Those of you who are long-time readers of this column know that I have been
reading Science Fiction for a long time. So, it was with glee that I spotted a
collection of the complete short Science Fiction of C. M. Kornbluth titled
His Share of Glory.
You may recall that C. M. Kornbluth collaborated with Fred Pohl on the classic
The Space Merchants. Mr. Kornbluth was a wonderful Science Fiction writer
in his own right, and I am very grateful to the New England Science Fiction
Association (NESFA Press) for publishing this remarkable volume. I have not seen
many of these stories in print for ages. One or two I had never read.
This month, I also stumbled across a book I hadn't seen yet by Jack Williamson.
Its been out for some time, but for some reason it escaped my notice. (Shame on
TOR for not shamelessly promoting it to the heavens!) Mr. Williamson has been one of
my favorite authors since I began reading this stuff many years ago.
And shame on Elizabeth Moon for ending a fine series of books which still had at least
one more volume left. Please, bring back Esmay and Barin, Heris and Cecilia, and the
whole Familias Regnant ONE MORE TIME!
Clayton Barstow's dead brother was the author of a popular book exposing terrorism
in the U. S. After his death at the hands of the terrorists, the FBI recruits Clayton
to take his place in an investigation centering on the small town of McAdam City, Kentucky.
But shortly after he arrives in McAdam City, the FBI seemingly deserts him. As he
looks for the clues to track down his brother's killers, he is watched by the terrorists.
In an effort to rid themselves of this menace, they frame him for the death of an informant
and for the bombing of an abortion clinic. Soon, Clayton is on the run - and McAdam City is
in open rebellion against the U. S. government.
The first time I met Jack Williamson at Aggie Con (a Science Fiction Convention
in College Station, Texas), I was still quite young. As I recall, I had just read a
book of his titled Bright New Universe which I supposed was somewhat of a reply
to Huxley's Brave New World. I didn't quite get the message. Now, I get it.
In fact, I've been getting it for years.
Mr. Williamson prefers to write novels that express the "anti-Frankenstein"
perspective. That is to say, there is nothing that man was not meant to know.
Technology should rightly free men and women not only from drudgery, but from
tyrany as well. Its a viewpoint he expresses quite well.
So how is he able to write book after book on this theme and always make it
seem fresh and new? I don't know. Maybe its magic. Or maybe he's really the
incarnation of Homer, come to visit us again. Whatever the means, I'm just grateful
to be able to lay hands on a new Williamson book whenever he can be persuaded to write.
You can use this link to purchase from Barnes & Nobel.
Ms. Moon's latest masterpiece is one of the most suspenseful novels I've
read in the past year. Against the Odds is really the second part of a
long work which began in Change of Command. The first part of this book
actually happens before the ending of the last. The only time I've seen
this trick more masterfully worked was in Zalazny's Amber series. One of
Zelazny's characters starts a sentence at the end of one book and ends it at
the beginning of the next.
Technique aside, the story is great. Esmay Suiza-Serrano is in trouble again.
(So what else is new?) A mutiny is afoot in Lt. Suiza's beloved Regular Space Service.
The mechants Terakian have taken in a political refugee. Lady Cecelia deduces that
the death of Pedar Orregiemos was no accident and confronts Miranda. In short, the
entire area of space known as the Familias Regnant is careening towards destruction.
Can the good guys (and gals) pull it out one more time?
You bet! This a great book which ties up many loose ends - some left dangling
since Hunting Party. Unfortunately, that's what I dislike about it. It ties
up so many loose ends that its hard to see how Ms. Moon could write another book
in the series. Of course, I thought the series was over after Winning Colors,
so what do I know?
I really love these books. I like them so much that I have refused to wait for
the paperback edition of the last three novels. I tried going through Ms. Moon's
web site at
to see if there were any intimation that another book might be in the offing. None is
mentioned. Well, I guess all good things must come to an end. Thanks, Ms. Moon - its
been a wild ride!
You can use this link to purchase from Barnes & Nobel.
WARNING TO CONVENTION-GOERS:
If you see the Del Rey Books booth at a convention, run! Which direction you run depends
entirely on how much of your book budget you want to spend with Del Rey. The FREE
books they gave me in San Diego have caused me to buy more Del Rey this year than I would
have thought possible. How sneaky!
In addition to the Fantasy stuff they've been heavily promoting, they have recently
published a collection of classic Science Fiction by founder Lester DelRey. I was a big
fan of his. I still have an aging copy of Rocket Jockey which I re-read every now
and then. Congratulations Judy-Lynn and keep up the good work!
