THE MT VOID
Mt. Holz Science Fiction Society
07/04/14 -- Vol. 33, No. 1, Whole Number 1813
Co-Editor: Mark Leeper, mleeper@optonline.net
Co-Editor: Evelyn Leeper, eleeper@optonline.net
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Topics:
31 Essential Science Fiction Terms And Where They Came From
GAME OF THRONES (comments by Mark R. Leeper)
My Paris Experience (comments by Mark R. Leeper)
"The Wheel of Time" by Robert Jordan and WARBOUND
by Larry Correia (and other Hugo nominees)
(book reviews by Dale L. Skran, Jr.)
THE EDGE OF TOMORROW (film review by Dale L. Skran, Jr.)
THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS: CITY OF BONES (film mini-review
by Dale L. Skran, Jr.)
REDWOOD HIGHWAY (film review by Mark R. Leeper)
DRIVEN: FROM WHEELCHAIR TO RACE CAR (film review
by Mark R. Leeper)
ANCILLARY JUSTICE (letter of comment by Jay Carter)
Vampires (and a new puzzle) (letters of comment
by Peter Rubinstein and Tim Bateman)
This Week's Reading (DAUGHTER OF TIME, JOHN O'HARA'S
HOLLYWOOD, AT THE MOLEHILLS OF MADNESS, and
LIFE AND LISZT) (book comments
by Evelyn C. Leeper)
==================================================================
TOPIC: 31 Essential Science Fiction Terms And Where They Came From
From io9.com:
http://tinyurl.com/void-sf-terms
==================================================================
TOPIC: GAME OF THRONES (comments by Mark R. Leeper)
Milton Bradley has packaged GAME OF THRONES. One Destiny card
says, "Advance Tyrion to Westros. If there are no Targaryans,
present roll one die and collect one dragon for each spot that
comes up." [-mrl]
==================================================================
TOPIC: My Paris Experience (comments by Mark R. Leeper)
I was telling this story recently, and I decided to share it here.
There was a subtle incident that happened to us on one of our trips
that I have wondered about often.
Back in November of 1999 Evelyn and I had no special plans for the
Thanksgiving weekend, so we decided to go visit Paris, having never
been to France. I will not go into detail about the trip. But
every traveler seems to come pack from France with a rude waiter
story. At this point we had had only one rude waiter who was
impatient with us looking over the menu. He also was giving some
Belgian a few quick lessons in anatomy, to wit that he had only two
hands. But he was the exception. For the most part the waiters
were not a whole lot different from our own.
One evening we were going around looking for a good restaurant for
dinner. I had noted the previous night that Le Suffren seemed to
attract a lot of people, so it was probably good and probably worth
the wait. The head waiter put us at a table in a row of tables. He
was somewhat curt. He brought out six glasses and set three tables
including ours. He put two on our table and four on an adjoining
table. He picked up two and put them on a newly set table. When he
went for the last two he knocked them on the floor. He picked them
up off the floor, held them over the shelf with clean glasses and
then took them back and set a table with them as if they were
clean. I looked at the floor and it had dust and old fallen food.
The waiter noticed that I had seen what he had done. And he did
not like that I had seen it and seemed a little haughty as he
seated us.
Our waiter was somewhat curt with us when we ordered. There was a
platter in which you could order one thing from the first group,
one from the second, and a dessert, all for 110 francs. Everything
was in French, but I recognized the word for shrimp in the
appetizers. I ordered that and lamb chops. The shrimp I got were
raw, gray, and tiny. They were three quarters inch to an inch long.
I was not sure how to eat them but I found I could break off the
torso and the fins and split them open, eating sort of the
equivalent of a tiny lobster tail. I got a pile about the size of
my fist. Evelyn got the casolet. The waiter put another small
table next to us and sat two African-American women next to us. In
three minutes the two women and we were talking together and
laughing like we were old friends.
I guess I don't know what changed the waiter's attitude toward us.
Suddenly he seemed a lot friendlier and more attentive. It might
have been that I was game to eat the gray shrimp. Restaurateurs
hate to see people turn their nose up at food and too many
Americans might have done that when they discovered the shrimp were
raw. It was soon clear that there were something like 50 or 60
shrimp there, and not one would escape being eaten.
The other possibility was that he might have expected that we would
ignore the two women next to us because they were black. The
French tend to see Americans as bigoted against blacks. He may
have thought we would be unhappy with the seating arrangements.
Instead the two women and us were immediate friends. That may have
been what changed the waiter's attitude.
My suspicion was that he assumed that white Americans did not like
being seated with black Americans. And there probably are such
Americans, but the French overestimate the amount of prejudice
Americans have. One explanation might have been that he was
showing off for the Afro-Americans to show the French have no such
bigotry. Or he may have been pleased that we got along so well.
Or he may have been pleased that we did not waste the gray shrimp.
Or it may have been all in my imagination. All I can say is that
his attitude was obviously different and I will probably never know
why. When I think of Paris, I think of this incident. [-mrl]
==================================================================
TOPIC: "The Wheel of Time" by Robert Jordan and WARBOUND by Larry
Correia (and other Hugo nominees) (book reviews by Dale L. Skran,
Jr.)
The Hugo nominations for 2014 have been unusually controversial.
One controversy revolves around the nomination of the entire multi-
volume WHEEL OF TIME by Robert Jordan as a novel. Since all
fourteen novels in this series are part of the Hugo package
distributed free to Worldcon members, this almost seems like a
bribe on the part of the publisher. In any case, I philosophically
reject the idea that a series of novels ought to be allowed to
receive a Hugo when taken as a whole. If we want to have a Hugo
for "Best SF book series that concluded this year" by all means
let's add a new Hugo for this purpose, but I have no plan to read
WHEEL OF TIME or to vote for it.
Another controversy focuses on WARBOUND by Larry Correia. As far
as I can tell, there seem to be at least two bones being picked
here. One is that some friends of Corriea and Corriea himself
*gasp* ran a web campaign urging his fans to join the 2014 Worldcon
so that they could vote for WARBOUND. The other is that *gasp*
Corriea runs a GUNSHOP and may hold CONSERVATIVE views, thus making
him unworthy of a Hugo nomination. I'm not sure which of these two
concerns is the silliest. Lots of fans run campaigns for their
favorite books, movies, TV shows, and so on. Unless someone can
show that Corriea is paying off Worldcon members to vote for his
book this ought to be a non-issue. If Corriea is disqualified by
having conservative views, we need to run out there and purge the
shelves of Heinlein, Niven, Card, Pournelle, Schmitz, Piper,
Tolkien, and so on before anyone reads them. And runs a gun
shop??? Gasp, let's burn those A. E. van Vogt Isher stories fast.
There also seems to be an implication that Correia is a racist,
sexist pig who writes scheist.
The best way to deal with these kinds of "literary" disputes (which
are really ideological in nature) is to read the book. WARBOUND is
the third volume in a trilogy, the first two books being HARD MAGIC
and SPELLBOUND. WARBOUND is a large book (575 pages) and covers a
bit of ground. Unlike some third novels, I had no trouble picking
it up and enjoying it without reading the first two books. It
operates mainly as a pulp-style adventure set in an alternative
past where magic works. This rich pastiche has elements of
horror, fantasy, war stories, steampunk, super-hero comics, noir
detective, and Lovecraftian terror. It is set in the 30s, and
characters display sexual and racial attitudes typical of
"enlightened" folks of that time. While such views might seem old-
fashioned today, they are wholly in keeping with the background of
the novel itself.
Corriea is readable, and the general scope of the story reminds me
lot of Julian May's THE MANY COLORED LAND series, which I don't
recall being especially controversial. This is not deathless
prose, and Alastair Reynolds, Stephen Baxter, and so on can rest
easy. On the other hand, WARBOUND is as well written as any ERB
pulp tale, and is far from the worst novel ever nominated for the
Hugo.
I expected WARBOUND to focus a lot on tactical situations with
guns, rather like some of David Drake's lesser works, but was
pleasantly surprised that this was not the case. It is easy to see
why Corriea has a fan following. The action is fast, the plot at
least reasonably interesting, and the characters well rounded for
the pulp style. WARBOUND is open to the criticism that it is
derivative, and it is, but there comes a point where a pastiche is
re-worked enough that it is a new work, and WARBOUND jumps through
that hoop.
The main character is one Jake Sullivan, WWI vet, private
detective, ex-con, and Massive, a magic-user with control over
gravity. Although Sullivan is ostensibly the main character, the
show is stolen by Faye Vierra, the Spellbound. Faye has been
cursed in an earlier novel with a spell that allows her to absorb
the magic of anyone she kills, or who dies in her immediate
vicinity. Faye is some combination of Jean Gray, Wolverine, and
Modesty Blaise. What makes Faye special is not just her mentant
brain, her vampire-like ability to absorb powers, but her sheer
talent for killing. She's not crazy yet, but she's getting there,
and a lot of the story focuses on her efforts to avoid falling over
the edge. Still, if you want some hot and heavy throw-downs, check
out Faye vs Rasputin and Faye vs a top of the line Imperial
Japanese battle Zepplin.
My mind is still open on what I'm voting for in the novel category.
I've read NEPTUNE'S CHILDREN by Stross and it is a worthy
candidate. As I stated above, I'm leaving WHEEL OF TIME blank or
voting it below no award. PARASITE isn't about anything I find
that interesting so I don't plan to read it. ANCILLARY JUSTICE is
on my reading list and has been favorably reviewed recently in the
MTVOID. However, I wouldn't turn up my nose at WARBOUND just
because it is pulpy, the last book of a trilogy, or because Correia
owns a gun store. [-dls]
[My understanding of the controversy regarding Correia is not that
he is not worthy of a Hugo nomination because he is a conservative-
-heck, Poul Anderson, Jerry Pournelle, and Robert Heinlein got a
fair share of those--but that he *perceives* that is the reason he
is not being nominated. On the other hand, many long-time fans who
are familiar with a broad range of work say the reason is that his
work is not Hugo-worthy. My suggestion is for everyone who is
voting to read the works and judge for themselves. As for the
"racist, sexist pig" appellation, I think that's actually being
applied to Vox Day, not Correia. -ecl]
==================================================================
TOPIC: THE EDGE OF TOMORROW (film review by Dale L. Skran, Jr.)
Although THE EDGE OF TOMMORROW has done decently on the world
market, taking in about $318 million so far, and has earned a 90%
tomato-meter rating, it has not emerged as a hit in the United
States. This may be due to audience fatigue with Tom Cruise, or to
a lack of interest in Emily Blunt's first major big screen outing
(she stars in REVENGE on the little screen). [See postscript -mrl]
Another possibility is that THE EDGE OF TOMMORROW is simply a grim
film. For example, during the film the heroine is shown killing
the hero dozens of times. This is a war story where everyone dies
not just once, but over and over.
If any of these factors lead you to avoid THE EDGE OF TOMMORROW,
that would be a major mistake. THE EDGE OF TOMMORROW is as
entertaining and interesting a SF film as I've seen in a long time.
On some level it is just STARSHIP TROOPERS meets GROUNDHOG DAY, but
there is a lot here to enjoy. This is STARSHIP TROOPERS done right,
and Heinlein would be proud. Heroism is not mocked, nor is the
military parodied as a band of moronic fascists. The battle suits
are plausible. In fact, this movie feels like Heinlein might have
written the script on one of his better days. Cruise does a fine
job as a "chickenhawk" publicity liaison who through an unusual
event becomes the only person who can stem the tide of an
unstoppable alien invasion. Through hundreds of deaths, Cruise
becomes first a fighter, and finally a hero, although never a
legend. To understand this, you need to watch the movie.
Emily Blunt does a fine job as an extremely jaded battle-suit
fighter who is the one person who understands what is happening to
Cruise since it has also happened to her. She seems remote and
cold, but I think this is a realistic portrayal of someone who may
have more combat experience than any human who has ever lived, and
who has died hundreds of times. She is carrying humanities fate on
her shoulders, and the load is a heavy one.
The aliens are refreshing. The motives are unknown, and perhaps
unknowable. Their nature--biological or mechanical, or both--is
unclear. What is clear is that the aliens bring to Earth a well-
oiled conquest machine based on a technology that pretty much makes
them invincible. But it does have flaws, and therein lies the
tale.
Bill Paxton provides some light touches as the drill sergeant for
the unit Cruise is assigned to. The special effects are wonderful
to behold, and this movie is probably good to see in 3D if you can.
The plot is complex, but plausible, and the aliens don't go down
easy. You can question exactly how things work out in the end, but
that doesn't detract from the overall movie.
I'm rating THE EDGE OF TOMMORROW a +2 on the -4 to + 4 scale. This
is a must-see movie for any serious SF fan. There are no vampires,
werewolves, or super-heroes. I promise. Although rated PG-13,
sensitive viewers are warned that this is a violent war movie, with
lots of death and crude battlefield behavior. There is zero sex.
The unrelenting and repeated violence lends a grim cast to the
movie that may put off some. [-dls]
[Mark notes: It should be noted that Emily Blunt is actually a
familiar screen personality having been in such films as THE DEVIL
WEARS PRADA (2006), CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR (2007), THE GREAT BUCK
HOWARD (2008), SUNSHINE CLEANING (2008), THE YOUNG VICTORIA (2009),
THE WOLFMAN (2010), THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU (2011), and LOOPER
(2012). She was the female lead in most of these films. -mrl]
Dale replies: [1] I knew I should have wikied Blunt, [2] it is a
tribute to Blunt's acting skills that I've seen both LOOPER and
CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR but did not immediately recognize her, and [3]
I believe that this is Emily Blunt's introduction to the "Summer
Movie" big action picture environment. Her other genre films were
released in the fall/winter. [-dls]
==================================================================
TOPIC: THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS: CITY OF BONES (film mini-review by
Dale L. Skran, Jr.)
THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS is another entrant in the "I want a new
action SF franchise focused on a hot chick" sweepstakes. Every
movie studio is beating the grass to find the next franchise to
compete with TWILIGHT and THE HUNGER GAMES. THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS
is a slick effort in this realm, but although professional in most
ways, it leaves you feeling like you have watched something
assembled to imitate the success of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER and
TWILIGHT. The action is fast, the special effects great, the
acting professional, but the ideas are featherweight. In fact,
most of the ideas seemed to have been ginned up by doing a riff on
BUFFY. Buffy is merged with a daemon, so let's have our heroine be
part angel!!! Buffy remembers being previous slayers, so let's
take a page from the BOURNE IDENTITY and have our heroine not
remember who she is!! And so on.
I'm rating THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS 0 on the -4 to + 4 scale. It is
entertaining, but in the end just an average film. Rated PG-13,
there is a lot of scary horror type scenes and fight action, but
fine for teens and up. [-dls]
==================================================================
TOPIC: REDWOOD HIGHWAY (film review by Mark R. Leeper)
CAPSULE: Gary Lundgren directs from a screenplay he co-wrote with
James Twyman. Shirley Knight plays Marie, an elderly woman who
objects to her granddaughter's wedding. Refusing the help of her
son she sets out to walk to the wedding eighty miles away from home
in only eight days. She finds the plan more difficult and
dangerous than she expected and learns a little about life from her
experience. Knight is a veteran actress and she makes a good
showing here. Rating: low +2 (-4 to +4) or 7/10
Marie Vaughn (played by Shirley Knight) finds herself unhappy and
even a bit belligerent as she approaches her 80s. All her life she
has not been a whole person. She feels too much is being taken
from her as she ages. Having dreams of her dead husband, Marie is
haunted by visions of his image. Her home is in a half-sleeping
retirement community that was chosen for her by her family and she
wants all to know giving up her freedom was not her idea.
Right now she is particularly upset. Her granddaughter Naomi (Zena
Gray) is marrying a drummer ten years Naomi's senior. Marie, who
has been known to be a little unruly herself, is sure that this
marriage is a bad idea. But nobody seems to care a lot that Marie
has objections. Naomi's father, Marie's son Michael (James Le
Gros) wants to drive Marie to the wedding some eighty miles away
but Marie decides not to cooperate. Marie refuses to go to the
wedding with her son. Then without telling anyone she decides to
pack a backpack and walk the eighty miles in the three days before
the wedding. This will prove to herself as much as others that she
still has the strength and commitment.
The views of the title road in Oregon are majestic, not to the
viewer's surprise. Her plan could have been better thought out as
the road and the trail through the woods have dangers to a woman of
her age. She faces foot blisters, bad weather, wild animals (some
of which are human), and her own physical limitations. She thinks
about her past and dreams of her deceased husband. And, of course,
with any road film she meets people along the way. Some want to
help her and some are less friendly. Her act of defiance teaches
her as much about her family as she hoped it would teach them.
Perhaps it is unintentional and perhaps it is a major irony of the
film, but by the time her travels are over other people have been
imposed upon far more than if Marie had not decided to be so self-
reliant. But still the trip rewarded Marie in ways she never
expected.
The acting is well above par, to be expected from Knight whose film
acting goes back to PICNIC (1955). Her career encompasses stage,
screen, and even her first medium, opera. Tom Skerritt plays Pete,
one of Marie's more rewarding discoveries. Pete makes art or
perhaps furniture from burl, knotted wood growth from trees. The
burl is perhaps a metaphorical reach and a comment on Marie.
Otherwise the story is more or less straightforward, perhaps to a
fault. In any case Marie learns to lean on Skerritt's rather
placid character, a complete complement to Knight's cantankerous
style.
There is not a lot to REDWOOD HIGHWAY at a scant ninety minutes of
road movie, but it is worth the trip to appreciate the acting. I
rate it a low +2 on the -4 to +4 scale or 7/10.
Film Credits: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2515164/combined
What others are saying:
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/redwood_highway/
[-mrl]
==================================================================
TOPIC: DRIVEN: FROM WHEELCHAIR TO RACE CAR (film review by Mark
R. Leeper)
CAPSULE: This is the story of Mike Bauer, a man addicted to high-
speed vehicles. A motorcycle accident took from him the use of his
legs and left him paraplegic cared for by his family. But with the
help of his doctor--also a race car enthusiast--Bauer finds a way
to recover his thrill of speed. By breaking this barrier Bauer
seems to be a hero, but his true story is open to some
interpretation. Rating: low +1 (-4 to +4) or 5/10
Mike Bauer loves being in the driver's seat--any driver's seat--and
going fast. That is what he was doing one evening when he was
riding a motorcycle he rebuilt. He misjudged a corner, lost
control, and crashed, severing his spine in the process. For
another man this could have ended his dreams of speed forever. But
Mike's injuries are all in the lower half of his body. His dreams
still work fine and his dreams are of speed.
The film is a short 55 minutes. Even there, extended sequences
just show the view of the track from the front of the car. For a
film about a man who likes things fast, his story is slowed down
getting to the point.
Bauer's doctor is Scott Falci. Falci is also the Executive
Producer of this film and he also is the owner of Falci Adaptive
Motorsports, for which the film could really almost be a
commercial. Falci suggests he can build a handicap-equipped car
that Bauer can drive. And he uses not just any car, but a 2001
Corvette C5 Stingray, a sport and racecar that most racers would
envy. DRIVEN: FROM WHEELCHAIR TO RACE CAR is the story of Mike
Bauer and the car his doctor built for him. And it is the story of
Mike Bauer's will to speed.
If the viewer wants to be impressed by Bauer's dogged
determination, that is certainly one interpretation of the film.
If you want to respect him for that go right ahead. Frankly, I see
this story a very different way. Bauer is a man who has such a
love of motor thrills that he gambled his family's future chasing a
thrill. He lost that gamble big time.
Late in the evening of his accident he was riding a motorcycle he
had built, taking risks, and he hurt himself badly. Immediately
his family had to dedicate their lives to just maintaining him and
keeping him alive. His son had to let go of a dream to be a
champion golfer. Much of what the family had to do, caring for a
self-selected paraplegic are tasks neither savory nor pleasant. In
addition Bauer put his wife and probably his whole family through
emotional hell. He was eventually ready to kill himself and was
preparing for that. He stopped his suicidal plans when his doctor
gives him a chance to get back into the drivers seat for more high-
speed thrills. He got a racecar that even he in his paraplegic
state can drive.
And what is he contributing to the effort of creating the car? Not
much that was covered in the film. Well, he is just going to drive
it around a track a few times. He does not seem to have the money
to fund the project himself. He does not seem to be designing or
building the car. His doctor is building a car tailored to Bauer.
It is being built more or less for publicity for the doctor's
corporation, Falci Adaptive Motorsports. It is to show as proof of
concept that race cars really can be fitted to be driven by
paraplegics. How much demand is there really for race cars for the
handicapped? If one really wants to help paraplegics and
quadriplegics, how many more of them in the Third World could have
been helped with the money that went into modifying this car? Mike
Bauer was one man who wanted speed and who had a Corvette Stingray
modified for his use. How many more people out there could there
be who have so specific a need and the money to fund it? This film
falls short of winning the viewer's sympathy for Bauer or for the
entire project. I will look elsewhere for inspiration and I give
this dissatisfying film a low +1 on the -4 to +4 scale or 5/10.
DRIVEN: FROM WHEELCHAIR TO RACE CAR is available on DVD and will be
on VOD platforms July 24.
Film Credits: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3741376/combined
[-mrl]
==================================================================
TOPIC: ANCILLARY JUSTICE (letter of comment by Jay Carter)
In response to Joe and Gwendolyn Karpierz's reviews of ANCILLARY
JUSTICE in the 06/27/14 issue of the MT VOID, Jay Carter writes:
I just wanted to note that the music was one of the more
interesting aspects of ANCILLARY JUSTICE. I was shocked to
discover that some of the songs are historical and were not made up
for the book. In an interview with the Orbit newsletter
(http://tinyurl.com/void-leckie-interview), Ann Leckie said:
---------------
As for music that I found inspiring, there would be two different
sorts. Music that I listened to while writing or plotting, and
music that I included in the story itself. Of the latter, there
are three real-life songs in ANCILLARY JUSTICE. Two of them are
(shockingly enough) shape note songs--"Clamanda" (Sacred Harp 42)
and "Bunker Hill" (Missouri Harmony 19). They're songs that, for
one reason or another, I connect with these characters and events.
The third is older than these two by a couple of centuries, but it
shares their military theme. It's "L'homme Arme," and it seems
like every late fifteenth-century composer and their pet monkey
wrote a mass based on it. I exaggerate--I don't think we have that
many surviving Missas L'homme Arme by pet monkeys. But it was a
popular song in its day.
---------------
You can find versions of these songs on the Interwebs and iTunes
and Amazon. All this just added wonderful texture to the book. I
can't wait for the second book coming out later this year. [-jc]
==================================================================
TOPIC: Vampires (and a new puzzle) (letters of comment by Peter
Rubinstein and Tim Bateman)
In response to Tim Russell's puzzle on vampires in the 06/27/14
issue of the MT VOID, Peter Rubinstein writes:
Dr. No Pulse [-pr]
And in response to Mark's comments on non-Christian vampires in the
same issue, Peter writes:
Or, as shown in "The Fearless Vampire Killers", it's the attitude
of the vampire. A young woman tries to fend off Shagail, a Jewish
Vampire, with a cross. He responds, "Oy vey, have you got the
wrong vampire." [-pr]
In response to Tim's puzzle, Tim Bateman writes:
I was going to go for "Qvr naq Yrg Yvir" (in Rot-13). If one of
007's early foes was a vampire, then that foe and the name of the
movie would be ???? (puzzle for MT VOID readers), but this is not
the name of the foe ... or the only vampire-related version of that
title possible, I think.
On that topic, and drifting away, I must say that I do like Ian
Fleming's titles, particularly those which are twists on well-known
phrases or sayings (On Her Majesty's Secret Service, for example).
[-tmb]
In response to Mark's comments, Tim writes:
ObSF: 'The Curse of Fenric' with The Doctor played by Sylvester
McCoy, IIRR. The Doctor trolls up on a small island (off the coast
of Scotland, IIRR), as do some Soviet soldiers. Already occupying
the island are, inter alia, a clergyman and some vampires.
The Vicar (ISTR that he's C of E, but may be mistaken) repels
vampires with a cross, of course ... until he loses his faith, at
which point the tactic ceases to work.
The Soviet officer has a conversation with the Doctor, which I
paraphrase ... 'Are you a committed Communist?'
'Yes.'
'No doubts?'
'No. Never.'
The officer removes the red star emblem from his uniform, waves it
at the vampires, and back they cower. [-tmb]
==================================================================
TOPIC: This Week's Reading (book comments by Evelyn C. Leeper)
My Retro Hugo columns have taken up the last few weeks, so this is
a bit of a catch-up.
DAUGHTER OF TIME by Sarah Woodbury (ISBN 978-1-461-06933-1, Kindle
ASIN B004SQSMV6) is the first in a series of "time travel romance"
novels by Woodbury in which a modern woman goes back to the Wales
of her forebears. I read it mostly because the newer ones keep
showing up on lists of novels eligible for the Sidewise Award, and
it was about what I expected. For example, the heroine always
manages to know just enough about life in the past that she does
not suffer the fate of the main character in Poul Anderson's "The
Man Who Came Early". In a book like Connie Willis's DOOMSDAY BOOK,
this makes sense--the heroine is a medieval scholar. Here, it's by
authorial fiat. In a sense, this is the same sort of book that all
those historical mystery series are, but I cannot say it will drive
me to read more in the series. (I list the Kindle edition because
it is available free.)
JOHN O'HARA'S HOLLYWOOD by John O'Hara (ISBN 978-0-786-71872-6) is
a collection of O'Hara's stories (and essays?) set in Hollywood.
Many of them seem to be vignettes with no point. Others may
actually be non-fiction, but I cannot tell. The only one I would
really recommend is "In a Grove".
AT THE MOLEHILLS OF MADNESS by Rhys Hughes (ISBN 978-0-953-85988-7)
is a collection of Hughes's horror fiction, which is pretty gut-
churning at times. The fact that it is almost unobtainable makes
me wonder why I am even mentioning it but, hey, I have to fill the
column somehow.
LIFE AND LISZT: RECOLLECTIONS OF A CONCERT PIANIST by Arthur
Friedham (ISBN 978-0-685-20505-1) covers a lot more about Friedham
than about Franz Liszt and should probably be read selectively for
the Liszt sections unless you are really into the history of Arthur
Friedham.
I also bought some books at the Old Bridge Friends of the Library
book sale--well, more than just "some": on bag day we bought two
bags totaling forty pounds. (That's about eighteen kilograms for
all other countries except Myanmar and Liberia.) These cost $8, so
it was 5.20 pounds sterling, or 0.13 pounds per pound. These
included about a dozen books of contemporary short stories and
poems from China's Foreign Languages Press, as well as a miscellany
of other books. Some of these will undoubtedly be mentioned here
in the future. [-ecl]
==================================================================
Mark Leeper
mleeper@optonline.net
I was born in very sorry circumstances.
Both of my parents were very sorry.
--Norman Wisdom