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February is the shortest month of the year. So I thought it would be a good time to read a few of the short collections in my box. However- reading them in January and still have so little done is sort of inexcusable.
Anyway- I'm starting the year off with a writer who is somewhat controversial in science fiction circles. I had a whole bunch of things I wanted to say here but I'm pretty sure Sheryl won't let me say them since she doesn't have the time or effort to deal with the legal troubles so let's not go there and say we did.
- Alone Against Tomorrow by Harlan Ellison:
Ellison is an author who often gets pigeon holed as a science fiction author. However this collection proves he is equally adept in writing horror, science fiction and normal domestic stories with only vague and ambiguous fantasy elements. Not only that- he is good. If Issac Asimov is considered the last of the Golden Agers than Ellison is the first of a new breed of Science Fiction writer. This collection doesn't have a single dud in it. Even the weakest story could is easily better than the worst story in most other collections. It is worth it for 'I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream', 'Repent! Harlequin Said The Tick-Tock Man' and ''Night Vigil' alone. However I don't begrudge the book for including other stories.
- H.P. Lovecraft - The Complete Fiction Volume Three by H.P. Lovecraft:
I'm not sure what happened here but most of the stories during this period were fantastic. Lovecraft's almost natural instinct for Racism and Anti-Semitism is almost entirely absent. Some of that might just have been editors removing material or Lovecraft removing material himself to insure a sale. There are few lines here and there but considering some the other stories in this series it seems really diluted. As the 1920s began to close Lovecraft's stories of Elder Gods began mixing in elements not only of horror and fantasy but also science fiction as he put together stories like The Colour Out of Space and The Whisperers in the Darkness. Some of the stories have somewhat predictable endings but much of that is due to authors borrowing from Lovecraft many times over. For fans of Pulp Horror and Sci-Fi there is lots of good stuff here.
- N Space by Larry Niven:
It is very rare to find a writer who does hard science fiction that it also even remotely optimistic. The closest you're likely to come is Larry Niven. In this collection filled with short stories, novellas, excerpts from novels and essays on everything from science fiction to hard science shows just how to do scientifically accurate science fiction without boring your audience. Highlights fiction highlights included 'Brenda', "The Return of William Proxmire' 'The Fourth Profession' and 'Inconstant Moon'. I rather liked 'For a Foggy Night' but that was more of a comedic fantasy piece than true science fiction. The book also includes the text version of 'Man of Steel, Women of Kleenix'. The infamous illustrated version was published shortly afterwards and can never be reprinted due to an injunction by DC Comics. For a science fiction fan it's a pretty strong read.
I also have to admit I did not actually read one of the novel excerpts. Not that I didn't have the time. I just have plans for an all Hugo Award winner column for either this year or next.
Next: I'm not sure yet . . .
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