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Home , Avram Davidson, Bob Shaw, Charles de Lint, Frank Stack, Gene Wolfe, Jack Dann

BARRY MALZBERGBOBSHAWWILLIAMROTSLER AVRAM DAVIDSONGENEDEWEESEELTONELLIOTT RICHARD GEIS BRAD FOSTER WINTER ■DT71TTTI7T17NUMBER53 1984 finVIPiVV$2-50

interview ALGISBUDRYS

KNIGHT DAMON GILLILAND ALEXIS SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW (ISSN: 0036-8377) P.O. BOX 11408 PORTLAND, OR 97211 NOVEMBER, 1984-VOL. 13, NO. 4 PH0l£: (503) 282-0381 WHOLE NUMBER 53

RICHARD E. GEIS—editor & publisher ALIEN THOUGHTS.4 PAULETTE MINARE', ASSOCIATE EDITOR BY RICHARD E. GEIS OTHER VOICES.50 BOOK REVIEWS BY PUBLISHED QUARTERLY AN , OSTENSIBALLY ON TIE ARDATH MAYHAR FEB., MAY, AUG., NOV. FANTASTASY CIIEMA, WITH AT LEAST ONE WORD MI SPELLED IN T>€ TITLE, PAUL MCGUIRE SINGLE COPY - $2.50 AND MUCH OF THE REST HAVING NO BILL WINANS REAL RELEVANCE TO HE SUBJECT, MICHAEL GROSSBERG YOU SEE.13 ALMA JO WILLIAMS BY JAWHAE FRANK NEAL WILGUS PAULETTE MINARE ONCE OVER LIGHTLY.16 BOOK REVIEWS BY GENE DEWEESE

interview: ALGIS BUDRYS.19 LETTERS.55 CONDUCTED BY MARK BERRY RONALD R. LAMBERT JOHH BRUNTER SMALL PRESS NOTES.28 GEfE WOLFE BY RICHARD E. GEIS EDWARD E. ROM CHRISTOPHER PRIEST JAIET FOX THE GLASS BUSE€L.32 MIKE GLICKSOHN BY BOB SHAW DARRELL SCHWEITZER RICHARD S. MCEfROE ADVICE TO A IEW WRITER ON TTE JANRAE FRANK CHOICE OF A FIRST WDRD-PRDCESSOR.34 KARL EH) BY ALGIS BUDRYS THE MYSTERY & ADVENTURE SERIES REVIEW #15. FOUNDATION #31. RAISING HACKLES.39 AGAINST THE WALL Vol.12, No.10.. BY ELTON T. ELLIOTT COVER BY ALIEN KDS2DWSKI AND HEN I SAW.42 BY RICHARD E. GEIS NO ADVERTISING WILL BE ACCEPTED

Second Class Postage Paid TEN YEARS AGO IN SF - FALL, 1974 INTERIOR ART-- at Portland, OR 97208 BY ROBERT SABELLA.44 TIM kirk—2,4,28,42 ALEXIS GILLILAND-3,8,10,12,16,17, Copyright (c) 1984 by Richard E. £ CAN REPEM6ER IT FOR YOU ^1,24,30, 36,37,40,47,48,49,50,5]., Geis. One-time rights only have WHOLESALE: TIE PHIL DICK PROBLEM: been acquired from signed or cred¬ ited contributors, and all other TIE PHIL DICK SOLUTION.45 OLE PETTERSON—5 rights are hereby assigned to the BY BARRY N. MALZBERG —6.7.9,18,29,31,32, contributors. 39,41,46,52,57,60,62,63 BRAD FOSTER—7,9,17,20,22,23,25,35 SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW is published s-rar11 38'‘a'1|,, at 1525 N.E. Ainsworth, Portland, GEORGE KOCFELL-33,44 OR 97211 RAYMOND H. ALLARD-^55 MICHAEL GILBERT-58 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW POB 11408 Portland, OR 97211 BURNING WITH A VISION.£) LIBERTARIAN MICROFIO£ PUB.29 STIGMATA #21.2 THE VISIONARY.3 WONDERS HIDDEN.29 IT'S DOWN THE SLIPPERY CELLAR

love among’the’xoids!!!!!!!!!!!!!3o SCIENCE FICTION CHRONICLE.30 WINNOWING STAR.30 PHILIP K, DICK: IN HIS OWN WORDS.30 LOVE AND ROCKETS #2.31 IN A FARAWAY GALAXY.31 SPACE & TIME #67.31 SUBSCRIPTIONS REVIEW #71.31 SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW THE .40 P.O. BOX 11408 OMNI'S SCREEN FLIGHTS SCREEN PORTLAND, OR 97211 .41 YESTERDAY'S TOMORROWS: PAST FOR ONE AND TWO YEARS VISIONS OF THE APERICAN FUTURE.41 AT FOUR-ISSUES-PER-YEAR SUNSPACER.41 SCHEDULE EYE OF THE COPET.41 SUPERDAD.42 SMITHEREENS.42 UNITED STATES: $9.00 One Year DEAL OF THE CENTURY.42 $18.00 Two Years NIGHT OF HE JUGGLER.42 THE BUNKER.43 CANADA: US$9.50 One Year SURFACING.43 US$19.00 Two Years BREATHLESS.43 Personal cheques accepted if HE LONELY LADY.43 written on US$ accounts. SPACEHUNTER.43 TOOTSIE.43 UNITED KINGDOM: Send pound CURSE OF THE PINK PANTHER.43 equivalent of US$9.SO One Year STRANGE INVADERS.43 US$19.00 Two Years JAWS OF SATAN.43 to agent WM. DAWSON 5 SONS CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF.43 Cannon House SHEET ALICE.43 Folkestone, Kent, BAD BOYS.44 CT19 5 EE EASY PDPEY.44 or write them for quote. WAVELENGTH.44 DRAW:.44 AUSTRALIA: Send A$ equivalent of STAY AS YOU ARE.44 US$9.50 One Year HE LAST APERICAN VIRGIN.44 Next Issue. US$19.00 Two Years HEART LIKE A WHEEL.44 to agent SPACE AGE BOOKS THE BLOOD OF OTHERS.44 INTERVIEW: L. PEIL SMITH 305-307 Swanston St. SABAZEL.50 , 3000 Vic. BRISINGAPEN.50 RED-HAIRED HEROES, BROWN¬ or write them for quote. WEST OF EDEN.50 HAIRED LOSERS: SCIENCE THE LAGRANGISTS.51 FANTASY S COLOR CODE ALL OTHER FOREIGN: US$9.50 One Yr. THE RAINBOW CADENZA.51 BY HAPNAH N.G. SHAPIRO US$19.00 TWo Yrs. THE RIDERS OF HE SIDHE.51 All foreign subscriptions mist MOONGAHER.52 STANTON A. COBLENTZ: be paid in US$ cheques or money- MOONSCATTER.52 THE VICTORY BEHIND DEFEAT orders except to agents. III: HE SEARCH FOR BY JEFFREY M. ELLIOT SPOCK.53 MAKE ALL CHECKS, CHEQUES, AND CHEON OF THE WELTAPLAND, BOOK I: RICHARD E. GEIS, THE MONEY ORDERS PAYABLE TO SCIENCE THE FOUR WISHES.53 ARCHIVES, THE COLUMNISTS THE COPPLETE AUTHORIZED GUIDE TO ENCYCLOPEDIA.53 SAVE A HASSLE AND EXTRA EXPENSE MINDSPELL.54 SHADOW OF HE BEAST..54 IF YOU MOVE WE NEED YOUR FORMER PIAPHATTAN GHOST STORY.54 ZIPCODE AND YOUR NEW COPPUETE ADDRESS.

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Ei-7>PJC.H GDIAJFLOT 3 8-7-34 Kookie has had six "trans¬ fusions" of water so far, to help her kidneys and to keep her blood from becoming poisoned by her body's wastes. ouew All this is very expensive, with blood tests, etc. And I am unable to continue at this rate. Like society in general concern¬ ing Medicade and Medicare, hard de¬ THOUGHTS cisions are coming due. $50-60 dol¬ lars a week is beyond my abilty to pay after the first week. I love the little darlin'. But. She's eating better now, however, and scarfs up raw kidneys very well. And cooked chicken (which I smuggled | RICHARD E. GEIS | out of King's Table last night, wrapped in a napkin, in my pocket). But she doesn't seem to drink any water. And that's crucial, or she'll dehydrate, her blood poisons IN THE BEGINNING... campaign, in order to remove the will build up... taint of Carter and Corruption from Geis said, "Let there be a diary of Damn! sorts." He was out of sorts when he the democrats. So now Mondale can charge Reagan with having a corrupt said this. He searched the house, # The National Federation for De¬ White House (Meese) with "clean but there wasn't a sort to be found. cency has placed protest pickets in hands." front of a 7-Eleven store in Portland, Ah, politics. Angry skunks Okay, that's got me started. part of a nation-wide campaign to smell better. pressure this convenience-store chain 8-1-84 I don't like the way Kookie into not selling , PENIHOUSE, # Lately a national religious Dec¬ is acting and looking... she is losing etc. ency campaign has resulted in the weight and refusing to eat much of So far, in Portland, Fred Meyers, anything. We'll have to take her in pressuring of large local food and Albertsons, and Kienows food/dept, department store chains to stop sell¬ and be looked at. store chains have caved in. Safeway ing PENTHOUSE, PLAYBOY and similar never did carry those mags. "adult" magazines in their stores. But 7-Eleven is not budging; they # My bank is ripping me off in the Five of the biggest chains have believe freedom of choice is the key form of check charges, checking caved in to the threat of a boycott point of the chain's policy. acct. charges, etc. These NOW ac¬ by religious zealots in and around The Rev. Donald Widmon of TXipelo, counts are marvelous: the bank gen¬ Portland, and have agreed to stop Ms. is director of the National Fed¬ erously pays interst, then stacks selling those magazines. eration for Decency. Several years the deck so that their "services" Now the ABC TV channel in Port¬ ago he urged a boycott of sponsors of cost twice the interest earned; you'd land has run a "Televote" survey to certain television shows. have to keep $1,000. in the savings find out how the citizens feel about acct. to offset the escalated service this blatantly unconstitutional charges. pressure tactic. They asked people So here's what I want you to do: to call a specific telephone number When you renew your subscription, for a "Yes" or "No" vote on this make the check payable to RICHARD censorship. Over 26,000 votes were 8-14-84 Kookie is drinking water E. GEIS. Not to Science Fiction made, and 52.3% were in favor of very well now, but I don't think Review. having PENTHOUSE, PLAYBOY, etc. sold she's eating enough. Even raw liver That way I can open a personal in the stores, while 47.7% were in isn't tempting her. She does like a checking account at the local Benja¬ favor of the magazines being not min Franklin Savings 5 Loan Co. (who sold in those stores. have free checking with interest if I wonder how long it will be be¬ you keep $300 in the account) and fore these chains "quietly" put the say goodbye to greedy U.S. National magazines back in their stores. It Bank of Oregon. costs them a bundle to keep them out. Checks made payable to SFR or REG Publications have to go into a # Unemployment rose to 7.4% in July business account, and that's where (June 18 to July 18 period) from they get ahold of you by the balls. 7.1% in June. Another little indi¬ Savings 5 Loans companys can offer cator that the bloom is off this personal checking, but not business boom's rose. I'm a hit surprised checking, by law. unemployment is begin inning to rise so quickly: it usually lags the early So, once again, PLEASE MAKE ALL indicators. CHECKS PAYABLE TO RICHARD E. GEIS. But a sign of the times, in Ore¬ I thank you. gon at least: Yard sales, garage sal¬ es, estate sales, moving sales, etc. are rampant in Portland. At least in the Northeast areas. The private citizen is in direct competition with major retailers, now. 8-4-84 Bert Lance has resigned as chairman of the Mondale-Ferraro few licks of the vitamin paste I give # The economy: business spending her from the vet (she licks it off plans have declined. Steel produc¬ my finger). She walks and runs and tion is falling week by week. Re¬ jumps as well as before, but unless tail sales in June were down almost her lack of appetite is the result of one percent. Yet consumers went in¬ the recent heat, I still dread the to debt a tremendous amount—$9 bil¬ lion, was it? (Mostly for new cars.) When that is taken away---when the # Donald M. Miller wrote to tell a- ability to buy a new car is exhaust¬ bout his farm/land and survival plan ed and new car buyers are scarce, in case of a "blow-up". The most retail sales will plummet and a great valuable comment for me (and maybe shock will ripple through the economy you) concerns woodbuming stoves as merchants cut back on accumulat¬ and/or fireplace inserts: ing inventory and cancel orders, which will force factories to cut em¬ 'Get a fireplace with a kit for ployment . ducting outside into the combus¬ tion chamber. The kit will pay for # With a friend recently, Paulette itself in the first week in increas¬ and I visited a "topless" roadhouse ed efficiency. Do not let anyone beyond Portland's city limits (in tell you "you don't need it". I've east Miltnomah county, beyond 42nd had 12 woodbumers in six years- street---very close, actually). building houses and moving up-and The surprise was that the two the only one that was worthwhile had dancers were bottomless as well. outside air ducts.' For discretion purposes only topless It does make exquisite sense to is proclaimed on the sign outside. not suck inside warmed air into the One dancer was shaved and very stove or fireplace and send it up professional in working the scatter¬ the chimney. That is counterproduc- ed male audience. She waggled her ass at us (we at the stage-side ring of seats and could have reached # 'The House of Representatives vot¬ out to touch her), bent over and ed overwhelmingly recently to repre- peered through her legs at us, dis¬ mand Rep. George Hansen, R-Ida., playing her pudenda in lovely, well- after his conviction on four felony lit detail, and was willing to do a counts for not reporting some of his little talking over the LOUD music. wife's income. Nice personality. Good body. 'Hansen, with good grounds, said The other girl was a dud, seem¬ he was not the only one with (this ingly bored out of her skull and a law's) provisions. Rep. Geraldine very limited dancer, as well. Ferraro, the Democratic vice presi¬ But I was surprised that bottom¬ dential candidate, has never report¬ less was allowed in the county. It al. So blase am I. So sophisticat¬ ed her husband's income. The law seems a well-kept (unpublicized) ed. I made jokes. I watched silent¬ exempts disclosure if the official secret. Without the dancers there ly. I smiled. does not "control or derive any wouldn't have been four men in the After we had watched the girls benefit" from the spouse's money.' place. It's a working class place. do their dance sequences twice, we —Flora Lewis (syndicated Significantly, at a Stuart Ander¬ left. Their routines were the same column) son Cattle Country restaurant we again and again. Same moves, same visited a few days later for what steps... Of course the difference is that turned out to be an overpriced The antisex people, those relig¬ Hansen is a very conservative hard- inferior meal with outrageously ov¬ ionists who make a living protesting money tax-cutting conservative Re¬ erpriced drinks (and coffee extra sexual "exhibitions" and photos and publican. And the House is control- at $.70 per) the large bar area behavior, are more sex obsessed than ed by the Democrats, and Ferraro is was packed with young men and women the customers and habitues of this a protege of Speaker Tip O'Neil. of the yuppy persuasion, a middle material. Now Ferraro is refusing to dis¬ class wateringhole which catered to close her husband's tax statements singles. Lots of 20-40 year-old (after having promised to do so) be¬ women there sitting together, a lot cause he has refused, and he's a of young men sniffing around... The macho Italian man. Olympics were being shown on a 60" 8-17-84 called to my screen on the wall. No one was attention a layout goof. Wrote So we have a nice juicy scenario watching. to work with in coming weeks. Since he: I couldn't imagine myself going '8-11-84 Dear Dick, Reading Farraro is an officer in at least down into that pit and mingling, Benford with fascination, I got one of her husband's real estate trying to meet anyone, trying to zapped at the top of page 10. And corporations, she will have ot make shout over the chattering roar of is that last paragraph ((of the some form of detailed disclosure that melee, that meat market. article)) Benford of Geis? You soon. And it may turn out that she Too old, too introspective, too really must stop letting Alter and he are millionaires. Tsk. And repelled by that scene, too content paste up.' it may turn out she is in violation with what I've got. of the law. Interesting, too, that even in Hurriedly I looked at page But don't count on the Demos to the topless-bottomless joint, even 10...and then page 9... Oh, Arrr- reprimand her. with that naked pussy gyrating a few rrrhh! Part of a paragraph from Still, her value to Mondale may feet from my face, and those nice the end of page nine had not been be severely diminished, and his a- titties bouncing, I didn't have carried over to page 10. bility to make correct choices and even a slight tingle of sexual arous The missing part, joined to its decisions may be further questioned. opening part of a sentence, from "In The Wave's Wake" by Gregory and natural emotional resilience can a few clothes, a woman to love, Benford, SFR #52, page 9-10, reads keep the disease at bay for a long a couple friends. The poorest as follows: time. But sooner or later, I suspect, man in America can have those, the questions eat through to the virtually for free. Ballard preferred to imagine nerves and far back in the mind a "Anything past the minimum, America rather than visit it; facts dialogue starts in... man, is one-upmanship." "But I love my work! I can't "Jesus Christ, man, what are you give up writing!" working so fucking hard for? You've "If you love it so fucking got maybe twenty-thirty years of life much, man, why are you so daimed left. Why stick to this damn grind?" tired all the time? Why do you "I've got obligations. A family, resist doing it? Why would you expenses, duties, responsibilities." rather be fishing or riding your "You've got rocks in your head! bike or meeting new people? Why You're in this rat race—trapped in is it so hard to do what you say this rat race---for ego, for money, you love to do?" for things, for status. It's all "I do it well! People like to phoney, man! It's all hollow. It's Italics are mine to make the read what I write. I please them. quote distinctive and separate. all pointless! Why not just stop all I entertain them." Thank you, Gene. Sorry, Greg. this shit and enjoy life? Shrug "Excuses. Face the truth. You Alter Ego wasn't in charge when all these duties and responsibilities are sick of this rut and you’re all those pages were pasted up. But it off your shoulders and slow down! knotted up with push-pull forces. was late, I was sleepy, and that You're not going to get out of this Face it: it isn't worth it anymore. little piece of paper slipped away, world alive, you know. You’ll be Face it: life is a fraud; society is perhaps to the floor to hide among dead meat, a couple people will shed a con game. You've been a victim the scraps of waste... some tears, your precious books and all your life, used by others to stories will go out of print, and create wealth for their use." you'll be forgotten. You'll be a "No, no..." lousy entry in books here and there. "Yes, yes. But you think you're # was the subject Big fucking deal." of "Talk of the Trade", a column by trapped in this life you lead. You "But I need a new car. I want like to be a big frog in this muddy Leonore Fleischer in the August 10, new furniture for the livingroom. 1984 issue of PUBLISHERS WEEKLY. little puddle you've found. But now I have to pay for- — " you're seeing the truth and it's She describes the myriad of re- "Naw, naw. Bullshit. It's ego. and new releases coming up in the tearing you up inside. What are you You're driven to seek fame and for¬ going to do about it?" next 12 months of Harlan's work, tune. Be a big man in the literary and tells of an illness he was (and "I don't know. I don't know!" world. Gotta keep that ol' image "Shit! Gutless. Typical. Ok! may still be) suffering from: endo¬ sparkling with the glitter of success. genous depression. Symptoms include Suffer! Be depressed. Get mad, get But for what? Why? Why bother with physical lassitude (while his mind headaches, get psychogenic diseases. all those boring boobs you have to Fight me all you want. The truth kept on creating ideas for stories), deal with? Why hassle with editors a series of sudden, overwhelming can set you free or it can make your and publishers? Listen, asshole, rages, a loss of sexual interest. life a hell." you don't need ten suits, forty His career suffered, to say the "So I should give up all shirts, a dozen pair of shoes, twen¬ least. This occurred several years these things I've worked for?" ty sports coats, fifteen pair of ago. He took to the college lecture "Things again! I know I'm sound¬ slacks.. You don't need a million- circuit to keep money coming in. ing like a hippie, but out and out dollar house to live in. Bums, But his writing projects suffered, slaves live longer and enjoy life hoboes, tramps have more fun than lapsed...languished- more than a writer chained to a desk you do. There is no logical, He spent $31,000 seeking medical writing stuff he hates. The bottom rational reason to work this hard, treatment and was finally told his line is, schmuck, what's the point subject yourself to this kind of illness was idiopathic-peculiar in living a lie, doing stuff you hate, pressure and tension, to live well. to Haylan, and incurable. Unless dealing with people you despise, if All you need is a certain small he cured himself. you're going to die anyway? Now, if amount of food every day, a room, all this shit could buy you ten or And that is what Harlan has done. He learned to avoid the storms of rage which afflicted him, to compen¬ sate for his fatigue by employing a copy editor and proofreader to live full time in his home. The result is five books turned in and four contracts outstanding: a mainstream novel, SHRIKES; a sur¬ real fantasy novel, THE PRINCE OF SLEEP; the 750,000, 3-volume anthol¬ ogy THE LAST DANGEROUS VISIONS (which may now be in the hands of Houghton- Mifflin; a collection of short sto¬ ries, FROM THE LAND OF FEAR, for Whispers Press.

Depression is perhaps endemic among writers. Anyone of high in¬ telligence (I suspect) has eating away in his mind the disease of Doubt and Rationality. Animal energy, youthful optimism 8-19-84 It does my heart good convention, a smoke detector was 1 Uvf IT 1 to see the DEA and the FBI cut off ripped from a hallway and an alarm at the knees in the De Lorean drug was pulled on another floor. The koOt~ 17, l trial. How frightful, how sad, how result was the evacuation of hundreds delightful! of guests from the hotel at 4:15 in I've thought for years the Drug the morning. Enforcement was a mistake, 'This unlawful act was done by and lately as they've gone "head¬ one or two fans or persons mansquer- hunting" for Big Names in order to ading as fans and we all must pay get all kindsa publicity and to for it. We have already paid by justify their existence, it has standing in the streets in our night been fine to see them stumble and clothes. We paid by having parties fall into the mud of bad publicity closed down for the remainder of the and lost cases. con. We will pay in the future as The judge in the De Lorean case, it becomes more and more difficult and the jury, sent a clear message to find hotels to host science fic¬ that these set-up entrapments by tion conventions. these headline-happy agents and 'This time we are not going to agencies has got to stop. turn our heads, tolerate the ill- As for De Lorean, of course he behaved fringe, make excuses for was technically guilty of conspira¬ them to ourselves and to others. We cy to do a big cocaine deal, but re sick and tired of having our con¬ he wouldn't have done it unless the ventions spoiled by the irresponsible government set it up and made it all behavior of a few. It is for this appear guaranteed and safe. reason the Westercon 37 Committee Now the DEA and the FBI stings and Oregon Science Fiction Conven¬ will be increasingly difficult to tions, Inc. offers the following: set up and operate as everyone in '$500 REWARD future big-money drug deals will be FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO THE ARREST super-cautious and wary, will insist AND CONVICTION OF TOE PERSON OR on meetings where even the best cam¬ PERSONS RESPONSIBLE FOR TOE FALSE eras cannot work, will wear scram¬ ALARMS AT TOE PORTLAND MARRIOTT HOTEL blers to foil recordings... That ON TOE MORNING OF JULY 2ND, 1984. sort of thing. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION SHOULD CON¬ And anyone with a well-known TACT WESTERCON 37 twenty years of extra life, ! name, any celebrity who is in deep P.0. BOX 16155 But the truth is all this tension and debt, will think three times when PORTLAND, OR 97216 pressure and fighting through inner a friend or anyone suggests a drug OR CALL (503) 774 7592' resistance only shortens your life. deal to solve financial problems. You get the short end both ways." I think, too, it's hilarious "I can't just stop!" that these former drug dealers em¬ "Up to you, buddy. We all dig ployed by the DEA and FBI to set up our own and fill in the date. these Stings always do a nunber on Angst is inevitable if you don't their employers and manage to screw 8-24-84 I get the distinct impress¬ listen to yourself." up the case by cheating in charact¬ ion that the mighty media are being er and lying as usual. manipulated. I watched a lot of the All this locks into the box known Demo and Repub conventions and was as 'the human condition'... We are # Rookie is eating better. Yester¬ struck by the command of TV exhibit¬ creatures aware of ourselves, aware day she put away almost a can (small, ed by the 'behind-the-scenes' men of time, aware of death. We see it the expensive Salmon Dinner Feast who schedule events, provide data, coming. And we are mostly trapped kind). I'll try her on her usual etc. at these cons. Especially when in a matrix of instinct and drives, moist cat food tonight and see if the nominee for president is known blood chemistry and circumstance, her appetite continues, or if she in advance. These manipulators then environment and heredity. Making has become spoiled rotten. Too, to must milk every little suspenseful sense of ourselves and our lives and get her to continue eating I have to event or unsettled question for all our world is virtually impossible, a sit next to her on the ground, pet it's worth. And the networks are torment and a fascination, a delight her and croon to her.. "Nice Rookie. trapped in these huge, extravagant and a terror. Eat a little more, Rookie..." non-events, having conmitted vast sums and manpower to 'covering' The above isn't addressed to the con games. Their floor report¬ Harlan. He knows all this better ers and commentators must themselves than I. Better than most. I'm # I do not usally print press re¬ make news, be provocative, be the mostly talking to myself. leases, but in this case I rake an stars in order to hold the audience I'm amazed how quickly I wrote exception. and provide the ratings to justify the above, and how nuch fun it was 'Portland Westercon 37 the prices asked of advertisers. to write. Hell, I could fill the (1984 Oregon) It's sad and despicable. As an whole damn magazine with daily in¬ PO Box 16155 observer of the world/national scene trospective thots. Inspecting one's Portland, OR 97216 and comnentator on the cultural/ entrails is endlessly attractive. political scenes, I watch and give But how many others want to read 'At Westercon 37, Harlan Ellison my opinions. But were I not watch¬ it? I suspect I'll find out. made a moving speech dealing with the ing to provide grist for my mill, as horrible, vicious things done to a citizen I'd not watch a second of writers by fans. He took great care these self-serving, propagandists to point out that these are done by exhibitions by the national parties only a small percentage of fans, yet and by the networks. all must pay for it. At the same Now, if the nets wanted to pro¬ vide some meat and guts to the pub- lie, they should cover the La Roache fering a loss of many big deposits The process of killing a pet (spelling?) candidacy and the Liber¬ as those holders take no chances.' is different now, than it used to tarian convention/position. Better to hold treasury paper or be. A simple injection of a power¬ break the deposits down to the ful barbiturate with a poison was # Kbokie has gotten weaker and $100,000 limits and scatter the used on Chin, my mother's Siamese weaker. She cannot or will not money around. who had his back or hips broken eat enough to keep from losing Thus the banking system is suf¬ when a car hit him. weight and strength. She is noth¬ fering greatly and becoming ever Today they hook up an i.v. and ing but fur and bones, now, and more vulnerable as hot money becomes feed an instantaneous-acting drug getting very weak. I try this cat ever more jittery and wary. The into the pet's bloodstream. food, that cat food...raw liver one FDIC's desperate bid to avoid a Paulette told me—I didn't day, kidneys, raw fish shreds... crisis in the C-I case has made a really want to know---that Kookie She nibbles, licks...walks disaster more likely, later. was very patient when the i.v. was away. It's a familiar attempt to put in and emitted only a small miew She drinks enough water for muddle through, to put off the day when the drug hit. Then she was her needs, I guess, but I know she of reckoning one more month, or year gone. won't last much longer. I pet her or week...in the hope that semething Shit! and love her 15) as much as I can, will turn up. SHIT! I'm crying again. and it tears my heart to see her But we live in a hair-trigger Why is this affecting me like enjoy it so, and purr... But when financial environment, and the END this? Because Kookie was a direct she can no longer walk we'll have could come with staggering suddenness. link to my mother, whose cat she to take her to the vet for that was before she died in 1975? Is final shot. Shit. all this emotion pouring out of me a delayed grieving for my mother? # Steel production down again Could be. I don't know. last week. Conrnodity prices re¬ I do know that when you've suming their downward slide after a 9-9-84 Kookie is gone. We had to lived with someone for 11 years and brief rally. take her to the North Portland Ani¬ earned their absolute trust and Last year the sunnier doldruns mal Clinic on the 7th, to be 'put love, when they are dependent on fooled me into thinking the economy to sleep.' you for food and shelter and love, was slumping. In the fall the econ¬ I bawled like a baby after I and when they give love in return, omy surged ahead. That could happen made the appointment, and could¬ it hits haj;d when they get sick and again if the consuners are willing n't go with Paulette into the— waste away and finally, have to be to go even deeper into debt. Car execution room, later. killed. sales are continuing at very high Kookie, near the end, was too Kookie was a person. With a levels. But the trends show a topp¬ weak to climb stairs, could only considerable amount of intelli¬ ing out of this boom, and I still barely walk- -a kind of stagger. gence and knowledge. A cat person. think the election will depend on She exhibited strange behavior: All right. Let it end. Let how quickly the coming recession is she refused to enter the house as it stop. No more about Kookie. discovered by the electorate. a rule, and if taken inside, would The banking system is particu¬ not settle down, but stand on my larly fragile, with holders of big lap, inpatient to be let out. money (more than $100,000) deposits And sometimes she would come in on unwilling to let them sit in "prob¬ her own, mewing for food or some¬ 8-29-84 A local weatherman tells lem" banks or savings 5 loan compan¬ thing, a brief reversion to her of reports of geese flying south al¬ ies. They don't even trust the FDIC old personality, but once inside ready, four weeks ahead of their in its pledge to guarantee over $100, would get very nervous and seem to usual flights. 000 deposits in large banks, since be saying, "What am I doing in He didn't say so, but I suspect even in the Continental- here? Let me out! I've got to this may forecast a severe winter, case, the FDIC never has put its find a way out!" And she'd run and perhaps an early one. pledge in writing to the depositors. (when she could run) from room to We'll see. And there is nothing so afraid as a room, seeking an exit. million dollars. The last two days she ate vir¬ # Steel production down again last The smaller banks and savings tually nothing. Not even raw liver week. Leading Economic Indicators and loan companies who do not have or raw kidneys, the only things down again, this time .8$. that FDIC or SLDIC pledge to pay she would eat the last few weeks of all over $100,000 deposits are suf¬ her life. # I have a friend who believes (for self-serving purposes, say I) in demons. These demons are very spec¬ ialized, with some entering the mind to whisper, "Go ahead, junp! Commit suicide..." "Blow your brains out!" and others whose duties are to make him forget important dates or ap¬ pointments. Still others inhabit his enemies and make them do things to make his life a hell... He's really a nice guy, but he resists responsibility for his life. But this isn't about his demons, but about mine! In spite of my sure and certain knowledge that I do love and com¬ pletely enjoy sitting at this type¬ writer doing commentary and reviews, an insidious demon sits on my should¬ er whispering, "Naw, it's too much work! Sit here and watch the Finan¬ cial News Network another few minutes. Ed Hard will have his interest rate comnentary at eleven...and then the commodity reports come on again... and the tick is sinking fast, gotta watch that..." So that's what I fight every day. I put off required columns, I don't read enough, I don't answer mail... Ah, I tell you, the life of one possessed by a demon is hard! Even confessing this is difficult. IT resents my exposure of its activities. Anyone out there have an exorcism spell? Nothing drastic; my demon is¬ n't all that powerful, else you'd never read these words... Oh, arrrghhh! Do you suppose it...it's Alter Ego coming back? Send that exorcism now!

9-15-84 I finally found out the Then all the chickens come home Hugo winners, courtesy DE PROFUNDIS to roost. 9-13-84 The Japanese are getting of September. We'll see if that scenario will into our space program in a large I knew I hadn't won a Hugo, be¬ fly all the way. way. Specifically, over a hundred cause nobody called. Ah, the losers Japanese corporations, especially languish in stony silence.... the biggies (Mitsui, Mitsubishi, So here are the winners. Con¬ Sianitomo, Fuyo) are putting money gratulations all. into American space conmercializa- tion companies, with an eye to shar¬ Novel: by David Brin 9-18-84 Here's a wry disturbing ing space and time on the coming Novella: CASCADE POINT by Timothy story from THE WALL STREET JOURNAL. American space platform for advanced 2ahn. The implications... coiunercial space manufacturing. Novelette: "Blood Music" by Greg The Japanese are into the lead¬ Bear. 'COMPUTERS THAT THINK like peo¬ ing edge of electronics, and space : "Speech Sounds" by ple create demand for experts in is the place where that will be Octavia E. Butler. short supply. researched and tested and manufact¬ Nonfiction Book: ENCYCLOPEDIA OF 'Interest in "artificial intel¬ ured in the future; they are think¬ SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY (III) ligence" systems is booming say em¬ ing a hundred years ahead. by Donald Hick. ployers and recruiters among firms The American government has mix¬ Dramatic Presentation: RETURN OF THE in financial services, computer ed emotions about all this. JKbl (Lucasfilms, Ltd.) hardware and design, de¬ My own feeling is that the U.S., Professional Editor: Shawna McCarthy fense and communications. The sys¬ because of its debt disasters and -[TSAAC ASIM3V5). tems principally duplicate , endless, unmanageable "entit- Professional Artist: Michael Whelan. thought processes of experts for lanent" programs will be (is) turned Semipro Magazine: LOCUS, edited by trouble-shooting and cash management. into a kind of Japanese colony: a Charles N. Brown. Demand for the systems is "explos¬ huge market for their products, a Fanzine: FILE 770, edited by Michael ive" says Halbrecht Associates, huge workhorse to enable them to stay Glyer. Stamford, Conn. in the forefront in certain (and Fan Writer: Michael Glyer. 'But Halbrecht recruiter Daryl maybe all, by then) electronics Fan Artist: Alexis Gilliland. Fumo says "there just aren't enough people to go around" to design the fields in space, and a free military systems. Most prospects have about protector. five job offers when they finish a Here we are, spending hundreds of billions of dollars every year # So in August retail sales declin¬ project. not to protect ourselves, but to ed .8$ while car sales increased a- 'DM Data, a Scottsdale, Ariz. protect Europe, Asia, Africa, Cen¬ bout 254. At the same time (same consulting firm, estimates that tral and South America... We suffer month) consumer debt incresed $7.1 there are nearly 8000 jobs in the a hundred billion dollar trade defi¬ billion. indutry now, but there will be cit every year by buying far far Figure out what happens when 50,000 jobs by 1990.' the consumers have reached the bot¬ more foreign goods than we sell... As production of things is in¬ tom of their ability to take on more We are the employer of vast armies creasingly taken over by computers, debt, when they have bought all the of foreign politicians and citizens, computerized machines, computerized new cars they can afford. the supplier of vast armies... factories, computerized transport, The first public awareness that All to keep Russia at bay? the ever-widening, deepening area the recovery has peaked and is start¬ I smell a con game of stagger¬ of employment will have to be servic¬ ing into another recession will be ing proportions going on. We won't es. New entertainment industries, the trigger which pulls the plug on be able to afford this empire much new sports, new ways to fill up time the expansion-of-credit bubble and longer. will have to be created and staffed. which plunges retail sales into a Until that adjustment process 5% drop in one month. fills in the social vacuum, however, Everyone now thinks Reagan will unmployment will skyrocket in the be re-elected, and that the economy next decade, primarily because dis¬ will be good-to-great until after placed workers will not find jobs Christmas. and will drag the economy (along with the debt monster) through a ranch, fighting lawsuits over that 10-4-84 On Sept. 23 famous author long, severe wringer. development. Doris Lessing said she wrote two The teenagers of today will be And they have recently imported under a pseudonym 'to drama¬ moving into the new service indus¬ about 3000 homeless people from big tize the plight of unknown writers.' tries, including, come to think, the cities to the city-commune, ostensi¬ The books were rejected by her own health services complex. bly to help those poor souls, but now publisher, ignored by critics and admittedly, to allow them to vote in sold poorly. the November election and perhaps to She said, "Nothing succeeds like # Here's something to give one help "take over" the county govern¬ success." pause: TO THE STARS, a Methuselah ment. We are supposed to weep and moan Press magazine devoted primarily to All this is causing howls and for the new writer and smile with puffing L.Ron Hubbard's new writing, anguish in Wasco county. The action has changed direction to the extent is causing reaction, of course. The cynicism at the proven lack of skill of hiring as Fiction Rajneeshees, feeling threatened, have and judgement exhibited by editors, Editor and scheduling issues which moved to secure an invulnerable power publishers, critics and reviewers will contain approximately 65,000 base--the town and now, presumably, who prejudged those two novels Les¬ words of original science fiction. the county govt. sing sold to other publishers and Also: William Rotsler is joining But the imported homeless are which died in England, selling only 1500 copies, and selling only 3000 the staff as Art Director/Consultant not cooperating; they are not taking and will work to redesign the maga¬ well to the discipline and hard work copies in the USA. zine. required of them, and are homesick Ah, but her pseudonymous novels John and , the pre¬ for the concrete and steam grates of did sell and were issued in hardback. vious editors, have resigned due to their big city environments. They And, just maybe they wren't very artistic differences. are opting to get out of Rajneeshee good novels in the first place. In Address: TO THE STARS country and are being dumped by the fact, just maybe Doris Lessing broke into print with a very, very good 3963 Wilshire Blvd., #142 Rajneeshees in nearby towns. novel, or early burst of good novels , CA 90010 The cost of busing thousands of people to Rajneesheepuram is report¬ decades ago, and has been running on reputation and inertia ever since, edly well over $100,000. Initially so that in fact her later novels, the imported homeless were promised including her "space fiction" series, 10-3-84 Been a while since I made a return ticket if they chose not to the CANOPUS IN ARGOS---ARCHIVES, an entry...or report...in these stay. But apparently too many were and her pseudonymous efforts, are Thots. choosing to leave, and the return the skilled remainders of talent and I've been painting a bit on tickets were shut off. They are now, judged without the aura of success the garage...keeping the weeds it is reported, being bussed only and "name" would be (accurately were) at bay...seeing a host of odd to nearby Madras or The Dalles. seen as nothing special. jobs to do...reading for review... It's a two-way street and a doing a partial for a series I / OKAY. SALOME wants ' two edged sword. Lessing may have hope to sell to a NY publisher... V ST JOh>0% HEAt> SERVED < proved editors and critics are It goes on and on. But let's get TACE-'MOWN l/o -THE / frauds...or she may have proved her¬ to it while the time is here and self a fraud, at age 65, with 25 I'm at the typer. books to her credit. Now I see that the pseudonymous THE RAJNEESHEE RAG novels will be issued in the U.S. this month under the Lessing name The only comment I have on this as THE DIARIES OF JANE SOMERS, as comic opera cult with its guru who a Vintage (a division of smiles benignly as he drives one of Random House). his fifteen Cor more) Rolls Royces past his adoring devotees and follow¬ There are break-in opportunities ers ... is that his personal secretary for beginning writers--always have (and, one assumes from the circun- been. How did Lessing get to be a stances, the power-behind-the- candidate for the Nobel prize? throne) has made stupid mistakes In this instance we are to be¬ and totally misread the people of lieve her "Jane Somers" novels are the surrounding areas in Wasco coun¬ as good as her early work. Seems ty- There is a lot of suspicion and unlikely. Well, history: first the corpora¬ prejudice against the guru and his tion which is the secular arm of the organization and followers, especial¬ guru/cult bought a large ranch near ly when his aides and officers lose a small town called Antelope. They their cool and start trading insults. started to build and create a town of The point of all this is that # Those of you who have read THE their own and to bring in hundreds push is coming to shove, and this SVDRD OF ALLAH may have thou^it we of their followers. on-go iig controversy will result in were exaggerating when we painted Then, perhaps threatened by the some new laws when the legislature JEMA (Federal Emergancy Management state land use board and restrictive meets again concerning voter quali¬ Agency) in so black a , by county and state laws against unre¬ fication, residency laws, etc., and showing the agency as power-hungry stricted development of farm/grazing likely at attempt to limit the size and ruthless, trying for its own form land, the Rajneeshees moved enough of the ranch comnune and to stop of dictatorship. of their followers into Antelope, the growth and influence and power Yet new—what am I doing using voted their candidates into local of the Rajneeshees. this Prestige Pica ball? office, and took over the town. It'll be a fine show; I'm look¬ Yet now—[ah. Delegate!]—in Antelope is now called Rajneeshpuram. ing forward to years of entertain¬ Jack Anderson's colunn of 9-25-84 Very few of the town's original resi¬ ment. we see that the agency wants congress dents are left. to pass special legislation allowing The Rajneeshees are now, after the agency to do the following in a more building and development on the declared emergency: + Instant confiscation of real [He spells it 'fische', others 3. HAVE YOU READ ANYTHING LATELY estate or personal property that leave off the 's'. Which is right?] THAT GIVES YOU THE SAME KICK? FH4A decides it needs for national He needs to borrow complete sets defense. Somebody signs a paper and of old mags. He'll pay postage costs No, alas. Too many stories and the armed forces act on it---there If you're interested or want to novels have passed my eyes...and goes your house, your computer, your help, want more info, write to him through my fingers. That first car, truck...whatever you have and at the above address. thrilling era of discovery cannot they want. No payment, of course. be re-experienced. Everything was new. Now almost everything is old. + Throw hoarders in jail. If I can appreciate fine writing, an they think you’ve got too much of MORE THAN YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW original idea, a new twist, of anything they can fine you $10,000 ABOUT YOU-KNOW-WHO course, but it's not the same. or throw you in jail for a year. It's Earl Wells' fault. He You're only a virgin once. Since the jails would be full, that wrote suggestions for the larger Ah..let me amend! Phil Dick's means they'd fine you—take your Geis presence in SFR. He wanted to novels often blew me away, espec¬ savings or take your property to ially UBIK. sell or use at their price. 1. WHAT DREW YOU TO SF IN THE 4. HOW DID YOU START WRITING? + Nationalize the means of pro¬ FIRST PLACE? WHAT HAVE YOU WRITTEN? duction. FEMA would decide what When I was nine or ten years old I started writing letters of you would produce if you own a shop I found a copy of SUPER SCIENCE STO¬ comment to Sam Merwin when he was or factory. If you demur or refuse RIES when vacationing at the beach. or hesitate—they will seize your editing STARTLING STORIES, as I I consumed it avidly; my naturally recall, and I wrote a column for shop or factory and force the changes keen intelligence was drawn to sf, THE TECH PEP, Benson Polytechnic's they want. and, once bitten with the wonders of school paper: "The Professor of + Freeze all wages, prices, fees, space-time, I was never the same. Screwlooseology" was the column's commissions, rents...and control all title. I also wrote straight, consumer credit by presidential de¬ 2. WHAT STORIES DO YOU REMEMBER right-thinking editorials. cree. MOST VIVIDLY FROM YOUR EARLY READ In 1951 or so I wrote two ING? + Nationalize all jobs. That stories and sent them to TWS and means slavery: they'd tell you where A.E. van Vogt blew my mind regu¬ SS. Awful! They came back. to work, how to work, when to work1* larly, especially THE WORLD OF A ... In 1958, when I moved to Venice, Refusal—jail or a $10,000 fine. or is it A? NULL A, anyway. And the , I wrote a short story classic NlCHTFALL by Asimov. FINAL and sold it, right off, to ADAM maga + Outlaw strikes. That means the BLACKOUT by Hubbard... The Lewis Pad- zine. I spent a year selling a hun¬ end of effective unions and is anoth¬ get stories and novels... THE SHIP dred short stories to ADAM, SIR er aspect of the slavery envisioned. OF ISHSTAR... Almost every story in NICHT and other L.A.-based men's UNKNOWN. magazines. Now, it is my understanding that I was not impressed with , In 1960 I wrote a novel, LIKE under the Emergency War Powers Act curiously enough, nor with Heinlein's CRAZY, MAN! and sold it to a the president can do all of the above sf juveniles. publisher...and sold about a 100 nov already, and delegate all these powers els to sex publishers in the next to FEMA. 23 years. I still write an occasion But this new proposed legislation al porno novel. applies also to non-war emergencies And I published my fanzine, and the definition of a national PSYCHOTIC in the mid-Fifties...was emergency is not provided--it would a member of The Cult for a few years be up to the president and his ad¬ I think in 1967 I revived PSYCHOTIC, visors, presumably. then eventually changed its name to How delightful. How frightful. SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW...killed SFR I'll guess at 1987 when the debt in 1972...published an intensely structure has collapsed, when unem¬ personalzine called RICHARD E. GEIS ployment is at 30$, when all the in 1972.. .returned to Portland and banks have closed, when rioting is revived SFR...and have been publish¬ going on in all major cities, when ing it regularly since. major supply/service systems have Collaborated with Elton Elliott broken down---like electricity, on THE SWORD OF ALLAH in 1982, and food distribution, gasoline distri¬ on THE BURNT LANDS in 1983-4. bution. .. I have partials out to the pub¬ Jack Anderson notes: "Because lishers in NY now, and hope for the FEMA's draft legislation is a stand¬ best. by proposal, it will not be offered I'm remembering more and nore... to Congress ahead of time---when it The self-published 500-copy editions could be thoroughly debated---but of STAR WHORES and THE CORPORATION only in the event of a national STRIKES BACK (sf sex novels), and emergency, when Congress supposedly the short-lived, less personal RICH¬ would be panicked into voting for a ARD E. GEIS, and the shorter-lived dictatorship." THE CONSPIRACY NEWSLETTER of a few years ago. This sketch of my writing career and hobby is riddled with bad memory for dates, but it's fairly accurate. # Paul Doerr, POB 1064, Suisun, CA Your suggestion that I reprint 94585, has volunteered to run the N3F some fan and pro stuff I've done is FISCHE BUREAU. That is, they want met with inertia and ugh. Nope. to put all the "great old pulp" sf 5. HOW DID YOUR FRIENDS AND and fantasy mags on micro fische. 11 FAMILY REACT? I'm not sure about my family. The Schweitzer will be put off One friend has always been impressed till next issue. with my stuff. I think my dad was The Archives will be put off tolerant and perhaps a mite proud; (and necessarily longer) next issue. he'd wanted to be a writer, briefly, The article/memorial about Stan¬ in his 30's. My mother never said; ton A. Coblentz by Dr. Jeffrey M. I think she lied about me to most of Elliot will be put off till next is¬ her friends; she couldn't show a copy sue. of ORAL DAUGHTER and be proud. This leaves me with 63 pages, She wanted me to be a respectable and an extra page of book reviews man...a baker like my uncle, or an will be slipped in to make the total accountant. But she was tolerant and right and proper. supportive. But I never really knew Deadline time is the 12th--two her or my dad. Their real feelings days--and a lot of work remains to were hidden; we never let each other be done. behind the masks. ONWARD! 6. WHAT WERE YOUR EDITORS AND COLLEAGUES LIKE?—WHAT WERE THEIR # Yes, as a matter of fact, I did OFFICES LIKE? WHAT DID THEY WEAR? see the debate (confrontation?) be- They were just people. The tween Mondale and Reagan. editors I met were people who could Hatching Reagan fumble and stun- give you money or withhold it. Brian ble as he tried to think on his feet Kirby was marvelous --very smart, a- without a teleprompter or 3x5 cards head of his time, a collector. I There was some calculation in or a whisper in his ear was painful. liked Sam Merwin, but I was put off our planning; the structure was used I cringed as I watched. by his smoking. I regret I didn't for conmercial reasons and it fit Normally I can forgive his hesi¬ get to know him a lot better. (He the material. Originally, we had tations and gropings for words, but was the editor of Brandon House, a planned longer chapters and more of this time, in contrast with Mondale's sex house, for a few years..) Edit¬ them, but our agent knew a 175,000 swift, sharp, alert speaking style ors changed often. Everyone dressed word novel, from us, unknowns, was and eager attack, Ronny seemed dead casually. Editorial offices, in¬ not going to be accepted. in the water, bogged down with dif¬ cluding this one, are always strewn The short chapters are a result ficult to remember statistics, and with books and mss. of my writing style and philosophy; tired...so tired...and old. Those I met a few people in California I hate the idea of boring a reader, lines seemed deeper. He is getting ...Harlan, Hank Stine, , and my talent has been honed to write grey now, isn't he? , , Phil scenes with conflict and tension. Is he deteriorating? Is 73 too Farmer...But mostly I know people by [Curiously, and depressingly, the old? mail, and phone. latest poop on porno novels is that I thought: my god, this man is the readership doesn't want anything a parrot; without something to read 7. WHAT ARE YOUR IDEAS ON THE that distracts from the sex action, he's reduced to grooved cliches and CRAFT OF WRITING? and the characters have to be all a vague conservative philosophy he I think craft is ijiportant, but willing and eager. This leaves me cannot intellectually articulate. talent more important. I think most without much to do except detail He has no guts and no brains. professional fiction writers don't a great deal of intense, orgasmic So if I vote for him in November, have much talent. I think most pro¬ sex activity. That can get very I'll be voting for his advisors and fessional fiction writers are boring, repetitive...and challenging, in a aides, his staff. For Nancy. Ron in print; their fiction is too slow way. Variety and characterwise. Reagan is a hollow shell, and one and dull. that's cracking and crumbling before Okay, that's the end of your our very eyes. 8. IF YOU COULD WRITE ANY BOOK questions, and the end of my energy; YOU LIKE, AND HAVE IT PUBLISHED, WHAT gotta go up and make a deluxe Geis As for Ntondale —he's a clever, WOULD IT BE ABOUT? salad—lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, sincere, dedicated Liberal in hock cheese, sausage, hard boiled eggs... to his eyeballs to everyone in sight. It would be my diary for a year, oil and vinegar and seasonings. And He's a demogogue, a deliberate liar, written with total honesty and free¬ watch a few hours of TV before bed. a man who is one of the career poli¬ dom. But in the real world such a ticians I have grown to hate. published diary is virtually inpos¬ He will not be able or be will¬ sible. I'd be considered a psychotic, ing to address the monumental prob¬ a male chauvinist, a fascist, a here¬ lems this country faces. Maybe tic, a monster, a racist, an ideal¬ moreso, now, than Reagan, because ist, a cynic, a marvel, a great writ¬ 10-10-84 SQUEEZE...CUT...SWEAR... as a bleeding heart Liberal, Mondale er, a coward, a fool, a libertine, will be able to make cuts and reduc¬ a genius, the bravest man in the This is the crucial period when I have just counted the layout pages tions in the budget that Reagan could world, and the most tolerant man not and cannot make. in the world. And I'd have several ana found I have 65. Since this is a 64 page zine, But both these men are playing dozen lawsuits on my hands for libel lying games about Social Security; in and slander. a hard choice or two is due, espec¬ ially since I haven't pasted up the a few years the program will be cut And no publisher in the world back in various ways in spite of all would touch it. Archives yet. And Darrell Schweit¬ zer's column hasn't arrived. this swearing up and down it'll never But you asked. be cut. 9. IN THE SWORD OF ALLAH DID YOU The Editor puts on his hat. The And Mondale and the Democrats USE THE SHORT-CHAPTER, MULTIPLE- Editor rubs his stubbly jaw. A steel- will cut back the military budget VIEWPOINT TECHNIQUE BECAUSE YOU FIG¬ ly glint comes into his brown eyes... drastically. They'll have to become URED YOUR AUDIENCE HAS A SHORT, TV- (Don't ask about brown steel I) and INFLUENCED ATTENTION SPAN? OR DO he makes his decisions! YOU JUST LIKE IT BETTER? 12 ALIEN THOUGHTS CONTINUED ON P. 63 An essay, ostensibally on the fyntastasy cinema, with at least one word mispe/iedJhe title, and much of the rest having no

real relevance to the subject, you see

My grandfather's first sight of the silver screen made local his¬ by Avram Davidson tory. Having heard some laughably erroneous talk about a large-scale magic lantern show being conducted in the empty store in the next block, the next time one of the difficulty there, though: THE BLUE member no such film as TRANSATLANT¬ kids asked, "Papa, can I have an ANGEL, which was all in blue, came IC TUNNEL. Refresh my memory." ice-cream horn?" he said, "Let's out in 1930. Elements of the Fan- Says "Damon Knight." tastick right there, eh? What did go see this, ho, ho, Movie, in¬ The conversation takes place in I see, then, in 1927? I don't stead." Milford, Pennsylvania. We are know. What, you think T'm some drinking mint juleps, how's that He very soon realized that this sort of WhizQuizKid? One of those for Fantastick. Apple blossoms are was no ordinary magic lantern show. know-it-alls? As far as I am con¬ dam sure falling off the trees. Some law enforcement agency, the cerned I am right there with those There is a scent of scrappel in name of which he could not make out, language in which the word for the air. Pennsylvania is a very had planted cameras unobserved by film is the same as the word for fantastick State. It has official a gang of dirty rotten train rob¬ strip: the movie film and the moe- things with names like The Prothan- bers; sure enough, these pictures bius strip are one and the same. atory, The Court of Quarter Sessions moved! What next? A flying mach¬ To me. ine on Main Street, maybe. The lo¬ and Jail Delivery, the President comotive engine moved, it moved Damon Knight and I are having Judge, and the Chief Burgess. The pretty quick, you bet, all of a a discussion. Damon Knight's President Judge, in Milford, also sudden it was moving towards my beard, however, has not been invit¬ ran the shoe store and the movie grandfather, who began to advise ed to the discussion, and is in a house. The Chief Burgess was also the locomotive engineer to steer different isotherm if that is the the Chief Bagger at the Grand Un¬ it somewhere else. You bet, when, word ... though of course still ion. And the Prothanotory prothan- with an enormous lunge and surge it attached to Damon Knight. The sub¬ orated, "Now Harold," he'd say, seemed to leap through and out of ject is the Stfnal Film. Or Flim. "says right here that the milch cow the screen -- with an inmense Or, in Spanish, Flan. "... and then of a widow woman is like that of a shout of: "DUCK!" my grandfather I remember Richard Dix," say I. femme couvert cum vir viv. and can- dived out of his chair and became "You remember Richard Dix? In not be seized Tor her husband's flat with the floor. TRANSATLANTIC TUNNEL?" debts; see? Says right here." Whereupon Harold would look and This was pretty painful. What "I remember Richard Dix. I re- was worse was that some people there laughed at him. They laugh- ed! As he picked himself up ana brushed his clothes and looked ar¬ ound and asked, "Where did it go? Hey?" why some people (well, to be truthful, a lot of people) laughed. A fine way to behave towards an American citizen, the father of a family, a man who owned his own bus¬ iness! For years thereafter when one of the kids would ask, "Pappa, can I go to the movies?" Pappa would growl, fumble in his pocket, pull out a penny or maybe a two-cent piece of maybe even a three-cent piece, and say, "Go buy an ice-cream horn." It was years before he ever entered a moving picture theater again. After that he went all the

The first time I recall going to the movies, myself, was in 1927. The film was all in blue. Obvious¬ ly THE BLUE ANGEL, eh, with Marlene Dietrich? Obviously. Some slight say, "Oh, why so it does. Says armpits, which she shows us quite a day ... whatever it means today. so. Right there. Say. You got lot of; each, as Michael Arlen says But why is D. Knight hogging up so nee jugs fr my hard cider?" in THE GREEN HAT, a novel almost much of the space in what is, aft¬ contemporary with the flic, each er all, supposed to be my m^ idio¬ I sip the coldth of my milch "as smooth as an ivory cup.” Fine. syncratic essay on the Fantasy julep. "There's this great scene. Then we meet The Mad Scientist, by Flic -- say: anybody read my short Underneath the ocean there's this name Rotwang, you got that? No snort, FAED-OUT, which appeared in inmense gate, see? And the Tunnel name more felicitously suited to a FljSF? It is about the essential springs a leek (Leak? you got com¬ Mad Scientist than Rotwang has ev¬ flic fantastique, with elements of plaints, go see my lawyer) and so er appeared. Since, of course, than same on the late night telly-o. the gate's got to be closed. It Frankenstein. --What? "But Frank¬ Read it at once, do you hear? slides closed very-ry slowly, and enstein wasn't mad?" Believe that, "Captain Video, a sort of Hopalong the people scurry to get to the you'll believe anything; mad, I Cassidy ... in the early days of other side, and when it's closed tell you, mad! television ..." yes, and so was the ones caught sort of beat at Hopalong Cassidy. Who was he? A They say I am mad, but I am not and stroke on it. Hey, what a rather ordinary movie cowboy, play¬ mad. Had I but known the horror great scene!" ed in many films, or flims, by Wil¬ which awaited me in the strange liam Boyd. Nobody in Hollywood "No," says Damon. "No, no, high house in the mist that night thought much of him until, by and by, they began to think of him as just "What 'no'?" Jesus Christ, who writes a bit, well, kooky. Why? Well, those lines? “ different actors held out for dif¬ D. Knight gathers in a sort of ferent things, contract-wise: it a league or two of his beard and Metropolis itself was a great was William Boyd's thing that, dur¬ thrusts his nose into his julep city in the future, characterized ing the 30s and 4'Os, he had held cup. "Oh no," he says. by skyscrapers connected with each out for television rights to his other, a half-mile up, by bridges. "Well, then, use a different own films, that is, the Hopalong Why has this decorative and indeed kind of whiskey. I never liked Cassidy movies in which he had convenient feature never come to Dover." acted: sort of like holding out pass? The sly was also filled with for Martian rights today. The mov¬ Mr. Knight explains. "The aeroplanes, if that word is not ie moguls said, S-u-r-e, Bill ... scene you describe is from the sci¬ spelled exACTly, heads will fall, signed on the line, went away to ence fictional or fantasional film and every now and then an aeroplane snicker and guffaw. WHO cleaned or flic of the 20s called METROPOL¬ would make an abrupt right angle up the money during the early years IS. I recall that scene with the and fly away on it. There were when it was chaos and confusion as flooded gate quite clearly. For toiling masses in the depths of to who owned what rights for TV? some reason your subconscious mind this submerged bauhaus city, and -- William (Hopalong Cassidy) Boyd. has constructed a film called TRANS¬ I forget -- just how -- the waters Is who. As for the rest, well, ATLANTIC TUNNEL and imagined the of the deep were broken up, the there were, for funnywise things, METROPOLIS scene into it." masses fled or tried to: Suddenly UNCLE MILTY. And, as a friend wrote someone was trying to hold the fort, I denied this. Very carefully to me in 1949, I being out of the actually a gate -- as METROPOLIS I explain that my only info on country, "It's great Sitting in was a good decade before TRANSAT¬ your own living room watching these METROPOLIS was contained in a few LANTIC TUNNEL, very clearly the stills in the same issue of SCIENCE lovely movie stars, and, say, that makers of TT had cribbed the gate- AND INVENTIONS magazine which had a Theda Barra is some babe." And if against-the-waters scene from M. chapter from a novel titled TARANNO you wanted a line of Westerns, oat- Ripped it off. And did it much (TYRANNO? Why are you asking me? ers, horse-oprey, in which the ac¬ better too. Much, do you hear? Why do I have a lawyer for?) TRE tion did not hop around the flick¬ CONQUEROR. Author? Who knows. I pass this info on to Damon ering frames, who, who else? Hopa¬ Ray Cunnings, maybe. The artist Knight. He replies, "Your comments long Cassidy. Who. was indubitably the great Frank R. puzzle me. I never saw METROPOLIS, Even to those who remember the Paul. The magazine's publisher was having walked out on the first name "William Boyd" it may come as Hugo Gemsback. "I recollect no scene. I never saw TRANSATLANTIC a surprise that in the 1930s there submerged gate scene," say I. TUNNEL. True, I did see Richard were two actors of that name. True, Dix, but in CIMMARRON, a "METROPOLIS," says Mr. Knight. they were both on the screen, but by Edna Ferber, the famous western¬ one had once been on the stage. # # # # # er. What are you doing in Virgin¬ Neither wished to give up the name. ia?" Presently Damon Knight re¬ Years pass. Lustra. Decades. The matter was settled by giving turns to Oregon, his natal state, I am in a State to the south of us two, neatly denominated as Bill slowly followed by a long crepuscu¬ Pennsylvania, where at the College (Stage) Boyd and Bill (Screen) lar motion, declared by the Bureau of William and Mary, Theire Majest- Boyd. I rather think that Hop-o- of Standards to be his beard. Many ies' Royal Colledee in Y^ Kingdome My-Thumb was Screen. Not sure. And however, believe it to be the 40th oFVirginney, I holcTan office of I rather think that it was Stage parallel. Or the 49th. some sort. Chief Bagger? Dean of who acted in the only Stfnal Seri¬ Grouse? Writer in Residence? al I remember. This would be in Something like that. And one day, the middle 30s. The Serial, you know? We rotten kids called it, perceiving that a showing of the Damon Knight, It is averred, Thuh Chapter. This one's name? classical mid-20s film, or flim, was among the authors of CAPTAIN METROPOLIS is to be shown, so I go VIDEO, a sort of Hopalong Cassidy No idea. It was about a Secret to see it. The first scene shows a of the space waves in the earl^ City, located -- naturally -- in a fountain. Nextly, in darts a woman days of television ... "video" in Jung-le. Where else would you put person almost entirely garbed in a those days merely meant "televis¬ it? At one time, say, in The Ara¬ close-fitting silvery something-or- ion," instead of what it means to¬ bian Nights, a Secret, or. Lost, other, with the exception of her City, could have been stuck in a 14 desert. But by the 30s, what with that I recall their names, they derstanding the film. And I sub¬ aeroplanes, only a jungle could seem to have been conventional sequently saw it in, please believe hide them. The gross national British names: say, Margaret, Pam¬ me, in Bulgarian -- er, not exactly, (municipal?) (city-state: okay?) ela, and Jane. The natives of Sar¬ the sound track was still in Eye- product of this Lost/Secret City awak, however, called them Princess talian. The subtitles were in Bul¬ was based on the Zomby trade. Gold, Princess Silver, and Princess garian. If all this is not fantas- About the only other stfnal thing Pearl. I understand that the Rank tico, que es? Ja! To this day I I still recall was the tele-phones. gong-beater was no mere unknown, have no idea what it was all about. A neat gimmick. You spoke full- but a professional wrestler of Women. Rice. Lots of water. face into the tele-phone screen at some note, named Bob something. your end - - and you appeared in "'S your uncle?" Go-away'." And he was the husband of no less than profile at the tele-phone screen quite a tour we have taken! Damon Princess ... well, maybe it was at the other. But ... Zombies? ... Knight says that the film which Princess Silver. The marriage, There must have been, I think, scared my Grandpa's pants off was however, did not last. And neither White Zombies in this William THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY -- but the did the White Raj ahate. Maybe they (?Stage?) Boyd film, as well as only time I've seen it, and there, should have kept the Rajah in London Black. Somehow, if so, neverthe¬ several times, was at Disneyland. and sent the big wrestler to Sara¬ less I just remember the Black And in their version the famous wak. And just let him beat a gong ones. A Black man went into the scene did not appear. Was it in¬ at each stop. Zomby Chamber, about twice the size deed ever in that picture? If not, of a phone booth, and -- Zappp1 Well, I am sure that you all why not? So few questions, so Bolts of , dry-ice-type know quite enough about the special fewer answers. Well -- effects of those flics, so I shan't bubbly smoke, and the sort of gen¬ Any time you’re ready, C.B.! eral effects which General Electric say one word about that. I for my showed at fairs. As a result of part, marvel at certain very mun¬ all this, the individual grew about dane things in those films. For two feet taller and an appreciable instance, and in connection with space broader, his eyes turned the MAN WHO, which I've seen most zomboid, and his hair -- his hair, recently, for instance: that most let me tell you, turned straight ... of the people who worked for Brit¬ straight-u£. And remained that way. ish shops in the mid-30s were oblig¬ ed to sleep in a dormitory and eat That sort of thing in today's at a common table and were not movies, and I rather think there masters or mistresses of their own would be Disturbing Incidents in time even when off duty; that the the Sweet Wine of Choice neighbor¬ high assistant (played by Roland hoods of our large cities. Don't Young) who was allowed to "sleep think there were any then. There out" slept in a room lit by candle weren't as many openings in films light (in the mid-30s) and the pub tor members of the Mighty Race (as where he had his nightcap was (in Field Marshal Marcus Garvey used to the mid-30s) lit by oil lamp; to call them, whilst sticking his very me these things, taken for granted large hands into their pockets and at the exact time I entered my removing the contents) then. Oscar teens, are fully as fantastic as Michaux didn't make spooky-films, null-gravity and all the rest it is true, but Mr. Michaux (pron. Mee-shaw) didn't pay very large Mad Love. sums. He didn't have them to pay FROM DAMON KNIGHT and likely wouldn't have paid them December 30, 1983 if he had. But the story of the No doubt it has and has had dark David Wark Griffitlis should be 'This is a champion article, told by someone who knows it. another title, titles, but it play¬ chiefly because it mentions my name ed as MAD LOVE when I saw it in a lot. In fact, I do remember the late-ish 30s and it is as MAD the famous flooding scene in METRO¬ Remember THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO LOVE that I think of it. Twas in POLIS, so I must have seen it; on COME (H.G. Wells)? Remember THE this vehicle I first saw Peter Lorre the other hand, I also remember MAN WHO COULD WORK MIRACLES (H.G. and I think in it that I first ob¬ walking out after the first episode, Wells)? Remember the huge gong- served the ripple-effects, the in which Rotwang and his father beater whose Olympics-like slow crazy musics, the cookoo inner confront each other with extrava¬ beat told us that this was a J. voices, all intended to indicate gant gestures, and I don't remember Arthur Rank film? Remember the gathering insanity ... You recall? the famous lady robot, whom, if I White Rajahs of Sarawak? What's A concert pianist loses his precious had seen her, I certainly would the connection? Well, the third hands in an accident; immediately a have remembered, so all I can say and last WR, to wit Charles Vyner strangler is guillotined. The is, trust me, kid.* Wish I had seen Rajah Brooke, had no sons to suc¬ strangler's hands are grafted onto Richard Dix in TRANSATLANTIC TUNNEL. ceed him, perhaps why he sold his the pianist's arms. Guess what. Too late now. I missed Charles rajahdom to the British Colonial Right. Laughton in ISLAND OF THE DAMNED, office for 7 million something-or- or whatever they called the film others--pounds? Dollars? Who Much later, there was BITTER version of THE ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU, knows. The king didn't talk to me RICE ... but BITTER RICE, you say, and then like thirty years later, and I didn't talk to the king, an is not fantastico? Ja Ja! Vd dice -- on television, I did see it, and it agreement we had. Nod while pas¬ I first saw it in France and with- was awful.' sing, though. Well, the last White out subtitles: A French soundtrack Rajah had had three daughters, had been dubbed in. I did not find *Who you gunna bleeve, him or me? though, and whilst I don't know academic French tres utile in un¬ —A. Davidson. is BOOK REVIEWS BY GENE DEWEESE

JOB: A COCtDY OF JUSTICE preciated by many more, particularly By Robert A. Heinlein fans of 's fifties nov¬ Ballantine/Del Rey, $16.95 ella, "FOr I Am a Jealous People." But there is one major problem Alex Hergensheimer is ostensibly with JOB, and that is the narrator a top-level blue nose and religious himself, Alex Hergensheimer. He is fund raiser on an alternate Earth supposed to be the ultimate puritan, where someone like Jerry Falwell would but only occasionally will he say or be considered a flaming liberal. do something that is really "in char¬ It's the late twentieth century, but acter." He worries endlessly about people are put on public display in the fact that his lover has not "ac¬ the stocks for even minor infractions cepted Christ," for instance, and he of that world's super-puritanical often berates her for wearing shorts moral code. in public. And whenever the story velops a time machine capable of Hergensheimer is not in that requires it, he vigorously but su¬ sending men and supplies millions world for long, however. From the perficially defends all the Biblical of years into the past, where they first chapter on, some mysterious dogma he has supposedly been weight¬ plan to lay a hidden pipeline from power—God or Loki or some other ed down with. the Arab oil fields to the North Sea where the oil can be pumped into our supernatural mischief maker— His actions and his flip and present-day world through time mach shuttles him from one wildly differ¬ funny narration, however, seem to ines disguised as oil rigs. Others ent world to another, often deposit¬ come from a totally different char¬ from other countries and other futur ing him in a new world not only acter. In those, he is very much es have similar notions, however, broke but naked. The only thing the typical Heinlein hero or hero¬ and things go wrong from the start. common to all the worlds in that the ine, competently surviving one dis¬ Eventually, the travelers realize Millennium is due any minute. Earth aster after another and relating his that the time machines work only in is about to be destroyed and the adventures with easy-going (though one direction, into the past, and faithful swept up to Heaven, and aft¬ often "old-fashioned" and occasion¬ that they will never get back to the er a dozen or so extremely discom- ally sexist-sounding) wit. fitting world shifts, that is exact¬ present, if that present even exists ly what happens. As a result, JOB seems to have a anymore. split personality. The story and The segments dealing with the the ideas are gripping enough, and discovery of the artifacts are al¬ For the rest of the book, Hergen¬ Heinlein's writing is, as always, most Victorian in their style and sheimer, now a Saint, complete with smooth and funny and entertaining, detail, and even the adventures in a halo, finds himself fighting the but the gap between what the narrat¬ the past have an odd, KING SOLOMON'S rigid Heavenly bureaucracy and final¬ or is and what he says he is is oft¬ ly searching through Hell itself (a en distracting and occasionally even MINES feel to them, particularly in pleasant, rather anarc-istic place, irritating. It could have been a the scenes involving the time travel run on the free enterprise system) lot more effective (though probably er's savage but often likable pre¬ for Margrethe, his non-Christian lov¬ a lot less amusing) without that gap. human allies, dubbed "the Chaps." As a whole, the book is a bit episod er, who has been caught up in the Still, if that sort of inconsistency ic, but that doesn't keep it from world shifts along with him. doesn't bother you---or even if it being downright fascinating, partic¬ does—JOB is certainly worth read¬ The story's basic ideas and view¬ ularly to time travel and alternate ing, particularly if you haven't run points are fascinating, but they're fans like myself. far from new. In fact, JOB is often into these ideas very often before. reminiscent of the excellent HEAVEN¬ LY DISCOURSE, written by Charles Erskine Scott well over fifty years ago. Particularly similar are the PUBLICITY DIRECTORS, EDITORS, many dialogues and situations enph- PUBLISHERS, AUTHORS...ARE asizing the absurdities you run in¬ THE LAST DAY OF CREATION URGED TO SEND BOOKS FOR REVIEW to if you take the Bible and its By Wolfgang Jeschke TO GENE DEWEESE Translated by Gertrud Mander rules literally. Heinlein does, 2718 N. Prospect however, go a bit further than Wood, St. Martin's, $12.95 Milwaukee, WI 53211 though no further than many sf writ¬ He reviews sf and fantasy for ers have gone in the past. His alto¬ Spurred on by the finding of THE MILWAUKEE JOURNAL as well gether believable explanation for present-day artifacts buried in as SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW and God's peculiar behavior, for instance, million-year-old soil, the Navy de¬ other magazines. may jar some readers but will be ap¬ 16 VOYAGE TO THE CITY OF THE DEAD THE DUNE ENCYCLODEDIA young from the flock is best accomp¬ By Alan Dean Foster Compiled by Dr. Willis E. McNelly lished by a skilled exponent of las¬ Balantine/Del Rey, $2.95 Berkley, $9.95 so, or lariat, working from an armoured car driven by a movie The latest in Foster's "Common¬ This could be subtitled, "Every¬ stuntman." If dinosaurs still exist¬ wealth" series, this is basically a thing You Always Wanted To Know ed and if the late Will Cuppy were lost world adventure, only instead About Dune But Were Too Confused To still around, he probably would've of Professor Challenger or Allen Ask." In these five hundred pages, written this book himself. Its Quartermain, the adventurers are a you will find a complete 30,000-year scientifically accurate, deadpan hu¬ pair of human scientists, Lyra and chronology of the Empire, a chemical mor is at least a match for that in Etienne Redowl, and the lost world diagram of melange, histories of all Cuppy's classic HOW TO TELL YOUR they are exploring is the impossibly the Duncan Idaho gholas, diagrams FRIENDS FROM WOMBATS, and there's massive Barshajagad Canyon on the and lengthy explanations of the in¬ not much higher praise than that. planet Tslamaina. Home to three ner workings of the sandworms, a totally different intelligent races, complete list of the 374 Emperors of the canyon and the river that runs the Known Universe up to Leto II, through it take the explorers from the accepted methods of contracep¬ tion, examples of Gurney Halleck's the hypertropical shores of the THEM BONES songs, and— Well, you get the planet's central ocean to the north¬ By idea. It's -he sort of thing you ern ice cap, where they find some¬ Ace Special, $2.95 (Nov. ’84) thing far more interesting and mys¬ can brouse through at your leisure, but once you pick it up and start tifying than anything Challenger or In 1929, a Louisiana archeolog¬ looking, you'll probably be hooked Quartermain ever found, something ical expedition finds brass rifle for at least an hour or two. And that harks back to the first novel cartridges and other anachronisms for anyone thinking of reading any in the series, THE TAR-AIYM KRANG. is an Indian mound dating from no of the DUNE series for the first later than the early 1500's, and With its well-developed alien (or second or third) time, it would they rush to evacuate what they can cultures, believable characters, and be invaluable. new wonders and surprises every few before the site is flooded by a new pages, VOYAGE TO THE CITY OF THE flood-control dam. DEAD is at least as good as anything Meanwhile, in 2033, a dying, else in the series and provides radiation-poisoned world attempts to more good "sense of wonder" adven¬ MAGICATS! Edited by and Gardner send a group of soldiers back roughly ture than you're likely to find any¬ Dozois. 100 years in an attempt to change where outside the latest DUNE epic. Ace, $2.95 the history that led to their own doomed world, but none of them ar¬ For most cat freaks like myself, rive where or when they planned. a collection of sf and fantasy about Most find themsleves in the 14th or cats is a sure sale. Be warned, 15th century, unwittingly spreading however, that not all the cats here¬ diseases to which the Indians have in are good guys, nor do they all no resistance and being warred upon come to good ends. There is, for as evil plague carriers. But one, instance, 's grisly Madison Yazoo Leake, finds himself horror tale, "Cat From Hell," and in an odd world of indeterminate SKYWALKI N3 Randall Garrett's otherwise excel¬ time where the local Indians vrorship By Dale Pollock the Great Woodpecker and are visited Ballantine, $3.50 lent sf mystery about a murdered cat, "A Little Intelligence." Still, annually by Greek-speaking traders paddlewheeling up the Great River. For anyone interested in how most of the stories are good, though has managed to turn out of course those like Fritz Leiber's Told alternately from each of one blockbuster after another, this classic tale of Guranitch the super the times/locations, THEM BONES biography provides engrossing answers. kitten ("Space Time for Springers") starts out like an excellent mixture Starting with his student films and and Cordwainer Smith's far future of time travel, adventure and mys¬ taking him through to RETURN OF THE fable about cats being mentally tery, but, like almost all the new JEDI, it's filled with fascinating partnered with humans in order to Ace Specials, there's more to it details and sidelights on virtually make space travel possible ("The than that. There are a number of every phase of his work, from con¬ Game of Rat and Dragon") are the unexpected twists and turns, for ception and writing through to film¬ best and are almost worth the price instance, but more importantly, the ing and beyond. of the book by themselves. quietly witty writing and the real and engaging characters (particular¬ For instance, did you know that ly the Indian pipe maker, Took-His- an early draft of had Obi- Time) and the fascinating settings Wan Kenobi and his arch enemy Darth keep a grip on you right from the Vader combined into a single char¬ HOW TO KEEP DINOSAURS By Robert Mash start and make you hate to see it acter? And Alec Guiness, when he Penguin, $5.95 end. didn't care for one of his speeches in EMPIRE, sometimes would give it to Yoda with the conment, "Why does¬ n't the little green thing do this one?" In short, SKYWALKING is an often amusing, always interesting account of the real inner workings and prob¬ lems of moviemaking without, thank¬ fully, any of the scandals and so- called confessions that have been so popular lately. THE CREATURE FEATURES MOVIE GUIDE amusingly sarcastic commentaries, THE IVANHOE GAMBIT By John Stanley and a number of the more memorable THE TIMEKEEPER CONSPIRACY Warner Books, $7.95 lines, including my own long-time By Simon Hawke favorite from I WAS A TEENAGE FRANK¬ Ace, $2.75 each. More than just a collection of ENSTEIN, where scientist Whit Bis- short "reviews" of 3,000 horror, sf sell says to his recently assembled Billed as volumes 1 and 2 of the and fantasy movies, this book not creation, "Answer me! You have a "Time Wars" series, these two fast- only points out some of the best civil tongue in your head! I know, paced, fascinating and often tongue- and the worst of the lot but provid¬ I sewed it in there!" in-cheek adventures seem to be a es fascinating bits of background, cross between ' award¬ winning ANUBIS GATES and the depart¬ ed TV time travel series VOYAGERS. A future society has formed an army of time travelers, including regular soldiers, commadoes, and various CIA- type groups, who go back in time to make sure that the time stream isn't "split" by various time-traveling villains who are out to change his¬ tory. While the adventure is well done and the hero and his friends are in¬ teresting enough, what really holds your interest are, the warped versions of real and fictional figures that abound. In THE IVANHOE GAMBIT, for instance, there is of course Ivanhoe himself plus Lady Rowena, who turns out to be a total airhead, along with a drunken, forest-dwelling klutz named Robin Hood, whose band of similarly drunken Merry Men are in truth led by a Maid Marion who has all the makings of a marine drill sergeant. In THE TIMEKEEPER CONSPIRACY, the Three Musketeers get similarly irreverent treatment. The tongue-in-cheek approach, however, never gets out of hand, and the characters are all believable and sympathetic and probably more "real" than the originals. In short, don't write this off as "just another numbered adventure series." If it continues at the same level as these first two, it could be a lot more than that.

THE SHEPHERD MOON By B.M. Hoover Viking, $11.95

About three thousand years from now. Earth is just emerging from a new Dark Age, the result of a long war between Earth and the millions of inhabitants of its own artifical- ly created moons. This future Earth as the first attempts by one of the still scientifically advanced moons to repossess it are seen through the oddly innocent eyes of thirteen-year- old Meredith Ambrose, one of the rul¬ ing elite. Part Young Adult adven¬ ture, part social commentary, THE SHEPHERD MOON is, most of all, a darkly vivid picture of a bleak but fascinating future world, and, like Heinlein's earlier works, it should appeal to adults as much as it does to the younger readers it's aimed at. INTERVIEW:

CONDUCTED BY MARK BERRY

Algis (A.J.) Budrys has gener¬ classic in the field. Just as pop¬ cidental to the column; they serve ated quite a bit of respect among ular was his last novel MICHAELMAS. as a jumping-off point into any and his fellow writers. WHO? (which was made into a movie all aspects of says he is "an extremely intellec¬ by the same name), published in and the comnunity that has grown up tual science fiction writer who 1958, is a masterful tale of alien¬ around it. His columns are incis¬ understands science fiction a lot ation set against a chillingly ac¬ ive, intelligent and witty. I'm better than I do." Harlan Ellison curate rendering of the Cold War not alone in my praise of A.J.'s calls him "one of the best writers mentality which is endemic to this critical abilities. Marta Randall the field has ever produced." day. says "A.J. is one of the premier critics." Damon Knight, the dean The best of Budrys' approximate¬ He is not what one would call of science fiction critics, calls ly 200 short stories are collected a prolific writer. In the course him "the most ... rewarding science in the books THE UNEXPECTED DIMEN¬ of a thirty-year career he has pub¬ fiction critic I know." lished only seven novels. This is SION, BYDRYS' and BLOOD 5 because he will not write a book BURNING. Budrys is also a teacher. Ev¬ ery year he is one of the writers- simply because there are bills to Today Budrys is perhaps best in-residence at the Clarion Science be paid. Budrys only tells a story known for his monthly book review Fiction Writers' Workshop, which to if he feels it is truly worth tel¬ column in THE MAGAZINE OF FANTASY him is a labor of love. I might ling. AND SCIENCE FICTION. As he ex¬ add that that love is reciprocated plains during the interview, the He is perhaps best known for by his students. I speak from per¬ books being reviewed are only in¬ ROGUE NOON, which is considered a sonal experience.

This was an interstate inter¬ view. Most of it was conducted in¬ side a Dodge Colt during a trip from Detroit, where Budrys had at¬ tended a meeting of the Science Fic¬ tion Oral History Association, to his home in suburban Chicago.

SFR: It's been seven years since your last novel. Is there any par¬ ticular reason why? What have you been up to? BUDRYS; There are a number of rea¬ sons why. I guess the three main ones are that I was a little bit sick and didn't know it; physically sick, not mentally sick as most of my friends vrould have it, al¬ though the physical illness did have some mental effects. I was a borderline diabetic and with that came depression and spells of oc¬ casional confusion. It got to the point where I was spending all day writing one paragraph and thus barely getting my review column out once a month. Another reason was that I just didn't have a novel id¬ ea that fired me up well enough to get itself written. I think it's a significant feature of my life as a writer in the coiranercial market that I never write anything just because I can do it and just be¬ cause it would pay me money. I'm not capable of doing that; I would gladly do it if I could. I have to wait for the propulsion that you stuff which is characteristic of full of questions. What is this get from what you rightly or wrong¬ me -- you either love it or you relationship with God that this ly believe at the time to be a real¬ hate it but it's outrageous, God poor idiot has? And then I realiz¬ ly (Hass-A idea. The other reason knows. So it's got the entertain¬ ed that there was something wrong is that it's hard to invest the ment value that my columns have with a guy who had to chop down an time that it takes to write a nov¬ for my readers. entire tree and cut away everything el when the bills are coming in that was not one plank. This guy every month and you don't have a had the wrong handle on how things cushion on which to live. veredone. But it was man in an al¬ ien environment. What I have been doing is a SFR: When did you discover sci¬ lot of short stuff. I've been do¬ ence fiction and what attracted My sister who was French, my ing my review colurm for THE MAGA¬ you to it? unofficially adopted sister, read ZINE OF FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION. BUDRYS: I discovered science fic¬ to me the aviation books of Antoine I was doing a review column for the tion sold as science fiction some¬ de St.-Exupery. These are all Chicago Sun-Times. I was also re¬ time in the second or third grade. about men on of the front¬ viewing books for the American Li¬ They distributed to the students ier operating cranky machinery in brary Association. It got to the in my school a weekly or monthly aid of higher purposes. There's point where I had dropped two of paper called YOUNG AMERICA, which a lot of the same thing in them those things, just keeping the was one of your Scholastic public¬ that's in a lot of science fiction FfiSF thing which I then increased ations, which was supposed to im¬ and speculative fiction in general. twelve times a year from about nine prove your mind. It had little I was pretty well predisposed to or ten. I'm now doing a column for that. the Sun-Times on any kind of popu¬ lar literature. People have said ad nauseum that I write about alienation and I've been putting together a that I myself being an alien, this book of ray old GALAXY book reviews. all makes a lot of sense. And it's That just went to the publisher true, it does make a lot of sense. January 23rd. That's something I I'm sick of hearing it but that am pretty excited about. It's doesn't change the fact that it's 140,000 words, of which 110-120,000 absolutely true. I've never been words are actual old columns. The articles like what it was like in at home anywhere. I'm an aggravat¬ rest of it is new stuff, not all of Venezuela, and little puzzles and ed case of the kind of social iso¬ which I wrote. There's an intro¬ jokes in the back. It always had lation that you find in the child¬ duction by Fred Fohl and an intro¬ a piece of fiction in it and month hoods and the later years of many duction by Professor Catherine Mc- after month it was science fiction. people in the SF conmunity. It's Clenahan of Marquette University. I don't know who the editor was trite but it's true. I was looking The whole thing has just suddenly but whoever it was had a fondness for someplace where I could be at jelled into such a nice package. for the science fiction of a now- home, someplace where the alien was It's much nicer and, we sneakily forgotten writer named Carl H. accepted and speculative fiction suspect, more important than we or¬ Claudy. They also serialized ... you find that with a great, iginally thought. things like AT THE EARTH'S CORE. glad cry. It was the damnedest thing and I SFR: What type of market do you The other thing is that I was anticipate for this book? just quivered. Now, why did I quiver? A couple of reasons: By very bright. I cannot dispute BUDRYS: Well, there's the academ¬ then, I had run across Buck Rogers that and I see no point in hiding ic market. It's a seven-year slice and Brick Bradford in the Sunday behind false modesty. Hell, I was out of the history of science fic¬ funnies. Very briefly. I was not in college by the time I was six¬ tion. The column started in early allowed to read the Sunday funnies. teen. They kept finding out what 1965 and ended in late 1971. Over The Sunday funnies were vulgar. my I.Q. was and promoting me be¬ the course of that it covered 161 But on vacation with my mother in fore I ever had a chance to warm books including BUG JACK BARRON, Atlantic City I had gotten ahold of the seat in the class they boosted THE THREE STIGMATA OF PALMER ELD¬ some stuff that the landlady had me up out of. RITCH, DUNE, THE MOON IS A HARSH left lying around where it could So science fiction was one of MISTRESS and many, many others pollute my mind and I had seen one the very few places where you which are now standard works in Buck Rogers strip and one Brick could find the kind of vocabulary the field. Plus there are things Bradford strip. This was to later and the kind of literary concepts scattered through it that are im¬ pay off in a hopeless addiction to that would challenge me. I was portant to the record of the his¬ Brick Bradford. I used to connive bright as hell and I was naive and tory of this field. There are a and steal Brick Bradford funnies. uneducated as hell. True serious, dozen or so of my inimitable essays But Buck Rogers made an inpress ion far-ranging, deeply insightful on what John Collier ... there's on me because on the end papers of literature was over my head because a John Collier short story called my copy of ROBINSON CRUSOE is a I did not have the vocabulary of "Night Youth Paris And The Moon" four-panel comic strip drawn in my concepts and the vocabulaiyof al¬ which has no coinnas in the title. best seven-year-old approximation lusions that supports that kind of Either that or there's a John Col¬ of Buck Rogers' style. You can thing. lier story called "The Devil George tell it's a Buck Rogers flitter be¬ and Rosie" which has no comnas in cause it's got this huge goddamn But in science fiction, on the the title. When I write one of tailfin on it. It looked like a one hand you've got this nice, these essays that's what it's a- '57 Plymouth. There are two guys simple, hard-driving plot -- part¬ bout: everything, with no commas. in it and they are flitting around icularly the science fiction of the There's also a piece of my journal¬ zapping things. late 1930s -- coipled with very ism I'm very proud of. It des¬ sophisticated concepts that you can cribes my feelings on being trap¬ ROBINSON CRUSOE was the first grasp entirely if you've got the ped in , D.C. the day book that I ever read. I read the reason. That was one of the major original Defoe text. It filled me that Martin Luther King was assas¬ appeals of it and I don't know if enough has ever been made of that sinated. It's also got a lot of 20 point about the attractiveness of BUDRYS: Yeah. The story I tell science fiction. everybody was my first sale, "Walk To The World," came out in SPACE SFR: Which writers influenced you SCIENCE FICTION a couple of weeks most when you started writing? after my real first sale which is a story called "The High Purpose." BUDRYS: Lester Del Rey, Clifford "Walk To The World" is still to Simak, Ted Sturgeon ... the senti¬ this day ... it's crude; I would mental slobs of science fiction, not write it exactly that way to¬ because I was a sentimental slob. day, but I would write it today. And people would buy it, no matter SFR: In the early '50s, when you whose name was signed to it. started publishing, what were your WHO?, ROGUE NEON and MICHAELMAS goals as a writer? are three novels that I really like. SFR: Over the past 30 years you I reread them quite often. A nov¬ have written SF, edited SF, taught BUDRYS: To become rich, famous, el that very few other people like universally loved and laid six or beginning writers how to write SF but which contains a great many and have been one of the foremost seven times a day by Rita Hayworth. things that I'm just absolutely I wanted a white convertible. I critics of SF. What is this thing nuts about is THE IRON THORN. I we call science fiction? wanted the doorman at the finest tend to think that someday people nightclub in Hollywood to not only will realize that it's not a fail¬ BUDRYS: Well, there is a thing know my name but grovel at my feet ure. It is a successful attempt at called speculative fiction which is as he flipped the door open. And I doing something that nobody ever the fiction of belief in the need wanted Rita Hayworth to be incapab¬ expected me to try to do. I'ts to change the universe. There's le of being in the same room with lightweight but it's not flippant mundane fiction which is fiction me without tearing off her clothes. and it is not clumsy. I like it a based on the opinion that the uni¬ That's an exact statement of what lot. verse does not change or that change I wanted. I'm down heavily on my second is to be feared, hated and prevent¬ published novel, MAN OF EARTH. I ed. It is the fiction of stability. And that's true even when it's SFR: Hint sounds perfectly reason¬ can't stand to read it; I will not about violence being done to sta¬ able. What are your goals today? allow anybody to reprint it in Eng¬ bility, even when it involves ev¬ lish under any circumstances. I BUDRYS: It's no longer Rita Hay- ents in which the world is totter¬ renewed the copyright on it only so ing. Always the unspoken assump¬ I could suppress anybody's attempt to steal it. tion behind that is what you're driving for is either to restore SFR: who is it? There are a bunch of stories the good things that were or to BUDRYS: Wot to be entirely flip¬ that I really like. Some of them make the best possible compromise pant about it, if the world fell at though, I've gotten heartily sick out of the ruins that will give my feet this minute I would consid¬ of. I'm sick to death of "Nobody you back what was in essence. Bothers Gus." I hope nobody ever er it no more than my due. But I Speculative fiction is con¬ reprints it again. I've made a realize full well in the rational stantly fascinated by questions small fortune off reprints of it part of my mind that I couldn't such as "What if?" "If this goes and I really don't ever want to do handle it if that happened. It's on how will the world be?" Behind it again. But it's a good story, not my bag. I am here to do the this there's the implication that or it was; kind of work that makes me feel the world will be exciting and in¬ good to have done it. I don't know I like the novel I'm working teresting. Change is inherently what my standards are, I don't know on now. That's going to be a lit¬ exciting to speculative fiction what my criteria are for good work tle pistol if I do it right. It's fans. Change is full of promise beyond this purely emotional res¬ not going to be such a little pis¬ whereas for fans of mundane fic¬ ponse: This was a good sentence tol either. tion change is automatically full and a good paragraph and a piece of of fear. work that needed doing. If I get I've written a that, then I'm happy. At the same that I've sold to Ed Ferman for It so happens that in the 20th time I'm extremely frustrated when the Budrys issue of F8SF. And I've Century we have developed a form of monthly bill-paying time comes a- got a story in one of the upcoming speculative fiction that has beBn round because I somehow feel that volumes of THE LAST DANGEROUS VIS¬ labeled science fiction. I think the world should have sufficiently IONS, which is a damn good story. that the thing we now call science rewarded me for this nobility on fiction is the literature of belief my part so that the goddamn bill in the efficacy of science and fan¬ collectors would please go away. SFR: That's assuming that ILDV tasy is the belief in the efficacy But in all truth I don't deserve ever comes out. of magic. But if you look at it that. I'm not giving the world that way you can see that they are what it wants, I'm giving the BUDRYS: Harlan assures me that both branches of a literature of world what I want and I ought to it's coming out as a series of belief in the value of change. small anthologies starting right be damn grateful that the world I see no conflict between sci¬ lets me live at all. about now. (Spring '84) Harlan and I have kissed and made up and ence fiction and newsstand fantasy. I believe him. Actually, we did I can see all kinds of theoretical SFR: You've published approximate¬ not kiss full on the mouth, you constructs that allow me to take a ly 200 short stories. . understand. nice, quiet, unified view of what it all comes from and where it's BUDRYS: That's what I tell people. all going and I can't understand I've never counted them. SFR: But y°u wouldn't rule that why other people don't realize how out? SFR: Okay. You've published a right I am and just fall right into lot of short stories. Any favor¬ BUDRYS: No. line and stop these useless heated ites? debates on questions that have been settled. I just wish they'd contin¬ In speculative fiction it's If you're going to create the ue to read my column and continue the other way around. The settings illusion of thoroughgoing charac¬ to read my books as I plan to pub¬ are unique. They are places that ter development in a piece of spec¬ lish them and get all of the an¬ either have never existed at all, ulative fiction you have to be very, swers from me, like they're sup¬ places that might exist but don't very patient and very meticulous. posed to. exist, places that may have exist¬ You have to be very, very careful ed but nobody ever went to look at not to contradict any of the things SFR: What do you feel are the them. Consequently, the people that sustain the suspension of wil¬ strengths and weaknesses of the have to be a little less unique ling disbelief. science fiction genre? because if you have unique people BUDRYS: It's a genre of specula¬ in a unique setting you cannot tell tive fiction, not a -- how out of the ordinary that ac¬ SFR: hi what ways has the genre tion is. evolved in the last 30 years? SFR: You prefer the term specula¬ tive fiction. "Charley Smith crossed the room BUDRYS: It's had a massive infus¬ and walked up the wall." What does ion of conventional literary values. BUDRYS: Yeah. I wish I could find that sentence mean? Did this hap¬ It's had to really paddle its some way to pronounce "sf" that pen in Detroit in 1984 in a per¬ feet in an awful big hurry to as¬ doesn't sound wimpy or stupid or fectly ordinary room with a per¬ similate these things and make them forced. Forry Ackerman has given fectly ordinary-seeming guy walk¬ speculative before it drowned in us a very valuable thing in invent¬ ing up the wall? Or did this hap¬ all of these furnishings, before it ing the term "sci-fi." It's a hor¬ pen on board a space station? In swamped in mundaneity and lost its rid term but it's a handy term. the one case Charley Smith becomes unique strengths. And that's hap¬ Unfortunately, it's restricted only a figure of unique interest. pened a lot. There are some writers to science fiction so we can't use Here's a man with a terrific cap¬ around who come extremely close to it. ability which needs to be examined writing in a mundane story with on¬ ly science fictional trappings on The strength of it is this bus¬ and exploited if possible. In the other case Charley Smith is an or¬ it. It used to be a science fic¬ iness of being able to speculate on tion story was a Western with ray change, of being able to cast change dinary guy doing an ordinary thing and what needs to be exploited for guns in it. What we're getting in a favorable light and then, de¬ now are some science fiction stor¬ pending on the intentions and the its interest is the environment which allows him to do this. ies which are Chekhov novels with depth of intellect of the author, ray guns in them. A name I might of probing increasingly real-seem¬ The weakness there is that mention is , who is ing alternative futures or alterna¬ most people who read, even convinc¬ a very talented, bright and in many tive milieux. ed science fiction readers, are ways a likeable guy. But he's one That's another thing. I've not used to the foreground figure of the writers I can think of who called speculative fiction a liter¬ being an archetype. They automat¬ is coming very close to this sit¬ ature of milieux because essential¬ ically feel that fiction with arche¬ uation. ly what it has to do with is the typical figures in it is fiction with cardboard characters and is a situation in which the protagonists SFR: Where is science fiction at find themselves. literature of ideas, which seems like a nice idea until you stop to today? The weakness is that it's re¬ realize that's a way of saying it BUDRYS: lb’s healthier than hell versed from the way most recognized is a literature which avoids deal¬ and proliferating like mad. I classical literature is constructed. ing with people. Which is the log¬ think there are many more differ¬ In classical literature a unique ical corollary of what you've just ent kinds of science fiction than hero and supporting players move said and yet is dead wrong! It's there ever have been. I think against a known background, a soc¬ still about people, it's just about there are more talented writers in ial background that everybody knows people in a different way from a SF than there ever have been at existed. They take the author's different direction. But it's the any one given time. I even like word for it that when he's describ¬ reason why so many people shy away the publishing climate. And 1 ing the city of Detroit in the 20th from it to some extent, the reason realize that a lot of this is her¬ Century or the city of Babylon in why they feel it's not as much a etical as hell but I think we're Biblical times that that's pretty literature as mundane literature is. in a pretty good shape. I think much how Detroit is or Babylon was It's only a matter of the way they we have weathered, for instance, and that the people moving across have been conditioned to regard the onslaught of the Romances and the stage are moving in a real literature. the non-books and have done some¬ place. And they can be unique SFR: So the characters in specul¬ thing I wasn't sure we would be then. The things they do can be able to do: We've carved out a contrasted to the things the ordin- ative fiction have to be recogniz¬ able as "normal" people — permanent niche in big-time pub¬ ary guy would do. We can then de¬ lishing for speculative fiction. tect what the differences are be¬ BUDRYS: Yeah. They have to be Even during the years of the boom tween those people and ordinary recognizable people. They have to of five or six years ago, when they people. We are free to let our be "types." That's why they are were tossing around the half-mil¬ minds roam among those possibilit¬ drawn a little bit broader and why lion dollar advances, I wasn't ies. We empathize with these peop¬ they have slightly less range of sure that that would happen. And le, we measure them against our¬ visible emotion. Because the min¬ sure enough, that boom collapsed and selves, and we learn something ute they go fully unique in a ful¬ yet there are extremely extensive about the human condition from ly unique environment you then science fiction publishing programs, watching the way these people re¬ have a hell of a time showing the extremely extensive fantasy pub¬ act. reader what's normal and what isn't lishing programs. There are all The reader stops being able to de¬ kinds of maneuverings going on with¬ cide whether Charley Smith has gone in the speculative fiction publish¬ insane or not. The suspension of ing industry which are pretty disbelief breaks and you've lost strong evidence that the publishers them. feel there's a hell of a lot of 22 money to be made there. So I think we've done the thing that the mys¬ BUDRYS: The similarity to my fath¬ tery novel did: We've carved a er on the part of a particular char¬ place for ourselves. There will acter I don't see as a thematic always be a significant market and similarity. I needed a pretty the nature of speculative fiction good picture of a working military being what it is it will always be intelligence officer. That is a literarily important market what my father had been, as it hap¬ whereas things like the crime mark¬ pened, for the Imperial Russian et are only sporadically important Army for many years and then for Okay. We know from the begin¬ and then only in the case of iso¬ the Free Lithuanian government with ning of the book that the guy was lated examples. the responsibilities commensurate successful, that he did indeed lib¬ with a colonel's rank. It would erate Earth, although from the be¬ have been foolish for me to model ginning of the book we can't tell SR; Where do you see science fic¬ Azarin on anybody else. tion going in the next decade of so? how he did that. And unfortunate¬ Martino is indeed an alienated ly, the way the book is written BUDRYS: I think it will become a individual who's had his identity we can't tell that even by reading greater and greater amalgam of stripped off and who comes from a the whole book. traditional literature and the kind background that is not quite as¬ Everybody I know, with the ex¬ of thing that Hugo Gemsback began. similated into the great middle- ception of people whose ears I've I think the possible perils of all American, READER'S DIGEST ideal of had a chance to bend on this, as¬ this have to do with losing the vi¬ what an American is. He comes from sumes that this is a piece of wish tality and unique drives in specul¬ an ethnic minority. As I say in fulfillment on my part. This is ative fiction in favor of just pure the book, he doesn't even speak how come, I'm sure, a lot of ref¬ literary adornment. I think that English correctly until he gets in¬ erence-book entries on me refer to we will probably be able to escape to school. His first language was me as the son of a representative that particular dragon as we have Italian. So to that extent there of the Lithuanian government-in- escaped all the others. are similarities to my background, exile. But that's not the way it but not very many. There's only was. The analogy is only accident¬ that central similarity that he's ally to part of my situation and to SR: Didn't that dragon show up alienated and I'm alienated. the situation of Lithuania under back during the "New Wave?" Well, the whole damn book is about Soviet occupation, or in fact hav¬ alienation and the presumption in BUDRYS: Yeah. And we did escape ing been incorporated into the So¬ writing such a book is that there it, and not only did we escape it viet Union. Again, there were are hundreds of thousands, hope¬ but we managed to assimilate a fair things in my life I would have fully millions, of readers out number of good things about it and been crazy not to use. Some of there who can respond to this. So turned them to what I see as more the most successful parts of the it's a pretty broad similarity at viable purposes. And we learned book are the culture of the emig¬ that point. What you ought to be an important lesson. We learned res on the Centaurian planet, the asking me about are the similarit¬ that it was possible for intelli¬ way some of them adapt successful¬ ies to the hero in THE FALLING gent people with highly organized ly to the culture and others lead TORCH. thinking mechanisms to look at extremely marginal and embittered speculative fiction in essentially SFR: A question just occurred to lives. You can find that in any an entirely new way, call a lot of me: What are the similarities be¬ emigre colony. Among the White traditional values into question tween A.J. Budrys and the hero of Russians, for instance, who have and to substitute new ones. That THE FALLING TORCH? been in the United States since the is a very important lesson to have Soviet revolution you find the ones THE FALLING TORCH pre¬ learned and it's something that we BUDRYS: who can't make a living except by supposes a successful invasion and can now bear in the backs of our operating gypsy tea rooms and bal¬ occupation of Earth by an alien minds every time we decide that let schools and who are constantly race who happen to resemble earth- we've finally got it right. I meeting with each other and crying men very closely. The occupation think we can bet for sure that and mourning over this revolution took place at the time that Earth right about that time there's a and sort of wistfully hoping that had already successfully planted whole bunch of very talented, wit¬ somehow the Czars will be restored colonists on a planet of Alpha ty people lurking in the under¬ in spite of the fact that at this Centaurus and as colonists had de¬ brush getting ready to rip our point the position is ludicrous. veloped their own civilization to clothes off again. In fact, I don't suppose there are the point where they were in the many Czarists left although I would position of America vis-a-vis be terribly surprised if there Europe. It was an exact one-to- SR: There are a couple of inter¬ weren't a bunch of them hidden away one analogy. The President of esting similarities between you somewhere. These things never die. Earth, his family and some of his and the character of Martino in There are still people interested closest advisors got away from WHO? To what extent, if any, is in restoring the French monarchy. Martino based on you? Earth in one of the last ships be¬ fore the aliens closed everything THE FALLING TORCH is actually BUDRYS: Well, what similarities down, landed in this other system about Genghis Khan. And it is do you see? and set up housekeeping as members about how people get to be charis¬ SFR: Martino is essentially a man of the Centaurian culture but al¬ matic leaders and it is based on a without a country. He is not from ways with an eye to coming back similarity I noticed among such the East, the West doesn't accept and liberating Earth. Eventually, leaders as Genghis Khan, his re¬ him. You're from an Eastern coun¬ the son of the President is sent mote shirttail cousin Tamerlane try which in effect no longer ex¬ back to Earth to foment revolution, The Great, Napoleon, Adolph Hitler, ists, having been annexed by the to act as liaison between the gov¬ Joseph Stalin and Franklin Delano U.S.S.R. You are not an American ernment -in-exile and the guerillas Roosevelt. Also Abraham Lincoln. citizen. I have read that you said in the mountains of, as it turns Colonel Azarin was modeled after out, Pennsylvania. SR: That's a strange group. your father. 23 BUDRYS: Take a look at the simil¬ many of us come to these break ies, is a disappointing book. I arities. Not one of them was na¬ points where there is no compromise; think the logic in it is shot, I tive to the culture that he wound it's either/or and of course, we think the plotting is extremely up ruling. Not one of them was never hear about the losers. And weak and he finally does a faintly anything less than a dictator. the winners run the world. acceptable variation on "It was all Each acted in a completely arbit¬ (THE FALLING TORCH) was never a dream, or was it?" It begins with atomic doom and ends with atomic rary manner. Roosevelt ran the finished because I desperately doom. He sets the world on fire New Deal through, tried to ram needed the money that I would get through a complete change in the for turning in the completed manu¬ again to get out of his story prob¬ Supreme Court. Would have, if he'd script so I faked the completed lems. had Abraham Lincoln's testicles, manuscript. It's the most popular But I knew I didn't stand a suspended the right of habeas cor¬ book I've ever written, without chance against it because it's a pus. Would have done anything in question. It was in print contin¬ fannishly attractive book for a order to achieve his ends. Roose¬ uously from the middle of 1958 to variety of reasons that I don't velt, as a patroon, a descendant of sometime around 1980. The only need to go into. the Dutch colonists in the United thing that happened was they chang¬ States and heir to that entire cul¬ ed the cover painting and raised I had spent years building tural tradition, hardly seems like¬ the price. They never advertised ROGUE MDON into the quintessential ly to be the big ruler of the Pop¬ it. They never even put it in science fiction novel. Not fan- ulist movement that overturned the the house ads in the backs of oth¬ nish, just science fiction. I had political structure of this country er science fiction books and it spent years thinking about the pos¬ and did everything it could to re¬ sold a third of a million copies. sibilities that are inherent in verse the deleterious effects of By sheer word of mouth. science fiction. I had invested the Depression, but that's what he an enormous amount in that novel. did. SFR: I would have thought that I got fifteen hundred bucks for it WHO? or ROGUE MOON would have beat¬ and it took me three years. I Abraham Lincoln was a country en it out. grant you that Walt Miller didn't bumpkin from the frontier and came get all that much more for A CANT¬ back ruling Washington society and BUDRYS: Well, they're far better ICLE FOR LEIBOWITZ, at least not to urbanizing this country left and known and someday they may creep right. Hie cultural breakthrough past that mark. WHO? and ROGUE begin with. And I grant you that he worked hard on his book. But in this country from agriculture MOON have seen a lot of editions that didn't prevent me from being to urban civilization comes from over the years. MICHAELMAS is do¬ pretty goddamn upset when it got Abraham Lincoln. ing reasonably well, though it's not doing as well as I thought it a Hugo that I didn't think it de¬ Joseph Stalin was a Georgian, would. served on a couple of counts, and a conplete outsider to the circles which I still don't think it de¬ of power that centered on Moscow. serves on its merits. Tamerlane The Great and Genghis SFR: I understand you were pretty Now, on the other hand, WHO? Khan were essentially the same upset when got blown out of the water by A thing. won the 1961 Hugo instead of ROGUE MOON. CASE OF CONSCIENCE, another relig¬ ious book I might point out. And There's another similarity: BUDRYS: Yeah. At the time, I was that was fair and square. A CASE All of them were disfigured. Ta¬ positive that CANTICLE was not eli¬ OF CONSCIENCE is a much more impor¬ merlane and Genghis Khan had been gible. It turns out that on a tant book in the history of science shot in the leg with arrows and technicality it was. fiction than WHO? is. I'm not sure limped forever. Joseph Stalin had that A CANTICLE FOR LEIBOWITZ can What I was really ticked off the world's worst case of acne, make the same claim with regard to about was I don’t think A CANTICLE was hideously pitted. All of his ROGUE MOON. photographs and paintings are re¬ FOR LEIBOWITZ is a good book. I touched. Abraham Lincoln was spec¬ think it is a very good short story. tacularly ugly. Franklin Delano I think the book, particularly for Roosevelt was paralyzed with polio. a writer of Walt Miller's abilit¬ SFR: You've recently started using a word processor. Has that had an That is why the hero of THE effect on your writing? FALLING TORCH has these really spec¬ tacular attention-getting ears. BUDRYS: Yeah. There's more of it. That is why any number of things It's, I think, better, cleaner happen to him in the woods and writing. My last few book review fields. The only problem with the columns have been turned out on the book is that in the four chapters word processor and I think it's that are missing from it is where helped them. I'm working on a nov¬ I was going to bring him up from el and I think it's being helped the point where he decides that he by all of this. must become the master of the world A word processor falls in beau¬ to the point where he accomplishes tifully with my habitual working that. methods which have always been to None of these people had any roll a sheet of paper into the type¬ choice. Every one of these people writer and start working on the were in a situation where it was scene, as soon as I knew what it conquer the world or die, become was going to be, and I'd get three the man in charge or be obliterat¬ or four sentences down and I'd go ed. back up and begin revising sentence one shortly after typing sentence SFR; Ordinary people under extra¬ three. I'd go back to sentence four and back to sentence two. I'd ordinary circumstances. get into the second paragraph and BUDRYS: Right. I'm convinced that I'd have afterthoughts about the first paragraph. Eventually, I'd I very rarely use experimental turn out an opaque sheet of paper prose, but I will do some wild and with little arrows and red lines crazy things. In WHO? there is a running all over it. I was essen¬ scene that takes place entirely as tially using word processing meth¬ a radio play. It is the scene in ods all the time that I was using which the various law enforcement these antiquated, dinosaurian people are spying on Martino as he things called . I'm not sure that you can build a calls on his old girlfriend. I did career on that. I'm pretty sure that for Jim Blish. I knew Jim SFR: You have been a writer-in- that if you've gotten to the point would catch it and I put it in residence at the Clarion Writers' where you feel you need to be at there for him to find. I forget Workshop since 1977 so you obvious¬ Clarion you're disatisfied with why, but I did that. And then be¬ ly think writing can be taught. whatever mechanisms you have to cause I had done that in WHO? I generate stories. Therefore, it's stuck a little television play or BUDRYS: Yep. my job to present you with the the¬ a little bit of movie script into SFR: Many people would dispute oretical construct that there is a THE IRON THORN. I’ll occasionally that. way of processing an idea into a write a paragraph or two in blank story. You wouldn't be a writer verse to get a particular effect. BUDRYS: You can't teach talent. in the first place if you didn't All of my passages are very metric¬ And you can't teach even the tal¬ have a mechanism that was constant¬ al. I'll sacrifice cleancut, good ented person who refuses to be ly filling your mind with ideas. clear description in one crisp but, taught. But if you come across a Your problem is, presumably, that to me, awkward sentence for two talented person who is willing to you cannot successfully translate rounded sentences. I'll do that be taught, who is willing to assim¬ those ideas into something that every time because I like to hear ilate, or at least consider assim¬ the world will accept as a story. the stuff rolling along in my head ilating the suggestions you give You come to Clarion because you're in a particular way and when I come about how stories work, about how not selling. You come to Clarion to the end of a sentence I want a writing is put together, if they're because you're not making the im¬ metrical thump because that's willing to accept first of all that pression you want to make. You've where I'll usually put the most im¬ there is structure, that there is got the ideas; how do you translate portant word in the sentence. I craftsmanship that can govern the ideas into stories? That's want the reader to feel that word structure, that there are ways to what I'm there to tell you. And come thumping in. acconplish effects in a reader by that's the most important thing: But I will not usually do manipulating the structure, if you the fact that there is such a thing, stream-of-consciousness, I will can get all of that accepted by and after that what that thing is. the talented person, then that not usually switch tenses, I will talented person will in fact be¬ SFR: When God gathers all the not do the kind of thing that is come a writer much faster than that science fiction writers together usually referred to as experiment¬ person would have on his or her own. for judgment and She, He or It de¬ al fiction. I will disguise all What you're really doing is saving mands that you justify your car¬ my experiments as cleancut, them time. You’re saving them eer, how will you respond? straight Kiplingesque prose. In fact, I'm not at all sure they are. from some blind alleys. You're BUDRYS: Justify my career? Well, fulfilling the same function that if I'm talking to Her, presumably the old pulp editors used to ful¬ She exists, I would say to Her, After a seven-year hiatus you fill, a function that is no longer SFR: "You gave it to me and why didn't are writing a new novel. Can you being carried out by the newer ed¬ You give me Frank Herbert's?" tell us anything about it? itors . SFR: How would you characterize It is the science fiction SFR: Every year you spend a hot BUDRYS: your style? novel that would have been written sunnier week at Michigan State Uni¬ as a collaboration between Len versity teaching at Clarion. What BUDRYS: Eclectic. No two of my Deighton and Richard Condon. (Long do you get out of it? books are alike. A lot of my short pause) stories are alike but that's because Instruction. I leam BUDRYS: they came closer together in time. Is that all you're going to more every time. Satisfaction. SFR: Even so, I can clearly see a dif¬ say about it? I'm passing on whatever wisdom I ference between a 1980 Budrys story, have, and of course the act of pas¬ if there were such a thing, and a BUDRYS: That's all I'm going to sing it on and watching all those 1950 Budrys story. say about it. smiling, receptive faces validates it and probably makes it seem more But to give you a straighter important than it really is. That answer: It's a straightforward SR: You're also working on a con¬ is what I get out of it. And a style. I tell the story pretty temporary science novel? few hugs and kisses. much as you would see it if you BUDRYS: Yeah, but that's on the were equipped with a camera and a SFR: What's the most important back burner. Its problem is that microphone. Sometimes you would too many people know that it could knowledge you attempt to inpart to have to be able to move those in¬ beginning writers? be a sure-fire best seller and they struments inside those people's keep telling me how to write it BUDRYS: That stories do have a heads, in some stories not. ROGUE and they keep preparing to merchan¬ logic to them, that they are engin¬ MOON, for instance, was written dise it in a particular way. I eered in that sense. It's entirely deliberately without ever going in¬ don't blame them, that's their job, possible to write stories without side anybody's head until Hawks that's the way I sold it to them in being conscious of that, and that's went into the Moon thing. And even the first place. I went to them why you get writers who claim it's so, everything he thinks is purely and said, "Look, fellas, we're all all done by inspiration. But that's literal. He does not react to what gonna make a lot of money out of only, as far as I'm concerned, be¬ he sees, he just recites to himself this one, so let's get ready to do cause they are such good engineers what he's seeing. He's being his it." That was my mistake, my fault, that they don't think about what own camera and microphone. and I'll never do that again be¬ they're doing; they don't have to. 25 cause it did make it practically inpossible for me to actually write cessor and being able to lean back reason THE DOOR INTO SUNMER is the novel. That was for two reas¬ in the chair and put my feet up written the way it is and points ons, one of them being that a lot and twiddle my fingers on the key¬ out that this is the first time of the steam got sapped out of the board ... oh, man, that's heaven! that Heinlein has paid attention to one of science fiction's major idea from talking too much about it SFR: Thank you, Algis Budrys. to people and the other is that themes, time travel. Now, Jim had every time I hit on a viable way to # # # apparently forgotten a little story called "By His Bootstraps." So I write it and start, some editor or As the interview wound down we don't blame Heinlein for feeling some merchandiser tells me how to found ourselves halfway between De¬ that there was something wrong with improve it. Or the market climate troit and Chicago, still three hours the whole concept of criticizing shifts and the way that would have away. I mentioned to A.J. that I science fiction in this manner. I made it sure-fire two years ago is had at least one hour of blank don't think Heinlein ever wrote in no longer operative and we've got tape left and he suggested that he and did anything about that al¬ to go back. I was always told tell how he got started as a book though Heinlein is a person who that it was a bad idea to deliber¬ reviewer. Whether he did this for does not suffer slings and arrows ately write a best seller. Now I posterity or to take his attention mutely. But he's a gentleman, he's know why. So maybe someday I'll away from my driving I'm not sure. always been a gentleman, and he finish it, but in order to finish (I used to be a paramedic and tend does it in a characteristic way. it I'll have to establish a posi¬ to drive like my little car has tion in which I'm the only person flashing red lights and a siren. What happened, some years la¬ who has any input into what goes For some reason this seems to dis¬ ter, was Fred Pohl, of course be¬ on the paper. comfit my passengers.) ing very well aware of FORUM, was very well aware of the fact that I SFR: You're also working on a Whatever the reason, A.J. re¬ worked on it. Some years later text on how to write science fic¬ lated the following. It is a piece Fred becomes the editor of GALAXY tion. There have been many such of SF history and I'm sure you'll and his book reviewer, a fellow books published in recent years. enjoy it. How will yours be different? named Floyd C. Gale, who was Horace # # # Gold's brother, and he had inherit¬ BUDRYS: It's going to be by me. ed Floyd from Horace. This is a story which I guess SFR: Now that you're writing fic¬ now can be told. And Floyd Gale, who was a very tion again is the trend going to bright and conscientious guy, had I had been doing some book re¬ continue? been assigned the mission by Horace viewing. For instance, my first of reviewing as neny books as pos¬ BUDRYS: Yeah, that's what I really book review appeared in ASTOUNDING sible and never saying anything want to do and the word processor in the middle 1950s. It was a re¬ that would make anybody mad because makes it simpler. Just the simple view of an anthology of Ivan Yef- the purpose of the review column physical fatigue of typing is gone fremov's Russian science fiction was to generate advertising from from my life. The constant typing stories. The book had been import¬ book publishers. So Floyd has this and retyping and re re typing. I've ed into this country by somebody real quickie buyer's guide. He destroyed large parts of my body that John Campbell knew. He gave covered 33 titles in a column and just typing many, many years ago. me the book to review and I did the column would be about two pages I started out typing one-fingered a little thing and it was a filler long. when I was seven or eight years old. at the bottom of a page somewhere. I scavenged a out of my I can't retrieve it, it's not list¬ So in comes the new Heinlein father's office and I learned to ed in the. index. I can't find out novel, the major Heinlein novel, type by hitting all the keys with what issue it was in. I still have the Heinlein novel everybody had my right index finger, which is at the book. And I did that because been waiting for. It's called least an eighth of an inch shorter John wanted a review of that book. STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND. I do than my left index finger at this I was heavily influenced by Damon not know what process of rational¬ point. I typed like that until I Knight and his magazine reviews ity Fred went through but he got was twenty-seven or twenty-eight. and after the first Milford Science ahold of me and said, "Look, there's I was up to sixty words per minute. Fiction Conference in Milford, back this new Heinlein novel. I would People used to come from miles in the middle 1950s, Damon and Les¬ like you to review it. I need away to watch me. But while I was ter del Rey and Jim Blish and I about 2000 words worth of review writing ROGUE M30N my right should¬ put together a magazine called SF and I'll give you 75 bucks for it er just went and at that point I FORUM which survives today as a and I want you to review this had to go out and buy (an) electric publication of SFWA. The FORUM in book." So I read the book. The portable. I took two weeks out and those days was co-edited by Lester first half of it was without doubt got ahold of a book called TYPING and Damon as a magazine of reviews. the finest modem science fiction MADE SIMPLE and I taught myself how What we did was review evepr story novel ever written. I'm sitting to use all ten fingers on the key¬ in every issue of every science there, the author or ROGUE NOON, board. The minute I could do fiction magazine, for the improve¬ the finest, quintessential science that I launched myself into finish¬ ment of the breed and the clari¬ fiction novel ever written up to ing ROGUE NOON. I never learned to fication of the situation. It that time and the guy has me beat touch-type, I never learned the took hardly any time at all before all hollow. He has reached into confidence that allows you to lift we had alienated everybody we knew. the very heart of speculative your eyes off your fingers. So to And we fell to bickering among our¬ fiction. He has dressed it up with this day I can't look at the screen selves; we said some amazingly the science fiction trappings. He while I'm doing the word processing. stupid things in print, as a matter is proceeding full steam ahead with Eventually even with electric of fact. The SF FORUM contains a a masterpiece; the definitive SF typewriters it got to the point long essay by Jim Blish on Robert novel. Halfway through it I'm where with the retyping and rere¬ Heinlein, of all people. It has foaming at the mouth; it is so beau¬ typing both of my shoulders calci¬ to do with THE DOOR INTO SUMMER tiful, so lovely. I turn the page fied. I've got all kinds of rocks and builds up this elaborate thesis and it is as if someone had taken buried between the muscles of my about Heinlein's methods and the a bucket of some cold, glutinous shoulders. Having the word pro¬ 26 substance and poured it over my head. The back half of STRANGER IN As the editor of GALAXY, a man did not have a name like Heinlein A STRANGE LAND is as bad as any who was therefore about to destroy to stick on the cover once in a Jack Woodford novel ever written. the possibility that Robert A. Hein¬ while. You were cutting your own lein would ever sell him another throat for good. And Fred was en¬ Jack Woodford was a culture story, he was in another boat en¬ titled to feel that if he cut Hein¬ hero of the 1930s, writing soft¬ tirely. lein off the front cover of the core pom novels which contained magazine he was cutting an awful I'm not clear now on exactly no believable characters in no be¬ lot of other writers out of a place what it was he did. I don't know lievable situations, mouthing lines where they could get their stories whether he sent Heinlein a copy of that had been forced into them by published. I don't blame him. He the review or whether he wrote him the author who had absolutely no didn't ask me to rewrite the re¬ a letter and described it to him or conception of how fiction is to be view. He didn't ask me to take it whether he simply wrote him a let¬ written. A self-taught, ham-handed back. He didn't even look at me ter and said, "Bob, I think you practitioner who was able to sell funny and say, "A.J., you idiot." ought to know that Algis Budrys his stuff only because every col¬ What he said to me was, "You did has written an unfavorable review lege boy in the world thrilled to an honest job. Now I've got to of STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND and it. cope with the results.1' Fred, as I'm thinking of running it in the far as I’m concerned, came out of And here is Robert Anson Hein- magazine." And Heinlein wrote that situation looking golden. I lein doing exactly the same fuck¬ back, and as Fred has described gained a lot of respect for Fred. ing thing. It wasn't that he was the letter to me, if I can recall I had put him in a box and he had pushing this particular religion, it now, more or less exactly ... figured out a viable way to handle it wasn't that he was pushing this despite the fact that Heinlein and it. He just plain didn't run the particular view of reincarnation. I had met at Seattle and had spent review, and that may sound pusilan- I was kind of taken by that. I two days admiring each other, imous to somebody who does not un¬ don't mind that the man says some¬ spent a lot of time together'at the derstand the business. But it thing which, if he walked up to Seattle . And despite the caused me to raise my estimation you on the street and tried to hand fact that Heinlein had declared to of Fred by a couple of notches. you a pamphlet about it and sign me that I was robbed on the Hugo And I think that anybody who has you up, you'd tell him to get lost. balloting, Heinlein proposed the edited anything under those cir¬ A novel is the place for that kind theory that because I was a foreign¬ cumstances would agree. of thing. And, as a matter fact, er I hadn't really understood the what he had to say about Michael English language in the book. A couple of years later Fred Valentine Smith and his inevitable That, if I recall, is something just plain offered me the GALAXY doom and the nature of the world like what he said. column. I assumed that he wanted strikes me as very valid social ob¬ me to continue to handle it the Besides proposing that because servation. It taught me a great way I had handled the Heinlein re¬ I had this foreign name and there¬ many things about charismatic re¬ view. And although he wasn't al¬ fore might be clumsy with the Eng¬ ligion. I've no quarrel with that. ways comfortable with what I did lish language, besides prosposing And I admire him for having organ¬ he never, ever censored it, except that I hadn't been able to under¬ ized all that in his mind and hav¬ once and even then he didn't cen¬ stand the prose of his book he said ing been able to expound it in a sor it, he sent back a column for a to Fred, "I would not for a minute coherent manner. rewrite, not because he objected to attempt to censor this man's right what I'd said but because he could What I do mind is the fact to say whatever he wants to say. not understand what I'd said. That that he threw out the window all It's his opinion and he's entitled was my review of DANGEROUS VISIONS of his skills that he had developed to it and you're entitled to pub¬ which I rewrote, saying exactly in characterization and dialogue lish it in your magazine. You paid the same things, but in a less writing, all of the techniques that him to do it, he did it, and you're maniacal manner. he had worked up, and he had start¬ entitled to publish it. However, ed maneuvering his characters bald¬ I am a subscriber and would it be So I think that my review of ly and boldly and creating a polem¬ possible to omit from my subscrip¬ STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND, even ic. He had broken his bargain, he tion the issue in which that re¬ though it's never been published, was no longer being an entertainer. view appears?" And that was all was what got me the GALAXY column. He was being a didacticist. And he he said. was resorting to scenes like the Now, the reason the review was Well, Fred didn't run the re¬ one in which everybody says, "Poor the way it was was on account of view. I don't blame him. It's dear Marge, she's fifty years old, Damon Knight. Damon Knight had not tough enough keeping a science fic¬ she's sure that she's past it all. been afraid to take on A.E. van tion magazine going. At any time. Let's all climb into bed at once Vogt. .Damon Knight had not been You never get any advertising to and reassure her." Come on'. This afraid to poke fun at certain as¬ support it; you do it entirely on is masturbatory fiction. This is pects of Isaac Asimov. Right or the basis of selling to the read¬ not the creation of anything like wrong, he had set an example. And ers. Distribution being the way what Robert Heinlein had taught us I followed it. The example he had it is you can't even build tp that to write like. set was you don't do a hatchet job much of a loyal following. There for the sake of doing a hatchet have been more recent solutions to job but if you see something wrong I said things like that in my that problem. AMIMJV'S, ANALOG you point it out. And it's to Da¬ review. Not as vehemently, but I and F5SF now depend for most of mon's credit, as well as Fred's, said them. I felt I owed it to the their sales on their subscribers. in that sense. readers. I felt I owed it to Hein¬ GALAXY and ASTOUNDING at that time lein. I felt I owed it to myself. were not set up that way. They This is a story that neither I felt I owed it to speculative fic¬ were depending on newsstand sales. Fred nor I have been ashamed to tion. And I turned it in. And Newsstand sales demanded the ap¬ tell people in small groups. So Fred liked it, he admired it as a pearance on the cover of sure-fire I figured I'd tell it to you now review. I think he was pleasantly selling names. You just were not because I think it's time it got surprised at how well I had read going to make it, you were not go¬ published out where the world can the book and organized my thinking. ing to get enough readers, if you see it. I really do. I think that. 27 32 pages of articles, letters, reviews, and an interview with Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. In "Plotting Your Fiction: Pro and Con" by Kevin J. Anderson and Kristine K. Thompson we are treated to the sweat ethic vs. the inspirat¬ ion approach. Writers differ. Some do most of their organizing in the subsconscious and others on paper ahead of time. Me, I write sometimes forty-page outlines for a major novel. Too much is lost otherwise, and there's so much to keep track of, I can't imag¬ ine blundering along for 60,000 words and discovering major blunders which stop the novel in its tracks. But wotthehell, I'm a disciple of Jack Woodford. Publishers and others are in¬ rip-offs, the injustices, the absur¬ creasingly sending me comix to dity of mankind... read and review. I usually do How marvelous if Gonick would because they're easy to read turn his attention to modem America. THE MYSTERY & ADVENTURE SERIES REVIEW and review. But I don't want Well, at this rate he'll reach our #15 SFR to be tilted too much in era in forty years. POB 3488, Tucson, AZ 85722. $1.50 that direction. Still...a lot Don't miss this series! These Fred Woodworth is editor and pub¬ of the material in comix is sf volumes are precious and great! Get lisher of this booklet of 36 pages and fantasy, so some attention them, enjoy them, give them, later, which HAS NO CONTENTS PAGE OR PAGE should be paid. to your kids. NUMBERS! Bah, I've used up too much This is only a measle $2. From Pulp era nostalgia fuels this space saying nothing. , POB 14158, San Fran¬ periodical, and if that's your Onward. cisco, CA 94114. thing, this is your meat. You can get back issues. Do so.

FEELGOOD FUNNIES is a badly drawn FOUNDATION #31 but fairly humorous satire of wimp- DALGODA #1 'The Review of Science Fiction' hood, psychiatry, and the various de¬ This is the Premiere Issue and Edited by David Pringle, Ian Watson, grees of reality society deals in. is a very well-done production, with and . Foolbert Sturgeon is on the cover good paper, fine drawing, all-color. SF Foundation, as author/artist, but A comix adventure, sf, about an North East London Polytechnic, holds the copyright. alien menace to Earth and a wary Longbridge Road, Dagenham, RM8 2AS, Lotsa nudity here, but "Jane" is species of dog-head humanoids who United Kingdon. so ugly of face and "inexpertly" also face' these ferocious, aggres¬ $14.00 per year, three issues drawn that eroticism is nowhere in sive things from outer-outer space. per year. sight. Surprisingly good characteriza¬ Classy, 107 pages, Big Names... This is from Rip Off Press. $2. tions and (that doesn't Reviews, of course, and a letter, mean sex, by the way). and 'Algis Budrys defines science This costs $2.25 from Fantagraph- fiction (almost)'... 'Gene Wolfe THE CARTOON HISTORY OF TIC UNIVERSE ics Books, plus $1.00 for postage talks of posthistory and the space Volume 7: All About Athens A Great and handling. Total $3.25, which is programne' ... 'David Ketterer on Civilization in a Small Town Without a bit much. Wagnerian Spenglerian ' Plumbing. Jan Stmad is the writer, and This is heavy stuff, and not Everything you suspected was Dennis Fujitake is the artist. Both true but were afraid to do all that are damned good. research. Hunorous history---or History told hunorously to take the curse off it. It's amazing how EMPIRE FOR THE SF WRITER #33, $2. Larry Gonick (who didn't get his name Edited by Millea Kenin on the cover, for Christ's sake!)is Published by Unique Graphics, able to distill incident and battle 1025 SSth St., Oakland, CA 94608. and lifetimes to give the essence Offset, but badly printed--fuzzy of the lives and times of the civili¬ and faint in places [using paper zation of Athens, its peoples, it's plates, umm?]but of value to begin¬ major personages and personalities. ning and indeed some professional Ah, the intrigues, the wars, the writers of sf and fantasy.

RICHARD E. GEIS ■mum 28 one cartoon to take the curse off bookstore or newssstand.... That's THE VISIONARY: The Life Story of all those solid-print pages! There about the only way to create an Flicker of the Serpentine is of course a place for this kind audience for fiche viewing/reading. By Ursula K. LeGuin of academic/sf professional fanmag. Maybe if somebody put porno They do print 1200 copies. And they photos and drawings and stories on WONDERS HIDDEN: Audubon's Early Years are deadly serious. By Scott R. Sanders Both by Capra Press, POB 2068, AGAINST THE WALL Vol. 12, No. 10. STIGMATA #21 $2.00 Santa Barbara, CA 93120 A Magazine of Self Liberation and THE PROJECT STIGMA REPORT ON THE Voluntary Alternatives CONTINUING INVESTIGATION INTO THE These are back-to-back stories No editor listed, price $2. OCCURRENCE OF ANIMAL MUTILATIONS (as in the old Ace Doubles): a for¬ POB 444, Project Stigma mat designed as a showcase for short¬ Westfield, NJ 07091 POB 1094, er literary works. Paris, TX 75460 The total book is 128 pages: deluxe Ah, this is my kind of magazine. softcover, $7.50; the signed limited Irreverent, open-minded, honest, A run-down on what is going on edition is $25. with lotsa sex ads in the back. in the puzzling, baffling, and The interview with tax resister frightening area of (mostly) cattle The world shown in LeGuin's "The Carl Watner (now serving time) is nutilation. Visionary" is far in the future, in fine. Mutilation isn’t the right word, northern California, and is a con¬ There is even an article titled it seems: surgical/laser excision trolled tribal/technological society "Bleeding Heart Libertarianism," and is a better description, with the -a utopia, actually, wherein tech¬ one called "Decentralism Through added factor of altered blood chem¬ nology is limited, where psi powers World Government." First you have istry or altered cellular structure. exist comnonly but not extraordin¬ to have a libertarian world govern¬ You really have to read this arily, and where harmony and balance ment, see, then you... report to understand that these still cannot help nuch when a person I liked the news commentary in "mutilations" from many states are such as Flicker---a 15-year-old girl the "Libertarian Notebook" column not depredations by other animals, ---cannot find her place, her niche, best. and likely not obscene rites by some in her world. secret, wide-ranging devil-worship¬ As we follow her episodic life ing cult. we learn about the customs, lives What we seem to have going on is of these people who are not governed BURNING WITH A VISION either inexplicable alien experimen¬ by a male-dominated society, who Poetry of Science and the Fantastic tation/feeding, or ultra-secret do not have rigid male-female roles. Edited by Robert Frazier U.S. government experimentation which Or perhaps this society has a ling¬ $14.75 hardcover, $8.75 trade paper¬ requires certain organs and parts of ering feminist cast, since one of back. (usually) cattle. the old women repeats an old gibe: Owlswick Press The possible explanations for "A man fucks with his brain and Box 8243 this phenomenon [which simply cannot thinks with his penis." And 'intel¬ Philadelphia, PA 19101 be denied or dismissed] are few and lectual men are used to having their This anthology of poetry is heavy incredible. capacities doubted and their achieve¬ with well-known writers who sometimes Make up your own mind. ments snubbed.' Flicker defends a write poetry: , Michael There is a pocketbook out now, man by saying, "Even if he is a Bishop, Edward Bryant, David R. on the subject: MJTE EVIDENCE by man he thinks like a woman!" A Bunch, Jack Dann, Thomas Disch, Daniel Kagan and Ian Sumners. Bantam. reversal of male chauvinism today, Suzette Haden Elgin, Philip Jose $4.95. After reading STIGMATA you and a zinger LeGuin could not resist. Farmer, Joe W. Haldeman, Ursula K. may not agree with the conclusions Le Guin, , Gene Wolfe, of this book which is that the "mute Roger Zelazny...and many more. myth" is a surfacing of mass hyster¬ "Wonders Hidden" is the troubled This is a notice of publication. ia and anxiety, and that the few and fascinating story of the life of I don't like nuch poetry and to act¬ actual animal mutilations are the John James Audubon from his early ually review this would be a dis¬ work of a small cult. childhood to age 18, fictionalized service, since I rarely find the from existing facts. sensual impact and delightful sound Audubon was illegitimate, bom rhythms that I think should be in in Haiti, lived through the reign of poetry, else why put prose in that terror in revolutionary France, went form? However, D.M. Thomas impress¬ into exile in America at age 18 to ed me with his "Head Rape." avoid being drafted into Napoleon's army. Interludes from the very direct LIBERTARIAN MICROFICHE PUBLISHING and bitterly honest diaries of Audu¬ Literature List 1983 bon are presented. Are these fic¬ John Zube, tional, too? They seem so real. 7 Oxley Street, Excellent, gripping reading. Berrima, NSW, 2577, AUSTRALIA. It's hard to understand why THE STEEL EYE By Chet Gottfried microfiche doesn't catch on. Prob¬ Published by Gordon Linzer ably the business of having to have 138 West 70th St., #4B, a viewer.... New York, NY 10023 Here are hundreds of books, mags, pamphlets on fidhe, of a lib¬ A novel. Trade paperback ertarian stripe. format. Maybe if a fiche publisher For a few pages this robot gave away a free viewer with each private eye story is cute and order...and if free viewers were clever, but it soon becomes irri¬ included with each purchase at a 29 tating as the style is a dedicated translation: the robot detective The Hugo voting results are But after the specially adapted thinks like a human, and acts like in this issue, with a complete show¬ space shuttle lands in Hawaii after a human and all this mechanical and ing of the cycle of voting in the Ra has passed, and is welcomed by a electronic jazz is simply Bat IXirs- Australian ballot system used. Libertarian/Survivalist millionaire, ton in sheet steel drag. And obits: Walter Tevis, J.B. the U.S. government finds out about The irritation springs, for me, Priestley, and Charles Ford Hansen the wonder child and comes for it. in the constant thinking, "Aha, died. (The destruction was not all that this expression, this thought, New releases (with pictures of great, it turns out.) this dialog, this description the covers --handy!), columns, lett¬ The child is accidentally killed is an equivalent of a regular ers , fan coverage, reviews...the during a showdown with the govern¬ private-eye style." Each bit whole spectrum. ment and..,uh...in an epilogue of of translation required/reminded Monthy, $21. per year in USA, sorts we discover that the evil mili¬ me to think of the "real" one. $27 in Europe, $30 in Australia, tary takeover of the US govt, was Frankly, I'd rather read a private- all sent first class § airmail. ended, the astronaut was elected eye novel about humans, not a private- president, and he is Doing the Right eye novel about machines acting and Things...like trusting the Russians. thinking like humans (and with humans Was all this planned by aliens? dressed as robots--an interesting What really was Ra? And how come, touch in this mechanical/electronic despite all the technical chit-chat society of the future, but not WINNOWING STAR I didn't believe a word of this By Richard Hilliard enough to overcome my irritation). novel? The OZ Press, $7.95 The price is $5.95, and Chet Richard Hilliard, an idealist, POB 33088, Seattle, WA 98133 has talent, make no mistake. It's wanted to solve the world's prob- just that this much of his private- This novel touches a lot of lens the old fashioned way---by eye robot is too much! interesting bases, but is not in¬ letting The Gods do it. Probably terested in developing them. The because he doesn't see any way man¬ reader is left unsatisfied. kind can do it. The hero, an astronaut opposed But he threw away the Aliens IT'S DOWN THE SLIPPERY CELLAR STAIRS to a "star wars" series of nuke¬ and the Child and Ra, and forced By R.A. Lafferty [Non-fiction] armed satelites, meets and falls the reader to eat a diet of often Chris Drumm, Books in love with a strange young woman pointless dialogue and no-suspense POB 455, Polk City, IA 50226. in Hawaii who has had an unexplain¬ technical coping in space, and on Earth. Some interesting book reviews, ed UFO-kidnap experience. Boring. a convention report, opinions on The world discovers a strange interstellar comet/planet named Ra the skill and art of writing. is on a near-collision course with This booklet is priced at $5. Earth which will cause catastrophic per copy, signed by the author. PHILIP K. DICK: IN HIS OWN WORDS floods, earthquakes, tidal waves, The print is too small. By Gregg Rickman etc. Fragments West/The Valentine Press The powers-that-be decide to 3908 ERst 4th Street LOVE AMONG THE XOIDS By John Sladek send a lifeboat containing 20-odd Long Beach, CA 90814 Chris Drunin, Books (as above). carefully chosen people into space A short story in chapbook form¬ which will return after Ra has Introduction by Roger Zelazny. at, I think [sewn binding, limited passed. (Just in case all of hu¬ An excellent book in which edition of 126 copies, $3. each]. manity is killed on Earth.) The parts of extensive interviewing by Technically, what is_ the chapbook hero astronaut is chosen to pilot Gregg Rickman of Phil Dick, with format? the craft'. a fine analysis on-going of Dick Well, anyway, the story is an His woman friend is put on and his works, is presented by intriguing one about those "invisi¬ board the space lifeboat and gives segments, categories, titles, ble" and "unseen" people who are birth to a strange, super baby, a persons. the fringes of the fringe of the child who is phenomenally intelli¬ Thank God Rickman was able non-people in society---they sneak gent, empathic, swift-growing. Ob¬ to spend so much time with Dick in into houses for a bite to eat, a viously another Christ figure. (With the year (and days) before Phil drink (never taking so much it will the hint/implication that aliens im¬ died. be noticed!), into busses, into pregnated her and also may have guid¬ This book is mandatory reading used clothing stores...even into a ed Ra on its destructive course. for any dedicated Phil Dick fan. hospital bed unused for a day or two when one of their number is sick. A closed, sad, depressed little clique of people who cannot have children—the logistics!—but who steal unwanted, abused babies now and then to keep their ranks filled. This one might very well be a collector's item.

SCIENCE FICTION CHRONICLE - Oct. '84 Edited and published by Andrew Porter Algol Press POB 4175, New York, NY 10163-4175 This 40-page offset magazine, the only real competition to LOCUS, continues to do a fine job of re¬ porting, with photos, the events and people of sf and fantasy. 30 Limited edition of 1100 copies. Another printing is due. This costs $9.95. Trade paper¬ back format. Quality product. %ITST0!E,., Two other volumes will foll¬ ow: THE LAST TESTAMENT and PHILIP TM&ISN* K. DICK: A LIFE. Both of these, as well, will feature extracts timeo GtlS from the extensive taped interviews cf Phil. I

LOVE AH) ROCKETS #2 $2.95 Books 196 West Haviland Lane, Stamford CT 06903 Black and white 68-page comix book, mostly concerning the diary (illustrated) of a certain Maggie 'vino got involved in a -war and... it® tio Well, it isn't all that great wcFssiry a story, or that well ullustrated. It does have a strong feminist flav¬ ~jb or, for those whose tastes run to the discovery than men are human and tH*1 /

I object to a panel showing a hairbreadth escape, a young woman being rescued in the nick of time, hanging from a helicopter in a man's arms with dialogue like: "Wow! 1hat"s the stuff comics are made of!" "Eek! Somebody turn the page! You can see my panties'." Yow! Somebody at Fantagraphics cut out that crap! You can see the destruction of credibility and the sordid rise of Bad Satire, which self-destructs more comix than bad least bad to publish. Either way, drawing. I don't think this magazine is worth $4. The art work is pretty good, though; as good or better than what the old pulp mags used. IN A FARAWAY GALAXY A LITERARY APPROACH TO A FILM This By Doris Robin, Lee Vibber, and Gracia Fay Ellwood. Publication.... Extequer Press, $6.95 FANTASY REVIEW #71 $2.75 POB 60193, Pasadena, CA 91107 Edited By Robert A. Collins College of Humanities All about the Star Wars films, Atlantic Univ. its characters, its structure, by Boca Raton, FL 33431 three hardcore fans who are also into teaching and writing. This magazine has journeyed in recent months/years from FANTASY NEWSLETTER to the current title, and from a rival of LOCUS and SF SPACE & TIME #67 $4. Edited and published by Gordon Linzer CHRONICLE to a rival of SFR, I would 13ft West 10th Street, i*4-B, gpess. It features fine covers, good New York, NY 10023. layout, interviews, articles, col¬ A big, big 120-page issue of umns by and about st and fantasy is Available in fiction and poetry. A letter sec¬ writing, books. [Ah, ah! let me MICROFORM tion. An editorial. I make it bad note there is a page of Events 6 habit to read at least the first few Awards news, and two pages on a For Complete Information paragraphs of amateur and semi-pro kind of Archives listing of Sept, fiction published in the fan press; , and two pages on hard¬ I read until I begin .to wince or cover releases...and four columns cringe. on Specialty and Fan Press. I winced and cringed through And 17 of the magazine's 44 this magazine and don’t think Gordon pages are filled with reviews. Linzer knows what professional-quali¬ A labor of love. ty writing is---or doesn't get any submitted to him and chooses the 31 — dealings connected with it, but this was one of those London evenings which G.K. Chesterton so much loved as a setting for short stories. TOG You know the ones in which a clear sky slowly deepens into pea¬ cock blue-green, dusk begins to gath¬ er in the tree-lined avenues, the big quiet houses become mysterious and Father Brown senses he is on the GLOSS verge of another adventure. It was a bit too much to hope that anything romantic or bizarre would happen to me en route for a couple of bitters with some SF cronies, but going down an unfamiliar street would be a mi¬ eosnec croscopic little adventure of sorts. At least I would be behaving like a real writer, responding to the glam¬ our of the evening. A COLUMN BY BOB SHAW On turning the comer into South¬ ampton Row I glanced up at the street sign—and was transfixed. HARD ROW TO HOE That put me and the rest of the It was just like one of those I have never believed all that passengers in the compartment in a scenes in a psychological melodrama, stuff about there being a destiny good mood, which however was spoiled where the hero remembers some object which shapes our ends—especially when a voice from the PA system told which is significant to his past and in view of some of the ends that one us we were approaching Euston Sta¬ there is much screaming music and sees at SF conventions---but recent¬ tion, where the train would "termin¬ the camera repeatedly zooms in on ly I had cause to wonder... ate". After we had realised they and pulls back from what he is see¬ only meant they were going to stop ing. I felt the proverbial icy hand Hie day started off with one and let us get off everybody cheered clutching my heart. really urgent job among the clutter up again, and I was quite pleased to Hie letters of the street sign of little tasks which always con¬ find myself emerging from Euston seemed to dissolve, the surroundings spire to prevent a free-lance story with more than an hour to spare. writer from actually writing stories. seemed to fade away, and for an in¬ It involved mailing a very important stant I was back at my desk and a- docunent to my agent, whose office It was a very pleasant evening gain was seeing the envelope I had is in Bedford Row, London. I was and I decided to go on foot to the addressed to my agent that morning. pub in High Holbom where the supper also to attend the SF Supper Club in I was actually able to read the club meets. An impulse prompted me London that evening, which meant address as though looking at the real to avoid my usual course down Tot¬ taking an early afternoon train envelope---and it said Southampton tenham Court Road, so I struck off south, so production time was going Row instead of Bedford Row. to be curtailed as it was. to the east of the British Museum and after a while reached Southhamp¬ I knew with a dreadful certainty Very much aware of time's winged ton Row. Now, to the best of my that I had made an inexplicable mis¬ chariot rumbling along at the old knowledge I had never been in South¬ take and had sent the urgent and heels, I hastily addressed an en¬ hampton Row and had never had any vital document to the wrong address! velope, shoved in the aforementioned document, nipped across to the post office in my slippers and consigned the package to Her Majesty's mails. (I like having a post office only a AMHnoto You hundred yards from the front door, >: tkt it hexr especially as this one, unusually, is also a liquor store. I can buy booze with cheques made out to 'Leigh Villas Post Office', thus mis¬ leading both my bank manager and the Inland Revenue.) With the one vital task taken care of, I worked somewhat haphazard¬ ly for the rest of the morning, do¬ ing things like tearing up the week¬ ly plea from American Express to be¬ come a member. There must be some¬ thing really suspect about that out¬ fit's finances if they want me to join. Then I had a couple pints of lunch and caught the London train. The people whose job it is to dig up tracks must have been off on the sick or something, but we were whisked down to the metropolis in just over two hours. Aimed with that knowledge I was drawn to the door on the right, i.e. white speck at the crest of a steep able to take remedial action first to the wrong surgery, and I got that and rocky hillside. thing on the following morning and celebrated crawling sensation on the not much harm was done, but I still nape of my neck. "Bob," he said, his eyes gleam¬ ing with the famous Harrison fervour, haven't identified the true beginn¬ For a moment it seemed that I ing of the odd little circular train could see through the closed door. "I'll give you a hundred thousand of events. As I mentioned above, I I got a vision, not of a dentist's dollars if you can guess what that sign says." had no previous connection with chair and equipment, but of a young "You're kidding," I said. Southampton Row and knew nothing a- woman lying in an old-fashioned bed. He shook his head. "I'm deadly bout the place—so how did it get She was wearing a bed jacket of pale serious—a hundred grand if you into the act? green silk, and---somehow—I knew guess what's on the sign." she was my mother, my mother as she There was no reason for me to had been several decades earlier. I weighed his proposition in my make that weird mistake when address¬ mind. All it needed was one of my The experience lasted for per¬ ing the envelope; and it was pure brilliant leaps of superhunan intui¬ haps only two seconds, then every¬ blind chance which took me into that tion and I would be in the money. thing was back to normal, but the street, hundreds of miles away, on I wouldn't have made Harry pay up impression it made on me was pro¬ the same evening, for the first time the full amount, of course—even found. When I left the building in my life. ‘ though he has been doing rather well thirty minutes later I stood uncert¬ lately---but a modest ten thousand Or was it? ainly in the rain, gingerly prodding would have been fair and would have novocaine-numbed lips, then decided taught him not to indulge in extrava¬ to filch some extra time from work gant statements. I studied the MEMORIES ARE MADE OF WHAT? to visit my mother. On reaching the white speck atop its dusty and rock- house I refused her offer of tea and, Perhaps, although it doesn't ex¬ strewn elevation. Obviously the sign now feeling quite idiotic, asked her plain much, I had been in Southampt¬ had to say something no ordinary where I had been bom. on Row sometime long ago. Memory, mind could predict, something total¬ like time, is more complicated than "Kells Nursing Home," she said. ly unexpected. most people admit or appreciate. I "Exactly where is that?" Summoning up all the powers of can make that statement with some "It was in Castlereagh Street," my Null-A brain, I said, "Labrador confidence due to an odd experience she said, giving me a curious glance pups for sale." I had at the dentists some years ---the subject had never come up be¬ "Wrong!" Harry said triunphant- back... fore. "But I think a dentist has ly. It was a cold, wet March morning the place now." I tried not to be too disappoint¬ in and I was wrking as an Further enquiries revealed that ed- --he probably wouldn't have cough¬ aircraft designer. I left the office she had indeed been confined in the ed up even the measly ten thousand. and, feeling subdued because of room on the right of the first land¬ "What is it?" toothache, drove through a series ing, and her growing puzzlement a- of those sad, bleak streets which bout the strange line of questioning "You wouldn't believe it until have since become familiar to TV turned to -surprise when I mentioned you see it with your own eyes. viewers throughout the world. My the bed jacket of pale green silk. Come on!" He set off up the hill dentist shared a practice in Castler- She had briefly owned such a jacket at a surprisingly rapid pace, and I eagh Street—a redbrick canyon lin¬ around the time I was bom, but she followed. It took us a full fifteen ed by two terraces of once-imposing couldn't understand how I knew about minutes of slogging over dusty tracks Victorian houses. As I had done and piles of loose shale to reach many times before, I parked off the the sign. main street, walked round the com¬ It seems a pity to cap an in¬ er to the dentist's front door, went triguing story with a prosaic explan¬ It said: DANGER---KEEP OUT--- inside the gloomy old house and pro¬ ation, but my innate honesty won't QUICKSAND. allow me to leave the matter there. ceeded up the stairs to the first It was Ireland we were in, after I also found out that my brother landing. all, and at least the Guiness went Gerry, who is only a year younger, down well afterwards. I turned on the landing to face had also been bom in the same room. a scene which was very familiar to And it seems quite likely that a me—a short flight of stairs lead¬ one-year-old BoSh had been carried in ing up to the second landing, a door pamn! , there by his father during a visit, COLPAGAlM? on the left leading into my dentist's thus inplanting a memory—but why surgery, a door on the right leading did it choose that particular occas¬ into his partner's surgery. (It is ion to emerge from my subconscious? important to give these precise arch¬ itectural details, partly becaue— And why was it accompanied by as I discovered while writing my SF/ all the M.R. James sensations? horror novel, DAGGER OF THE MIND— that kind of house becomes a living character in any story you set in it-) THAT SINKING FEELING As I have said, I have gone up Not so long ago I was strolling those stairs to keep dental appoint¬ with through the re¬ ments many times previously and had nowned Vale of Avoca in the south of thought nothing of it, but this time , Ireland, where he now lives. We something was different. I paused were on our way to a pub which was on the first landing’, feeling a reputed to serve an excellent draught strange coldness which had nothing Guiness. Suddenly he stopped, grabb¬ to do with the cheerless grey illum¬ ed my arm and pointed out a notice ination leaking down from the sky¬ which was barely visible as a tiny light. Inexplicably, my gaze was 33 WE WILL BE inventing some voca¬ into taking a lot of guff from bulary and concepts as we go along. people who sneer at Atari for Concept One: We are talking about a various reasons, some of them good, device in aid of low-volume but let's talk components and creativity. terminology for a while, and maybe it will all make sense. Most of what's said in the trade about "word-processing" is aimed at clerical needs. The needs of the "COMPUTERS" (It makes more creative writer are quite different. functional sense to speak of The literature and folklore are keyboard units) have a work- concerned largely with high-volume capacity which is expressed in uncreative production of imprinted thousands—"K". At the present paper, and are mostly relevant to time, 64K is the magic number; report-typists, chart-makers, and anything raced below that is bookkeepers, whereas what the despicable, so some keyboard unit fiction writer wants is the equi¬ manufacturers find tricky ways to valent of a very large legal pad, an make units of intrinsically lesser K ever-sharp pencil with an unfailing appear to have 64. eraser, and a secretary who comes in at the end of the day, types up having the best possible core to The K capacity is divided into everything clean and files it. your system. two parts called ROM and RAM. ROM—which ought to be called the There are a couple of ways to The actual word-processing pro¬ hard-wired part—is what wakes up go. There's the single-unit, gram is what really counts; every¬ when you switch on. It's an idiot everything-in-one-cabinet approach, thing else is peripheral. that does the keyboard's internal and there's the stack of components. housekeeping; tells itself what room I think your chances of finding a There are lots of programs. All originated the sound of the bell it single-unit system truly designed of them by definition are supposed hears below stairs, and responds in for just you are low, even if you to move or delete blocks of text on a purely Pavlovian way by going into preset routines whenever it realizes ADVICE TO A NEW WRITER ON THE CHOICE OF A FIRST WORD-PROCESSOR

BEING WISDOM FREELY GIVEN AND PERHAPS WORTH IT By ALGIS BUDRYS

look among what are called "dedi¬ command, to search out "strings" of a key has been touched. Since many cated" word-processors or such characters on command and replace of the keys, when touched in all-in-one computers as the Kaypro. them with new strings either in just combination with other keys, issue They offer compactness and one place or throughout the file, •routing commands that require a lot portability, and similar mechanical and make whatever other moves are of electrons to scurry in many advantages, but I think you're going analogous to drawing little arrows directions, there's a lot more to to do better by assembling a com¬ through the manuscript and shuffling this than just literally transcrib¬ ponent system. And, perhaps para¬ the 3x5 cards. Most of the highly ing your typing. Most ROMs use doxically, I think you're going to touted among them, however, like thp about a fourth of the keyboard's save a lot of money going that famous Wordstar, betray the fact rated K just to house themselves. that the goal of word-processing program design is to circumvent any What you type into the keyboard But you want to approach this initiative on the part of semi- is stored in RAM, which is a with realistic expectations: You're educated clerical personnel. balloon. RAM gradually fills up never going to find the perfect rig, The more expensive and highly touted with your creation, which puffs away any more than you could ever find they are, the more this is apt to be forever into the thin air when you the perfect typewriter or the their paramount feature. I use switch off. If you want to save the perfect secretary. You're going to AtariWriter instead; it, too, was RAM-content, before you switch off have to break yourself into using never designed especially for you command ROM to transmit a the system, and with each component creative writing, but fortuitously description of it to a magnetic you put into the system, you're it's rather amenable to the mode; it storage medium. That's housed in going to foreclose other possi¬ doesn't get in my way and it helps another machine; either a casette bilities. For instance, your choice me when it can. Although it has a deck or disk player-recorder. of a word-processing program may little less capability than the Casette storage units are toys. restrict the consequent choices of user's manual seems to promise, it Disk-storage is the only one to hardware. And in fact what I'm has comfortably more than I need in consider in the present state of the going to recommend will marry you to many ways, and no idiosyncrasies I art; it uses something like a just one brand of keyboard. But can't get around easily. miniature video disk that gets that's not necessarily bad. And in inserted square sleeve and all. any case, you should be willing to By and large I can't imagine a There are all sorts of disks, but compromise a lot for the sake of better idea for a program of use to the most common is the ordinary creative writers. It does put you "floppy disk," and the unit that into using the Atari keyboard, which handles it is called a "disk drive," Copyright (c) 1984, Algis Budrys. is not perfect. It also puts you presumably because if they called it All Rights Reserved. 34 a gramophone that might seem a little too homely. rig, a totally filled RAM contains It has two great advantages enough information to fill about 170 apart from price. One is that it Disk drives enable you to store sectors, and as a practical matter takes AtariWriter (appr. $90). from RAM, or to play content from a what this means is that I can get a AtariWriter comes not on disk but in recorded disk into RAM. This means novel onto five disks of four its own hard-wired plug-in you can do part of a job today, 170-sector "files" each. I have no cartridge. Thus, among other store it, retrieve it tomorrow, and idea of what the actual usable RAM K things, it steals no RAM. (Just as keep working on it. It also means of my rig is, and I don't have to well, I am told, because the this is a convenient way and by far know. It takes about a dozen 64K-rated 1200XL is actually a much the most common way to introduce 12-pitch (elite) double-spaced lesser device until such a cartridge programs into the keyboard unit. manuscript pages to fill it, and is plugged in. But all I really You buy a prerecorded disk with the those translate into 170 sectors of care about is the 170 sectors.) program on it. When you load the disk. program from the disk into the AtariWriter comes with a very keyboard unit, it is now in two Now let's review the bidding good comprehensive manual, and is places at once. It's still on the here. Notice that the sophisti¬ supposed to also come with a disk, and it's in the keyboard unit cation and capacity of the storage short-list "ready-reference" card as well. equipment do not determine the for use once you've read through the practicality of the system; the RAM bigger book a couple of times. My A program is a device for K does that. It seems to me that 12 factory-sealed carton contained no managing ROM for a specialized pages of final draft is a nice day's such handy thing. Inadequate or purpose; it amplifies ROM's routines work, and that five disks makes an totally missing documentation is the in some ways, suppresses others, and acceptably small bundle. Since you rule in the "home computer" world, shoos it in desired directions. It will be saving from RAM to disk only and it's also typical that Atari's interfaces with ROM, so to speak. about once per working day, and then 800 customer-service phone number But it lives in RAM, which means a in most cases only at its end, you has never done me a bit of good when disk-borne program of this sort can use a system that is old and I could get it to answer at all. takes away K-capacity for your slow and coarse—that is to say, 3ut the comprehensive manual is a input. A word-processing program something that takes as much as two very good piece of work, if you can easily absorb 12K worth of RAM. or three minutes and uses discount remember to read every word, and is disks that cost $19.87 per 10 and all you need. You can pick it up Other things further reduce come in their own storage box. Nor for the first time in your life in capacity. ROM will interact only do you need more than 10 disks per the morning, and be doing work that with things that positively large project, even if you make a afternoon. Furthermore, you will establish their eligibility, and it backup set, nor do you need more still like it a year later. will only follow certain protocols than one drive. in dealing with them. Every blank The other major advantage of an fresh disk has to be "formatted," Having just one drive is living Atari-housed system is that the for instance, and then it has to in the sticks; anyone who knows Atari graphics circuitry is still pass a message contained in a "DOS anything can tell you that. But the among the very best there is, far file," or it won't "boot up." fact is that in a creative writer's better than anything competitive at Functional translation: As a working day, there's very little the price. Translation: You can use practical matter, each of your disks need to gather material from a an old TV set for your working will lose some of its text capacity number of disks or pass it around screen. by using some of it to store its among many disks. A great deal of credentials, and in any case, since such cqmbining can be done within In the store, almost anything those are a "program" in themselves, the keyboard unit, especially with can be set up to look useable. But they will always take away some of the help of AtariWriter and for all at home you're sitting there hour the remaining rated K in RAM. I know any number of other programs. after hour, staring at it. Fuzzy or In any case, the unit holds its poorly-designed graphics, or a For this reason, there is market information independently, while you stupidly formatted display, would, 1 pressure toward high-X keyboards pop disks in and out of your single imagine, soon gnaw you into severe — 128K will soon be the new magic drive if need be. I can't imagine distress. 1 wouldn't know—I've got number—and toward disks (or other the writer who would need more than a very nice screen display; not storage systems) with higher and a single, ordinary, now-obsolete and unimprovable, but far superior to higher capacity. As in music-system therefore cheap Atari 810, which is anything else I've seen. True, I'm and video marketing, this is also a somewhat noisy but actually very using a Sony; equally true, it's the how you keep the ticket big. You gentle and reliable unit that has first Sony color TV model ever need none of this. You can do never given me a moment's trouble marketed in the U.S.; a dinosaur excellently with what would be nor torn up a disk. Look in the that had been gathering dust in an obsolete hardware and rudimentary back-page mail-order ads in home upstairs room, and the rig has run systems in almost any other computer magazines for an idea of manageably with an even older application; the Discontinued and price. black-and-white portable full of Closeout Sale is where you shop with very tired tubes. a grin and a light heart. Similarly, my keyboard is an Atari I200XL, a piece of hardware This is worth going into in some much despised by everyone quick to detail. LET'S talk "sectors." The seem smart in the market, including sector is the basic unit I work Atari, and discontinued and thus with; I don't even think about bytes cheap; utterly reliable, reasonably and bits. compact, probably capable of compatibility with most Atari A disk is electronically divided doodads to come and, if not, so into sectors. I have about 700 cheap to replace as to be sectors' worth of storage space per disposable. disk, since I use single-side, single-density (cheap) disks. In my 35 What I can see by looking at the embedded command sigils. screen is every character I've typed in, plus symbols indicating Some keyboard units will accept commands. Those commands will be what's called an "80-column card." executed when the text prints out; This is an aftermarket circuit-board meanwhile, I can't see their actual or plug-in adapter (I suspect "card" effect. All the text on this is a corrupution of "cartridge") screen—call it the editing screen that converts the editing screen —is shown flush left, together with into something like 80x44. It does its commands and a flashing this by reducing the size of the underline—my "cursor"—that tells characters by over 50%. It can cost me where the next character will close to $200, and it means you also appear. For instance, when I come have to dump your TV and buy a to the end of a paragraph, I hit a monitor for a couple of hundred yet Return key. A dark arrow against a additional, for sure. Why? Because bright background appears there, and there are just so many picture¬ the next character I type will making dots (called "pixels") per appear flush left—on the extreme square unit of screen surface, and left margin—of the next line. I when you shrink the characters by want to have indented paragraphs, so half, you only get half as many that first character isn't to be pixels with which to form each printed; I hit a Control key and a character. The practical effect is for the header, the page location, capital P simultaneously, and 1 get to force you to lean into the and the starting page number, but I a glowing paragraph symbol, which screen, or get stronger glasses; the have to tell it all that at the tells me the ROM will, in due cumulative effect of all that, over beginning or, more usually for course, initiate a chain of messages long working days, is backaches and headers, at the beginning of Page that will tell my printer to indent headaches. Two. Then, in the story text, if I at that line. How far it will want to vary from the overall indent is something I told it I would guess that only the format, I have to tell ROM when to earlier. Atari circuits would allow you to go make that change, and when to stop to 80-coiumn and keep your TV set. making it. All AtariWriter files begin with I'll never know—the Atari 1200XL's a string of commands, called the cabinet is shaped wrong to accept This results in a screenful of page formatting commands. They the Atari 80-column card, which was blips and words that look very determine where the left and right designed for the squarer, thicker little like the eventual print-out. margins, and the top and bottom of 800. I'm just as glad; remember you AtariWriter has an indispensible the printing area of the page, will still can't really see a one-for-one feature called "word wrap"—some be. They determine whether there'll representation of the printed page. so-called word-processing programs be extra space between paragraphs, So I see the 80-column thing as a don't. It means you can just keep whether the right margin will be means of selling extra hardware, not typing, and the screen will look as "justified" —that is, flush as something of any great use. It's if you'd hit a carriage return as right—and also the number of spaces certainly not necessary. you approached its right side. If a in each paragraph indent. They'll word won't fit on the line, it goes dictate line spacing and the total AtariWriter does contain a number of lines in the printing flush left down to the next line. routine that serves to show me, for area. And in many systems, they'll This is terrific for creativity; you instance, exactly where the top of also determine the pitch of the type just keep on banging out the Page 2 falls. It's called Preview. —elite, pica, or extended faces. keystrokes, and nothing interrupts By keying for it, I can look at all When the file first loads, these are the flow, nor is there ever any need of the file, or any page of the set at arbitrary "default values," to think about line-end hyphenation. eventual manuscript, one 36x21 and one look at those tells you You are literally working on the without a doubt that whoever story, and you learn to read the designed the formatting was thinking screen for that. But every so What Preview does is lay out the of corporate reports, not of a often, you want a look at where you copy as it will fall on the print¬ manuscript. So I've had to begin my are in the manuscript, and for that out, and as if the whole page were file by resetting every one of them. the raw, unpolished screen is located in hyperspace somewhere just useless. beyond your screen. This gives you (As a matter of fact I have a a screen-sized rectangular "knot¬ very short file, called MANUSCRI, For one thing, essentially like hole" to peer "through." You can with those values permanently on it, almost all home-unit screens, the then "move" that "knothole" by using and I load that into RAM, and work editing screen is only 36 characters your cursor- locating controls to on it until I'm done for the day. wide and 21 lines deep, with the top sweep "over" the "page." You can Then I change its name in RAM to the line disappearing upward when you see whether the headings are right, name of my story, and save it all as fill the bottom line, whereas your where your copy is falling and where a new file with the correct values manuscript is going to be, say, to shift it to if desired. You embedded. The old file, of course, 72x25. can't edit in Preview mode, but if is still on the disk as MANUSCRI, you make a mental or jotted note of for the next time I need to open a Some (ritzier) computers head which words occur where, you can key fresh story file. If you can't off this problem with (expensive) back into Edit and—using your quite follow all those moves as yet, high-resolution monitors rather than various copy-moving capabilities don't worry—my immediate message is TVs, and circuitry that puts 80 —for instance quickly relocate your there are quick ways to skin even (small) characters on a (thin) footnote keystrokes down to the stubborn cats.) screen line. This gives you a fair bottom of the page. And so on. idea, although on an Atari and on It's really quite fast and flexible. I've also put in some auxiliary most units, it still would run everything else flush left with commands along the way. Almost Preview is not perfect, but surely, I've called for a heading 36 nothing is. I believe that no competitor has anything as good. It required add-on interfacings. But without hitting four preliminary does use some RAM while in after that, you begin choosing among switches. Or, how about this?: Once operation. As you get toward the types of printer. a keyboarder has gotten used to the end of your 170 sectors, it no freedom of word-wrap and various longer has room to show you more Printers of course are all other amenities of computerized than the tops of pages. It can be a designed for clerical use, and keyboarding, shouldn't the backup shock, the first time you want to applicability to creative needs has device simulate those amenities as see the bottom of a page. You can to be [A] fortuitous and [B] sought closely as possible? Electronic move on to study the top of the next out carefully. They come in two typewriters come with automatic page, and this sometimes suffices, kinds; those which manipulate carriage return which is in effect but some of the time there's nothing increments of characters and those word-wrap; with semiautomatic for it—you're going to have to make which strike-on entire characters. erasing, and other features that are a rough printout of any page you The latter are usually called "daisy word-processor-like, enabled by wheel" printers even though some use their own on-board computer. They thimble-shaped typing elements and upgrade in price and sophistication Well, cartons of the cheapest some use even stranger devices. The to the point where they approach 3000-page printer paper are not term comes from the fact that the being dedicated word-processors. expensive. Furthermore, although I most common strike-on element is Any of them make the mere electric suppose it's possible to produce shaped something like a trans¬ typewriter a ludicrous antique. letter-perfect copy on the screen, I mogrified daisy flower with a letter never have yet and suspect most at the end of each petal; a rotating If you look at the price of an people don't. So even with an portion of the printer spins the interfaced electronic typewriter as 80-column screen, or some sort of proper petal into place and a the cost of a printer plus a backup perfect Preview, I suspect I would solenoid-driven hammer smacks the typewriter, that price suddenly still routinely do a complete rough becomes very reasonable. What's print-out, proofread it, put in my more, the price is dropping. Sears, corrections, and print out the A strike-on printer per se is Roebuck, for instance, markets one corrected pages, page by page. That essentially a smart typewriter made by Brother International that may not be how they do it in without a keyboard, unless it doesn't cost as much as some "cheap" training films from IBM Clerical happens to be an electronic printers. I know nothing else about Academy, but I think it's good typewriter interfaced with a it; I do know that several enough for me and you. computer and so drafted part-time electronic typewriters I've tried into service as a printer. Thus are noisy (particularly IBM's) and strike-on devices divide into seem klutzy in various ways...but This brings us to printing, keyboardless printers and, in a far then. I'm spoiled; I own a. Facit which after all is what this is all smaller proportion, interfaced 8000. This is the machine they have really for. typewriters. in mind when they say "typewriter." Mind you, the 8000 is the bottom of O.K., by now you may think I've Hardly anyone in the computer the Facit line, and I got it dirt said you can only print out a dozen store or in the handy home-guide cheap—without the interface, which pages at a time. Not so. There is book on computers mentions inter¬ came later—with three months to a thing called "chaining," which faced typewriters. This is because, pay, no interest, plus a liberal allows you to connect a string of once again, no one in the industry trade-in on my boat-anchor of a files. The program will print them even thinks about the possible shot-down IBM Model C, because "no continuously, still keeping track of special needs of writers, which is one" had ever heard of Facit. headings. Once per page, past the particularly paradoxical when you first file, the disk drive will consider that the books and the It's from a perfectly dandy burst into brief life, apparently compute-at-home magazines and even Swedish marque, simple, light, testing the link, and startling hell some of the manuals are written by mechanically elegant with so few out of the uninitiated. Also, each writers. moving parts in the printing system file will still follow its own that you can.count them (9). It has page-formatting, and any last-minute Any printer, after all, is three pitches plus proportional editorial afterthoughts will require useless without a computer, whereas spacing, each at the flick of a loading and reloading the affected a typewriter is in effect its own lever (while running, if desired); files individually. (Meaning that backup, and, even if the computer it has four tabs and a decimal tab, extensive edits may throw off the never goes down—mine never has, but it will tab in either direction, it page-counting by enough to create they do, once in a while—the will erase, it will semi- misnumbered headings, and you may typewriter's keyboard allows you to automatically underline, in both have to embed a fresh header command dash off a note to the milkman cases using its on-board memory. It at that point in the text.) has twenty available daisy wheels full of many extra characters. But these are just little There's a gemlike one for the household chores, sent by God to proportional-spacing feature. And keep you humble; learn to take quiet when this darling device sets about glory in them. Meanwhile, hippety its operations, it doesn't clatter; hop, off we go to the printer shop! it speaks of itself like Bojangles doing a softshoe...but I digress. (The higher-number models have THE FIRST THING to find little display panels that show you out about any printer is whether it a few words before they're printed, will interface with your word- to me a superfluous feature as long processor. The second 'thing is as the erasing ribbon holds out.) whether the interface is already installed and it, and all connecting My point is [A], you want to cables, are already included in the look at this sort of possibility price. The third thing, then, would instead of the solutions designed be the price and availability of any for clerical use, and [B], you want to consider that this is another lot of that floating around in it, few pages, remember, not the weighty direction from which to enter the but you can't rationally rely on output of an insurance company's word-processing world if you can't that when you go shopping. afford to buy all the pieces at steno pool.) once. It's the direction I went; Incremental printers are first the typewriter, whose O.K. Assume you go for a amazingly fast and flexible; they facilities quickly earned me the conventional sort of printer: price of the $350 aftermarket don't just "type," they draw pictures. They work by impressing interface, and then the rest of the The rap on daisy wheels is that or spraying out little dots that hardware and software. they're slow (though not as slow as form characters, and they are Mind you, this was not getting increasingly sophisticated. ultimately the cheap way, on two Some of them, in combination with levels. The interface, for example, the right programs, can produce some does not talk directly to the very catchy graphic effects. These processor. Ataris are standoffish. do not strike me as advantages It talks to an Atari 850 interface relevant to a writer's needs qua box ($190, plus shipping and sales writer, but I can see how if I had a tax, Sears Catalog) which talks to sideline in club bulletins or the processor. But the same box interfaced typewriters, which fanzines I might think about it. It will also talk to a number of other normally run only twice as fast as gets you into manuscripts that I "peripherals" for which it has a an expert could hand-type error-free personally wouldn't send out number of input and output "ports," copy). Compared to incremental -although as an editor I wouldn't including one that hooks to a printers, they are, yes. The more much care whether they were in telephone via a "modem" box. (My they cost, the faster they go strike-on or one of the more son Steve, the genius, and I, the —that's what you're paying the strike-on-Iike incrementals—but slow learner, have occasional uses premium for. The faster they go, past a certain point that's just my for little boxes full of zippy-zappy the quicker they destroy their personal conservatism. The point that have nothing to do with $25-dollar daisy wheels and wear out is, of course, that some cheaper word-processing.) So the price of their $150-dollar hammers. printers produce copy that's really the 850 amortizes in several other aggravating to read page after page, applications as well, but (My soft, slow Facit is showing and that can't be good for your nevertheless this aspect of my no sign of deterioration, thank sale. personal system is not a monument to you.) shoestringing. Tractor-feed machines, too, So if you're going to go daisy really get you into the mystique of The other way in which this is wheel, I would think your optimum fanfold paper that doesn't look not cheap is that it hurts to see machine would live somewhere in the fanfold, and the arcana of tearaway how crudely the Facit is utilized as cheap end of the spectrum. What's edges, and all those other a printer. Steve is slowly working the hurry? If you're using (inevitably expensive) mental out the hexadecimals, and I may continuous paper, you can go take a sarabands. Personally, since 1952 I eventually be able to use the shower or make dinner, or sit and have a been a member of the William commands that AtariWriter intends watch the ballgame on your TV, as Fitzgerald Jenkins school of only for incremental, not strike-on the printer catches you up at the manuscripting: If it’s clear and printers. But meanwhile I can't get end of your satisfactorily fruitful consistent, it can be on mimeo paper at the extra characters, nor can I creative day. was his credo, and I share it. I underline, when interfaced with the also don't do long multiple Atari. A nice option on slow printers printouts, even using cheap paper is typewriter-like pressure-roller with non-tearaway holes; Xerox is Having a keyboard, and a paper feed instead of the fast cheaper, and obliterates the holes precision machine, I can put that printers' tractor-feed that requires in any case. stuff in by hand later, which is holed paper. By inserting a Page more than a printer can let me do. Wait command in the text file, you Whatever, I think you can set Many printers, not just mine, can't can have the printer stop after each yourself up very nicely for underline, can’t do several other page typed on ordinary paper sheets. something around a grand, things any typewriter can do. In Then you slip in a new one, hit grand-and-a-half. I would look some cases, if you can unearth the Return, and the printer types the really hard at AtariWriter in any hexadecimals—find out, in ROM's next page. You don't have to switch case. Atari also supposedly has language, how it goes about talking away from the ballgame, and you're some really hot new stuff; maybe to the printer—you have a fighting producing copy without that it's better for our purposes, maybe chance at instructing it, via computerized appearance. it's just some additional consumer embedded text commands, how to get merchandising. the printer to for instance strike, (Do not buy an "automatic back up, and strike again, which is- single-sheet feeder." They're The idea is, after all, to get what you have to do to get a hideously expensive and never jam out the story. All the devices daisy-wheel underline. But to make until you're out of the room. Also applied to producing a manuscript that work, you need to find out some do not buy any kind of paper-holder; should make it easier to create and things about the sneaky-peeky parts set your box of routine-printout get out the story. They should cost of the printer, too, and no continuous roll on the floor under no more to obtain, set up and manufacturer is very cooperative the printer, run the end up into the maintain than they have to in order when you pry into what they see as platen, and push Go. As it emerges, to be better than any other devices proprietary inventions. What you the printout will just loop back and that will help, not hinder, the need in all cases of going beyond deposit itself lightly on your dry, getting-out of the story. All of the manuals is both an inventiveness clean floor, neither bruising nor the rest is just playing at being a of your own and the services of a crumpling itself unless you vestpocket International Business consultant on Steve's level of interfere. It's only a relatively Machines, when in fact we are proficiency. The SF community has a universal art people. 38 BY ELTON T. ELLIOTT

ThE STATE OF SF MAGAZIfCS: in the mid-to-late seventies, COS- MIS, edited by David Hartwell, sur¬ Don't ask. vived for several issues. All Since 1974 and the demise of three of these efforts started out WORLDS OF IF the science fiction as regular magazine (8 1/2 X 11") field has rarely seen more than size. half-a-dozen (if that many) viable magazines at one time. Genre SF GALAXY, a digest magazine , an anthology show was created and nurtured in the started in 1950, limped along till like TWILIGHT ZONE, might help magazines for over a quarter cen¬ 1979 or so when it was sold by sales. tury before book publishing (main¬ Arnold Abramson to the publishers There have been numerous semi- ly paperbacks) exposed it to a new of GALILEO, an 8 1/2 X 11" size and demographically wider audience. magazine found for most of its ex¬ professional efforts. RIGEL, ed¬ ited by Eric Vinicoff, was notable. In the last quarter century this istence only in specialty stores. area of science fiction has seen a The publishers of GALILEO were UNEARTH, a magazine devoted to be¬ steady downhill slide toward the never able to put out a newsstand- ginning writers, survived for a- oblivion of "small" literary mag¬ distributed issue of GALAXY, al¬ while. Several still exist: IN¬ TERZONE, LAST WAVE and FANTASY azines. Why has this happened? though one was printed up and a BOOK, . Is it important to SF? Can any¬ few copies floated around, mostly thing be done? at huckster's tables at conventions. But the largest category is GALILEO itself folded when its pub¬ First let's take a look at re¬ magazines that never made it: lishers tried to turn it into a ALPHA, SPECTRUM and IMAGO, to men¬ cent history. With the exception nationally distributed magazine. of ASIMDV'S, every new magazine in tion a few of the many. They fail¬ They signed a contract with Dell ed to even appear for a variety of the last dozen years has been a Distribution, but it never worked dismal failure. One quasi-excep¬ reasons. SPECTRUM'S editor. March- out. The last I heard several law¬ tion, OMNI, has been fairly succes¬ all Bonfire (nee Bonafir) was re¬ suits had been filed over the mat¬ ported to have conmitted suicide. sful for Bob Guccione and Kathy ter. Keeton of Penthouse Publications; how successful depends on who you Digest-sized efforts were few¬ Hope does spring eternal or at talk to, but OMNI is a pop-science er and singularly unsuccessful. least inmortal in with a smattering of fea¬ SKY WORLDS, a cheapo reprint mag¬ publishing. Even as another maga¬ azine never went anywhere. The tures, which includes several SF zine was sinking out of sight with publisher of AMAZING, Arthur Bern- stories, but science fiction has nary an issue (WEIRD TALES, edited hard, tried several reprint mag¬ never been a major focus of the by Forrest J. Ackerman --or Gil azines in the mid-seventies, none magazine. There are even periodic Lamont, depending on whom you talk of them caught on, and AMAZING's reports that some advertising peo¬ to -- truly a weird tale), a brand sister magazine FANTASTIC folded. ple have been trying to kill SF in new magazine was announced at the AMAZING was sold to TSR, which hir¬ the magazine, but it's survived '84 LA WorldCon: L. RON HUBBARD'S ed George Scithers to edit the for six years and has had a science TO THE STARS SCIENCE FICTION MAGA¬ magazine, but distribution has been fiction story in at least every is¬ ZINE. Craig Miller is set as the spotty and sales reportedly have sue. There are many other efforts managing editor with Terry Carr dropped off from when Bernhard's that have gone belly-up. In the handling fiction and William Rot- last editor Eleanor Mavor was run¬ mid-seventies, VERTEX was a west sler art. Budget, print run, nat¬ ning it. In fact, sales are so coast slick SF magazine that sur¬ ional distribution and needless to low that it is approaching the lev¬ vived for several years before be¬ ^ay, the date of the first issue, coming a tabloid for three issues el (10,000 copies) which the SFWA have not been set yet. The pay¬ has set for professional magazines. and folding. ODYSSEY, a less slick ment scale is said to be approx¬ If circulation drops below that magazine, put out under the editor¬ imately the same as ANALOG and level, sales to AMAZING will not ial auspices of the then ubiquitous ASIMDV'S. Roger Elwood, lasted for two issues. be considered for membership cre¬ I remember it for the many body dentials in the SFWA, although a Why all the failures? Because building ads and for a savage art¬ new TV show, produced by Spielberg, the would-be publishers either for¬ istic satire that Carl Bennett did got, or they thought they could of the first issue's cover. Also 39 fudge the one cardinal rule of publishing: Capital sine qua non for it. It's better never to pub¬ is about to go as solidly Republic¬ -- money, without-which-nothing. lish a magazine than to publish it an as it once was Democrat. A fan¬ Publishing, and magazine publishing and then never pay the writers. zine sent to me published a poll in particular, is probably the most of 37 SF writers --26 said they I hope that despite the many capital-intensive business in the were voting for Reagan, 6 for Mon- pitfalls, someday somebody will world on the basis of funds expend¬ dale and 5 for David Bergland, the publish a truly ambitious SF maga¬ ed for results desired. Libertarian Party candidate. I zine, 8 1/2 X 11", slick paper, don't pretend to know the basic It starts with planning and the advertiser supported, payment rates politics of the average SF fan or problem of lead time. Editors have for the fiction equal to what PENT¬ writer-. to be paid, stories have to be HOUSE pays (about 25

daughter, and poor dad gets wiped and various screw-ups, mishaps and I WOULDN T CALL MYSELF A COUCH out in sports with the kids and moronic satirical jabs at Big Busi¬ POTATO... but I do watch a lot of behaves like the idiot he is. ness and you get a sometimes amus¬ movies on cable—HBO, Showtime, Cool, clean Barbara Rush played ing low-blow message picture which Bravo, AfjE... All these run uncut the mother--a bit part. misuses Chase and Weaver. This pic¬ films, of course. The network fare I couldn't watch this more than ture in beneath their stature and is almost always abysmally bland 30 minutes. Better Regis Philbin's talents, but they sold out for and idealistic pap, aimed at Liber¬ Health Styles than this. money, too. al, right-thinking, feminist, "fam¬ Disney of late has recognized Noted: a balding, mean-faced ily" audiences. that kid films don't make it any¬ Vince Edwards as the vicious corp¬ That's curious, because the more and have come out with that oration boss. Remember him as Dr. network audience is probably made mermaid movie and an honest fantasy Casey on TV twenty-odd years ago? up of mostly poor, black, old, non¬ or two. He quit the series to be a big movie star. He flopped. cable outskirts areas of population But in 1974, when SUPERDAD was where cable is not yet. made, the studio was still mired in No wonder the networks are suf¬ the 50's. fering a loss of watchers year by year, and a loss of prime spenders NIGHT OF THE JUGGLER (r) is taut in that segment. Advertisers know. SMITHEREENS (r) Of course the networks are aware is the sad/desperate and gut-level all the way, with of this trend, but are unable to do story of the life of a rock-n-roll good action and realism as a psycho much about it given their need never- groupie, a girl who aspires to be a kidnaps a 12-year-old girl to pun¬ to-offend the pressure groups who singing star herself but does little ish her millionaire real estate watch everything with a prejudiced, to work as a singer. She lives hand- developer father whom he thinks has gimlet eye. to-mouth, sponges on friends, rips- deliberately ruined his neighborhood [Wasn't it delicious when CBS off friends, lives in a van with a in order to drive prices down and put a shotgun mike on John McEnroe young man who loves her, when it force landowners to sell cheap. during an altercation with the of¬ suits her, and lives in a desperate But the psycho has mistakenly ficials and The Brat said "...fuck¬ fools hell. kidnapped a look-alike girl---the ing..." for all America to hear. All this in the mean streets of daughter of a maverick ex-cop who The commentator said bemusedly, "I New York. And at the end of the witnesses the abduction and gives think he disagreed with the call." film it seems she is falling into all-out, any-cost chase and search After that they showed John's prostitution. for the rest of the film. mouth moving, but cut the sound. Susan Berman does an excellent James Brolin is excellent--- Ha!] Speaking of McEnroe, his job as the rock-obsessed girl who shaggy-haired, bearded, single- fierce competitiveness melded to is herself ripped-off by the fringe minded. his sullen paranoia and demand for rock star to whom she has attached Cliff Gorman is better as the perfection in others (especially herself (she thinks). pushed-over-the-edge building owner linesmen and umpires) make him who is finally cornered and killed remarkably hateful and immature. in hand-to-hand combat in the sewer/ utility tunnels under New York. I always root for his opponent. DEAL OF THE CENTURY (r) On a personal level, I wish he'd follows Richard Castellano is fine as get a better shave for matches and Chevy Chase as a small-time arms the pressured, harrassed police have his moppy hair cut shorter. hustler who tries to deal weapons lieutenant who has to deal with to a latin American dictator, then everyone involved. to the dictator's opposition. Failed, wounded in the foot, he falls into a high-tech deal with an SUPERDAD (G) unprincipled American corporation There was nothing else whose "state of the art" pilotless on and Disney was letting everyone drone fighter plane runs amok and watch three days of the Disney must be dealt to anyone at any cost. channel free... Sigourney Weaver plays the The late Bob Crane played a beautiful woman involved in all this masked incest-lured father deter¬ skullduggery and sex as she finally mined to "join in" his daughter's has to sleep with the dictator to peer group at any cost to keep clinch a deal with his government. tabs on her, etc. Add a born-again cohort whose We see a lot of bikini-clad Christianity is in dire conflict girls including his stunning teener with his guns-for-sale profession. RICHARD E. GEIS THE BUNKER (r) Pia is a fair actress who has the perfect bumbler cannot be match¬ is a docudrama show¬ been mocked for her willingness to ed. Ted Wass as a klutzy New York ing the last few months of Adolph appear nude, often, and for her sup¬ detective imported to Paris does a Hitler's life in the bunker under posed lack of acting ability. creditable job, but... Without the Chancellery in Berlin in 1944 Lloyd Bodmer plays the top- Sellers, this series is dead. (or was it 1945?). Well acted by rank screenwriter who marries her Anthony Hopkins as Hitler. Good and gives her her start. English supporting cast. Wotthehell, it's a "womans STRANGE INVADERS (PG) The film makes one want to know picture" from a seamy book by Harold is a minor sf more about Hitler's warped psyche Robbins. It delivers precisely what movie about aliens who have taken and the diseases which afflicted it promises. over a small town and are secretly him. taking human souls/life force for Hiranler's absolute fanaticism transport to their planet. is eye-opening...and chilling, at SPACEHUNTER (PG) Paul LeMat is a young father/ the end. is a lot of sort-of - husband who loses his wife and tongue-in-cheek space adventure with child to the aliens and fights Peter Strauss as a 22nd Century merc¬ back. SURFACING (R) enary trying to rescue some Earth Usual paranoia scenario as no features Kathleen women from the clutches of a space one will believe him, the govt is Beller as a young woman searching pirate who is more cyborg than hu¬ hostile to him, etc. for her missing father in the wilds man (and his weird, warped minions) Conveniently the aliens can of northern Canada. With her are on a trashed, South Bronx-type plan¬ as sane the shape and voices of her husband and their two best et . the people they "take". friaids, a married couple. He is a tough-guy with a soft Worth watching. There is a lot of intense per¬ spot, of course, which shows when sonality conflict, estrangement, he encounters a waif, a pure-strain lust, hate, danger. human girl, who acts as his guide There are also a few nice nude and who has to be rescued at the JAWS OF SATAN (r) scenes in which Beller bares all. end, a crisis which is a catalyst is a low-budget She is here shown as rather chunky for their love. horror film which as usual cheats and stretch-marked, but her breasts Ah, formula, ah shit. It's on the logic/plausibility side by are as lush as ever. fun to watch, though. invoking and depending on the super¬ Not a bad picture, saved by natural powers of a demonic cobra the kinky marriage and behavior of loose and preying on key residents Beller's friends. Joseph Bottoms of a small town. It wants souls plays her in-conflict husband. TOOTSIE (PG) is a feminist message and a local self-doubting priest is picture with more ramifications than the main target. the star, Dustin Hoffman, and the Fritz Weaver and Gretchen Corbett BREATHLESS (r) producers were aware of. are the name actors. Corbett does shows the consider¬ Excellent acting by Hoffman as a few nude scenes and shouldn't able acting abilities of Richared an unemployed, purist, antagonistic have. Gere as he plays utterly convincing¬ actor who desperately dresses as a The film is too contrived and ly a young man who thinks he is a- woman to try out for a soap opera exploitive...of religion, the occult, bove vrorking and above the law. role. and sex. He is in the beginning a car thief He gets it and is stuck with it by trade, but not a killer. But and with growing fame as a woman- when stopped by a highway patrolman with-spunk. Because he is a man CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF (r) he yields to his need to be free at inside he feels able and free to is not the any cost and shoots the cop. argue, stand up for "his" rights, best version/rendering of this Ten¬ On the run after that...he hooks and make on-camera changes in the nessee Williams play about a tension- up with a young woman who is almost scriptline/dialog. ridden, seething southern family, but fatally attracted to his wild ir¬ There are a series of personal it's good. responsibility and "outlaw" charm. complications, of course, but these Rip Tom as Big Daddy didn't sat¬ In the end—in this remake of are the usual comedy bits about isfy. Tommy Lee Jones as the alco¬ an earlier French film of 20 or so keeping his girl friends from know¬ holic son with shameful secrets is years ago-r-he chooses death to ing, fending off male suitors, and very good. Jessica Lange as his it¬ prison/execution. being thought gay by key friends. chy, nagging wife, Maggie, was prais¬ I found Gere's character re- Dabney Coleman did his usual ed by the critics, but I found she rellant and self-indulgent; I've abrasive, shit-heel schtick as a mush-mouthed and too-often whispered had enough of smooth-talking con men macho, male chauvinist prick (as in her lines, so that the viewer lost and spoiled brats who were never NINE TO FIVE). too much of the dialog. weaned from the free lunch of child¬ What must stick in a craw of But at least this production used hood. heavy-duty Feminists is that it took the original lines, including the a man (as a woman) to tell their four-letter words excised/censored story so well in a hit picture. from earlier movie/TV versions. TT-E UOMELY LADY (r) A fine picture, well paced, is utterly un¬ well acted, interesting and funny. convincing as it traces the life of SWEET ALICE (x) Pia Zadora as a would-be teen-age is a pom movie writer to a successful, Oscar-win¬ CURSE OF THE PINK PANTHER (PG) edited to Explicit-R (or X, if you ning screenplay writer. Her road to tries will) content. success is a series of bedrooms, and hard to equal the Peter Sellers as Stars are Seka, John Holmes, her speech of acceptance at the Inspector Cleuseau (however it's Desiree Costeau and Jaimie Gilis. awards ceremonies is the highlight spelled) movies, but Sellers was a The thin story is about a small of the movie: she tells than she is genius and his inspired acting as town girl gone wrong in Hollywood and not the only one of their group who how her husband pursues her to Holly¬ "fucked her way to success..." 43 wood. She isn't interested in be- ing saved from the horrible degrada¬ The town hires a famous down-on-his HEART LIKE A WHEEL (pg) tion of making pom films, though, luck gunfighter (James Cobum) to Like GOAL and he consoles himself with a new come in and dispose of Douglas. MINER'S DAUGHTER, tells of a young lady he has met in his search. These fine character actors/stars woman with a talent and a skill who Lots of nudity and beginnings have some fun in their casual con¬ is driven to overcome all obstacles, of sex. I felt cheated, of course, frontation scenes. at any personal cost, to become a since without the full show this In the end they fake a shootout professional and to achieve fame and film (shown on Pay-Per-View at 11 PM) death and get out of town (with the fortune. is a dud. lady)...and some money. In this case it is the story of Don't bother with it. This clunker was made by HBO to one tough lady, a funny car and race fili its schedule. Somehow, the car driver, name of Shirley "Cha movies and series produced by Show¬ Cha" Mildowney. time and HBO for themselves are al¬ Excellently portrayed by Bonnie BAD BOYS (r) Bedelia, supported by Beau Bridges. About a teenage city most always duds. Too predictable, badboy played convincingly by Sean too bland (even when they base a Penn, who is in a maximum security comedy series on three brothers, one juvenile prison for accidentally of whom is gay). THE BLOOD OF OTHERS (PG) is a slow, killing a boy after a robbery is bland, safe, HBO-financed movie a- screwed up. [If memory serves.] bout the Nazi conquest and occupation The gritty, gutty, obscene life STAY AS YOU ARE (r) of France/Paris in WWII. in this prison is repellently fas¬ makes you won¬ Jodie Foster plays the young cinating for its social structures der why Marcello Mastroianni is sup¬ woman intent on saving her lover and which speak to social biology in a posed to be such a great actor and then helping the resistance. She's compelling affirmation: instinct in male star. He plays one character somewhat pudgy, now, and full-bodied. naked form dictates young male all the time: a slightly flustered, This is a dull film, and not worth life, and the indication is that confused, passive man who isn't quite watching. But it does its job of "civilization" and women only sure why women are attracted to him. soften the power struggles and But he'll got to bed with them, sure. helping to keep the story of the per¬ channel them. Here is the despised And Natassia Kinski, with her secution of the Jews alive and well macho male in full...er...flower. sensual, strong beauty, is here in America. The Zionists have the Our societies and cultures are wasted in the usual European manner dictum: Never Again! and an unwrit¬ rooted in these structures. as a girl inexplicably attracted to ten rule: never let the American pub¬ a middle-aged man who may be her lic forget, lest they not want to father. subsidize Israel so heavily year after year. EASY MOfCY (R) Did he screw his daughter? I was reminded of W. Who cares? C. Fields as I watched this. Rodney Dangerfield isn't in W.C.'s class, but the plot of this story of a man THE LAST AFRICAN VIRGIN (r) forced to give his eat-drink-smoke made pleasures for one year in order to such a great impression on me that gain an inheritance of $10 million I cannot, now, for the life of me, TEN YEARS AGO IN SF - FALL.* 1974 is something Fields might have based remember it, 45 days after seeing a good movie on. Especially the dis¬ it. BY ROBERT SABELLA respectful wife, mother-in-law, etc. 'A shy teenager in love is re¬ The R-rating is mostly for four- luctant to join his buddies in Avon Books issued a series of sci¬ letter words. their pursuit of sexual experiences.' ence fiction classics in "large But Dangerfield is a one-note format" (which ten years later comedian and this movie runs out of would be called trade paperbacks). gags and gas before it ends. They sold for the extremely high price of $1.95 as compared to "small format" books (mass market WAVELENGTH (pg) paperbacks) that generally sold is a forgettable sf for $1.25 each or science fiction movie about the capture of three prozines which had just raised alien children by the Air Force and their cover prices to $1.00 each. attempts to experiment upon them, dissect one of them. And about a P. Schuyler Miller died at age 62. young man and woman who try to He had reviewed books for ANALOG rescue the kids. for twenty-five years. Implausible, low-budget, so-so Otto Binder died at age 63. With acting. Usual defeat for the arro¬ his brother Earl, he had written gant Air Force General and enigmatic science fiction as Eando Binder. escape ending. Watch it if you must. Important publications included and Jerry Poumelle's THE MOTE IN GOD'S EYE; Samuel R. draw! (r) Delany's controversial DHALGREN; is a routine western with Robert Silverberg's original an¬ a few bad words and a brief fuzzy thology NEW DIMENSIONS IV featur¬ nighttime sex scene. ing ' full-length Kirk Douglas is a notorious gun¬ novel STRANGERS; Terry Carr's UNI¬ slinger who is provoked by a lawman VERSE 5; Damon Knight's 14; and shoots the lawman. Douglas is Roger Zelazny's HOME IS THE HANG¬ innocent but is forced to hole up in MAN in ANALOG; and Richard Cow- the hotel with a woman hostage. They per's THE CUSTODIANS in FSSF. fall in love, I guess. WE CAN REMEMBER IT FOR YOU WHOLESALE:

THE PHIL DICK PROBLEM: EYE IN THE SKY In his last years, Phil Dick believed that he lived under the benign influence of a cosmic force THE PHIL DICK SOLUTION whose vectors coincided with those of his small apartment. (He would not seek better quarters for that reason.) The force whispered in his ear, give him instruction, was their maze of circumstance. Doc¬ Nonetheless, CLANS OF THE AL¬ largely responsible for VALIS, his toral theses have been and will a- PHANE NOON was a problem: Super¬ metaphysical novel. The force as¬ gain be put together on less. ficially a jazzy novel with some of sured him that most conventional Dick makes sense, that is what must the most extravagant and provocative assumptions of history and religios¬ be understood. Sometimes the sense of all the Dick inventions, rear¬ ity were insane and that humanity is evasive, sometimes (as with the ranged in dazzling patterns -- had essentially been worshipping the Bunny Hentman scripts) it is liter¬ slime molds, lunatic colonies and wrong icons for many centuries. ally offstage but this stuff can¬ their descendants, reactionary sim¬ (All of this is articulated not not easily be dismissed if at all. ulacra probing the Communist count¬ only in VALIS but in an interview ries, fictional characters far deep¬ Of course, this is not an in¬ with Charles Platt published in er and more pervasive than their sight shared outside this field or DREAM MAKERS: 1980.) Under the in¬ creators like Ziggy Trots, like even held universally within sci¬ fluence of this mentor, Dick's car¬ Hentman -- this is a novel which ence fiction. Dick himself remind¬ eer flourished. DO ANDROIDS DREAM makes the most severe demands upon ed us of how absolutely awful, of OF ELECTRIC SHEEP? was bought for the reader; to an outsider it might how inpossible it was to be a sci¬ film and his works started to come be one of the least penetrable of ence fiction writer in the fifties. back into print. For the first all the novels, it makes ultimate¬ Science fiction writers were not time in his career he began to see ly, no sense. Of course, this was even considered to be writers let considerable amounts of money. In Dick's grand and grandest themes, alone figures of consequence. Dick 1980, his last full year, he made that things make no sense whatso¬ hung out with street people who had $165,000 and wrote his final novel, ever but for the literary literary never heard of him, accepted an BISHOP TIMOTHY ARCHER as well as a critics this is an insight at which autographed inscription by Herbert few short stories which sold to OMNI they would prefer to arrive in ret¬ Gold as if it were consequential. and PLAYBOY. The consensus was rospect ("X shows us, then, a uni¬ Nonetheless, like the mototic Run¬ that he had never been writing bet¬ verse ultimately meaningless") than ning Clam, Dick oozed through and ter nor had his work ever been more have to face in the very text of around the doorways and interstices appreciated. Who was to say, then the novel, in a novel that page by of genre and self. He got to you. that his mentor was wrong? Any page hurls seemingly unrelated ex¬ He was the kind of writer who years science fiction writer who had run trapolations, characters and prem¬ later might make you say, "You the full course of a 30-year career ises at the reader, daring the know, that was crazy stuff but it's could use some cosmic guidance: reader to make the connections, kind of like what's going on in This was a field which was always forcing the reader to the conclus¬ this television studio/convention difficult and intermittently murder¬ ion that there are no connections floor/orgy/classroom." He was ous as Dick himself had occasional¬ only to flaunt at him the possibil¬ scattershot but my how the pellets ly observed. You found your ity, ultimately, that all of this flew around the landscape! A zap friends where you could. might, somehow tie. Dick was a gun for the terminally repressed. specialist in this technique al¬ (Which he thought the straights, though it was one which would un¬ the non-SF people to be.) doubtedly drive a Phillip Rahv or Irving Howe to the wall, assuming that these worthies would even THE ZAP GUN acknowledge a science fiction writ¬ er which is doubtful. One does not Che seeks to write an afterword know quite what THE PARTISAN RE¬ in the style of a Phil Dick novel. DR. FUTURITY VIEW would make of this novel but Superficially this is easy -- many So an afterword in the style of one has a very, very good idea. different strands of invention, on¬ a Dick novel is no easy target, ly marginally related, occurring in not even for that writer who was what seems to be improvisatory once found in print admitting that fashion -- but actually it is not. he prided himself on his ability to Even in the bad Phil Dick novels "imitate the style of any writer THE UNTELEPORTED MAN and there are quite a few of them, living or preferably dead." Like the strands turn out to be more the defamatory description of the Of course, there are different cunningly interrelated than one musicologist, one might be accused levels of reality, of extrapola¬ thought; accrue to a kind of mani¬ of getting the notes but missing tion, Dick noted this. "Your wife acal correctness. Lord Running all of the music. might leave you and take the child- Clam's mitosis is, after all, a comnentary upon the childless mar¬ riage of the Rittersdorf's. The Hebes of the Alphane moon are not only hebephrenics but perhaps, sym¬ bolic Hebrews, wandering through « By BARRY N. MALZBERG ren and then the Martians would render him comfort, all of these isions. What is that Ganymedan come into your living room." Yes, devices were piled situationally up¬ slime mold doing surviving unsup¬ indeed. Dick did not merely com¬ on the circumstances which the nov¬ ported in the conceived-nightmare- pose alternatives to standard mid¬ el recreated but at the base one of-Rittersdorf's housing, any¬ dle class disasters; he heightened can see the simple, throbbing, mor¬ way? What is its support system? and deepened them. Nonetheless, al heart of Phil Dick, the untele¬ How does that girl turn back the this most madly inventive and biz¬ ported writer, dealing as best he clock on the recent dead and why arre of contemporary science fic¬ could with events which he at has the Alphane colony been permit¬ tion writers (telepathic slime least felt insupportable. ted to reach this point when an in¬ molds! simulacra with identity flux of staff and medical personnel problems! lunatic civilizations in would have prevented all of this? which the paranoids would be the How is the Mageboom sinulacrum elite!) wrote very close to home; controlled? Exactly what do those this is perhaps the source of the reactionary simulacra say in the CONFESSIONS OF A CRAP ARTIST unsettling power of even the weak¬ Communist territories and why are er novels. CLANS OF THE ALPHANE The novels would for an alert they permitted to wander freely? MOON is about a failed marriage, reader (do not look for them how¬ Oh, there are profound elisions in an aggrandizing wife, sexual pas¬ ever in the academies) have been this novel, profound elisions in¬ sion, thrall, impotence, financial enough but Dick was perhaps the deed; so much is taken for granted, jeopardy and distress, divorce, least shielded of all science fic¬ so little is often explained that blackmail, adultery, guilt, self- tion writers; he spoke off the text the possibility might be raised -- loathing. No number of Running with great forthrightness and no how absolutely shocking! -- that Clams nor self-hating simulacra small amount of self-evisceration. Dick is not writing science fiction will divert fully from that point. The fan magazines, the introductions at all. One can peer through the cloudy and to the various collections, the in¬ difficult glass of this novel and terviews all show a man inexhaust¬ see the author himself, the untele¬ ibly bent upon explaining himself ported, undetached man, writing of as if the explanations themselves his own circumstances, dealing with would find a kind of structure that his own horrors. Dick made no se¬ the disorderly events themselves WE CAN BUILD YOU cret of his relations with women, did not. Similarly, if the writer The assumption from the start his financial and marital woes and overexplained, the novels overly (the start being 1926 and Hugo his many marriages, his bankruptcies, exposed; not for Phil Dick under¬ Gemsback or something like that his searing periods of panic and statement or influence but instead anyway) was that science fiction poverty are very much on the rec¬ the flat delivery of extrapolation. was a reasonably rigorous medium, ord. The Dick reality invoked no It is not enough to conceive of a that unlike fantasy it was rooted Mageboom simulacra through which moon of lunatics, their heirarchy in some kind of extrapolative prob¬ he could project himself; it gave and interrelationships must be ex¬ ability and that it made at least him (at least not until the mid¬ plained. At the same time, on the gestures toward credibility. The seventies) no telepathic aliens to other hand, there are curious el¬ rules were honored more in the breach than the observance by many writers from the very start but the obeisance was always there; there was underneath a presumption of logic and scientific rigor and Dick emerged from that tradition, his short stories appeared in all of the genre magazines, his novels were published by the category publishers, he never, unlike Vonne- gut, unlike Kuttner, unlike Brad¬ bury deviated from the convention¬ al markets or audience and yet Dick was, by Gemsback standard, less of a science fiction writer from the start than any of these figures and became even less than that as he went on. He had all of the ap¬ paratus -- the novels on the sur¬ face look like nothing but science fiction with their rocketships, ro¬ bots, androids, intergalactic pub¬ lic address systems, talking toast¬ ers, lifelike mechanical animals, power-crazed solar administrators and this and that and so on and so forth, but one does not have to be far into a Dick novel or long in the ploy of its visions to under¬ stand that there is something out of kilter here. Even Van Vogt -- whom Damon Knight has described as Dick's one great influence and ava¬ tar -- would have taken more time and trouble to lay out the history of the Alphane colony, would have codified St. Ignatz the Hebe a lit- tie more carefully. would have worked out ten closely reasoned pages as to the survival of Lord Running Clam but even the Kuttners, who knew a few things about elisions, would have tried a little bit of careful, worked-in explanation: It was the Slime Mold's re¬ markable ability to survive in Earth atmosphere which so unsettled Rittersdorf and yet if Chuck had thought about it, had gone to the right sources, he would not have been discon¬ certed. For there it all was in the first annals of the Ganymedan search committee: again. So he evolved what in sci¬ relevant to all of the discussions the referent is a universal ence fiction was an already ac¬ and events before.) Any of these solvent, the physicists had knowledged technique but never tak¬ sections, perhaps all of them, can found and through the years, en perhaps to the limits that he be extracted then, placed in another ignored by the populi who had: He wrote novels whose style, novel, in another circumstance to found Slime Molds confusing characters and movement were de¬ equal effect; some from or humorous depending upon signed for obsolescence. Knowing the academies are taught to build their orientation, that sol¬ that the books would be seen only their novels to last but genre writ¬ vent had been carefully by a relatively small core audience ers who come from a different applied — of genre readers and by only one school can absorb a different and generation at that, he worked in equally important lesson: Novels But this does not concern Phil the broadest and crudest terms, can be built to self-destruct, to Dick, this was not his methodology populated the books with charac¬ do themselves in, to live in other at all; that slime mold oozed and ters and circumstances which could cruised and bruised and lazed its days in other ways. This is where be carried over to other novels the necessity of the writer and way around the consciousness of but which on their own were meant all concerned because that simply the needs of the genre audience to have quick and stunning effect can also be said to intersect; if was the way that things were and if but which were not meant to last. Lord Running Clam was a metaphor, the novel is a Potamkin Village The novels, like dreams, functioned then the reader can return to , that was something that the in terms of their episodism; their reader would have to figure out on landscape knowing that he need be various parts might live again, re¬ concerned only with that small and his own because for Phil Dick Lord assembled, in other works at other Running Clam was a reality, an in¬ synthetic part of it. Perhaps this times but they could be broken seems disjointed, the absolute re¬ tegral part of a plot which seemed down quickly, disassembled almost so loose and sprawling that there versal of the standard novelistic as rapidly as they were put into process (as the Rahvs and Howes, seemed to be no order at all. place. The out-of-print genre But for Dick there was an obvious anyway would rationalize it) but learns to work synoptical- science fiction is a strange and order; these plots made sense be¬ ly and tp keep on the move. cause they had an appalling reality specialized field, a far-reaching which gave than absolute power, in The novel then, as Potamkin and unconventional genre of opposi¬ the world that he inhabited comed¬ Village. The scenes, when perus¬ tion as Hugo Gemsback, John W. ians were in the employ of intelli¬ ed, have an enormous power, a Campbell and Harlan Ellison would gence agencies, simulacra were rig¬ frightening implication, seem to all hasten to remind us. ged to blow up and kill you and tremble (this was Dick's special¬ telepathic slime molds might turn ty) upon the verge of some terrif¬ SOLAR LOTTERY out to be the only dependable ic insight but never quite reach it, But Phil Dick would not be friend a man might find; metaphors back off instead. The loathing Rit¬ the first or fiftieth science fic¬ come after the fact, Dick might tersdorf feels for Mary, the terri¬ tion writer to tunble to yet anoth¬ have said and are only in tranquil¬ fic power and sadistic implication er subtle but destructive fact: ity reflected. In the coinnon real¬ of the one sex scene in which she The audience in the main wants its ity there is only event and it is participates, the drollery of Lord Potamkin Villages, wants its novels the novelist's responsibility to Running Clam, the odd, bleak masks and authors built for obsolescence, record that reality. Not neces¬ worn by Rittersdorf's co-workers would prefer that its Slime Molds sarily to assemble but simply to when they grill him (Dick had ob¬ and Simulacra slink along in alien represent. The assembly was ac¬ viously already met some FBI a- circumstances without reference to complished by the material itself. gents), the panic mounting in St. life support devices or the func¬ We can build you. Ignatz as it begins to occur to tioning of civil liberties issues. him that he may not be the redeem¬ The implications and meaning of er ... all of these have enormous real science fiction are quite force, an absolute conviction as terrifying; a real science fiction they are being read but they are that would truly come to terms with compartmentalized, do not link into the awful possibilities of the TIME OUT OF JOINT one another, consist in the time- machine and of time would be unas- honored fashion of the novelist of Dick struggled. Fbst of his similable Or repugnant to the maj¬ contrivance, of manipulated prob¬ ority of an audience which is seek¬ novels fell out of print within lems with manipulated and offstage six months of their issue; until ing titillation and satisfaction solutions. (The final independence of a more reasonable order. So the late seventies he had little and salvation of the colony is ir- reason to hope or believe that any Dick was functioning within the grand,tradition of the form when of this work would ever be seen 47 he acted, it could be argued, to life away. Sex and death, pain seen ironically enough -- despite trivialize his material, trivial and passion exist in these novels their iconoclasm, despite their in¬ his visions and his future in ord¬ but they seem to be taking place vention, despite their fertility er to conform to the needs and behind glass, in a dreamlike state, and their political alertness, requirements of a 60,000-word pap¬ perceived as if at a great distance: quite unusual within the form for erback-original format and of an its time or even now -- as catering At no time did he truly audience which read to get away precisely to the needs of that aud¬ lose consciousness. rather than to get near. It is ience; rather than pushing limits, Therefore he was aware possible to see these novels as the Dick novels conformed to than that much later the ac¬ fundamental evasions of their mat¬ and all of the pizzazz -- hebephren- tivity in which he was erial; it is possible to see CLANS ics, CIA men, lunatics, time-rever¬ caught began by degrees OF THE ALPHANE MOON as a work which sals, simulacra, slime molds -- to abate. The articially- domesticates, tames, trivializes was merely a means of putting the induced whirlwind diminished and disperses implicitly terrify¬ reader off the scent of his own and then at last there was ing material. weaknesses, dressing up the evas¬ a fitful peace. And then -- ions to look like daring investig¬ That material: angst, aliena¬ by an agency which remained ations. Potamkin Villages, in tion, anomie, insanity, loss, fury, obscure to him -- he was short. But this is not necessarily greed, evil, impotence, various physically moved from his fair to Dick who knew from the species of human delusion, alien place on the floor, from very beginning (witness his 1953 delusion, political apostasy, all Dr. Mary Rittersdorf's story, "Imposter," which appeared of these issues float through and compartment, to some other in ASTOUNDING -- his only sale to around the haze of the work and yet place entirely ... I wish this magazine -- near the outset rather than closing in upon them, I was dead, he said to of his career) that the matter of CLANS OF THE ALPHANE MOON tends to himself. reality and fantasy, humanity and retreat; its characteristic para¬ This is Baines after the book's alienness was so academic, so much graph, paraphrased, comes in again one explicit sex scene (extraord¬ a matter of suggestion, that one and again: inarily explicit and even poetic could not be sure at any given time what one was or why. This is truly Hands in his pockets he be¬ by 1964 science fiction standards, a difficult vision, difficult to gan to walk aimlessly down it must be noted) and what emerges sustain, difficult to work through the sidewalk runnel. And from this more than anything else thirty-five or forty anguished each minute, feeling more is that not only the prose but the novels and Dick must be credited, and more scared and desperate. attitudinization of the character surely, for holding consistent to Everything was falling apart put the act at a distance, render it through the end; if the universe around him. And he seemed it both unspeakably difficult and somehow irrelevant. There is more was a lottery, Dick held no pre¬ helpless to halt the collapse; tensions as to knowledge of the he could only witness it, tenderness, more benignity to Lord payoff. completely impotent, snatched Running Clam, more grace if one up and gripped by processes will, than there is in Mary Rit- too powerful for him to tendorf or in the sex that she is understand. offering. If one believes that the stereotype science fiction read¬ This is the Phil Dick charac¬ er, usually male, usually adoles¬ ter; it may be the science fiction cent, usually sexually troubled and FLOW MY TEARS, THE POLICEMAN SAID reader. Helpless to halt the col¬ ambivalent, usually in flight from A cerebral hemorrhage or series lapse, more and more scared and sexual feelings that he can neither of them killed Phil Dick in his desperate, snatched up and gripped master nor dismiss, if one be¬ by processes too powerful for him 55th year in early March, 1982, lieves this (Martin Gardner draws surely a Phil Dick novelistic end¬ to understand, the science fiction precisely this stereotype in his reader looks for answers within ing to his life; on the borders of 1956 FADS AND FALLACIES IN THE NAME vast public acceptance, BLADE RUN¬ the format of the assimilable, the OF SCIENCE, a very alert book $2.50 or $2.95 (in Dick's time it NER about to open, old novels rush¬ about cultism but I do not think ing back into print, new money was 50$) paperback original that that it is entirely true or was will give him some illusion of con¬ pouring into the money market ac¬ even true for its different time) counts, on the brink of the long- trol, that will codify the forces then CLANS OF THE ALPHANE MOON and that appear to be squeezing his sought Payoff Years, the writers' the other Phil Dick novels can be equivalent of the Million Dollar Wound, Phil Dick copped the strokes and died five days later in the hos¬ pital never having regained cons¬ ciousness and probably having been brain-dead from the moment of oc¬ clusion. Chuck Rittersdorf would have understood (or Jason Taverner or Mr. Tagoni or a couple of hundred other guys); probably Dick himself did and his last moments might have been -- it is difficult to posit material like this --of awful know¬ ledge, even a kind of grim and ter¬ rible satisfaction at seeing things working themselves out so truly. But Dick had seen it coming for many years; the small and large damages of his career, the financ¬ ial horrors, the political scrapes. the years on the street, the heart ence) and if through them only dim¬ but deliberately -- the failure is attack in 1974 (which put him in ly can be seen the outlines of the not so much of the novel as of the the oxygen tent so that he could novel that might have been written, category itself; there is, pace receive papers from one of his that is the problem of the reader, Rahv and Howe, perhaps only so much wives demanding back alimony at not the writer who can claim to that can be achieved within cate¬ the cost of putting him in jail). have had his own purposes in mind. gory science fiction and then no Not only his life but his novels If CLANS OF THE ALPHANE MOON trash¬ more; the effects will do you in contain that premonition; no one es its material at almost every all the time to say nothing of the in a Dick novel expects any real turn, if it deserts implication in audience. It is easier to deal good and very few of them find it. search of ever-increasing invention, with slime molds than the small There are occasional exceptions, if it seems to have left motivation and terrible corruptions of the someone, after all, has to hit the and even compassion in the lurch in heart; easier to see the simula- solar lottery every game even if search of ever jazzier and more craraving in the streets of Buda¬ it is not you, but this is not the synthetic effects, this must be pest than the deadly small cracks image of the writer or the work understood not only as part of the in the heart; it is easier to which persists; what persists is nature of the category but part of counterfeit a CIA or FBI that is that image of Rittersdorf assaulted the nature of the characters ... flatly crazy than to apprehend the by forces, of the Dick protagonist their pain is great, their diffi¬ even crazier (because absolutely battered and shrugging, shrugging culties are real, they no more than sane) CIA and FBI which, along with some more, seeing it through. In the author are in shape to confront the other insitutions, exists, and the nest basic sense Phil Dick did what is really going on inside. inperils. At 34 a word, writing carry it all the way through, no pell mell, doing what one can for less than his protagonists but this the front money and hoping for the does not prevent the career from best, one must take one's effects somehow exuding a sense of waste, where one can, one's small satis¬ the same waste that seems to come factions where’ they lie and hope from most careers in this category; for the best. CLANS OF THE ALPHANE truncated possibilities, wholesale MOON was written for $1500 ($750 elisions of possibility, small and on signature, $750 on delivery) as large failures in the body of the a paperback original for work. Still, what is one to do? during that last good year of most Che is writing within the perimet¬ of our lives, 1963, and for the ers of limitation for an audience first ten years of its existence which has proven over and again its accumulated to the author (after reluctance to deal with the down¬ comnissions had been deducted) con¬ side of the future, the true implic¬ siderably less than $2,000; this ation of the present; one can go so was not good money even for the far but no further at the cost of time and in light of the ambition, losing markets and the audience and the invention, the energy of the certainly Dick was aware of these book, the question of return is ap¬ limitations from the outset. palling. Now wait for last year: If it were to come again it might Nonetheless, one can see the have (one thinks of Willy Loman on waste, in the career, in this novel; his deathbed clutching Jack Burden's one must face it no less than the hand in ALL THE KING'S MEN) all Dick protagonist, if dragged by the been different, maybe so, maybe neck to some awful possibility, not, it cannot be said to matter, would not hesitate to look at it. because the fact is -- Buried in CLANS OF THE ALPHANE MOON is an entirely different novel, a The fact is that it will not novel for which this apparatus and come again; that this is all we have, invention is merely a paradigm: It that the counter-clock world is un¬ is a novel of divorce, alienation, known to those of us locked in more suffering, exploitation; it is a coninon time and that what has been novel (written about the same time done is what will be known. The as Ken Kesey’s ONE FLEW OVER THE great visionaries, the great, CUCKOO'S NEST) which depicts the cracked dreamers like Phil Dick asylum as both more stratified and felt differently and for a little more sensible than the outside, a NOW WAIT FOR LAST YEAR while, taken into the abcissa of novel which points out that our their intellect, the arc of their So ultimately one must reach political leaders are insane and dreams, the abyss of their cons¬ some assessment of this novel that their devices unspeakable; a novel ciousness we are led to feel dif¬ is also an assessment of the car¬ which points out that these unspeak¬ ferently but whether this is kind eer (because CLANS OF THE ALPHANE able devices are probably the out¬ or degree we cannot know. It is MOON is probably a novel as charac¬ come of their own sexual and emo¬ the mid-eighties. Phil Dick is teristic of the Dick ouevre as any¬ tional crippling and longing. This dead. Lord Running Clam, metas¬ thing he wrote; it utterly enacts is the novel-within-the-novel that tasized, will be known again but all of his obsessions and most of has not gotten written but Dick not -- and he warned us of this -- his continuing devices) and yet was not Updike or Cheever, Styron in the same way. or Richard Yates; this novel of con¬ this is not so easy, it cannot be temporary suburbia or contemporary rapidly achieved if at all; Dick's But as we remember Lord Running politics was beyond him, he was in¬ material was profound and his in¬ Clam, so doth he -- as was proph¬ terested in manipulating and reord¬ tentions (if not always his de¬ esied by the Elder One -- remember ering the more familiar devices of vices) were dead serious. If CLANS us. OF THE ALPHANE MOON fails -- a his category (devices which would New Jersey: December, 1983 have been wholly unfamiliar to judgment arrived at with reluctance these other writers or their audi¬ 49 OTHER VOICES

SABAZEL the old Norse gods manifrsting in By Lillian Stewart Carl contenporary society, and delivers Ace Books, 1985, $2.75 most of that promise. Wiccan, or more correctly in REVIEWED BY ARDA1H MAYHAR this novel, pagan beliefs are once In this strong and thoughtful again a major concern to the pro¬ first novel, Lillian Carl brings tagonist and, while there come a the "feminist" novel to maturity. few points where they threaten to There are no propagandist touches overpower the narrative, they are here, just the tale of two strong used judiciously for the most part. As in Marion Zinmer Bradley's THE In the land WEST OF EDEN, a and independent people, Danica and saurian life form evolved into the Bellasteros, who learn that they INHERITORS (Tor, 1984), they become pivotal plot devices, making the niche held by Mankind. Intelli¬ can be friends and lovers, allies gent, humanoid, two opposing thumbs in a world too long tom my divis¬ time spent on "cleansing" houses and other ceremonies important to per hand, roughly human-sized, they ive religions and factions. These call themselves the Yilane. Their two, taught in their own contexts the overall appreciation of the story. science has been devoted to genet¬ to look down on the "other" sex, ic engineering. As in writings of find their true counterparts in one The basic plot has one Karen and Richard E. Geis' ONE another. They pursue their own Ingold discovering the Brisingamen INMORTAL MAN, much of what we build, duties and goals, independently necklace and being possessed, from they grow. And much of what we man¬ and together, willingly and protest- time to time, by its original owner, ufacture, they breed. The cloaks ingly, remaining true to their in¬ the goddess Freya. Freya's mani¬ they wear and the rifles they carry ner lights without demanding that festations bring her old enemy Loki are living creatures. An animal the other relinquish either strength to . They take up has even been bred for unobstructed or independence, in the end. their old feud and the story bounc¬ organic lens so that it can be used The world they inhabit is well- es merrily on, with bikers, conjur¬ as a microscope. In an example of realized, though a bit too derived ing magicians and the Norse gods parallel creation with John Brun¬ from the Greek for complete comfort. all playing their part. Imagine: ner's THE CRUCIBLE OF TIME, their The political and religious mach¬ Odin in a Harley! large ocean ships are genetically inations are intricately worked out. BRISINGAMEN is an emotive book adapted marine creatures. Marvel¬ The fantastic elements are gorgeous¬ with a great deal of care spent on ously inventive, the details of the ly visual, as well as being filled its characterizations. There are a customs, social structure, religion, with adventure and courage and per¬ few in-jokes (such as having Paul politics, philosophy and psychology il. Edwin Zhnner show up at a poetry- of the exotic Yilane is unobtrusive¬ ly woven through the narrative. Though not flawless (what book reading where some of the major is, truly?), this novel is a fine characters, have gathered), a great Climactic changes are destroy¬ example of the functions of fantasy deal of excellent historical data ing their cities and driving them in the examination of human beings on the Norse and pagan customs, and North after retreating warmth. An in the process of learning, growing while for my tastes the battle scene ambitious Yilane named Vainte is and accepting. While hard s-f does near the end of the book was a bit sent to a new land to command the that for institutions and technolo¬ too lengthy and obviously choreo¬ forces there who are growing a gies, fantasy seems to be the best graphed, all in all BRISINGAMEN is large city for her people to mi¬ vehicle for such understanding of a fine novel. grate to A.S.A.P. In the new land ourselves as inter-relating beings. *********************************** are new dangers, chief among them In SABAZEL, Carl has provided such a clever, but murderous, animal an in-depth look at our kind, for which speaks. They call themselves those who read beneath the surface the Tanu, but we have labeled them of wonder and action. Cro-magnon Man. *********************************** WEST OF EDEN By Harry Harrison The novel is told from both Bantam hardcover, illoes by Bill Human and Yilane viewpoints. The Sanderson, 453 pp. + 27 pp glossary main character is Kerrick. When BRISINGAFEN $15.95 still a young child, he was in the By Diana L. Paxson REVIEWED BY PAUL MCGUIRE small Tanu"hunting party which ven¬ Berkley, 1984, $2.75 tured far South and first encount¬ ISBN 0-425-07298-3 261pp. The current theory explaining ered the colony of the much advanc¬ ed Yilane. He was present for the REVIEWED BY CHARLES DE LINT the rapid end of the dinosaur age is that a meteor six miles in dia¬ incident that started a war of to¬ With her move from / meter struck the Earth, and among tal annihilation between the two Pocket, the thrust of Diana Paxson's its disasterous effects, the ash species. Not long after, Kerrick writing has changes as.well. Where and debris thrown into the atmos¬ survives the massacre of his tribe her earlier novels dealt with Wicca- phere cut off the ultra-violet rays and is taken to the Yilane city a based cultures in California after from the surface. What if that prisoner. a holocaust, her new novel BRISINGA- was the cause but had never happen¬ Not only is the concept of ly¬ MEN is a high fantasy set in pres¬ ed? ent-day San Francisco. It promises ing unknown among the Yilane, but a great deal, with its concept of 50 they are incapable of doing it. As an experiment, Kerrick had been ters. Mack Reynolds has done much now being produced occasionally by taught to speak the saurian langu¬ better writing and this book is not a few planetariums and rock groups, age. When Vainte realizes that the up to his standard. but literally light years beyond boy can state as a fact something *********************************** them. which is not a fact, he becomes a By making art as well as sex¬ favorite of hers, and is embroiled uality his story's central focus, in plots, and gains status. THE RAINBOW CADENZA Schulman is able to dramatize By the time he next encounters By J. Neil Schulman graphically the disastrous conse¬ a human, Kerrick has all but for¬ Simon 8 Schuster, 1983, $15.95 quences of authoritarianism in that gotten his origins, yet a moment's most personal of all realms: the rash act forces him to flee back to REVIEWED BY MICHAEL GROSSBERG human spirit. More than most sci¬ the Tanu tribes. His knowledge of ence fiction novels, THE RAINBOW THE RAINBOW CADENZA explores the species trying to exterminate CADENZA not only succeeds as imag¬ new ground in science fiction, humanity allows Kerrick to become inative, speculative fiction, it boasting some of the most erotic, a leader during the time of changes also succeeds as a psychological pornographic and even scatological brought by the war of attrition. thriller, bringing its characters material I've ever read. Using dinosaurs for mass transpor¬ vividly to life. tation, as did Pellucidarians, a And yet J. Neil Schulman's nov¬ I will never forget Joan Darris. huge army of Yilane is sent against el has no gratuitous sex scenes, in¬ I suspect that after reading THE the gathering tribes. After that stead integrating its pathbreaking RAINBOW CADENZA, no one else will battle, the nomadic hunter Tanu eroticism into a complex, colorful either. make exodus over the mountains where story about a future earth where a new race of men, settled agrari¬ birth control advances have had a *********************************** ans, are found. But Kerrick knows radical and damaging effect-on sex¬ that the Yilane will never stop ual equality and personal liberty. searching for them since their THE RIDERS OF THE SIDHE When men gain the unilateral greatest passion is now to slaughter By Kenneth C. Flint power to control the sex of their the last of the Human animals. Bantam, 260 pp., $2.95 children, many more males than fe¬ REVIEWED BY ALMA JO WILLIAMS And you ain't read nothing yet. males begin to be bom. Centuries Those are only a very few of the later, sociological trends have Kenneth Flint has again reached highlights of this epic plot. What¬ culminated in a new kind of invol¬ into Celtic myth for this adventure ever you like in your reading, it untary servitude: women are draft¬ just as he did for A STORM UPON UL¬ is probably here; serious writing, ed by the military to serve as STER, but what a difference! STORM rip-roaring adventure, rich charac¬ prostitutes. was adventurous and tragic in the terizations of both Human and non- For a male writer attempting grand manner of the Arthurian leg¬ Hunan, vivid experiences and per¬ only his second novel, Schulman has ends. RIDERS is adventurous and ceptions, societies undergoing tum¬ mastered the difficult task of non-tragic and ... well, the author ultous change ... WEST OF EDEN is creating convincing female charac¬ has made it into a Celtic StaiWars. Harry's blockbuster, a terrific ters. His Joan Seymour Harris is a Lugh, a boy of unknown ancestry (to read. You owe it to yourself not memorable, truly heroic heroine. himself) is set adrift in a magical only to buy this book, but to pur¬ Her struggle to liberate herself boat when his foster-mother's castle chase it in hardback. Even in a from coercive male patriarchy will by the sea is attacked by the Fbm- disposable age, this beautiful vol¬ be of particular interest to fans of ors, the then current opressors of ume is a keeper. Ursula LpGuin and . Eire. He is picked up by Manannan, the Sea-god and sent back to Eire, But THE RAINBOW CADENZA should to Tara, residence of the then High- be of even more interest to fans of King, Bres, a real stingy sod if Spider and Jeanne Robinson whose ever there was one. Through one ad¬ STARDANCE imagined a new type of venture after another, he comes to THE LAGRANGISTS space-age artform. For the most the attention of the TOatha de Dan- By Mack Reynolds intriguing thing in Schulman's mult- ann, the god-like heros, who were , 1983, 287 pp., $2.95 igenerational feminist family saga deposed by the Fomor and Lugh is is the artform that gives his nov¬ then given the task of freeing Ire¬ REVIEWED BY BILL WINANS el its name. The rainbow in the land from the Fomor -- this accord¬ RAINBOW CADENZA is the result of a ing to the fulfillment of ancient I've been intrigued by the L-5 new visual/musical art form in some prophecy. The rest of the story proposal and have read many novels ways reminiscent of the laser shows will be finished in another book to about space settlements. be published later this year. Here Mack Reynolds proposes a Balor, the head of the Fomor, U.S. developed "Island One" and de¬ is a cross between Darth Vader and tails his ideas through the conver¬ Sauron, what with his black attire sations and actions of the main and red lasar beam eye. The strong¬ characters. He envisions this is¬ hold of the Fomor, a glassy tower in land as a utopian society, salvation the sea just off the coast of Ire¬ of man and civilization, and opposed land, is complete with elevators, by what he sees as repressive, crim¬ conveyor belts, freezers and elec¬ inal or reactionary groups, includ¬ tricity. One gets the distinct im¬ ing the Mafia, the Soviet Union, pression that the Fomors, who came fundamentalist religious movements across the sea, are the remnants of and the oil industry. • Atlantis, who messed around with The novel is a good read and nuclear power, for they show evi¬ provides a newcomer with a good in¬ dence of radiation bums and any troduction to L-5 ideas, but is children of theirs, sired on the lo¬ handicapped by its overly simplist¬ cal peasantry are incredibly deform¬ ic world view and cardboard charac¬ ed, thus showing genetic damage. I did some research on Celtic est rank of their adepts are possess¬ pets and then raises them from the gods and learned that Lugh's father ed of awesome, nearly god-like power dead as demon forms completely und¬ was one of the Tuatha de Danann, and have achieved virtual immortal¬ er his control. He tries to teach his mother, one of the daughters of ity. But, in the first rites of in¬ Serroi to take the joy in his ex- Balor. Bres is half Fomor -- his itiation all of the Nor, from the periemnts he does. At first she father being Balor. It was ancient least to the greatest, have under¬ basks in his attention and studies custom that the male child be given gone ritual castration and sacrific¬ hard to please him. But when his to foster parents to be reared, thus ed their power of reproduction. Be¬ arcane explorations destroy her Lugh's knowledge of his real parents cause they can never give rise to animals Serroi's spirit rebels and is vague. In Celtic legend, Lugh new life the Nearga Nor hate the she opposes him bitterly. nurturing, life-giving Goddess—and of the Long-Arm, one of the more Her rebellion causes Ser Noris women as a sex by implication. powerful and popular gods, could be some small regret (whether for Ser¬ equated with the Greco-Roman Apollo. roi the person or Serroi the tool is He is also reputed to be the father not yet certain). But when he de¬ of the greatest of Irish heros, Cu cides that he cannot bear her rebel¬ Cuhlann, whom we met in STORM, even lious presence any longer---partly though the events in both instances to teach her a lesson and partly to were separated in time by hundreds prevent Reiki Janja's taking her in¬ of years. to the Goddess's tuteledge, Ser Nor¬ ************************************ is abandons Serroi in the middle of a terrible desert. Serroi will neither repent of her rebellion nor yield to death. MOONGATHER She encounters Reiki Janja and for MOONSCATTER a time comes under the Goddess's in¬ By Jo Clayton fluence and teachings. But Serroi nAW Books, $2.95 each does not stay, for she now finds all REVIEWED BY JANRAE FRANK magic abhorent. Instead she finds her way to the Biserca in the Valley Since 1980 when the anthology of Women where an ancient order of AMAZONS (edited by Jessica Amanda amazons beloved of the Maiden have Salmonson) took the World Fantasy trained their shrine keepers, war¬ Award there have been increasing riors and healwomen for countless numbers of female protagonist fanta¬ ages. In that valley this small en¬ sy novels. T\«)-thirds of the new clave holds to the old ways and fantasy novels from DAW have a wom¬ Hie mightiest of the Narga Nor, struggles against the animal-demons an as the central character. Berk- having grown bold, decides to extend that Ser Noris created through the ley-Ace has published several remark¬ the emotionless order and control of powers of the unfortunate Serroi. able feminist novels. But all too the Nor to the entire world. He will There Serroi is trained and becomes often the new rash of female protag¬ end change and death aid therefore meie, a warrior pledged to childless¬ onist novels have contained little birth and life-giving—no matter ness—but not chastity. in the way of feminist consciousness how many must die to bring his new The back story is told in alter¬ and have dealt only superficially order. But Reiki Janja, the avatar nating chapters with the plot of with actual female issues and exper¬ of the Goddess, challenges him and M30NGATHER. Serroi and her shield- iences. The most notable exception thus they begin their contest for mate Tayyan are working a three-year to this rule is Jo Clayton's Duel of control of the world. ward, a system in which the Biserca Sorcery trilogy, of which the first "Ser Noris, my Noris, too many gains a fee and the Meie a salary, as two volumes are out and the third people are going to die from this harem guards for the Lord of Miljoc, forthcoming, M30NGA1HER AND M30N- game of yours." (Reiki Janja) the Dorn Hem Heslin. Returning from SCATTER. This is, inarguably, one He crossed to stand behind her. an illegal race and its equally il¬ of the first feminist trilogies ever "They die every day in that chaos legal gambling, they accidentally written (as opposed to simple female you call life, Janja. What's the overhear a plot against the Dorn led protagonist fantasy trilogies of difference?" .... by his two head wives. They are which there have been a few). "Take care, my Noris. If you discovered and pursued by a minor In our own world the earliest discover the answer to that question, Nor who is apparently in service to civilizations were either matriarch¬ I'll have won the game." the Dorn's wives. Tayyan is slain al or matrilineal. These cultures Ser Noris selects as his playing and Serroi flees; but later turns were followed by a period of transi¬ piece a mutant daughter of a nomad back to warn the Dom and uncovers a tion when the Great Mother was still race called the Windrunners, the plot that goes far beyond the simple worshipped but men held the reins of child Serroi, who was destined for a coup she first overheard in the power. It is during such a period fiery death because of her different¬ harem rooms. When several more Nor of transition that Jo Clayton has ness. of greater ability than the one re¬ chosen to set this alternate world Janja grants him Serroi the child, sponsible for Tayyan's death become fantasy. but then chooses the woman Serroi involved Serroi recognizes the hand of her old master working behind A budding patriarchal religion, will become as her own player, puz¬ them, and resolves to oppose him the"Followers of the Flame," is try¬ zling Ser Noris. once more, regardless of the cost ing to supplant the traditional wor¬ Green-skinned Serroi possesses or danger. ship of the Goddess and bring in a the power of empathic control over new religious regime taased on a male animals and through her, riding like The key to the trilogy, its idea of order, control and power to a psychic parasite in her mind, Ser theme, is of caring. If Ser Noris force their concept upon all they Noris learns to twist life: he forc¬ should come to care for any person come in contact with. The exoteric es her, through his psychic mastery he would fall under the Goddess's form of this religion is controlled to use her power to kill her beloved power and lose all. The ambivalence by an esoteric core, the Nearga Nor, of Serroi and eventually of Ser Nor¬ a cult of male sorcerers. The high¬ 52 is toward eaah other is well drawn and wholely within character. The STAR TREK III: THE SEARCH FOR STOCK The book is full of tongue-in- sub-plots build on the theme as By Vonda McIntyre cheek passages. minor characters become major charac¬ Pocket, 297 pp., $2.95 "Now we mist enter port, and ters. Dorn Hem Heslin's perceptions REVIEWED BY ALMA JO WILLIAMS there I will find women for Jujak of women change and Serroi's view of and the other men who lack women." men change as they come to know each By now, most of you will have other. Hie daughter of a wealthy seen the movie and/or read this "Now we must enter port, and patron from the first book becomes a book, so you all know the basic there I will find women for Jujak major character in the second as her story line. The movie, perforce, and the other men who lack women." family divides itself over the ques¬ didn't stop for explanations and "Why did you not say this when tion of religion after the eldest was very straightforward, i.e., we were beside Wtodan which is the daughter joins the Followers of the Saavik and David are transferred to only port nearby? Now we must row Flame—the sect that is oppressing survey ship, Grissom, and go down back again." ... "Did you not know them. Then there is Rane the meie to Genesis to find the life form of Wtodan?" who will not take a lover after her reading which has been picked up. "I did not," I said, following shield-mate dies of a wasting dis¬ Enterprise, et al, go back to the Way though I was tempted to lie. ease—even though it is several Earth, Sarek confronts Kirk, asking "So much then for the great years past. Each deals with the where Spock's body is, McCoy is education of which you tell us so ways in which people love each other. found to be the keeper of Spock's frequently," he said, which was an soul, Kirk and Co. steal the Enter¬ utter falsehood, for I had told them but once, or at most three times, Less strongly it is a novel of prise and run back to Genesis only and only then because it was neces¬ prejudice between men and women, be¬ to find the Klingons there, David sary for one reason or another. tween God/father religions and God¬ is killed, Enterprise blown up, dess/mother faiths, of order con¬ (this is the basis of the TV com¬ It will probably annoy any fem¬ fronting the needs of freedom. Hie mercial "...the final voyage of the inists too rigid to laugh at them¬ Followers of the Flame embody the Enterprise."), Kirk etc. and a re¬ selves and appall those readers too worst traits of patriarchal relig¬ born Spock transport onto the Kling- conservative to enjoy the lesbian ions and social orders as they have on scout vessel and everyone rides aspects (we mustn't forget that new existed on our world. The worship into the sunset for Vulcan. vocal minority, traditional enemies of the Maiden represents the best Ms. McIntyre has fleshed out of feminism now allied with the fem¬ attributes of matriarchal belief the story a bit more with her at¬ inists for the sake of censorship). systems. The metaphor is cleanly tention to more interplay of the I found the tone reminiscent of Poul presented and explained without the characters. We learn that Carol Anderson's PLANET, and the sloppy stereotyping of lesser writ¬ Marcus and Vance Madison, one of story as a whole is every bit as ers. the dead techs from Genesis Project, good as the best of the light fan¬ tasies of L. Sprague de Camp. A lesser writer would either were lovers and that she felt more abandon thematic weight in favor of loyalty to him than to Jim Kirk, ************************************ plot action or in the name of polit¬ David and Saavik get it together, ical consciousness fail to develop Sulu was picked to command Excel¬ a smooth plot. The former is char¬ sior, however ... and we see a bit acteristic of female protagonist of Scotty's family life when his THE COMPLETE AUTHORIZED GUIDE TO fantasists, while the latter has nephew is buried. This and more DUNE ENCYCLOPEDIA been my pet gripe about early femin¬ awaits you in the book version, and Compiled by Dr. Willis E. McNelly ist science fiction works. Jo Clay¬ of course, we'll all await the com¬ Berkeley, illustrated, $9.95 ton avoids pedantry, blending theme ing of STAR TREK IV: THE RETURN OF REVIEWED BY ALMA JO WILLIAMS and plot with classic grace as in SPOCK'S MEMORY. the second book she leaves Serroi *********************************** This is all the information you standing upon a precipice both phys¬ ever wanted to know about DUNE and ical and ethical: The price of sav¬ couldn't locate. Frank Herbert has ing her world from Ser Noris might given his imprimatur on this tre¬ mendous undertaking in the fore¬ prove greater than Serroi can bear. CHEON OF WELTAMJVND, BOOK I: word, and himself appears overwhelm¬ ************************************ THE FOUR WISHES ed by this ponderous tome. What By Charlotte Stone more can I add! For IXmeophiles DAW, 205 pp., $2.95 and anyone who would like an enter¬ taining month or two of leisurely REVIEWED BY JANRAE FRANK reading (or a week if speed reading!. This is a light-hearted novel, ************************************ first in a series, about the adven¬ tures of an 18-year-old lesbian # LETTER FROM ROBERT REGINALD swordswoman who has a terrible time Borgo Press finding lovers (among other things). POB #2845 The believably adolescent heroine San Bernardino, CA 92406 is wonderfully conceited, self- August 1, 1984 obsessed, and utterly naive... The 'The DUNE ENCYCLOPEDIA, pub¬ witch who raised Cheon, granted her lished recently by , four wishes. Chiefest among those failed to include proper credit is the wish for Cheon to become lines for three of my contributed Queen of Weltanland. Cheon, hoping articles. Bylines were lacking al¬ to bring it to pass, sets out to together on "Emperors of the Known make a name for herself by cutting Universe" and "Atreides, House, a determined swathe across the con¬ Foundation of," and misrecorded on tinent as a mercenary, fighting in¬ "Atreides, Minotauros," which was vaders, demons and pirates. attributed to one Stephen Goldman. I am sure Mr. Goldman is thrilled S3 at the prospect of becoming, in ef- feet, the 21st pseudonym of R. Ruth is to lead a summer horse¬ ed in SFR #48 by myself) and of Reginald. These will be corrected back expedition to sight Sasquatch STRANGE SEED (reviewed in SFR #36 on any future editions.' in northwestern Oregon; the track¬ by Richard E. Geis) is a bizarre er is Jack Lillion, an embittered, love story between Abner Cray who dangerous man who rides a killer creates coffee-table photo books, stallion. Among the guests is Lin¬ and (unknown to him) already-dead da, a sexy blonde who travels with Phyllis Pellaprat, who was murdered Dick Barth, pro photographer, who by Abner's best friend. Abner has MINDSPELL hates women although he uses Linda been cursed with becoming an un¬ By Kay Nolte Smith sexually and cruelly exploits her, willing trespasser, slipping in and William Morrow S Co., 1983, $13.95. expressing his hatred partly by out of the seldom-seen dimension of capturing and owning her through the dead who roam Manhattan, incred¬ REVIEWED BY hEAL WILGUS photos which he sells to porno mag¬ ibly enough in their earthly bodies, I had read good things about Kay azines. There is the has-been ac¬ feeling pain, speaking, walking Nolte Smith's earleir novels, THE tor Hank Webb, who will not change (although stiff-leggedly) and car¬ WATCHER (1981) and CATCHING FIRE with the times in movies, mourns rying on their former activities. (1982), so I was looking forward to the "good old days" and compulsive¬ At one point Abner crawls out of a reading MINDSPELL. ly plays to an "audience" even Chevy driven by one of the dead, though it means neglecting his as he realizes later; on looking I was disappointed. Perhaps the teenaged son. Hen Webb. back he sees only a derelict junker, earlier titles, which I still haven't one of the many littering the read, were better---I hope so, for By planting a spurious track streets of New York. this ine was rather mundane. of Big Foot, Jack Lillion causes the expedition to leave the usual A case could be made, in fact, horseback routes and takes them in¬ The main difference between the that MINDSPELL is^ mundane rather to dense forests where their way dead and the living is that the than science fiction, for the SF con¬ must be bushwhacked. Because of dead are endlessly engaged in re¬ tent is rather thin. So is the fan¬ him two are killed. peating certain lifetime acts, very tasy. But there is enough of both briefly touched upon as "unfinished to qualify it as marginally SF/fan- Jack has cruelly seduced the business." There is the man who tasy. shy young cook, Laurie. Next he must twitch his head in time to the lures Linda into a night of vio¬ phrase, "Ain't we all doin' a book?" To get specific: the fantasy lent love-making on the forest Four teenagers are perpetually hail¬ concerns a witch who was burned in floor which ends with her tripping ing a taxi, a small boy repeatedly Scotland in 1643 and who put a curse, the alarms, cameras and strobe tries to sell his mongrel puppies m aybe, on the female members of the lights set up to photograph Big and Petersak, the cabbie, is "only family thereafter. The SF, if you Foot; their nude ruttings are on doing what I've always done," etc. want to call it that, concerns gen¬ film and witnessed by the whole etic engineering but it's in a con¬ party. The one Jack really wants Abner asks Phyllis after they temporary setting, so there's noth¬ is Ruth Cassen, who spurns him, so have met and become lovers, "Could ing very inaginitive about it. Link¬ Jack leaves Ruth and Hen Webb to you stop grinning, Phyllis?" She ing the two together is Cayla Hay¬ die with no guide. replies, "I have to grin. I'm com¬ ward, who believes she is the direct ing apart." ... "We all come apart descendent of the witch (and this of They are saved by Sasquatch ... the way dolls do and we leave, the cuse) and who is also head of a whose dark, moist eyes wordlessly Abner. We go away." communicate peace and love. In giant drug company tliat is experi¬ Abner inadvertently stumbles menting with genetic engineering... return Ruth destroys her photos of him to keep his secret forest into a bordello while hunting Phyl¬ Sigh. Back in 1970 I wrote a conmunity uncontaminated by "civ¬ lis where he repeatedly meets wo¬ failed novel about a cursed Scottish ilized" man. men who are "cleaning themselves." family that eventually came to own a The manager accosts him asking: giant research laboratory that was Gerald DiPego's graphic por¬ experimenting with genetic engineer¬ trayal makes this a most engrossing ing. And my version of the cliche novel. He brings to us adventure, "Which one you want? You even had some jokes to liven it up romance, explicit love scenes, in¬ want Sheila?" ... "Course they're a bit. trigue and murder, all written all just markin' time, you know," with a master hand. ... "She's leavin' tomorrow, early; Which is more than I can say for so you can't have her ... Less of MINDSPELL, alas. course you like 'em that way... ************************************ Some guys do ... can't keep the sickies out ... some get through; the live ones get through (PP. 214 6 215)

If you are looking for insight SHADOW OF THE BEAST into life after death, don't ex¬ By Gerald DiPego pect any from this rather aimless Signet, June 1984, $3.50 novel in which the characters seem to show no growth and gain no en¬ REVIEWED BY PAULETTE MINARE' MANHATTAN GHOST STORY lightenment in regard to their con¬ By T.M Wright Ruth Cassen, professor of an¬ ditions or where they go after TOR, Aug 1984, $3.95 thropology, believes‘that according leaving this incredible, invisible to evidence found in Peru, great REVIEWED BY PAULETTE MINARE' semblance of life. At the novel's apes have existed in the New World. conclusion both the living and the Gigantopithecus was the largest of This novel by T.M. Wright, dead appear as disoriented, con¬ the early apes, perhaps from whence author of CARLISLE STREET (review- fused and anxious as they were at our legends of Sasquatch and the the outset. Abominable Snowman came. 54 IMMBffi\» iu’v \ vn\' \\\ \ v 'V.' \ y \\\\v\»'

LETTERS

# LETTER FROM DAMON KNIGHT 1645 Horn Lane Eugene, OR 97404

'Evidently it was the remark about right-wing s.f. writers, which I could perfectly well have omitted, that stirred up the frogs. I have a feeling that it wasn't even the word "right-wing" that stimulated them (although it did provoke cries of "dirty liberal"), but the word "shallow." Political yahoos and flakes of every descrip¬ tion are convinced that they are brilliant logicians (and some of them are); I should have remember¬ ed this. 'Summarizing, then: '1. Greg Benford said that hard s.f. is "somehow the core" of sci¬ ence fiction. I replied that there isn't enough of it to be a core. Illogical. (Non sequitur.) A core can be of any size, and in fact it can be, and many are, ab¬ solutely vacant.

'2. Greg said the term "philo¬ sophy" is vague. True; and so is 4 the term "hard s.f." (See the re- ^ marks about Asimov and Heinlein ^ below.) At one point, in discuss- yK ing Larry Niven, Greg seems to think I mean "political philosophy." What I really mean, and should have jj impossible medieval fantasy. The future or scientific premise is all-important, as when a hero or heroine is ^pace-shipped or time/ space-warped to a planet where magic works and the culture is medieval - like complete with dragons and en¬ chanted jewels. I don't like such transparent mixing, but it's at least .under the sf roof, barely. ((I think Wells wrote ; he was an idea tinkerer, an idealist, a believer that mankind could be perfected by man, if only the right social mechanisms could be found and put in place... There are still peo¬ said, is metaphysics + ethics + a York Times best-seller lists be¬ ple around who believe that absurd¬ bit of aesthetics: e.g., how did cause they are hard s.f. writers. ity.)) the universe begin, where did we Illogical, even in the case of all come from, what are we really Clarke. (Post hoc, ergo propter like, what is our purpose if any, hoc.) There are a great many reas¬ how should we live?, etc. Science ons why some books become best-sell¬ fiction addresses these questions ers and others don't. A theory that in a way that conventional fiction accounts for Clarke and Benford is # LETTER FROM RONALD R LAfBERT 2350 , Troy, MI 48083 can't, and there are implicit ans¬ not much good unless it also explains Aug 8, 1984 wers to some of them in almost ev¬ Robert Silverberg and Anne McCaffrey. ery science fiction story, even '6. Elton Elliott called me a 'You will never get me to admit . member of the Evil Empire, and sug¬ to hubris. I am too humble for that. '3. Both Greg and Charles Platt gested that I am against the L5 called me picky for pointing out moondoggle because I can't bear to 'I do pity Knight for having that Cavorite and cannons are equal¬ think he might escape into space missed a fundamental philosophical ly impossible methods for getting and have fun. False. Nothing point of a large portion of science saps to the Moon. They did so, ap¬ would give me more pleasure than fiction literature. All literature parently, because they were unable for Elton to escape into space.' is an exploration of human reality to make the connection between this and questions relating to good and paragraph and another one farther ((Are we all arguing about de¬ evil can be explored in science on, in which I said that it doesn't grees of scientific credibility in fiction perhaps better than in any matter if the assumption is right sf in defining sf, or saying credi¬ other genre. To dismiss such ex¬ or not, as long as the story uses bility (plausibilty) doesn't much plorations as philosophically shal¬ it in an interesting way. My point matter if the story holds the read¬ low is to miss out on an essential was precisely that it is nitpicking er and makes him think? part of the human dialogue. to question whether the basic as¬ ((I prefer credibility—a few 'I avoided defining good and sumption of a good story is hard or phrases of scientific jargon and evil in my previous letter in hope soft. I should have put the para¬ some discipline of character and that no perception of religious con¬ graphs closer together. cause-effect will do—as opposed to fantasy, which I think of as notations would confuse the issue, '4. Greg argued that Wells err¬ escape into a never-was, never-could- but you saw religious connotations ed about Cavorite because he didn't be world of fairies, trolls, uni¬ anyway, so perhaps I should define know any better. First, this re¬ corns, dragons, sorcerers, magic what I mean. quires us to believe that Wells had swords, etc. Yes, I know many a 'Good and evil each represent never heard of the conservation of sf novel can be translated into fan¬ discrete systems of behavior, con¬ energy. Second, Wells himself ex¬ tasy by changing a raygun to a taining both action and motive. plicitly denied that his works were sword or a spell, but a change of Some psychologists are beginning what we would now call hard s.f. furniture does make a big differ¬ to tumble to this, because they In the preface to his SEVEN SCIENCE ence. A possible magic-science have been faced with overwhelming FICTION NOVELS, contrasting.himself future (TV is still magic to me) evidence that people frequently do with Verne, he wrote: "But these is different from an out-and-out things that they know to be evil stories of mine collected here do not pretend to deal with possible things; they are exercises of the imagination in a quite different field. They belong to a class of writing which includes the GOLDEN ASS of Apuleius, the TRUE HISTORIES of Lucian, PETER SCHLEMIL and the story of FRANKENSTEIN. (...) They have to hold the reader to the end by art and illusion and not by proof and argument, and the-moment he closes the cover and reflects he wakes up to their impossibility." '5. Greg suggested that Clarke, Asimov (robotics, psychohistory) and Heinlein, (discorporate Martians, a literal Heaven) have hit the New simply because they choose to. it is a legitimate concern of lit¬ People choose to cast away civiliz¬ erature, and one we should not a- ed restraint and concern for con¬ void because we fear religious con¬ sequences, choose to disregard the notations nor dismiss as "philo¬ humanity of others, choose to not sophically shallow." empathize with their victims, choose to not care about anything except their ruthless pursuit of ((Okay, but at what age does ev¬ il become a matter of choice? Ten years old? How about five? Does a 'Here is where the dividing line two-year-old choose to do evil? An comes between liberals and the infant? rest of us. Liberals will deny or ((You make the choosing to do minimize to the point of invisibil¬ evil seem an extremely rational pro¬ ity the free choice part of it. cess. But extreme emotion is the If, for example, a high school stu¬ trigger-—or the vehicle-—for evil dent rapes and murders his teacher, 90% of the time (as a guess). And liberals will say the student's I believe what you call evil is the behavior was a result of living in result of subconscious emotional a broken home, poverty, unemploy¬ pressures. Evil is a catch-all word, ment, racial discrimination and the an oversimplification. The forces social policies of the president. which produce evil are so myriad and The rest of us know that the stu¬ deeply bedded, probably over long dent acted as he did because he periods of time, that it is impos¬ chose to. Indeed, he chose to do sible to describe them and even un¬ evil. The idea that social condi¬ derstand them except piecemeal and tions cause crimes is refuted by in overly generalized ways. the fact that the vast majority of ((The student who rapes and mur¬ people who live under the same con¬ ders his teacher is the result of ditions do not commit crimes. Log¬ specific, individual, personal emo¬ ford's view of British/US science ically, as long as there were one tional trauma over years as well (I fiction, but I have such a heap of person anywhere, anytime, who did believe) as probably some "bad" correspondence to deal with today, not behave evilly no matter what genes. I shall have to restrain myself. the circumstances of his life, that would be enough to prove that evil ((You're right in deriding bleed¬ 'I can, though, correct Ian Co- has no reasonable cause outside of ing heart Liberal dogma which blames vell on one point concerning UK car itself. broken homes, poverty, unemployment, registrations; things are not as bad discrimination for crime or Evil. as he makes out! Certain letters 'While this may be disturbing, Hell, I come from a low-income brok¬ have never been used (specifically the converse is encouraging. If en home. My dad was an alcoholic I and 0 to avoid confusion with 1 evil exists as a discrete system in who frequently beat my mother. He and 0 -- but this hasn't prevented human behavior, then so also does was sometimes unemployed—fired. I people from exploiting the system. good exist. People can do good mo¬ have been discriminated against be¬ Not long ago someone spotted, and tivated by the knowledge that it is cause I am handicapped. For a per¬ indeed published in , good. This is more than mere al¬ iod my mother was a "loose woman" by a picture of a Renault Fuego with truism. It is an anti-entropic the morality of that time. So I the number 50 5EXY — "so sexy!" spirit in humanity that advances do not believe much in "environment¬ civilization and the reign of de¬ al" factors. I have written a lot 'And Charles Platt was being cency against the forces of barbar¬ of sex novels which I hope have made snide, not for the first time, in ism and wantonness. The only hope masturbation a more pleasurable ex¬ his comment about Casalbordino Lido. for the future of humanity is that perience for a lot of people. Does Our friends there don't want to good will win out. that make me evil? Were those novels "keep the place for themselves!" evil? To a lot of people the answer The point is that it's a family- 'I understand your wariness is yes. I say no. type resort, mercifully free of about religious connotations being shops selling overpriced souvenirs involved in discussions of good and ((We haven't yet discussed the and giant tour-buses disgorging evil. But contrary to what you ap¬ parameters of evil: which crimes are the sort of visitors who constant¬ pear to be assuming, religion did evil, and which are acts in current ly complain that they can't get the not create the concepts of good cultural/societal disfavor? Is a- same food as at home. Much of the A- and evil. Good and evil exist as bortion evil? Is prostitution evil? driatic coast is like that nowadays; observable phenomena in the real Is smoking for 40 years, developing Casalbordino Lido is a rare oasis, world, as modes of human behavior, lung cancer, and using up thousands and owing to its situation will and all the world's religions rep¬ of dollars of medical time and mater¬ very probably remain so for a good resent attempts to explain and deal iel , evil? while yet. Of course, maybe Char¬ with these phenomena. Some reli¬ ((It do get complicated.)) les likes to find everything the gions have created the concept of same wherever he goes. Me, when sin, but that is only an attempt to I'm abroad, I prefer to find out explain evil in terms of rebellion how other countries differ from against divine authority. Many re¬ mine...' ligions do not have the concept of sin. But there is no language # LETTER FROM The Square House, Palmer St., ((I am often appalled at the differ¬ spoken on Earth that does not have S. Petherton, Somerset ences between peoples in different a word for evil. You may not feel cities, states, regions in this that religion has any value; but England TA13 SDB Hiroshima Day 1984 country. In fact, the differences good and evil exist nonetheless. between the people on this city 'There are scores of items I'd 'There is nothing more funda¬ block has me in constant astonished like to discuss, including Greg Ben- mental to human reality than the bemusement. I don't think I could matter of good and evil, therefore 57 handle a different country.)) # LETTER FROM GENE WOLFE # LETTER FROM JAfET FOX # LETTER FROM MIKE GLICKSOHN Box 69, 519 Ellinwood 508 Windemere Ave Barrington, II 60010 Osage City, KS 66523 Toronto, Ontario M6S 3L6 8-11-84 August 8, 1984 Canada Aug 22, 1984 'Your comment on Lambert's lett¬ 'I hate to disagree with Dar¬ er recalls Dr. Johnson's answer when rell Schweitzer (Hey, why did I 'I was amused by Schweitzer's he was asked what books a boy should say that? I hear it's gotten so comments about mimeography. While read: "Why, let him read any books popular they're talking about turn¬ it's true that PROCRASTINATION is he will read, sir, and he'll find ing it into an Olympic sport) but a worthy nominee for the worst-mim¬ himself better ones by and by." I found his comments at the end of eographed fanzine of all time that That was 200 years ago--when are we his interview and in a letter rath¬ is scarcely a failing in the medium going to learn it?' er contradictory. He talked about itself. As my own XENIUM shows, the waning of small press because it's quite simple to produce an at¬ ((We have. Gene; they haven't.)) of expanding pro markets for short tractive fanzine with a properly- fantasy fiction. But as I guess used mimeo machine. (I believe everybody knows, IMAGO is dead and the former Richard Geis would be FANTASTIC unlikely to be resurrect¬ aware of this.) Darrell's fanzines ed in my lifetime. I don't really were ugly and sloppy because he # LETTER FROM EDWARD E. ROM had no concept of how to design a POB # 685 expect Darrell to be a fortunetel¬ magazine and couldn't get anywhere Mankato, MN 56002 ler, but I don't know how he can near the capabilities of the process Aug 27, 1984 talk about the waning of the small press. from the machine he was using. It 'I liked Greg Benford's article always amazed me that people like about the New Wave and British SF 'In his letter he decries those Zelazny agreed to be published in as opposed to American SF. My own "irrational" types who are not into such an abysmally-produced fanzine. observation is that British and the latest technology such as com¬ (I too have seen old copies of CRAS European SF tends more to social puters. Computers, word processors, priced at $15 because of the writ¬ commentary than does the American copiers ... I wonder what sort of ers within them; happily for fan¬ version, and quite often has what impact these could have on the zine fans, I've never heard of any¬ appears to the American reader growth of small press? (Why do I one stupid enough to actually pay (such as myself) a leftist tinge. keep asking these rhetorical ques¬ those prices.) This, I think, is the reason that a tions? ... Oh, yeah, so I can an¬ 'Many thanks for SFR; it contin¬ lot of this stuff does not sell swer them.) With technology in its ues to be the best magazine devot¬ well in America. Most Americans do present state, any idiot can have ed to science fiction that I see not, I think, have the same sort of his own zine. And I oughta know; and I enjoy each issue.' social consciousness that Europeans I've got one going myself. do. We're closer to the frontier.' 'God ... and I love it when you say "this is a man's picture" ((The 'former Richard Geis1? I suppose you are referring to all ((Right. In fact, we are the fron¬ as if us women only go to movies them issues of PSYCHOTIC and SFR tier if you think of our space pro¬ about tatting or needlepoint.' I produced on the old (now severely gram and the American Itch to get out of whack) Gestetner 466. And, Out There and exploit the galaxy. ((Ah, yes. Trashing Darrell may yes, I'm aware of it. Now, how¬ Until that possibility (space flight someday bring a gold medal to the ever, I'd put my $3600 into a for greedy people) is expunged or best of them. good copier. (The Gestetner 466 killed by failures, we will not go ((With the oncoming demise of didn't cost $3600, it cost around easily into a drab, boring future AMAZING (just a feeling!) I would $1299, but that would be $3600 in of terrestrial affairs.)) think a good amateur fiction zine today's money.) could establish a small, loyal ((I note your specific and re¬ following. An attempt to make a stricted compliment in re SFR; profit, though...The costs of a very soon now, Mike, SFR will "pro" package--offset, book paper,, qulaify...it might even qualify... typesetting, bookstore distribution, as a pure-as-the-driven-non-com- # LETTER FROM CHRISTOPHER PRIEST etc.—-make it too expensive and 1 Ortygia House, 6 Lower Rd. mercial-amateur-snow fanzine a- time consuming. Harrow, Middlesex HA2 ODA gain. *Faunch...drool.. .slurp!*)) England ((Well, a "man's" picture is Aug 8, 1984 one (in my view) in which there 'Darrell Schweitzer mentions are no women or in which the women Lisa Tuttle as one of his former are almost invisible, and the sub¬ fanzine "participants" who is now ject matter is "masculine". And a # CARD FROM ROBERT BLOCH too "big-time" to write for him. "woman's" picture is one in which 2111 Sunset Crest Drive "The pro writer who still cares the women are dominant and their Los Angeles, CA 90046 about fanzines is a member of a interpersonal relationships are August 6, 1984 what the picture is built around.)) vanishing breed." Lisa regularly 'As usual, I find your notions reads, contributes to and publishe on the state of the economy very fanzines. This year, in fact, she thought-provoking, though I doubt has probably published more fan¬ if I could adapt your proposed life- zines than Schweitzer has in the P style as a personal solution. Hav- last five years. (Come to that, ' ing lived through one depression, so has her husband.)' I'm not ecstatic about facing an¬ other -- but agree with you that it is coming, and this time will be u accompanied by dangers which the ((Glad to hear Lisa is so active. last one didn't expose us to, in But I'm not aware of her activity. the form of rampant violence. At Am I missing her zines?)) 58 the height of the Great Depression of the '30s, one could walk down 'Throughout all this, the com¬ Fu W4MCHU IN THE the street -- almost any street in pany has otherwise maintained abso¬ WHITE HOU-SE any city at any hour — in safety. lute silence. Reynolds, who must Today, in the "Good Times" -- but be worked to the bone, has never I needn't say more. Just wait un¬ yet found an instant's free time to til next year. I write more in come to the phone or return a call, sadness than in anger, and I'm the poor dear. I assume they don't saddest of all at the neglect your want to publish any more books by warnings will receive!' me, and in any case, I don't want anything further to do with them.

((Yes. For instance, in the mid-30‘s 'I am making provisions for my cousin and I used to, on Halloween, some of the titles, but this pre¬ sumably means that my anthology, walk for miles with shopping bags, 'But on a more practical level, going from house to house, "Trick or ILL-MET BY MOONLIGHT, is dead. I am not optimistic at its chances of I would like to hear from anyone Treat!" and come home loaded to the who has seen either of my titles gunwales with candy, fruit, nuts, even finding a new publisher. It's a shame, because it was a good book, (WE ARE ALL LEGENDS and HIE SHAT¬ cake. We were alone. No parents TERED GODDESS) remaindered. I escorting us, guarding us. Virtually which would have helped several writers launch their careers. It haven't seen them and may need some¬ every house gave gifts to the one to buy some for me. I would al¬ hundreds of kids who were out. There was to be, in essence, a WHISPERS anthology of everyone else --a so like to know, because the infor¬ was no poisoning, no needles in fruit, mation might become useful, what or any danger. collection of stories from the small press magazines, all of high pro¬ other Donning titles have been seen ((In fact, there was a day or remaindered. Due to the Donning two before Halloween dedicated to fessional quality, no excuses made. WHISPERS, because of its Doilbleday policy of silence, rumors abound. "tricks"—soaping windows, pranks of One is that they've remaindered or various kinds. All done and suffered series, was under-represented in proportion to its merit (i.e., most discontinued virtually their entire in good humor. SF line. I don't know if this is ((Now Halloween is almost dead, of the good stories have already with few kids out, herded by anxious been anthologized by Stuart Schiff) parents, going to fewer houses. Sad. but there was to be some material 'Actually, being dumped by Don¬ ((Also, I think it's sad that from it, and a lot from WEIRDBOOK, ning is an undisguised blessing for every year fewer and fewer houses FANTASY TALES, MYRDDIN, FANTASY me. The company was addicted to seem to have Christmas decorations, CROSSROADS, etc. etc. Authors in¬ the light-under-a-bushel philosophy trees, lights. The old customs and cluded well-known professionals like of publishing. They'd produce good rituals are almost dead.)) H. Warner Munn (who gave me permis¬ books in handsome editions, then sion shortly before he died) , Karl hide them. Wagner, L. Sprague de Camp and many others, plus some new and little- 'I owe a debt of gratitude to known writers. Small press maga¬ Hank Stine, who took the great risk zines were the dominant part of the of buying WE ARE ALL LEGENDS when some other publishers refused to fantasy-short-story market in the even read it. The aggravation of it LETTER FROM DARRELL SCHWEITZER last decade; the idea was to bring 113 Deepdale Rd., Strafford, PA Donning has been worth it, because all this very interesting and impor¬ 19087. Aug 22, 1984 tant material in front of a larger this book was too unconventional to be brought into existence any 'First let me say that it should audience. other way. But since then, things be obvious to the astute that parts 'Donning inoluded the book in have not worked out, and I'm glad of Wilgus's interview with me were an option clause in 1979 and farted to be away from it all. I shall done some time ago, from the refer¬ around ever after. I am sorry for now have my agent (Richard Curtis) ences to Hank Stine being editor of the authors, particularly the newer seek a real publisher for these and Starblaze. 8 little-known ones, whose hopes other titles. Wish me luck. 'All references to my celebrat¬ were raised only to be dashed, but 'Another piece of publishing ed six-book contract and to forth¬ it isn't my fault. Donning just news. You no doubt have read some¬ coming Starblaze titles are also never got around to doing the book. thing about 's A- obsolete. It seems I am no longer Authors are asked to stick pins in MAZING STORIES TV show, and have a Starblaze/Donning author at all. images of Donning's owner, Robert probably seen newspaper accounts Kay Reynolds, the new editor, has Friedman. referring to AMAZING as something mysteriously been unable to come to Spielberg "owns the rights to." the phone since about March, as part ((What authors never appreciate are This has created some furor, but of the new Donning policy of never the problems of the pub!isher...the the truth is that the TV show only communicating with the authors und¬ cash flow, the sales charts, the rented the title (see the current er any circumstances. But I found overhead... And what one editor LOCUS on this), and the misunder¬ out from other sources much of what does is often what another editor standing was caused by some idiot was going on, and so wasn't too sur¬ undoes. Hank Stine had his chance reporter failing to understand prised when I called up Donning to and his editorial direction, his what he was told. (In my experi¬ order more copies of my books and decisions, didn't pan out as well ence being interviewed by newspap¬ was told that both titles had been as he and his boss hoped (I presume). ers, reporters fail to understand remaindered. I was disappointed, That is the way of the publishing most of what they are told. You because I had asked to be allowed world. Editors come and editors have to keep it very simple.) But to buy the remainders. In fact, go, and sometimes authors go with the garbled version went out over the contract said I was to receive them. the wire services. a three-month advance notice of dis¬ ((I don't believe publishers spend continuation of publication, and I good money in order to lose it; 'What impressed me was the way was to have a sixty-day option on there probably are very good reasons the story appeared in newspapers the remainders, but then Donning why Donning acted as it did, most all over the country with only min¬ contracts have always been more hon¬ likely some beyond its control.)) or shifts to greater or lesser de¬ ored in the breach. 59 grees of inaccuracy. All of them got it from the same source and were either invisible in the US, none of them bothered to check. or not published at all. I fipd It demonstrates an awesome poten¬ that the few readers who remember tial for disinformation, doesn't it? Ballard (often with fondness for Some minor matter about AMAZING his early short stories) regard him hardly counts, but consider the po¬ as a figure out of the remote past litical possibilities. I am sure rather than someone who is still many people already have. What active. It may be a sign of the need to censor anything under the growing difference between the two circumstances? Just tell 'em what readerships that Ballard remains an you want, and nobody will bother on-going concern in Britain, but is to check. virtually forgotten here. 'Who was it that said, "If you 'The short-story market is for¬ ever chance to witness a catastro¬ tunately much better off. We still phe, you'll never recognize it in see a satisfying number of British the morning papers?" writers in FfjSF. As for my own in¬ fluence on AMAZING, I am very much 'Greg Benford's article made me in favor of foreign SF of all sorts. stop and think, particularly since I even wrote an editorial on the it appears in conjunction with my subject and it was I who brought review of HELLICONIA SUMMER and Keith Roberts' "Kitemaster" (from Spinrad's column on the subject in INTERZONE) to George's attention, LOCUS. causing it's first American publi¬ 'He may be right. Maybe Brit¬ cation. We have managed to publish ish and American SF are drawing a- a number .of non-American authors # LETTER FROM RICHARD S. MCENROE part, to the detriment of both. (including one Chinese), the Brit¬ MV "Gully J", Island Bay Mar¬ I believe the New Wave really did ons being, among others, , ina, Foot of Jamaica Avenue do serious commercial damage to Keith Roberts and a very talented Island Park, NY 11558 British SF, particularly in this newcomer named Tina Rath. AMAZING Sept, 1984 country, but I would hope that edi¬ gets very few letters (less than 'So, people are yelling at tors and critics could see beyond SFR does) but as far as I can tell Charles Platt again, over his stand that. (Yet Spinrad quotes an Amer¬ all these have been well received. on "interactive" fiction and gam¬ ican editor as saying that British 'It think the problem is more ing, hey? Well, that's what you're SF no longer sells.) And one gets one of brand names than nationalit¬ paying him for, and based on my ad¬ the impression from FOUNDATION ies. American book buyers go for mittedly brief and occasional ac¬ that for British critics, a writer brand names. They will read all quaintance with the man, I think who is both American and successful the or Rob¬ he's enjoying it more than he lets has committed two unforgivable ert Heinlein, or whoever, but com¬ lapses of etiquette.) pletely ignore the unknowns. Any 'Epaterizing the bourgies is a 'Maybe the reason that the Hel- foreigner is a defacto unknown un¬ popular sport among a certain class liconia series isn't getting such til proven otherwise. Now a major¬ of intelligent Englishpersonry; I wild adulation in this country is ity of SF readers don't read the think the major difference between that it is too British for an Am¬ magazines, but still a significant Charles and most players of same is erican audience. I have noticed portion of them do, at least occas¬ that it still matters to him which that other British writers seem to ionally. Therefore, British and shit he kicks into whose fans. be vanishing from American book other foreign writers would be well This is actually an attitude at stores. There are Ian Watson books advised to submit more stories to odds with the Spirit of the sport; (CHEKOV'S JOURNEY for instance) American magazines and anthologies the whole point of epaterizing the which, to my knowledge, have had no so as to make their names more fam¬ bourgies is to denigrate and triv¬ American editions. Keith Roberts iliar to the audience. I can't ialize all the values and attitudes and Christopher Priest seem to be speak for anyone else, but the mag¬ addressed in the course of the game, out of print in this country. On¬ azines I've been involved in have thus stripping them of any possible ly the very biggest names -- Aldiss, always been very receptive to non- emotional or intellectual import¬ Clarke, Brunner, White -- seem to Americans, even ones making their ance to the player. To inflict remain in print. This may be be¬ first sales.' epaterization (why, yes, I have been cause the books really don't sell. reading A1 Haig's book) and to It may be that the relatively emo¬ hope thereby to effect a change in tionless tone of much British SF ((I'm somewhat amazed, too, that a those attitudes is to use a modest alienates American readers, for cul¬ few good reviews by *cout)h-cough* tool for a purpose it was not de¬ tural reasons or whatever. Or it respected and influential reviewers signed to fulfill, and to court may be (alas) that American audi¬ can make a difference...in sf, any¬ disappointment. Don't get your ences are just too narrow to care way. A review can trigger a fan hopes up, Charles, the Steve Per¬ for anything outside of their own reader to buy a given new novel by ries of the world will always be viewpoints. an unknown and if the novel is as with us. In fact, their numbers good as the reviewer has said, the will probably increase as radiation 'In a few cases, the writer in word-of-mouth chain reaction begins exposure from the decaying ozone question has drifted far away from and sales make the editor and pub¬ layer and videogame screens results what the audiences want to read. lisher want to buy another book by in rising genetic deformation. J.G. Ballard lost his audience with that author—and at a higher ad¬ his gibberish "condensed novels" 'For my part, I was offered a vance, probably. Reviewers do have (which were collected into the non¬ chance to write interactive novels influence—some do—in this small book LOVE 6 NAPALM, EXPORT USA) and and passed it by. Why? Because world we live in.)) then he wrote a series of non-SF I'm a selfish, arrogant bastard novels (HIGH RISE, etc.), and when when it comes to my work. The one he finally returned to coherent SF thing I learned when I was bashing (THE UNLIMITED DREAM COMPANY, LOW- out Buck Rogers novels from Niven FLYING AIRCRAFT, etc.) these books 60 8 Poumelle outlines back at Ace is that I like jobs that are complete 'By the way, Charles, loved yer of rejections—because their talent jobs -- that is, when I've put in computer book. It didn't take; is finally noticed and given a chance, the sweat and effort of doing the working with your WP system on your or because their talent has been work, I can look back and see a Ohio Scientific convinced me to buy honed and disciplined in those years concrete result for my labors -- one, and 's opinion of till now it is truly professional in this case, a book, a unique book, my manuscript appearance clinched and worthy. that no one else could have written the deal. I'm probably going to go ((Editors and reviewers are al¬ the way I wrote it, for good or ill. with an Apple lie, precisely be¬ most always eager to discover a fine "Interactive" novels don't let you cause its lack of expandability new talent. There's so much JUNK do that, because you have to leave will tend not to lure me down the being published, that anything alive, room for the reader's participation. primrose path to hacker perdition new, different, skilled is leaped (and besides, I can always buy a upon with loud cries of joy. He later . ..) . ((Can you imagine—of course, 'Come to that, "interactive" you know!—what it's like to read novels don't. Interact, that is. mss. day after day with the same old Why not? Because there is no in¬ ((lie or not lie, that is the ques¬ plots, situations, characters? Pro¬ volvement on the part of the read¬ tion!)) fessional fiction editors have my er in the shaping of the story. total sympathy...and apologies: I've All he can do (or she can do, what¬ imposed a lot of publishable junk on ever) is choose from among the plot them (and on agents) which they had options the writer has provided. to read. The trouble is, there are The same applies to most "interac¬ # LETTER FROM JAIRAE FRANK hundreds (maybe thousands) of other tive" computer games. The choices 8033 Sunset Blvd., #320 writers submitting publishable stuff, of outcome are still limited to Los Angeles, CA 90046 too, which just doesn't have that those the writer provides: It August 1, 1984 spark, that differentness, to make makes no difference at all WHICH a sale. 'Piers Anthony came across as reader is making the selections. ((Of course, once you'd made a remarkably naive when he suggested So what you have with the current Name, and have a following, then that you should have answered that "interactive" craze is a gelded you can get all your publishable person asking for how to be a writ¬ waste of good trees, where the junk in print, and get paid big er and addresses of professionals. writer is denied the opportunity to bucks for it. That's what pisses Something that I noticed when I put the stamp of his own identity me!)) worked as a publicist cum editorial on the finished product, because assistant at Donning was that an there is no finished product (and amazing number of people think that alsu not incidentally, denied the they can become rich and successful chance to develop a marketable i- writers if they just know the right dentity that might elevate his val¬ people — it is sort of the liter¬ ue above that of his fellow piece¬ ary equivalent of the 30s Hollywood # LETTER FROM KARL EDD workers) , and where the reader is Box #9007, Denver, CO 80209 where every young kid thought they denied exposure to both a variety September, 1984 could be "discovered" in the comer of auctorial identities and the drugstore and become a success with¬ 'Re Jerry Poumelle's letter of chance to participate in the auc¬ out paying their dues. The one May first in Issue #52, about my torial process, no matter how the that made it by and large knew review (rather than critique -- and damn things are labelled. where to go to learn their trade I do know the difference) of Kap¬ 'Actually, interactive games ... or they quickly found out where lan’s WIZARDS OF ARMAGEDDON: and books, truly interactive, have to go ... and then they worked at '1. Has Kaplan advised you the been on the market for many years, book is a series of parodies? Or allowing the reader to shape the 'Going to the library for books is this your opinion? Since it's materials the publisher provides on writing is just plain good com¬ his book, not mine, have you also to his own desire. They're called mon sense. The people who haven't written him? If so, what did he "notebooks," and they provide both had the common sense to do that say? high-quality paper and clearly de¬ don't deserve handouts from profes¬ '2. In either event was the marcated spaces for the buyer to sionals. Further these people seem enter his own contributions to the book presented to the reading pub¬ to be trying for a free ride and in lic as a parody or as a book of ser¬ story on every page. There is even my experience when you try to ex¬ a neat little red line on the left- ious intent? (I assume you have plain to them that there is no free checked libraries that use the Dew¬ hand side of the page that, used ride they get belligerent and abus¬ wisely, allows the interacting ey Decimal System or Library of ive. They don't even say "thank reader to produce a finished, Congress System to see what class¬ you" for the referral to WRITER'S ification trained librarians have serai-justified manuscript. But you MARKET, WRITER'S DIGEST, SF CHRON¬ better believe the "interactive" given the book. My wife happens to ICLE, etc., just "gimmie gimmie." publishers aren't going to push be a skilled and responsible refer¬ If they were writing instead of these systems into the dedicated ence librarian at the Denver Public trying to make connections they marketplace anytime soon. Library.) would get a lot further.' 'With the coming fruition of '3. No, Mister Judge, I didn't say, "Let's rob the bank," I only the promising Japanese experiment¬ ((Sometimes, to a degree, it i£ who ation in Fifth Generation computer said, "Let's conduct a thought ex¬ you know and not what you know. An design, the possibility exists that periment involving guns, our need awful lot of writers and actors have truly interactive games will be for money and bankers' fear for gotten a chance, a part or a story produced by the 1990s. .I'm not their lives. -What's that. Judge? or a first novel publ i shed-—through thrilled by the prospect of the You say I'm splitting hairs and how "pull" or as a favor to a nice guy competition for the buyer's dollar, many angels can dance on the point or gal_Wotthehell. but I'd much rather knock heads of a pin?" So you're saying the ((But most writers and actors with an honest competitor than a guy didn't propose a Doomsday Mach¬ are successful—often after years shabby, demeaning hype such as the ine, only the idea of such a mach¬ current "interactive" scam. 61 ine —- like in Becket, the King didn't want him killed, he just novels for the Bluejay Books and a gun club (but I'm not voting for didn't mind if he was killed, huh? work on ECLIPSE. Great heaps of Reagan so don't jump to conclus¬ What Jesuit school did you go to? research. Headache-making re¬ ions), and I take no drugs. I've search... I had to write the trash just given up drinking. That was 'You suggest a reviewer that novels to get out from under debt even tougher than giving up drugs. knows a little about this book. I and to take care of my twin boys suggest yourself. I'd say you know 'The book, the book is growing who are now two years old and doing as little about it as one can. into something fierce and elegant, well with their Mom in France. Etc. right back at you, oh, great cell by cell. I'm separated from their Mon, and living in New Jersey (yes, I admit 'I'm going to rejoin the SFWA. it! I have a whole spiel for Man¬ Do I hear groans out there? Tough. hattanites about why it's not so Mostly I'm joining so I can vote bad to live in New Jersey because for 's novel NEURD- \|©ol (Oert, W I'm just across the river and can MANCER (an Ace Special), for the be in tne city in ten minutes and Nebula. Not only is it the best have a nice apartment for a reason¬ SF novel to come alopg in several f&MWKR, ir m//u able price, but they sneer anyway). years, it's the best first novel in the field in at least a decade. 'One of the series I wrote, It's what I was preaching for a Number 2 through 6, is Dell's TRAV¬ Ym ifl&q— few years back: excitement, ad¬ ELER series, which is inspired by venture, but always coupled with ROAD WARRIOR and which is sort of top-drawer writing and substance. SF. Pulp SF. I managed to work I mean, the guy is an incredibly some Pasoliniesque imagery, some scrupulous, exquisitely musical meets William stylist. I mean,, he is saying Burroughs and learns;they are re¬ something meaningful. I mean, the lated after all, into it...Person¬ characterization is crisp and sweet ally, I think my whipped-out pulp and satisfying as a bite into an swill is better than Mike Moor¬ autumn apple. I mean damn I envy cock's whipped-out pulp swill. him. 'I've been recording for Sar- 'I'll never write another pulp toris Records, and there's a deal book; I'm writing ECLIPSE under my with Epic cooking but it may well H LETTER FROM JOhN SHIRLEY own name. I'm 31 years old. I'm 267 Grove St, #2R char in the oven. I'm performing John Shirley, 267 Grove St, #2R, Jersey City, NJ 07302 in NYC now and then. One of the Jersey City, NJ, 07302.' Oct. 1984 characters in ECLIPSE is a rock musician and some of that world 'A friend recently returned comes through in the weave pattern from the WorldCon and told me that of the narrative. several people there had asked about me, and that he heard,"What¬ 'The only short SF I've got ever happened to John Shirley?" coming out is a collaboration with At least once. Hiding my astonish¬ due to appear in IN¬ ment, I promised him I'd write to TERZONE. The story is called "The SFR to let the sigh-fick people Unfolding." know what's happening with me, act¬ 'I write comedy part time too, ing on the admittedly slender pos¬ for a new HBO show which is not sibility that someone out there yet in its final stages of produc¬ might give a frog's fart about it. tion. I've sold a movie script to 'I've signed a contract to do an independent movie production three books for Bluejay Books, my company. It's a sort of futuristic first hardovers. The first one is FLASHDANCE with a budget of only already overdue. But I'm breaking 8 million. I'm collaborating on a precedent and writing this one script with underground film-maker carefully, and Jim Frenkel will Beth B (who did VORTEX with Lydia get it before Christmas for public¬ Lunch, and the "The Dominatrix ation in the spring. It's the Sleeps Tonight" video). Michael first book of any significance by Pare, I forget where the accent on yours truly. It will probably be his name goes, and Karen Allen titled ECLIPSE. It's a trilogy are starting their own production having to do with political and company and seem interested in my social trends in the near future. film script WOLFSTAR, which is SF It concerns a non-nuclear world with a rocknroll flavor. But we war (well, mostly non-nukes), a haven't signed a contract yet. resurgence of classic fascism, 'I don't want to tell anyone guerilla warfare on earth and on what the other male action book a space colony. series I did is, but if you're a 'I've been a year writing reader of action series, here's a trashy action novels under a pseu¬ hint: It's the most violent one donym, two pseudonyms .actually. I going, and the best-written. As wrote thirteen books. Actually I for its being the best-written, took only two weeks per book -- a that isn't saying much. rigid schedule of 15 pages a day 'I take voice lessons, I work for a 210-page book, finished in out at a club, I jog, I've joined two weeks -- and would use the rest of the month for research on the 62 ALIEN THOUGHTS CONTINUED SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #35 Inter¬ views with Fred Saberhagen and Don closet isolationists to a degree, SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #52 "In the Wollheim; "The Way It Is" by Barry and let the rest of the wjrld take Wave's Wake" by ; Malzberg; "Noise Level" by John care of itself. We may have to pull Interviews with Darrell Schweitzer Brunner; "Coming Apart at the our army out of Europe and that other and Julian May; "Clarion Call" by Themes" by Bob Shaw. 40,000 men out of Korea. And close Avram Davidson. Cover by B. Foster. a lot of bases. Conmentary by Geis, Elliott, Benford. SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #36 Inter¬ The 300 or more billion dollar SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #51 Inter- view with Roger Zelazny; A Profile deficit of 1985 will force a lot of of Philip K. Dick by Charles Platt; changes. view with David Kingsbury, "The De¬ cline of Fiction" by Charles Platt, "Outside the Whale" by Christopher If Reagan is re-elected, I see "Flashpoint: Middle" by Barry Malz- Priest; "Science Fiction and Polit¬ now, he'll be immobilized by his berg, "The Glass Bushell" by Bob ical Economy" by Mack Reynolds; In¬ scrooge image and his desire to keep Shaw. Also: Damon Knight, John terview with Robert A. Heinlein; spending on the military. The 1986 Brunner, Gregory Benford, Darrell "You Got No Friends in This World" congressional elections would result Schweitzer, Gene DeWeese, Elton by Orson Scott Card. in a wholesale slaughter of Republi¬ Elliott. cans, and the control of the Senate by the denes. SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #49 featur¬ es Piers Anthony, Charles Platt, $ PER COPY FROM ONWARD No matter how I look at it, no 1,75 #37 John Brunner, Gene DeWeese, Orson matter who is elected, I see disast¬ Scott Card, Darrell Schweitzer.... SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #37 Inter¬ er and social crisis. And I see ut¬ view with Robert Anton Wilson; terly no statesmanship or guts in "We're Coming Through the Window!" either leader. SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #48 -"The by Barry N. Malzberg; "Inside the There are young, tough, intelli¬ Treasure of the Secret Cordwainer" Whale" by , Jerry gent, libertarian/freedom oriented By J.J. Pierce; "Raising Hackles" Poumelle, and Jack Chalker; "Uni¬ Republicans in the wings, waiting to by Elton T. Elliott; "Once Over ties in Digression" by Orson Scott take over, willing to make tough de¬ Lightly" by Gene DeWeese; "The Vivi Card. cisions. But they'll have to wait sector" by Darrell Schweitzer; let four years if Reagan wins, and for ters from Platt, Foster, Busby, SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #38 Inter¬ that reason I hope Reagan loses. Bloch, Ellison... view with Jack Williamson; "The I'm not aware of anyone in the Engines of the Night" by Barry N. Democratic ranks who has much guts. SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #47 Inter¬ Malzberg; "A String of Days" by Gary Hart is a pretentious fraud. Gregory Benford; "The Alien Inva¬ views with Janet Morris and Charles Cuomo is a demagogue who would say sion" by Larry Niven; "Noise Level' Platt; "Philip K. Dick--A Cowardly anything to win a vote--like Mondale. by John Brunner; SF News by Elton Memoir” by Peter Nicholls; "Of George Bush is old-line estab¬ Ground, and Ocean, and Sky" by Ian Elliott. lishment, a Big-Money tool. Watson; "Once Over Lightly" by Gene SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #39 Inter¬ DeWeese; "Alien Thoughts" by REG. So I'm going to watch the econ¬ view with Gene Wolfe; "The Engines omic indices fall every week, and of the Night"-Part Two by Barry N. wonder if the approaching recession Malzberg; "The Nuke Standard" by will surface soon enough to put the SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #46 Inter¬ view with John Sladek; "How NOT Ian Watson; "The Vivisector" by knife into Reagan's re-election cam¬ Darrell Schweitzer; SF News by To Write Science Fiction" by Rich¬ paign. Elton Elliott. If Mondale clobbers Reagan again ard Wilson; profile of Larry in the second debate, the election Niven; "Standing By Jericho" by Steve Gallagher; "The Vivisector" might be extremely close, with Mon- SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #40 Inter- by Darrell Schweitzer; "Raising dale winning in the last few days view with Robert Sheckley; 4-way Hackles" by Elton T. Elliott. as massive swings occurr in voters' conversation: Arthur C. Clarke, minds. Harlan Ellison, Fritz Leiber 6 SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #45 Inter¬ Mark Wells; "The Engines of the view with ; "Pulp!" by Night"-Part Three by Barry N. Algis Budrys; Interview with Terry Malzberg; Darrell Schweitzer; Carr; "The Vivisector" by Darrell SF News by Elton T. Elliott Schweitzer; "Raising Hackles" by Elton T. Elliott. SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #41 Space SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #44 Inter¬ Shuttle Report by Clifford R. Mc- view with Anne McCaffrey; "How Murray; "Chuck's Latest Bucket" by Things Work" by Norman Spinrad; David Gerrold; Interview with Mi¬ "Fantasy and the Believing Reader" chael Whelan; "The Bloodshot Eye" by Orson Scott Card; "Raising Hack- by Gene DeWeese; "The Vivisector" lrs" by Elton T. Elliott. by Darrell Schweitzer; SF News by Elton T. Elliott. SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #43 Inter¬ view with ; "The Porno Novel Biz" by Anonymous; "How To SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #42 Inter- Be A Science Fiction Critic" by view with Ian Watson; "One Writer Orson Scott Card; "The Vivisector” and the Next War" by John Brunner; by Darrell Schweitzer; "dice Over "The Vivisector" by Darrell Schweit¬ Lightly" by Gene DeWeese; SF News zer; "The Human Hotline" by Elton by Elton T. Elliott. T. Elliott.

63 THE ALIEN CRITIC #9 "Reading SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #23 Inter¬ BACK ISSUES Heinlein Subjectively" by Alexei views: A.E. van Vogt, and Jack and Cory Panshin; "Written to a Vance, and Piers Anthony; "The Pulp!" by Sam Merwin, Jr.; "Noise Silverberg That Was" by Robert Level" by John Brunner; "The Shav¬ Silverberg. THE ALIEN CRITIC er Papers" by Richard S. Shaver. SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #24 Inter¬ NO OTHER BACK ISSUES ARE THE ALIEN CRITIC #10 Interview views: Bob Shaw, David G. Hartwell AVAILABLE with Stanislaw Lem; "A Nest of and Algis Budrys; "On Being a Bit $1.50 per copy Strange and Wonderful Birds" by of a Legend" by Algis Budrys. Sam Merwin, Jr.; Robert Bloch's EACH ISSUE CONTAINS MANY REVIEWS. Guest of Honor speech; The Hein¬ SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #25 Inter¬ EACH ISSUE CONTAINS LETTERS FROM lein Reaction. views with George Scithers, Poul WELL-KNOWN SF & FANTASY WRITERS, Anderson and Ursula K. Le Guin; EDITORS, PUBLISHERS AND FANS. SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #14 Inter¬ "Flying Saucers and the Stymie view with Philip Jose Fanner; Factor" by Ray Palmer; OVE INMDRTAL THE FOLLOWING LISTINGS ARE OF "Thoughts on Logan's Run" by Will¬ MAN--Part One. FEATURED CONTRIBUTIONS iam F. Nolan; "The Gimlet Eye" by John Gustafson. SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #26 Inter¬ views with Gordon R. Dickson and SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #15 Inter¬ Larry Niven; "Noise Level" by THE ALIEN CRITIC #5 Interview view with L. Sprague de Camp; John Brunner; "Fee-dom Road" by with Fritz Leiber; "The Literary "Spec-Fic and the Perry Rhodan Richard Henry Klump; ONE INMDRTAL Dreamers" by ; "Irvin Ghetto" by Donald C. Thompson; MAN--Part Two. ■ Binkin Meets H.P. Lovecraft" by "Uffish Thots" by Ted White. Jack Chalker. SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #27 Inter¬ SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #16 Inter¬ views with Ben Bova and Stephen THE ALIEN CRITIC #6 Interview view with Jerry Poumelle; "The Fabian; "Should Writers be Serfs with R.A. Lafferty; "The Tren¬ True and Terrible History of Sci¬ ...or Slaves?"; SF News; SF Film chant Bludgeon" by Ted White; ence Fiction" by Barry Malzberg; News; The Ackerman Interview; ONE "Translations From the Editorial" "Noise Level" by John Brunner; INMORTAL MAN--Part Three. by Marion Z. Bradley. "The Literary Masochist" by Rich¬ ard Lupoff. SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #28 Inter¬ view with C.J. Cherryh; "Beyond SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #17 Inter¬ Genocide" by Damon Knight; ONE IM¬ view with George R.R. Martin; In¬ MORTAL MAN--Conclusion; SF News; terview with Robert Anton Wilson; SF Film News 5 Reviews. "Philip K. Dick: A parallax View" by Terrence M. Green; "Microcos¬ mos" by R. Faraday Nelson. SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #29 Inter¬ views with John Brunner, Michael SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #18 Inter¬ Moorcock, and Hank Stine; "Noise view with Lester del Rey; Inter¬ Level" by John Brunner; SF News; -BACK ISSUES ORDER FORM- view with Alan Burt Akers; "Noise SF Film News 8 Reviews. $1.50 EACH Level" by John Brunner; "A Short One for the Boys in the Back Room" SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #30 Inter¬ Dear REG: I enclose $ . by Barry Malzberg. views with Joan D. Vinge, Stephen Please send back issue(s) #5 #6 R. Donaldson, and Norman Spinrad; #9 #10 #14 #15 #16 #17 #18 "The Awards Are Coming" by Orson SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #19 Inter¬ #19 #20 #21 #22 #23 #24 #25 Scott Card; SF News; SF Film News view with Philip K. Dick; Interview #26 #27 #28 #29 #30 #31 #32 8 Reviews. with Frank ; "The Note¬ #35 #36 [Circle #'s desired] books of Mack Sikes" by Larry Niven; SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #31 Inter¬ "Angel Fear" by Freff; "The Vivi- view with Andrew J. Offutt; "Noise $1.75 EACH sector" by Darrell Schweitzer. Level" by John Brunner; "On the #37 #38 #39 #40 #41 #42 #43 Edge of Futuria" by Ray Nelson. #44 #45 #46 #47 #48 #49 SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #20 Inter¬ views: , and Joe SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #32 Inter¬ Haldeman;"Noise Level" by John view with Andrew J. Offutt--Part SFR SUBSCRIPTION COUPON Brunner; '"Hie Vivisector" by Dar¬ Two; Interview with Orson Scott Dear REG: Start my subscription rell Schweitzer; "The Gimlet Eye" Card; "You Got No Friends in This with issue #_. by John Gustafson. World" by Orson Scott Card; "The Human Hotline" by Elton T. Elliott. $9.00 ONE YEAR / $18.00 TWO YEARS SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #21 Inter¬ view with Leigh Brackett § Edmond Name. SCIENCE "cviEW #33 Inter¬ Hamilton; Interview with Tim Kirk; view w’ So/n *:»ld; "A Address. "The Dream Quarter" by Barry Malz¬ Writer _ ^ 0(/j- Jitors" berg; "Noise Level" by John Brunner. by George R. .. Joise Level" by John Bruu,. City. SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #22 Inter¬ view with John Varley;"S-F and State.'.Zip. S-E-X" by Sam Merwin, Jr.; "After¬ SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW thoughts on Logan's Run" by William P.0. Box 11408 F. Nolan; "An Evolution of Cons¬ BACK ISSUES LISTING CONTINUED ON Portland, OR 97211 ciousness" by Marion Zinner Bradley. PAGE 63