SCIENCE FICTION FALL T)T1T 7TT?TI7 NUMBER 48 1983 Mn V X J_J W $2.00 SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW (ISSN: 0036-8377) P.O. BOX 11408 PORTLAND, OR 97211 AUGUST, 1983 —VOL.12, NO.3 WHOLE NUMBER 98 PHONE: (503) 282-0381 RICHARD E. GEIS—editor & publisher PAULETTE MINARE', ASSOCIATE EDITOR PUBLISHED QUARTERLY FEB., MAY, AUG., NOV. SINGLE COPY - $2.00 ALIEN THOUGHTS BY THE EDITOR.9 THE TREASURE OF THE SECRET C0RDWAINER by j.j. pierce.8 LETTERS.15 INTERIOR ART-- ROBERT A. COLLINS CHARLES PLATT IAN COVELL E. F. BLEILER ALAN DEAN FOSTER SMALL PRESS NOTES ED ROM WILLIAM ROTLSER-8 BY THE EDITOR.92 KERRY E. DAVIS RAYMOND H. ALLARD-15 ARNIE FENNER RICHARD BRUNING-20199 RONALD R. LAMBERT THE VIVISECTOR ATOM-29 F. M. BUSBY JAMES MCQUADE-39 BY DARRELL SCHWEITZER.99 ELAINE HAMPTON UNSIGNED-35 J.R. MADDEN GEORGE KOCHELL-38,39,90,91 RALPH E. 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ELLIOTT...36 OR 97211 POSTMASTER: Send address changes ONCE OVER LIGHTLY to SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW, POB 11408, BOOK REVIEWS BY GENE DEWEESE.38 Portland, OR 97211 vitality and commercial anemia. It means the end of a tradition where¬ ALIEN THOUGHTS by agents do not act as purchasers, which the Meredith group will do in BY THE EDITOR M providing 48 books a year for the renamed Starscope line. And it means the end of the tether for the Science Fiction Writers of America, which is protesting that possible conflicts of interest in the agen¬ A writer's diary, suitably censored cy's role as both buyer and seller Even though SFR doesn't cross my will be not only "detrimental to our buns with silver and gold, it will writer and artist members" and their continue and continue, because it agents, but "damaging to publishing provides me with great fun, variety and friendships. 'But Pocket sees potentially This section is devoted to my astronomical returns from the new ha-ha professional writing endeav¬ line, which is set to debut next ors, and let the Devil take the sec¬ spring. Timescape "was losing a lot ond bite if he dares. of money," Pocket Books president Ronald Busch said yesterday, and Got a rejection notice from agent "we were paying too much for the Joe Elder---passing along a note product. We were getting great lit¬ from a woman sf editor. Sayeth she erary reviews and awards-but the of ONE I MORTAL MAN: science fiction audience is looking 'I'm afraid this one just doesn't for more entertainment and fun than grab me—it doesn't feel magical we were publishing." enough to be a fantasy or straight¬ 'In yesterday's joint announce¬ forward enough to be science fic¬ ment, agency head Scott Meredith tion. ' said the behemoth popularity of Okay, if this bounces often I perceive more and more clearly "E.T." and the "Star Wars" trilogy, enough, I'll rewrite it to make the that a New York agent is VITAL. At coupled with the fact that six of lead character a woman. ONE INMORT¬ least for me. 15 titles on a recent best-seller AL WOMAN.... I keep getting the list were science fiction novels, message that every novel nowadays # BUT—before working on my own meant that the genre "has the power must have a 'strong woman' in it. novel proposal developments—each to reach beyond science-oriented But by mentioning this I may have takes a month the way things are readers to a broader national audi¬ poisoned my well. Ah, the taste going—I'm working on a second col¬ ence," including "women readers who of Hemlock... laboration with Elton. We are ob¬ buy the largest percentages of books It goes without saying, I hope, ligated to show-first our second these days." that ONE INMORTAL MAN is a man's novel effort to Fawcett (according 'Marta Randall, president of the novel in which the male lead is a to a clause in the contract for 800-member SFWA, said yesterday from sexist and uses women for sexual THE SWORD OF ALLAH!). her Oakland, California home that pleasure. And the ending! Dear This new novel is titled THE "our objection stems from what we Ghod, he eats a young woman's MASTER FILE and I have in hand 54 think is probably a conflict of in¬ heart and kidneys and liver to pages of outline for 32 chapters. terest. We fail to understand how a stay alive in his tomb. This one will line out at about writer can benefit" from an agent But, ah, if an immortal woman 90 thousand words. "who is in a position, in effect, were forced to eat a man's vital We break no new ground here: we to sell the work to himself." More¬ nutritious organs.... that would save the world again, this time from over, the Meredith agency, by acting ring a gong in the hearts and minds the threat of brain slavery by means as a packager, "would be under the of New York publishing houses! of.... (Dasn't reveal the plot!) same economic dictates as a publish¬ I may have to write under an er—that is, to acquire the maxi¬ assumed name after this. (5-7-83) ff In 25 years of professional fic¬ mum number of books at a minimum tion writing I've seen editors come financial investment." Randall, # Sent four novel ideas/proposals and editors go—by the dozens! whose latest novel, "Dangerous Gam¬ to Joe for evaluation: he advises So it was'no surprise to be sent es," was published by Pocket Books, which are good bets to develop, which a Washington Post story dated 6/16/- said she also feared that Meredith to drop. (5-7-83) One is a Disaster 83 headed SCIENCE FICTION, subheaded, would not "actively solicit works novel, one Supematural/Occult Horror, LITERARY AGENCY TO EDIT LINE FOR from people not represented by that one Medical Paranoia, and one Rich 5 POCKET BOOKS. By Curt Suplee. agency." Famous/Mirder Mystery. I'll take the liberty of quoting No science fiction. The kind of the story in toto. 'The SFWA, she said, has demand¬ sf I want to write seems not to be ed a "complete and detailed account¬ wanted, so far. Besides, there's 'The Scott Meredith Literary A- ing" of the new arrangement from probably more money to be made in gency, long a deal-maker to the Meredith and Pocket, and "it will be the other categories. stars, is now taking on the cosmos reviewed by our officers and out le¬ -as the new editor and packager of gal counsel." SFWA's attorney, Hen¬ science fiction and fantasy titles ry Holmes, said from Los Angeles for Pocket Books. ft Joe advises me to develop the that he could not comment on the 'The unusual agreement, announc¬ Medical Paranoia novel, and the joint venture defore seeing details ed yesterday in New York, means the Disaster novel. Huh! I would of the deal, but speculated that literal end of the line for Pocket's have bet the farm the Occult/Horror the agency's buyer-seller function esteemed Timescape series, which had would be okayed. So much for my "could be some sort of restraint of developed a reputation for literary judgement of the market—and my trade that the federal government own novel proposals. might want to get involved in." "The paranoia in science fiction six novels out of fifteen on a re¬ fantasy, with a strong female char¬ people is a little higher than most," cent best-seller list were science acter required in almost every Busch said. "We thought there would fiction and fantasy. We hope to at¬ book. be a fuss, but if they would quit tract both longtime science fiction # Conment: The Laser line of a crying wolf until the wolf is at and fantasy readers plus large numb¬ few years ago was also aimed at the their door, they'd see that the con¬ ers of readers new to the field, in¬ mass audience and was tilted toward flict of interest doesn't exist." cluding women readers who buy the a juvenile audience. It didn't Meredith said, "it's really a join¬ largest percentage of books these ing of interests. We check every sell well enough to satisfy its pub¬ deal with our clients anyway, and 'Meredith also stated that the lisher and was dropped. Will Star- the client ultimately makes the de¬ growing publishing practice of con¬ scope Books also be slanted to the cision and won't take anything he sidering only material submitted by juvenile with all the restrictions doesn't like. It's nonsense to as¬ agents or established authors will on content and character that im¬ sume that we're going to buy our own not apply to the new line.