky the Search regarded Pohl physical work would have to be fairly well well fairly be to have would work physical

bluth collaborative or solo work. solo or collaborative ­ bluth Korn upper hand on a planet, most of the hard hard the of most planet, a on hand upper

ticular work to the exclusion of any other other any of exclusion the to work ticular en were to have any chance of gaining the the gaining of chance any have to were en

- par that to readers feminist-oriented ing - wom if guessed; he machinery, Automatic

- direct of effect combined the had have somehow everything seemed to get done. done. get to seemed everything somehow

cursory, Russ’s and Larbalestier’s lists may may lists Larbalestier’s and Russ’s cursory, anything very productive, he thought, but but thought, he productive, very anything

While her notes about the novel are fairly fairly are novel the about notes her While around him: “Nobody seemed to be doing doing be to seemed “Nobody him: around

. Sky the Search only discusses herself she the same.” He analyzes the technical world world technical the analyzes He same.” the

6

with which Kornbluth had involvement, involvement, had Kornbluth which with by the smoothness of her chin, a woman all all woman a chin, her of smoothness the by

; and of the books books the of and ; Sky the Search includes makeup; but by the hair, by the brows and and brows the by hair, the by but makeup;

to be pro-feminist in intention,” which which intention,” in pro-feminist be to attractive-looking woman, for she wore no no wore she for woman, attractive-looking

Joanna Russ’s list of stories that “appear “appear that stories of list Russ’s Joanna necessary clue: it was a woman. Not a very very a Not woman. a was it clue: necessary

. Larbalestier cites cites Larbalestier . Fiction Science in Sexes hair loose, which provided Ross with the the with Ross provided which loose, hair

The Battle of the the of Battle The Larbalestier’s Justine tative of Azor. “The figure shook its long long its shook figure “The Azor. of tative than Kornbluth’s…. than

to the question at hand, to judge from from judge to hand, at question the to - represen first his meets he when as types, as more his novel novel his more as Sky

has particular relevance relevance particular has Sky the Search - stereo and attitudes society’s his and his Search the the Search regarded Pohl

, a 1955 Ballantine. Ballantine. 1955 a , Drowning Is Town A Ross’s thoughts in Chapter Seven reveal reveal Seven Chapter in thoughts Ross’s the question at hand.… at question the

particular relevance to to relevance particular book, and a contemporary-disaster novel, novel, contemporary-disaster a and book, incomplete and inconsistent one, however. however. one, inconsistent and incomplete

has has Sky the Search , a 1954 Ballantine Ballantine 1954 a , Sky the Search episodic terms of social power. The reversal is an an is reversal The power. social of terms

unfortunate depictions of women: the the women: of depictions unfortunate placing women above men, as a class, in in class, a as men, above women placing

final manuscripts Pohl typed up, contain contain up, typed Pohl manuscripts final tom.” On Azor, a reversal has occurred, occurred, has reversal a Azor, On

9

two novels written hot typewriter, whose whose typewriter, hot written novels two - cus matriarchal in-driven an under ile

tions of rough drafts and revisions. The The revisions. and drafts rough of tions an act of God could break” could God of act an - “ster world a —

- alterna progressive and steady of system self-centered matriarchal order that only only that order matriarchal self-centered

draft, in contrast to the Kornbluth-Merril Kornbluth-Merril the to contrast in draft, where Ross and Helena encounter “a rigid, rigid, “a encounter Helena and Ross where C.M. Kornbluth as actually is — and not the writer behind the Much later Pohl stated in print that he Gender-Egalitarian character, who hastily pounded the words “got back” at Cyril and Judy for how they (cont. from p. 5) onto platen-backed typing paper, and who had portrayed him in their second novel. was quite aware of women’s achievements “In Gunner Cade there is a sniveling, mean- in the arts and sciences.­ spirited petty punk who plays an impor- However reasonable an approach this tant if whiney part. Around that time Judy was, however, the fact remains that the Merril’s four-year-old daughter was still [T]he fact remains that novel was almost undoubtedly Kornbluth’s having trouble with complicated names; the novel was almost to a smaller degree than it was Pohl’s. He the closest to mine she could come was undoubtedly Kornbluth’s may have written the passage above, think- ‘Threadwick’ — and that’s the name of the to a smaller degree than ing that in the final chapters Ross would sniveling punk. (The ways in which I then it was Pohl’s…. enter his darkest night and find reason for got back at Cyril and Judy any interested self-abnegation, and then discover a glim- scholar is welcome to seek out for him- His reward for all that mer of hope for his human soul’s return 12 he gave up? His name self.)” The character, as it happens, was became associated with to wholeness. The story that he held in his named Fledwick — Fledwick, the Thief. a ramshackle melodrama mind, as he wrote his alternating chapters, Judy never read Pohl’s altered version with the redeeming was to Gravy Planet what the final result, of Mars Child and so never learned that ending left off…. Search the Sky, was to The Space Merchants. Pohl’s alterations were multiple, not sin- In helping with this project Kornbluth gular — until I compared the versions and must have known he was giving away a told her. great deal. This nine-day’s wonder was The changes themselves would provoke stealing from his own work. It lifted the no great scandal: the altered passages offer ending chapters, thought-by-thought if low-grade titillation. Scandalous, however, not word-by-word, out of “The Marching is Pohl’s presumption as an editor that he Morons”; it took the symbolist and satiric could alter a novel for commercial and also worldview of that story to shape a homily- personal reasons — alter a novel to which sweet conclusion; it may have absorbed its collaborative writers had brought the H the election episode from that story’s early best of their technical and artistic abilities. draft; and it gave expression to the motif If Pohl sought to degrade Judy’s image, he 6 that had haunted him from his youth: that may have succeeded. If Pohl sought to de- of the rocket trip that is death. grade the image of his erstwhile collabora- His reward for all that he gave up? His tor whom he claimed as a friend — there, name became associated with a ramshack- too, he may have succeeded. le melodrama with the redeeming ending Sin in Space serves as an example of left off; associated with a hasty, episodic Pohl’s assumed custodianship of the Korn­ satire that would posthumously give him bluth legacy.13 a place in feminist critiques of science fic- As unimaginable as a feminist C.M. tion; associated with a humdrum literary Kornbluth? In 1961, when he had production that would make, for some Imagine that. control over Galaxy readers, imagining a feminist C.M. Korn- magazine and was issuing bluth impossible. Notes novels under the Galaxy 1. This essay springs from the talk “The imprint, Frederik Pohl In 1961, when he had control over Feminist Readers No Longer See: How reissued Mars Child. Galaxy magazine and was issuing novels Kornbluth’s Egalitarian Fiction Has He commissioned a under the Galaxy imprint, Frederik Pohl Been Altered Beyond Recognition,” pre- cover showing a woman reissued Mars Child. He commissioned a sented at the 2013 WisCon in Madison. provocatively lifting her cover showing a woman provocatively lift- sweater, and retitled it Sin ing her sweater, and retitled it Sin in Space. 2. Byers, Mary. Letter, “Brass Tacks.” As- in Space. While the word “sin” may not reflect an tounding Science Fiction, Dec. 1938, anti-feminist attitude, in and of itself, the pp. 160-1. Reproduced in Larbalestier, image evoked in the reader’s mind by the 2002, p. 120. title Sin in Space, combined with that new 3. Larbalestier, 2002, devotes space to the cover painting, reflected nothing of the “feminine interest” correspondence that novel’s broadly humanistic vision. drew in Byers, and reproduces other let-

Pohl told Merril that he had rewritten ters to Astounding than hers. The Byers

a paragraph to justify the cover painting. story ends there, however, in that book. n

n

1954: Archives, Syracuse University.) Syracuse Archives, 1954: Wisconsin.

Pohl to Cyril Kornbluth, February 27, 27, February Kornbluth, Cyril to Pohl He lives and works in in works and lives He

& Co. &

damn nuisance, all the same.” (Frederik (Frederik same.” the all nuisance, damn . . Visionary Fiction Science

. Jefferson, NC. McFarland McFarland NC. Jefferson, . Visionary

I don’t suppose it really does. But it’s a a it’s But does. really it suppose don’t I The Life and Works of a a of Works and Life The

Life and Works of a Science Fiction Fiction Science a of Works and Life or so, anyway, it seems at the time; time; the at seems it anyway, so, or — ing C.M. Kornbluth: Kornbluth: C.M. of author

- writ the than time more takes which . He is is He . Stories Amazing C.M. Kornbluth: The The Kornbluth: C.M. 2010. Mark, Rich,

and listening to comments on the story, story, the on comments to listening and , and and , Age SF Analog,

York: Baen Books. Baen York:

, , Fools of Ship and , Rattle and collecting the money for the story story the for money the collecting and

(revised). New New (revised). Sky the Search 1985. , —

Poem, Poem, as venues such in selling the story and explaining the story story the explaining and story the selling

Mark Rich has published published has Rich Mark into New York and talking to the editors, editors, the to talking and York New into lantine Books. lantine

the infuriating business of going going of business infuriating the — all

- Bal York: New . Sky the Search 1954.

on that as on on as that on — nine days to write, plus write, to days nine

Pohl, Frederik, and C.M. Kornbluth, Kornbluth, C.M. and Frederik, Pohl,

days rewriting the book that took us us took that book the rewriting days

I spent six long, hard hard long, six spent I — made a bad deal bad a made Books.

, for instance, I I instance, for , Sky the Search on “But 7. . New York: Del Rey, Ballantine Ballantine Rey, Del York: New . Was

Larbalestier, 2002, p. 73. p. 2002, Larbalestier, 6. The Way the Future Future the Way The 1976. Frederik, Pohl,

good first drafts. first good

CN: Wesleyan University Press. University Wesleyan CN:

his Futurian days, of writing remarkably remarkably writing of days, Futurian his

. Middletown, Middletown, . Fiction Science in Sexes

draft: for he had the reputation, from from reputation, the had he for draft:

The Battle of the the of Battle The 2002. Justine, Larbalestier,

content to be “out of it” after the rough rough the after it” of “out be to content

note below.) Kornbluth may have felt felt have may Kornbluth below.) note

Works Cited Works his “half ” of the work on novels. (See the the (See novels. on work the of ” “half his

this “dealing” as contributing heavily to to heavily contributing as “dealing” this

dence makes it clear that he regarded regarded he that clear it makes dence

- correspon Pohl’s publishers.” and tors call these finished pieces “fragments.” pieces finished these call

- edi with dealing the all did always I and titled “The Meeting.” Pohl would later later would Pohl Meeting.” “The titled

), ), Wolfbane together, did we novel last the

7 ished literary miniatures, including one one including miniatures, literary ished

always did the final revisions (except on on (except revisions final the did always

- pol of number a peddling was death,

the book was done, he was out of it. I I it. of out was he done, was book the

i Altshuler, who in 1958, the year of Cyril’s Cyril’s of year the 1958, in who Altshuler,

working treaty. After the rough draft of of draft rough the After treaty. working

Cyril’s last agent was not Pohl but Harry Harry but Pohl not was agent last Cyril’s however, he noted, “Cyril and I had a a had I and “Cyril noted, he however,

I use the word “assumed” for good reason. reason. good for “assumed” word the use I 13. comments about Kornbluth. On p. 183, 183, p. On Kornbluth. about comments

Pohl, 1976, Frederik Pohl offered few few offered Pohl Frederik 1976, Pohl,

Baen Books, p. 10. p. Books, Baen

which the Ballantine version omitted. In In omitted. version Ballantine the which

. New York: York: New . Syndic The 1982. Kornbluth,

— — build-up and then delivery at the end the at delivery then and build-up

, by C.M. Kornbluth.” In C.M. C.M. In Kornbluth.” C.M. by , Syndic The

only comes through when it has an early early an has it when through comes only

Pohl, Frederik, 1982. “Introduction to to “Introduction 1982. Frederik, Pohl, 12. radical conservationism, however, really really however, conservationism, radical

servationists. The thematic element of of element thematic The servationists.

, p. 90. p. , . Ibid 11.

- con rabid course of were authors the

him, also remains unchanged in 1985. in unchanged remains also him, , with the point being that that being point the with , Merchants

is abashedly contrite and deferential to to deferential and contrite abashedly is The Space Space The about point the missing were

point he wrote to Pohl that reviewers reviewers that Pohl to wrote he point which Helena, after a fight with Ross, Ross, with fight a after Helena, which

the Ballantine Books version. At one one At version. Books Ballantine the in the 1985 revision. Another scene, in in scene, Another revision. 1985 the in

across clear evidence that Cyril ever read read ever Cyril that evidence clear across

Ibid., p. 70, 72-3. These passages remain remain passages These 72-3. 70, p. Ibid., 10.

. In my research I’ve never come come never I’ve research my In . bluth

figure at the novel’s end, on Earth. on end, novel’s the at figure - Korn in detail some in this discuss I 5.

scription given by the ruling-intelligent ruling-intelligent the by given scription

Rich, 2010, pp. 174-5. pp. 2010, Rich, 4.

- de the is latter the thoughts; Ross’s sents

take interest. take

- repre former The 163. p. and 90 p. Ibid., 9.

may come to light, if Asimov scholars scholars Asimov if light, to come may

More information about her first visit visit first her about information More duced into the story.” the into duced

time of her second visit to Manhattan. Manhattan. to visit second her of time - intro are characters] [women way “the

presents aspects of Mary’s story from the the from story Mary’s of aspects presents

batim. It calls to mind Byers’s note about about note Byers’s mind to calls It batim.

Kornbluth own My G. was initial middle

- ver passage this retains page, copyright

ing the Kornbluth connection. Mary’s Mary’s connection. Kornbluth the ing

“substantially different,” according to the the to according different,” “substantially

- mak from Larbalestier prevented have

Pohl’s 1985 revision for Baen, although although Baen, for revision 1985 Pohl’s a minor error that may may that error minor a — Evelyn Byers” Evelyn

Byers on p. 121 is identified as “Mary “Mary as identified is 121 p. on Byers Pohl and Kornbluth, 1954, pp. 50-1. 50-1. pp. 1954, Kornbluth, and Pohl 8. y Two Eleusinian Mysteries Lud-in-the-Mist and Paris: A Poem by Hope Mirrlees by Michael Swanwick

There are many writers who created a Hope Mirrlees was in many single great work, sometimes among a ways the epitome of the slew of lesser attempts, other times not. Jazz Age writer. But I can think of only one who created Her fantasy novel Lud-in- two great works, one each in separate liter- the-Mist was published to ary forms. That writer was Hope Mirrlees. rave reviews, and Virginia Mirrlees was in many ways the epit- Woolf, who printed “Paris: ome of the Jazz Age writer. She had an A Poem,”…characterized aristocratic background, an independent it as “obscure, indecent income, an excellent education, a much- and brilliant.” gossiped-about lifestyle divided between to become king that we’ve all been taught Yet Mirrlees faded quietly London and Paris, and literary connec- to demand. into obscurity and silence. tions with everybody from Gertrude Stein Chanticleer is also more than half in to William Butler Yeats. She was glamor- love with death, a fact he keeps secret from ous enough to merit an appearance in the the world, and one that cuts to the heart English edition of Vogue, and beautiful to of the novel, though the connection only boot. Her fantasy novel Lud-in-the-Mist becomes clear at the end. was published to rave reviews, and Vir- Dorimare, the sleepy mercantile nation ginia Woolf, who printed “Paris: A Poem,” of which Lud-in-the-Mist is the capital, as the fourth work by Hogarth Press, her borders on Fairyland, a fact that respect- kitchen table imprint, characterized it as able people hold shameful. So much so “obscure, indecent and brilliant.” that all references to it are considered ob- H Yet Mirrlees faded quietly into obscu- scenities. The worst insult in that land is rity and silence. Only in her old age were to be called a Son of a Fairy and the vilest 8 her two great works republished. Lud-in- crime is to eat fairy fruit. the-Mist reappeared because Lin Carter It is a calamity, then, when mysterious discovered that by American copyright forces begin to smuggle fairy fruit into law it was in the public domain and slung Lud-in-the-Mist, and one that its burghers it into his Ballantine Adult Fantasy line would rather deny is happening than ac- without asking her permission, and “Paris, tually grapple with. But the consequences a Poem” appeared in a mimeographed aca- of eating it are madness and death. First, demic magazine, bowdlerized by the poet Chanticleer’s daughter — and her entire herself. Hardly an auspicious beginning finishing school — are exposed to the fruit for a literary reevaluation. Her saga, how- and in a wild frenzy dance away from their ever, doesn’t end there. homes toward the Elfin Marches. Then his But first, we should look at Lud-in- young son confesses to being addicted to the-Mist. fairy fruit as well. It is time for Nat to rouse Time has been kind to this novel. When himself from his lifelong slumber and fight it came out, there were no expectations for back. Yet those same shadowy forces from a fantasy novel other than the expectation beyond the Debatable Hills have engi- that it would be twee — and it certainly neered his disgrace and impeachment. confounded that one. Now, however, we all In order to save his family (and, inciden- know what’s coming when we open such a tally, heal his marriage) Nat Chanticleer book. But it’s certainly not what Mirrlees will have to go up against the coordinated provides. Consider only her hero, Nathan- forces of the supernatural alone. Fortu- iel Chanticleer, who is a) plump, b) mar- nately, there’s more to him than he knows. ried, c) unhappily so, d) with children, e) There are many pleasures to be found respectable, f) prosperous, g) complacent, in Mirrlees’s novel: The charming names Grandmother Magma and h) the mayor of the eponymous town of characters such as Hyacinth Quick-

of Lud-in-the-Mist. This is certainly not scuttle and Endymion Leer and places like

the heroic young farm boy with a destiny Mothgreen, Appleimp Lane, and Swan- n

n

ventional reality. ventional combination of ideas. Right at the the at Right ideas. of combination ­ or

(cont. on p. 11) p. on (cont.

single word that expresses a whole phrase phrase whole a expresses that word single - con with takes fantasy that liberties treme

“I want a holophrase.” A holophrase is a a is holophrase A holophrase.” a want “I - ex the of worthy theme a is Which

Let’s go back to that first line, however, however, line, first that to back go Let’s

stay to hearken, still sing on. sing still hearken, to stay

subject had never come up. come never had subject

too, which, whether a man sail by or or by sail man a whether which, too,

read it, Mirrlees, typically, replied that the the that replied typically, Mirrlees, it, read

that he will return no more no return will he that voices, voices, —

when asked, late in life, whether Eliot had had Eliot whether life, in late asked, when

and to which if he hearken it may be be may it hearken he if which to and

would certainly have given him a copy. But But copy. a him given have certainly would

from his “Land of Heart’s Desire,” Desire,” Heart’s of “Land his from

out. Their mutual friend, Virginia Woolf, Woolf, Virginia friend, mutual Their out.

phy, magical voices calling to a man man a to calling voices magical phy,

forms at the time “Paris: A Poem” came came Poem” A “Paris: time the at forms

- philoso or art, or love of whether

whose verse was all written in traditional traditional in written all was verse whose

alised, imperious longings, ecstasies, ecstasies, longings, imperious alised,

Eliot, who was a close personal friend and and friend personal close a was who Eliot,

- immor yet as life in impulses the

it had to have been an influence on T. S. S. T. on influence an been have to had it

to the ancient and the modern, for for modern, the and ancient the to

in depth, incidentally, has concluded that that concluded has incidentally, depth, in

The Sirens stand, as it would seem, seem, would it as stand, Sirens The

Everyone who has studied this poem poem this studied has who Everyone

Still, when I did, I deemed it brilliant. it deemed I did, I when Still,

Harrison’s books: Harrison’s

judgment on it. on judgment

opening epigram, taken from one of Jane Jane of one from taken epigram, opening

ens of times before I felt qualified to pass pass to qualified felt I before times of ens

theme, I’m convinced, is spelled out in the the in out spelled is convinced, I’m theme,

- doz it read to had I work. requires always

voking either drugs or politics. The true true The politics. or drugs either voking

the rest of the poem is easier to follow, it it follow, to easier is poem the of rest the

- in usually about, is novel this what actly ing of train wheels on the rails. But while while But rails. the on wheels train of ing

- ex explain to attempts many read I’ve - clack the suggest to intended also is and midnight.

existence, as we know them, still apply. still them, know we as existence, in the sun rising out of of out rising sun the in Frogs The Aristophanes’ from chorus the

ancholy, slightly baffled man. The laws of laws The man. baffled slightly ancholy, underworld, culminating culminating underworld, and that “Brekekekek coax coax,” is part of of part is coax,” coax “Brekekekek that and

- mel a remains he triumph, in even Yet formal descent into the the into descent formal rison, with whom Mirrlees shared rooms; rooms; shared Mirrlees whom with rison,

ages of Paris the same same the Paris of ages der they did not know was lost. was know not did they der - Har of interest particular a were vases the

9 through the streets and and streets the through

- or an restore and terror pervasive its from are posters and the names of stations; that that stations; of names the and posters are

gives a daylong ramble ramble daylong a gives

then returns to rescue Lud-in-the-Mist Lud-in-the-Mist rescue to returns then

journal; that the other capitalized words words capitalized other the that journal;

one great poem…, which which poem…, great one i

that boundary into the unknowable, and and unknowable, the into boundary that martre and also the name of a Dadaist Dadaist a of name the also and martre

commonality with Mirrlees’s Mirrlees’s with commonality

final daring, Nathaniel Chanticleer crosses crosses Chanticleer Nathaniel daring, final

- Mont and Montparnasse connecting way

[T]his is its point of of point its is [T]his

prehended by mere reason. In an act of of act an In reason. mere by prehended

- rail underground an is Nord-Sud know

the Eleusinian Mysteries.… Mysteries.… Eleusinian the

- com be can that all behind leave to is der I can see you quail in horror. It helps to to helps It horror. in quail you see can I

is a reenactment of of reenactment a is Mist

- bor its cross to that and dead, the of souls

DUBONNET Lud-in-the- of climax [T]he

learns that Fairyland is inhabited by the the by inhabited is Fairyland that learns

under the Seine the ­ under In the course of the book, the reader reader the book, the of course the In

Brekekekek coax coax we are passing passing are we coax coax Brekekekek is actually anything but. anything actually is

DEPUTES DES CHAMBRE that on the surface looks conventional but but conventional looks surface the on that

(DUBONNET) SOLFERINO complishment. Which was to write a tale tale a write to was Which complishment.

(DUBONNET) BAC DU RUE - ac Mirrlees’s describe to inadequate sarily

- neces but true All story.” detective a and Black-figured vases in Etruscan tombs Etruscan in vases Black-figured

low comedy, a high comedy, a ghost story story ghost a comedy, high a comedy, low

CACAO BLOOKER CACAO

elogue or a history, becomes a pastorale, a a pastorale, a becomes history, a or elogue

NOIR LION

- trav a as begins book “The wrote, Gaiman

ZIG-ZAG

, Neil Neil , Lud-in-the-Mist of edition terworks

NORD-SUD

- Mas Fantasy the to introduction the In

I want a holophrase a want I and turns the plot takes. plot the turns and

pleasure lies in the unforeseeable twists twists unforeseeable the in lies pleasure rising out of midnight. Here’s how it begins: it how Here’s midnight. of out rising

only be called magisterial. But its greatest greatest its But magisterial. called be only into the underworld, culminating in the sun sun the in culminating underworld, the into

turns the plot takes. plot the turns

pick up on. A command of prose that can can that prose of command A on. up pick

and ages of Paris the same formal descent descent formal same the Paris of ages and unforeseeable twists and and twists unforeseeable

sexual references for the sharp-eyed to to sharp-eyed the for references sexual gives a daylong ramble through the streets streets the through ramble daylong a gives pleasure lies in the the in lies pleasure

and other supernatural creatures. Hidden Hidden creatures. supernatural other and poem (she wrote many minor ones), which which ones), minor many wrote (she poem novel…. But its greatest greatest its But novel….

knowing glimpses of Robin Goodfellow Goodfellow Robin of glimpses knowing of commonality with Mirrlees’s one great great one Mirrlees’s with commonality of to be found in Mirrlees’s Mirrlees’s in found be to

superstar of Classical Studies), including including Studies), Classical of superstar ian Mysteries. If so, then this is its point point its is this then so, If Mysteries. ian There are many pleasures pleasures many are There

(her mentor was Jane Ellen Harrison, a a Harrison, Ellen Jane was mentor (her - Eleusin the of reenactment a is the-Mist

Lud-in- of climax the reading, my By on-the-Dapple. A canny use of folklore folklore of use canny A on-the-Dapple. y Lush, Disciplined, and Hyper-Real “what terrible things hid[e] be- neath tender skin, mounds like Sea Change by S.M. Wheeler, monstrous slugs blued by veins Tor Books, June 2013, 304 pp., $24.99. and covered over in a new- reviewed by Nisi Shawl born’s gloss of blood” (p. 82). In exchange for these viscera Lilly receives accurate information. Its beautiful cover is wor- But finding her friend is not thy of this book. At once rude the same as freeing him. To The story’s surface is that and artistic, it depicts the accomplish this she must hunt of a fantasy in the style of concept of depiction using for a dead tailor who makes the Brothers Grimm. But items crucial to the contents: magical coats; to acquire his the lambent surfaces of scissors, keys, a lock of hair, a services she must indenture those tales of woodcutters, tooth, roots, a tentacle, a curv- herself to murdering bandits homemakers, and ing needle, rosemary sprigs, and a skinless witch, and so on. One quest fishermen shift to reveal and dead, peeling twigs form the letters moody depths…. leads to another. Tasks sprout further tasks. of its title, ornate upon a stark ground of And nothing is as easy as deciding it must cracked white paint. The letters are em- be done; everything takes time and trouble. bossed, inviting tactile confirmation of Wheeler lovingly notes the blisters born their smoothness, their tangles, their deli- of chopping wood, the tired resentment cacy — even the needle’s thread raises itself festering between criminals constrained to be touched. to spend years in one another’s company, Sea Change is Wheeler’s first novel. The the three full days of labor needed to dig a story’s surface is that of a fantasy in the grave in frozen earth. style of the Brothers Grimm. But the lam- The author of Sea Change includes de- bent surfaces of those tales of woodcutters, tails often skipped in more conventional homemakers, and fishermen shift to re- fairytales. There is much that is tangible and H veal moody depths, and Sea Change turns tasteable, and much to be smelled. The dead by fine gradations from a window onto a tailor’s housekeeper feeds Lilly biscuits 10 realm of plausibly mundane magic into an “lemon-bright, hazelnut-rich” (p. 109). A entrance way. Reading it is like walking false charm, a “somewhat preserved” dog’s home to wonder. nose, has a “greasy, putrid texture, the scent Lilly, offspring of a supposedly happy- alike to stomach acid” (p. 141). ever-after coupling, survives the acid-­ While it’s tempting to dwell exclusively drenched hate her parents’ love has on this book’s sensory power, it has other dwindled down to with the help of a secret strengths. Among these is its valuation friend she finds on the beach. The friend, of friendship over romantic and sexual Octavius, is a child like she is, but the love. Lilly feels the distracting tempta- spawn of giant kraken rather than of an tion of lust embodied by the “dark-wife” ennobled soldier and an enchanted village Ermentrud, but refuses to succumb to it. girl. Daily the two children share with each The two kiss and Lilly enjoys “the heat of other knowledge of their separate worlds: her mouth, the press of her smooth lips… sharks and horses, selkies and pagan feasts. the sensation of Ermentrud’s fingernails When Lilly is sixteen, Octavius has grown running lightly against her scalp, the dark- too large to live near the sea’s shore, so wife’s breasts pressed against her arm” (p. their meetings are less frequent — some- 269). Yet she refuses to yield up her soul times coming as much as a week apart. to this “predator,” as Lilly deems her, or to When she is eighteen Lilly leaves her bro- give her anything except what’s required ken home in search of the absent Octavius, for Octavius’s release. missing for over two months. An argument could be made that Lilly’s Bargaining with a troll to learn her neutering early in the novel takes Wheel- friend’s whereabouts, Lilly loses her re- er’s representation of gender along explic- productive organs in a scene as remarkable itly anti-essentialist paths. Though the

Reviews for its raw egg-white clarity as for its grue- narrative refers several times to what hap-

someness. She holds apart the slit made in pens as the loss of reproductive ability, sec-

her belly by the troll’s dirty claws and sees ondary and tertiary sexual characteristics n

n

her work is a growth area. Several editions editions Several area. growth a is work her wife and son. and wife ers have not even created one. created even not have ers

tinues. In academia, the examination of of examination the academia, In tinues. in Philadelphia with his his with Philadelphia in - writ Most literature. of works important

Year anthologies. He lives lives He anthologies. Year - con Mirrlees Hope of rediscovery The Still, in her prime Mirrlees created two two created Mirrlees prime her in Still,

been reprinted in Best of of Best in reprinted been ic, “Paris: A Poem” is itself a work of magic. of work a itself is Poem” A “Paris: ic, would have obeyed. have would

venues and many have have many and venues - mag about was Lud-in-the-Mist Where might have listened, but it’s doubtful she she doubtful it’s but listened, have might

appeared in numerous numerous in appeared ised, “a poem.” “a ised, ible regard for the advice of others. She She others. of advice the for regard ible

work. His stories have have stories His work.

- prom title the as become, has itself Paris - discern little with do to wanted she what

Fantasy Awards for his his for Awards Fantasy

the holophrase Mirrlees was seeking, and and seeking, was Mirrlees holophrase the who for her entire adult life did exactly exactly did life adult entire her for who

Sturgeon and World World and Sturgeon

By the final line, the poem has become become has poem the line, final the By complished. Hope Mirrlees was a woman woman a was Mirrlees Hope complished.

Nebula, and Theodore Theodore and Nebula,

static vision of the sun rising over the city. the over rising sun the of vision static - ac be could anything doubtful is it poetry,

has received the Hugo, Hugo, the received has

- ec an then and talk,” talk, “talk, of night

another fantasy novel or more modernist modernist more or novel fantasy another

Michael Swanwick Swanwick Michael

appear and then thicken, culminating in a a in culminating thicken, then and appear to urge her to turn her energies toward toward energies her turn to her urge to

day shades into night, sexual references references sexual night, into shades day even if it were possible to go back in time time in back go to possible were it if even

consecrated to the Virgin Mary. As the the As Mary. Virgin the to consecrated this squandering of her brilliance. But But brilliance. her of squandering this

day of the General Strike and a feast day day feast a and Strike General the of day close to unreadable. It is easy to deplore deplore to easy is It unreadable. to close

All this takes place on May 1, 1919, the the 1919, 1, May on place takes this All Cotton, rewriting it into a density that is is that density a into it rewriting Cotton,

created one. created

things more. things Elizabethan antiquarian Sir Robert Bruce Bruce Robert Sir antiquarian Elizabethan

writers have not even even not have writers

the whores, the ghosts…and many, many many many, ghosts…and the whores, the

her long life working on a biography of the the of biography a on working life long her

works of literature. Most Most literature. of works

the taxicabs, the lesbian clubs, the smells, smells, the clubs, lesbian the taxicabs, the

and spent the remaining decades of of decades remaining the spent and — day

created two important important two created

politics of the time, high and low culture, culture, low and high time, the of politics - to by offended be would devout, however

[I]n her prime Mirrlees Mirrlees prime her [I]n

fresh social wounds of the Great War, the the War, Great the of wounds social fresh contained blasphemies that few people, people, few that blasphemies contained

the “grand guignol” of Catholic ritual, the the ritual, Catholic of guignol” “grand the bowdlerization of her own poem, which which poem, own her of bowdlerization

of Paris, encountering its layers of history, history, of layers its encountering Paris, of converted to Catholicism to converted whence the the whence —

ramble through the streets and museums museums and streets the through ramble After the death of Harrison, Mirrlees Mirrlees Harrison, of death the After

random but actually cunningly constructed constructed cunningly actually but random on a full-length biography. biography. full-length a on magic.

of creating a holophrase by her seemingly seemingly her by holophrase a creating of and work. Fortunately, Parmar is working working is Parmar Fortunately, work. and A Poem” is itself a work of of work a itself is Poem” A

want. The rest of the poem is the process process the is poem the of rest The want. information available about Mirrlees’s life life Mirrlees’s about available information 11 was about magic, “Paris: “Paris: magic, about was

rightly declared her intention: to fill that that fill to intention: her declared rightly introduction to that book contains the best best the contains book that to introduction Lud-in-the-Mist Where

ever picked up on this on up picked ever - forth Mirrlees — with lesser works and several essays. The The essays. several and works lesser with i

but I wager no first-time reader reader first-time no wager I but — ­outset Mirrlees, edited by Sandeep Parmar, along along Parmar, Sandeep by edited Mirrlees,

by Hope Hope by Poems Collected in found be can

(cont. from p. 9) p. from (cont. brought back into print. “Paris: A Poem,” Poem,” A “Paris: print. into back brought

of Honor. , and it is regularly regularly is it and , Lud-in-the-Mist of exist Mysteries Eleusinian Two

was WisCon 35’s Guest Guest 35’s WisCon was

. She She . Times Seattle The for

endurable” (p. 249). 249). (p. endurable” . Change Sea does sum, in So,

reviewed science fiction fiction science reviewed

not so much lying as making their tales tales their making as lying much so not this lovely deliquescence melts with truth. truth. with melts deliquescence lovely this

Award. Since 1999 she has has she 1999 Since Award.

same familiar explains that “storytellers are are “storytellers that explains familiar same tions are of prosaic or outright ugly things, things, ugly outright or prosaic of are tions

won the James Tiptree, Jr. Jr. Tiptree, James the won

tional characters perform their tasks, this this tasks, their perform characters tional - descrip other many Since 170). (p. bank”

(Aqueduct Press, 2008) 2008) Press, (Aqueduct

- fic which with ease the Excusing 176). (p. doing so became another stretch of grassy grassy of stretch another became so doing

House Filter collection

stag would offer to let himself be killed” killed” be himself let to offer would stag merely turned her attention away, and in in and away, attention her turned merely

Nisi Shawl’s story story Shawl’s Nisi

the witch’s familiar theorizes, “then the the “then theorizes, familiar witch’s the writes: “It was not that the woman left; she she left; woman the that not was “It writes:

commentary. “If this were a fairy story,” story,” fairy a were this “If commentary. encounter with the dark-wife, Wheeler Wheeler dark-wife, the with encounter

s Change’ Sea is there Finally, meta- and disciplined. Describing the end of one one of end the Describing disciplined. and

low instructions given by any woman. any by given instructions low real, conveyed to us in words at once lush lush once at words in us to conveyed real, once lush and disciplined. and lush once

- fol but men, among bandits the only obey rich reward: a fantasy world made hyper- made world fantasy a reward: rich conveyed to us in words at at words in us to conveyed

and one thousand soldierly automata who who automata soldierly thousand one and In return for our acceptance we receive a a receive we acceptance our for return In world made hyper-real, hyper-real, made world

spite appearances: a talking stag; the witch; witch; the stag; talking a appearances: spite its corollaries are; we’re spared nothing. nothing. spared we’re are; corollaries its a rich reward: a fantasy fantasy a reward: rich a

- de claims she gender the acknowledge do cides, should have been told. In this book book this In told. been have should cides, acceptance we receive receive we acceptance

all as committing a form of theft.) Some Some theft.) of form a committing as all - de she story, The corpse. monster’s the In return for our our for return In

depriving herself of any sexual identity at at identity sexual any of herself depriving courtship, wonders how they disposed of of disposed they how wonders courtship,

unpleasantness.… fuses to label herself “it” because she views views she because “it” herself label to fuses taintop-encircling snake during their their during snake taintop-encircling

difficulties or downplay downplay or difficulties - re (She female. as identify to continues but - moun enormous, an killing mother and

much. She doesn’t skirt skirt doesn’t She much. “Lyle,” “Lyle,” guerre de nom the takes she boy; a on what she has heard about her father father her about heard has she what on

readers to endure endure to readers Lilly encounters after this to classify her as as her classify to this after encounters Lilly downplay unpleasantness. Lilly, reflecting reflecting Lilly, unpleasantness. downplay

Wheeler expects her her expects Wheeler hair. Cultural defaults cause most people people most cause defaults Cultural hair. dure much. She doesn’t skirt difficulties or or difficulties skirt doesn’t She much. dure

are lost as well: external genitalia, breasts, breasts, genitalia, external well: as lost are - en to readers her expects Wheeler But y Space Age Tricksters — Bold and Brassy Big Mama Stories by Eleanor Arnason, Aqueduct Press, July 2013, 172 pp., $16.00/pb, $9.95/ebk. reviewed by Andrea Hairston

In her latest collection, Big Mama Sto- ries, Eleanor Arnason does tall-tale phys- ics and trickster bio-chem. She creates a The Big Mamas are women bold and brassy crew of Big Mamas who who take care of business, come in all colors, wear exploding-galaxy no matter how vast, small, earrings, and dance on the arrow of time to or complex it is. when/where ever they please. Big Poppas exist, but not at the center of these stories. The Big Mamas are women who take care of business, no matter how vast, small, or complex it is. They mix it up with every mis, and finally turns to Big Brown Mama. kind of creature — viruses, insectoid space- She has to figure out how to take the trick farers, bacteria, and Midwesterners. The off the trickster and leave him whole, so Big Mamas are not daunted by quantum she whisks him off to a future Moon base. uncertainty, time paradoxes, or the meta- This ambitious story takes Brer Rabbit, physical mayhem they and other Big Be- our historic, mythic, playful consciousness, ings engender. These space-age tricksters out to the stars and a future of space colo- The Big Mamas are not solve the unsolvable. nies, gene art bodies, space jazz, and hard- daunted by quantum Read this book. The mix of hard SF, earned hope. This story was my favorite. I uncertainty, time mythic yarn, and comic-book adventure loved the complexity, philosophy, history, H paradoxes, or the is surprising, funny, and wise. In each future speculation, and sheer fun! metaphysical mayhem story, an over-the-top but down-to-earth Who knows what your favorite might be? 12 they and other Big Big Mama confronts a mythic, marvel- Read this book. I like being a reviewer Beings engender. These ous challenge. There’s Tentacle Man, who and saying that. What’s a review for if not space-age tricksters wants to consume supersize Big Mama to urge readers to find their next good solve the unsolvable. beauty; a Zk prince floats in space and gets book? Get Big Mama Stories for the hope wrecked by the sight of Big Mama ugli- and the humor. If one story, style, or charac- ness; Big Green Mama falls in love with ter doesn’t suit your fancy, keep going. Each her Big Mama beautiful self and makes story enriches the next one. Every other copies to love; Big Red Mama wrangles page I had to laugh out loud. The image with other time travelers for peace and of Greek philosophers eaten by prehistor- sensuous thrills in the Cretaceous. ic fauna before they stepped in the ever- In the final and longest story of the col- changing river was particularly enjoyable.­ lection, Big Brown Mama meets Brer Rab- The narrative voice spinning yarns, of- bit. An early 20th century conjure woman fering asides, and poking at characters and puts a spell on Brer Rabbit. The conjure the reader/audience has to be a Big Mama woman gives him an African American too. This Big Mama narrator is pretty man’s body so that they can escape the omniscient, informing us in footnotes if Arnason is an SF stand- boll-weevil devastated countryside. They need be: This is not BS, the first footnote up comic and political travel the rails from the rural South to declares — in case the reader is tempted to artist. In Big Mama industrial Detroit. The conjure woman think social forces are less daunting than Stories, she works to works the weeds and casts spells for peo- T-Rexes. Indeed, social forces are more of make the invisible social ple. The Rabbit-Man works the assembly a challenge than time paradoxes and naked forces that regulate and line for Henry Ford, loves women and singularities. define our realities and universes visible. jazz, joins the union, but can’t quite figure OK. Arnason is an SF stand-up comic out how to be rabbit again — or be rabbit and political artist. In Big Mama Stories, with a man’s memories. The Rabbit-Man she works to make the invisible social forc-

seeks aid from the magical Ojibwa being es that regulate and define our realities and

Nanabozho and his grandmother, Noko- universes visible. When an artist makes the n

n

most to literalizing the metaphor, since it it since metaphor, the literalizing to most es the stereotype of steampunk as white white as steampunk of stereotype the es

(cont. on p. 14) p. on (cont.

writer Shweta Narayan, comes closer than than closer comes Narayan, Shweta writer - challeng first, the like story, second The

story, “The Arrangement of Their Parts” by by Parts” Their of Arrangement “The story, highly enjoyable tale of revenge. of tale enjoyable highly

come home to roost,” then the opening opening the then roost,” to home come falls short of greatness, but it’s a very good, good, very a it’s but greatness, of short falls

If fiction is about “when the chickens chickens the “when about is fiction If a result “The Arrangement of Their Parts” Parts” Their of Arrangement “The result a

that’s not the case for these sixteen stories. sixteen these for case the not that’s and made the ending less predictable. As As predictable. less ending the made and

these sixteen stories. sixteen these results in thinly disguised polemics; but but polemics; disguised thinly in results characterization beyond one dimension dimension one beyond characterization

but that’s not the case for for case the not that’s but Sometimes, politically conceived fiction fiction conceived politically Sometimes, Raj assumptions would have expanded his his expanded have would assumptions Raj

thinly disguised polemics; polemics; disguised thinly description accurately reflects its contents. contents. its reflects accurately description consideration before he carried on with his his with on carried he before consideration

conceived fiction results in in results fiction conceived triguing. And in general the anthology’s anthology’s the general in And triguing. rogant behavior is believable, a moment’s moment’s a believable, is behavior rogant

Sometimes, politically politically Sometimes, - in and worthy is goal anthology’s The - ar Englishman’s the While conclusion.

worthy and intriguing.… intriguing.… and worthy

‘new world.’” ‘new rative speeding straightforwardly to its its to straightforwardly speeding rative

The anthology’s goal is is goal anthology’s The

against the alien oppressor settling their their settling oppressor alien the against - nar the leaves it since tail, story’s the in

how they won every war; their revenge revenge their war; every won they how plistic villainy somewhat blunts the sting sting the blunts somewhat villainy plistic

glophone, white males don’t get to tell us us tell to get don’t males white glophone, - sim His consequences. the suffers and

- an rich, able-bodied, cis, straight, which The Englishman ignores Devi’s warning warning Devi’s ignores Englishman The

nal frontier; their fantasies of a reality in in reality a of fantasies their frontier; nal four Brahmins more arrogant than wise. wise. than arrogant more Brahmins four

- fi the of side wrong the on and history the cautionary fable Devi tells him about about him tells Devi fable cautionary the

experiences of being the silent voices in in voices silent the being of experiences The narrative braids their encounter with with encounter their braids narrative The

the colonized. Sixteen authors share their their share authors Sixteen colonized. the clockwork beings, while she creates them. them. creates she while beings, clockwork

imperialism focuses on the viewpoints of of viewpoints the on focuses imperialism pursues her art, but in reverse: he destroys destroys he reverse: in but art, her pursues

the themes of colonialism and cultural cultural and colonialism of themes the Surat in search of an Englishman who who Englishman an of search in Surat

thology of speculative fiction stories on on stories fiction speculative of thology creation, comes to seventeenth-century seventeenth-century to comes creation,

- an “This we-see-different-frontier.html: and whose embodiment is a clockwork clockwork a is embodiment whose and

http://djibrilalayad.blogspot.com/p/ http://djibrilalayad.blogspot.com/p/ at whose name means “Divine” in Sanskrit Sanskrit in “Divine” means name whose

more direct than the description posted posted description the than direct more Artificer Devi, an East Indian woman woman Indian East an Devi, Artificer

13

Statements of purpose don’t get much much get don’t purpose of Statements features a vengeful avian protagonist. The The protagonist. avian vengeful a features

i reviewed by Cynthia Ward Cynthia by reviewed

Futurefire.net Publishing, August 2013, 248 pp., $14.65/pb, $5.00/ebk. $14.65/pb, pp., 248 2013, August Publishing, Futurefire.net

al-Ayad, Djibril and Fernandes Fabio by edited

Anthology Fiction Speculative Postcolonial A Frontier: Different a See We

Brandon Parallax Award). Award). Parallax Brandon

Colonialism, Cultural Imperialism, and Moral Complications Moral and Imperialism, Cultural Colonialism, y

and winner of the Carl Carl the of winner and

James Tiptree, Jr. Awards, Awards, Jr. Tiptree, James

lao Arnason. ­Eleanor ! Stories Mama

Philip K. Dick and the the and Dick K. Philip

Make sure you have as much fun as as fun much as have you sure Make Big Big read again, say just me let And Oh.

(2006; shortlisted for the the for shortlisted (2006;

pires, what’s a girl to do? to girl a what’s pires, reach into the stars. stars. the into reach

Mindscape and Award)

- em such critique that stories tell to wish sibility that we can survive ourselves and and ourselves survive can we that sibility

of the James Tiptree, Jr. Jr. Tiptree, James the of

the mystification of the status quo. If you you If quo. status the of mystification the - pos surprising delightful, the but mism,

(2011; winner winner (2011; Wildfire and

tural values, the ignorance of history, and and history, of ignorance the values, tural - opti false ever-after ­ happy- mean don’t I

Redwood Redwood Press: Aqueduct

- cul of magic invisible the on rely empires tendencies, Arnason believes there is hope. hope. is there believes Arnason tendencies,

of two novels published by by published novels two of

speech over covert manipulation. Powerful Powerful manipulation. covert over speech dynamics. Despite humanity’s destructive destructive humanity’s Despite dynamics.

Andrea Hairston is author author is Hairston Andrea

theatre traditions, for example, value direct direct value example, for traditions, theatre relations, social constructions, and power power and constructions, social relations,

universal or absolute. Many West African African West Many absolute. or universal characters to unravel the twists of human human of twists the unravel to characters

is not not is — me on truth the sneak — ception compelling. She crafts surprisingly complex complex surprisingly crafts She compelling.

- de artful of valuing aesthetic This reviled. and space age fantasies) is entertaining and and entertaining is fantasies) age space and

and compelling. and suspect, dismissed as a flaw, or frequently frequently or flaw, a as dismissed suspect, histories, mythologies, tall tales, SF dreams, dreams, SF tales, tall mythologies, histories,

fantasies) is entertaining entertaining is fantasies) erated but celebrated, and direct speech is is speech direct and celebrated, but erated tion of the stories we tell on ourselves (our (our ourselves on tell we stories the of tion

SF dreams, and space age age space and dreams, SF

- tol simply not is deception Artful reveals. - investiga Arnason’s ourselves. and inhabit

mythologies, tall tales, tales, tall mythologies,

true art conceals rather than than rather conceals art true — lare artem lare Through story we transform the universe we we universe the transform we story Through

ourselves (our histories, histories, (our ourselves

- ce est ars that granted for taken often is is one of our most significant technologies. technologies. significant most our of one is

of the stories we tell on on tell we stories the of

In current Western aesthetic traditions, it it traditions, aesthetic Western current In ued, celebrated feature of this genre. Story Story genre. this of feature celebrated ued,

Arnason’s investigation investigation Arnason’s

being labeled polemic, preachy, or didactic. didactic. or preachy, polemic, labeled being - val a is technology of explication and tion

invisible visible she always runs the risk of of risk the runs always she visible invisible - presenta The ideas. of genre the is SF Colonialism, Cultural imperialist nostalgia. In “Pancho Villa’s actually, Bridges’ duties include defend- Imperialism, and Flying Circus,” the notorious inventor ing Guam’s shores and remembering the Moral Complications Tesla has produced a death ray, and the thousands killed during the apocalypse. Mexican Revolutionary general Pancho The shore defense operates in ways even (cont. from p. 13) Villa is putting it to use. This, in the hands Isa doesn’t entirely grasp, paving the path of a lesser author, would be the climax. In to an ending that truly surprises and dis- cyberpunk novelist Ernest Hogan’s recom- turbs. If not the anthology’s most complex boculturally gonzo alternate history, it’s story, “Fleet” is its most morally ambigu- Three of the contributions merely the beginning of an invasion that ous; add to this the sympathetic, shades-of- fall squarely in the will change Hollywood, arguably the most gray characterizations, and you’re left with subgenre of post- insidious imperialist tool the U.S. has ever a story where neither Guam’s defenders apocalyptic dystopia, yet, produced. Hogan’s critique is sharp and nor the colonialists are villains — and all are. like the steampunk stories, the protagonist’s success is sweet, in the The story haunts long after it finishes. they are very different anthology’s most fun and funny story (an While the descriptions above may sug- from one another. observation that will surprise few of Ho- gest otherwise, the anthology ranges across gan’s fans). genres and themes, continents and worlds. Three of the contributions fall squarely In the near-future Singapore of J.Y. Yang’s in the subgenre of post-apocalyptic dys- “Old Domes,” Jing-Li “culls” colonial-era topia, yet, like the steampunk stories, they buildings, or, more precisely, their guardian are very different from one another. Joyce spirits/genius loci; new at her job, Jing-Li Chng’s magic-realist “Lotus” is set in a ultimately arrives at a more nuanced un- future where global warming is so severe derstanding of both her calling and the the characters must traverse cities by wa- history of her city. In the rising Ghana of tercraft. The story is somewhat uneven; co-editor Fabio Fernandes’s cyberpunk- the Singaporean protagonist’s discovery edged hard science fiction story, “How to of fresh water and food in an abandoned Make a Time Machine Do Things That hotel seems improbable for a number of Are Not in the Manual; or, the Gambiarra H [T]he anthology ranges reasons, and she and her Euro-American Method,” the old colonial powers have across genres and themes, lover’s ultimate decision seems too easily fallen, but this is no apocalypse for the 14 continents and worlds. won, given how rarely humans make iden- descendants of the colonized who form tical choices in desperate circumstances. the globe-trotting new technological elite; However, Cecily and Si are sympathetic, however, the corporate politics and bosses likeable characters as they wrestle with the remain the same. Another morally com- differences between need and want. plicated story, Rahul Kanakia’s “Droplet,” The apocalypse of Silvia Moreno- takes a unique approach: It portrays the Garcia’s “Them Ships” is an invasion by return to America of an immigrant fam- extraterrestrials who, in a deliberate echo ily that repatriated to rising India as the of past colonial invasions, come to help U.S. fell prey to the worsening global cli- the benighted natives. How this help is mate. The family finds revisiting the U.S. received depends on how badly each in- and their immigrant ex-neighbors to be dividual’s sociocultural ox is being gored; far more difficult, involved, and troubling and one character’s failure to grasp the than they’ve led their Stanford-bound son new reality intersects dangerously with the to expect. The entire book and many insights of a young Mexico City garbage Though not every story is as subtle of its stories deserve picker, who has no formal education but is or accomplished as “Droplet,” or “Old inclusion on award ballots supremely capable of comparing opposing Domes,” or “Fleet,” the overall quality of and in the and in the oppressors. The story plays out in a man- the anthology is high. This strength is un- best-of-the-year lists and ner not wholly surprising, but entirely be- likely to surprise readers familiar with the anthologies for 2013. lievable and chilling. coeditors’ backgrounds: Fabio Fernandes is The apocalypse that almost but not a two-time recipient of the Argos Science quite destroyed all technology in Sandra Fiction Award (Brazil), a translator whose McDonald’s “Fleet” is a night of solar numerous credits include Neuromancer megaflares. The main character, a trans and The Steampunk Bible, and the former woman named Isa, is a “Bridge” — a title coeditor of bilingual online magazine

that suggests she works to reestablish con- Terra Incognita, while his coeditor is the

tact with other post-collapse cultures. But writer, futurist, and historian Djibril al- n

n

, and what happens happens what and , Wardrobe the and Witch, dips perhaps a little close to schmaltz for for schmaltz to close little a perhaps dips

(cont. on p. 17) p. on (cont.

The Lion, The The Lion, The of events the survives who ter acters and relationships added. The ending ending The added. relationships and acters

- daugh a has Narnia of Witch White the - char three-dimensional with but Analog

“Cold White Daughter” she imagines that that imagines she Daughter” White “Cold it’s like a good worldbuilding story from from story worldbuilding good a like it’s

never fails to impress and entertain, and in in and entertain, and impress to fails never aliens, and the alienation within a family; family; a within alienation the and aliens,

glad I did.… I glad

other contributor, Tansy Rayner Roberts, Roberts, Rayner Tansy contributor, other

great story, balancing an alien world, other other world, alien an balancing story, great Tehani Wessely. And I’m so so I’m And Wessely. Tehani

- An noticed). I’ve SF/F, in found much

ready to maim or kill the unwary. This is a a is This unwary. the kill or maim to ready hands of the editor, editor, the of hands

tary on postpartum depression (a topic not not topic (a depression postpartum on tary sharp fast-growing alien grass, always always grass, alien fast-growing sharp left myself in the capable capable the in myself left

- commen as read I that castle his in wizard ­ razor- there’s action story’s the to backdrop could surprise me, and I I and me, surprise could

Mudge. This is a tale of a woman seeking a a seeking woman a of tale a is This Mudge. blown wide open. Nothing Nothing open. wide blown her mother are estranged, and as a constant constant a as and estranged, are mother her

stories such as “Winter’s Heart” by Faith Faith by Heart” “Winter’s as such stories [M]y expectations were were expectations [M]y learn that wasn’t the whole story. She and and She story. whole the wasn’t that learn

did, because I was able to enjoy fantastic fantastic enjoy to able was I because did,

that her father died in the war, but later we we later but war, the in died father her that

editor, Tehani Wessely. And I’m so glad I I glad so I’m And Wessely. Tehani editor,

they can use. Back home, she’s been told told been she’s home, Back use. can they

I left myself in the capable hands of the the of hands capable the in myself left I

so she and a friend bring the aliens things things aliens the bring friend a and she so

wide open. Nothing could surprise me, and and me, surprise could Nothing open. wide

ownership. A truce is about to be declared, declared, be to about is truce A ownership.

After that, my expectations were blown blown were expectations my that, After

alien race who are battling humans for for humans battling are who race alien

unpleasant story, but a valuable one. one. valuable a but story, unpleasant

has found the crashed survivors of another another of survivors crashed the found has

wanted child. It is an intense and frankly frankly and intense an is It child. wanted

young girl on a recently colonized planet planet colonized recently a on girl young

one, and someone mourning the loss of a a of loss the mourning someone and one,

ample of exactly what I was expecting. A A expecting. was I what exactly of ample

baby, someone failing to conceive a wanted wanted a conceive to failing someone baby,

- ex excellent an is Marquardt, Michelle

someone trying to get rid of an unwanted unwanted an of rid get to trying someone open to broadening. to open

The first story, “Always Greener” by by Greener” “Always story, first The

ferent perspectives on failed child rearing: rearing: child failed on perspectives ferent approaching with a mind mind a with approaching

ing with a mind open to broadening. broadening. to open mind a with ing

inside for those those for inside - dif three of round the in view disturbing

- approach those for inside rewards many

There are many rewards rewards many are There go awry. This story gives an interesting yet yet interesting an gives story This awry. go

pectations, I’m really glad I did. There are are There did. I glad really I’m pectations,

fantasy indiscriminately.… fantasy her own problems her remedies for them them for remedies her problems own her

- ex my behind leave to awhile me took it

This volume mixes SF and and SF mixes volume This two different complaints, but distracted by by distracted but complaints, different two

and fantasy indiscriminately, and though though and indiscriminately, fantasy and

15 recompense. Two women come to her with with her to come women Two recompense.

people around us. This volume mixes SF SF mixes volume This us. around people

to the local community but who demands demands who but community local the to

eries to be made about ourselves and the the and ourselves about made be to eries i a woman who provides various remedies remedies various provides who woman a

- discov are there aliens and planets solar ly unsympathetic characters. It centers on on centers It characters. unsympathetic ly

- extra with Along mind. in has anthology - fair of core a with along descriptions, tory

out to be only one small piece of what this this what of piece small one only be to out - olfac and tactile of lots and blood and dirt

there” to explore and relate to. That turns turns That to. relate and explore to there” gets right down into the muck: mud and and mud muck: the into down right gets

thology about finding new things “out “out things new finding about thology did my head in. This is a fantasy story that that story fantasy a is This in. head my did

- an fiction science a expect I Moon, the Slatter, was such a contrast that it just about about just it that contrast a such was Slatter,

this call-out to Neil Armstrong’s walk on on walk Armstrong’s Neil to call-out this tation,” by Lisa L. Hannett and Angela Angela and Hannett L. Lisa by tation,”

. Armed with with Armed . Discoveries of Anthology An - Incan and Blood “By story, second The

One Small Step: Step: Small One title: the see I better) know to read it. it. read to

Looking at the cover (I know; I should should I know; (I cover the at Looking my comfort, but overall I was very happy happy very was I overall but comfort, my

reviewed by Karen Burnham Karen by reviewed

Fablecroft, May 2013, 320 pp., $15.95 pp., 320 2013, May Fablecroft,

Wessely, Tehani by edited Discoveries of Anthology An Step: Small One

SF and Fantasy in Mind-Expanding Mix Mind-Expanding in Fantasy and SF y

She lives in Los Angeles. Los in lives She which offer offer which — Sedia’s Critical Afterword Critical Sedia’s and anthologies for 2013. for anthologies and

She is completing a novel. novel. a completing is She Award-winning editor/author Ekaterina Ekaterina editor/author Award-winning ballots and in the best-of-the-year lists lists best-of-the-year the in and ballots

(Aqueduct Press, 2005). 2005). Press, (Aqueduct Bodard’s Preface, and the World Fantasy Fantasy World the and Preface, Bodard’s of its stories deserve inclusion on award award on inclusion deserve stories its of

Practical Approach Approach Practical

multiple-award-winning author Aliette de de Aliette author multiple-award-winning is essential. The entire book and many many and book entire The essential. is tier

Writing the Other: A A Other: the Writing

the coeditors’ Introduction, the the Introduction, coeditors’ the — - Fron Different a See We that perspectives tions

Shawl, she coauthored coauthored she Shawl,

­ oft- of presentation its and themes excluded excluded - contribu nonfiction the from comes

and magazines. With Nisi Nisi With magazines. and

But it’s not only for its subject and and subject its for only not it’s But . Further strength strength Further . Frontier Different a See

numerous anthologies anthologies numerous

imperialism. We We of publisher and fiction speculative

published stories in in stories published

the themes and realities of colonialism and and colonialism of realities and themes the ­ social- of magazine online the political political

Cynthia Ward has has Ward Cynthia

sometimes-painfully piercing insight into into insight piercing sometimes-painfully , , Fire Future The of Editor General Ayad, y She Walks In a Darkness…of Her Own Making She Walks in Darkness by Evangeline Walton, Tachyon, September 2013, 192 pp., $14.95. reviewed by Caren Gussoff

Richard and Barbara find the villa empty, and the action unfolds dependably. Richard has an accident and sustains a se- rious head injury, which leaves him uncon- Published posthumously, scious, while Barbara discovers the body Evangeline Walton’s of the murdered villa caretaker at the bot- novella She Walks in tom of the cellar stairs. She is too afraid, Darkness drinks deeply too weak, and knows too little Italian to from the well of gothica… get help, and instead dithers between sob- bing over Richard and sobbing in the cel- lar. When the caretaker’s body disappears, Barbara goes through the meat grinder, seemingly never to be whole again. Then a beautiful local Lothario, Floriano, comes to the Villa looking for the caretaker. It takes exactly ten minutes of action before Barbara is tempted by the fruits of her young Italian savior. However, her de- sire doesn’t portray her as a fleshly woman Published posthumously, Evangeline who is sensually aware. Instead, she seems Walton’s novella She Walks in Darkness to bend towards any man like a daisy to- drinks deeply from the well of gothica: its wards the sun, and since her husband is H elements include a crumbling castle in a out for the count, Floriano qualifies sim- ruined landscape; sinister secrets bound ply by showing up and seeming to want 16 to the misdeeds of long-dead ancestors; a to help. Though Barbara ultimately rejects pair of well-fed innocents whose love is Floriano’s aggressive advances, she does so tested by a seductive villain; and the vil- with the force of an overcooked noodle. In lain themself, a curdled example of pure fact, though things quickly go off the pro- evil on Earth. verbial rails, the most authentic tension of In this specific case, Professor Rich- the story develops from Floriano’s rapey- ard and Barbara Keyes, newlyweds, arrive ness, as well as the fact that Richard is al- Having a fool for a in rural, isolated Tuscany, a countryside lowed to sleep while suffering an obvious narrator can be an concussion. effective tool for scorched barren from within by under- As the plot thickens, so does Barbara. constructing an excellently ground volcanoes. Richard and his bride It’s not just that Walton closely follows unreliable narrative, but are to spend the summer at Villa Carenni, genre conventions; it is that the reader can in a romantic gothic studying the remains of the underground mystery it’s the narrative’s catacombs built by the native Etruscans a see the twists miles ahead of Barbara. Hav- undoing.… the power of thousand years earlier. The catacombs lie ing a fool for a narrator can be an effective tool for constructing an excellently unre- the brutality that lies at beneath the villa, but the influence of the liable narrative, but in a romantic gothic the core of the murder, ancient Etruscan society is as palpable in mystery it’s the narrative’s undoing. We the accident, and the the small town as it was before the Ro- mythology of Prince Mino are not frightened with Barbara, we are mans. The villagers are still bound by its is never given its due. not surprised with her, and we do not feel complicated hierarchies of breeding and horror as the story literally descends into honor, and are close-lipped concerning the depths of Hell. Barbara is a woman of the fantastical urban myths about undis- all exclamation points and question marks, covered Etruscan treasure hidden deep in and so the power of the brutality that lies the subterranean labyrinths, as well as the at the core of the murder, the accident, and horrific rumors regarding the murderous the mythology of Prince Mino is never

tendencies of the villa’s great owner, Prince given its due. The careful research Wal-

Mino Carenni. ton conducted about the ways and lives of n

n

blog. Roundtable with eager anticipation. eager with

magazine’s magazine’s Locus edits gies and more stories by these authors, authors, these by stories more and gies

electrical engineer. She She engineer. electrical - antholo Wessely more to forward looking

Space Center as an an as Center Space

ever get every story she wants. I will be be will I wants. she story every get ever

unanswered questions. questions. unanswered

at NASA’s Johnson Johnson NASA’s at

here is Margo Lanagan, but no editor can can editor no but Lanagan, Margo is here

context of her society, left me with some some with me left society, her of context

fiction writer. She works works She writer. fiction

the last few years. One notable absence absence notable One years. few last the

girl discovering the previously unglimpsed unglimpsed previously the discovering girl

and avocationally a a avocationally and

output we’ve had from that quarter over over quarter that from had we’ve output

of Battendown,” an interesting look at a a at look interesting an Battendown,” of

vocationally an engineer engineer an vocationally

no surprise, considering the strength of the the of strength the considering surprise, no

story. Likewise, Cat Sparks’s “Daughters “Daughters Sparks’s Cat Likewise, story.

Karen Burnham is is Burnham Karen

Australian women? If so, it should come as as come should it so, If women? Australian

nalism-meets-paranormal-phenomenon nalism-meets-paranormal-phenomenon

mention that all the authors involved are are involved authors the all that mention

- investigative-jour this of heroine the love

thology I was glad to read. Did I forget to to forget I Did read. to glad was I thology

Gold” by Deborah Biancotti, as much as I I as much as Biancotti, Deborah by Gold”

- an an was it expecting, was I anthology

and that’s a charge I’ll level at “Indigo “Indigo at level I’ll charge a that’s and

have considered. While this was not the the not was this While considered. have more like fragments than complete tales, tales, complete than fragments like more

the reader to perspectives she may never never may she perspectives to reader the

my current pet peeves is stories that read read that stories is peeves pet current my

with eager anticipation. eager with

panding every which way and introducing introducing and way which every panding

work perfectly for every reader. One of of One reader. every for perfectly work

stories by these authors, authors, these by stories

- ex view, broader a take Others closely.

In any anthology not every story will will story every not anthology any In

anthologies and more more and anthologies

interpretation of a theme and hew to it it to hew and theme a of interpretation

short length. length. short

forward to more Wessely Wessely more to forward

Some anthologies have a very narrow narrow very a have anthologies Some

easy story to read, but it packs a lot into its its into lot a packs it but read, to story easy

I will be looking looking be will I

warmed my heart. heart. my warmed “By Blood and Incantation” it is not an an not is it Incantation” and Blood “By

milieu I had expected to find originally, originally, find to expected had I milieu chal, magical, feminine, matriarchal. Like Like matriarchal. feminine, magical, chal,

pecially, returning to the science fictional fictional science the to returning pecially, - patriar political, power: of kinds different

- es Star” “Morning love. and strength of a fantastic tale of the intersection of many many of intersection the of tale fantastic a

its clutches, instead giving us two views views two us giving instead clutches, its ing Women” by Rowena Cory Daniells is is Daniells Cory Rowena by Women” ing

read. to

close to melodrama but manage to escape escape to manage but melodrama to close - Wyrd the of Ways “The includes. it that

an anthology I was glad glad was I anthology an

ing in to despair. Both authors come very very come authors Both despair. to in ing her; I especially appreciated the poetry poetry the appreciated especially I her;

I was expecting, it was was it expecting, was I

- giv or hope up giving without cumstances

father and the Shadows that accompany accompany that Shadows the and father

was not the anthology anthology the not was

17

- cir intolerable in on soldiering people of

concerns a young girl and her widowed widowed her and girl young a concerns

considered. While this this While considered.

DK Mok are two entirely different tales tales different entirely two are Mok DK all tone of it. “Shadows” by Kate Gordon Gordon Kate by “Shadows” it. of tone all

she may never have have never may she i

Kathleen Jennings and “Morning Star” by by Star” “Morning and Jennings Kathleen - over the and reveal the of pace the both

reader to perspectives perspectives to reader

do not disappoint. “Ella and the Flame” by by Flame” the and “Ella disappoint. not do to describe without spoilers, but I enjoyed enjoyed I but spoilers, without describe to

way and introducing the the introducing and way

on a high note, and the final two stories stories two final the and note, high a on reveals its premise quite gradually; difficult difficult gradually; quite premise its reveals

expanding every which which every expanding

choose stories such that the reader ends ends reader the that such stories choose Jodi Cleghorn is an interesting story that that story interesting an is Cleghorn Jodi

take a broader view, view, broader a take

to her afterwards. “Firefly Epilogue” by by Epilogue” “Firefly afterwards. her to

But a wise editor like Wessely will will Wessely like editor wise a But to it closely. Others Others closely. it to

of a theme and hew hew and theme a of

(cont. from p. 15) p. from (cont.

very narrow interpretation interpretation narrow very

Mix Mind-Expanding in Fantasy and SF Some anthologies have a a have anthologies Some

movies, it’s a perfect draught. perfect a it’s movies,

specimen of the gothic lit that begat B B begat that lit gothic the of specimen

As a trifle, a perfectly formed, predictable predictable formed, perfectly a trifle, a As spitkitten.com.

will prove a let-down. let-down. a prove will Darkness in Walks Find her online at at online her Find

She She thusly, her know who fans those For Narcissus Press in 2014. 2014. in Press Narcissus

(at the time) overwhelmingly male genre. genre. male overwhelmingly time) the (at be published by Pink Pink by published be

let-down. will will Problem, Birthday pendent, progressive artist working in an an in working artist progressive pendent,

will prove a a prove will Darkness in The The novel, new Her - inde an as living pioneer, and feminist a

She Walks Walks She thusly, her (2003). (2003). Stories Other her Mabinogion tetralogy. She herself was was herself She tetralogy. Mabinogion her

For those fans who know know who fans those For The Wave and and Wave The and the visionary, gender-fucking characters in in characters gender-fucking visionary, the

Mabinogion tetralogy.… Mabinogion (2000), (2000), Homecoming Walton (1907 - 1996) was known for for known was 1996) - (1907 Walton

fucking characters in her her in characters fucking She’s the author of of author the She’s as she grows weaker. weaker. grows she as

the visionary, gender- visionary, the

writer living in Seattle. Seattle. in living writer will rise as the hero, growing stronger even even stronger growing hero, the as rise will

Walton…was known for for known Walton…was Caren Gussoff is an SF SF an is Gussoff Caren

thinner is the reader’s hope that Barbara Barbara that hope reader’s the is thinner

through Barbara to the reader. Stripped Stripped reader. the to Barbara through

into the book is stripped thin as it filters filters it as thin stripped is book the into the ancient Etruscans and artfully wove wove artfully and Etruscans ancient the y Conflicted Characters in Dangerous Encounters Caution: Contains Small Parts by Kirstyn McDermott, Twelfth Planet Press, June 2013, 173 pp., $18. reviewed by Kiini Ibura Salaam

In Caution: Contains Small Parts, award- Kirstyn McDermott winning speculative fiction author Kirstyn engages the reader in McDermott engages the reader in a se- a series of stories that are meditations on the ries of stories that are meditations on the fracturing aspects of fracturing aspects of life, the “small parts” life, the “small parts” if you will, that can build into a monsoon if you will, that can of transformation — though it’s not prom- build into a monsoon of ised whether that transformation will be therapist leaves wandering this earth with transformation…. positive or negative. With only four sto- permanently broken parts. ries, McDermott grounds you in her own The second story, “Horn,” forwards brand of horror. It’s a quiet kind that McDermott’s thesis that when trauma is creeps up on you, like the process of pick- created anywhere its echoes remain every- ing a scab that begins with the benign re- With only four stories, where — and none of us are safe from its moval of a few flaky bits and ends a bloody McDermott grounds you in reach. It does not, however, do much to mess, retraumatizing that which has been her own brand of horror. forward the tone and timbre of the collec- scabbed over or — in the worst case — cre- It’s a quiet kind that tion, as it is the most distant emotionally creeps up on you…. ating a larger, more dangerous wound. and experientially. While interesting from In the first story, “What Amanda Wants,” a conceptual perspective — the trauma an the pas de deux between a therapist with an author inflicts in story worlds can resonate otherworldly skill and her mysterious new H in real life — a new approach in the story- patient is intriguing. McDermott main- telling might have helped make it more tains a delicious tension, doling out details 18 personally engaging to the reader. that keep the reader engaged. The story of Terrifying and tender, the title story from a character coming unhinged holds a spe- the collection accurately captures the emp- In the first story, “What cial fascination because so many of us fear tiness that so many of us walk around with. Amanda Wants,” the losing our grip. With the therapist rather “Caution: Contains Small Parts” illumi- pas de deux between than the patient careening out of control, nates the ghosts of relationships past, con- a therapist with an the reader’s expectation for juicy conflict siders who carries the burdens of the past, otherworldly skill and her mounts; however, McDermott chooses to and warns that there is always something mysterious new patient is implode, rather than explode, the momen- that remains. After thinking that he’s com- intriguing.… tum. The new patient’s condition is empty, pletely free of his past, the main character Due to the intoxicating making her a dog with no bite. Conse- freedom the therapist feels of this third story learns that that which is quently, the story doesn’t pack as much after making her choice, left behind is not gone, and that there are punch as it could. Since the patient’s sto- the reader knows that some experiences you can never sever your- something dangerous has ryline amounts to little more than a tale self from. At the end of “Caution: Contains been unleashed. of the sort schoolchildren are told to warn Small Parts,” the main character makes a them off the path of danger, the story’s heartwarming and transformative decision resonance is left to fall on the therapist’s that ensures that he’ll be living a bizarre, shoulders. Luckily, the creep factor of her otherworldy home-life for years to come. final choice is terrifying: she must either McDermott wraps up Caution: Contains “The Home for Broken take much-needed relief by incapacitat- Small Parts with the most engaging, fully Dolls” is a fantastically ing another or remain in debilitating imagined, and challenging story of the col- compelling story pain. Due to the intoxicating freedom the lection, the meaty “The Home for Broken that creates powerful therapist feels after making her choice, the Dolls.” She creates a bizarrely imagined connections to identity, reader knows that something dangerous scenario, a place where human-sized dolls trauma, self-ownership, has been unleashed. The story ends with are rescued and reconstructed. When the

misogyny, feminism, and the certainty that the patient is irrevocably dolls come to life, the house becomes a

self-worth. damaged and that there will be others the place of deep consternation and internal n

n

. . Shimmer and

Fruit, Goblin Delirium,

Interfictions, Mythic Mythic Interfictions,

Strange Horizons, Horizons, Strange as

in such publications publications such in

and fiction have appear appear have fiction and

at long last to burst the seems-to-be the burst to last long at Los Angeles. Her poetry poetry Her Angeles. Los

world of change a Gwynne Garfinkle lives in in lives Garfinkle Gwynne

name of change a

is plausible is

everything where Oz to welcome

not cave not

convex be to wish a for all

girl/boy a of love the for all

to claim her kingdom her claim to

Tip to girl from gone

Ozma opposite an

to the imagination the to

everything leaving trousers tight

swagger man-sized her with world the up filling

by Gwynne Garfinkle Gwynne by

a tipping point tipping a

19

i

2012 by Aqueduct Press. Press. Aqueduct by 2012

fiction, was published in in published was fiction,

collection of her short short her of collection

, a a , Ancient Ancient,

nonfiction, and poetry. poetry. and nonfiction, positions that spark a rewarding friction friction rewarding a spark that positions

fiction, erotica, creative creative erotica, fiction, - juxta compelling with reader the gifting

encompasses speculative speculative encompasses

that stretch the story’s meta-conversation, meta-conversation, story’s the stretch that

Kiini Ibura Salaam’s work work Salaam’s Ibura Kiini

read widely. They harbor pain and dreams dreams and pain harbor They widely. read

themselves.

multifaceted and striking characters are are characters striking and multifaceted

They are not safe from the world or from from or world the from safe not are They

ny, feminism, and self-worth. I hope these these hope I self-worth. and feminism, ny,

McDermott’s characters are no different. different. no are characters McDermott’s

- misogy self-ownership, trauma, identity,

us and leaving us marked and changed. changed. and marked us leaving and us

story that creates powerful connections to to connections powerful creates that story

out and then rebounds back, washing over over washing back, rebounds then and out

Broken Dolls” is a fantastically compelling compelling fantastically a is Dolls” Broken

pact of our actions. Each choice ripples ripples choice Each actions. our of pact impact of our actions. our of impact

and intentions expands. “The Home for for Home “The expands. intentions and

- im full the control can us of none reality, of us can control the full full the control can us of

aries of what she perceives to be its theme theme its be to perceives she what of aries

understand what outcomes will result. In In result. will outcomes what understand

will result. In reality, none none reality, In result. will

- bound the way, the along revelations new

understand what outcomes outcomes what understand own, they take action, believing that they they that believing action, take they own,

ever-evolving. As the reader bumps into into bumps reader the As ever-evolving.

action, believing that they they that believing action, swallowing their discomforts all on their their on all discomforts their swallowing

reader’s understanding of the characters is is characters the of understanding reader’s

their own, they take take they own, their pletely isolated in their pain. Faced with with Faced pain. their in isolated pletely

dynamics are constantly shifting and the the and shifting constantly are dynamics

their discomforts all on on all discomforts their - com are yet agency, have who women and

and plot so that the landscape and power power and landscape the that so plot and Faced with swallowing swallowing with Faced horrors that they disguise. These are men men are These disguise. they that horrors

Dermott keeps a tight rein on her themes themes her on rein tight a keeps Dermott conflicted characters.… conflicted ters. All of them have secrets and personal personal and secrets have them of All ters.

encounters between between encounters - Mc continues. story the as deepen and - charac conflicted between encounters ous

is full of dangerous dangerous of full is

isfying sprawl full of layered ideas that twist twist that ideas layered of full sprawl isfying - danger of full is collection whole This

This whole collection collection whole This

- sat a create to space the McDermott gives doubt a story that deserves attention. attention. deserves that story a doubt

collection, “The Home for Broken Dolls” Dolls” Broken for Home “The collection, “The Home for Broken Dolls” is without a a without is Dolls” Broken for Home “The

agitation. Easily the longest story of the the of story longest the Easily agitation. of enjoyment, wonder, laughter, and worry. worry. and laughter, wonder, enjoyment, of Luisah Teish Water & the Octopus

Creativity, like water, flows into every crack and crevice it encounters. I grew up in a family of talented people. My father played piano and sang gospels in the A. M. E. Church of New Orleans. My mother sang the blues and was a j j j handkerchief dancer during Mardi Gras. All my siblings are involved with the arts. We all have a love of story and an interest Fifty years later I found myself in the in spirituality. presence of artists who revealed the beauty As a child, my mother’s friends asked they saw before them and the pain they felt me to sing to them over the telephone. inside of them. They were painters, sculp- Which I did happily. My favorite song line tors, potters, designers, and fiber artists. was “green door what’s that secret you’re I give praise and thanks to all of them, keeping?” especially Shiloh McCloud, Kathleen Gal- Indeed I was enchanted by the waters of lagher, Uzuri Amini, and Gail Williams the Mississippi River and Bayou St. John, for their instruction, supplies, encourage- the trees heavy-laden with Spanish Moss, ment, and support. and the whipping wind and rain of late Today I am a mixed-media octopus. I summer hurricanes. I loved the beautiful stand in the center of the swirling waters forest, on the west bank of the River, be- of my experience and emotions, and then hind the land surrounding our home. I reach out from that center with several My mother bought me a simple set of tentacles and grab hold of whatever is in my environment. I especially love incor- H watercolors, with three brushes, and a tab- let. I started messing around, attempting porating recycled materials, coffee beans, to paint what I saw in my environment: buttons, old pennies, dried leaves, Styro- 20 water, snakes, trees, and the spirits roam- foam, and dead skin. These are my materi- ing the land. als. Whatever gets caught in my tentacles My father did not approve of my paint- is then pulled into the swirling waters ings, so he burned them and my supplies. of collage. About the same time as “the burning,” I Sometimes I begin with a pre-­conceived also endured the trauma of watching “The notion of what I want to create. These Company” murder the forest. The water- pieces are based on a myth; a dream, a ways were closed, the tadpoles and the story, or a message received from divina- trees died, and the great forest was replaced tion. At other times I approach the work by miles of huge concrete and metal pipes with no idea what It and I are becoming. used to channel oil, the blood of the bayou, The pieces wake me up in the night, they into the coffers of Exxon and Texaco. hold me hostage, or they retire to other di- This wounding of the visual artist and mensions, abandoning me. I may resist but her environment happened when I was 9 end up yielding, always surprised by what years old. In the decades that followed I unfolds in front of me. That is my process. channeled all my energy into the arts as a Spirituality and the sacredness of nature fashion model, dancer-choreographer, ac- flow like water into every crack and crevice tress, writer, artistic director, and storyteller. of my work. I modeled African inspired clothing, told stories about legendary figures of the diaspora, and danced for Damballah the Haitian Serpent deity. Once in a while I would dare to draw or paint something, then hide it in the closet before burning

Featured Artist it myself. I internalized the trauma and

oppression. n

n

Odu Ifa: All roads lead to paradise to lead roads All Ifa: Odu

Odu Ifa. A World Begins with One with Begins World A Ifa. Odu

Tempera paint on paper on paint Tempera Walking. Water

21

i

Paint, lace, mirror pieces mirror lace, Paint, Ocean. Her Odu Ifa: To anger the ancestors

Oshun Ibukole. Paint, fabric, buttons, coffee beans, and pennies

“Since its launch in 2011 The Cascadia Subduction Zone has emerged as one of the best critical journals the field has to offer.” h Jonathan McCalmont, February 18, 2013, Hugo Ballot Nomination

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