SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW
#35
$1.75 SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW (ISSN Formerly THE ALIEN CRITIC
P.O. BOX 11408 may 1980 — vol .9, no.2 PORTLAND, OR 97211 WHOLE NUFBER 35 PHONE: (503) 282-0381 RICHARD E. GEIS, editor & publisher PAULETTE MINARE', ASSOCIATE EDITOR
COVER BY MARCO BIANCHINI PUBLISHED QUARTERLY LETTERS FEB., MAY, AUG., NOV. BY WALLACE A. MC CLURE, ALIEN THOUGHTS SINGLE COPY ---- $1.75 BY THE EDITOR...... A KARL T. PFLOCK, FRED SINGER, J.J. PIERCE, DWIGHT R. DECKER, A.D. WALLACE, JAMES THE WAY IT IS PATRICK BAEN, DELLA NOTE: orson scott card s BY BARRY N. MALZBERG...... 6 WILLIAMSON, ERWIN H. BUSH, SHORT FICTION REVIEW COLUMN, DARRELL SCHWEITZER, CHARLES YOU GOT NO FRIENDS IN THIS SHEFFIELD, JOHN BRUNNER, WORLD, WAS DELAYED AND WILL THE ALTER-EGO VIEWPOINT GEORGE H. SCITHERS, RICH APPEAR, EXPANDED, UPDATED, BY THE EDITOR...... 11 DODGE, DAVE REEDER, NORMAN IN THE NEXT ISSUE. GOLDFIND, LYNNE HOLDOM AND DARRELL SCHWEITZER...... 97 AND THEN I SAW.... BY THE EDITOR...... 13 COMING APART AT THE THEMES REVIEWS------BY BOB SHAW...... 57 interview: FRED SABERHAGEN THE WATCH BELOW...... CONDUCTED BY NEAL WILGUS...15 BEAUTY AND THE BEASTS .... MALZBERG'S COMMON BOOK EMPIRE...... OF PRAYER THE NOTEBOOKS OF LAZARUS NOISE LEVEL BY BARRY N. MALZBERG...... 58 LONG...... BY JOHN BRUNNER...... 17 THE DOOR INTO FIRE...... THE MAD THRONE...... THE HUMAN HOTLINE THE BLACK HOLE...... THE FOG...... THE VIVISECTOR S-F NEWS SATURN 3...... BY DARRELL SCHWEITZER...... 20 BY ELTON T. ELLIOTT...... 59 BEYOND WESTWORLD...... THE ALIENS ARE COMING.... \9 interview: DON WOLLHEIM THE LATHE OF HEAVEN...... CONDUCTED BY RICHARD GE IS..23 THE CHANGELING...... :.9 INTERIOR ART------BUCK ROGERS...... 19 ROADMARKS...... tim kirk—2,9,13,17,25,93 DESTINATION MOON...... AND THEN I READ.... ALEXIS GILLILAND—3,6,7,8,9, BY THE EDITOR...... 25 SPIRITS, STARS AND SPELLS jg, j 3q? 3^j $7j 3^ NECRONOMICON...... THE SCIENCE FICTION KURT ERICHSEN—5,91 ENCYCLOPEDIA...... 21 OTHER VOICES PAUL CHADWICK—9,15,60,61 BOOK REVIEWS BY SANDRA M. TRULL—11 MIESEL, STEVEN EDWARD BRUCE CONKLIN—19,33,97 MCDONALD, NEAL WILGUS, JAMES MCQUADE—16,22 Copyright (c) 1980 by Richard E. STEPHEN LEWIS, BOB FRAZIER, VIC KOSTRIKIN—21 TON STAICAR, LEE SMITH, Geis. One-time rights only have ALLEN KOSZOWSKI—26,27 been acquired from signed or cred JOHN DIPRETE, HOWARD H. MIKE GILBERT-—29,30,32 HUGGINS, SUSAN M. SHWARTZ, ited contributors, and all other RANDY MOHR----- 39,58 rights are hereby assigned to the LYNNE HOLDOM, MARTIN STEPHEN FABIAN—56 contributors. MORSE WOOSTER, PATRICIA NELSON—62 RUSSO, W. RITCHIE BENEDICT, THE ALIEN CRITIC WILLIAM GIBSON, JAMES J.J. SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW WILSON, AND LYNN C. MITCHELL...... 31 Available in microform from: OXFORD MICROFORM PUBLICATIONS, LTD Wheatsheaf Yard, Blue Boar Street Oxford OXI 4EY, United Kingdom THE CURSE OF CONAN A POEM BY NEAL WILGUS...... 36 SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW is published at 1525 NE Ainsworth, Portland, OR 97211. NO ADVERTISING WILL BE ACCEPTED SMALL PRESS NOTES Second Class Postage Paid BY THE EDITOR...... 93 at Portion d, OR 97208 SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY Lovecraft's providence & LITERATURE...... 22 ADJACENT PARTS...... 43 ...INTERNATIONAL CbNSPiRAc/ DAMNATION ALLEY...... 22 starship #37...,...... 43 of electric TVWR companies.' 'a NINE PRINCES IN AMBER...... ,22 ANARCHY COMICS #2...... 44 SErEKisiq- CON
THE ROBOTS ARE COMING, THE ROBOTS ARE------AAAAAARRRRGHHH!1
The robots are here. Now. And I HAVE IN MY HAND—A MINIBOOK from the newspaper report I saw, they almost all belong to the Japanese and I bought it at the supermarket the Germans. this morning, from a rack at the OF COVERS AND CONTENTS AND ADVERTIS Of the 2700+ robots in existence, checkout stand. ING AND SALES THAT GO TO HELL IN THE all but a few hundred are working It's five inches high by 3-1/4" NIGHT overseas. The USA is lagging. wide. It's called 'A Romantic Nov I haven't been at all happy We are talking of industrial ro elette' and sells for 494. It is 96 with the commercial clutter on the bots now. Machines not in humanoid printed pages long. cover of SFR for the past year or form, designed and built to think and The title isn't important (UN- so. I felt I had to blat away a- act according to a computer intelli- FORGETTABE SUM4ER by Grace Goodwin). bout the Names and such inside in gence/program. What is inportant is that this line order to attract bookstore browser The Japanese, in fact, are design of minibooks may be a sign of the fu eyes and curiosity. ing a totally robot-run cybernetic ture for softcover books. But I'm unconvinced all that is factory. It's no secret that softcovers really effective.. .or makes a dif It would appear that we are on have reached a price level — $1.75 ference. 95% of the bookstore buy the edge of another industrial revolu and up and up—which makes their ers of SFR know what they're looking tion (so often talked about, so slow purchase something no longer casual in really appearing) which will burst and impulsive. People are thinking upon us after the inuiinent debt col twice about buying pocket books now, ALIEN THOUGHTS CONTINUED ON P. 18 lapse runs its course throughout the world. [Give it ten years.] The desperate need to save on energy costs and labor costs are the stark motives of the giant national and international corporations be hind the robots. If production machines can be monitored and repaired by other machines which are in turn monitored by computers...the process can ex tend backwards to the transporting of materials to the factory...to the mines... And forward to automated wholesale and retail outlets. We have the automatic elevator now, and we'll soon have the self- driven, self-loaded and unloaded truck. And we'll have tremendous prob lems with big unions fighting to keep jobs for their members, trem endous social problems of unemploy ment and the necessary mechanisms for getting purchasing power to the unemployed/unemployable without in sulting and humiliating them. Schools will have to teach cours es in How To Use A Robot...How To Cope In A Robot Service Society.... The time may be approaching when the major energy costs of production the way it is
PROLOGUE: "These colurms, written on Best to accept delimitation Theodore Sturgeon was able to smug cotmission for an Italian science (most of my Collected Works are cons gle in cautious doses of homosexua fiction magazine (and showing minor ciously based on the Hemingway theo lity and the polymorphous perverse slanting) are appearing for the ry that the power comes not from but as late as 1965 science fiction first, and doubtless last, time in what you say but what you leave was still a genre which in the main my own language in my cwn country. out) and discuss sex in the litera denied the existence, let alone the I think Robt. Frost did this kind of ture of science fiction. One can extent of human sexuality. All of thing at 40 but he was just start cheerfully begin by saying that un this began to end with Michael Moor ing." til about 1953 in American genre cock's use of NEW WORLDS in Great science fiction there was none at Britain to publish work by writers all. There was heavily masked, like J.G. Ballard and Brian Aldiss coded, templated (to use a current which made frank use of sexual mot ly fashionable Academic Word) sex ivations and activities; two years to be sure; aliens carried off wo later in the United States Harlan men (in the pulp magazines), men car Ellison's DANGEROUS VISIONS produc SEX AND SCIENCE FICTION ried off or were carried off by ed in book form thirty-three new machines (in ASTOUNDING and GALAXY) stories, almost half of which dealt with sexuality as central thematic The Honorable Editor has asked and the symbolism thereof was under material. me to inaugurate this series of standable to the merest graduate columns with a discussion of the student of psychology but not until In the United States and in above topic, sex and sexuality in Phillip Jose Farmer and Sam Mines science fiction matters changed science fiction, that is to say and conspired as author and editor to very rapidly in the late nineteen I hasten to comply, although with a publish THE LOVERS and its succes sixties and by the beginning of the certain ambivalence or perhaps hes sors in STARTLING STORIES did sexu current decade novels of great ex itation is the word I am seeking. ality as an important human drive plicitness (Silverberg's DYING IN Sex in science fiction? Well enough, which had the power to motivate, en SIDE and THE SECOND TRIP, my own but sex in the literature of science lighten, damage or dignify become BEYOND APOLLO, Phillip Jose Farmer's fiction? Or in the lives of its incorporated into a genre which in IMAGE OF THE BEAST) were being pub writers? Or -- the good heaven it its American categorization had al lished as category science fiction. self forbid -- in the conventions ready existed for twenty-seven years. Short stories in the original anth and other social institutions of ologies edited by Silverberg, Damon the field? These are large topics Twenty-seven years of asceticism Knight, Harry Harrison, Terry Carr, and are to fill one, each of them, are not easy to deny; defloration were also using sexual material in with solemnity. Together --to may be accomplished in an instant an almost routine fashion. Although treat all three within the space of but its implications often are not 1979/1980 can hardly be called the one column -- would not only be an understood (let alone repeated) Promised Land of Science Fiction -- accomplishment of great magnitude for years. Farmer published a few which, in fact and showing my age but to induce the most thundering semi-sequels to THE LOVERS (MOTHER, I grumble was most likely in 1952 depiession. OPEN TO ME MY SISTER) and in 1958 and perhaps no later than 1958 -- it is a time when the science fic tion writer, particularly in the novelistic form, is able to deal with sexuality as (s)he was able to Barry N. Malzberg 6 deal with technology or apocalypse tion as one which has been resolved, SCHWARTZ AMONG THE GALAXIES is thirty years ago. by the end of the current decade, the last short story Silverberg in favor of sex. The issue is imp Why was sexuality so late in ever wrote (the novels SHADRACH IN ortant now only in historical con arriving in science fiction? Two THE FURNACE, 1955 and LORD VALEN text and that is where the real crit somewhat interlocking explanations TINE'S CASTLE, 1980, succeed); it apply: Science fiction has always ical work of the next half-century appeared in Ballantine's now extinct is going to come from: To what de been a genre literature in the Un STELLAR SCIENCE FICTION original ited States read by young people; gree did the practical taboos under paperback series in the first issue, perhaps 90% of its readers are under which it functioned as a form of dated late 1973. Schwartz, a popular literature was science fic the age of twenty-five, 50% under 22nd century physicist with emotion tion altered? Science fiction has the age of sixteen and young people al problems is a science fiction are exposed to parental and social been regarded by literary criticism fan; on a Luna commercial flight he sanctions of the most unpleasant for a long time as a debased if en reads a magazine containing stories sort; then too, science fiction ergetic form of popular literature of interstellar travel, alien invas was, until the mid-sixties a mag but how much of that debasement ion and so on while dribbling cof was imposed rather than intrinsic? azine literature, most of whose im fee over himself and being rebuffed portant writers and works moved To what degree, in other words, may by stewardesses, he dreams of a through the newsstand magazines and science fiction be seen as victim better time, a better age while rather than perpetrator of its great a kind of censorship is inposed by reading his pulp science fiction magazine distributors and wholesal est weaknesses? How much false and ultimately puts the magazine characterization, contrived plotting, ers which is even more rigorous (or away to sink into a deep depression was at that time) than that imposed untrue representation of human be as the rocket approaches Luna. havior was forced upon its writers by book publishers. who were working within an arena What Silverberg is saying -- if which in order to do their work at I read him correctly and I usually Almost all science fiction mater all made that work be done in a cer do -- is that science fiction in any ial in book form prior to 1965 had tain way? era is going to be a junk medium; appeared previously in the magazines that the science fiction of a science and more science fiction than any In short, science fiction may fictional time will partake of the writer or editor of the time would not have been populated by bad writ same elements of fantasy and escape like to admit was produced with at ers or bad editors but extraordinar which much of it does today and that least one and a half eyes on the ily good ones who, functioning under the very purposes served by science whims of magazine distributors who taboos which would have destroyed fiction will render it contemptible feared to put into national markets those less capable, were able to do in absolute literary terms. Liter material which might be banned in far more than the distributors and ature teaches us of life, Silver the more conservative communities wholesalers ever suspected. Science berg is suggesting, science fiction and thus hinder the functioning of fiction, viewed from this context, sends us messages of irreality; the entire network. A kind of least may be conceived as a kind of tri Schwartz traveling the black holes common denominator applied to maga umph of the human spririt, a monu of 4722 would yet meander through zine science fiction: If a given ment to cunning. pulp imaginings, perhaps dreaming story could be perceived as poten of matter transference. Then again, it may not. Maybe tially giving offense anywhere it it was all junk about people with was the path of least resistance to The story is therefore not only a work of fiction -- Silverberg reject it. out genitals for kids who could bare ly read. But I do not think so and counts it among his five best, I Nonetheless, here we are. The you do not think so and that is why think it somewhat lower than that dear old field has changed greatly we meet today, many thousands of and is in the view of its more con miles from my home, in an arena servative critics no less dirty transcendent enough to perhaps, be than any other branch of modern lit of spirit. erature; the conservative critics (some of whom are barely forty years old) mutter and nurnvr but they have a lessening hold upon the audience and many of the conservative writ ers whom the conservative critics adore or adored have themselves fal len off the wagon in recent years and have resolved to show Harlan THE SCIENCE FICTION OF SCIENCE Ellison or J.G. Ballard a thing or FICTION three. Isaac Asimov's THE GODS THEM SELVES has a central section which Robert Silverberg's short story, is about nothing other than sex and SCHWARTZ AMONG THE GALAXIES, has Robert Heinlein's three most recent given rise to gloomy speculation, novels -- THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST, not an uncommon reaction to Silver TIME ENOUGH FOR LOVE, I WILL FEAR berg (who is himself a rather cheery NO EVIL -- are about not only sex fellow) but not one of more conplex- but about sexual perversity and dam ity than usual. What SCHWARTZ sug ages, 200,000 word investigations gests to me is that science fiction of materials -- sexual crossover, is doomed by its own nature to eter narcissm, self-flagellation -- which nally be a second-rate form of lit even the literary writers in this erature and I think that this is un country rarely practice at such fortunate because so much of it -- length. including this very short story -- On balance it's time to consider is first rate. It is of a mystery. the question of sex in science fic 7 but it is remarkable -- but one of that I have resolved all of the this. I do not know what the answer literary criticism, an attack upon questions that have emerged. Is is nor do I have any. Science fic the very genre from which it comes science fiction doomed indeed to be tion is an ambivalent genre and I and as such it is absolutely devas a second-rate literature by nature? am, perhaps, its most ambivalent tating, it is a demolition of sci Or is there another way to look at writer, my career, my Collected ence fiction so compelling that the matter? Might the genre be Works, have been monument or mauso one surmises that if the editor of shaped, or at least taught, to lead leum to schism. The field is one STELLAR (Judy-Lynn Benjam del Rey) us toward an exploration of our bet thing and yet it is the other. I_ had truly understood what Silver ter rather than our worst possibil am one thing and yet the other. I berg was saying she would have re ities, might science fiction become have no answers at all. fused to publish the story. It is not a literature of escape but one It may, this genre, make us bet easy to understand why it takes its of survival? Might science fic ter, it may make us worse, it may position as the last short story tion somehow be worked around in in its ruined heart make us anything Silverberg ever wrote; there is no short to save the world? at all. That is as close as I can place to go from SCHWARTZ AMJNG THE Science fiction as World Saviour come to resolution. Like us, sci GALAXIES as a science fiction writ is not a new catechism. Its early ence fiction can be anything at all. er unless one consciously cuts back American writers and afficionados on the range and implications of in the nineteen thirties believed And like us, most of the time, the material, retreats to more fam in nothing less and the history of it is nothing. iliar territory. This Silverberg fandom in the nineteen thirties ac By choice. The path of least has done in the two recent (and per cording to the Concordance of Mos resistance. We become what we be haps final) novels. kowitz is nothing less than the his hold and dare not know the differ SCHWARTZ is the final word but tory of a small group trying to im ence. it has antecedent in Samual R. De prove reality and learning eventual lany's famous AYE AND GOMORRAH which ly that reality was rather resistant. appeared in DANGEROUS VISIONS a doz Even as late as the nineteen fifties en years ago; in that story the sci most of science fiction's most ser ence fiction of today has become ious practitioners -- Kombluth, TWENTY YEARS LATER the cheap adventure fiction of the Clifton, Gold, Budrys, Sheckley -- next century and is read in the main believed that the literature had In late 1959 the American mark by perverts who are sexually arous the power to change society, to alt et for science fiction was in a state ed by (desexualized) astronauts. er lives. Most science fiction writ of total collapse. A well-known Am In one shattering off-glimpse of ers no longer believe this. A few erican fan and editor, Earl Kemp, the cheap magazines and paperbacks of them do but have resorted to myst passed around the Detroit World Con kept by such a pervert (who picks up ical rather than practical rational vention asking for responses to a the narrator, an astronaut, and takes izations. Alexei Panshin in his questionnaire entitled WHO KILLED the narrator back to his apartment) 1970's critical works SF IN DIMEN SCIENCE FICTION? and he had enough Delany has allowed us the same de SION and FAREWELL TO YESTERDAY'S TO responses and speculations to pub vastating insight that Silverberg MORROW sees a science fiction which lish a book (which won a Hugo Award extends at length: Science fiction will give us universes, possibilit the year later). Nine tenths of is junk. Junk by definition misre ies and wonder that we have never the science fiction magazines which presents, lies, cheapens, manipul seen before; science fiction, in had been publishing only half a de ates, junk in a way destroys but ul short, as transcendent. Robert Hein cade ago were gone, only two book timately junk can serve only the lein has written three enormous nov publishers were even considering lowest purposes of those who consume els beginning with STRANGER IN A novels, the readership of the field, it. Delany has other (and perhaps STRANGE LAND which use the devices estimated as at close to half a mil less profound) matters on his mind of science fiction as mystical ex lion in the mid-nineteen fifties in AYE AND GONMORRAH but he makes trapolation. There is a strong had apparently dwindled to less a case which Silverberg was able, in undercurrent in this field yet, to than a hundred thousand. the best tradition, to go back and be sure, toward the genre's use as explore at greater length years lat a positive, engaging force for its Two major writers, Henry Kuttner er. readers. and Cyril M. Kombluth had died within a month of one another early Well, what about it? As I said, But then again there is SCHWARTZ. There it is, brooding over all of in 1958, the resulting grief, loss SCHWARTZ AMONG THE GALAXIES has led and fear (they were younger than to complex and brooding speculations this. Science fiction will always offer easier alternatives, science most of their contemporaries) had on the nature of the field to which spread a pall of depression over I have dedicated large portions of fiction will always be slanted to ward taking its readers out of the the field which only seemed to deep my life and almost all of my best en as time went on. There were creative energies and I am not sure world. Only weak people -- modern psychology has led us to understand many respondents to Earl Kemp's -- want out of the world. Strong questionnaire who felt that science people want in. Science fiction is fiction indeed had been killed, that a literature for the weak. And so its existence as an independent, on. functioning subgenre of American COA4E OW. / 1 ASK YOU literature had reached its end. Even now, most science fiction writ THe of life I have presented the poles of the You Me THEK.eS' OIL ers who were active at the time argument, shown the ambivalence with are able to talk of the late nine 4000 F&ET UWOEK. TH(S in not only myself but locked into teen fifties only with loathing. the field itself and I would like Many of them gave up their careers to conclude this column on a posi by choice or circumstance then and tive note, thus pacifying Panshin (J have never returned. Heinlein by offering an outcome but I cannot. I am truly sorry about Twenty years later, American science fiction has evidently not 8 been murdered; it has indeed flour ished. Over a thousand titles lab elled "science fiction" have been published every year for the past four, no less than fifty writers can be said to be making a substan tial living from their writing of science fiction and nothing else and although the magazines may have gone away for good -- there are only three healthy magazines left and two severely damaged -- the science fiction short story lives on in the original anthology form while the science fiction novel has become the most popular comnercial category in American book publishing. None is not written rather than what is. novel exposed to any one of the five theless, American science fiction Most of the censorship in this field taboos listed above or some others writers and fans, like survivors of occurs at the point of origin. that I could certainly add to the the American economic depression Writers, understandably, refuse to list given more space and time, (which occurred exactly half a cen write what they know they cannot would, unless it were by a writer tury ago the week I write this) of sell. of the widest commercial appeal in the genre, almost certainly not ten wake up screaming in various What can't they sell? What are nights of the soul, could it all find a publisher ... and that writ the taboos and limitations which ed ers of the widest commercial appeal happen again? they ask themselves. itors inpose conceptually upon the Regardless of all of the transitions almost by definition have become so field? It would perhaps be useful because of their refusal to write in the field, the expansion of the for the edification of all of you audience, the essentially benign what editors cannot gladly buy. Re to make such a list briefly as long sultantly, it is unlikely that any comnercial history of the last de as it is understood that only the cade, is science fiction due for novel embodying one (or, heaven for- fact of taboo remains constant; fend, two or three or four) of these another violent collapse at the end through the years different topics of another decade? taboos will achieve publication in will be unacceptable, old terrors the American market as I understand Many factors which applied in made safe, but there will always it in the coming decade. 1959 do not, of course, apply today. be in science fiction and other pop It would be easy to end this Science Fiction's audience is vast ular writing subjects which cannot, column with a call for the ending of ly expanded; then, too, it is no with only the extraordinary occas longer a magazine medium, exposed ional exception, be broached. such taboos, with cries of libera tion, with, at least, the ironic sug to the particular circumstances In 1979 a few of these topics gestion that it was the very taboo which caused the collapse of the en are: tire pulp distribution network two laden atmosphere of 1959 which con tributed to the near-collapse of the decades ago. Also, we like to think 1) Bleak, downbeat, depressing that we are older and wiser, that science fiction which implies a pain field and a similar atmosphere of taboo might do the same today un we have all learned something about ful termination to present social our medium and our audience within and cultural fix. less editors become adventurous, this period, we like to think that writers daring, readers glamorous 2) Science fiction which is and so on. Onward with liberated movies such as STAR WARS, ALIEN, highly internalized, that is writ the forthcoming STAR TREK have pro science fiction! It would be nice ten from the point of view of a well- to conclude that way and would tie vided a mass base of interest so defined central character whose large as to make us invulnerable off this column nicely but I do perceptions are idiosyncratic and not believe that it is so. I do to even the most catastrophic "ad whose stream of consciousness is justments". not feel that science fiction will the central fact of the book. become liberated or (if it did) that its liberation would have any Still, one does not know. One 3) Science fiction which impli thing to do with avoiding a col cannot be certain and there is fear es that contemporary accepted social lapse, a true science fiction might in the marketplace and among the mores of sexuality, socioeconomics destroy the field commercially and writers. What would be of most in or familial patterning might be science fiction may be flourishing terest to overseas readers of the corrupting, dangerous or destructive form and what most of them do not 4) Science fiction which owes really suspect is the degree to less to "plot" --a logical, pro which the very quality of fear it gressive ordering of events -- than self can be said to control the "mood" -- the effect the events have production and marketing of science upon characters. fiction in America. Most editors publish and acquire books not to be 5) Science fiction which is at successful but to avoid failure, the hard edge of contemporary scien they seek that which they consider tific investigation...science fic safe and most writers, who are of tion which denies Einsteinian theo course at the mercy of these editors ry, faster than light travel or soc function out of the same motivations: ial darwinism. They must produce work which will not offend, which will not cause an This dismal listing is not editor to question the comnercial meant in any way to imply that I, viability of a book and hence re the writer, in any way endorse some ject it. Science fiction like much of the tabooed viewpoints. It is commercial literature can perhaps merely to say that a science fiction be best understood in terms of what 9 in America now precisely to the de The hero assumes leadership of the THE VIGILANTES: A brawling and gree that it is saying less and group when its previous leader is lusty crew of highly individuated worse than ever before. Science assassinated by government agents space surveyors land upon Antares fiction has become big hisiness in led to the hideaway by a corrupt in VI for a shore leave. They find the United States, it is not quite former within the group. He leads themselves -- the canny Scot, the there with movies and television a successful revolution and is at redheaded naive kid, the shrewd old but it is intersecting and it is the head of an invading corps of sev engineer, Sparks the Communicator, run ultimately --in almost all cas eral hundred automobiles who enter Lila the Beautiful Mysterious Survey es -- by the same people. the city and free all of its resi or -- in the midst of a planetary And brave new 1980 to Kombluth dents from the servility and bleak revolution; a corrupt system based ness of public transport. The cor upon slavery is being attacked by a and Kuttner's successors. rupt informer turns out to be his disorganized group of vigilantes second in command; he runs him over who have been pushed back from the with his automobile after a desper castles after an unsuccessful as ate struggle. In the final scene sault. The vigilantes flee to the the hero and his girlfriend return space surveyors for aid; the space to the countryside to obtain more surveyors help them, using little automobiles. but their wits and such primitive THE ALL-TIME, PRIME TIME, TAKE ME technology as is available aboard TO YOUR LEADER SCIENCE FICTION PLOT the ship;they rig a world-wrecking THE OLD MAN: The Old Man is a device and unseat the old regime. beggar upon a distant planet; he In my last column, I contributed Lila is presuaded by her Vivilante lives at the bottom of a corrupt, lover to become Queen of the Free An for discussion a number of plot con technologically-dominated society; ceptions which would be totally un tares but the rest of the crew mat he begs for sustenance; he adopts a ter of factly pack away their instru saleable in the contemporary Ameri small lad who has been abandoned on can science fiction market. Lest I ments, fuel up and meditatively pre the streets by a pitiless government pare for further adventures. (NOTE: acquire, in one of my favorite count which makes waste materials of citi ries, an undeserved reputation for If the regime being thrown is anti- zens who cannot sustain themselves. slavery it might be possible to get bleakness and gloom, I would like He passes on to the lad much lore to right the balance in this col a magazine sale on this although and when the lad becomes eighteen book publication would be less like umn: having provided plot ideas tells him that the lad will be the which would not sell, I would like ly. It depends upon whether you Ruler of the Universe. The Old Man would rather sell to magazines or to contribute several which will. dies, passing on a legacy of a mag I can virtually guarantee to any book editors; per word they pay ic coin. The coin lends vast psy about the same.) writer of routine proficiency and chic powers to the youth who emplan dedication with persistence, fluency es upon a starship to Old Earth to FUTILITY AND DISORDER: An old, and decent acquaintance with editors follow his destiny. The young man weak, half-blind Terrestrial Scout a sale if we will use any of the with his magic coin rises to the with a heart condition and only two following ideas. They have been highest socioeconomic levels of pieces of wood is abducted by a good in the American markets for Old Earth. He turns out to be the Fleet Battalion of Rigelians who at least the last forty years, they son of the deposed Old Earth Ruler - seek to torture him for information should be good for at least forty the magic coin gives him powers of that will enable them to win the more. Perhaps fifty. unconscious recall -- and in an ex Great War against Terra. The Scout THE UNDERGROUND: The protagon citing final scene overthrows the uses his two pieces of wood to build ist is a member of a future society cornpt usurper to the throne and a solar generator in confinement and based upon some exaggeration of assumes his rightful destiny. He, in between interrogative sessions at present-day circumstance perceived however, never marries. which he cleverly outwits the stupid as "trend". A society in which aliens, brings about a simulated automobiles are banned would be Solar Eclipse which panics them as quite serviceable; driving or auto they are afraid this sudden darken possession are criminal offenses, ing portends ten thousand years of citizens move only via tramways, Nightfall. The Rigelians sue for public conveyances and so on. Per help; the scout causes the eclipse sonal freedoms, consequently, have to pass and takes the battalion lead been limited by an autocratic gov er under his personal coimand to ernment in the name of "energy sur return to Earth for surrender. Also, vival". The protagonist, a youth the Terrestrial Scout finds that in his early twenties, is initially his eyesight has been much inproved accepting of his society but falls by the carotene-laden atmosphere of in (perhaps through his girlfriend) the Rigelian outpost planet. with a rowdy bunch who keep forbid AMAZING GRACE: A prophetess den automobiles on a private estate appears amidst the superstitious hundreds of miles from the central and primitive peoples of an Older city. He is horrified and seeks to Earth and forecasts the wonders to turn them over to the authorities come which includes the Pyramids, but is, perhaps, subdued by force. the Sphinx, television, radar, auto He is then educated by the rowdies mobiles and guns. The primitives, into understanding that in the name awed and frightened, rise to slay of "energy survival" the government her and she is apparently killed is well on the way to eroding all but surfaces in a different guise on personal freedoms; reluctantly at another part of the planet where she first and then with a growing sense exerts a powerful benign force upon of commitment he makes their cause humanity through the focussing lens his own. Their cause of course is of her third eye which is opened to invade the cities by automobile. 10 only in the late evening. HOLD THAT TIGER: A child in the American midwest of the early THE ALTER-EGO VIEWPOINT twentieth century is escorted by his father through a marvelous cir cus in which is seen: a green Editor's Note: This is essentially oceans. But when they arrive we beast, a three-homed beast, a mag the third GALAXY book review column humans have an advanced civiliza ical dwarf, a spider with talons of I wrote for Hank Stine. It was not tion and it is past 2000 A.D. gold, a polar bear who plays cello, used due to the inpending and actual "Naturally a state of war ex a camel who plays saxophone, a doc sale of GALAXY to GALILEO. ists instantly. And the key to tor who can ingest living material With the editing of some GALAXY- solving this problem is the near and excrete it in a state of death related chit-chat in the beginning, death handful of humans who still and similar marvels. The child is here is what I wrote. barely exist in the Gulf Trader. suddenly abandoned by his father "James White writes smooth and and abducted by the polar bear cel he draws credible characters and list who tells the child that he "Let me at them books, Geis! he has good pace and suspense, but will become part of the exhibition; Don't hold me back. Unleash me! he fractured my credulity with the the child is terrified but his rois Let me—" set-up and the coincidences. Nice tering screams are considered by I haven't laid a finger on try, though." the audience to be merely part of you, Alter. You're free to say • a Screaming Child Wonder Presenta whatever you want. fcShudder* All tion and he can obtain no help at the codes of fair reviewing will "Geis and me, we're suckers for all; he lunges at the polar bear shatter, but.... do your awful good science fiction and fantasy in grief and desperation and before thing. art books. So I'm going to review his very eyes sees the dwarf become "bty first victim will be James BEAUTY AND THE BEASTS---The Art of a marvelous flower, the flower open White's THE WATCH BELOW [Ballan Hannes Bok, published in limited ing up to speed the child from the tine, $1.75], First White stacked edition by Gerry de la Ree, $15.50, dream to the reality which is that the deck in the matter of the hand large-size, hardbound, coated paper ful of people (including two young of his deathbed at the turn of the — a first class printing job. twentieth century. (NOTE: If this women and a doctor) who survived I used not to like Bok's draw is preferred in the young adult in the water-tight holds of a sunk ing. Too stiff and blocky. But tanker loaded with food and other market the child does not wake on this volume shows the development supplies. his deathbed but in his father's of his style and his mastery of "The ship was torpedoed during arms outside the circus; the father techniques as the years passed. In World War II, and these people not asks him if he would prefer to see the last few years of his life he only survived, they married, had the circus or to sleep and the child was doing superior work. children, and those children grew says childishly, "I am frightened, "He died in 1964 at age 49, but up and had children... The doctor I would like to sleep" as his fath his greatest "visibility" as a even passed his knowledge on to er carries him away.) fantasy and sf artist was in the his son. forties and fifties. His 1951 "Through the yearsthese people I cannot guarantee a sale on drawings for "Pickman's Model" by try to signal passing ships, but H.P. Lovecraft, and his "51 work any of these plots ... there are no fail. Various schemes for escape guarantees in our very complex, for Austin Hall's THE SPOT OF LIFE fail. The people endure...and are Bok at his Bokiest. painful and competitive business. gradually eat away at the vast On the other hand I can promise "De la Ree's address: 7 Cedarwood hoard of food in the holds. And Lane, Saddle River, NJ 07458." you -- assuming, once again, that the ship rusts.... you have friends among the editors "It also seems there is a paral and every writer had better find lel story of aliens in a fleet of "Brace yourselves—I'm going to them sooner rather than later -- a ships escaping their boiling plan swift and sympathetic reading, a review a comic book. Yep, it's et, seeking a new home. Most of called EMPIRE, published by Berkley concerned and passionate response the aliens are in deepfreeze till and perhaps a contract and in due (in its Windover Book division) and the new home is reached, but the it costs $9.95. There is excellent course an advance to speed you crews, scheduled to rotate duty— through the writing of all the se full-color artwork by Howard V. Chay- so many years in the freeze, so kin (a top professional) and a sto quels to these novels through all many keeping the fleet on course the eight to twelve to (occasional ry written by that one and only and running smoothly—discover literary purist, Samuel R. Delany. ly) twenty-two years of your produc that after the second revival their tive and creative, your artistic "Delany wrote DAHLGREN, TRITON, brains deteriorate. One on-duty THE EINSTEIN INTERSECTION, NOVA, and dedicated, your daring and your crew decide to 'warm' a few females soul-testing writing career. and others. What's this pure sty and stay on duty for generations, list, this multiple Hugo and Nebu ************************************ passing on to their children the la award winner doing scripting a knowledge and duties required to book-length comic strip? keep the fleet on course and in "That's for him to know. What good maintenance. he's done is go to your basic in "Now, the crux of all this is terstellar STAR WAIS plot which in that the aliens are water-creatur turn was your basic sf plot from es, and they are aiming to make a the year one: good-people rebels home in Earth's oceans. And they struggling to overthrow the galaxy splash-in just about the time the wide dictatorship. air and food are giving out in the "Don't expect his usual peotic tanker. passages, his beautiful figures of "See, the aliens' exploratory speech. What you'll get is pseudo probe of Earth showed the natives scientific gobbledegook and one- —us—to be uncivilized and un sentence descriptions of action likely to cause problems in the and/or dialogue. The pretty comic 11 book pictures is where it's at in this book. If the universe has any pur ments to the...wisdom and truth "True, Delany does show vivid pose more important than Diane Duane gives in the telling imagination in creating a shape topping a woman you love and of this really fine novel. changing spaceship and the crystal- making a baby with her hearty "There were a few excessive ine 'demon' statue which is the key help, I've never heard of it. ly introspective, overly-long to the information-control dictat segments, but on the whole, this orship of the evil Kunduke. But The two highest achievements is a marvelous book." beyond that he's wrought pure of the human mind are the formula adventure science fiction... twin concepts of "loyalty" or what I like to call magic-sci and "duty." Whenever these ence fiction. twin concepts fall into dis "It is not my intent to like too "Hell, the truth is this story repute—get out of there many books, but THE MAD THRONE by is pure fantasy—magic and spells fast! You may po-sibly save Brad Munson [Fawcett, $1.75] is and supernatural creatures and yourself, but it is too late worth reading. necromancers and witches and en to save that society. It is "It fooled me in the beginning chantments and Good vs. Evil. All doomed. by starting off as a contemporary Delany has done is change the names novel set in the New York showbiz/ of the story funiture." In a family argument----if it theatre scene...some mentioned "You might say so what? Isn't turns out you are right---- strange deaths of actors and ac anything possible in the far fu apologize at once! tresses and other show business ture or far past? Yes, provided people...and then Connor, the star it's disciplined and plausible; in "There are those who will not of a New York stage play, is trans this effort Delany is sloppy in agree the above are pearls of wis ported, while asleep, into the body those areas. dom. Tsk." of a high class warrior/knight in "This happens to be far-future, a strange land--rapparently an the 61st century, with Earth spell alternate Earth which is all forest ed Eyrth, and they rebel loner is "Ordinarily I look askance at and medieval and with some magic in a woman named Qrelon, and the young and avoid like the plague first the form of a sorcerer's apprent man drawn into the struggle is nam novels. But I have to admit that ice—and I was abruptly into a ed Wryn. Both are beautiful/hand- Diane Duane's first sf novel, THE sword § sorcery fantasy. some. Lots of skin-tight costumes DOOR INTO FIRE [Dell, $1.95] was "Connor has trouble adjusting for the females. an excellent read...in spite of to all this, naturally, and nearly "I note the publisher calls this the overly cute, ego-tripping "Ov gets himself killed, sliced, captur 9 x 12 book a 'visual novel'. The erture" (introduction) by David ed by agents of the central city. serious practitioners of story-tell Gerrold. The Council want him to be king, ing by pictures have been seeking a "I guess you'd have to call this since the body he wears (and its more appropriate name for what they novel a fantasy, come to think. former identity) is next in line do for years. 'Comic book' doesn't What I especially liked was the and they're desperate because each make it. 'Graphic story' didn't realness of the magic and the new king goes mad in a short while quite fit the bill. Maybe 'visual' physical and mental cost it impos and kills himself. is the right tag. ed on the magician. Too, she creat "Connors discovers others who "Maybe. But I wonder who's going ed a whole, coherent society, cul have been transported from Earth- to fork over ten bucks for this ture... it's enough to make old as-we-know-it to inhabit bodies 116-page comic book, even if it is pros sick with envy and despair. in this other-Earth. One is a full-color on heavy book paper and "The novel is nitty-gritty, un tough-minded young woman named Dean has a stiff, glossy cover. The compromising, and built on a deep na Patricks who is in the lush body print run had to be small, which understanding of human beings and of a woman called Deelamarra whose forces the single copy price up. our wide capacity and need for friends call her Thunderthighs. Color printing is expensive as love and belonging. "There are aliens involved, too, hell, and this 'visual novel' only Her hero's deep emotional and called Skalds, who are telepathical takes an hour or less to "read." physical love for his male friend ly linked, cold, cruel—who want That leaves fanatics and rabid col since boyhood, his love for the to rule the City and the known lectors as the buyers." strange, alien fire elemental he world. saves from death, and his liking "So Connors and the other discov and love-capacity for women makes ered transported ones organize a "My opinion of Robert A. Hein him not a perverted bisexual of rebellion and assault the City, lein's THE NOTEBOOKS OF LAZARUS the kinky kind, but a whole human and... LONG [Putnam's, $4.95] is more being in a society in which the "This is a good, detailed, real favorable. This is an 11 x 7 gender of a body doesn't matter: istic (cuss words, people go to glossy-cover quality paperback love, affection, sharing... these bed with eath other) fantasy...but consisting of the short, pithy, matter most. The rest is mere I was put off by Munson's light cynical, brutal, truthful, ideal plumbing and techniques appropriate heartedness and coyness at times. istic observations on life and to the plumbing. Tongue-in-cheekiness tells the read the human animalby Lazarus Long, "The hero's quest and eventual er not to take it too seriously, the eternal, inmortal Heinlein triumph over his own self and ad it's only a tall tale. I resent character who occupies much of versity are of great interest, that. An author undermines sus Heinlein's novels, especially naturally, especially the narrow pense and interest with that ap METHUSELAH'S CHILDREN and TIME escape from the awful creatures proach . ENOUCH FOR LIVE. The Notebooks from another time/galaxy/dimension "Some writers are unconsciously are illuminated (medieval scribe which he inadvertently released embarrassed to be straight while style) by artist D. F. Vassallo. from a kind of prison built by writing a fantasy adventure. They "Some sanpies of Heinlein's the Old Ones. can't help winking at the reader. wisdom: "But all the realism and detail "Pity. Munson succumbed to Beware of altruism. It is and verisimilitude are but enhance- that urge in this novel and the based on self-deception, the novel is flawed because of it." root of all evil. 12 ************************************ AND THEN I SAW....
BY THE EDITOR
THE BLACK HOLE (PG) is possibly the worst straight s-f movie ever made. It isn't a satire, a jape, a parody; it was made simply for pre-teen children of all ages. It is abysmal Disney juvenile junk. It will make any scientist suffer the Cringes from the first line of dialog, and will bring him to terminal Outrage within minutes. After that.... The plot is absurd, the acting is wooden, the script is wooden... There are incredibly comic-book "cute" robots, and incredibly clumsy "police" robots, and a caricature of menace robot....evil red eye, calculated evil shape... Every angle was used to push the instinc tual and culturally-inplanted buttons ocean (I guess) and take on solid not ask why it is located there. Its with these robots, the "humanoid" form... (Or were they solid from mission is to find ways to help not-men, the whirlpool black hole. the start, and simply animated, Earth's chronic food shortage.] It is a mad scientist movie. half-rotten corpses? Nothing is Keitel has with him a new robot It is a Moral movie so ridiculous clearly explained...perhaps/probably with a bionic brain he can program as to do more damage to the Christ to allow a lot of fast-and-loose with his personality and character. ian dogma of good and evil, Hell ghostly/corporeal behavior and The two people already on Saturn and Heaven than any film a devout powers.) 3 are Farrah Fawcett and Kirk Doug Atheist could make. The theory is six townspeople las . Farrah is as usual adequate, This film is a terrible waste must die to make up for the six but somehow too vanilla puddingish: of actors, technicians, special old crewmen who died in the ship [It should be noted that for a split effects...and your time and money wreck . second we are treated to her naked if you see it. They use curved knives and cargo breasts — rather bulbous and incon The producers took our beauti hooks and swords for these retri sistent with her skinniness, giving ful space, our spaceships, and butions. All at night, in the rise to the suspicion of implants shit in them. They used them with luminous fog... or injections.] She is a scientist out any understanding, any care, There are a lot of shocks, a lot assistant and love companion to Kirk any ethics, any honesty, any re of tension, some good acting and Douglas, a suitable hero and aging spect . sympathetic characters. star in great physical condition. They are pandering, ignorant, But the director, John Carpenter, The robot assembled and programed stupid, contenptible shitheads. who also made HALLOWEEN, messed up by Keitel behaves menacingly at first, Do not see the movie. Do not, his movie with typical Hollywood then homicidally. for Ghod's sake, encourage them! philosophy: All-the-people-want-are Its accomplishments—major micro gore-and-shock; we-can-insult-their- surgery and "mental" control of other, intelligence-any-way-we-want-to-that- low-grade robots — are preposterous, end. but wotthehell, it makes for some scary scenes. THE FOG (r) In the end Keitel is a victim of is an average horror movie his creation and Kirk Douglas a which excuses its irrationality, sacrificial hero. its sloppiness, its inconsistencies on the premise fl presume) that SATURN 3 (R) There are some fine touches in is a pretty good mad sci- with ghosts bent on revenge, any the film: the insectoid spacesuits entist/monster movie in sf drag. thing is possible, and damn the and subtle space station design; the If you examine it too closely, how plot. references to impersonal sex on Earth ever, it melts in your hand instead The R-rating is for the grue and a hive/socialized social struct of in your mouth. and violence. No sex. No nudity. ure; the forced death of citizens/ Harvey Keitel plays very well a A small California coast town workers too old; the use of various deranged Captain in the future Earth was founded 100 years ago by set government encouraged dream pills.... space force who has been examined tlers who lured a ship onto the But flaws: the needless humanform and found unstable. He kills a rocks with a fake signal fire, stole shape of the robot; the incredibly space pilot and escapes in a small the ship's gold, and made sure all dumb rings of Saturn which appear as the crew died. A fog helped them. spacer to Saturn 3, a small two-pers on hydroponics/food research station wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling So now, on the anniversary, a boulders through which spaceships located on a small Saturn moon. [Do similar fog rolls in and the ghosts must pass (with sounds of bunping of the ship's crew rise from the 13 and scraping...). We have another sf film which was should know Quinn Martin is a special given some fine touches of authen ist in formula action shows with lit ticity and realism—and which was tle plausibility or realism. They botched in major ways, suggesting produce TV shows for numbskulls, and STAR WHORES a fine script lobotomized by ignor THE ALIENS ARE COMING is more of the ant producer Martin Starger and/or same. producer-director Stanley Donen. AN EROTIC It's worth seeing, but be warned; SCIENCE FICTION NOVEL it will outrage you and delight you in different ways, sometimes at the BY same time. THE LATHE OF HEAVEN (iv) RICHARD Ei GEIS A very well done, faithful rend (A thank-you to Ron Daniel who fund ering of the Ursula K. Le Guin novel. ed our expenses in seeing SATURN 3.) It failed for the same reasons the novel failed. See my review of the book elsewhere in this issue.
BEYOND WESTWORLD (tv) Another NBC venture into (alas) formula "sci-fi": a megalomaniac has begun to use the Westworld robot tech THE CHANGELING (r) nology to attempt a takeover of the reveals a 70-year-old murder, U.S.A./world. A security agent, a a terrible, petulant, childish scientist and a pretty female assist (but effective) supernatural re ant must foil him week after week. venge, and an excellent performance Occasional good scenes and ideas by George C. Scott, who is the foc in a mess of action/violence/dang- us of the powerful forces unleashed er. in this story. Scott plays a famous musician moved to Seattle after his wife and child were killed in a freak auto accident in New York. His shattered THE ALIENS ARE COMING (tv) emotions and love for his dead lit But after watching this two-hour tle girl make him receptive to the TV movie (that is definitely a lead-in supernatural presence in the old for a weekly series on NBC) I wish house he has leased. they'd hang a left and go to Mars. These are familiar story ele This is the old theme of an ad ments, but the screenplay by Will vance party of Awful Aliens landing iam Gray and Diana Maddox is very on Earth to prepare the wav for the good, and the direction by Peter invasion by millions/billions of Medak is excellent. Scott is utter their species. ly convincing, which makes the film They appear in their saucer craft come alive. (which is huge—a quarter mile a- The R-rating seems to be relat cross and maybe a quarter mile high) Toi, Mata, and Senya are Sex ed to the harrowing scene showing to be robotoid, but have the ability Guild Companions, contracted a father deliberately murdering his to serve the men on an inter to become pure energy and sink into small son by drowning him in a tub. and take over a human body/mind. stellar mining ship. The supporting cast, especially A Nice Guy is taken over because Melvyn Douglas as a U.S. Senator On the way Out, Mata is hor he works at Hoover dam (They like all with a terrible secret, is excellent. ribly murdered. that power) and immediately begins to make people think he's Different. Toi and the Captain begin to A trio of Saucer investigators solve the murder mystery... has tracked the descent of the mon But life and sex must go on, ster Saucer and begins sniffing and BUCK ROGERS (TV) with Toi and Senya caring for finding... is the same old Juvenile as far's the needs of Mata's men as Well, after a lot of action, realism and coherence and plausibil well as their own. danger, chase, etc. the initial ob ity is concerned. Junk for morons jectives of the Awful Aliens are And when the killer is dis and kids. covered, a death crisis for foiled, but they have their sights This episode was "A 20th Cent on a high school (previewed) for the the ship and all aboard must ury earthling (Gary Coleman), rec be faced. next episode. ently released from suspended anima Flaring greenish eyes in a human tion, is being held by kidnapers on mean he/she has been Taken Over and a distant planet." is trying to hypnotize another human. Some episodes do have a modicum Now available. Approx.SO The U.S. radar net is unable to of sex--as various future women strut track a monster Saucer or its city copies left. $4.00 postpaid. or slink in revealing costumes. But Limited Edition: 490 copies block size local shuttle. seems like almost every junk TV’ ser Somehow the aliens are able to ies nowadays has at least one comely meld all their metal and tubing into lass waggling her ass and jiggling a human without any physical conse her jugs in a tight-fitting outfit. Send cash, check or money order quences . Low class America likes its T5A, ap to: SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW Somehow nobody ever sees an Awful parently. I say this straight, with P.O.Box 11408 Alien as it journeys from its huge out sneer. I like TLA myself. Portland, OR 97211 shuttle into a major city. ************************************ This is a QM Production, and you 14 AN INTERVIEW WITH FRED SABERHAGEN
SFR: Let's start off with some -- why is Ace Books reissuing the personal history. Since some of old titles when you have a number of your books, such as LOVE CONQUERS new ones just coming out? ALL and AN OLD FRIEND OF THE FAMILY take place in Chicago, I'm jumping SABERHAGEN: They must be discover to the conclusion that you hail from ing that the more of my books they that section of the country. How issue, the more money they make. did you end up in wild and woolley Albuquerque? SFR: I'm curious about the New Dracula books -- DRACULA TAPE, SABERHAGEN: When my last nine-to- HOLMES-DRACULA FILE and AN OLD FRIEND five job, writing for Encyclopaedia OF THE FAMILY. Why did you switch Britannica, folded up in Chicago, to vampire stories after starting and I decided to return to science out with straight science fiction? fiction full time, we looked around for a place that had all we wanted: SABERHAGEN: It started with my re the right size, congenial climate reading DRACULA, Stoker's original and so on. Albuquerque seems to Conducted By book, one time just for fun. It's come pretty close to the ideal. It really not a very good book, apart keeps growing, though, and maybe from its awesome central character. someday we'll want to move on. Neal WHgus What struck me very forcefully was the Count himself, though he domin SFR: The two books I mentioned ates everything, is actually on stage only a very small proportion with the Chicago locale both end SABERHAGEN: Out of my subconscious. with scenes that take place on the I was writing a space-opera-ish of the time. I wondered how he lake front. Is this an area with story in 1961 ("To Move and Win", thought and felt about the same ev some special significance to you sometimes known as "Fortress Ship") ents that Stoker described, and what or is it just a good location for and needed a villain, and there his viewpoint would be. And what final dramatic confrontations? they were. Fred Pohl, then editor he might have been doing while off of GALAXY, liked them, and the read stage. So THE DRACULA TAPE came in SABERHAGEN: I've spent a lot of ers liked them and Fred asked for to being. It will probably be out time there. Joan and I both prefer more. The rest is history, or at in a new Ace edition, with a new living near impressive natural phen least, as I've said elsewhere, it cover, thank God, before this inter omena. In Chicago it was the lake, has been going on ever since. view is printed. and here, of course, we have the mountains and the empty land. SFR: The TV disaster BATTLESTAR SFR: With the flood of vampire sto GALACTICA used essentially the same ries and movies continuing to flow, SFR: How did you first get inter idea as the Berserker series -- war do you anticipate doing another ested in science fiction and fantasy? with the killer machines. Do you Dracula novel? Why are vampires so Was there a particular book or auth feel this idea was stolen from your popular these days? or or magazine that got you hooked? books or is it a common enough theme to be public property? SABERHAGEN: I'm working on A MATTER SABERHAGEN: Sometime in the late OF TASTE now, and expect to have it 1930s, at the age of seven or eight, SABERHAGEN: Other writers were done by the end of 1979. It's long I came across a pulp magazine (I fighting the killer machines before er than any of the previous New don't remember which one, now) with I started, and I'm sure others will Draculas, and goes more into the a story in it that scared the day go on after I'm finished. I've nev real historical background of the lights out of me. Again, I don't er accused anyone of stealing the character. It should be out in 1980 recall title or author, but it had idea from me, though somehow, sometime, with a big promotional pudi to do with mysterious, evil spores through garbled interviews or what from Ace, and a cover by the same from outer space landing on Earth ever, the suggestion seems to keep artist who does Stephen King's. and causing all kinds of difficult coming up. As to why vampires are so pop ies. The effect on me was evidently ular, I wish I knew. I'm really a powerful one, because my parents SFR: Will there be more stories in not fascinated with them in general. forbade any more of that kind of mag the Berserker series? Are you work Only with the character of Dracula, azine being brought into the house. ing on any now? as it seemed to me to appear between Oh, well. Stoker's lines. Then in the '40s, as a teen SABERHAGEN: I'm not working on any ager, I got hooked on old ASTOUND- right now, but I'd say there prob SFR: A number of your stories feat INGS at a used magazine store. But ably will be more. It all depends ure characters who are wood carvers none ever had quite the effect on on what ideas come forward to be or sculptors -- is this one of your me of that first earlier exposure. written. And, to some extent, on own hobbies or outside interests? I wish I could locate and identify what editors ask for. that story now. SABERHAGEN: No. I seem to have a SFR: There seems to be a flood of lot of painters, too, but I don't SFR: Where did the Berserkers come Saberhagen books on the market now draw or paint. Would like to col from? 15 lect art sometime, if I can come 14) VEILS OF AZLAROC to circumvent the laws of physics as presently under stood. At what point does this kind of science-magic become so implaus ible as to lose the reader's credib ility? Do you think such "viola tions" of physical law will someday be found to actually exist?
SABERHAGEN: I think that present day astronomers, physicists and cos mologists, brilliant though they are, have a long way to go before understanding the universal physical with a best seller or two to pro laws. Quarks, mysteriously doubled vide the funds. quasars, missing neutrinos -- real ly it's a sign of scientific prog SFR: I noticed that the ending of SFR: Recently you've switched roles ress. We have advanced far enough ARDNEH'S WORLD, the third volume in and become editor of A SPADEFUL OF to now understand that we understand the EMPIRE OF THE EAST trilogy, is SPACETIME, an anthology of original almost nothing. Every time we get somewhat revised from the original SF stories. Is this something you a good look, for the first time, at when the novel appeared separately have wanted to get into for a long some quasi-familiar object in our as CHANGELING EARTH. How extensive time? own solar system, through an unman ly were the three novels rewritten ned probe, the results are surpris when they became one volume? SABERHAGEN: Yes, because there are ing. I obviously don't know what's certain ideas I wanted to pursue at the galactic core. But I'd be SABERHAGEN: Quite a lot was done, in theme anthologies, and Jim Baen willing to bet it will prove every in key places, particularly the end at Ace is willing to go along with bit as outre as the Taj. ing. The three books were original me. I think we're going to do at ly written at well-separated times, least one more when SPACETIME is SFR: In your science fantasy tril and when I began the first I had no finished, which should be soon. ogy, EMPIRE OF THE EAST, magic and idea at all of how the third was go science sort of take turns running ing to end, or even of who Ardneh SFR: As an editor do you find you things. What's the difference be was. I welcomed the chance to re have a different outlook on writing? tween this kind of fantasy-magic do some things, and this is the de A different philosophy of what SF and the "black hole magic" of a finitive version as far as I'm con is all about? What is SF all about science fiction story like VEILS cerned. -- do you have a definition? OF AZLAROC? SFR: To my mind EMPIRE OF THE EAST SABERHAGEN: The good thing about SABERHAGEN: Black holes are now is your best work yet -- though I SF is that you don't have to con generally accepted by scientists, haven't yet read THE MASK OF THE strain it by definitions. Some sto though not demonstrable on Earth, SUN. Do you think you'll ever do ries, most, I guess, put my Dracula at least not so far. I would be a follow-up to EMPIRE -- perhaps an books in the science fiction sec very skeptical about anyone's claim other Rolf trilogy? Or are you off tion, I suppose because the rest of to demonstrate real magic. But already on a different track alto my books are there. Others call black holes and magic could have ex gether? them Occult or Mystery. I'd like isted on the Earth in the past, or to see them in all three places, may come to it in the future. Lar SABERHAGEN: Thanks. If EMPIRE sells for increased sales. Apart from ry Niven's THE MAGIC GOES AWAY a million copies I'm sure I could this practical consideration, it could be closer to reality than we be persuaded. Or at least I probab doesn't seem to me to matter in the think. ly could. Actually, I feel tired least. I think my point is really of that world now, having been What is SF all about? At best, that, even though spectroscopy in through it so many times. Right helping to define what humanity and dicates that atoms in far-distant now, I'm excited about A MATTER OF the universe are all about. galaxies are behaving much like TASTE, which I mentioned earlier. atoms on earth, we are not justifi And when that's finished, something ed in assuming that all physical called OCTAGON, which will be a SFR: Although I didn't find it too laws are immutable through the very different track indeed. More convincing, I was intrigued by the whole universe of space and time. than that I don't want to say right idea in LOVE CONQUERS ALL that con (Really, I'm still working on the now. ventional sexual taboos might event question before this one.) ually be totally reversed so that SFR: Is there a "message" in your it's "obscene" to act chastely. Do work? Are the Berserkers a warn you think such a reversal will ever ing --or just entertainment? come about? Should it? SABERHAGEN: I hope that all my work SABERHAGEN: No, I don't think it is entertainment, to begin with. really will or that it should. I If it is that, then I can start hop was just using the old science fic ing that it's something more. That tion technique of turning something my robots and vampires and strange inside out to see how it looked that worlds will help define what it way. means to be an Earth-creature, what it really means to be a human being. SFR: You've used cosmological mag ic such as the Taj in BERSERKER MAN SFR: Thank you, Mr. Saberhagen. or the black hole/pulsar system in 16 ************************************ and dish washers; we have no stock ists in the village, but we have NOISE LEVEL agencies that can get them for you, or you can take a Safeways bus to Yeovil, ten miles away, and make a. colnmn your selection. Safeways is a vil lage firm, of course. That apart: Want a house built? (We're in John bpunnep a conservation area, so it will have to be of stone or "reconstruct ed stone", to match existing build ings.) At least three firms will quote for it, and a village firm will do the earth-moving, too. Want WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT ENGLAND'S an old one re-wired? Mr. Gandy, in GREEN UNPLEASANT LAND? North Street, will attend to it. Or re-plumbed and fitted with cent Reading the Seacon reports ral heating? See Mr. Beale in Coles which have come my way -- above all, Lane. Want to furnish it and fit Charlie Brown's remarks on the cost it out with carpets and curtains? of living over here, of which Mal So then I took them to the Manor Ask Mr. Cornelius in St. James colm Edwards correctly observed, House, which is a fine example of a Street. "Charlie, they saw you coming!" -- fifteenth-century Great House, Need a loan to pay for that lot? it occurs to me that probably very though much modified and with sever The National Westminster Bank, one few Americans have any clear idea of al additions. It's popularly known of Britain's Big Four, has a branch what life is like in Britain, not as "King Ina's Palace" after the opposite the square. in a big city (cities are much the great law-giver of the South Saxons same everywhere I've been) but in who held his court here in 693. Men's wear? Two shops in the the sort of place where I live; a (That's right: not 1693 -- 693. main street. Women's clothing? country village. At the later date they were probably Two again, plus a third if your still moaning about how Judge Jef taste extends to the ethnic look, Mark you, ours is a bit excep fries came here during the Bloody because then you're talking about tional. Or we like to think so. Assizes which followed the Monmouth that very remarkable place Global Here then is a paean of praise Rebellion and ordered three men Village Crafts, the bow-windowed for South Petherton, Somerset. hanged from a beam which you can shop on whose stone door-post a see across a garage entrance in the carefully-restored sign still says, Our very first visitors from main street. You mean you didn't "Licensed to sell Tea, Coffee, To abroad after our arrival here were know we had a Civil War two centur bacco and Snuff, 1842". Brainchild a young American poet and his girl ies before yours?) of a Methodist minister who used friend whom we'd met at the Living Report has it that a Roman vil to work for relief agencies in the Arts Centre in Dayton, Ohio. I la was once found within the con Third World, it deals in hand-made took them from our home, which is fines of the parish. Unfortunately goods of every kind, preferably chiefly the servants' quarters of they forgot where it was again. from co-operatives in under-develop what must have been a rather fine ed countries, and the profits are Victorian mansion, built of local But if you go down North Street ploughed back into the firm up stone, via the "scenic route" along (the continuation of which is cal stairs: Rural Communications Ltd., our own street, up George Lane led Droveway, because our village publishers of an "appropriate tech which is fringed with traditional was a stopping-place for the herds nology" magazine called BASICS. cottage gardens, and whose name and flocks which used to be driven conmemorates the fact that there on the hoof from the West Country Hungry? Well, apart from three was once another pub where the chem to the London market) and look to grocery stores you get your milk ist's shop (drugstore) stands, und your right, you will see terraces and bread delivered if you want, and on the hillside which testify cer er a brick archway into the main a fishmonger comes by with his van square where markets were already tainly to Saxon, and very possibly on Thursdays. (Last night I served to Neolithic, farming here. being held in the reign of King moules a la mariniere for supper.) John (died 1216), past the church -- All of which impressed our Also there is a fish-and-chip shop there was a church on the site when guests so much that I've done and three restaurants, one of which William the Conqueror sent out his roughly the same tour with most of is of international standard, boast clerks to compile the Domesday Boke our subsequent visitors, including ing the AA rosette, and another in 1087 -- and down the stone steps three Chinese whom we invited in (our favourite). which lead into the main street. the spring of '79. A neighbourhood restaurant of They got there, and stood shak Who were chiefly struck by how the kind to be found all over France, ing their heads. The guy said, "I empty the countryside is, conpared but rare in Britain. didn't know people still lived in with China ... places like this! It's like walk Wholefoods? At the greengroc ing into a stage-set!" er's in the square, along with their locally-grown vegetables and lots Goods and services? Anything When I'd pointed out the range of imports. Medical care? Four you could reasonably want right now, of shops, he asked what the popula doctors in a group practice under up to and including a car or a col tion was. I'd inquired at the post the National Health Service, plus our TV, can be obtained within a office and was able to tell him: the wife of one of them who is a mile of my front door. I must make under 3000. gynaecologist, cover this village a minor exception for heavy consum and another 2 1/2 miles away, al To which he replied, "A town er durables like washing machines this size in Ohio would have maybe ternating between two surgeries. a gas station." 17 There's also a hospital, though mainly for geriatric cases. The in action at a meeting to protest trap partly because I saw this re pharmacy is on the main square. about a new and unnecessary road cession coming, but mostly because across the area. One of the speak I'm not comfortable with that kind Trouble with the law? Constable ers was the Liberal parliamentary of commercial operation. Parker lives near Mr. Gandy the el candidate for the constituency. Af ectrician. The lawyers' office is ter the meeting he came over and ad almost opposite the doctors' house, dressed our visitors in flawless where a sign says "Under-Sheriff's Mandarin. HUGO...WHEREFORE ART THOU, HUGO? Office for the County of Somerset". It isn't everywhere in the world Post office? Next door to the ser you can have that happen, is it? I have in my hot, trembling vice station. Churches? There are ************************************ hands two announcements/letters four: C. of E., Catholic, Methodist from George Flynn (in charge of and United Reformed. Public toil Hugo voting) which tell me SCIENCE ets? In the square, at Blake Hall ALIEN THOUGHTS CONTI NIED FROM P. 5 FICTION REVIEW has been nominated where the parish council meets and for the Science Fiction Achievement most public functions are held; for, know approximately when it will Award (commonly called the Hugo the ladies' is next to the public be on sale, and know they'll like it Award) for Best Fanzine of 1979. library and the gents' next to the and buy it. And that I, Richard E. Geis, sports and social club. The overwhelming support of the have been nominated for the Best The Crown is an old coaching magazine comes from subscribers, and Fan Writer Award for 1979. inn, and still has the yard where a cover that shouts at passersby on There are five nominees in coaches could unload under cover ly irritates them. It does me, any each category, and the winner (aft (its ballroom is built out over it). way. er a final ballot) will be announc Across the way the Bell was also a So this issue I'm returning to ed at the Awards Ceremony at the coaching-inn, and during our annual the uncluttered cover format of yore. World Science Fiction Convention to Folk Festival -- held on the week In fact, even more pristine and non be held (this year) in Boston. The end nearest to Midsummer Day to com commercial than ever before, with convention this year is called Nor- memorate the fair granted more than only the issue number and price. eascon Two and is the 38th world 750 years ago which I mentioned ear In future issues I may be able science fiction convention. lier --it acts as a centre for the to make other improvements. The ceremony will be in Hynes song side of events. That's also Auditorium on the evening of Sun The policy of no advertising (ex where the weekly folk-song club day, August 31st. cept a few ads for my other publish meets, in the room above the skittle- YAHHHHOOOOOOO!!!!!! ing efforts) will continue. In fact, alley. Thanks to all those members of after CANNED MEAT and STAR WHORES Noreascon Two who nominated me and Behind the Crown is a wall sell out the only ad might be for my SFR. standing by itself. I showed it to personal journal...and I might not a friend from Paris and asked what even push that! it was; most people have no idea. Why? I want to focus all my He said immediately, "C'est un fron reading and writing time on SFR, and BLOOD AND GOR ton de pelote." He'd been to the I want a professional-quality but Basque country and seen pelota, or no-hype, non-commercial format and Rory Coker of Austin, Texas, sent jai alai as it's better known in image. along a long newspaper story about the States. Seems that in the late the young man whose defense on a Those small press sf and fantasy Middle Ages it was regarded as a murder charge was that his reading mags which have had high percentages proper pastime for novice monks. of the Got books influenced him to of page totals in ads are now in ser So that wall must have been there act out his fantasies. ious trouble because the big publish I'11 quote the story from the for -- oh -- half a millennium? ers are cutting back on advertising. Nowadays most people call it a Decenber 1, 1979 AUSTIN AMERICAN- Andy Porter has had to cut STARSHIP'S Fives tower, but you still some STATESMAN. Then I'll have a com pages way back, for instance, and times hear the term "pallotty wall'. ment. other, less secure (financially) The village carnival takes place magazines will face losses and some 'Strangulation defendant fanta in September. If you can't wait will cease publication. When you sized tying up girls that long, pop up to the Combined live by ads, you die for lack of By John Sutton Arts Centre near the cemetery (Oh, them. I've kept SFR out of that 'In a barely audible voice Fri- yes, you can get buried here too -- the undertakers double as one of the local building firms) and in quire about the Choral Society, or the Dramatics Group, or the Local History Society, or the folk-dance club, or ...
Plus, of course, all the sport ing events, from skittles and darts to cricket and football, not to men tion angling in the nearby River Parrett from which by peculiar met athesis the village derived its name. Next on the menu, as I write, are the Shrove Tuesday pancake races.
When those Chinese were here, we took them to see village politics 18 day, Robert (Terry) Terhune----on choking, remember seeing hands in COMOJT trial for the choking death of his front of my face----hers, I guess. 16-year-old neighbor----testified he It was like I wasn't in that room I suppose in years to cone cens often fantasized about tying up anymore. I just remember seeing or types will point to this case as neighborhood teen-age girls so he hands. an example of "pornography" trigger could "dominate" them like the hero '"Then there was a knife, I re ing a young man to murder. Inflamed of a series of sexually explicit member. I remember hearing that dog by the lurid prose... It will be science fiction books he was fond of barking. I don't remember any sound made to appear that he was the help reading. except that dog barking, barking. I less, innocent victim...a disturbed 'The 22-yearold former Univers remember she (Pauka) was being sad. boy who might not have killed but ity of Texas architecture student is I didn't want to watch what I was for the existence and easy availabil on trial for murder in 126th State watching. It wasn't like I was do ity of this vile literature. District Court for the March 30 ing it. It was like watching and That's bullshit. You might as stabbing and strangulation death of not being able to stop watching," he well condeim and proscribe the Navy Paula Ashbaugh, an Anderson High said. literature which tempted him to want School sophomore. 'Terhune said he remembered "see to become a pilot. 'Terhune described the science ing blood and trying to stop the Or the social/cultural pressures fiction series in which the main blood" and remembered running from which shaped his need to succeed so character chronicles his adventures the house. "I just ran. I didn't desperately. on the male-dominated world of Gor. know what happened. I couldn't und And make sure no child/boy or 'On Gor, "There are many female erstand it. I panicked. I was run girl in the future is exposed to the slaves. It is very strong on bond ning. I was not thinking." trauma of a parent's death—up age," he said, describing the series 'Terhune said he could not be close. as sexually explicit and sexually lieve that he had done anything. Robert Terhune broke under arousing. 'Afterward at his own house, Ter pressure—obviously—and a symptom 'He said he had gotten in the hune testified, "I was in a state of of his cracking was his choice of habit of reading the books before shock. I didn't know what to do.... reading material. Now, nothing is going to bed at night, and then be Iremember just being sick. I rememb said in this story about his psycho- fore he would fall asleep, he fanta er I took those clothes off, took a sexual development. Was he popular sized about "tying up women, not so shower. I felt dirty. I got dress with girls? Was he a virgin? Was much for sexuality, but for the ed, and had those clothes there is a he a socially awkward jerk who rare dominance. Sometimes it would be pile. They were just arguing with ly dated? women in the books, or women I had me. My mind was arguing back and As I interpret and deduce from known...neighborhood girls, possibly forth. I had to get them away. They this story, he couldn't stand the Paula. were disturbing me." strains and his subconscious (ego- '"I feel people have fantasies, 'He drove a friend to classes at id) shorted out his surface self and some more bizarre than others," he UT and then motored out to West Lake found a desperate way out. A solut said. Terhune said his fantasies Hills to bury the clothes and rope in ion to his problems which will last did not include violence, but added, a rubbish pile. a lifetime. Now he doesn't have to "Tying someone up wouldn't seem to 'Terhune said he was under in worry about a Navy pilot career, a- me to be hurting anyone." creasing pressure at school and was bout graduating, about a job, about 'He said he fantasized about ty distraught over the thought that he relationships with girls. That's ing up women the night before Ash would not be aboe to fulfill his all settled now. He's free. I'll baugh was slain. lifelong desire of becoming a Navy bet on a deep level he can't admit, 'During the five hours Terhune pilot because he often became air he's happy. Strangely content. Es was on the stand, he described sensa sick when he flew. pecially if he blamed himself for his tions he recalled on the morning the 'His defense lawyers contend he dad's death, somehow. teen-ager was choked to death with a was temporarily insane at the time The Gor book Terhune read didn't rope and her body was stabbed 35 tim of the killing, and police and dis trigger him, or cause that murder. es . trict attorney investigators already Nor did the political reading mater 'Terhune, who said he had been have testified that when he was ial of Sirhan Sirhan cause or trigg under pressure at school, said he questioned he spoke of a third per er him to assassinate Robert Kennedy. didn't remember waking up that morn son and said "the other guy" killed [If you buy the Gor books as censor ing last spring. Paula Ashbaugh. able, better gear up to gut all pol '"The first thing I remember was 'Terhun's psychiatrist. Dr. itical and religious writings as walking—seeing my feet walking. It Richard Alexander, said during the well, for starters.] was like walking on a cloud or in a 56 hours of examination conducted in I think we are all predisposed fog." 84 visits his patient's story stayed to "buy" certain ideas, fictions, 'He said he didn't know where he consistent. opinions from the spectrum of human was going, or why he went to the 'Alexander said Terhune had ex thought by our genes, our body chem Ashbaugh house, six houses down from perienced an early trauma in his istry and our environment. Body his, where his best friend's sister life when his father died of a heart chemistry and environment changes— still slept. "I wouldn't have known attack March 24,1971----almost exact and so too, sometimes, do our opin at that time it was the Ashbaugh's. ly the same time of year as the slay ions and entertainment needs. Ask '"Somebody was there and the door ing of the Ashbaugh girl. an old man if he thinks the same way opened," he said. "I assumed it was he did when he was twenty. 'Terhune had been alone at home I don't. Paula, but at that time I didn't know with his father when he found him who it was. It was like a manne after he had suffered what would be Yes, it's humiliating to the ego, quin's face. It was there, but I a fatal heary attack. "He felt couldn't recognize the features. the "I", to admit that so much of our guilt because of that," Alexander thought and character and personality '"I remember being behind her," said. Terhune told the jury. "She was are governed by hormones, drugs (nat 'The psychiatrist said he had ural in the body--or otherwise) and sitting down or bending over and I administered a "truth drug," sodium remember the rope. It was in front accidental life experiences, but amytal, to Terhune to determine if there it is. Buy it or deny it. of ray face—a white robe before a the man really committed the crime. black background. I remember her 19 ************************************ THE UIUISECTOR BY DARRELL SCHWEITZER
RDADMARKS looks interesting, develops a little a space race for military reasons.) By Roger Zelazny ways then is abandoned, can only be The novella is a period piece, as Del Rey/Ballentine, 1979 distracting. dated as Jules Verne, and conpre- Hardcover, 185 pp., $8.95 ROADMARKS is, alas, second-rate hensible only if one thinks of it as a story about spaceflight in This is a throwaway novel, I'm Zelazny. It's failings are failings of storytelling and very serious 1950. Aside from the nuclear space sorry to report. It reminds me of drive, it's all 1950 technology. a half a dozen Philip Jose' Farmer ones. Now, I'm not one of those people who insist that Zelazny "lost The pilot has to call a local uni books in which brilliant ideas are versity and get time on their huge presented, then left tnderdeveloped, it" ten years ago. After the work which established his reputation in conputer to have his trajectory cal trivialized, or just cast aside in culated. The political atmosphere pursuit of an irrelevant plot, the late 1960s, he shifted gears. He was writing in top form as recent is very much that of the early Cold (e.g. DARE) In this case, the cent War. ral premise is one of those outrag ly as "Home is the Hangman" and DOOR eously literalized metaphors which WAYS IN THE SAND, even if it was a Even though some of the gross only work in science fiction and different form. But this new novel stupidities of the film, such as is just sloppy. It shows signs of fantasy. In mainstream they'd be the greased antenna episode, are haste and a lack of application. gibberish. Consider a "road through eliminated, the story (which dif One hopes he will do a sequel in time". Zelazny's Road, which may fers considerably from the final which he will make effective use of have been built by dragons, runs script) still suffers from what I the marvellous potential inherent from the far past to the far future. call the "amateur astronaut syn in the premise. It is built in the manner of a 20th drome", as most pre-spaceflight Century superhighway, complete with science fiction does. We are asked exit ramps, rest stops, gas stations, to believe the first flight to the etc. Hie hero drives a pickup truck. moon will take off in a hurry, drag With discipline and imagination, ooning an extra crew member at the DESTINATION MOON there's no limit to what a first last minute, and then arrive with By Robert A. Heinlein rate author like Zelazny could have out any prior thought being given Ed. D.G. Hartwell, Gregg Press done with it. to a landing site. At the same time 1979, unpaginated, Hardcover, $15.00 many of the things the characters do Unfortunately he does damn lit are only believable if they are ama tle. There are two narratives, the Here's something for the col teurs . main one (chapters labelled "One") lectors. Strictly speaking, this and a subsidiary, out-of-sequence is a Heinlein first edition, and it The particulars of the story one ("Two"). In the first, our hero has a very low print run, as all differ considerably from the actual spends most of his time avoiding Gregg Press editions do, since they film. As the article reveals, Hein assassins and questing after a vague are aimed at libraries. It contains lein had to battle with the same ly defined Something. In the second, the uncollected novella based on type of "the public can't tell the his son finds out who his father was the film of the same title, which difference" Hollywood mentality in and goes after him, and various per was published in SHORT STORIES in 1950 that exists today, and he was sons (and things) are recruited 1950 and reprinted in a Leo Margul apparently more successful than many from varous times and places to join ies anthology, THREE TIMES INFINITY, who have come after him. What var- in the melee. Frequently a lot of in 1958 (the Gregg printing is a fac- attention is devoted to characters similie of the latter); plus Hein whose roles are quite trivial, and lein's article "Shooting Destination often they're interesting characters, Moon," from ASTOUNDING, July 1950 e.g., the Chinese monk whose prior (facsimilie of the magazine pages); personality as a super-competent and a facsimilie of a publicity book killer from the future is slowly re let brought out at the time. turning. (There's a novel in him.) The whole thing, as Hartwell When the hero finally meets the guy points out in his introduction, is who is causing all the trouble, the a milestone in the history of both villain's motivations are glossed science fiction cinema and the evo over before they make a bit of sense. lution of mankind's ideas about When the son and father meet, lit space travel, but it is a milestone tle happens to justify the space de which has long since been passed. voted to this "subplot". There are The whole emphasis then was on sell several dues-ex-machinas all at once ing people on the idea, making them and one dragon-out-of-a-hat. The understand the concept and accept problems tend to solve themselves the possibility of a flight to the and most of the interesting quest moon. (The booklet uses the word ions are never resolved. As a re "inevitability", and even predicts sult the best parts of the book tend to pull it apart. Something which 20 ious people tried to do to the film NECRONOMICON Mythos and filled it with standard is sickening. (A musical comedy Edited and with an introduction occultism. writer brought in. Songs. Gaiety. by "Simon". 4) The George Hay book of the Sex ...) Avon, 1980, 218pp., $2.75 same title, which is actually a col As a reading experience, the lection of articles on the subject. novella is minor Heinlein, though Yet another case of reality out enjoyable, and it does serve as a stripping fiction. Some years ago This present one may be a new reminder of how good Heinlein was I attempted to put the Cthulhu Myth work or else a reprint of NECRONOM before he laid his literary abilit os out of its misery with a tale cal ICON #3. It is certainly filled ies aside and took up writing bloat led "The Last Horror Out of Arkham", with standard occultism, mostly de ed tracts. The book is an important in which the Old Ones win and the rived from Crowley. In fact, our historical item. Anybody teaching world is destroyed because a mad editor, who has risked grave peril a course in SF should put a copy on Arkhamite made NECRONOMICONS so eas because of his dedication to "un reserve. ily available that everybody had one speakable horrors" tries to convince and inevitably somebody uttered The us that the Mythos is true, derived Wrong Words. At one point the char from ancient Sumerian lore, and re acters discussed publishing it in markably similar to Crowley's rit mass market paperback, but decided ual magic. (Excuse me, Magick.) SPIRITS, STARS AND SPELLS against it on the grounds such an Curiously, he seems to know very By L. Sprague de Canp and Catherine edition would never be believable. little about Lovecraft and his ideas on the Mythos are very Derlethian -- C. de Camp Exactly. Pub. by Canaveral Press, 1966 you know, the Mythos as a Christian Available from Owlswick Press As far as I can tell, the NECRO analog, the struggle between Good Box 8243, Philadelphia, PA 19101 NOMICON has had a remarkably long and Evil, etc. etc., all of which $17.00 printing history for a non-existent is completely aljen to what Love book. There have been at least 4 craft wrote. books under that title published: This book has been lingering in Next someone will doubtless pro a nearly out-of-print state for duce a tome from Robert E. Howard's years, not widely distributed or Hyborian Age and pass it off as listed in catalogues, but available fact. If only one person in a thous from Canaveral Press, if one hap and is stupid enough to believe, pened to know about it. Now Owls well, the United States has a popul wick Press has taken over the re ation of 210 million ... Then maining stock. Collectors should there are the dread P'knosed Manu note that the Owlswick distributed scripts, which predate the inven copies will have a new dustjacket. tion of the handkerchief .... SPIRITS, STARS AND SPELLS is a Really, H.P.L. would not have ap lively, inuiensely readable history proved. Claiming this thing is the of magical belief through the ages. work mentioned in the stories, (even Because of the broad range of mater though none of the passages which ial covered, it isn't quite success occur in Lovecraft, including the ful as a debunking book, despite the famous couplet, appear in it) de fact that the authors take every op spite Lovecraft's denials of its ex portunity to expose magic as fraud istence, is carrying a hoax well be and delusion. A superstitious pers yond the bounds of good taste and on is more likely to call the de responsibility. Camps liars (or perhaps demonically possessed agents of error) than be When we're told that the name "Miskatonic" has ancient Sumerian converted to scientific rationalism. roots, and is other than a fake New There just isn't enough room for a thorough demolition on the order of England Indian name, I am tempted Martin Gardner's FADS AND FALLACIES to invoke the Wisdom of the Ancients, IN THE NAME OF SCIENCE (still the specifically something muttered by best Crankology text available), al a priest of Mithra in 210 A.D. when though the chapters on Theosophy 1) A small, privately printed he found himself uncomfortably at and Spiritualism come close. As an text discovered in New York in the the arse-end of a bovine sacrifice: *B*U*L*L *** *S*H*I*T* outline of what types of magic have 1940s. It contained all passages been practised at various times and quoted in stories published up to how they evolved, it is excellent. that time. (Rumor has it there was The only fault I find is that the a Cthulhu cult in that city. Well, authors enormously underestimate the Shaver Mystery was going full THE SCIENCE FICTION ENCYCLOPEDIA the influence of Aleister Crowley, blast then, so why not?) whose "magick" is still very widely Edited by Peter Nichols 2) AL ASIF, published by Owls Doubleday, 1979, 672 pp. practised and whose Order of the wick Press in the 1970s. This con Hardcover, $25.00; paper $12.95 Golden Dawn apparently forms the sisted of lots of fake caligraphy basis of much contemporary witch and repeating signatures. AL AZIF This is probably the most use craft. (I am told that Scientology is the original Arabic title. NEC ful SF reference work yet conpiled. has incorporated much Golden Dawn RONOMICON is Greek. The only thing conparable to it is material.) The statement that Crow- the Tuck ENCYCLOPEDIA, which is bet leyism died when John W. Parsons 3) A more recent, deluxe leath ter bibliographically, but not in blew himself up shortly after World er-bound volume published by an oc most other ways. Nichols' book is War II is sinply wrong. cultist who, so I am told, didn't know much about Lovecraft or the admirably broad in its scope, cov ering a wide variety of authors out Which brings us to: 21 side the American/British coirmercial Cabell, the first coincidence was BRIEFLY NOTED: "John Charteris" in BEYOND LIFE and that the space opera series was by Gregg Press reprints of Roger Edgar Rice Burroughs, unless of Zelazny: DAMNATION ALLEY, 157 pp. course someone can dig up a "Paul $10.00. NINE PRINCES IN AMBER, Linebarger of Mars" saga. (You'll 188 pp. $15.00. LORD OF LIGHT, find a dozen John Carters in any 257 pp., $14.00 phone book.) These three books are a bit too THE SCIENCE FICTION ENCYCLOPED well known to be reviewed in detail IA is highly recommended. Open it here. (I actually got four: The to any page at random and you'll other one, BRIDGE OF ASHES, isn't probably learn something you didn't and will be.) All have been out previously know. It's worth getting of print in hardcover for some time in hardcover, particularly since and have been known to fetch fab the huge, unwieldly paperback will ulous prices. ($50 for NINE PRINC surely pull itself apart in a short ES, for example.) This particular while. batch of reprints is intended for libraries, but also for intensely interested individuals. If you are genre. There are also entries for a Zelazny fan, these are the edi magazines which usefully tell how tions to get. They are akin to many issues were published and un SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY LITERA the Gregg Press editions of Fritz tangle title changes, multiple uses TURE Leiber's Grey Mouser series in that of titles, and so on; for nearly a Compiled by Robert Reginald they lack the usual introductions hundred SF movies, and for various Gale Research Company, 2 volumes. but have uniform dustjackets. The themes and topics (Paranoia, alter 1141 pp., $64.00 jackets this time are by Freff and nate worlds, space opera, etc.). are quite attractive, as are the Another excellent reference interior illustrations. These are It makes fascinating reading. work, although this one nobody will Ultimately you'11 have to read it the first Gregg editions to have read cover to cover. It's a bibli specifically commissioned interior cover to cover, because every time ography of science fiction and fan you go to look something up you'll artwork, rather than just whatever tasy in book form published between happened to be picked up in the fac find yourself caught up in some oth 1700 and 1974, and is a mist for er entry, then another, and another, simile printings. DAMNATION ALLEY any library, serious collector or (which is the slightly less succes for hours. The writing is lucid, dealer. It has been researched the content critical but well bal sful longer version of the Hugo- thoroughly. Reginald has examined nominated novella of the same tit anced and generally fair. I found 95% of the books himself. The sec remarkably few errors, (e.g. we le) also has stills, from the unfor ond volume consists of data on the tunate movie of the same title which are repeatedly told Manly Wade Well authors, gathered by mailing out man wrote DR. CYCLOPS.) Coverage occasionally bore slight resemblance questionnaires. Some of these give to the book. (Question: Why does of early and obscure pulp writers only essential facts (birth date, is sometimes sketchy: Francis Flagg n't somebody reprint the original awards, etc.) but others have long novella? Alas, that 12 years ago and Ed Earl Repp are included but, commentaries (e.g. Moskowitz, Tip for example, Jane Rice, Frederic they didn't have short books padded tree) which amount to original auto with illos, like Niven's THE MAGIC Arnold Kuimier Jr., and Claire Wing biographical essays. er Harris are not. (Harris should GOES AWAY. Then Zelazny wouldn't Mistakes are few. Lord Dunsany's have had to pad the thing.) have been mentioned in the Women in IF I WERE DICTATOR is listed as a SF article.) Since this is suppos novel when it is really non-fiction. ed to be a science fiction work, I found one book which was omitted. fantasy intrudes only sporadically, (THE WITCH OF RAM0TH by Mark Van leading to some odd omissions: THE Doren. I'm sure there are others. ARKHAM SAMPLER listed, but not THE Some are hard to spot because I ADDENDUM ARKHAM COLLECTOR; FANTASY TALES list haven't read them: e.g. I believe Postcard 3-31-80 ed but not WHISPERS or WEIRDBOOK. John Dickson Carr's THE BURNING There is another NECRONOMICON, The only thing I really take ex COURT is fantasy.) Reginald includ the art book by H.R. Giger. Actual ception to is the suggestion that es any collection which contains at ly Giger's is probably the closest Dr. Paul Linebarger ("Cordwainer least one-third fantasy material. to the impact of the alleged origin Smith") might have been the nutty This leads to some curious situa al. "Kirk Allen" of Robert Lindner's tions: Hale's THE BRICK MDON is "The Jet-Propelled Couch". (Which listed only in a 1971 separate print was a psychiatric article about a ing because the other stories in patient living in a space opera fan the collection are mainstream. Jorge tasy and losing touch with reality.) Luis Borges is not included at all. I'm sure Mrs. Linebarger could de I asked why and was told that most molish this more thoroughly than I, of his work is "surrealism" and not but I don't see the similarities in really fantasy. Definitions differ, background. Besides, the literary but I would have included LABYRINTHS^ evidence doesn't fit. The patient FICCIONES and THE ALEPH at least. became fascinated by seeing his name This will doubtless be a stand in books, first in the works of a ard work for years to come. It's "stylist of the 1920s" and later in the place to start when researching a series of interplanetary adven an author. tures which were available in book form in the 20s and/or 30s. I sub mit that the stylist was James Branch 22 AN INTERVIEW WITH DONALD WOLLHEIM
PART TWO
GEIS NOTE: This wasn't supposed to Does science fiction have a be PART TWO. What happened was I social consciousness burden to bear? mistakenly slipped part of Don's in Ask that of Mrs. Del Rey. I say, terview into the wrong folder...and yes to a certain extent, but science didn't notice the missing questions fiction is primarily escapist fan ano answers when I pasted up #34. tasy fiction. In this day and age when mainstream bestsellers like When Don wrote and asked what SCRUPLES and ACTS OF LOVE sell in had happened I was thunderstruck. I the millions of copies and are indis found the missing Q'sandA's, of tinguishable in any way from the course—they appear below—but I under-the-counter hardcore porno have a sore spot between the eyes graphy of fifteen years ago, what where I smote my forehead, and my are social ethics against financial ears still ring from my initial cry returns? of anguish. As for the GOR books, since we started publishing them -- and we do them unedited and unabridged -- I have read innumerable letters and heard many comments from readers and I can state that those "hardcore nihilistic, depressing view of the SFR: You've published many of the SF fans" who dislike them, accord fate of man; were you editor of Ace GOR books, which most hardcore SF ing to your question, are outnumber when his LORDS OF THE STARSHIP and fans consider sexist, male chauvin ed more than ten to one by readers who find in John Norman's novels ex OUT OF THE MDUTH OF THE DRAGON were ist, even fascist trash which is de selected? Are there any taboos in signed to appeal to the reader's actly what pleases their imagina DAW's publishing guidelines? worst emotional weakness. What do tions and makes daily life more you think of those assessments and bearable. I can say that it was an WOLLHEIM: Obviously, my optimism arguments? Does fiction have a soc education to me also, because I know now that at least half of the must have an effect but not cons ial consciousness burden to bear ... ciously. My concern when reading or is fiction simply entertainment GOR readers are women, often married women, and that the bondage fantas a novel is whether it holds my in and not to be saddled with a higher terest, is intriguing, is enjoyable. purpose? ies that are part of the background of the imaginary planet Gor, are Regardless of what potential future genuine psychological relief medi the author may depict, those are my WOLLHEIM: The GOR novels originat only criteria. I enjoyed Mark Ges ed in the offices of Ballantine cine to millions of people of both sexes. ton's novels for their color, for Books and the first seven, in which their originality, and for the in are all the elements that disting All right, perhaps this is tegrity of his viewpoint. Enjoying not the way that ideal people should uish these novels, are still publish them, I therefore accepted them ed by Ballantine under the Del Rey be. But this is an inperfect world for publication. inprint. More, they have all been and people lead distorted and frus reissued recently with new cover trated lives. If our publication of I do not believe that a pub art designed to emphasize the lub these novels alleviates this, I am lisher of escapist literature -- ricious and bondage elements of not sorry that we are the vehicle which is what science fiction is -- those novels and to underplay the for them. I do not myself seek out has the right to partisanship. In adventure and science fiction ele imitations and writers of this na general, the freedom of the press ments. Topping that off, Ballan ture. John Norman is sufficient -- in a nation like the USA is guaran tine Books has also bought for Am he is sincere and the master. And teed only by the insistence of ed erican sale a series of sleezy as a certain Jewish Carpenter is itors and publishers on considering "slave trader" novels hacked out by reporter to have remarked, "Let a work solely on the basis of wheth an English writer against a back him who is without sin among you er it will sell, whether there is a ground of Ancient Rome. These junky cast the first stone". valid audience for it. On this ba novels have been repackaged for U.S. sis American book publishers have a sale with equally salacious covers SFR: Does your personal optimism good record -- they have published by Boris Vallejo to match his new about mankind's future guide your and continue to publish many works GOR covers. Both sets of books are selection of books to publish? I of a frankly partisan or unorthodox being marketed together in one book know you published Mark Geston's economic, political and sexual na shop "dump-in" display. THE DAY STAR, an extension of his ture which differ from the private views of the publisher himself. As long as this is the general stand ard, there will be a free press here. True, there are, have been, CONDUCTED BY RICHARD E. GEIS 23 and will be abuses of this. Pub gy radiation (infinite from the lishers are human beings and indiv homo saliens species life probabil iduals. Overall, I think that my ity) . What is needed is to tap This own opinions do not blind me to this source in its fullest sense. Publication.... the virtues of someone else's pro jections of futurity. There is one obvious solu tion and that is the solar power Nonetheless, I do feel that accumulator satellite. Basically there are some subjects which turn the same premise that Gernsback readers off -- and first of all is (and others) outlined back more the depiction of a near-future in than fifty years ago -- space mir which devastation, misery, war and rors in orbit. The problem that famine are too vividly depicted. must be solved by technology is now The future may hold such catastroph to transmit that power from satel es , but I do not believe that read lite to the surface of the Earth ers of escapist fantasy want to have without damage to the atmosphere and their noses rubbed into such con without major loss. This can be cepts very often. If a novel, how solved, I am sure, and probably is Available in ever well-written, turns me off with less expenditure of research like that, I would rather not pub money than Manhattan Project solved MICROFORM lish it. I think it would transmit the problem of the atomic bomb. to readers a danp blanket on their Once that is solved, there will be For Complete Information sense of wonder and desire to dream infinite power in permanent avail WRITE: 1B_. of a greater future. I respect the ability for the entire population University talents of such writers as Tom Disch of the world for all time to come. Microfilms and J.G. Ballard but I can't see why The blockage -- the oil com International anyone not a masochist would want panies needless to say, intend to Dept. F.A. Dept. F.A, to read them. I certainly do not. continue to make as much money as 300 North Zeeb Road 18 Bedford Row Mark Geston, on the other hand, Ann Arbor, Ml 48106 London, WCIR 4EJ they can before this final solution U.S.A. England fascinated me by the discovery of is achieved. Anyone with a more such grim conjectures in a young than elementary knowledge of world person of his age (during the Six politics of the past hundred years ties, you will understand), but con knows that OIL has been a major, veyed without the grimmer aspects possibly the major, economic force I CANNED MEA T of realism a Tom Disch would have and political power behind internat contrived. ional politics hidden beneath the A SCIENCE FICTION NOVEL Taboos? I guess that is about superficialities of the surface pol BY RICHARD E. GEIS itical machinations. it. I try to go along allowing the Life in a computer-run domed greatest liberty on other matters, We shall have to live with city and the failing civiliza knowing that the generation of young the oil-business-camouflage for a tion of which it is a part. people today is far less regimented good many years to come -- but even Roi and Eelia, two young citi in all attitudes than that of my tually the final resource will have own youth. zens of the dome, two children to be resorted to -- the solar pow of Great Mother Computer, meet er satellite. I have never had the and experiment with forbidden SFR: Do y°u have any thoughts on slightest doubt that this is so. sex. the current energy shortage (or The rest is bullshit. This also "shortage") and its possible effect means that we shall go into space Covers and interior illustra on the future of space exploration and stay there. From there, the tions by Bruce Conklin ... on science fiction? stars! So just hang in there, $5. friends, the power is there! WDLLHEIM: I am inclined to think Order from: that the current energy shortage is Science Fiction Review a contrived situation, and to a POB 11408 great extent, a fraud. On the oth SFR: Thank you, Don Wollheim. Portland, OR 97211 er hand, it is true that the amount ************************************ of oil, gas and coal on this plan et is finite and that eventually it is going to run out -- the first two within fifty to a hundred years, and coal shortly after. So on the THEM/ AFTEf^ THE £T0l?< k whole it is perhaps a good thing CATCHES YbU/ IT TAKES YOU TO L that this contrived energy scare THE KISSING TRIMCESS, SHE dr'/ES came along when it did -- in time YOU A K'SSX YOU TUEA InjTO A J—' to force politicians, corporations wmak eab T' and the ttofzk/ and people to look to the permanent zdeeu/ee? YOU- (—------solution of the world's need for energy. There are only two such solutions of sufficient strength to maintain our high level technologic al culture -- solar power and nu clear power -- and in the long run these will turn out to be the same thing. Solar power is nuclear pow er -- but the reactor is the sun, a source of virtually infinite ener 24 life conducted with sanity and in AND THEN I READ.... telligence. He keeps creating super men; but I suspect the machine is getting too old and out of tune. GODS IN A VORTEX by David Houston ************************************ Liesure Books 699, $1.75 A pretty good delineation of a struggle between an anarchistic col ony planet and a home world ruled by rotting religion and socialism. The KEEPING TIPE by David Bear decor is great—Rome and Persia come St. Nfartin's, $9.95 to mind for the home world, and a A future private-eye novel, and functional California modem for the a good one. anarchistic colony. In 1999, in New York, a technolo Houston adds the fillip of humans gy has been developed (for rich with wings which are cut off after clients) to allow individuals to childhood as a religious abomination. literally save their time—seconds, By The Editor The power/propaganda struggle is minutes, hours — on a recording tape. sketchy but realistic, if the final And deposit it in a small, exclusive solution seems a bit incredible. private bank vault. HEROICS by George Alec Effinger Worth reading. And what happens when five tapes Doubleday, $7.95 ************************************ are stolen? It begins intriguingly enough Enter Jack Hughes, 50ish, soured with an 82 year old heroine being on a sour life in an energy-starved hounded by a 15 year old niece in world of breakdowns and social dis a 23rd century house/home after COSMIC ENCOUNTER by A. E. van Vogt integration, to investigate the civilization-as-we-know-it (cities, Doubleday, $8.95 theft for the bank owner. aircraft, autos, etc) has been bull There are several things wrong David bear writes well, and the dozed down and covered up by dutiful with this new novel from a reader's interest is on the world in which politicians and scientists appalled viewpoint: it strains credulity to he lives as much as on solving the at their handiwork (and because the the cracking point, and it is told theft and the "murder" which devel resources had run out). from a third-person viewpoint that op as he investigates. The home inwhichgranny Irene lives is often alien in its objectivity. The novel is as much, also, a is owned by her nephew and his wife, Van Vogt asks us to accept that novel of character—Hughes' and and Irene is not really wanted. So all of time/space is collapsing (or those whose tapes were stolen. she runs away--heading vaguely to has collapsed) to the year 1704 A.D. At times his dialogue is a bit ward California to complete her pre because atoms have rudimentary in too cute and Bogartish, but wotthe- cious collection of Depression glass telligence and have neen "instruct hell. obj ects. ed" to return to their primary posi I wonder why there aren't more Wild? Weird? Yes, if only be tion in the primary super-sun before sf-detective novels written—and cause the house they live in is one the universe exploded. And that the published. Seems a perfect marriage. of a very few left in their area, atom prime is in the body of an Eng ************************************ and because the family has the ser lish pirate and he is therefore the vices of (apparently) three robots key person/focus in attempts to re passing as Cook, Butler and Maid, turn the universe/time to proper and nephew can order weather to suit orientation. It's somewhat complicated and his whim by way of Butler. AN ACCOUNT OF A MEETING WITH DENI You'd think an 82-year-old unbelievable. ZENS OF ANOTHER WORLD - 1871 granny would die en route (about The van Vogtian writing style By William Robert Loosley five miles down the path) but Irene in this novel is strange: he sees [Edited and with Commentary by is taken in hand by a magical entity humans as machines—organs and David Langford] called Glorian who provides food complicated electrochemical process St. Martin's Press, $7.95 and clothing and on occasion dif es and mental states/reactions— 175 Fifth Av. ferent bodies of other sex/age, and and also as everyday humans. He New York, NY 10010 who puts her through various morally switches in and out of these nar A slim puzzling volume. It is and intellectually disturbing "tests" rative positions. And he puts some a sandwich—an opening segment by which expand her consciousness. awful, pointlessly clumsy, grammar Langford titled "A Question of It's all mysterious, puzzling into the mouth/mind of a far-far Proof in which he discusses the and Pregnant With Message. I expect future man who was precipitated into problems of proving validity in ed the end of the book to pay-off 1704 A.D. (along with a warship full UFO reports — then the Account by with a Blinding Realization of Cos of conputer-brained robots, and a Loosley dated 1871 — then Langford mic Inport. It didn't even cure my passenger/colony ship from ^'ren again with "The Question of Inter arthritis. farther in the future). pretation" in which he examines Irene makes a mind-blowing dis It's a clumsy, wild, implausible, Loosley's story and discusses it in covery about herself, however, and slightly repellent story...but it light of present-day science. Effinger gets his metaphysical, keeps you reading. The puzzle is why St. Martin's metaphorical melange into the read I suspect vV is, in these latter published it, given its cost and er's head...something about how clev stages of his writing career, reach narrow appeal. er the author is and how solipsism ing, taking more and more extreme It is also a curiosity because is the True Meaning of Existence... positions, exploring more and more in my opinion the book is a fraud, I think. tenuous intellectual/scientific i- a hoax, a put-on. It doesn't really matter, because deas....expressing more and more a William Robert Loosley (if he Effinger is only a figment of my contempt for ordinary men and women, really existed) is reported to have imagination... along with all the seeking (in fiction) to satisfy some been a carpenter, a builder of homes rest of you. yearning in him for a world or a and buildings. Yet the Account is ************************************ 25 written with such skill — the skill of a first-rate joumalist/author THE OLD GODS WAKEN by Manly Wade while, why fear of it is so over of much talent—that the likeli Wellman whelming, and why a group of armed hood of an ill-educated 19th cent Doubleday, $7.95 (with swords, spears, bows—fire ury journeyman woodworker having Silver John is a rootless man arms are not known in this land) men penned it is vanishingly small. of goodwill and arcane knowledge couldn't kill the creature or seal Langford says the ms. was found who becomes involved in a supreme it in its cave. hidden in an old desk, in a secret struggle against revived Druidism Ursula seems to be speaking in compartment. and the Old Ones' evil powers, in metaphor throughout this novel, com SuTrre it was. Southern Appalachia. menting on the binding fears that Dave Langford is a physicist and Set in now, told in the idiom hold us all in various ways and a leading sf fan in England whose of the region, it is a story of which rule us and impoverish us, writings have won him wide praise considerable power, realism and and which can be shattered more and recognition, including a Hugo intensity. The last half of the easily than imagined. nomination. book has mythic structure as John There is a welcome gritty real A clue lies in the last few lines and an older, Cherokee medicine ism to much of this book, and very of Langford's Introductory Note: man face seven magical tests in good characterization. "in the most fascinating and their struggle to save a young ************************************ convincing account there still man and woman from death as sacri lurks the possibility of error fices atop Wolter Mountain. or fabrication. Wellman knows the ways and "The reader is warned." talk of the people, and a sanple And a reading of the ms. will con is in order: LORD VALENTINE'S CASTLE by Robert vince any professional writer or The way I've just been a-tell- Silverberg editor that it is the work of a very ing, Mr. Creed was powerful mad Harper 8 Row, $12.50 good contemporary. I'm afraid Dave at what had gone with the Voths, After an absense of several did too good a job. but nair in his life did he forget years, Bob Silverberg has returned ************************************ his manners with somebody he reckon to science fiction with a case of ed was worth a show of them. gigantism. The turns of phrase and use of [Every other Big Name S-F Writer words is a delight. is making big money by writing Big THE HUNTERS by Burt Wetanson § Thom This is the first of a series novels, so....] as Hoobler of Silver John novels. This is I estimate this book runs 170,000 Playboy Press [$1.95 + 50
THE SPIRIT OF DORSAI year-old matriarch who has never By Gordon R. Dickson worn a uniform in her life is as Illustrated by Fernando Fernandez representative of the Dorsai Way as Ace, NY, Trade edition: $5.95. Coimander Ian Graeme in "Brothers". Standard edition: $2.25 Dorsai indomitability blazes as Reviewed by Sandra Miesel brightly in oldsters, cripples, children and housewives as in mighty men of battle. (Likewise, the uni THE SPIRIT OF DORSAI pairs Gordon R. Dickson's superb new nov que Dorsai gifts can be abused by any member of their society.) Dick ella "Amanda Morgan" with his mem orable 1973 novelette "Brothers" son also uses "Amanda Morgan" to de (originally written for ASTOUNDING: pict events that were left off THE JOHN W. CAMPBELL MEMORIAL ANTH stage in TACTICS OF MISTAKE. He OLOGY) . The two halves of the book not only shows the Dorsai success fit together as smoothly as yin and fully defending their homes against invaders from Earth, that makes yang. their resistance plausible: "Amanda "Brothers" shares some of SOLD Dickson calls these stories Morgan"'s battlefield will not be IER, ASK NOT's themes -- the cor "illuminations" to his Childe Cycle, mistaken for a war game board: hu rosiveness of self-hatred, the hor the 12-volume epic of human evolu man frailties affect cunning strat ror of brotherslaying, the hero's tion he has been constructing for egies and casualties mean real ang saving death -- but emphasizes the the past 20 years. Illuminations uish. actual circumstances of the murder are shorter works that share back The intrinsic excellence of and its solution. The plot is a ground, characters, and principles race between justice and vengeance: with the Cycle proper but stand out "Amande Morgan" merits a Hugo Award but this novella also marks a signi Will the assassins be caught before side the main philosophical theme the Dorsai face the classic tempt developed in the novels. Ace is ficant milestone in Dickson's cam paign to improve female characteri ation of the warrior caste, to turn reissuing the Cycle's previous in their swords against those whom they stallments (DORSAI!, NECROMANCER, zation. In the past, his heroines have been little more than pieces have sworn to protect. The unyield TACTICS OF MISTAKE and SOLDIER, ASK ing discipline of Ian Graeme, the NOT) while the next two (THE FINAL of plot machinery designed to impede and reward his heroes. But Amanda ultimate Dorsai, preserves the hon ENCYCLOPEDIA and CHILDE) are in pre or of his people unstained. Yet paration. "Amanda Morgan" runs con is a wonderfully convincing blend of courage and vulnerability, conp- Ian's superhuman exertions would currently with TACTICS OF MISTAKE, have failed with the aid of the nar "Brothers" with both DORSAI! and etence and anxiety who is still growing in her tenth decade of life. rator, a stubbornly conscientious SOLDIER, ASK NOT, and the conversa policeman who has ironically little tional interludes linking the two The very discursiveness of the nar rative subtly conveys the texture sympathy for Ian. The epic figure stories grow out of THE FINAL ENCY really needs his small prosaic count CLOPEDIA. of an elderly mind: Amanda has liv ed so long and fully that the usual erpart -- Dickson is no Heinlein. This diptych structure works distinctions between past, present, The title "Brothers" is ambig beautifully because contrast height and future have begun to blur. Her uous because the inseparable Graeme ens the effect of each conponent. capacity for perceiving existence twins are not the only ones involv Literary complementarity between as a continuous, interrelated Now ed. Heroes and villains, victims these feminine and masculine adven foreshadows the effect of the com and betrayers are arranged in inter tures prefigures the symbolic comp pleted Cycle itself. locking pairs. The entire story is lementarity between feminine and mas "Brothers" is an ideal counter woven out of the grief and glory of culine forces that is to be perfect fraternal love. The tragedy that ed at the Cycle's close. Balancing part to "Amanda Morgan" in that it is tightly focused and relentlessly parts Ian and Kensie paradoxically "Amanda Morgan" against "Brothers" reconciles the military and civilian allows Dickson to demonstrate the masculine. It also reveals the advantage of series writing from orders. This motif of the Twin martial spirit of Dorsai operating Brothers, first sundered and then at home and abroad, withstanding still another angle. This is the third time Dickson has dramatized united, is of paramount importance attacks from without and within. in the Childe Cycle. As quintessential Warriors, the the tragic murder of Kensie Graeme Dorsai are the self-defense mechan and his twin brother Ian's scalding THE SPIRIT OF DORSAI has the fin ism of the racial organism. Their grief. What began as a simple plot est text of any "profusely illus function is to resist evil and pro device in DORSAI! and grew into a trated" Ace book to date. Unfortun tect good. Neither tyrants nor vehicle for metaphysics, morality, ately, the slick and often grainy- the turbulence of their own natures and myth in SOLDIER, ASK NOT, here looking artwork clashes with the can ever entirely conquer them. becomes the occasion for an advent understated dignity of the prose. ure in which the action is as much Fernando Fernandez' pictures inter Both stories offer thematic arg spiritual as physical. That Dick rupt rather than anplify Dickson's uments rebutting critics of earlier son can make the same incidents and words. Fernandez' grasp of the Cycle publications. Although war characters exciting at three dif characters' appearance is unsteady is the professional specialty of ferent levels of magnification is a -- there is simply no excuse for the the Dorsai Splinter Culture, rela measure of his technical virtuosity. Sex Kittens of Dorsai treatment ac tively few Dorsai follow military corded the women defenders. "Broth 31 careers. Thus Amanda Morgan, a 92- ers" suffers less than "Amanda Morg an" because the artist seems more interest in Kline and his work after lent, the story is reasonably good, at home drawing muscular young men decades of neglect. and the reader won't feel gypped in tight uniforms than elderly lad through buying the paperback edi ies. The overall inpression is of Started in 1970 by Fictioneers' tion. There is some hint that this a fine pearl in a plastic setting. pthlisher, David Anthony Kraft, OAK is going to be a trilogy (the sec LEAVES has taken ten years to accum ond book is available now), and the Ignore the inept embellishments. ulate a dozen issues of material by fact that the books cover the pre Savor the beauty of the fiction. and about Kline. Now those twelve movie adventures of Solo gives a Experience the fierce, enduring cour issues have been gathered together large hint that the rumors concern age that is the spirit of Dorsai. as the first volume in Fictioneers' ing Han's death in THE EMPIRE ************************************ new line of Fictioneers Facsimile STRIKES BACK are true .... reprints. Good fun (even if I do prefer OAK LEAVES is of little interest Han's mother, Maeve ... she's sex to the average reader, but anyone SEVEN FROM THE STARS ier.) Recommended. interested in SF/fantasy of the By Marion Zimmer Bradly 1920s and 30s and especially in the ************************************ Ace, 151 pp., $1.95 history of the pulp magazines would Cover: Steve Hickman do well to look into it. Kline not Reviewed by Steven Edward McDonald only wrote fairly prolifically for A DIFFERENT LIGHT the pulps, he also acted as agent By Elizabeth Lynn Berkley, 1978, 183 pp., #03890-4 Reprint of a 1961 short novel by for other pulp writers such as Rob Marion Zimmer Bradley, published ert E. Howard and Otto Binder, and Berk Edn, Aug. 1978 for the first time by itself --it even edited an issue of WEIRD TALES Reviewed by Stephen Lewis was formerly half of an Ace Double. himself while it was undergoing one of its periodic upheavals. OAK LEAV The story of seven survivors of What's in store for the artist ES includes letters to and from a destroyed starship, crashlanded of the future? With the banishment Kline, some of his poetry, reprints on Earth in the present day, pretty or long postponement of death so of some of his stories, an account much standard SF stuff for that that the individual no longer must of his feud with Edgar Rice Bur put all his effort and energy into period and publisher, and, at that roughs, accounts of his life and a his work, must it mean the shrivel time, the writer. The writing shows variety of other material centering ing up of artistic talent? What flashes of what sort of writer Mar on his life and work. would it be like to be trapped on ion would become, and the story has one world slowly dying of an incur some interesting elements: The al Almost forgotten today, Kline able cancer in a universe of space ien survivors are taken for Mexican wrote 13 novels and many short stor travel that would only hasten the immigrants (and survive in that ies and was a definite influence on spread of the disease? role for a while), which rather be the pulp development of SF. Fic lies Hickman's cover -- two of the tioneers also has two of his adven Lynn's lyrical writing reminded characters he depicts have green ture novels, JAN OF THE JUNGLE and me both of PLANET STORIES and of hair (a Hickman trademark, apparent JAN IN INDIA, and a collection of Samuel R. Delany, and as I remember ly) . Overall, it is a fair book -- his stories, THE BRIDE OF OSIRIS, the latter's early days, that's hard some good bits, some bad, and some in print -- probably the only OAK ly as unlikely combination as you average -- with hints of above-the- titles now generally available. might first think. Part of her story norm potential, left unfulfilled. Hardly a giant in his field, Kline is what's often called, and fondly nevertheless deserves to be remem so, a rollicking space adventure, It would (he says, with trepida bered and OAK LEAVES does its best which does not mean that some other tion) make an excellent TV movie to see that he is. part of it can't deal seriously with (even a feature, who knows?), but questions like those above. Howev the book would perhaps have gone ************************************ er, and there does have to be a how better with a second short novel ever this time, I'd have left off attached, as Ace is doing with Sheck- the last two chapters, if it were ley and Chandler. Conpletists will HAN SOLO AT STARS' END up to me. Having acclaimed artist want a copy, casual readers may, Jimson Alleca find an alternative given the price and slimness, pass By Brian Daley to his booklong affliction at this it up in favor of something more mod Del Rey, 183 pp., $1.95 point seemed to be greatly cheating em, and somewhat thicker. A pity. Reviewed by Steven Edward McDonald the reader. No significant state Hickman's cover is a definite ment from among the several that Paperback edition of the third plus, reminiscent of the old zap seemed to be coming is made --or STAR WARS based novel, this time bang covers, with a lot more qual it was, and the book went on, blithe featuring the pre-movie adventures ity. Nice balance. ly ignorant of the fact. of Han Solo and Chewbacca. ************************************ It's still greatly worth reading, And unlike the abysmal SPLINTER and please do, in spite of the awk IN THE MIND'S EYE, this one is ward tumble the book takes at the both readable and interesting -- end -- or is it just that I disagreed THE COMPLEAT OAK LEAVES Daley is capable of telling a good with Miss Lynn's answers? Edited by David Anthony Kraft story, and seems to have had a fair Fictioneer Books, Screamer Mt, ly free hand with the characters *********************************** Clayton, GA, 30525 (who were indisputably the best cha Paperback, 192 pages, $10.00 racters in the movie). He opens with a bang, and keeps the pace up Reviewed by Neal Wilgus right through the book -- even to the rather unlikely climax. Char OAK is Otis Adelbert Kline acterization, while it won't win (1891-1946), an early contributor OfASJ NantitfGS any awards, is quite good for this to WEIRD TALES and other SF and fan W&N6 WrTH TWTWf. type of book, the writing is excel- tasy publications, and OAK LEAVES is THGet a fanzine devoted to resurrecting 32 CATACOMB YEARS "Death Rehearsals" ('79) con By Michael Bishop cerns another doctor, gerontologist Berkley/Putnam, Jan. '79, 384 pp. Tanner, who returns from exile to $10.95 SBN 399-12255-9 Atlanta, an old man. He links the Reviewed by Bob Frazier lives of several inportant citizens of the city: Julien Cawthorne, em Controversy exists over the issary to the remaining aliens of practice, and the inherent success, 61 Cygni, his wife Margot, a main of fusing published stories into figure in the central Ortho-Urban novels. Often they are of differ ent writing styles and/or content. CATACOMB YEARS is not one of those cobblings, but an excellent proof that this experiment can be carried out properly. Much care has been taken in the successful preparation of this volume; and this speaks not only for Bishop's writing abilities, but for David Hartwell's expertise as an editor and B/P's sensitivity as a publisher. CATACOMB YEARS is not a rough sculpture with visible seams and weak welds; it is a pol ished puzzle entity a la Miguel Berrocal. CATACOMB YEARS consists of sev en stories (one original), linked by interludes, that comprise most of Bishop's UrNu future history. This history is a character study of 40 years of the domed Urban Nu cleus of Atlanta, and each piece is more a study of characters and soc iety than hard science extrapola tion or quicksilver paced adventure. Many of the characters are blood relatives in the three generations encapsulated within. All these fac tors are also pertinent to the suc cessful fusion into a novel; for C.Y. is as much that, when read cov er to cover, as a collection. Yet is CATACOMB YEARS readable and en joyable, besides coherent and pro fessional? Yes, and yes; emphat ically so. Though many are familiar stor ies, anthologized in "Best Of" ser ies, two I had not previously read. They were first and last in the book, as well as in the chronology of their writing. "If a Flower Could Eclipse" ('70) stands as fresh and strong as any piece in this book, which in cludes such Hugo and Nebula final ists as "Allegiances" and "The Sam urai and the Willows". A doctor, psychologist Greer, attempts to heal the teacher/student relationship be tween a genius boy and his matriarch al special ed instructor. The sit uation is complicated by three things: The boy is white and the ist church, and Vivian Klemme, se woman black; the boy's father assas cret emissary from Free Europe with sinated the woman's husband, an ev a new immortality process. The angelist of King's stature; the doc story is a complex musical counter tor falls in love with Lady Bitler point of seemingly insignificant and in hatred with young Nettlinger. events in their lives. Its tone is The doctor's sanity is finally str an inportant one. It is not quite ained to a breaking point, along as inventive as "At the Dixie Ap with the situation. The characters ple..." or quite as intense in mood are interesting, deep and human; as "The Windows in Dante's Hell", and the circumstances unique. both herein included, but it is fit- 33 ting as the final episode. Its end book reads as if it was written magically bring half a million men ing shows a resurrective change in quickly. Careless mistakes are to our aid?" Kane replies: "No, the arthritic future of the city. found in some places, although not but I can use a sword". At another The other story, perhaps new outright errors of plotting or char point Kane says: "I knew that many for readers also (Universe 8), is acter description. animals will go for a spot on other species which corresponds with their "Old Folks at Home". I found it to Michael Kane has to conduct a own vital spots". Moorcock meant be the best of the group, which is dangerous test of his invention, a "corresponds to" unless the animals no mean feat. Its characters are matter transmitter. He decides to wrote letters and received answers. old people, a refreshing change. make the first test on himself and They live in a seven-way marriage, suddenly goes to ancient Mars. In the Burroughs tradition, Kane an original social concept. They Within a few minutes he meets a Mar has a "code of honor" by which he prove that the elder years can be tian who happens to be Shizala, the must live. He spares the life of a as vibrant and fulfilling as the beautiful Princess of Vamal, City blue giant Argzoon rather than kill younger ones, a very hopeful view of the Green Mists. He falls in needlessly. In the next few chap point. There is not a moment when love with her, is given a convenient ters he slashes, bludgeons or stabs the reader is not either: sharing device to allow him to understand to death about a dozen people. Ob a perceptive insight, chuckling Martian and then goes off to trans viously he meant that killing with gleefully or turning the pages com form the military strategies of the out a good reason was wrong but once pulsively. This work is both a fine armies of Vamal as they defend the a good reason is found, just get ly constructed artifact and a dam city against the dreaded bad guys. on with it. good yam; bravo Mr. Bishop. I don't Monsters and villains meet him every Pass up this book unless the think there is a better story in its few paragraphs. He has to outdo category, novella, for '78. fast-paced action novel is exactly your type of book. Even so, this The contents also includes chron one does not compare favorably with ologies and data charts for the UrNu the best of that genre. future history and a prelude. The binding is first rate, the cover ************************************ strength better than average, and dustjacket very striking. Great care, in all facets, make this hard back worth the price. None of the WOLFHEAD fiction pieces are average; almost By Charles L. Harness half are brilliant. Whether you Berkley, 1978, 217pp., #03658-8 consider CATACOMB YEARS as a novel Berk Edn, Feb. 1978 or a collection, it is an important Reviewed by Stephen Lewis SF work for the year '79 and the de cade of the '70s. I'm a fan of Charles Hamess, ************************************ ever since I read some of his short work first published in the pulp magazines during the 1950s. He's not been very prolific. From then to now, he's obviously been content CITY OF THE BEAST to make a living somehow else than By Michael Moorcock at a few cents a word. Only rarely DAW, UW1436, 1979, $1.50 does something appear under his by Reviewed by Tom Staicar line, and when it does I always snap it up at once. DAW has been issuing new edi Hamess' work has always been tions of Michael Moorcock's heroic heavily plotted, never quite Van fantasy series, and the Elric and Vogtian in complexity, but still Runestaff books have gained a large his rival to win Shizala as well as lead the armies who must defend the built as though it were layer upon following. Now that DAW is publish layer of story substance. ing this first of the Michael Kane city against total destruction. trilogy, it is possible that Moor Although he was thrust into an That's not the case in WOLFHEAD. cock's readers will find less of in cient Mars without warning and must At times you get the idea that this terest in the Kane books. Moorcock integrate himself into an alien cult novel first appeared in THRILLING has written a new introduction in ure, he never looks back. He doesn't WONDER STORIES -- which is hardly which he admits that the books have pine away for Earth or try to find what's expected of someone who was faults but says he has resisted a way back home. Perhaps falling clearly ahead of his time when his the temptation to revise the novels. in love with the first woman he saw work really did appear there. A He intended to write a series with on Mars was a help during his trans plot summary could be made in a sing the color, action and flair of the ition period (which lasted about ten le sentence: A prophecy is fulfil Edgar Rice Burroughs Mars novels, minutes). led that 3000 years after the atom but even so, CITY OF THE BEAST is so ic destruction of the world a des The reader has to overlook a lot shallow that it is difficult to stay cendant of the Wolfhead family would interested long enough to be enter to derive simple pleasure from this travel into the bowels of the earth, tained. adventure. Kane frees some enslaved destroy an evil culture dwelling people from a prison cell and finds there, and return again to safety. The novel was first published that they have neglected to wear in 1965 under the title, WARRIORS OF deodorant: "The smell of humanity The people living underground MARS, and the pseudonym Edward P. was almost too much to bear, but I are about to emerge again, even Bradbury. All three novels in the knew it was not their fault". One though the earth has already been Michael Kane series were written dur character asks Kane: "Could you successfully repopulated, but as it ing one week. This should not color happens Jeremy Wolfhead's primary our judgment, but in this case, the 34 goal is really the rescue of his kidnapped wife. might have gone wrong. More serious result, the political situation is is the lack of space devoted to Mich feudal: Every town and village is a The intention is ambitious: el 's own development, for he never self-sufficient fortress -- with Literary allusions to Dante's IN really emerges as the three-dimen the land between them a desolate, FERNO and some interesting engineer sional character he should be and gruesome wilderness, populated by ing applications of telekinesis, but too many years and too much of his bandits, werewolves and roaving what does the story in is too many experience is glossed over in much bands of non-human marauders called miracles. Jeremy Wolfhead is one of too short a space. Harriers. those individuals blessed by a ser ies of lucky events, and so the sing But though BERSERKER MAN might Through this morass of assorted le-handed (well, almost) destruction have been a much better book, it dangers plods Duncan Standish. With of an entire population is but child's still stands as a title Saberhagen him travels his stout companion, Con play. can be proud of and one which Ber rad, their dog Tiny and two beasts of burden, Beauty and Daniel. Along ****A*#:A*AArt**A**A**#:*****A********* serker fans will be anxious to read. A bonus of note is Sandra Miesel's the way they pick up a hermit, a gob afterword which gives a little back lin, a ghost, an old witch, a ban ground and perspective on the book shee, a wizardess and a demon with BERSERKER MAN and on the series as a whole. Also a clubfoot. They encounter various By Fred Saberhagen included is a complete Berserker Harriers, a group of cutthroats, pag Ace paperback, 219 pp., $1.95 bibliography -- especially valuable an enchantment, dragons and the Hunts man who roams the sky in his chariot Reviewed by Neal Wilgus for those of us who have come in in the middle of the series. Alto with a troop of hounds -- and each such engagement costs them precious Fred Saberhagen's Berserker time. series rolls on. You remember the Berserkers -- those killer machines All the while Duncan carries a whose sole purpose is to rid the manuscript. This manuscript, al universe of life in a singleminded legedly from the time of Jesus, they but perverted mission programmed by intend to deliver to a church commun their long dead alien creators. ity for authentication. The authen The centuries-long, Galaxy-wide con tication, however, can be accomplish flict between humanity and Berserk ed only by one certain scholar, who er has been chronicled by Saberhag is most aged, and, doctors contend, en in dozens of short stories and in his last days. So before he pas several novels over the past fifteen ses away, they hope to reach him with years and now BERSERKER MAN brings the manuscript. the series to new maturity with the tale of the child-hero, Michel But this is not easily done. Geulinex, a cyborg truly caught in They face staggering opposition and the middle of the endless battle. obstacles. Their quest is truly ep ic. And the background against which Michel is something special from this is laid is wrought in immacul the very beginning, for he is con ate detail. ceived in a unique place called the Taj, somewhere near the galactic Simak's world is one of mystic core, and then adopted by brilliant al delight. Magic works, God really parents on a unique planet in the exists, and the division between same neighborhood. While still a good and evil is solid and distinct. boy, Michel is taken to Earth (or All is "clean" in the traditional at least Luna) to take part in the sense, but words are never minced for testing of a new weapon called Lance the sake of simple Puritainism. lot, a powerful, almost magical, set Lost of good reading. of forcefield wings which immediate ly begin to change the boy into the gether then, Saberhagen's latest is ************************************ Berserker Man of the title. Kid a Berserker to remember. napped in a surprise attack by the ************************************ Berserkers, Michel is taken across the Galaxy into Berserker country, there to escape and make his way THE SCIENCE FICTION ENCYCLOPEDIA alone back toward the Taj and the Edited by Peter Nicholls Doubleday/Dolphin, $12.95, 1979 secrets, only hinted at, that he is THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE TALISMAN destined to learn. By Clifford Simak Reviewed by John DiPrete Saberhagen seems amiss this Del Rey Books, 249 pp., $7.95 In recent years nonfiction SF time around in not expanding the Reviewed by Lee Smith story out to twice its present leng has been nourished by public accept ance in author-interview collections, th -- or perhaps making Michel's This is straight fantasy. story a mini-series in itself. At SF bibliographies, biographies, auto the beginning of the book, for in The story takes place in Brit biographies, histories, etc., etc. stance, the reader is led to believe ain, and since the time is the 1970s, The latest example, an encyclopedia that Michel's real and adopted par I suppose we can call it a histor of SF authors, movies, TV shows, ents, along with Lombok and Tupelov, ical novel of an alternate world. magazines, etc., is perhaps the most two of the men who introduce Michel In this world conditions of the Mid spectacular yet. THE SCIENCE FIC to the Lancelot weapon, would play dle Ages have prevailed down to the TION ENCYCLOPEDIA, edited by Peter central roles all through the story present: Technology has never de Nicholls, is fully illustrated, -- yet one by one they become ir veloped, and so the population and alphabetized, and 672 pages in relevant and drop out of the action, economy have remained rural. As a length. It is quite comprehensive, leaving the reader to wonder what 35 though not all-encompassing: Sever al gaps do exist in subject matter. versaries into little pieces). consistently appealing formula for For instance, although major fan These collections reprint the first what is now one of the longest ser zines much as SF REVIEW, SF COMMEN fourteen stories (skipping the Con- ies of its type. The Dumarest nov TARY and LOCUS are listed, smaller an-Elric two-part story, which would els are first-rate formula/pulp zines like THRUST, EMPIRE SF and have been split if the stories had fiction in the honorable but some others are omitted. The more pro remained entirely in the sequence times maligned action/adventure fessional aspect of SF is stressed. they appeared). tradition. These tales are predict able, but that is why readers keep Coverage of SF authors is excel The early stories managed to buying them. Predictability and lent. Most of the major writers preserve a little of the melancholy delivering the same goods you did are represented. Clifford D. Simak, air REH managed to inject into cer the last time are, after all, funda an author I have long admired, is tain of his stories, as well as add mental to formula fiction and genre here described with perceptive, in ing a somewhat moody, mystical air literature in general; if you ques triguing insights. This section created by Thomas -- seen best in tion this see John Cawelti's analy and most others, however, are highly his transferral of "The Grey God sis in ADVENTURE, MYSTERY AND RO opinionative. In an "encyclopedia" Passes" to the Conan storyline; Co MANCE. of this sort, it is disconcerting nan hardly plays an active role -- to disagree with several evaluations Thomas gives him something to do to However, IDUNA'S UNIVERSE is a of authors or books and TV programs. account for his being in the story, disappointing change of pace. This Prepare to read critical tidbits but he mostly appears as an observ time the menacing Cyclan are nowhere you may find hard to swallow (for er in a very downbeat tale in which in evidence and Dumarest's quest example, STAR TREK is called a "space everyone but Conan dies. for legendary Terra is interrupted opera-format ... not used, as a gen when he is taken captive in a eral rule, with any great imagina Barry Smith's artwork preserves chance slave raid -- the occasion tion", and Simak's output is describ the mood, and gives the reader, in ed as having "strong moral convic addition, a rather slender, tall tions and little real concern for Conan who lives up to the image ideas...") yet because the material created by REH -- the later Buscema is highly informed and well-written, Conan is far more broadly built, and we can excuse the opinionative (or somewhat over-brutish. Despite Roy 77?e Curse Of Conan at least, non-objective) views. Thomas' editing, which tends to At any rate, true objectivity in a screw up Smith's artistic flow (his book of this sort is inpossible. layouts were particularly good) and Conan never combed his hair A recommended reference work. bollix up his designs, the flow and Or cared about the weather. motion of Smith's work remains. He rarely sat upon a chair; *******************A**************** It's possible to see why the early He dressed in chain and leather. Conan stories were award winners -- and it's also possible to see pre Conan ate and drank his will And no one dared to stop him. CONAN THE BARBARIAN, Vol. 1 - 5 cisely how far the comic series has since declined (though the artwork Of wine and love he took his fill, By Roy Thomas and Barry Smith In truth no one could top him. Ea. 160pp., $1.95 ea. (Except Vol. has often come up to the standard 5: $2.25) Smith set, occasionally even sur But Conan passed like all the rest, Ace Tenpo Star passing it), degenerating into a A victim of the ages. series of the old SfjS cliches, com Like all of us he flunked the test Reviewed by Steven Edward McDonald plete with an-all-too-often mind In agonizing stages .... less Conan -- where the climax of -- Neal Wilgus Collections of comics stories Thomas' fleshing out of "The Queen featuring REH's Conan of Ciiuneria, of the Black Coast" should have written by Roy Thomas (writer of the been close to brilliant, it was various REH based series at Marvel merely boring. since CONAN #1), with art work by Barry Windsor-Smith (since departed The five volumes here reviewed, for more lucrative and freer shores). (and the next few to appear) are for a display of his Conan-like re All the stories have been specially worth attention, if you can bear flexes and martial skills. Sold at re-edited and arranged for publica with sword and sorcery, and Conan -- auction and ordered gelded (ouch!) tion in the paperback format, to it's an interesting fleshing out, Dumarest breaks free and holds host avoid the problems displayed in in the visual sense, of the Conan age the planet's Matriarch long en other Marvel paperback collections canon. Plus, the stories are also ough to impress her as the man she -- reduction of lettering to the good fun to read, as light enter needs for a very dangerous mission. point of eyestrain. Stories cover tainment ... beats the nth repeat Armed only with his considerable REH's Conan and non-Conan work (in of the plot Stan Lee created for wits Dumarest follows her missing cluding an adaptation of the "The Spiderman any day. daughter into the other-dimensional Grey God Passes"), as well as orig ************************************ reality of an alien artifact, the inal stories by Thomas, and a story Tau, from which other would-be res plotted by John Jakes (a later vol cuers have returned mindless. ume will feature the Conan-Elric IDUNA'S UNIVERSE story plotted by Jim Cawthom and By E.C. Tubb Excellent so far. IDUNA'S UNI VERSE falters only when Dumarest Michael Moorcock). DAW, 1979, 156 pp., $1.75 enters the world of the Tau where The early Conan comics were, Reviewed by Howard H. Huggins wishes are real and what is real is for a lot of people, a first intro limited only by the imagination. duction to the genre of swords and It is a little startling to re And there is the rub; it is hard to sorcery -- Conan having been a pet alize that there are now 21 volumes take the dangers of the Tau very project of Roy Thomas at Marvel in E.C. Tubb's "Dumarest of Terra" seriously when weapons and even (finally given extra impetus by the series of which IDUNA'S WORLD is whole armies can be conjured out of changes in the Comic's Code that al the latest. Tubb has developed a thin air to deal with the menace at lowed heroes capable of chopping ad 36 hand. Although IDUNA'S UNIVERSE is be MUIHERLINES want to bear and raise children. low par for this series I will look By Suzy McKee Chamas The Mares toss all their children forward to the next one and the re Berkley, $1.95, 246 pp. out on the Plains to survive as best turn of the sinister Cyclan pursu 0-425-04157-3 Oct 1979 they can until menarche when they ing Dumarest to the ends of the gal can join society.) Perhaps children Reviewed by Lynne Holdom. axy and his search for lost Terra. are no more people than are men. After all, how could any lover of I had heard a lot about this All in all I was appalled by pulp fiction spurn a character book, most of it good, mostly from the lack of caring in this novel. whose "face took on the pitiless feminist sources. It was supposed Women have sex with other women but ferocity of the beast he had hunted it's hardly more meaningful emotion and killed" or an author who can to show a vibrant, feminist society which worked. So when this novel ally than Alldera's rape experience. write: "Peace was a good thing came out in paperback, I decided to All this novel proves to me is that when applied to animals but suicid gender is of no account in the make al when used to tame men who had try it even though I had been less than enthusiastic about Charnas' up of a brutal, chauvinistic soci the heritage of monsters. Force ety. Be warned. recognized only one effective argu other novel WALK TO THE END OF THE ment -- greater force. And all Dum WORLD. I should have saved my money. ******A*a*************************** arest had was his knife"? I love There is a feminist society this stuff. all right and I suppose it could be ************************************ called "vibrant" though that's not the word I would have used. "Stag nant" would be more to the point. THE BEGINNING PLACE By Ursula K. LeGuin "Cruel" is another possibility. Harper § Row, Jan. 1980, $8.95 There is an absence of any male OMEGA characters from the novel and the Reviewed by Susan M. Shwartz By Stewart Farrar message of the novel, constantly New York Times Books, Jan. 1980 hammered in, is that any woman who LeGuin calls this sort of story has been around men is forever ruin a psychomyth, a statement, divorced Reviewed by Susan M. Shwartz ed, forever doomed to play games of from our own world, or the values dominance and repression --a fault we long to find in it. In THE BE Another disaster book in which also inherent in all male culture. GINNING PLACE, Hugh and Irena are the meek, the witches, and the rur young Californians who hate the The plot line is simple. Allde- al inherit the earth that the tech waste lands in which they live -- ra, the protagonist, who has been nocrats and urganites have laid Hugh as a supermarket checker with brought up in a repressive masculine waste to! The only thing different a mentally ill mother who doesn't dominated culture, escapes after about OMEGA is that his gentle farm want him, but doesn't want him to go she has been brutally raped. As ers are wiccas, servants of the either; Irana, the daughter of a she crosses the wastelands, she is Great Goddess and practitioners of woman whose second husband is just found by the Mares, the Riding Wo white magic. Farrar, who lives in what the sociology texts warn you men of the Plains, who care for her a coven, has done a marvellous job against, fence, wifebeater, over for the sake of the child she is of evoking the Craft of Witches; sexed. These two profoundly alien carrying. Among them, all children the parts of OMEGA dealing with it ated people discover the beginning are clones of the mother and so gen are fascinating. place, a creek in perpetual twilight, etic variation is welcomed. But But the rest of the book, in Alldera, spoiled by masculine cul a path leading to a Mountain Village of beauty, dignity and solidity sep which scientists in trying, through ture, escapes and goes to live with the Mohole, to turn Earth into a the Free Fems who are all escapees arately. self-perpetuating electrical gener and similarly ruined as witnessed Hugh gets there after Irena; ator (I didn't understand that, and by the dominance games they play. his coming disrupts the fantasy life I don't think Farrar does either), (The fact that a lot of this play she has built up as a daughter of unleash earthquakes and a madness- acting might be due to the fact that the village and reveals the relation causing dust, doesn't come off. the Free Fems have leisure and are ship she has had with its mayor to There is a prologue explaining this incapable of reproducing partheno- be a sham. He falls in love with project, and then the action switches genetically and there are no men al the lord of the village's daughter. to the Houses of Parliament and a lowed on the Plains is not to be Both discover they share a quest: plot to use the witches as a scape considered seriously; nor is the to rid the village of the fear that goat so the politicians and Beehiv- fact that some women might actually blocks it from the rest of its twi ers (technocrats who live in a bunk er) can survive. Ultimately they line up with black magic and don't survive ... but I could have guessed that. THERE I MiMDIbKq- my owm business; when Farrar switches from character A A/IS KO TRlMCESS to character. I found a lot of his COMES l/F AM? tq-lVES switches of point of view bewilder ME A BlQ-yWET f
THE STAINLESS STEEL RAT WANTS YOU By Harry Harrison Bantam, pb, '79, 155 pp., $1.95 Reviewed by Martin Morse Wooster
Harry Harrison has had an oddly two-faced writing career. On the one hand, he has his late Canpbel- lian facet as a spinner of literate I should remember Greg Stillson, monistic alien who deliberately dis who eventually became Johnny's sing rupts the clockwork rhythm of life le-minded reason for living. As a on Pythia, an entire planet devoted novel that takes place in the iimed- to scientific experimentation. He iate past as part of our common his comes; he proselytizes; and like a tory, it can't all be forgotten and celestial appleseeder, he leaves forever irretrievable in my own again, immediately following an out dead zone, now can it? rageous (and enormously stimulating) display of rampant priapism that Question: Are we really sup leaves the planet shattered. posed to believe that an itinerant Midwestern Bible salesman could be Earlier, we get a glimpse, a elected to the U.S. House of Repre convincing touch of empathy with sentatives with a staff and a body character Jennie Geiss, of the sort guard detail consisting of a coterie of isolation felt by a non-scient- of former motorcycle freaks? On a ist set adrift in a dedicated scien platform of anti-govemmentism, anti tific comnunity with no skills nor welfarism, anti-Arabian, and pro- purpose. You might also conclude hotdogism? that it's the same isolation felt by any outsider, in any context. No. But nobody believed that Hitler meant what he said in "Mein Afterward, we get a semi-lecture Kanpf" either, did they? Greg Stil on the futility of ever opposing lson is a former revival minister, the bestial side of nature. But a former snake oil salesman, a for please don't misunderstand. It's mer house painter and real estate not a statement, I suspect, that salesman, and he's heading straight will appeal to unreconstructed hed for the White House. Johnny Smith onists very much at all. shakes his hand, and visions of Arm ************************************ ageddon immediately overwhelm him. Question: "If you could junp, into a time machine and go back to 1932, would you kill Hitler?" DR. WHO #1-6: DR. WHO AND THE DAY The action is sprinkled through Question: What kind of a piker OF THE DALEKS, By Terrance Dicks, out with memorable lines of dialogue, is a God who lets Johnny Smith do DR. WHO AND THE DOONEDAY WEAPON by many of them comic. The inpact of his dirty work for Him? Malcom Hulke, DR. WHO AND THE DINO SAUR INVASION by Hulke, DR. WHO AND the lines is greater if you have This is a religious fantasy, a THE GENESIS OF THE DALEKS, by Dicks, seen the program and can imagine political manifesto and a last-ditch DR. WHO AND THE REVENGE OF THE CY Tom Baker, who portrays the Doctor showdown. How can such smooth read BERMEN by Dicks and DR. WHO AND THE to perfection, performing them. ability have so sharp an edge to it? LOCH NESS MONSTER by Dicks. The books are short and make After reading Stephen King, many a fast, pleasant reading. Wrap up a would-be author is going to end 14) Pinnacle Books, $1.75, paperback. handful of them for your favorite with a permanent case of writer's Introduction by Ellison, each book. kid for his birthday -- after you've block and throw his typewriter away Reviewed by Patricia Russo read them yourself. A quick reader in disgust. Or maybe they won't, can get through one in less than and they should. These are the first American two hours, and a child with a short ************************************ appearances of a popular series of attention span will find no dense books in England. Based on the paragraphs of description and expos BBC television program that is now ition to turn him off. being shown in syndication around AN EXERCISE FOR MAEMEN the United States, these books fo The one thing I would wish on By Barbara Paul cus on the adventures of a certain the authors is a little more basic Berkley 03809-2, c. 1978, Berkley Dr. Who and his various traveling knowledge of storytelling -- things edn. July 1978, 168 pp., $1.50 companions. like consistent viewpoints, or even Reviewed by Steve Lewis The books are enthusiastically what a viewpoint is, and the uses introduced by Harlan Ellison, who and non-uses of the second person After reading and immensely en does one of the finest selling jobs singular pronoun. joying PILLARS OF SALT, Paul's ex I have ever read. After seeing the If you have seen the show and cursion into time travel published show and reading these books, I want to enjoy further adventures of last year by Signet, I was pronpted must say I agree with him. This the Doctor, or have fond memories to take a trip backward in time my isn't great literature, but it is of Doc Savage and his band, pick up self. This is her first novel, and excellent entertainment. one of these books and try it. it's probably out of print, but if you missed it, the effort in track The action is quick and contin ************************************ ing it down will be well worth it. uous, with clear-cut good guys and Or if you bought it new, like I did, bad guys, as in most books written initially or primarily for youngs and stored it away unread, like I THE ROAD TO INFINITY ters. But, for a change, the good did, by all means dig it out. Bar By Isaac Asimov guys do not automatically win. bara Paul is definitely a writer Doubleday, 1979, $8.95 worth reading. There is real danger for the char acters as they try to save the uni Reviewed by Susan M. Shwartz In a way, this first book is verse, or their comer of it. Some not science fiction at all, but an times, the Doctor does not succeed. I have been hooked on Isaac As allegorical fantasy. Never made imov's essays for half my life. clear are the motives of the eudae- 39 THE ROAD TO INFINITY contains seven teen essays, most of which were ulus you had to activate that ment URSHURAK first published in THE MAGAZINE OF al conponent. Today, there are so By Hildebrant/Nicholls FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION on top many talented artists in the field Bantam Books ics as diverse as gramnar and Ant- who make a point of paying attention artica, black holes and personal to detail, color and composition, Reviewed by Susan M. Shwartz immortality (he's not buying it). that it makes me wonder how we ever Some of the essays were a lot more got along without them years ago. Seeking vengeance for the murd interesting to me, personally, than If you wander into any bookstore, er of his family, Hugh Oxhine res others: I tend to read articles on you are literally dealing with a cues an elven prince, Ailwon, from cosmology or philosophy with a lot mini-art gallery, and the sale of rat-beasts and takes him to the home more relish than I do essays on books dealing exclusively with SF of an ancient wizard where he meets logarithms. But even when Asimov art has become a full-time business. dwarfs, elves and a beast called a is dealing with the complexities Gwarby, all leagued against Gorta of mathematics figured according You may not recognize the names the witch who herself serves the of some of the artists but you will to different bases, he is able to DeathLord, a renegade Elf. The explain them winningly -- and with certainly recognize their work (as story ranges all over the land of that may have decided you to pur out patronizing oversinplification Ursurak as these people, aided by --to the educated nonscientist. chase a book in the first place.) another magician, the fabled city Possibly he is the greatest popular- Kelly Freas is one of the best of Amazons, a Tavern-Meet of dwarfs known SF artists and as such is izer of science around, and it comes whose motto is "Liberty - Solidar qualified as a judge to know talent out in these essays, which are clear, ity - Tomfoolery", and some miscel spectacularly organized, and written when he sees it. Both Kelly and laneous elven lords seek vengeance in lucid conversational English. his wife Polly provide the introduc on Gorta, then battle the DeathLord tion to this selection of color and his traitorous elf lieutenant The essays are also quite amus paintings, while science fiction Deciedon, who commands the Vilder- ing. An attack on Bible-belters veteran, Poul Anderson, comments on ones. They attain the Crownhelm, may occasion an essay or two on that aspect. with which Ailwon is crowned, kill scientific observation, or Asimov There are three editions to the DeathLord and unify the land may explain black holes by trying after a number of battles, a good to show how someone of his (consid choose from, this regular paperback book, a trade edition in hardback deal of miscellaneous lore and a erable) girth might be reduced to lot of random capital letters. one. Throughout each glints the for $13.95 and a limited signed and personality -- amiably egotistical, numbered boxed set for $30. Counterpointing the narrative polemical and rather charming --or is the characterization. A lot is Asimov himself: I learned a lot The paintings cover six funda made of doing versus being, of the about his idiosyncrasies, his fam mental SF subj ects: Science Fic value of intuition, of trust and tion, Sword and Sorcery, Romantic ily, his life of work and his col regard as opposed to suspicion, sax- Fantasy, Horror, Heroines and Aliens. leagues while reading about the ism, and being closed-off. Valuable South Pole, the planets, the stars, I will not presume to describe any points all, were they not presented and life after death. The essays in detail because the appeal of good as preaching. My main problem with expand outward from Earth to infin SF art is personal and subjective. URSHURAK is that it creates no mag ity, but they seem to return always You will have your favorites as I ic. It presents all the elements to revolve about Asimov himself. will have mine, but there will be (including some magnificent color something to touch an emotional plates), but due to the awkwardness This is a book for browsing and chord in everyone. I find it incred of the writing which abounds in rereading, for trying to keep up ible to note that the artist, Mich cliches and vague generalities, it with the frontiers of human know ael Whelan, is not yet 30 years old. must rely on describing and not ledge -- explained in humane terms. If he is this good now, what will evoking it. This book attempts to I've read such collections before he be like in another 25 years? follow Tolkien or perhaps Stephen with pleasure, and I'll happily read It should be mentioned that Donaldson. In my opinion, it isn't the one which will inevitably fol even as good as Terry Brooks' SWORD low this one. each section is introduced by an author whose works Mr. Whelan has OF SHANNARA. Just one more attempt ********************************A A** illustrated. These include such to cash in on the market for heroic names as Michael Moorcock, Alan Dean fantasy -- I'm surprised Bantam took Foster, Anne McCaffrey, Gerald W. it. WONDER WORKS, SCIENCE FICTION AND Page and C.J. Cherryh. As indicated earlier, the il FANTASY ART lustrations are as beautiful as I've By Michael Whelan The books the illustrations cov come to expect from the Hildebrants. Edited by Polly and Kelly Freas er include: CITY, THE BLOODY SUN, The intricate plot is worked out, Donning Company, 1979, 5041 Admiral LITTLE FUZZY, SWORDS AND ICE MAGIC, but it's so predictable I hardly Wright Rd, Virginia Beach, VA, THE WHITE DRAGON, ENSIGN FLANDRY cared. 23462. and THE TROUBLE WITH TYCHO. There ************************************ 1979, 120 pp. , $7.95 are well over 50 illustrations along with comments by the artist (and / Ah Aim To c«mpuc Reviewed by W. Ritchie Benedict his biography). aiooseshok ' Yoi/R WYiewEK. win! MV six-HEAH- Science fiction has always been The Donning Company has been an intensely visual form of litera making a name for itself in the ture, perhaps more so than any field of SF art (they also have a other genre. You had to have a book with the work of Kelly Freas) strong visual imagination to conceive and it will be interesting to see of some of the fantastic vistas what new talents they display in that the authors were trying to the future. paint upon the canvas of your mind. ************************************ In the early days of SF, the pulp magazine covers were the only stim 40 MASTERS OF EVERON MASTERS OF EVERON, however minor, By Gordon R. Dickson is nonetheless as much a statement Ace, '80, trade pb, 237 pp., $4.95 of Dickson's philosophy as the far more inportant THE FAR CALL. Ever Reviewed by Martin Morse Wooster on, however, is not in THE FAR CALL'S class, and is Dickson's worst novel The major conflict in Gordon since his dreadful juveniles of the Dickson's work is that between mid-1960s. Considering the talent frontiers and interiors. The fron of the author, it is a shame that tier, for Dickson, can either be a this novel is so trite and simplis society (underwater in THE SPACE tic. Dickson has, and will, do SWIM4ERS and ON THE RUN; interplanet better. ary in NONE BUT MAN and THE OCTPOST ER) or the mind, as in the further ************************************ evolution of humanity (THE PRITCHER MASS) or a combination (the Dorsai series). It is the continued emphas MXKINGBIRD is on one plot that makes Dickson, By Walter Tevis for all his ability, a writer of Doubleday, 1980, 212 pp., hardcover. the second rank. Reviewed by William Gibson MASTERS OF EVERON confirms Dick son's weaknesses as a writer without in the future, people will smoke replicating his virtues. The novel so much marijuana, and pop so much is set on the frontier planet Ever- Valium and so many sopors, and be on, a planet trying to establish its so heavily into meditating and mind own identity against a domineering less hedonism and the whole selfish Earth. Jef Robini, member of the Me Generation trip that, like, stup Ecolog Corps, goes to Everon to de id robots will be doing all the real termine who killed his brother. Ro work. And robots are pretty insens bini is also determined to restore itive, right? So they'll just feed I don't think it's the book that Mikey, his pet maolot (a sort of mu people a lot of really nasty synthet will save your kids from the next tant ocelot) to the world from ic junkfood, like algaeburgers and Jim Jones, but it won't do them any which he came. Robini arrives on stuff, probably full of chemicals, harm, either.... Everon, and is quickly thrust into and generally America will look like a war between ranchers and farmers, How can anyone dislike a novel a neoconservative's worst nightmare both of whom wish to use the rich with sentences like "I was boiling of Woodstock. To make it even soil of Everon for their own ends. synthetic eggs at the nuclear stove, worse, a malfunctioning plot-element After learning that certain govern on the one burner that worked"? will spike all the dope and downers ment officials are not what they with contraceptives, as well as ster ************************************ seem, Robini realises that all his ilizing all the women at an early problems converge upon one another, age. thus providing a tidy, if thunder ous, climax. Well, almost all, but I don't want to give the plot away. Dickson has translated a Western THE MAN FROM NOWHERE plot into science fiction. The Anyway, people will forget the By Frank Hanpson morphology is quite exact: Robini is really important things in life, Trade paperback, 1979, a ranger, the maolot is a coyote, like the nuclear family and reading, Dragon's Dream, Nijverheidsweg 46, Everon is the Great Plains and the and it'll just be really dull all Postbus 212, 3340 AE Hendrik-1do- ranchers and farmers are ranchers the time. Virtually the only symp Anbacht, Netherlands and farmers. Dickson has done West athetic character in the while count Reviewed by James J.J. Wilson ern plots before, in his first years ry will be a super-intelligent robot as a writer and, with better results, with a wonderful metal brain in the This is the first volume in a in the novella "Ancient, My Enemy". cloned body of a majestic black series of books of the adventures Unfortunately, this plot is both man. He's been alive for hundreds of Dan Dare, Pilot of the Future. painfully simple and painfully blat of years and doesn't want to be, Dan Dare was one of the most famous ant; one moans at Dickson's unerring and to make things worse, the fac British comic strips of the 50s and tendency to replicate every cliche tory left off his penis. But don't certainly among the most popular SF of the Western in the first three- worry, because it all has a happy characters ever produced in Britain. quarters of the book. Only the last ending and it's really uplifting. For years the stores were filled quarter is truly science fiction, Particularly if you were crazy about with Dan Dare toys and other items and only the last ten pages show FAHRENHEIT 451, JONATHAN LIVINGSTON and scientists argued heatedly over Dickson at anywhere near his top SEAGULL and LOVE STORY. the current week's installment. form. The weird thing is, I liked it. This is due to the clever and logic The concluding chapters build Seriously. It's a comball, but it al writing, the scientific accuracy to an oddly mystical climax that isn't kitsch, and it's genuinely (Arthur C. Clarke was one of the one who has plodded through the first passionate in its way. Tevis is advisors), and the beautifully real three-quarters of the book would some kind of gifted storyteller, istic and colorful artwork of Frank not be led to expect. The ending and in spite of all the creaky Fut Hampson. I cannot overstress the almost succeeds because of its aud ure Archaic technology, and a nar latter. My only prior exposure to acity, until one realizes that Dick rative texture that often suggests this character consisted of two pag son's conclusion is a fuzzy carbon some strange marriage of the earl es of reprints in David Kyle's 1975 of other, better novels. (Even the iest form of American Naturalism book, A PICTORIAL HISTORY OF SCIENCE maolot for much of the book is a with Horace Gold's GALAXY, it works. FICTION. Those two pages were en Hoka with sharper claws.) ough to make me remember the names 41 Dan Dare and Frank Hampson for four years and to become very excited these animations, he participates as sincere efforts were made to keep when I saw the book. This book lives in the apparent perversions of trad everything accurate and plausible up to my every expectation. itional religious symbols. For ex with special effects to match. Such Dan Dare was created by Frank ample, the Holy Grail no longer symb solutions as the use of auto head Hampson in 1950 as the lead feature olizes Eucharistic Sacrifice but in lights on a black background for in what was to become Britain's stead animates a woman's sexual org stars are tributes to the ingenuity most popular comics magazine, EAGLE. ans. The Grail now contains the of these pre-STAR WARS filmmakers. Soon children and adults alike were shameful secrets of Brother Paul's At one point, Heinlein fought a anxiously awaiting each weekly is earlier debauched life. move by the "powers-that-be" to im sue. Frank Hanpson did the strip Not a blasphemous satire of re prove upon the "cold" script in ord until 1959 and it continued until ligion, GOD OF TAROT commands a er to boost audience appeal. The EAGLE'S demise in 1969. The strip serious analysis into the nature of new script, created with the aid of is also a current feature of the God and man's own theological dest an unnamed musical comedy writer, British weekly, 2000 A.D. but the iny. Paul's descent into this Tarot included dude ranches, guitars and stories and artwork were never to Hell first eradicates his conven cowboys on the Moon, along with "a equal the quality or the popularity tional morality. But once this base trio of female hepsters singing into of those that Frank Hanpson did in line is achieved, his visions revit a mike". The new script was never the 50s. This first volume reprints, alize the underlying premises of used, largely through the determina I assume, the first years' install religion -- knowledge of self and tion of Heinlein and others involved ments (the book contains 46 to be of will. Without self knowledge to keep the script serious. exact). and an educated will, man will nev The book is of extremely high er transcend the shallow prescrip "Facts About Destination Moon" quality printing and materials and tions of his transient life. is a booklet reproduced in the vol would definitely be of interest to ume, along with twelve pages of This initial book of a longer stills from the film. The booklet enthusiasts of SF, art, comics or Tarot trilogy establishes the chal people who are just curious to find is unintentionally hilarious, with lenge of Tarot. But GOD OF TAROT its overblown prose and 1950s emph out what got everybody so excited also invites us to dynamic adventure about thirty years ago. asis on military preparedness and -- to a quest that synthesizes man's tough-guy national strength: we are ft***************************:******** requisite spiritual inpulse with the told that "he who controls the Moon primal forces of his original folly. controls the Earth" and, "If any ************************************ foreign spies were snooping around on the set, their reports to head GOD OF TAROT quarters should at least be inter By Piers Anthony esting". Jove/HBJ Books, $1.75, 1979 DESTINATION MOON The Gregg Press edition of DES Reviewed by Lynn C. Mitchell By Robert A. Heinlein TINATION MOON is rather slim for Edited by David G. Hartwell $15.00 but is a valuable historical To eerie music of Sant-Saens' Gregg Press Science Fiction Series document of interest to libraries, DANSE MACABRE, skeletons materialize G.K. Hall 6 Co., 1979, $15.00 Heinlein collectors and SF film in an ominous dance of death. On Reviewed by Tom Staicar buffs. this planet Tarot, strange appari ************************************ tions from the arcane Deck of Tarot In 1948, Robert A. Heinlein terrorize colonists whose lives ir went to Hollywood with the intention onically center around the Tarot. of selling a producer on the idea of Sent to locate the origin of these a film about a trip to the Moon. animations, Brother Paul quickly The working title was ROCKET STORY, learns that his mission also includes loosely based upon Heinlein's novel FRANKENSTEIN UNBOUND determining God's role in these ROCKET SHIP GALILEO. He above all Read by Brian Aldiss threatening manifestations. When wanted the film to be a serious, Produced by Graham Goodwin Paul conjures a Tarot animation, he scientifically accurate look at the Listen for Pleasure Tape penetrates the mystical arcanum only future of space exploration for the TC-LFP 80053/54 L4.95 UK to discover himself a heroic 'fool' average filmgoer. trapped within the borders of this Reviewed by Steven Edward McDonald ancient domain. This special Gregg edition was assembled by David G. Hartwell and This is the second production The theological design of GOD includes Hartwell's introduction of FRANKENSTEIN UNBOUND -- the first OF TAROT dominates the novel. The which sets the film in perspective. was a BBC dramatization of the book, many schismatic sects band together When the film was released, the excerpts from which appeared on re only for survival on this harsh idea of a trip to the Moon was still cord in the States (textual links planet. And despite their religi a wild, way-out daydream that was from the book were read by Aldiss). ous differences, these sects all dismissed as "science fiction". This is handled as a straight read worship the eternal Tree of Life as ing, and the text, apart from the the One God. However, the presence Heinlein's original novella "Des abridgement, is unchanged. Aldiss of animated Tarot symbols generates tination Moon" is reprinted from the does a very professional job of a theological crisis for the planet September, 1950 issue of SHORT STORY reading the main text, and utilizes Tarot and the entire universe. If MAGAZINE and is amusing but not one several techniques to make the God is manifesting these perverse of his best works. The volume also characters come alive -- there is and often murderous animations, then includes a reprint of the article nothing flat about the reading, and the moral nature of God becomes "Shooting Destination Moon" which if Aldiss wasn't a top SF writer, questionable. And the consequences Heinlein wrote for the July, 1950 he would probably have a future in of this speculation threatens the issue of ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION. radio (if not on stage). An excel foundations of modern religions. In it, he explains the problems en lent job, and one worth the effort When Paul enters the Tarot arc countered in this early SF film, of obtaining for a listening. anum to both understand and control 42 ************************************ full-pagers are marvels of talent SMALL PRESS NOTES and skill; he does more for the story than the author. The dust jacket BY THE EDITOR color painting is especially great.
TALES OF THE WEREWOLF CLAN,VOL.1 EARTHLOVE by Neil MzAleer By H. Warner Munn Strawberry Hill Press. $7.95. Illustrated by Jeff K. Potter 616 44th Av., Grant, $12.00 San Francisco, GA 94121 A saga—gruesome, bloody, stark A young married couple on va and savage, of a family cursed to cation are kidnapped by an all-pow be hounded to death by an alien erful intergalactic "female" entity magically bound to Earth by ancient and voyaged through the universe in spells. This "demon" hates mankind a transparent globe to visit a few and especially the descendents of planets and meet some strange creat Wladislaw Brenryk, who offended it ures . In the end the young woman's mightily in the Sixteenth Century. space-impregnated embryo is taken These stories trace the fates of by EF (Expanding Field—the name those men and women down through of the all-powerful) for use in the centuries as they struggle to spreading human love through the sarily a lot is said about defending evade that thing they have come to sevagram. The couple are then re oneself with those weapons. know as the Master. turned to Earth an hour or so after What Steiner has done is briefly In this volume the clan is still they had been taken. describe these books and manuals and barely alive, as a condemned witch A long novel, full of juvenile give a short review/judgement of in colonial New England gives birth nice-nice behavior, love, LOVE, their quality. to a boy before she is hanged. LOVE! and characterless, personali- The categories are: Traditional I liked these stories for their ty-enpty information-only dialogue. Martial Arts Books With A Combat unflinching look at Medieval life— It is full of scientific howlers Orientation; Military Combat Texts; the brutality, the religious fanati and astronomical license. It is a Police Texts; and Civilian Defense cisms, the ignorance, the horrible novel of great sincerity, great Mes Instruction Publications. cruelty of man to man and woman. The alien creature is said to be sage and great boredom. These books are invaluable to a responsible for most of these tides I did not believe a word of it writer if he's writing SqS, detect past chapter one, and you won't, of evil, but that is a narrative ive, spy, war...almost any action- convenience and perhaps a humanist's either, if you make the mistake of adventure story. And futuristic reading it. unconscious evasion of history and science fiction weapons can be im the vicious side of humanity faced agined from a reading of some of with lifetimes of unremitting war, these books. starvation, disease, despair. This book is a pointer—and I look forward to volume two of SHAYOL #3 worth the price to find out which these chronicles. H. Warner Mmn books you want/need for reference. Edited by Patricia Cadigan writes highly effective prose. Published by Flight Unlimited, The dj, frontispiece, and full 1100 Countyline Road, Bldg.8, #29, page interior illustrations by Jeff Kansas City, KS 66103 K. Potter are exceptionally well A very interesting and well- done, evocative, professional. done quality magazine devoted to TFE BLACK WOLF by Galad Elflandsson sf and fantasy. Superior graphics, Illustrated by Randy Broecker printing, etc. New stories by Lisa Grant, $12.00. Tuttle, Michael Bishop, Tom Reamy, Donald M. Grant, Publisher, West Tanith Lee... Cover and interior Kingston, RI 02892 LOVECRAFT'S PROVIDENCE & ADJACENT art is of high-professional quality. In his introduction, Charles PARTS by Henry L.P. Beckwith, Jr. [In fact, the Richard Corben paint M. Collins thinks Galad Elflandsson Donald M. Grant, Publisher $10. ing illustrating Lee's "A Hero at is a fine, upcoming writer with a West Kingston, RI 02892 the Gates" could not be published special way of telling a Lovecraf- For those who want to sink into by any of the existing prozines: tian horror tale. the place where HE wrote... Maps much too erotic.] Well... He's conpetent. This and drawings and photos of the There are articles, features, not-quite-novel-length story of a small city...where HE walked...and departments...all excellent. terror-filled rural town in New houses which HE used in HIS MIND One problem: SHAYOL comes out England, a cursed family, a Terri to write his horror stories.... about once a year. ble Secret, a young out-of-state It's all well done, and for visitor/hero...is so-so. It has Lovecraft conpletists, a necessary some suspense, some horror, some reference and aid to appreciation. good characterizations. But it is MANUALS ON MAYHEM---- A COMPLETE formula and when you use a trite GUIDE TO THE LITERATURE OF COMBAT old formula you'd better make the MARTIAL ARTS AND SERIOUS SELF DEFENSE by Bradley J. Steiner specifics extra-good, distinctive, STARSHIP #37 (WINTER 79-80) Loompanics Unlimited, $6.00. and solid. $2.25. Edited amd published by An POB 264, Mason, MI 48854. This is a fair read. drew Porter, POB 4175, New York, There is an astonishingly Ahhh, but what makes the book NY 10017. large literature [how-to manuals] worth buying are the really fine It gets better and better, in on how to kill another human being Broecker ink drawings. These cluding a stronger Porter presence with hands and hand weapons. Neces 43 and more nuts-and bolts inside information by Bob Silverberg, I believe, and was published in SCI time of his publication in WEIRD Fred Pohl, Vincent Di Fate, etc. ENCE WONDER STORIES in that year. TALES, a mysterious, awe-inspiring A very professional magazine The novel is structured in the recluse who lived in a cabin in in every respect. Beautiful full- manner of those years—a long (but Auburn, California. He wrote such color cover by C. Lee Healy. interesting scientific [or pseudo arcane fantasy, such dread tales of scientific]) preamble which sets up death and strange, occult, bizarre the conflict between an aged scien retribution...that readers and fans tist who has spent decades studying thought he must be a kind of sorcer er. ANARCHY COMICS #2 termites in Africa, and the superior Last Gasp, $1.25 intelligences which control the ter A few people knew him as he was, POB 212 mites and plan world conquest. a gentle, quiet, learned, multi Berkeley, CA 94701 The old professor enlists the talented man whose philosophy and Edited by long-time sf fan and aid of a younger scientist, a rich, life-style was zen-like in simplici cartoonist, Jay Kinney, who in my adventurous man, and the millionaire's ty. He had a great, dark imagina opinion has misnamed this series: lovely and smart sister. tion and a fantastic command of should be MOSTLY CLASS WAR COMIX, They discover a parallel control- words. or ANTI-CAPITALIST COMIX... ing super intelligence that is able If you buy a copy of this book That is the philosophical to largely control groups of humans, (a limited edition of 2500 copies, thrust of most of the strips and and are quickly on the run from both by the way) read the two memoirs stories, not pure anarchism. the termite Masters as well as the about Smith by George F. Haas, first. Granted, though—anarchists secret human Masters. They are absolutely vital to a full used to be considered comnunists, This is (to my mild surprise) a enjoyment of the journal which pre socialists, radicals... good, exciting, interesting and in cedes them. Nowadays anarchists are often formative reading experience. There Andrew Smith's black ink render mistaken for hardcore Libertarians, are bonuses: reprinted Frank R. Paul ings are well done. I think, since they are both against illustrations, and some good new conp- any government anywhere, to any de lemtary drawings by Dixie Adkins. The gree, under any conditions. Introduction by Patrick H. Adkins is But ANARCHY COMIX is only against absorbing, a revelation of Keller as capitalistic governments. They even well as the hectic world of 1929. offer an oil painting poster of a A WEALTH OF FABLE by Harry Warner, Keene-eyed Mao, for $3.50. Jr. Published by Joe D. Siclari, If you like heavy-handed propa 4599 N.W. 5th Av., Boca Raton, FL ganda, tunnel-minded philosophy, 33431. In three volumes, mimeographed, and a little good satire of the ASFA is the Association of Sci offset cover by Ross Chamberlain, usual American Middle Class targets, ence Fiction Artists, and ASFA is here's your knee-jerk fodder. also the title of their newsletter. Introduction by Wilson (Bob) Tucker, Anyone interested in sf/fantasy interior illustrations by Bob Shaw, Lee Hoffman, Ross Chamberlain, art (at any level) is welcome to join. Sheryl Birkhead, Jackie Franke, Stu Cost: US$10 per year. To: Wilma Shiffman, James Shull, Al Sirois, ARCHIPELAGO by R.A. Lafferty Fisher, 520 Hamilton Road, Merion Tim Kirk and Steve Stiles. Manuscript Press,$12.95 Station, PA 19066. Price: $10.00 POB 51576 The point of this mention is Limited edition of 1000 retail cop Lafayette, LA 70505 the disturbing information in the ies and 100 review copies. I read fifty pages and then Jan./Feb. 1980 newsletter. Vincent This is the history of science gave up; Lafferty is in many ways Di Fate's Grievance Activities Re fiction fandom in the 1950s. And a very idiosyncratic, private, port mentions several questionable only Harry Warner, Jr. could have frustrating writer. Usually there practices by several publications done it. is a storyline in his works, a and editors concerning payment prac The 50s were an era! A kind of goal, a danger...something to hold tices, copyrights, rights purchased. golden age. Major fans of the time a reader through the special Laff Good nuts and bolts information were Terry Carr, Harlan Ellison, Bob erty style and skewed (often de any pro or amateur artist wants and Silverberg, Bob Tucker, and (in a lightful) reality he paints. needs. But this novel seemed to have But there is also a discussion lesser way) Richard Geis. no story. It is mostly about a of rumors about Ace/Grosset 6 Dun Ted White was just coming in. man named Finnegan and friends and lap slipping into slow-pay practices The major fans that did not go on to about incidents in their lives past again, and of Ace being sold—again. "superstar" status in science fiction and present. were the ones who dominated 50s fan If you are a Lafferty lover this dom: Walt Willis, Lee Hoffman, Dean is your meat. If not, this is a Grennell... soporific. I can't remember all; forgive me for forgetting... Shelby Vick... Vern THE BLACK BOOK OF CLARK ASHTON SMITH Illustrated by Andrew Smith on McCain... Keasler... Arkham House Publishers, $6.00 Fandom was small, intense, ex Sauk City, WI 53583 clusive, full of hoaxes and feuds THE HUMAN TERMITES by David H. Kel Handsomely published with a sim and wild happenings, almost all of ler. $5.00 ple, heavy, leatherlike black cover, P.D.A. Enterprises, Box 8010, New Orleans, LA 70182 THE BLACK BOOK is literally the con tents of Smith's journal, in which This is volume two of the David he recorded thoughts for stories, H. Keller Memorial Library series. incidents, philosophy, observations Previously published is his THE LAST about writing and writers, poetry, MAGICIAN: NINE STORIES FROM WEIRD TALES. story titles for story series... Clark Ashton Smith was at the THE HUMAN TERMITES was suggested to Keller by Hugo Gemsback in 1929, 44 which were recorded/reported in the THE ADVENTURE OF THE ELEVEN CUFF There are stories by Compton, fanzines of that era. BUTTONS by James Francis Thierry Cook, Lumley, Zelazny... It was an incredible time: I'm Aspen Press, $6.50 WHISPERS is fantasy/horror ori glad I lived through it. POB 4119 ented, and if that's your bag you've Harry Warner, Jr. wrote ALL OUR Boulder, CO 80302 got to have this issue and others. YESTERDAYS, a history of sf fandom A broad burlesque of a Conan There's much, much more in this is in the Forties. He was the only man Doyle Sherlock Holmes tale, this sue to enjoy and appreciate. The who could have written A WEALTH OF novel, published in 1918 originally, weird, bizarre art folio of Vincent FABLE. He did a magnificent job of is proof that even an obscure writ Napoli...the superbly grotesque in both histories. er, barely a professional in sales, side front cover by John Stewart... The task of writing the history can have a form of immortality----- by Altogether, 128 pages plus cov of fandom's Sixties will have to be riding coattails. ers. undertaken by someone else, however; The variation in this novel is There is a hardcover edition of Harry is not interested (and I don't that Holmes and Watson speak a lot this Leiber issue available: $12.50; blame him). of American slang, supposedly because ($10.00 to subscribers of WHISPERS). This three volume excellently they are just back (in England) from mimeod edition of A WEALTH OF FABLE a three year stint in New York. In is quite simply both an education their Introduction, Tom and Enid and a collectors item; it will like Schantz suggest this is because Thi WHIZZARD, SPRING 1980 ly be the only edition and a copy erry didn't know enough English idiom Edited and published by Marty Klug will be Extremely Valuable one day. to risk English dialogue. Their 5730 Chatport Road, St. Louis, MO I think every university library guess is probably correct. 63129. Single copy: $2. with any interest in science fiction This quality softcover (5-1/2 x An extremely well-done comix should have a copy, for instance. 8-1/2) is very nicely illustrated by fanzine featuring interviews with The information in these pages is Rob Pudim. Limited edition of artists, writers, editors in the precious and should be recognized as 1000 copies. comic book, graphic story field. such. Articles on past comic greats and new projects. Letters, reviews, and a pro-quality comic strip, SCIENCE FICTION CHRONICLE, APR. 1980 "Misclebound for Glory." NEW WORLDS #215 Edited and published by Andrew Port WHIZZARD is professionally Edited (this issue) by David Britton. er, POB 4175, New York, NY 10017. printed, 48 pages, heavy covers. $2.00 or El from Bookchain Ltd., Single copy: $1.25 18 Peter St., Manchester 2, England. This issue has a scoop: 'Davis By far the most disciplined and Publications Buys ANALOG.' And let coherent (an conuiercial) issue for a us pat Andy on the back: his report while, in a small limited edition of a few months ago that ANALOG offices QUESTAR, JUNE, 1980 1000 copies, #215 of NW is a writer's had been moved to a kind of "Siberia" I note that the February issue issue: by, for and about writing and in the Conde Nast organization, and of this slick, all color quarterly writing, especially sf and fantasy that this downgrading was a possible had a $2.00 price on the cover, and writers. signal that ANALOG was to be sold, the June issue is $1.95...changed Mike Moorcock analyzes Harlan El was a true reading of the event, not no doubt to conform to a distributor lison's writing and psyche, leaves withstanding the denials by all and demand...or to conform to the usual both hanging inside out on the line sundry. market psychology. to dry, and makes both inportant and SF CHRONICLE is attractive, pro This (June) seventh issue is a understandable. fessional and news oriented. A re better issue than last, which was an M. John Harrison, in "Notes From liable monthly, mailed first class. abject puff for BLACK HOLE. I see the Ivory Basement", laments the de there is some cheesecake added—a mise of the New Wave and sticks pins section on Caroline Munro with a into the current body of sf writing two-page spread—alas, not nude. and writers. No one escapes unprick This magazine is widening its WHISPERS 13-14 ed. Edited and published by Stuart Davis appeal with writer interviews—A.E. Michael Butterworth is more anal Schiff, Box 1492-W, Azalea St., van Vogt—and personality profiles ytical and academic in "A New Frog-- Browns Mills, NJ 08015. of Forrest J. Ackerman, Don Post, Sr., The Origin of Frivolity and the This double issue, largely a artist David Mattingly, and Lee Cole. Shape of the New Literature." I tribute to Fritz Leiber, costs $4. Features on recent sf develop think he's full of shit. WHISPERS, from the beginning, ments, letters, book reviews, film Heathcote Williams writes con has featured superior fiction (pro news... Well done. The magazine is vincingly about Kirlian auras and fessional-level), excellent artwork 60-75% sf/fantasy/horror film orient photography—the latest poop— and a clear vision of intent with ed. But is running a graphic sto but I suspect special advocacy. its fine package. Plainly, Stuart ry serial and I see that next issue It'd be nice if he was right. is a superior editor. it will have a sf story, too. And there's a Jerry Cornelius This issue is worth every cent A good, entertaining mix. Not story, "Niki Hoeky", by Charles with its full-color wraparound really in the small press category Partington. Fascinating. Bizarre. Stephen Fabian painting (with noth any longer, I think. There is a P.J. Proby quote in ing but the logo to mar the snow It is published by MV Conmunica- large type on the back cover: "I AM scape with two Norsemen fighting tions, 247 Fort Pitt Blvd., Pitts AN ARTIST; AND SHOULD BE EXEMPT with sword and battleaxe), the Leib burgh, PA 15222. FROM SHIT." er novelette, "The Button Moulder" Nonsense! Artists create most (very personal horror story), the of the shit of this world, being at Fabian "Swords and Deviltry" folio, heart idealists. Realists and cyn the look at Fritz the man and writ THE FOURTH WALL by N.A. Diaman ics spend most of their'lives clean er in "Fritz Leiber Revisited: From Persona Press, $5.00 ing it qp or avoiding it. Hyde Park to Geary Street" by James POB 14022 SFR is a small shovel in the Wade.... San Francisco, CA 94114 effort. 45 Diaman is a rebel writer: he doesn't believe in capitalizing and many, many single and double THRUST is 52 pages, offset, names or using quotation marks to page b/w illustrations. He is a SFR-size pages. He even has 7 indicate dialogue. Well...the first superb craftsman and these efforts Gilliland cartoons! word of each chapter is capitalized. are rich, detailed, marvelous in Why, I haven't the faintest. their lush savagery; he's caught the This technique is anti-reader, spirit of Conan perfectly, I think. of course; any style or technique These editions are for collect FANTASY NEWSLETTER #23-24 [Apr.-May] that makes it difficult for a read ors and/or Howard enthusiasts. The Edited and published by Paul C. Allen er to read and understand text is Conan stories are pure REH—excit 1015 W. 36th St., a mistake—unless the writer is in ing, rapid, heroic, with a dash of Loveland, CO 80537 tent on putting himself on display sex...and a ladle of blood and guts Paul has established(apparently) instead of his story. Every diver violence. a policy of having a large Fabian gence from standard fiction mechan cover each issue, a sinple, non ics is at base a LOOK AT NE! THINK screaming cover format, and 32 ABOUT ME! ploy by the author, no pages. In those 32 pages he covers matter how much he wraps himself in XENOPHILE #42 the major fantasy and sf news, pub the rhetoric of Noble Literary Rebel Edited and Published by Nils Hardin lishing news, prints an interview or Experimenter. POB 9660 or two—Ramsey Campbell in the Apr. The story in THE FOURTH WALL is Kirkwood Branch issue, Katherine Kurtz in May---has short and cliched: Bret Hamilton is St. Louis, ND 63122 a column or two (and I'm glad to see a secret non-conformist in a future This is the big, fat Sth Anniver Bill Warren has found a home for his society dominated by TV (the fourth sary Issue—152 pages plus covers movie news § reviews column after I wall of all apartments is a giant TV —with exceptionally good articles decided I wanted to do it myself in installation). about pulp collecting, its writers, SFR), and even, in May, is using a Bret is a maverick also because its major (and some minor) fiction piece of fiction, "Carousel" by he reads books and knows some hist al heroes... An interviewwith Phil Paul Garcia Capella. ory. He's also homosexual, but Farmer...articles about Leigh Brack Of late FANTASY NEWSLETTER is that's beside the point. ett, Henry Kuttner and L. Ron Hub becoming more a broad-interest maga This future society is almost bard (his pulp writing career)... zine and abandoning its newsletter entirely visual and oral—communi Niich more. beginnings. Still, if he can con cation is by pictures and talk. Ev This issue is priced at $2. and tinue to publish every month.... en numbers are being phased out. is a bargain if you are into old Oh, the single issue price is Almost everyone is a pillhead—up book and magazine collecting, or $1.50. pers, downers, sleepers, etc. nostalgia. Gad, according to the price The government is totally elit schedules these other sf and fantasy ist, manipulative, and contenptuous magazines are sporting, I should of the people. ask $2.75 to $3.00 for SFR.... So what else is new? All the action of THE FOURTH WALL takes place in a single day. GROUND ZERO #1 $1-50 It's a short book, 128 pages of Ldited/published by Richard Dorsett THE CARTOON HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE skimpy text, very short chapters. 2719 E. 22nd, Vol. 4: Part of the Old Testament It is in the trade paperback for Austin, TX 78722 By Larry Gonick $1.25 mat. Diaman previously wrote ED An idiosyncratic 40 page off Rip Off Press DEAN IS QUEER, also published by set zine of catholic taste, as they POB 14158 Persona Press. He's working on a often say. The two items of note San Francisco, CA 94114 third book. are a segment of HALF A SKY, an un This series gets better—and published novel by R.A. lafferty, funnier—than ever. Gonick's and an article, "Hollywood's Shadow accuracy and sly/slapstick humor Cinema" by Louis Black, which dis is marvelous; you get the definite cusses the unnoticed and unknown impression while reading/chortling BLACK COLOSSUS gems in the vast wasteland of "B" that his view of history is probab JEWELS OF GWAHLUR movies and exploitation films. ly more keen and plausible than what Both by Robert E. Howard you find in textbooks. Donald M. Grant, Publisher West Kingston, RI 02892 NYCTALOPS #15 [Jan- 1980] $2.50 [Limited editions, price unknown, THRUST #14 [Winter 1980] $1.95 Edited and Published by Harry 0. but around $12-$15, I believe.] Edited and published by Doug Fratz Morris, Jr. These are the latest in the 11919 Barrel Cooper Court 502 Elm St., series of hardcover editions of Reston, VA 22091 Albuquerque, NM 87102 Howard's Conan stories which Grant A pretty damn good semi-pro sf A big, glossy, arcane periodical has been issueing for several years. mag, subtitled "Science Fiction in devoted to H.P. Lovecraft and the I believe he eventually intends a Review", which keeps the reader busy Cthulhu mythos. Very fine artwork. conplete collection of the Conan with Ted White, Barry Malzberg, Professional quality in every aspect. stories in these excellently pro Charles Sheffield, Michael Bishop, duced editions. an interview with J.G. Ballard, Dean Morrissey, a very good letters, some reviews... EMPIRE—FOR THE SF WRITER #19 $1-50 artist, did seven full-page paint Doug has steadily improved his Mark J. McGarry, Editor 6 Publisher ings for JEWELS OF GWAHLUR (and zine, but still makes the stupid Box 967 including "The Snout in the Dark" mistake of hiding his address in New Haven, CT 06504 also a Conan story included in this small print, doesn't put his address Dedicated to helping writers in volume). on the subscription coupon he prints, the sf genre. Those who help are: Ned Dameron illustrated BLACK and doesn't put his address with the Charles Sheffield, Orson Scott Card, COLOSSUS (including "Shadows in the invitation to send it classified Steven G. Spruill, John Shirley, Moonlight") with four magnificent ads. That is counterproductive. Darrell Schweitzer and others. full-color two-page-spread paintings 46 ************************************* LETTERS
# LETTER FROM WALLACE A. MC CLURE om Moonlets". It is written by Jean 11975 E. 187th Meeus of Vereniging voor Sterren- Artesia, CA 90701 kunde, Belgium, and is the most 25 Nov. 1979 crushing rebuttal I have ever seen published anywhere. 'This letter's in answer to the 'Meeus begins by pointing out card from George Karren in SFR s33, that Bagby used data that was ap concerning the National Enquirer proximate and sometimes in error. article about Soviet reports that The strange anomalies Bagby saw in pieces of an alien spacecraft were the GODDARD SATELLITE SITUATION RE in orbit around the Earth. Well, I PORTS, and which comprise almost also happened to see that article all of his evidence are shown by while I was down at the local super Meeus to be merely the result of market and think that I can shed Goddard Space Center publishing old some light on the subject. satellite ephemeris data until 'To recap the article briefly, new data was available. Even from the National Enquirer reported that among this data Bagby used data they had heard of some Soviet re that was obviously wrong. Eliminat ports that there was an alien space ing these obviously incorrect and craft that had blown up in Earth false observations, six observations orbit on December 18, 1955, leaving are left from astronomical observ 10 pieces still in orbit, the larg ations ranging from the 1940s to est being about 100 feet in diamet the 1960s. Somehow Bagby manages er. Also, these "moonlets" were ob to combine these scattered observa served and tracked by an American tions and calculate the orbit of scientist, John Bagby, who had cal the parent body which caused the culated their orbits. false observations. How? Bagby never shows how he accomplishes 'The basis of these reports this, a task which has eluded other seems to be just one article in the researchers! astrophysical journal ICARUS, Vol ume 10 [1969], pages 1-10 entitled 'Even using Bagby's calculated "Terrestrial Satellites: Some Dir orbit, John Meeus shows that for ect and Indirect Evidence" and writ these observations to have occurred, ten by John P. Bagby of the Research the moonlet before its breakup and Development division of Hughes would have appeared to an observer Aircraft Corporation. This article on the Earth to have an astronomic studied what appeared to be many al brightness of about magnitude 1 sudden anomalies in the published -- rivaling the planets in splendor. data on orbital elements of artific If such a body existed, in such an ial satellites. Bagby suspected orbit, then it is very, very unlike that these sudden anomalies were ly it was not observed repeatedly. due to a perturbing force from a 'Finally, Meeus shows that there passing natural satellite or satel is no way that the "interactions" lites. From this data, he conclud between the supposed moonlets and ed that a parent body with an estim the artificial satellites could ated diameter of 30 meters, orbit have occurred -- if the moonlets ing the Earth at an orbital height had existed, and if the orbital data of 14065 kilometers and an orbital was correct in the first place. eccentricity of .5, had broken up Gravity is too weak of a force, and on 18 December 1955 into 10-20 small Bagby invents an electrostatic or moonlets and these small moonlets electromagnetic interaction which were causing the sudden jumps in is also shown to be too weak. Ev the published observational data on ery piece of data Bagby uses is ov artificial satellites. erwhelmingly rebutted, and even his 'This then, is the article from conclusions are shown to be wrong. which almost all the reports of 'The journal in which these two small natural moons of the Earth, articles are published, ICARUS, is or of pieces of an alien spacecraft pretty widely distributed (I've seen circling the Earth come from. Note it in every college science library the close similarity to the Nation I've looked in), and I'm surprised al Enquirer article. that so few others have bothered to 'There is however, a second art look them up. Even so, when I first icle which should be read along ran across these articles a couple with Bagby's. It is also in ICARUS of years ago, I was very disappoint Volume 19 (Aug. 1973) on pp. 547- ed. I can think of a lot of uses 549, and is entitled "Bagby's Phant 47 for a 100 foot sphere of space junk ed if an unknown had written it---- are what you get when you ask for in Earth orbit, and the idea of the answer is NO! The Heinlein science fiction about "ideas". I getting parts of wrecked interstel name got this mess published. It don't think you'll find anyone who lar spacecraft is extremely inter is often said in sports and in the likes "ideas" in SF raving over THE esting. But alas ... I guess we'll writing game that you're underpaid NUMBER OF THE BEAST. When people have to just go on looking.1 in your prime years, and overpaid talk about science fiction of old in your failing years. That is that had "ideas", they mean things ((Well, thanks for the debunking, abundantly clear in this case.)) like Heinlein's older classics. Wallace, though I'd prefer the mis They mean things like Hal Clement's takes and lies. So it goes.)) MISSION OF GRAVITY -- Shakespeare it isn't, but it makes the ideas in to an entertaining story. And we still have good SF novels of ideas, # LETTER FROM FRED SINGER dammit -- books like C.J. Cherryh's Hanau American High School HUNTER OF WORLDS, for example. No APO New York 09165 body mentioned LeGuin's THE DISPOS # LETTER FROM KARL T. PFLOCK Feb 2, 1980 SESSED in the same breath with any SF WRITERS OF AMERICA thing from the Golden Age, but it 1002 Sun Drive 'I am a science fiction fan, an Colorado Springs, CO 80906 was a novel of ideas, too -- which unpublished writer and a social also happened to be full of admir Feb. 1980 studies department chairman. able style and characterization. 'The second thing I turned to 'I recently received someone It is also true, however, that there is well-written SF nowadays that is in SFR #34 was the Pinto review of else's rejected story by mistake, sadly lacking in ideas -- reading the new Heinlein. Except to say and read it with interest because it is sort of like eating good con that the guy seems well named given I was curious about the kind of mat the nature of his review, I won't erial that others are turning out. somme when you'd rather have clam chowder. I could mention -- but comment on his remarks re NUMBER When I returned the manuscript to why bother? Nobody would pay any because I haven't read anything more the writer, I gave her my opinion attention, and I'm retired from feud than what's been excerpted in OMNI. and invited her to evaluate my story. ing. But if Pinto's observations on NUMB 'This exchange generated an idea ER are as off-base as ditto on FARN which I am currently involved in, 'Speaking of STAR WHORES, if a HAM'S FREEHOLD... I know that his namely, to coordinate a manuscript guild of prostitutes is needed for comments re the "casual and overt exchange program between unpublish long flights through space, why bigotry" in FF reflect similar bilge ed science fiction writers. I ex wasn't it needed for long voyages generated by others, but all that pect it to be interesting, enter at sea? Ah, but why spoil the fun! proves is that there are many, many taining, a learning experience and, I get the impression that most porn dolts (ideologically lobotomized hopefully, a little profitable.' isn't much fun any more. I made a dolts) out there. random visit to one of the book stores on 42nd Street, and at least 'Jesus H. Christ on a crutch.' half the titles seemed to involve FREEHOLD is explicitly and implicit ((The idea of unpublished or ama rape, bondage or sadomasochism. An ly antibigotry -- unless a rock- teur sf writers critiquing each other 40 per cent had to do with hard bias against granting any pers others mss. sounds good at first, md an independent viewpoint is things like women getting it on with on -- regardless of race, creed, dogs, cats, horses, etc.; or being sex color, or national origin -- often useful, but it's even better degraded into prostitution. Incest arbitrary power over others can be to have a professional opinion from a selling writer, a professional is still a popular topic. Only construed as bigotry. editor, or agent. Unfortunately, about 10 per cent -- at most -- of 'Can what I have suspected for that costs even more than amateur the books on display were just about a long time be true, that critic is opinions.)) people having fun fucking. No doubt the semantic equivalent of asshole? the ratio is similar in Portland. So you could say the militant femin 'Whew! Geez, I think Malzberg ists have a point. is right.... ' 'And yet it must be perfectly # LETTER FROM J.J. PIERCE ((Peter Pinto may be wrong about 645 Central Avenue possible to write porno without de Heinlein’s freedom philosophy, but West field, NJ 07090 grading women -- maybe some women he is not wrong about THE NUMBER Feb. 1980 would even read it, judging from the OF THE BEAST, Robert Heinlein's most-publicized studies of sexual fantasies and the recent rash of new novel which will be published 'Well, I suppose I might as male strippers performing for fe by Fawcett in August this year in well plunk down my $4 for STAR male (as opposed to gay) audience. a classy trade paperback edition WHORES -- it's such an irresistible Maybe the women should write it; with many inside illustrations title, after all. Besides which, the best example I ever happened and the cover by Richard Powers, it may even provide some pointers across, WAYS OF A WANTON WENCH, at $6.95 per copy. for whoever does the sex scenes for ((When I read THE NUMBER OF REDMUFF THE SPACE PIRATE. was a sort of Triple X-rated Jirel THE BEAST I soon realized I was story allegedly (How can we know for in an endless swamp of incredible, 'It was interesting to see the sure, after all?) written by a wom time-wasting, inane, malaprop, review of THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST, an named Madeleine LaGrange.1 often lecturing dialogue. The and based on Heinlein's previous novel must be 95-99% talk. It is two books and the excerpts of BEAST in OMNI, I don't doubt the comments very wearying. It is appalling. ((Obviously a sex guild was needed are right on target. I would, how It is Heinlein playing with himself for long sea voyages, but just as ever, take exception to the gratui for 417 pages. obviously the anti-sexual power of tous remark that books like this ((If you use the "Joe Smith" the Christian religion was too test---- would this have been publish 48 strong culturally and socially for a sex guild to come into being. once on the implicit assumption that -- send them prostitutes instead. And just as obviously we've almost there wouldn't be any women involv (I'm not quoting her exactly, but reached the point now where such a ed in the Mars project except as that was the sense of it.) The guild is possible. prostitutes. No women scientists? statement got her some amount of ((From a recent conversation I No women technicians? Even granted criticism at the time, but she may had with the editor of what may be an all-stag crew on the first exped have been right. the sole printed-porno market left ition, Richardson was talking about 'The "kill-the-girls” syndrome in America, for writers, the re later trips -- and still no women that you and Bev Romig-Parker are quirements are simply wall-to-wall except as factory-trained lust mech discussing ... Instead of an "un all-out sex, with graphic sexual de anics. In the second place, with conscious male hatred for women" as tail in the orgasm scenes, and a space and fuel aboard spaceships at you suggest, could it perhaps be an constant flow of sexual reference a premium (I suspect star travel is attempt for dramatic reasons to and incident in the transitions relatively cheap in STAR WHORES), I push the button connected to a man's from orgy to orgy. I could have can't see the sponsoring agency al protective feelings for women? This written for him, but the offer was locating a sizeable drain on the won't win me any points with those $1,000 for 50,000 or more words, life-support systems to relatively who theorize that men and women are and all rights were purchased. non-essential personnel. Possible simply standard-issue persons with Ten or fifteen years ago a thousand solutions incltxle the following: slightly different plumbing (and per book was pretty good (with roy (a) Send only crews of Jesuits. everything else is environment and alties and etc., but now $1,000 is culture), but if a man has the norm less than $500 worth of purchasing (b) Send crews composed of mar al protective instinct towards wo power, in 1965 terms. I refused ried couples — assuming suitable men, and he sees a woman threatened, the opportunity. people with the right backgrounds violated, or murdered, even in a ( (In my mind STAR WHORES is and specialties just happened to mar dramatic presentation, isn't his porno that does not degrade women. ry each other and are available. first reaction anger (that the thing Unless you take the position that (c) Send crews of ummarried is happening), pity (for the victim), using your body and mind to do any hatred (for the victimizer), and thing for money is degrading, in scientists divided 50/50 between the sexes and hope they work out even frustration (that he is power which case all work is a disgrace less to do anything about it)? And and should be illegal.)) some sort of arrangement among them selves on the way to Mars. But isn't his involvement in the story that's what NASA hires psychologists all the more intense? Okay, so for. it's manipulation, but isn't it a possible explanation? Then there 'Still I'm not sure if Richard are the guys who identify with the son's speculation would even occur # LETTER FROM DWIGHT R. DECKER victimizer ... or at least somebody's 16 King Arthur Ct. #7 to anyone now. The times have been buying a lot of Got books over Northlake, IL 60164 changed. the last decade and a half. 15 Feb. 1980 'I'm also reminded of a comment 'If you'll forgive me for toot 'This is the first issue of SFR Raquel Welch made at the time of I've seen in a couple of years, so the Vietnam War about Bob Hope's ing my own horn, I recently sold my your current activities are news to overseas tours. She said in effect first SF story -- to a Dutch maga me. Particularly STAR WHORES. By that for all of Hope's good inten zine (talk about opening off-Broad- tions (entertaining the troops, do some sort of odd coincidence, I pick way!). I got a copy of the magazine ed up a used copy of THE BEST FROM ing his bit for his country, etc), a few weeks ago, and to my astonish F6SF, EIGHTH SERIES (1959) just the it was probably horribly cruel to ment, my name was even on the cover, sandwiched between Joe Haldeman and other day, and C.S. Lewis's story parade bouncing and dancing starlets Donald A. Wollheim... as if anybody "Ministering Angels" was prefaced as across the stage in front of men far from home who hadn't seen any women in Holland knows who I am.' But I follows: in months and wouldn't see any for was happy about it. Of course, my '"Dr. Robert S. Richardson's even more months. Welch added that joy was somewhat moderated when I controversial article, "The Day Aft she thought the best thing to boost sat down and actually read my story er We Land on Mars" -- first publish the morale of the soldiers was not as it had been translated and found ed in the SATURDAY REVIEW and later frustrating them with the sight of some glaring errors (like the trans expanded for FSSF (Dec. 1955) -- beautiful women they couldn't have lator confused my mention of Twister, contained the provocative prediction that 'we may be forced into first tolerating and finally openly ac cepting an attitude towards sex that is taboo in our present social frame work ... To put it bluntly, may it not be necessary for the success of the project to send some nice girls to Mars at regular intervals to relieve tensions and promote mor ale?' C.S. Lewis takes it from there ...... " 'You've probably read the Lewis story, so I won't go into it here. It was Richardson's comment that startled me and made me realize how attitudes have changed in 25 years. In the first place, any feminist who was worth her diploma from the Torquemada School of Sniffing Out Thoughtcrime would have junked at the party game, with the Twist, which owns the ship which calls for looked at twice, once by me...be the dance). If I sell any more a minimum number of visits by a mem cause I forgot about the other re stories to our friends across the ber of the Companion Guild, per week. view in the file. water, I wonder if I can insist on The officers of the ship and the ((I am more reader oriented the right to approve translations executives on board, of course, in my reviewing; my concerns are before they're printed? have the services of a higher grade how interesting, exciting, involv Companion than do the crew and min ing a book is, and with some con 'Speaking of translations, re ers. Such contract provisions are cern for writing skills and tech member that line in Heinlein's THE common in this future. niques. I have little analytical/ DOOR INTO SUMMER where the hero ((If current labor contracts metaphorical interest; blatant wakes up in the future, reads a news can include the quality of food, Messages and Distractions do not paper, and comes across a mention work periods, fringe benefits con impress me or tickle any urge to of the King of France -- "King? Oh cerning physical health...why not dialectic or trigger a need to well, French politics might turn up the inclusion of sexual/mental well trace literary allusions or influ anything." The French edition of being? And why not male Companions ences. On the contrary----such Une Porte sur 1'Ete does not include under contract to serve the sexual concerns make me tired.)) that line. needs of women, in certain work 'What's more, when I checked it situations? The social and psycho- just now to confirm it, I found two sexual forces involved are almost distinct errors in translation with the same. in a few lines of each other: ((A workforce of prostitutes # LETTER FROM JAMES PATRICK BAEN Heinlein: LUNA SHUTTLE STILL SUS always gathers around (or behind) EX. ED. ACE SCIENCE FICTION PENDED FOR GEMINIDS -- Twenty-Four- any army, formally or informally, 360 Park Avenue South Hour Station Suffers Two Punctures, legally or illegally....regardless New York, NY 10010 No Casualties. of the Public Morality which, 'hag Jan. 11, 1980 ridden by political, religious and Translation: LUNA SHUTTLE STILL sexual illusions, pretends to for SUSPENDED FOR GEMINIDS -- Two Punc 'It has come to our attention bid it.)) that many people think that THE tures In Twenty-Four Hours. No Cas SPIRIT OF DORSAI is or at least pur ualties . ports to be a novel. It isn't, and Heinlein: ...What was this "Poudre it doesn't. What it is, is two nov Sanitaire" they were considering us ellas, one a reprint, one original, ing on the "Wogglies"? -- whatever combined into a thematic whole with they were. Radioactive, maybe? # LETTER FROM A.D. WALLACE interstitial material. First pub Translation: What was this sanitary 306 E. Gatehouse Dr. H lished in 1979, the new novella is AMANDA MORGAN, and it is eligible powder they were preparing against Metairie, LA 70001 for awards in the SF novella cate the "Wogglies"? And what were they? Jan. 1980 gory for originals published that Radioactive mutants? 'Kilothanks for the solid #34. year. 'If I ever have a day where I'm The stature and repute are maintain 'The same is true in fantasy, utterly desperate for something to ed. Congratulations on being the by the way, for THE DEMON OF SCAT- do, I might sit down and compare the Early Bird with U.K. Le Guin's MAL- TERY, by Poul Anderson and Mildred two versions line by line and see if FRENA. But I would welcome also a Downey Broxon, which just squeaks many more goofs turn up. review by your house-vivisector, in at 39,000 words.' Darrell Schweitzer. Your own was 'Well, I shouldn't be too hard the first I have read in a fan(?)- on the poor translator. I've done zine. But mild, not at all Geisian. translating work in the past and 'The reviews in SFR are not in I've got a few similar howlers on my conscience. But I wonder if ane frequently of good calibre and have reason why Erich von Daniken never that crabbed candor and painful hon # LETTER FROM DELLA WILLIAMSON esty when that is called for. Too caught on in the United States to 1916-A W. 31ST STREET the extent he did in Europe is be often a reviewer deeply immersed in VANCOUVER, WA 98660 cause he was slaughtered by his an appreciation of the genre writes March, 1980 with laudative superlatives, and English translator, making him ap the piece dwindles into dull trivial pear far more foolish than he did 'I'd like to announce the form ities. Such misleads the purchaser in his own original prose. I re ation of a science fiction club here of the book. Moreover, there is a viewed that von Daniken comic book in Vancouver. It meets the second collection of hackneyed formulas in that came out recently (THE GODS Wednesday of each month at the Fort use, most of which are trite and FROM OUTER SPACE) for THE COMICS Vancouver Regional Library. The redundant — "if the author contin JOURNAL, and I found it riddled club is in the process of publish ues to improve we may expect great with ghastly errors in translation ing a fanzine for local science fic things of him" — is one of them, when I compared it with the German tion writers (amateurs). What we a patent truism.' version; von Daniken didn't write are planning is a fact sheet (some it, but his regular English transla phase of science, etc.), an art sec tor translated it. Just awful. tion, fiction, letters to the edi tor, activity page (acrostics, cross ((Once in a while a book is review 'By the way, ever wonder where words, cryptograms, etc.) science Poul Anderson got the name "Tolk" ed twice in SFR because I forget which reviews are in hand and/or fiction movie reviews and a clas for the alien linguist and inter sified ad section, 104 a word. preter in THE MAN WHO COUNTS? which books I have reviewed. And "Tolk" is the Danish word for "in once in a blue moon a book seems 'The mag is $9 a year, $1 for terpreter". Aren't in-jokes fun?' to require two viewpoints. a sample issue (per issue locally ((In this issue, for instance, picked up). Ursula 's THE BEGINNING PLACE is ( (In STAR WHORES the Space Guilds 'For more information concern have a contract with the corporation 50 ing the club or "zine" call 695-5917. # LETTER FROM ERWIN H. BUSH ber of this ubiquitous organization, That women do not like to be raped THE BURNING BUSH PRESS who's to deny this?) Those Of Us In and beaten into submission and made POB 7708, Newark DE 19711 The Know, look at the series as Re to sit up and beg. I once picked a vealed Truth, from which it may be passage at random from TIME SLAVE 'To begin with, I have enclos learned that: and it read like a dog-training ed your subscription renewal form 1) There really is a Federa manual. Funny on paper, but grim with a check for $12.00; that should in real life.' put you in a good mood! I also tion out there, complete with an would like to thank you very much Enterprise. for the kind review you did of Mark 2) The world will be destroyed ( (Oh, AAARRRGGHHHH!! ! I owe an apo lo Roger's THE RUNESTONE ... both he at the end of this century. Arma gy to BRUCE NYHOFF for not noting last and I appreciate it greatly. (I am geddon will come on the night of issue that he is the person who wrote the owner/operator of THE BURNING December 31, 1999, and once again the review of THE AMERICAN MONOMI TH BUSH PRESS, originally created for the following year for the intel which appeared in SFR H3Z. He lives the sole purpose of publishing that lectuals. in Box 1182, Muskegon, MI 49443, and book.) he writes good. 3) Only those who attend Trek- 'There is one little problem kieCons, wear the uniforms, carry ((As for you, Darrell, your de with your listing; you have the ad the phasers and communicators, and sire to get rich by pushing people's dress as Newark NJ instead of New qtherwise sell their worldly goods instinctual and archetypal buttons ark DE. You did have the sacred and give the proceeds to the Church (The buttons are located gust behind Zip Code correct, so I expect the will be saved. the nipples----which explains why wom Post Awful can figure it out in en have their buttons pushed more oft time. But I would appreciate it if 4) They will be beamed aboard en.) is admirable, but you've got to you list a correction.' the Enterprise, all the women (and realize how much entrenched competi some of the older men) into the tion you have. Moreover, this compe arms of Mr. Spock, who has a Long tition is often ruthless and merciless ((Every editor learns to apologize Reach. Those who claim he cannot gracefully. I of course, having had in putting down rival button-pushers. embrace them all at once are spread So...be careful. Be selective. so much practice, am the most grace ing the Klingonian Heresy, and will ful of all. When I receive letters ((I’ve often thought that a fic be Dealt With Severely by our Shlock- tion writer can tell the truth all the like yours, Erwin, I haul, "AAARRRGG- troops ... er ... Spocktroops. GGGHHHH!!!" But never in print. way up to the Black Moment in the final ((As amends, let me note that 5) There is room for everybody. chapter. But then, to achieve a happy your next publishing effort, THE One of the fundamentalist Christian ending, he must lie like hell! BRIDGE OF CATZAD-DUM And Other Stories sects runs into a problem because ((The latest Gor book is FIGHT by Mark E. Rogers is now available Revelation saith the number of ING SLAVE OF GOR (DAW, $2.25)issued in from you for $5.75. And Buyers should the elect shall be 144,000 and they March, and is the fourteenth book of make their checks payable to you. have more than that in membership, the counter-earth saga by John Norman. ((Did you know Erwin is my but we of the True Faith know bet I have reviewed in this issue in "And middle name? And that without excep ter. The Revealed Truth will show Then I Read. ..".)) tion all clerks and other function clearly on the 100th rerun or there aries want to make it 'Ervin. ' So it abouts that the Enterprise is sup goes.)) posed to have 400 crewpersons. Yet we only see about 20, and there are all these big empty rooms and cor ridors. Theologians call this The # LETTER FROM CHARLES SHEFFIELD Doctrine Of The Infinite Enterprise KIRKWOOD RESEARCH U LETTER FROM DARRELL SCHWEITZER Which Can Never Be Filled Up Except 6812 Wilson Lane 113 Deepdale Road, Strafford, By Belief. Bethesda, MD, 20034 PA, 19087 Feb. 24, 1980 Dec. 19, 1979 6) Hallelujah, Brother! Beam us up, Scotty. 'In the three weeks or so since 'The review of THE AMERICAN MON 7) Send $99.95 for your intro SFR #34, I have had four separate OMYTH nearly made me exclaim aloud, ductory packet to my address. In inquiries about the interview you "They've stolen my idea!" because small bills. did with me. That might be gratify they have. ing, but for one thing: The answer 'On this matter of the Gor books, to each of the questions asked was 'It was my idea to turn STAR I have never called for censorship. given, in full, in the first half TREK into a religion for more and The thing to do about abuses of the of the interview, in SFR #33. merrier tax-free profits. I outlin free press is to use the free press ed it in the lettercolumn of MYTHO to condemn them. Sure, all fiction 'What's going on? Do you send LOGIES a couple years back. Basic contains a certain amount of lies, only even-numbered issues to people ally, I would take the best/worst but it should, unless it is comp nere on the eastern seaboard? Or aspects of UFO/Shaver/Von Daniken letely cynical formula hackwork, (scary thought) are SF types not paranoia, millenialism, and cargo contain some truth too. The only able to retain information for the cults, roll them all together and way you can make a story convincing necessary three months? make a bundle. is not to lie about certain basic 'Either way, if you get ques 'The basic tenet of the Church, realities: That there isn't always tions and comments on SFR #34, you 0 My Brothers, 0 My Sisters, is a Hero to save the day, that pain might tell people to go back and that The Show is truth disguised hurts, that death is not as neat look at the previous issue. That's as fiction to get it past the cen and clean as little kids playing what I've been doing, if I'm convin sors. You see, otherwise they would cowboys and Indians, that sex is ced they can read. never have let it on the air at all. fun but leads to complications some 'On another subject, the SFR re (And since no one ever comes forth times, that falling in love is not views, both short works and long, as a spokesman for Them, and I've as simple as putting on a coat. are doing an awful lot of boot-lick never even met a card-carrying mem 51 ing. I read them, and it's hard to tell the dogs from the lions. Is there any way to persuade people that it's cheating if you only write about works that you like? A couple of years ago SFR had blood all over the walls, now it says it's blood but it tastes like chicken soup. 'And just because somebody beat you to it you should not drop the idea of doing a collection of Gill iland cartoons. You have published enough in SFR alone to make another book or two. Drop the hint, and I'm sure that I and others will send you a list of our all-time fav orites. Are you sure of that LOOM PANICS address that you printed for the Gilliland collection? I wrote to them a month back, and haven't heard a word.' '"There was a student rising" ((Ted White, in a letter in SFR #34, wrote: ((I am in the process of return does not mean "A student rose" in ing to Alexis as many of his orig any branch, variety or form of Eng inals as I can find. After that lish I'm acquainted with...except, 'Finally, while I have often I'm sure he can find a publisher apparently, Ted White's, and I think agreed with John Brunner about the he'd better do something about that, iniquities of copyeditors, I have for several volumes of his finest. read both "My version" and "Her ver I want only to concentrate from fast.’' sion" and I honestly can't sec the superiority of his version over naw on on SFR----reading and review hers. Perhaps the fact that both ing, mostly, and editorializing. ((For newcomers; John Brunner has versions are shorn of their context You're right—the magazine has had a running battle with Meddling blinds me to the virtues of John’s become too bland of late. I hope version, but "Her version" seems Morons in these pages for years, in clearer and more concise. If John this issue slakes your blood lust his column. Meddling Morons are honestly feels that this pair of ex a bit. (And you'd be surprised those editors and copyeditors who amples reveals anything other than how many others have a similar the fact that his version is slop do violence to his prose as they pier, I'd say he's too close to his thirst.))) prepare his mss. for publication. story to view it dispassionately. In SFR #33 he presented another instance of editorial incompetence. I reprint that section below. ((The problem is that the copy editor wasn't aware that rising can also mean a revolt or insur # LETTER FROM JOHN BRUNNER This column was intended to in rection. That usage is rare in clude another installment of "John this country. Had she known, John, BRUNNER FACT & FICTION LIMITED Brunner Versus the Meddling Moron", The Square House, Palmer Street because I just received the copy-ed what you meant, she would have South Petherton, Somerset ited script of my forthcoming Bal been correct to change the word TA13 5DB England lantine novel, THE INFINITIVE OF GO to uprising, which is the word we ... but for the first time in my know and use.)) 4 Feb. 1980 entire career I ceremonially burned the copy-editor’s work in our dining 'Arrives SFR #34 in the middle room fireplace, since it was cheap of my final burst on STEAMBOATS ON er than sending out for more Liquid Paper, and quicker, if I re-photo THE RIVER -- still 500 pages short copied my original version and sent of an ending and two years overdue that back instead. I did, however, salvage a few # LETTER FROM GEORGE H. SCITHERS 'But I can't refrain from rol pages of peculiarly awful interfer ling paper into the typer to ask ence in order to demonstrate to the Editor ASIMOV S SF MAGAZINES, how, why, by what possible form of chief editor at Ballantine (who is, Box 13116, Philadelphia, PA, literary myopia, Ted White can ima I'm sure, a perfectly nice person 19101 apart from his inability to choose gine that "now and then a student conpetent sub-editors for works by 20 Feb. 1980 rose" means the same as "now and yours truly) that I was arguing from then there was a student rising". sound evidence when I claimed that 'Dear Dick, the copy-editor had done more harm 'The former conjures up this than good. 'There are a couple errors in ridiculous vision of someone stand Here is the peak and sunnit of the 34th SFR which need correcting. ing up at the back of a lecture her (I have the chief editor’s auth ority for the form of that possess 'On page 60, Elton Elliott claims hall and saying, "Professor, you're ive) achievement: lA'sfm is non-subscription. This is fired.'" My version: "Now and then there untrue. It has never been true. was a studentrising to sack some Elliott clearly has the monthly mag '(To which, no doubt, the reply particular stick-in-the-nud." would be: "Oh, am I? Well, good azine confused with the quarterly bye.'") Her version: "Now and then a ADVENTURE. The annual subscription student would rise to sack ..." rate (12 issues) is $15.00 in the ’Whereas the second ... Anybody who cares to write to United States (foreign $17.00) -- Ballantine and advocate her dismis ’rising n. 1_. an insurrection sal will greatly oblige and the subscription address is Box or rebellion; revolt. _2.. . (this JOHN BRUNNER. 7350, Greenwich, CT 06830. from the latest dictionary in my 'Elliott really should check possession, the new Collins, pub these things out (at least to the lished 1979.) 52 extent of looking into an issue of the magazine) before making such flux density sheet laser beam as a statements if it's "news" he's sup separating insulator ...... posed to be reporting. 'Well, this is somewhat beside 'Orson Scott Card is wrong about the point, but maybe makes the con us publishing Joan Vinge's SNOW cept plausible enough to think about; QUEEN. That's a rather long novel maybe some sort of superconductor being published by Dell. We are system would do the job, and maybe publishing a fantasy novelet by some energy losses could be borne, her called "Storm King".' too. 'It seems to me, the next step ((Okaaaay. Thanks for the cor is the interesting part. What if rections. Elton is chagrined. you had a high velocity plasma of Orson is full of mental disquiet electrons orbiting a torus, and what ude or distress caused by the humb if the plasma were sufficiently ling of pride. I tell you, it's tough writing for SFR.)) dense so as to be essentially incom pressible? Could you then maybe constrict the plasma at some point sufficiently to raise its velocity through the constricted zone, as in hydrodynamics? Viz.:
# LETTER FROM RICH DODGE 52S N. Miller Rd., Sp. 15 Scottsdale, AZ 85257 Dec. 21, 1979 'Next, what if you laid the tor 'Assuming that you are accustom us on its side with plasma passing ed to weird correspondence, and through the "pinch" traveling to since I am too chicken to visit the ward the right at seven-nines of c? local physics department, I thought Then you would have a hard time mov that I would drop this little goody ing the torus toward the right, no? on you, with the thought that you 'If so, -then what would happen (Would this be an unstable situation? or one of your correspondents might if you could "pinch" an electron be able to evaluate the theoretical plasma from, say, about four-nines validity of the... Well, you see, of c up to, say, seven-nines? there's this idea I've been kicking around for a few years, since I ran 'What if you then set such a across the Lorenz equations in fresh system on end, say, in earth's grav man physics. You might call this itational field? idea "relativity engineering". 'As I vaguely recall, it may have started one day when I asked myself what would be a good way to 'Would this give us a "space store a lot of energy, and I got to anchor" or possibly a 4-dimensional thinking about the possibility of centerboard, say, using two tori? storing kinetic, rather than poten tial, energy and it came that a beam of high velocity electrons could store a lot of energy by increasing mass while approaching c. Of course, in order to do this continuously, you need a closed system, so I start ed thinking about a torus containing a plasma of high velocity electrons.
'At seven-nines of c, the elec trons would be traveling only three meters per second slower than the speed of light. If the torus were unsupported, it couldn't fall fast er than three meters a second, be 'Would a combination of these cause the electrons in the "pinch" configurations give us a vehicle 'A problem with this (I believe) can only approach the speed of light. which could tack in relation to a is that magnetic fields have to be It seems to me that here we have, gravitational field? Such a con used to make the electrons orbit, maybe, a quasi-antigravity machine. figuration might look like this: and there is inherent energy loss Gravitational potential energy would due to synchrotron radiation. May convert to electron mass as the be this could be avoided by using torus fell. (Could this become a electrical repulsion to confine and runaway process?) guide the plasma instead, maybe if 'If this works, you you could make the torus out of an antigravity tripod, "collapsium", e.g., a layer of elec trons inside with a layer of posi trons outside, using a super high 53 'Suggestive, ain't it? (Navi sure that this is just the sort of most of yours seemed happy rather gate by controlling the "pinches".) corporate duplicity and denial of than desperate. Nobody was getting 'Well, if you think this is at authors' rights that deserves wider hurt per se. I realize that there all worthwhile, please feel free publicity ....' were some murders but that's a whole to disseminate or use the concept other thing. I like Agatha Christie any way you please. If it has any and Ellery Queen. I will also say theoretical validity, I would love that I had the murderer pegged early to have as many people thinking on. Maybe this is the result of about it as possible. Of course, reading too much Agatha Christie, ft LETTER FROM NORMAN GOLDFIND. Ellery Queen and John Dickson Carr. it seems too simple and too good to Publisher be true (although, actual technol BAROfET PUBLISHING COMPANY 'I wonder what Sharon Jarvis ogy would be something else again). ' Five Hundred 8 Nine Madison Ave. said about it as a publishable nov New York, NY 10022 el. I certainly liked it better ((Somehow I think this letter March 17, 1980 than a lot of what I've read recent should have gone to ANALOG. How ly. I read it all at one sitting. ever, here is The Answer, folk; 'This will acknowledge your let I didn't find the idea of Companions do with it what you will.)) ter of March 2nd concerning the ab upsetting as each knew what she was sence of a credit for Gordon Eklund getting into before she ever chose in connection with the U.K. editions it for a job. (I was rather curious of the Lord Tedric books. about the gay crewmen or are they flunked on psychological grounds?) 'As you know, Gordon Eklund is I also got the definite impression writing the Tedric series for Bar that Toi felt rather superior to # LETTER FROM DAVE REEDER onet. The series is based on a the crewmen (definitely so in the 32a Lambourne Rd short story written by E.E. "Doc" case of the captain). She certain Chigwell Row, Essex Smith. Both the Baronet editions ly did not need to apologize to any United Kingdom and the Ace mass market editions 11 Feb. 1980 one and was certainly near the top credit Gordon Eklund along with in her chosen profession. "Doc" Smith. 'You carry quite frequently in 'Not that I am all that expert, 'Star Books, the U.K. publisher, SFR details of publishers and their but I think it could be commercial has elected because of marketing ill deeds. You might be interested ly successful if about twice as in this : considerations, to credit only E.E. long, with a few more plot complica "Doc" Smith. Mr. Eklund consented tions (more a mystery and a real 'Recently Star published Gordon to this at the time Star contracted puzzler) and a bit more sex but bet Eklund's TEDRIC: THE BLACK KNIGHT for the series. OF THE SILVER SPHERE as being by ter spaced so you don't feel that "Doc" Smith and also being "A Star 'I don't know if the above ex there is a sex scene every page and Original". Knowing that it had al planation will satisfy your sub a half or whatever. I suppose the ready been published by Baronet in scriber, but these are the unalter porn market operates that way but a U.S. (in fact, publication details able facts.' mystery novel with frank sex scenes inside of Star edition note this) shouldn't. And you could put in and was written by Eklund from eith some group sex which is about the only thing you left out. Do two er notes or an outline of Smith's; ((Obviously Gordon’s rights have Companions ever service two men at I wrote Star a letter inviting them not been violated, since he signed to comment on these two cases of the same time making a nice four a contract giving the publisher clear deception and strongly crit some? Just curious. I'd also like the options involved here. There icizing them for failing to credit to see Toi's background filled in a is a question of ethics and truth Eklund at all. bit more and maybe a couple of the in-packaging when E.E. Smith is men. She also probably does have 'I have just received the fol attributed as author of a book favorites among the men only can't lowing letter from Hilary Muray, written by someone else. I frankly show it. This could be a slight Managing Editor: don't see the advantage for Star conflict (she is a professional aft Books in this: anyone in England '"Thank you for your letter. er all) -- You could also allude to who is familiar enough with science some of the training in flashback. We used the phrase "A Star Original" fiction to recognize and value the because our edition is the first Also a bit more on the cutthroat name of E.E. Smith will know he is company spying and competition. one in our exclusive market -- UK dead... Ahh, Star wants the reader And go into the background of some and Commonwealth: i.e. there is no to think the Tedric novels are re hardcover edition. However since of the leading characters a bit prints of old E.E. Smith books? more. TEDRIC: THE BLACK KNIGHT OF THE But they claim the books are 'orig IRON SPHERE was published we have inals'? I'm confused.)) changed our policy and will only 'I guess you gather that I was be using the phrase on books we or not upset or shocked by the sex iginate. Our contract with Baronet scenes. I wasn't particularly turn stipulates that "E.E. Doc Smith" ed on either. I think you made a is credited as the author, and so good and necessary use of sex in we will not be making any changes # LETTER FROM LYNNE HOLDOM delineating Mantier's personality there." Letter dated 30.1.1980.' POB #5 and in the Captain's. People obses Pompton Lakes, NJ 07442 sed with penis size do seem to be 'I'm sure you will agree with March 17, 1980 stuck in adolescence and his liking me that this is a very unsatisfac for sex with lolitas pointed the tory response. Perhaps you might 'I will say that I liked STAR same way.' like to ask Baronet what sort of WHORES better than IMAGE OF THE deal they make in cases like this? BEAST by Farmer. While not terrib Why should they credit the real ly fond of sex scenes, at least ((Your advice is good, but I'm too author in U.S. but deceive the pub lazy to follow it. Sharon Jarvis, lic with foreign editions. I feel 54 by the way, has not seen STAR WHORES. (No editor has seen it; uttering things like "We must not and I think libraries would be too. I'm not especially interested in suffer a witch to live" which ac Otherwise, there's no reason not to sending it around.) She saw ONE cuses her of causing blight, drought, wait for the paperback. I suspect IMMORTAL MAN.)) athlete's foot, etc. After this that if Gregg Press is around in IS has gone on for a few hundred words, years, they'll be doing editions of our hero begins to catch on. His the hardcovers of the present to "quick wits", we are told, caused preserve them for posterity, since him to realise that "they meant to all the originals will have disin ?/ LETTER FROM DARRELL SCHWEITZER do her harm, although for what reas tegrated. I also suspect that as 113 Deepdale Road on, he knew not". When reviewing far as major publishers go, the art Strafford, PA 19087 the book, I merely quoted the pas of making a book on the level of a March 20, 1980 sage, implied that the rest of the Don Grant edition will soon be as book was similar, and let Fox hang obsolete and esoteric as medieval 'A couple points raised by Ors himself. manuscript illumination. on Scott Card's column: No, you couldn't do to Mark Twain what he 'Onward: I think the whole 'If it's worth having, it's did to Cooper, or at least you could point of Ursula LeGuin's "The Path worth having in an edition that not do it intelligently and convinc ways of Desire" is the ending, which won't crumble. Now you see why I ingly. Ridicule can be a very use is not a dumb idea people are al hope SFR never goes newsprint again.' ful form of criticism if and only if ways suggesting to Card or anyone the thing being ridiculed is as dem else. The dumb idea is the South onstrably stupid as the critic says Sea Island Planet, which is biolog ((Thanks for the letter, especially it is. Otherwise the ridicule will ically absurd, but a cliche in sci the remarks on the quality of book publishing. SFR. .. Well, I have not connect with reality. The crit ence fiction. LeGuin's explanation no plans at all of ever going back ic will say, "Isn't this absurd?" that it's being dreamed by an adol to newsprint, but using cheaper and the reader will say, "Actually, escent who doesn't know much about paper is more an economic than an no. It seems rather sensible to life is more plausible than the aesthetic decision. It may come me." You could take some of Twain's standard one we see in space opera, to a choice: fewer pages or cheap faults, notably the mawkishness of (i.e. no explanation, or "parallel er paper 9 something like "Joan of Arc" or may evolution".) Of course, this makes ((I've seriously considered do be some of the later things like the story rather inbred. It's more ing without envelopes—address of "A Horse's Tale" or some of the of a commentary on the field than subscriber imprinted on back cover clumsier Biblical satires, and wave a proper story. ----but the mechanics of that involve them all over, but it would be dif 'Like Card, I have a bitch about switching to a different addressing ficult to do a thorough job of des current publishing. Have you not machine, typing thousands of address truction the way Twain did with iced that the art of book manufact stencils... The cost of the new Cooper. uring has all but disappeared, ex machine and stencils would offset 'The Twain essay is actually cept in the specialty presses? I the envelope savings for years. something every would-be writer noted that the Dial edition of Joan ((Why not run SFR through my should read because of the many sound Vinge's SNOW QUEEN has a fairly good present addressing machine? The principles of storytelling therein binding (cloth hinges and spine Scriptomatic won't take anything demonstrated (by Cooper's violation with cardboard boards) and is print thicker than 1/8", and 64 pages of them). Twain isn't an obvious ed on good paper, but the pages of #50 paper are too much. Of example of what not to do. He does themselves are glued in like a pap course, if I cut SFR to 48 pages... n't have cannonballs rolling for erback. For all the fancy boards, But I can' t do that in good con miles and leaving tracks, or house that book will be a pile of sheets science. So we'll continue with boats squeezing along rivers only in 30 years or so, as soon as the envelopes and 64 pages until ab inches wider than they are while glue goes. Nobody sews a book prop ject poverty forces a change.)) Indians drop into the water behind, erly anymore. They rarely glue ************************************ one after another, as the boat gets them semi-properly. Doubleday has farther away. His characters were always been the cheapest and shod n't inconsistent in the way they diest in the business. A modern spoke. Doubleday book is probably less dur RICHARD able than the average paperback 'Russ, when writing about sword (certainly far less so than a good and sorcery, may well be ridiculing paperback, like a Newcastle or Star E. what she doesn't understand (her blaze) , but a Doubleday book of the prejudice is a very common one) or early 1970s was better put together GEIS at least what she doesn't bother to than anything done today. Cloth try to understand, but Twain under over the entire boards. Good paper. A PERSONAL JOURNAL stood Cooper, and that's why he was Cloth reinforcements inside the ridiculing him, and that is how he spine where the pages are gathered. # A jaundiced commentary on turned ridicule into a useful crit The books were thin which gave them current events. ical tool. A sword and sorcery an important advantage in that they # A Libertarian viewpoint. story may be achieving effects which didn't get pulled apart every time # Personal counter-culture are of no interest (or even incom they were opened the way a thick living notes. prehensible) to Russ, but this does book with glued pages will. In oth n't mean the gross stupidities of er words, the cheapie of 1970 would the form can't be ridiculed. be positively luxurious by the stand $3. for five issues. ards of 1980. $6. for ten issues. 'One of the funniest sword and Richard E. Geis 'One wonders why hardcovers are sorcery blunders I ever saw was in P.O. Box 11408 published at all anymore. I am cer- Gardner Fox's KOTHAR AND THE CONJUR Portland, OR 97211 ER'S CURSE, in which our hero is 'tainly willing to pay a couple ex looking on as villagers pile fire tra bucks for a durable hardcover, REG #11 nearly ready for mailing wood about a woman bound to a stake SS THE COVER THAT NEVER WAS Planned as the cover for THE ALIEN CRITIC But aborted when circumstances forced a Change to SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW Here is a humorous Steve Fabian few have Seen g]g|Q]Q]g]g]Q]Q]g]Q]Q]g]g)Q]Q]Q]Q]Q]Q]g]E]Q]g]E]Q]Q]B]Q]E]Q]E]e]E]B]B]B]Q]E]Ble)Q]Q]B]E}Q]E]e]B]elE] COMING APART AT THE THEMES
Anybody who is eccentric enough passers-by lobbing rocks over your tion dull and boring. When I read to write SF for a living has to get fence. The situation is made worse my first clone story in ASTOUNDING used to one recurrent little scene. by the fact that a high proportion about thirty years ago I thought, You meet a new group of people at a of the ideas which do come along, How dull and boring!, and today when party or in a pub or somewhere, and although of commercial standard, I see a book about cloning I think, you get introduced as a science fall into categories that I'm pre How dull and boring! The idea seems fiction writer, and because that's judiced against and therefore can't to fascinate other writers, partic an unusual occupation there's a mild use. Whole areas of SF are shut off ularly women, so I'm prepared to ad ripple of surprise. It usually because of my mental quirks, and mit that I'm the one that's at fault. dies away quickly, because most that's serious because a narrowing There are, too, special diffic people have no real interest in the of scope increases the chances of ulties associated with being a Brit subject, and you're quite glad be beginning to repeat oneself. ish writer living in Britain and cause you want to get down to the working mainly for American markets. serious business of the day. You One of them is that I can't tackle are just getting your nose buried An example of one of the great the type of smart, cynical, realis in beer froth when you suddenly be themes of SF that I can't touch is tic story which gets a lot of its come aware that one of your brand- the emissary-from-Earth yarn. The effect from up-to-the-minute Americ new acquaintances is still regarding set-up is always the same -- a lone an slang and speech patterns. Re you with bright-eyed surmise and is ambassador from Earth has to pene cently, in a mood of daring, I de edging closer. He begins to talk trate an alien society, and it is cided that the SF community was and your worst fears are realized -- arduous and dangerous work because bound to be international, perhaps he is a BACH expert. That doesn't the natives have all kinds of baf even interstellar, in outlook, and mean he's a devotee of classical fling customs and thought proces so wrote a story which made some music -- only that he has read ses, and just when the hero thinks use of current British idiomatic something by the BACH quartet (Brad he is beginning to understand them speech. It was promptly bounced by bury, Asimov, Clarke and Heinlein) and make a bit of progress he finds a New York editor as being "paroch and therefore regards himself as an himself inexplicably back to square ial", which taught me a valuable authority on SF. It also means one again. It can take him up to 300 lesson. he's going to ask you some questions pages to lay bare the central mys and you begin to slurp your beer tery, and it usually turns out to faster because you reckon you al be something like that when these On the opposite side of the same ready know what they'll be. aliens have sex they stick it in coin, and admittedly because of my each other's ears, which meant that own shortcomings, I can't get into Near the top of the popularity every time he said "Lend me your the lucrative market in Gothic and league is "What name do you write ear" to somebody he was committing pseudo-Victoriana. Somehow it seems under?" which when freely translat a terrible social gaffe. easier for American writers, living ed means, "I've never heard of you". in an ultra-modern society, to de Another favourite is "Have you had The reason I don't go for that velop the necessary degree of in anything published?" which when free type of story is that the big sur volvement and fascination with the ly translated also means, "I've nev prise never really surprises me. world of a century or two ago. It er heard of you". Or he may say "Is There are too many options. The has for them the requisite degree there much money in SF?" which means number of peculiarities that the of strangeness which captivates "Why don't you buy yourself a dec writer can give his alien societies the SF-type mind, whereas I -- whose ent pair of shoes?” Then comes the is practically infinite, and where local pub has been in service as an big one -- "Where do you get your anything is possible nothing is sur inn for SOO years -- am quite in- ideas from?" prising. Only when the possibilit nured to the glamour of the past. ies are sharply limited and defined That's a query which never fails (The only frisson of excitement I can the writer dazzle me by opening to produce a pang of unease in my have managed to get from living in my eyes to a permutation I might breast, because it reminds me of an historical area came a couple of have spotted on my own had I been how precarious my livelihood is. I years ago when I was thrown out of smarter. need ideas, but haven't the foggiest Wordsworth's cottage.) notion where they come from. It's Another one on which I'm out of One recognised way of producing a bit like being a sculptor and re step is the concept of human clon SF is to bone up on some branch of lying for your raw materials on ing. For some reason I find the no science or technology and punmel the knowledge until it yields up a short story or novel, but for me that path is fraught with many dan gers. For one thing, especially if the day's output looks like being a bit low, there is the powerful BV BOB SHAW temptation to include chunks of re search notes in undigested form -- number of possible variants is so MALZBERG's COWON BOOK OF PRAYER which is a recipe for bad SF. Put great that none seems remarkable. ting the information across in the As W.S. Gilbert once said, "Where A Work in Progress form of dialogue can produce results everybody is somebody, nobody is any BY BARRY N. MALZBERG that are just as dire. If you're body". not careful you end up with charac Travel To Distant Past. This is us- ters standing around telling each ually a sub-variant of the alterna "It is easier to stay out than to other, with ne'er a wasted word, tive history theme, but one in which get out." -- Sameul Clemens: THE facts they already know about things the course of global events is wil JOURNALS OF PUDDINHEAD WILSON like skystalks, but which have to lfully changed by a protagonist be passed on to the reader. It's a from today. I learned much of my "It is very difficult to learn from curious thought that knowing a lot science from reading SF, and one something that one already knows." of science can be a handicap when thing of which I am sure --in op -- Robert Sheckley it comes to writing science fiction. position to orthodox opinion --is Other themes I can't warm to that being struck by lightning gen "With age doesn't come wisdom. With are: erally doesn't prove fatal. A far age comes age." -- Jack M. Dann Galactic Empires. It's a pity more likely outcome is that one about this one, because the scope will be hurled back into the dis "With age doesn't come wisdom. With is so great, but the concept has tant past. The exact number of cen age comes death." -- Bill Pronzini been spoiled for me by all those turies traversed depends on such old space opera with their obliga factors as the body mass of the ind "If something is true, it's true, tory Kingdoms of Orion. Our bright ividual, the precise voltage he whether it's happened already or est and best-known constellations withstood, and the period of history not." -- Damon Knight were always assigned kingdoms or the author feels most competent to enpires of their own. Nobody cared deal with. As a writer I have no "There is something about the idea that a constellation is a roughly objection to that sort of thing (the of being hanged that concentrates conical volume of space with its dramatic potential of a 150-pound a man's mind wonderfully." -- apex on Earth and a base which gets human cinder is very small) but I Samuel Clemens progressively larger and more un- simply wouldn't have the nerve to wieldly the further out one goes, equip my hero with the two items "You're running where nobody's chas or that a bright constellation like he always needs most --a university ing." -- Scott Meredith Orion, which is off the galactic degree in the history of his tempor plane, actually contains only a al destination and a working know "If you take a dog off the street fraction of the stars that you get ledge of the ancient language. and feed it and shelter it and give in an inconspicuous group like Ser it protection, that dog will not Perhaps you can see the sort of pens, which takes in part of the bite you. This is the principle predicament I'm in. I'm more-or- Milky Way. And nobody explained difference between a dog and a man." less down to psi powers, immortality why interstellar civilisations al -- Samuel Clemens and alien world exploration, and ways drew their political boundaries I've done those several times al in accordance with the fancies of "Truth, no matter where spoken, has ready. There isn't too much left. ancient Terran astonomers. the sound of a gong." Let's see now -- I wonder if I could -- Henry W. Weiss Holocaust and Post-Holocaust. write a story about an invisible Too gloomy -- besides I couldn't mad scientist who is wakened from "GALAXY (circa mid-fifties) is ob face yet another of those strings suspended animation in Atlantis by viously edited by a man who fears of pitiful survivors heading for his robof'Which warns him that a and hates science ... FANTASY § the misty fastness of the Welsh meteorite will destroy the Earth SCIENCE FICTION has the stink of mountains. unless he can annhilate it with a wine and death." -- Mark Clifton black hole .... Alternative Histories. The objec- ************************************ "And if you must be a writer or die, tion here is the same as for the why don't you just die? Millions emissary-from-Earth category -- the of people do every day with no last ing aftereffects." -- Jack Woodford
"Every time I hear young writers tell me how terrific a field science fiction is, I get nauseous. Then, when I hang around with some academ ic who tries to explain why the field isn't even literate, I get belligerent. I don't know how I feel. I don't know anything about science fiction any more." — Phil Klass
"In the middle class, it is not only money but self-delusion that makes the mare go." -- Barry N. Malzberg
"In these times, any moral vision has to be anguished." -- Gail June Webberley
******* ***11*****111111*1111*11 THE HUMAN HOTLINE S-F NEWS now An instant BY ELTON T. ELLIOTT KEPl-AY shoiu/nS- uJHAT
Remember the address for this column is: Elton T. Elliott, SFR, 1899 Wiessner Dr. N.E., Salem, OR, 97303.
NORWESCON 111 NOTES pleting DANSE MACABRE, a non-fiction will have Stannont's address next book on horror in the media, cover issue. NORWESCON III, held in Seattle ing print as well as cinema, to be # Sydney J. Van Scyoc has a new at the Hyatt House next to the Sea published by Everett House. He is novel, SUNWAIF, out from Berkley- Tac airport on March 28-30, was one also writing an original screenplay, Putnam. She has several shorter of the best conventions I've attend "Creepshow", for George Romero, who pieces which will be appearing in ed. The convention staff was help directed the highly acclaimed "Dawn ASIMOV'S. ful and the con attendees were most of the Dead" and will direct the friendly. The attendance of over movie version of Mr. King's novel, # F.M. Busby has a short story 1200, unusually large for a region THE STAND. I asked Mr. King what collection out to market. It has al convention, included some sixty- he thought of the sensational adver been reported that he is working on plus authors, with some such as Aus tising for Stanley Kubrick's cinem a sequel to RISSA KERGUELLEN, ALIEN tralia's A. Bertram Chandler, from atic version of Mr. King's best DEBT. overseas. selling novel, THE SHINING. Mr. # Suzy McKee Charnas is working King said he enjoyed it and that I had an absolutely marvelous on the third novel in the Motherline audience reaction had been very good. time. I had a chance to chat with trilogy. Also out in August from quite a few readers of SFR, whom I Simon 8 Schuster, the hardback line thank for their kind encouraging # William Rotsler is doing a six- for Pocket Book SF, will be a new comments, and I also had an opportun part Fumetti for Heavy Metal. It novel, THE VAMPIRE TAPESTRY. ity to talk with several authors and will be in color. Mr. Rotsler is # Marta Randall has completed the editors, getting information about half-way through THE HIDDEN WORLDS sequel to JOURNEY, entitled DANGER their upcoming projects. OF ZANDRA, sequel to ZANDRA, and will be co-authoring a new Tom Swift OUS GAMES --a shorter version ap NORWESCON III guest of honor, series with Sharman DiVono, to be peared in the April '80 issue of Alfred Bester, will have a novel, published by Simon § Schuster. An FfjSF. She has a Dell novel in the GOLEM 100 out on the stands by now, other project tentatively under way works entitled PRIORY. Ms. Randall and has about two-thirds completed is CARTOON JAM, a book of collabor is currently buying for NEW DIMEN another new novel, RAREE-LOVE. ative cartoons featuring the work SIONS 12, which she co-edits with Robert Silverberg. NOroiESCON's Fan Guest of Honor, of Grant Canfield, Tim Kirk, Alexis Frederik Pohl, will have a book out Gilliland, William Rotsler, Scott # Charles L. Grant has a novel in early '81, THE COOL WAR, parts of Shaw and Dan Stef fan. out from Doubleday, RAVENS OF THE which were serialized in ASIMOV'S, # Julian May, wife of veteran SF MOON, the sequel to LIONS OF THE and is currently working on four or anthologist Ted Dikty, has sold to SUN. Mr. Grant has a new Oxrun book five projects. Ctie is a book for Houghton Mifflin a 260,000-word nov coming from Doubleday entitled NIGHT Bantam, to become a film. Another el with the tentative title, THIS MARE SEASONS, consisting of four nov is an expansion of his novella, "The OUR EXILE, to be published in '81. elettes. In the works are two nov Gold at the Starbow's End", into a Ms. May sold several SF stories to els in the Qxrun series for Popular novel for Del Rey Books. Also in ASTOUNDING during the fifties, and Library, THE GRAVE, and the second the works is the sequel to THE FARTH has authored books for Children. as yet untitled. He has completed EST STAR, co-authored with Jack Wil SHADOWS III and is reading for SHAD liamson, entitled WALL AROUND A STAR # Ted Dikty, who collaborated OWS IV. Mr. Pohl described the way he works with E. Bleiler on the Best SF of as, "I work on one, then put it the Year anthologies for Doubleday # A Bertram Chandler is two-thirds aside and work on another". in the late forties and early fif of the way through his next novel ties, is currently editing Starmont for DAW, TO RULE THE REFUGEES, and Theodore Sturgeon, NORWESCON's Books' THE READER'S GUIDE TO SF is researching on a non-fiction book Toastmaster, is still working on AUTHORS. The latest works are on for the Australian Literature Board. GODBODY, his long mainstream novel. Arthur C.Clarke and Roger Zelazny; * * * books by Joe Haldeman and Philip # Diane Duane is working on the Jose Farmer are at the printers. I sequel to THE DOOR INTO FIRE for # Stephen King is working on a Dell, entitled THE DOOR INTO SHADOW. new novel, FIRESTARTER and is com 59 Ms. Duane has also authored a juv enile, SO YOU WANT TO BE A WIZARD. # Harlequin Books, edited by # 1979 set a record for SF She has moved from L.A. back to New Stephen Goldin, is not finished books. According to LOCUS, over York and is reported to be working with SF yet. Plans are under way to 1200 separate titles were published, on two SF novels entitled LIFESTAR test market for a year, a series of slightly more than half being new and STURM. SF juveniles, as well as series in releases. other genres, such as mystery and # Elizabeth Lynn has completed fantasy. If successful, other auth This might become the record for NORTHERN GIRL, the third and final ors may be asked to continue the quite some time, as the economy is novel in The Chronicles of Tomer series. Harlequin's last entry in going into a recession, and the pub published by Berkley-Putnam. She to the SF field was with the unsuc lishing industry has been particul is working on a Sword § Sorcery nov cessful Laser series of books, edit arly hard hit. Sales of Gothics, el for Pocket titled THE KYRIE OF ed by Roger Elwood. Nfysteries and Romances are way down; THE WOLVES, to be illustrated by Al so far SF hasn't been touched to icia Austin. # Random House has been sold to any major extent, although some pub Newhouse Publications for between # Richard Purtill has sold a nov lishers are canceling new programs $65 and $70 million. It is rumored el to DAW titled THE STOLEN GODDESS, and others are cutting down on the that the FTC blocked either Fiat or to appear in Decenber. He has a number of titles per month -- Dell 20th Century Fox from buying Random short story in the May F§SF. Mr. went from three per month to two, House, maintaining that foreign- Purtill, a philosophy professor at and Berkley lowered from six per owned conglomerates already have too Western Washington University, has month to five. On the other hand, high a percentage of the U.S. pub written books on ethics, the philo Pocket a year ago was doing two a lishing industry, and that the film sophy of religion, logic, computers, month but is now putting out between industry has an inordinate percent Tolkein and C.S. Lewis, and is work five and six. Another year might age as well. Whether these rumors ing on more novels set in the same give a clearer picture of the effect are true or not, it has become ap universe as his first, THE GOLDEN on SF -- so far opinions on the parent that the FTC (Federal Trade GRYPHON FEATHER. trend differ from editor to editor. Comnission) is keeping a close watch # Michael G. Coney is at work on # A.E. Van Vogt is discussing a new novel, CAT KARUNA. Other nov with 20th Century Fox the similari els yet to see their first U.S. re ties between their movie, ALIEN, and lease, but already published abroad his stories, "Black Destroyer" and include, BRONTOMAK, THE HUMAN MEN "Discord in Scarlet". He is hoping AGERIES and NEPTUNE'S CHALDRON. to settle out of court. # Mack Reynolds, of San Miguel de # THE ARBOR HOUSE TREASURY OF Allende, Mexico, is working on a MODERN SCIENCE FICTION, edited by non-fiction book, THE CONQUEST OF Robert Silverberg and Martin H. MEXICO. Greenberg, has been chosen as a book- of-the-Month Club Alternate. The # John Gustafson is still looking 756-page book contains 39 stories for research material, any informa originally published from 1946 to tion on artists, for a book on the 1976. subject. Mr. Gustafson, Steve Fahn- stalk, Dean Smith and New Venture # Jack L. Chalker's last Well Publishing, Limited are jointly pub World book to be published in the lishing a limited edition of COSTI fall by Del Rey books, has the tent GAN'S NEEDLE by Jerry Sohl, with ative title, TWILIGHT AT THE WELL OF SENTIEMT f^TATO George Barr set to do the illustra SOULS. A boxed set of all five Well tions. The address for info is: World books should be out for Christ over the publishing industry and New Venture Publishing, Ltd. mas. His novel, A WAR OF SHADOWS, the book industry in particular. POB Box 9028 is set to be a movie for Columbia Moscow, ID 83843 Newhouse Publications is a fam Pictures. His giant mainstream nov ily-owned enterprise that consists el for Doubleday is completed. His # John Williams, who did the mus of over twenty daily newspapers in third novel, in terms of writing ic for STAR WARS, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS, cluding papers in Newark, St. Louis (not publication), THE IDENTITY MAT JAWS and many other movies, has been and Portland's own THE OREGONIAN. RIX, has been removed from Berkley- chosen to replace Arthur Feidler as They own as many radio and TV sta Putnam after failure to publish it conductor of the Boston Pops. Wil tions as the law allows. In publish in two years, originally set to be liams will cut down his production out in hardcover in February of '79. to one or two soundtracks a year, ing they own Conde Nast, as well as magazines in a host of foreign count and it is reported that the Pops # The Hugo Ballots in SFR have will be recording all his future ries, and PARADE, the newspaper mag not been ruled invalid. Contrary azine. movie scores. to statements in SF CHRONICLE #7, Random House publishes, among there was no problem with the bal others, Ballantine Books which dis lots, according to Andrew Porter at # Dean Ing will have a short tributes SF under the Del Rey im NORWESCON. story in DESTINIES #8, "Vital Signs", print, with Judy-Lynn Del Rey as a and will have a series of articles # Oscar Rossiter has completed Random House Vice President. The a second novel, THE A.C. SCROLLS. in upcoming issues of DESTINIES new owners plan no change in edit about civil defense. (MI magazine orial policy. # Marion Zimmer Bradley will have will publish a two-part article by a new Darkover novel out this spring Mr. Ing on the future of the auto Random House, formerly owned by from DAW, titled TWO TO CONQUER, and mobile. He has sold two short story RCA, was sold as part of a consolid has signed to do two more, tentative collections to come out in late '80 ation attenpt, since, according to ly titled SHARRA'S EXILE and HAWK or early '81: The first is ANASAZI, SF CCHRONICLE, it fared poorly in MISTRESS. Currently in the works the title story is a short novel '79, grossing $150 million, with for Del Rey Books is MISTRESS OF that will appear in ANALOG; the sec pretax profit of from $5 to $10 MAGIC. Completed for Ace Books is ond collection is HANDFUL OF HELLS. million. SURVEY SHIP, an illustrated novel, 60 with plans for another. Her novel, BOOK hEWS Poul Anderson .... A STONE IN HEAVEN HOUSE BETWEEN THE WORLDS, has just # ACE (The last Flandry novel) been published by Doubleday. Final Gordon R. Dickson.NAKED TO THE STARS ly, a fantasy about Atlantis, THE Ace Editor James Patrick Baen, WEB OF DARKNESS, will be published mentioned at NORWESCON that Poul by Donning, under their Starblaze Anderson's Flandry series was doing July: inprint. very well for Ace, each book selling Christopher Anvil ...... THE STEEL, between 75-100,000 copies, which is ... THE MIST AND THE BLAZING SUN very good for reprints. Mr. Baen # H. Warner Munn is working on G.C. Edmondson ...... THE MAN WHO the final volume of the Merlin tril has become a Vice President of Ace/ ...CORRUPTED EARTH Charter Books. Ace and Grosset § ogy, entitled THE SWORD OF MERLIN, William Tuning...... FUZZY BONES Dunlap have merged operations, with to be published by Del Rey Books. (The third in the long-awaited Ace reportedly getting the better of Fuzzy series) # Stephen R. Donaldson is working an intracorporate realignment. Janes Patrick Baen, Ed.,DESTINIES #8 on the second book in his second Ace will publish a 550-page book, Frederik Pohl...... SCIENCE FICTION: trilogy about Thomas Covenant; the EXPANDED UNIVERSE, by Robert A. Hein ...... STUDIES IN FILM working title is THE ONE TREE. lein. One third of the book will be (Trade) # Octavia Butler will have a nov the old Ace collection, THE WORLDS Fred Saberhagen..EMPIRE OF THE EAST el, WILD SEED, out soon. OF ROBERT A. HEINLEIN, another third L. Sprague de Camp...... THE TREASURE will consist of uncollected material .... OF TRANICOS H Mildred Downey Broxon is at by Heinlein, and the final third (Original Conan novel) work on a new novel, TOO LONG A SAC will be all new material, some of L. Sprague de Canp ...... THE SPELL RIFICE. which will be reprinted in the July ...... OF CONAN # Piers Anthony is at work on the DESTINIES #8, this material includ (Essays) sequel to his recent fantasy/sf nov ing new fiction, an 80-page analysis Robert E. Howard S de Camp ... CONAN el, SPLIT INFINITY, published by of America in the Eighties, plus ...... THE ADVENTURER Del Rey, entitled BLUE ADEPT; the many other items. Howard, de Canp § Lin Carter...CONAN third book of the trilogy is due...... THE WANDERER His first horror novel, THE SHADE and...... CONAN THE BUCCANEER OF THE TREE, is half finished. A fantasy novel, IF I PAY THEE NOT IN GOLD, I WILL PAY THEE IN SILVER, is currently under way. An SF novel, MUTE, has been sold to Avon. # BANTAM # George R.R. Martin, according They have printed 1 million copies to FANTASY NEWSLETTER, has had his of Anne McCaffrey's books. story, "Sandkings", optioned to the May: movies; he is working on a novel, RED THIRST. Paul Preuss .... THE GATES OF HEAVEN Frederic Brown.... SPACE CW MY HANDS # The National Fantasy Fan Feder ation is sponsoring an amateur writ June: ing contest. For rules, eligibility, Michael Berlyn ...... CHRYSTAL PHOENIX requirements, etc., contact: Donald Franson July: 6543 Babcock Avenue Poul Anderson...... CONAN THE REBEL N. Hollywood, CA, 91606 Frederik Pohl 6 C.M. Kombluth ...... # Kenneth Huff has sold his first ...... BEFORE THE UNIVERSE (Collection) story, "The Fortress of Shaitan", to Robert A. Heinlein.EXPANDED UNIVERSE Lin Carter for the third issue of (Trade) Robert E. Howard..THE ROAD OF AZRAEL WEIRD TALES, published by Zebra Dean Ing ...... SOFT TARGETS (Introduction by Gordon R. Dickson) Books, and is doing the final draft (Which will carry the cover blurb Kenneth Robeson ...... DOC SAVAGE #97: of a novel, THE TREASURE OF KASHMIR, America Held Hostage) ...SATAN BLACK/CARGO UNKNCWN featuring many of the same charac Gordon R. Dickson ...... THE SPIRIT OF (Note: Boris 6 Arkady Stugatski's ters as "The Fortress of Shaitan"...... DORSAI novel, SNAIL ON THE SLOPE, His market report of small press James Patrick Baen, Ed,..THE BEST OF scheduled for March, '80, was zines will be in the first issue of ...MY YEARS dropped by Bantam.) PARAGON, a new fanzine edited by L. Sprague de Camp ...... THE PURPLE Chet Clingan, set for May release. ... PTERODACTYLS Marion Zimner Bradley .... THE BRASS # On March 30 and April 6, KGON- ...... DRAGON # BARONET FM 92.3 in Portland presented a two- part series on the future for which Philip Jose Farmer ...... LORD OF THE Spring: The fourth Lord Tedric I interviewed ten people, and KGON's ....TREES/THE MAD GOBLIN book by Gordon Eklund. news director, Chris Burns, former June: book review editor for CTHUHLU CALLS, interviewed me and edited the tapes Roger Zelazny ...... CHANGELING for the weekly radio news magazine (trade) he produces, METROSCOPE. The ten James Patrick Baen, Ed...... THE BEST # BERKLEY ...... OF DESTINIES I interviewed for the documentary They have a brand new logo for Reginald Bretnor, Ed.,...... ORION'S were: Isaac Asimov, James Patrick the SF-fantasy line, among the most ..SWORD: THE FUTURE AT WAR, VOL. #3 Baen, Gregory Benford, Ben Bova, eyecatching I've ever seen. They Harlan Ellison...... THE ILLUSTRATED Freeman Dyson, Brian O'Leary, Stan have started an SF newsletter, ...... HARLAN ELLISON ley Schmidt, G. Harry Stine, A.E. WORLDS AHEAD. In their editorial Van Vogt and George Zebrowski. 61 to the new SF "bookazine" THE BERK LEY SHOWCASE, editors Victoria # THE BERKLEY SCIENCE FICTION # DOUBLEDAY Schochet and John Silbersack, men BESTSELLER "HALL OF FANE tion that in future issues they "in May: 1. DUNE ...... Frank Herbert tend to include interviews with Berk M. John Harrison ...A STORM OF WINGS 2. DUNE MESSIAH .... Frank Herbert ley authors, exccq^ts from novels in Edward Ferman (Ed.)....THE BEST FROM 3. STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND ...... progress or upcoming, articles on ....FANTASY 8 SCIENCE FICTION various aspects of science fiction .... Robert A. Heinlein publishing, and so on". With the 4. CHILDREN OF DUNE...Frank Herbert June: 5. THE DOSADI EXPERIMENT ...... March '80 release of John Varley's Robert Enstrom ...... BETA COLONY ...... Frank Herbert TITAN, they initiated an experiment, F. Paul Wilson ...ENEMY OF THE STARS putting a "bestseller" cover on an 6. ONCE AND FUTURE KING..T.H. White SF novel, putting a more tradition 7. TIME ENOUGH FOR LOVE ...... Robert al piece of artwork on the inside ...... A. Heinlein 8. THE BOOK OF MERLYN ...T.H. White front cover, thus appealing to both # FAWCETT bestseller and SF genre readers. 9. I WILL FEAR NO EVIL...... Robert Their May special promotion will ...... A. Heinlein May: 10. DESTINATION: VOID..Frank Herbert feature nine titles. Stephen Goldin..THE ETERNITY BRIGADE May: (This information from the Berk Andre Norton...... SEA SIEGE ley newsletter, WORLDS AHEAD.) Paul Anderson ...... THE DARK BETWEEN ...... THE STARS Ben Bova ...... THE EXILES TRILOGY Philip Jose Farmer ....A WOMAN A DAY # POCKET # DELL Frank Herbert...... THE BOOK OF FRANK Pocket SF Editor, Dave Hartwell, .HERBERT May: says he believes there will be no Rachel Pollack ...... GOLDEN VANITY recession in the SF field, but it Greg Bear .... BEYOND HEAVEN'S RIVER Bruce Lumley ...KHAI OF ANCIENT KHEM will be harder for first novels to Linda Bushyager ...... THE SPELLSTONE Robert Silverberg ..ACROSS A BILLION sell, presumably because of publish ...... OF SHALTUS .YEARS ers' multi-book contractual obliga (First in pb. for a juvenile novel, June: tions . first published in '69) Theodore Sturgeon...THE GOLDEN HELIX May: Jack Williamson...BROTHER TO DEMONS, (A collection never before ...BROTHER TO GODS in book form) Colin Wilson .... THE SPACE VAMPIRES Walter M. Miller, Jr. ...THE BEST OF June: Robert Asprin ...... THE BUG WARS ...... WALTER M. MILLER JR. Stephen Goldin...... THE PURITY PLOT July: William Barnwell.THE BLESSING PAPERS (#6 in the D'Alembert series) Orson Scott Card ... A PLANET CALLED Jack Williamson ...... THREE FROM John Wyndham...... WEB ...... TREASON ...... THE LEGION (First U.S. edition) (A Dell Science Fiction Special) Marta Randall...... ISLANDS Glen Cook ...... ALL DARKNESS MET John Shirley .... CITY COME A-WALKW Andre Norton and Dorothy Madlee .... (Final book in the Dread Empire (An alumnus, along with myself ...STAR KA'ATS AND THE PLANET PEOPLE trilogy) of McNary High in Salem.) D.G. Compton ...... WINDOWS Edgar Pangbom ...... WEST OF THE SUN
# PUTNAM May: John Varley ...... WIZARD D.G. Compton...... ASCENDANCIES I U)U7_ THE Barry Longyear .... MANIFEST DESTINY First om vw David Bischoff ...... STARFALL Block uj it' 6>ROO\J^ CORRECTION: In SFR #34, page 62, column 2, the Dial Books heading oppoSAPte’ on should have begun just prior to the THUMBS I Jakes and Kane title, EXCALIBUR, rather than over the Dell April titles. # AVON May: Linda Haldeman ...... THE LASTBORN ...... OF ELVINWOOD Michael Moorcock ...... BREAKFAST IN ...... THE RUINS John Christopher...NO BLADE OF GRASS # HARCOURT, BRACE JOVANOVICH May: Stanislaw Lem..RETURN FROM THE STARS # DAW May: Donald A. Wollheim (Ed.)....THE 1980 62 ....ANNUAL WORLD'S BEST SF N.C. Henneberg...... THE GREEN GODS He mentioned that Davis, publish specialty store distribution sys (Translated by C.J. Cherryh) ers of ELLERY QUEEN'S MYSTERY MAGA tems. It is rumored the owners are Stephen Tall ...... THE PEOPLE BEYOND ZINE, ALFRED HITCHCOCK'S MYSTERY plagued with cash flow problems and ...... THE WALL MAGAZINE and ISAAC ASIMOV'S SCIENCE poor newsstand sales of GALILEO. A.E. Van Vogt ...... ROGUE SHIP FICTION MAGAZINE, plans to substan Tanith Lee ...... VOLKHAVAAR tially increase sales and promotion CONCLUDING WORDS: for ANALOG. Production specifics Thanks to all those who sent in aren't completely settled, but on formation; each is greatly apprec May first ANALOG will move to the iated. Davis offices on 380 Lexington from ************************************ # DEL REY their current offices on 304 East May: 45th. The masthead will not be changed until the September '80 is ANNOUNCEMENT Alan Dean Foster ...... CACHALOT sue, however, and as of late March, Feb. 15, 1980 Judy Lynn Del Rey (Ed.)...... STELLAR Mr. Schmidt reported he was in the SCIENCE FICTION STORIES #5 process of putting together two is Fortress Publications is pleas Elizabeth.. Boyer.SWORD IN THE SATCHEL sues at once, due to Davis being on ed to announce the debut of ULTRA Gertrude Freidberg.THE REVOLVING BOY a different production schedule with MAGAZINE. The first issue of this John Wyndham ... .THE MIIWICH CUCKOOS a different lead time than Conde semi-prozine will appear about the John Brunner ...... STAND ON ZANZIBAR Nast. There will be a slight reduc end of May/80. The cover price will tion in page size of ANALOG to ac- be $1.50 and a six issue subscrip comnodate Davis' printer, but no tion will be $9.00. ULTRA will be change in distribution, as both mag published bi-monthly. ULTRA will azines are distributed by Curtis be approximately 8 1/2" by 11" in # PLAYBOY Publications. size and about sixty-four pages May: thick depending on advertising re Analog Books will be continued, venues. ULTRA will be printed on Graham Diamond...... SAMARKAND and the new publisher, according to newsprint for the foreseeable fut Robert Curry Ford ...... HEX Mr. Schmidt, is interested in pub ure. It will be professionally sta lishing more anthologies. pled a la GALILEO magazine. Mr. Schmidt reported that those The editor and publisher will connected with Davis reassured him be Joe MacDonald, a long time SF # SIGNET that ANALOG will maintain a "separ and Fantasy fan, although relative ate voice" from ASIMOV'S. ly unknown to the masses. May: COMMENT: This is all fine and good, Mr. MacDonald is looking for Barbera Paul UNDER THE CANOPY but it is actions that count. ANA fiction from 1000 to 10,000 words. LOG has many long-time subscribers Payment at present is 14 to 24 per who are accustomed to the advantages word. As ULTRA will about three of receiving their copies in a brown quarters fiction, there is a large wrapper: This allows ANALOG to keep # ZEBRA need for manuscripts. Payment is on its cover soft, it protects the cov acceptance and manuscripts will be May: er from damage by the Post Awful and returned within six weeks of arrivaL Poul Anderson ...... THE LAST VIKING: avoids having the label stuck on the magazine; that is very important, He is also looking for art work, .. BOOK 2 THE ROAD OF THE SEAHORSE for I know many who won't subscribe especially pencil work. Payment (Book 1 was to be scheduled for to a magazine that sticks labels on varies from $2.00 to $15.00. He March) needs book reviews, fan news items, Mike Sirota ...... MASTER OF BORANGA the magazine proper, plus many sub scribers have expressed to me their information on fanzines, genzines concern that ANALOG under Davis Pub and prozines as well. lications may change this present While there are no particular MAGAZINE NEWS policy. (One subscriber said that taboos at ULTRA, MacDonald is look if the wrappers were discontinued ing for stories with an upbeat end # ANALOG he would cancel his subscription.) ing. Anybody with new ideas on I discussed with Stanley Schmidt Labels on the magazine damage its what should be included in an SF the Davis Publications' purchase of resale value, making it unpalatable magazine is invited to send submis ANALOG from Conde Nast in late Feb for collectors. sions . ruary, with neither side publicly My brother's April '80 issue of All material should be sent; a disclosing the price paid. Conde ASIMOV'S not only came sans a wrap SASE included. International reply Nast, publishers of VOGUE, HOUSE § per, but its front cover was "grac coupons or coin is acceptable. GARDEN, GLAMOR, BRIDE'S, SELF and ed" by a subscription label, not GENTLEMEN'S QUARTERLY, had long ULTRA MAGAZINE will not be avail the logical backside -- the cover, since abandoned the fiction market, able at your local newsstand. Fort mind you, obscuring a delightful and were clearly happy to get rid ress Publications is now negotiating painting by Alex Schomburg. I hope the of ANALOG; although profitable, it with a specialty magazine distrib was obviously the odd magazine out. Davis people see the need to change utor for college and bookstore dis Davis Publications owner, Joel Dav their ASIMOV'S label policy and tribution. Subscriptions are avail is, reportedly stated "ANALOG has adopt and maintain the more consid able by sending cheque or money ord a wonderful reputation; it has fifty erate Conde Nast policy. Aside from er to ULTRA MAGAZINE, P.O. Box 545, years of history; it's a quality this labeling policy, Davis has done Truro, N.S., Canada, B2N 5C7. magazine that unfortunately didn't a marvelous job with ASIMOV'S. Stores not currently being serviced belong with a firm such as Conde # GALILEO AND GALAXY by a distributor should write to Nast. We will treat it with the the address above to receive inform consideration it deserves. ANALOG LOCUS #230 reported both magazines ation on how to receive ULTRA and has finally found a home where it are going back to subscriptions/ retail discounts. will be treated properly". 63 ************************************ "Philip K. Dick: A Parallax View" MORTAL MAN—Conclusion; SF News; BACK ISSUES by Terrence M. Green; "Microcos- SF film news 6 reviews. mos" by R. Faraday Nelson. THE ALIEN CRITIC SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #29 Inter SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #18 In views with John Brunner, Michael M OTHER BACK ISSUES ARE terview with Lester del Rey; Inter Moorcock and Hank Stine; "Noise AVAILABLE view with Alan Burt Akers; "Noise Level" by John Brunner; SF News, Level" by John Brunner; "A Short $1.25 per copy SF film reviews. One for the Boys in the Back Room" EACH ISSUE CONTAINS MANY REVIEWS. by Barry Malzberg. SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #30 Inter EACH ISSUE CONTAINS LETTERS FROM views with Joan D. Vinge, Stephen WELL-KNOWN SF § FANTASY WRITERS, SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #19 In R. Donaldson, and Norman Spinrad; EDITORS, PUBLISHERS AND FANS. terview with Philip K. Dick; Inter "The Awards Are Coming!" by Orson view with Frank Kelly Freas; "The Scott Card; S-F News; Movie News. THE FOLLOWING LISTINGS ARE OF Notebooks of Mack Sikes" by Larry FEATURED CONTRIBUTIONS Niven; "Angel Fear" by Freff; "The Vivisector" by Darrell Schweitzer. SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #31 Inter- THE ALIEN CRITIC #5 Interview view with Andrew J. Offutt; "Noise with Fritz Leiber; "The Literary SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #20 In- Level" by John Brunner; "On the Edge Dreamers" by James Blish; "Irvin terviews with Theodore Sturgeon of Futuria" by Ray Nelson. Binkin Meets H.P. Lovecraft" by and Joe Haldeman; "Noise Level" by Jack Chalker. John Brunner; "The Vivisector" by SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #32 Inter- Darrell Schweitzer; "The Gimlet view with Andrew J. Offutt, Part 2; THE ALIEN CRITIC #6 Interview Eye" by Jolin Gustafson. Interview with Orson Scott Card; with R.A. Lafferrty; "The Trench "You Got No Friends in This World" ant Bludgeon" by Ted White; "Trans SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #21 In- by Orson Scott Card; "The Human lations from the Editorial" by terviews with Leigh Brackett 8 Ed Hotline" by Elton T. Elliott. Marion Z. Bradley. mond Hamilton, and with Tim Kirk; "The Dream Quarter" by Barry Malz SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #33 Inter THE ALIEN CRITIC #8 "Tomorrow's berg' "Noise Level" by John Brunner. Libido: Sex and Science Fiction" view with Charles Sheffield; "A by Richard Delap; "The Trenchh- SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #22 In Writer's Natural Enemy--Editors" ant Bludgeon" by Ted White; "Ban terview with John Varley; "S-F and by George R.R. Martin; "Noise quet Speech" by Robert Bloch; S-E-X" by Sam Merwin, Jr.; "After Level" by John Brunner. "Noise Level" by John Brunner. thoughts on Logan's Run" by Will iam F. Nolan; "An Evolution of Con SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #34 Inter- THE ALIEN CRITIC *9 "Reading sciousness" by Marion Zimmer Brad view with Donald A. Wollheim; "Har lan Ellison—a profile" by Charles Heinlein Subjectively" by Alexei ley." and Cory Panshin; "Written to a Platt; Charles Sheffield interview Pulp!" by Sam Merwin, Jr.; "Noise SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #23 In Part 2; "You Got No Friends in This Level" by John Brunner; "The terviews with A. E. Van Vogt, World" by Orson Scott Card. Shaver Papers" by Richard S. Shav Jack Vance, and Piers Anthony; er. "The Silverberg That Was" by Rob ert Silverberg. THE ALIEN CRITIC HO .An Inter ------BACK ISSUE ORDER FORM------view with Stanislaw Lem; "A Nest SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #24 In of Strange and Wonderful Birds" terviews with Bob Shaw, David G. $1.25 EACH by Sam Merwin, Jr.; Robert Bloch's Hartwell and Algis Budrys; "On Be Guest Of Honor speech; The Hein ing a Bit of a Legend" by Algis Dear REG: I enclose $______. lein Reaction. Budrys. Please send back issue(s) #5 #6 #8 #9 #10 #11 #14 #15 #16 SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #25 In #17 #18 #19 #20 #21 #22 #23 #24 #25 #26 #27 #28 #29 #30 SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #14 In terviews with George Scithers, #31 #32 #33 #34 terview with Philip Jose Farmer; Poul Anderson and Ursula K. Le [Circle #'s desired] "Thoughts On Logan's Run" by Will Guin; "Flying Saucers and the Sty iam F. Nolan; "The Gimlet Eye" by mie Factor" by Ray Palmer; ONE Science Fiction Review John Gustafson. INWORTAL MAN--Part One. SUBSCRIPTION COUPON
SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #15 In SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #26 In terview with L. Sprague de Camp; terviews with Gordon R. Dickson Dear REG; Start my subscription "Spec-Fic and the Perry Rhodan and Larry Niven; "Noise Level" by with issue # John Brunner; "Fee-dom Road" by Ghetto" by Donald C. Thompson; $6.00 ONE YEAR / $12.00 TWO YEARS "Uffish Thots" by Ted White. Richard Henty Klump; ONE IM40RTAL MAN--Part Two. Name...... SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #16 In terview with Jerry Poumelle; "The SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #27 Inter Address...... True and Terrible History of Sci views with Ben Bova and Stephen ence Fiction" by Barry Malzberg; Fabian; "Should Writers Be Serfs... "Noise Level" by John Brunner; r Slaves?"; SF News; SF film news; City...... The Ackerman Interview; ONE IM "The Literary Masochist" by Rich State...... Zip...... ard Lupoff. MORTAL MAN—Part Three. SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW P.O. Box 11408 SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #28 Inter- SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW #17 In Portland, OR 97211 terview with George R. R. Martin; view with C.J. Cherryh; "Beyond Interview with Robert Anton Wilson; Genocide" by Damon Knight; ONE IM