**************************************************************
* *
* R E A D I N G F O R P L E A S U R E *
* *
* Issue #20 *
* December 1991 / January 1992 *
* *
* *
* Editor: Cindy Bartorillo *
* *
* Reviews by: Cindy & Drew Bartorillo, Dan Ellis, Howard *
* Frye, Carl Ingram, Darryl Kenning, Janet Peters, *
* Robert Pittman, Peter Quint, Carol Sheffert, Annie *
* Wilkes *
* *
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CONTACT US AT: Reading For Pleasure, 103 Baughman's Lane, Suite 303,
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or on GEnie leave mail to C.BARTORILLO; or call our BBS, the BAUDLINE
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cost $2 each for printing and postage.
**************************
~ DISTRIBUTION DIRECTORY
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Table of Contents
Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Publishers Weekly All-Time First Fiction Bestsellers . . . . 161
The Phenomenon of SCARLETT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Mainstream Fiction Reviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Murder By The Book (Mystery Reviews) . . . . . . . . . . . . 917
Loosen Your Grip On Reality (SF & Fantasy Reviews) . . . . . 1785
Frightful Fiction (Horror Reviews) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2851
Nonfiction Reviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3463
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~ EDITORIAL
Here we are, back again with another huge issue full of reading
material of all kinds. We try to include the best recent, and not so
recent, books, and we give preferential treatment to books that you
wouldn't be likely to hear about otherwise. In the pages/screens of
RFP you'll find reviews, publisher's blurbs, and cover copy, of some
of the most interesting material we've found over the past two months.
Maybe a word about RFP's financial situation would be in order here.
As mentioned before, RFP is a labor of love by readers and for
readers. We keep our ear to the ground, haunt our local bookstores,
and pour through the latest literary journals looking for hidden
treasure. And, of course, we read. But all of this we would be doing
anyway, and we try to keep the overhead administrative work to a
minimum. In return, we give the electronic edition away freely, and
charge $2 per issue for the print edition to help cover printing and
mailing. We lose a few bucks on each issue, but not enough to really
complain about.
Thus, RFP is a not-for-profit concern. Or is the term nonprofit? Or
how about profitless? Whatever you call it, more money goes out than
comes in, and everyone here has donated their time and effort. All of
this is a long-winded way of explaining why we appreciate a little
financial consideration from RFP readers. If you'd like a mailed
answer to a question, please include a stamped self-addressed
envelope. And please don't ask for copies of RFP "on spec" or
whatever. The money you send is what we give the post office for the
mailing--if you don't send any money, the post office won't deliver
anything.
One more thing: We occasionally have technical difficulties with
electronic mail. Like our software downloads it then trashes it
without showing it to us first. Or sometimes the electronic service
that holds our mail gets rid of it before we get it. Whatever. For
that reason, I like to announce periodically that we are completely
caught up on our correspondence here at RFP. If you've been waiting
for a response to something, and you're still waiting, we probably
didn't get your letter. Please try again.
All of us here at RFP hope you and yours have a very happy and safe
holidays. Don't forget that books make excellent gifts. And happy
reading...
**************************
~ PUBLISHERS WEEKLY ALL-TIME FIRST FICTION BESTSELLERS
(1945 to the Present)
The following list represents the top-selling first fictional books,
according to hardcover sales only.
1. Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach (1970; Macmillan;
1,400,000)
2. Lake Wobegon Days by Garrison Keillor (1985; Viking; 1,386,000)
3. The Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe (1987; Farrar, Straus &
Giroux; 745,321)
4. Presumed Innocent by Scott Turow (1987; Farrar, Straus & Giroux;
712,490)
5. The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough (1977; Harper & Row; 675,513)
6. Contact by Carl Sagan (1985; Simon & Schuster; 475,000)
7. The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy (1985; Naval Institute
Press; 438,159)
8. Love Story by Erich Segal (1970; Harper & Row; 432,532)
9. The Miracle of the Bells by Russell Janney (1946; Prentice-Hall;
400,000)
10. Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann (1966; Bernard Geis;
360,000)
11. Prime Time by Joan Collins (1988; Simon & Schuster; 327,000)
12. The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco (1983; Harcourt Brace
Jovanovich; 305,749)
13. Watership Down by Richard Adams (1974; Macmillan; 305,000)
14. The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan (1989; Putnam; 277,365)
15. Peyton Place by Grace Metalious (1956; Messner; 250,000)
16. From Here to Eternity by James Jones (1951; Scribners; 240,000)
17. The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel (1980; Crown; 230,000)
18. Two from Galilee by Marjorie Holmes (1972; Revell; 225,000)
19. Up the Down Staircase by Bel Kaufman (1965; Prentice-Hall;
223,000)
20. Jaws by Peter Benchley (1974; Doubleday; 222,000)
**************************
~ THE PHENOMENON OF "SCARLETT"
SCARLETT, Alexandra Ripley's sequel to Margaret Mitchell's GONE WITH
THE WIND, is a monster hit. Its publisher, Warner Books, estimates
that 500,000 copies were sold in the U.S. in just the first week. The
new #1 fiction bestseller has even revived interest in the original:
GONE WITH THE WIND is back on the Publishers Weekly bestseller list
(#12 as I write this) for the first time in over 50 years.
Now we hear that CBS and a consortium of American and European
investors has paid nearly $10 million for the film rights. Before
this, the highest price paid for screen rights was about $2.5 million,
which went to THY NEIGHBOR'S WIFE by Gay Talese, which was, by the
way, never filmed. The SCARLETT deal covers American television rights
and TV and film rights abroad (also videocassette and video disk
rights). Author Ripley will also receive a percentage of the profits
of the 8-hour-minimum CBS miniseries, though she is NOT writing the
screenplay. The miniseries may be released as a feature film abroad.
SCARLETT will also be appearing (abridged) in your local bookstores in
audio cassette form, just in time for Christmas. Simon & Schuster paid
$150,000 for the audio rights.
Warner Books will probably be releasing SCARLETT in a paperback
edition in 1992, and don't be surprised if they also put out another
TV tie-in edition in 1993 when the CBS miniseries is scheduled.
Those involved will certainly be trying to turn the casting of the
SCARLETT miniseries into a media circus comparable to that which
preceded the making of GONE WITH THE WIND. We have heard that they are
looking for an unknown actress to play Scarlett and an established
actor to play Rhett Butler.
**************************
"Editors are now as obsolete as the hand-crank telephone. Almost all
the people with experience in editing have had to go freelance.
They've been replaced by people with the title of editor whose real
skills and experience were gained in sales, marketing or promotion.
Books have become products, like cereal or perfume or deodorant."
---Alexandra Ripley (author of SCARLETT)
**************************
~MAINSTREAM FICTION:
^ GLASS MOUNTAIN
by Cynthia Voigt
(Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1991, $19.95, ISBN 0-15-135825-7)
review by Carol Sheffert
When it's springtime in New York, the upper class comes out to play.
There's the exceedingly wealthy Theo, juggling his parents, social
engagements, and a vast array of beautiful women. And Gregor, Theo's
manservant, unusually intelligent and well-read (he reacts to crisis
and depression by reading through Dickens, from PICKWICK PAPERS to THE
MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD), whose carefully chosen words form the
backbone of this delightful comedy of manners. And let's not forget
the women of GLASS MOUNTAIN: Sarah, Theo's sister, whose heart leads
her astray; Prune, the wealthy woman chosen to be Theo's wife; and the
very rich mystery woman being ever-so-carefully wooed by Gregor.
GLASS MOUNTAIN is a literate, sophisticated comedy, a modern version
of a Noel Coward play. The sparkling dialogue, the intricate love
lives of the characters, the suspense--it all adds up to a delightful
read that, even at 288 pages, is over far too soon. Will Theo actually
marry Prune? Will Gregor win the mystery woman? When will the mystery
woman discover that Gregor is not the wealthy man of leisure he seems
to be? Will Sarah ever be happy? GLASS MOUNTAIN is irresistible, a
rare and sophisticated comedy from Cynthia Voigt, who has previously
been known for her young-adult fiction.
**************************
^ RAY BRADBURY ON STAGE: A Chrestomathy of His Plays
by Ray Bradbury
(Primus, November 1991, $12.95, ISBN 1-55611-305-6)
review by Howard Frye
Ray Bradbury, one of America's most treasured authors, has written
novels and short stories, as well as dramas for television, radio,
theater, and film. Eleven of his best-known plays, out of print for
more than a decade, are brought together in RAY BRADBURY ON STAGE.
Originally published in three separate volumes: THE ANTHEM SPRINTERS
AND OTHER ANTICS is from the time he was living in Ireland and writing
the screenplay for MOBY DICK, while THE WONDERFUL ICE CREAM SUIT AND
OTHER PLAYS--as well as PILLAR OF FIRE AND OTHER PLAYS--are more
recent, and the plays tend toward his more futuristic fiction. Three
of the plays were produced on USA Network's RAY BRADBURY THEATRE.
The plays include: Pillar of Fire, Kaleidoscope, The Fog Horn, The
Wonderful Ice Cream Suit, The Veldt, To the Chicago Abyss, The Anthem
Sprinters, The Great Collision of Monday Last, The First Night of
Lent, A Clear View of an Irish Mist, The Queen's Own Evaders. RAY
BRADBURY ON STAGE is an important, and enjoyable, addition to your
Bradbury shelf.
**************************
^ PLUM'S PEACHES
by P.G. Wodehouse, edited by D.R. Bensen
(International Polygonics, 1991, $21.95, ISBN 1-55882-100-7)
commentary from the publisher
Think of Wodehouse and you think of Jeeves and Bertie Wooster, of Lord
Emsworth, of Psmith, of Ukridge, of Mr. Mulliner, true enough. But,
when you come down to it, what motivates these worthies (and
unworthies)? Running after them, running from them, wooing them,
placating them, rescuing them, being rescued by them--whenever a
Wodehouse male goes into high gear, it's almost always something to do
with a woman, and probably one too good for him at that.
Pelhem Grenville (Plum) Wodehouse's work displays both a high respect
and keen relish for women--from demure damsels to frenzied flappers,
his female characters are usually saner than his men (which isn't
saying much). Here is an orchard of Wodehouse peaches (and a lemon or
two): fourteen short stories featuring the outrageous Bobbie Wickham,
the three ex-wives of millionaire Vincent Jopp, the extortionate Vera
Prebble, the near-lethal Celia Tennant, the abundantly ripe Maudie
Wilberforce, Cleapatra herself reincarnate in Cora McGuffy
Spottsworth, and a basketful more.
For those for whom romance is not enough, the stories provide useful
instruction on how to avoid dealing with fiery dragons, the
consequences of multiple concurrent engagements, weight-loss and
beauty tips, how to brain a fiance, the perils of ambience, a
sure-fire method for establishing a film career and detailed
instructions on imitating a hen laying an egg (a personal fowl). Who
could ask for more--if indeed as much?
**************************
^ MAMISTA
by Len Deighton
(HarperCollins, 1991)
review by Robert Pittman
MAMISTA is the acronym for Movimiento de Accion Marxista, a
revolutionary group, competing with two other Marxist groups against
the established dictatorship for the control of Spanish Guiana in
South America. It is a four-way den of thieves fighting with each
other, and around them, a muddled and befuddled mass of population
trying to subsist and function in this society of conflict. Also
present is the U.S. Government and a special interest group from
England, both trying to advance their own agendas through
opportunities provided in the turmoil and confusion of the moment.
Len Deighton, like many other writers of stories that concentrate on
spying and espionage, has found the drug trade to be the theme which
provides the thrills and chills that more recently arose from actions
situated around East/West cold war subjects. The new setting is still
populated with the usual cast of characters. There is a despotic and
brutal government ruling over the citizens of Spanish Guiana. There is
a clever, crude, amoral revolutionary leader. There is a beautiful,
young woman, idealistic and dedicated to the revolutionary cause.
There is an embittered young man with a privileged background from the
U.S. who has joined the rebels as a statement of protest. There is an
Australian adventurer and our old friends from the CIA and the White
House.
The plot concentrates on one of the rebel groups as it seeks to
restore its supplies and to find aid and other support that will
sustain its fight for dominance and control. A particularly graphic
episode in the adventure is a journey through the Guianaian jungle in
which the rebels are hampered and beset by almost every imaginable
adverse circumstance that Mother Nature has to offer. The entire story
vividly demonstrates the brutality and ineptness that goes hand in
hand with revolution and the ultimate futility of empty causes.
This is not one of Len Deighton's best books, but it is worth reading
and does have a fine, surprise ending.
**************************
^ TO LOVE AGAIN
by Evelyn Kennedy
(Naiad, 1991, $9.95, ISBN 0-941483-85-1)
cover copy
Author Evelyn Kennedy returns to us...in a new story with all the
passion and eroticism of her all-time bestseller, CHERISHED LOVE.
Karen Wainwright, married and the mother of two teenagers, reenters
the nursing profession by taking a job at a women's clinic.
Her first day on the job is unusual, to say the least. Caught in a
cross-fire created by anti-abortion forces, she is arrested, along
with clinic director Dr. Joanna Jordon, and taken to jail.
To the horror of friends and family, Karen's arrest is recorded by
television cameras. Quit immediately, orders husband Phillip. But
Karen refuses.
And so begins her relationship with Joanna...
Joanna is undergoing her own conflicts with long-term partner Vicki,
who has lost patience with Joanna's pro-choice activism and its
perilous presence in their lives.
Friendship between Karen and Joanna becomes passionate attraction. But
both women have carefully constructed worlds to lose: Joanna her
long-term relationship with Vicki, and Karen her home and children.
Will Karen and Joanna find the courage TO LOVE AGAIN? If your local
bookstore doesn't have TO LOVE AGAIN, you can order it directly from
the publisher by sending the list price, plus 15% for shipping and
handling to: The Naiad Press Inc., PO Box 10543, Tallahassee, FL
32302. Or get your credit card and call 1-800-533-1973.
**************************
^ THE NEMESIS MISSION
by Dean Ing
(Tor, November 1991, $19.95, ISBN 0-312-85105-7)
commentary from the publisher
Unorthodox archeologist Harry Rex Brown (a Mormon with an "Indiana
Jones" complex), posing as an anthropologist while illegally
collecting samples of Mayan artifacts, is chased by guerillas and
buzzed by a strange plane, certainly not a craft belonging to the
Mexican Air Force. So begins Dean Ing's new high-tension novel, THE
NEMESIS MISSION, which stars an intriguing cast of characters,
including the plane itself--an ultra-light, solar-powered,
cutting-edge two-person spyplane that can stay aloft for weeks, fly or
glide at any altitude, and conduct continuous surveillance undetected.
The Nemesis mission is to avert the plan of Colombian druglord Simon
Torres (who has moved his operation to Mexico) to smuggle one billion
dollars in cash and a planeful of hostages from Las Vegas to Mexico.
Unfortunately, the Nemesis crashes in the Mexican jungle and the
pilots, Wes Hardin and Colleen Morrison, find themselves caught
between a CIA rescue team and the murderous guerillas. Ing also
introduces us to bewildered vacationers (who thought they were
visiting Mexico to look at condos), FBI agents disguised in
double-knit and drag, and mystical Mayans, still honoring their
cultural past.
RFP NOTE: This one looks like a terrific fast-paced read.
**************************
~BOOKS ON TAPE:
^ LILA: An Inquiry Into Morals
by Robert M. Pirsig, read by Will Patton
340 minute abridgment
(Bantam Audio, November 1991, $22.50, ISBN 0-553-47021-3
review by Cindy Bartorillo
"It's not the nice guys who bring about real social change.
Nice guys look nice because they're conforming. It's the bad
guys, who only look nice a hundred years later that are the
real dynamic force in social evolution."
LILA is Robert M. Pirsig's first book since the classic ZEN AND THE
ART OF MOTORCYCLE MAINTENANCE (1974), and is an extension of the
earlier book. LILA tells the story of the philosopher/narrator
Phaedrus' experiences with a troubled woman named Lila, but this is
only a backdrop for his philosophical wanderings. In the course of
LILA Phaedrus lays the groundwork for an entire philosophic
superstructure that he calls the Metaphysics of Quality, wherein
everything is divided into four groups: inorganic, biological, social,
and intellectual. Along the way he considers Victorian society,
mysticism, anthropology, William James, insanity, religious
experience, and above all, Native American culture.
LILA is not a breezy read, nor is it an easy listening experience;
this is a tape that requires your attention at all times. The ideas,
though, are provocative, invigorating, and exciting--LILA is well
worth the effort. The reader Will Patton (from the movie NO WAY OUT,
and others) has one of my favorite voices, bringing an intensity and
enthusiasm to LILA that enhances comprehension. This is an enjoyable
and challenging book and tape.
--------------------------
^ THE BIG GARAGE ON CLEAR SHOT
written and read by Tom Bodett
music by Johnny B.
120 minute unabridged
(Bantam Audio, November 1991, $15.99, ISBN 0-553-47014-0)
review by Janet Peters
Tom Bodett's fictional Alaskan town is called The End of the Road, and
The Big Garage is a gathering place for the cast of characters that
reside there. This collection of stories considers such subjects as
junkyards, fighting, secret fishing holes, romance, and even Ruby
McClay's Video Round-up. The author's calm, dry delivery suits the
material, and the piano music of Johnny B. sets the tone perfectly.
THE BIG GARAGE ON CLEAR SHOT would be particularly of interest to fans
of television's NORTHERN EXPOSURE. It has the same dry wit, and the
same warm, human quality.
--------------------------
^ THE BURDEN OF PROOF
by Scott Turow, read by Grover Gardner
(Books On Tape, Inc.)
review by Robert Pittman
This is a novel of suspense that delves into suicide and deception and
the resulting emotional battering and puzzling complexities that
descend into the life of Sandy Stern, a skilled, polished, controlled
and respected member of the bar.
Stern returns home from a short business trip, opens his garage door
and finds his wife slumped behind the steering wheel of her car, dead
from breathing carbon monoxide. He calls the emergency service,
contacts his two daughters and his son and then begins to cope with
the shock, grief and guilt that accompanies this suicidal death.
In this setting the author begins the creation of his principal
character on two levels. The first is Stern as a substantial father
figure and prominent lawyer who is authoritative, responsible and
knowledgeable. The second is Stern as a man whose comfortable,
predictable life has fallen asunder, leaving him confused,
apprehensive and tentative almost to the point of inaction in his
relationships and the conduct of his daily affairs. He outwardly
projects the first personality but inwardly lives as the second.
Skillfully using occasional flashbacks as the story unfolds, Scott
Turow builds well-developed backgrounds for the principal characters.
We learn that Sandy Stern was a young immigrant from Argentina who has
won his current prominence in law circles through hard work,
dedication and exceptional ability. His wife, Clara, is the offspring
of a family long established in the community and socially preeminent.
She is well educated, understands her societal and family
responsibilities and is confident of her ability to respond to them.
At the family gathering in preparation for Clara's funeral, two men
from the office of the district attorney visit the home in an attempt
to serve a subpoena on Stern's brother-in-law, Dixon Hartnell. Stern
has somewhat reluctantly served as Dixon's lawyer for many years and
while loyal to his client, is less than enamored with his business
ethics and his personal standards of conduct. Dixon owns a large and
successful commodity brokerage firm and is frequently in conflict with
tax authorities and with the regulatory agencies that deal with this
area of business.
Two mysteries run simultaneously throughout this novel. One centers on
Clara's suicide and the other on the investigation of Dixon's
business. At the outset, they are very separate subjects, but as the
story moves forward, they become intertwined in curious and surprising
ways. As Stern begins looking into the activities of his wife just
prior to her death he finds some unusual and unexpected things. She
has unpaid and unidentified medical charges of which he was not aware
and he finds that her large personal holdings have been reduced by a
withdrawal of over $850,000 in the form of a cashier's check:
recipient unknown! These discoveries trigger Stern's pilgrimage into
the details of her recent past and thus into a morass of activities
and relationships that brutally upset his previously held notions and
totally unbalance and restrict his usual ability to rationally examine
a problem.
As he deals with the pain and the puzzle of his wife's demise, he is
also attempting to cope with the investigation of Dixon's business.
Dixon is a self-serving individual, full of deceit and one who
sustains an uncooperative, almost hostile relationship with Stern.
Stern's allegiance to Dixon is rooted in professional standards and
familial ties, but he has always had difficulty and some aversion to
dealing with the man. Dixon is a master of evasion in responding to
Stern's attempts to understand the nature of the justice department
investigation. He lies, hides information and professes to know of no
reason for an investigation of his business. Thus, to Stern falls the
task of laboriously extracting the ugly details of Dixon's business
affairs.
Throughout the story uncertainty plagues Stern. He realizes that the
fear of knowing is hampering his ability to ask the right questions
and take decisive actions. He fumbles so often in his opportunities to
solve his problems that the listener feels a sharp urge to reach in
and help him. In the end, though, Stern pulls himself together,
resolves the multiple mysteries and learns several good lessons about
himself and his family.
This is a good story made even better by the excellent reading of
Grover Gardner. Mr. Gardner is an experienced reader--one of my
catalogs credits him with 69 different titles! He is easy to
understand and is skilled at projecting a variety of distinctive
characters with just slight changes of tone and accent.
THE BURDEN OF PROOF is recorded on 12 one and one-half hour cassettes
and is well worth eighteen hours of listening time.
--------------------------
^ THE DECEIVER
by Frederick Forsyth, performed by Charles Keating
240-minute abridgment
(Bantam Audio, October 1991, $19.99, ISBN 0-553-07319-2)
review by Drew Bartorillo
For years Sam McCready has served with distinction in Britain's Secret
Intelligence Service (SIS). Now, a top-level decision has been made to
eliminate some of the SIS's old-style operatives and McCready has been
targeted for "early retirement." As is the SIS's policy, an appeal of
the decision is allowed and one of McCready's most determined foes,
(and long-time friend) Timothy Edwards, presents McCready's top four
cases as evidence that he should not be forced into retirement.
One-by-one we hear these four cases as they are presented to the
appeal board. These are classic cases, dazzling evidence of McCready's
value--or are they damning proof that he, in fact, should be put
aside?
I was more than a little leery of listening to a cassette version of
what is obviously a top-notch spy thriller. Normally these type
stories have labyrinthine plots and dozens and dozens of characters. I
found, though, that THE DECEIVER was very easy to listen to and very
easy to follow. The four McCready cases that are presented in the book
are very, very interesting, and I think the first one, about a Russian
defector, who McCready believes might actually be double agent, is the
best of the lot and extremely well done. My second favorite was about
a supposedly "washed up" operative who McCready chooses to take
possession of a Russian defense department document.
Charles Keating (recently seen in AWAKENINGS) does a masterful
job with all the different voices and accents, which made THE
DECEIVER more of a performance than a reading. This is a good
tape set for long trips or commuter travel. I personally used the
tapes to improve one week's commuting to and from work.
**************************
~CHRISTMAS CHEER:
^ MISS READ'S CHRISTMAS
by Miss Read
(Academy Chicago, October 1991, $18.95, ISBN 0-89733-352-7)
review by Janet Peters
Dora Jessie Saint has been writing timeless tales of English country
village life under the name Miss Read for over 35 years. Her stories
are full of old-fashioned values, tiny cottages, spinster ladies,
high-spirited children, homemade happiness, and lots of good food.
MISS READ'S CHRISTMAS brings together in one attractively-bound volume
two of her yuletide stories, "Village Christmas" and "The Christmas
Mouse". In the first, spinster sisters Margaret and Mary have a very
special holiday with their annoying new neighbors, and in the second
elderly Mrs. Berry receives two visitations on Christmas Eve night,
neither one bearing the slightest resemblance to anything thought of
by Charles Dickens. Both are delightful, and deserve a place alongside
our other Christmas classics like A VISIT FROM ST. NICHOLAS and A
CHRISTMAS CAROL. MISS READ'S CHRISTMAS is recommended holiday reading
for the whole family.
If your local bookstore can't get MISS READ'S CHRISTMAS for you, you
can contact the publisher at: Academy Chicago, 213 West Institute
Place, Chicago, IL 60610.
**************************
^ THE ANNOTATED NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
edited, with an Introduction and notes, by Martin Gardner
(Summit Books, October 1991, $20.00, ISBN 0-671-70839-2)
review by Cindy Bartorillo
I have never seen, or even heard of, so many versions of A VISIT FROM
ST. NICHOLAS, and can't imagine how Martin Gardner managed to hunt
down all of them. In any case, they're a lot of fun, and with
Gardner's interesting commentary, beautiful illustrations, all nicely
bound by Summit Books, THE ANNOTATED NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS makes a
wonderful gift for the whole family.
Martin Gardner begins by giving the history of the poem, it's author
Clement C. Moore, Santa Claus himself, as well as the history of
Christmas. Chapter 2 contains the complete text of Moore's famous
poem, and Chapters 3 through 10 collect all the parodies, sequels, and
other related material. The book ends with a chapter on Rudolf the
Red-Nosed Reindeer and a lovely G.K. Chesterton piece, "A Shop of
Ghosts". Among the texts you'll find poems about the Night After
Christmas:
'Twas the night after Christmas, and boy, what a house!
I felt like the devil, and so did the spouse.
There are parodies that involve someone other than Santa, such as "A
Visit From St. Nicholson" by Bob Rivers, Dennis Amero, and Brian
Silva, which includes a longish monologue that is just perfect for all
Jack Nicholson impersonators. Computers show up in quite a few of the
poems, like "A Visit From Saint Woz" by Marty Knight, and even a piece
called "The Worm Before Christmas by Clement C. Morris--
I unplugged the net, and was turning around,
When the worm-ridden system went down with a bound.
There are parodies by Frank Jacobs from MAD magazine, parodies written
for special groups, and parodies in dialect, such as "Cajun Night
Before Christmas by J.B. Kling, Jr.
Den out on de by-you
Dey got such a clatter
Make soun' like old Boudreau
Done fall off his ladder.
This year, why get stuck with the same old poem when there are so many
variants to choose from? Just imagine the looks you'll get when your
family and friends hear your rendition of "The Booze Before Christmas"
My houseguests had long since been poured in their beds,
To wake in the morning with hungover heads.
**************************
^ THE FATHER CHRISTMAS LETTERS
by J.R.R. Tolkien
(Houghton Mifflin, 1976, $10.95, ISBN 0-395-59698-X)
cover copy
Every Christmas J.R.R. Tolkien, creator of THE HOBBIT and the
enchanted world of Middle-earth, sent his children a letter from
Father Christmas--handwritten, illustrated, even with a North Pole
stamp. This collection is filled with wonderful tales about life at
the North Pole, enchanted by Tolkien's delightful watercolors and
fantastical drawings.
RFP NOTE: A colorful, magical Christmas book by one of the greatest
imaginative writers of all time.
**************************
~ CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS WITH BANTAM AUDIO
commentary from the publisher
^ A TREASURY OF CHRISTMAS STORIES AND POEMS
60-minute performance by Jane Alexander
(Bantam Audio, $9.99, ISBN 0-553-45145-6)
In a unique listening experience the entire family can enjoy, actress
Jane Alexander reads traditional Christmas tales and poems handed down
from generation to generation to guarantee the perfect holiday. From
O. Henry's poignant tale of love "The Gift of the Magi", to Hans
Christian Anderson's "The Fir Tree" as well as stirring renditions of
our best-loved carols, this treasury is brimming with Christmas cheer.
This audio tape brings all the warmth and wonder of the season into
your home and will be cherished by parents and children alike.
**************************
^ A CELEBRATION OF HANUKKAH
40-minute performance by Hal Linden
(Bantam Audio, $9.99, ISBN 0-553-45147-2)
Every year families gather to commemorate the brave heroes of Hanukkah
and the miracle of the light. Here at last is an audio collection that
brings all the heritage and tradition of one of Judaism's most joyous
holidays into your home. A CELEBRATION OF HANUKKAH, performed by Hal
Linden, is a powerful retelling of the stories of Judah Macabee's
courage and Judith's wisdom. Hal Linden also tells listeners the
meanings and folktales behind such Hanukkah symbols as the menorah,
the dreidel, and Hanukkah gelt. And finally, the whole family will
want to join Linden in singing such beloved Hebrew and Yiddish songs
of the season as "Rock of Ages" and "Dreidel", specially arranged and
produced for this collection. This heartwarming audio celebration will
be enjoyed by all ages throughout the eight days of the Festival of
Lights and for years to come.
**************************
^ A CHRISTMAS CAROL by Charles Dickens
60-minute abridgment performed by Sir John Gielgud
(Bantam Audio, $9.99, ISBN 0-553-45146-4)
Sir John Gielgud's dramatic reading of an abridgment of this holiday
classic brings Dickens's memorable characters to life. The tale of
stingy Ebenezer Scrooge, humble Bob Cratchit, and beloved Tiny Tim has
taken a special place in the heart of everyone's holiday tradition.
This timeless delight of the most famous celebration of Christmas and
family love shows us the nature of true charity, the power of
tenderness, and the wisdom of innocence in a coldhearted world that
will be enjoyed over and over again by listeners of all ages.
Charles Dickens's classic tale, A CHRISTMAS CAROL, performed by Sir
John Gielgud. For added shared family pleasure, this audio is packaged
with a free copy of A CHRISTMAS CAROL.
**************************
~FOR YOUNGER READERS:
^ QUILL'S ADVENTURES IN THE GREAT BEYOND
by John Waddington-Feather, illustrated by Doreen Edmond
ages 8 and up
(John Muir, 1991, $5.95, ISBN 1-56261-015-5)
review by Cindy Bartorillo
"You would have thought they'd have seen what was
happening long before it took place and taken steps to do
something about it," Quill said.
"They were--and still are--too greedy. They'd rather live
in squalor than make their country beautiful again, as long
as their pockets are full. Their land is a shambles now--a
wasteland. That's how it got its name. I've never been
there, but I'm told the whole place is derelict--acres and
acres of slum houses and poisoned land."
"And now they've come to the Great Beyond," said Quill
sadly.
It's spring and Quill Hedgehog is ready for an adventure. He decides
to ignore Kraken's warnings and take a trip into the Great Beyond, a
strange and mysterious land over the mountains that border Domusland.
On the way he meets Horatio Fitzworthy, a cat with deep secrets and a
similar taste for adventure. Quill discovers that Horatio is
originally from the Great Beyond, and was the lord of Fitzworthy
Castle until his unscrupulous lawyer Mungo Brown took over and
declared himself President. Mungo then began making financially
advantageous deals with the Wastelanders, rats from beyond who had
polluted their own territory until it was barely habitable, and who
needed new land to plunder. Soon the Great Beyond was dotted with
factories belching horrid smoke into the air, and the Wastelanders
were destroying wilderness to make room for slum housing. Horatio has
decided to take back his Castle, free the citizens of the Great
Beyond, and expel the hated Wastelanders (and Mungo Brown too), or die
in the attempt. And Quill decides to help Horatio. Their adventures
are both comical and thrilling, and QUILL'S ADVENTURES IN THE GREAT
BEYOND is a great read for all ages.
QUILL'S ADVENTURES IN THE GREAT BEYOND is Book One in a series of
"green fiction", featuring Quill Hedgehog--a dedicated
environmentalist--and his animalfolk friends. They were first
published in England by author, the Reverend John Waddington-Feather,
an Anglican priest with three daughters for whom the tales were
created. The books were nominated for the Library Association's
Carnegie Medal in 1988 by England's Youth Libraries Group. John Muir
Publications also has Book Two: QUILL'S ADVENTURES IN WASTELAND
($5.95, ISBN 1-56261-016-3) and Book Three: QUILL'S ADVENTURES IN
GROZZIELAND ($5.95, ISBN 1-56261-017-1).
You can get QUILL'S ADVENTURES from your local bookstore, or by
sending the list price, plus shipping and handling ($2.75 for the
first book and $.50 for each book thereafter) to: John Muir
Publications, PO Box 613, Santa Fe, NM 87504. They ship UPS, so be
sure to give them a street address, not a PO box.
There is also a Quill Hedgehog Club. Members receive a membership
certificate, a Hedgehog Club badge, and Quill's Club Newsletter, a
quarterly publication of the latest news from Hedgehog Corner. Members
will be among the very first to learn about Quill's newest adventures
and his battles to preserve the environment. Send name, address, and
$10 to: Quill Hedgehog, Hedgehog Corner, Fair View, Old Coppice, Lyth
Bank, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England SY3 0BW.
**************************
^ WHEN THE FROST IS ON THE PUNKIN
by James Whitcomb Riley, illustrations by Glenna Lang
ages 3 to 8
(Godine, October 1991, $15.95, ISBN 0-87923-912-3)
commentary from the publisher
WHEN THE FROST IS ON THE PUNKIN is James Whitcomb Riley's exuberant
ode to Fall on the farm, published by David R. Godine for the 75th
anniversary of his death. Written in bouncy Hoosier dialect, the
Indiana poet's classic poem is fun to read aloud, and fun to listen
to. Glenna Lang's gouache watercolor illustrations follow a little
girl through fields of pumpkins and other fruits of the harvest,
orchards, and barnyards filled with gentle animals. At the poem's end,
one of the pumpkins becomes a jack-o-lantern, and the girl's thoughts
turn happily to the fall holidays to come. The book's rich, smooth
colors and simple shapes express the feel of autumn in a way that will
appeal to children.
**************************
^ ANIMAL FABLES FROM AESOP
adapted and illustrated by Barbara McClintock
ages 6 and up
(David R. Godine, November 1991, $17.95, ISBN 0-87923-913-1)
review by Janet Peters
THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW selected Barbara McClintock's last
book, HEARTACHES OF A FRENCH CAT (Godine, 1989), as one of the ten
best illustrated books of the year. Now she has created a wonderful
set of 54 19th century-style illustrations for a collection of Aesop's
fables. McClintock's Wolf, Fox, Crow, Mice, Cat, etc., retain their
animal features while wearing Victorian clothing and all-too-human
facial expressions and body language. The detail of fur, clothing, and
scenery is matched only by the delicacy of the coloring. This is a
perfect opportunity to share classic Aesop fables, beautifully
illustrated, with a new generation. A lovely book.
**************************
* You may have noticed in an earlier RFP that the Everyman Library, a
long-time favorite with readers interested in affordable, good-quality
classics, was recently revived. The new incarnation was launched with
a champagne party in Spencer House (on St. James Place, London).
Attending the party were Mick Jagger and his wife Jerry Hall, who have
ordered a complete set to match their collection of the original
Everymans.
* ENCOUNTERS WITH AUTHORS is a collection of 20 interviews with and
articles about writers like: Evan Hunter, Tennessee Williams, Larry
McMurtry, Chaim Potok, B.F. Skinner, Richard Eberhart, Eugenia Price,
John Mortimer, Harry Crews, Alain Robbe-Grillet, etc. These authors
write fantasy, poetry, mystery, journalism, drama, literary,
experimental and commercial fiction, and in ENCOUNTERS WITH AUTHORS
they talk about the art and business of writing. To get a copy, send
$3 to: Twin Rivers Press, PO Box 119, Ellenton, FL 34222.
* Anyone interested in publishing should know about PRINTER'S DEVIL:
GRAPHIC ARTS FOR THE SMALL PRESS. It's a fascinating tri-annual
publication of information, instruction, and inspiration for anyone
who publishes (or would like to) on a smallish scale. As they put it:
"The purposes of this journal are to provide the small press with
accurate and timely information on all phases of the graphic arts and
to promote ART and CRAFT in contemporary printing." A single copy is
$2.10, and a year's worth (USA, First Class) is $6.75. Write to: THE
PRINTER'S DEVIL, Mother of Ashes Press, PO Box 66, Harrison, Idaho
83833-0066.
* Sidney Sheldon's current bestseller, THE DOOMSDAY CONSPIRACY
(Morrow), has been bought by Joel Silver and Warner Bros. for
theatrical development. Arnold Kopelson (producer of PLATOON) has
bought the rights to Sheldon's next novel, which hasn't even been
written yet.
#:#:#:#:#:#:#:#:#:#:#:#:#
# MURDER BY THE BOOK #
#:#:#:#:#:#:#:#:#:#:#:#:#
editor: Cindy Bartorillo
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Murder By The Book is a division of Reading For Pleasure, published
bimonthly. This material is NOT COPYRIGHTED and may be used freely by
all. Catalogs, news releases, review copies, or donated reviews should
be sent to: Reading For Pleasure, 103 Baughman's Lane, Suite 303,
Frederick, MD 21702.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
^ LAND KILLS
by Nat & Yanna Brandt
(Foul Play, 1991, $18.95, ISBN 0-88150-209-X)
review by Cindy Bartorillo
Veteran newsman Mitch Stevens is teaching college journalism when old
friend Ham Johnson asks him to take over editing his smalltown daily
newspaper for a couple of summer months. Ham is scheduled for cancer
surgery and needs someone he can trust to take over his Southborough,
Vermont, paper while he's recuperating. Mitch figures he'll also bring
one of his journalism students as an intern to help out, and while
he's in Vermont he'll look around for a piece of land that he and his
actress wife Val could build a house on. It's while he's checking out
a beautiful and extensive property that he literally falls over a
decomposing corpse in the woods. The body turns out to be real estate
saleswoman Vera Tolvey, apparently accidentally shot by a hunter the
previous November. Locals say that hunting is almost a religion around
those parts, and everyone knows better than to wander around during
hunting season without wearing an orange vest. It isn't long before
there is another mysterious death, and even another, not to mention a
few fires, and Mitch just KNOWS that something ominous is going on in
sleepy Southborough. Could it have something to do with the new ski
resort that local businessmen seem so excited about?
LAND KILLS is a first-rate mystery: the characters are well-developed,
the Vermont town is vividly drawn, the newsroom scenes are exciting,
and the land development/newsroom plot is compelling and nicely paced.
Foul Play Press says that LAND KILLS is the first novel in a projected
series, so with any luck we can look forward to many more adventures
with journalist sleuth Mitch Stevens. Highly recommended.
The Authors: Nat Brandt is a former newspaper editor and reporter,
professor of journalism, and editor of AMERICAN HERITAGE and
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY. He is the author of several books on American
history, the most recent of which are THE TOWN THAT STARTED THE CIVIL
WAR and THE CONGRESSMAN WHO GOT AWAY WITH MURDER. Yanna Brandt has
been directing, writing, and producing in theatre, films, and TV for
thirty years. Recipient of 9 Emmies and numerous other media awards,
she has produced many programs in the arts for TV, including the
annual favorite holiday presentation of THE NUTCRACKER with
Baryshnikov.
**************************
^ THE YEAR'S BEST MYSTERY AND SUSPENSE STORIES 1991
edited by Edward D. Hoch
(Walker, 1991, $19.95, ISBN 0-8027-3200-3)
review by Howard Frye
Once again Edward Hoch has gathered together a uniformly excellent
selection of mystery short stories. For the first time this selection
includes all five of the Edgar Award nominees: "Elvis Lives" by Lynne
Barrett, the Edgar-winner, in which the pleasures and perils of being
Elvis are examined; "Answers to Soldier" by Lawrence Block, my
favorite story of the book, about a hitman who deals with the
particular pressures of his job in his own peculiar way; "Prisoners"
by Ed Gorman, an excellent sketch of a dysfunctional family that
Gorman turns upside down with a few sentences at the end; "A Poison
That Leaves No Trace" by Sue Grafton, in which Kinsey Millhone gets
involved in a family dispute; and "Challenge the Widow-Maker" by Clark
Howard, a clever story of pearls and surfing and just desserts.
"Hello! My Name Is Irving Wasserman" by Stanley Cohen is a delight.
It's very funny and is a virtual textbook on disposing of a dead body.
Another favorite of mine is editor Hoch's own story, "The Detective's
Wife", about a wife who likes to help her husband solve murders. Also
included are: "Andrew, My Son" by Joyce Harrington, a tale of mental
illness that gets more horrifying as the story progresses; "Stakeout"
by Bill Pronzini, in which Nameless pulls stakeout duty; "An Unwanted
Woman" by Ruth Rendell has Inspector Wexford untangling the
psychological snarl of a woman, her daughter, and a third "unwanted"
woman; "The Conjuring Trick" by Julian Symons, a BODY HEAT kind of
story, and the poor guy gets hoodwinked again; "A Midsummer Daydream"
by Donald E. Westlake as Dortmunder accused of a theft he, for once,
didn't commit; and "Three-Time Loser" by Carolyn Wheat, about a lawyer
who is manipulated by her seemingly innocent client.
The volume closes with recommended reading lists of novels,
collections, anthologies, nonfiction, and other short stories, a list
of major mystery awards, and a necrology of all mystery-related
authors who died in 1990. THE YEAR'S BEST MYSTERY AND SUSPENSE STORIES
1991 is exactly what the title says. Recommended.
**************************
^ THE LAST DETECTIVE
by Peter Lovesey
(Doubleday Perfect Crime, October 1991, $18.50, ISBN 0-385-42114-1)
review by Cindy Bartorillo
"In the Bristol City Mortuary a body lay on a steel
trolley. In profile the swell of the stomach suggested
nothing less than a mountainous landscape. Or to an
imaginative eye it might have been evocative of a dinosaur
lurking in a primeval swamp, except that a brown trilby hat
of the sort seen in 1940s films rested on the hump. The body
was clothed in a double-breasted suit much creased at the
points of stress, gray in color, with a broad check
design--well known in the Avon & Somerset Police as the
working attire of Detective Superintendent Peter Diamond.
His silver-fringed bald head was propped on a rubber sheet
he had found folded on a shelf. He was breathing evenly."
This is how we meet Peter Diamond, the cranky "last detective" who
must discover the particulars about a body just found in Chew Valley
Lake--a naked woman with long red hair. Diamond's usual second in
command has recently been replaced by John Wigfull, who just may be
there to keep an eye on him following a scandal over a confession that
Diamond got from a suspect which later proved to be false. Like his
brown trilby hat, Diamond is a man out of his proper time period.
Convinced that true detection is accomplished by hard labor and mental
exercise, he is surrounded by computers, psychologists, and
departmental politics. As you might suspect, Diamond's attitudes and
abrasive behavior isolate him from his colleagues and put his career
in jeopardy.
"The lady in the lake" (not the only reference in THE LAST DETECTIVE
to Raymond Chandler) proves to be a difficult case. Not only is she
difficult to identify but there is no murder weapon and no apparent
cause of death. Diamond scorns the use of modern technology in police
work and instead of a computer check on the dead woman he decides to
display an artist's portrait of the victim on television. All he gets
for his pains, however, are a dozen calls from TV viewers convinced
the dead woman is a soap opera character named Candice Milner. Later,
when the computer check is finally run, extensive paperwork only leads
the police right back to Candice Milner.
Never one to tell a conventional story, Peter Lovesey creates a
fascinating character in Peter Diamond, a character that allows him to
explore the nature of a human anachronism: what it's like to be one
and what it's like to be around one. Lovesey also employs shifting
viewpoints to good effect in showing the many layers of meaning that a
death has upon the people who knew her--the effects of the death as
well as those of the resulting official investigation. THE LAST
DETECTIVE is a mystery of unusual depth for the discriminating reader.
**************************
^ WALLFLOWER: A Janek Novel
by William Bayer
(Villard, July 1991, $20.00, ISBN 0-679-40047-8)
review by Drew Bartorillo
Manhattan cop Frank Janek has become bored and disillusioned with
detective work after solving the case of a lifetime, the infamous
"Switch" killings. Ordered to take a vacation by his captain, Janek
goes to Venice to sort things out and get his life back on track. In
Venice, he meets Monika, the woman of his dreams, and for the first
time in many years, he is content. Then one day he receives a call:
his goddaughter Jess has been brutally mutilated and murdered in
Central Park. Instantly, Janek is back in action. The details that
emerge reveal a string of murders of seemingly random victims, whose
only connection appears to be the killer's same horrible modus
operandi--gluing the victim's genitals--and the same "signature", a
dead flower left at the scene of each crime. Out to revenge his
goddaughter's death, Janek uncovers her seedy past--bizarre sex
rituals, strange obsessions, and illicit relationships. He meets her
strange and steely best friend, a martial-arts expert; her
ex-boyfriend, a would-be pornographer; and her brilliant but
manipulative psychologist.
William Bayer's previous book about detective Frank Janek, SWITCH, was
turned into a made-for-TV movie a few years back, starring Richard
Crenna. For my money, it was one of the best TV mystery movies of
recent years. With WALLFLOWER, Williamn Bayer continues with the Frank
Janek character and succeeds in producing a thoroughly enjoyable
story. As with SWITCH, you know part-way through the story who commits
the murders, with the remainder of the story being spent resolving how
the murderer is brought to justice. Some of the murder details in
WALLFLOWER are a big gruesome, but the book is truly enjoyable and I
can recommend it to all mystery fans. If Bayer intends to continue
with the Janek character, I'll be one of the first ones in line to get
any new story.
**************************
^ IN THE GAME: A Virginia Kelly Mystery
by Nikki Baker
(Naiad Press, 1991, $8.95, ISBN 1-56280-004-3)
review by Carol Sheffert
Ginny Kelly has known Bev since business school, and now both are
upwardly-mobile black women living and working in Chicago, both with
live-in lovers. But now Bev's lover Kelsey has been found shot to
death in an alley outside one of Chicago's classiest lesbian bars. Was
it another example of gay-bashing, or was the motive more personal?
Worried that the police will suspect her friend, Ginny starts asking
questions, but the answers just lead to more questions. It seems that
Kelsey was about to be arrested for embezzlement, but then why was she
apparently broke? When it is discovered that Kelsey had another lover
back in Boston, Ginny flies to Massachusetts, unable to drop her
investigation even though Bev no longer seems to be suspected.
IN THE GAME is an entertaining first novel from Nikki Baker, a new
talent to watch. The second Virginia Kelly mystery, THE LAVENDER HOUSE
MURDER, is scheduled to be published by Naiad Press in 1992, and Ms.
Baker is currently at work on a third, called LONG GOODBYES. I look
forward to finding out more about Ginny and her friends in Chicago.
If your local bookstore can't get IN THE GAME for you just send the
list price, plus 15% for postage, to: The Naiad Press, Inc., PO Box
10543, Tallahassee, FL 32302. If you've got your credit card handy,
you can order by calling 1-800-533-1973. Or, if you'd like to fax your
order, call 1-904-539-9731.
**************************
^ EXCEPT FOR THE BONES: An Alan Bernhardt Novel
by Collin Wilcox
(Tor, November 1991, $18.95, ISBN 0-312-93162-X)
review by Cindy Bartorillo
Diane Cutler is an 18-year-old with problems. After her parents
divorced she was forced to leave California and move to New York with
her mother and her mother's new husband, billionaire Preston Daniels.
Diane loves her father very much, yet her socially-ambitious mother
insists upon referring to Daniels as her "father", even though Daniels
likes Diane as little as she likes him. As so often happens to an
unattractive teenager with more money than love, Diane turns to pills
and indiscriminate sex.
One fateful night finds Preston at his Cape Cod summer home with his
latest girlfriend and Diane in Cape Cod on an angry toot. Calmed by a
few pills, Diane picks up her biker friend and decides it would be fun
to spy on Daniels, but when they arrive at the house and hide outside
they discover Daniels removing what appears to be a dead body. They
follow him to a local landfill, then retire to a motel. The next day
her biker friend turns up dead, and now Diane is running scared. She
runs all the way to San Francisco, where an old friend asks private
investigator Alan Bernhardt to talk to Diane and find out what is
frightening her.
The most interesting level of this mystery is watching what happens to
Preston Daniels' life from the moment he kills his weekend girlfriend.
A blackmail attempt warns him that he was seen, so he has his private
pilot, a brutal man with a history of violence, "take care" of the
problem. Now Daniels has a worse problem: the pilot, who is no where
near as stupid or timid as the blackmailer was. Each attempt to plug a
leak only serves to make his problem worse. Detective Alan Bernhardt,
more realistic than interesting, takes a definite backseat to the
major players. What sticks in my memory about this story is the tragic
dance of money, ambition, and influence of the Cutler/Daniels family.
**************************
^ THE COLLECTED SHORT FICTION OF NGAIO MARSH
edited by Douglas G. Greene
(International Polygonics, 1991, $9.95, ISBN 1-55882-086-8)
review by Howard Frye
Dame Ngaio (pronounced NYE-oh) Marsh (1895-1982) was the creator of
some of the wittiest and most sophisticated English mysteries,
adjectives which also fit her most popular detective, Roderick Alleyn.
Now all of her collected short fiction appears in one volume for the
first time, including three featuring Roderick Alleyn. Also appearing
here are two essays, one of which explains the creation of Alleyn,
four non-Alleyn short stories, a courtroom drama in the form of a
teleplay, and a newly discovered story that is probably Marsh's very
first published fiction. Editor Greene adds a brief biographical
Introduction, tying up a fascinating package for all fans of Ngaio
Marsh and Roderick Alleyn.
You can get THE COLLECTED SHORT FICTION OF NGAIO MARSH at your local
bookstore or directly from the publisher by sending the list price,
plus $1 shipping and handling, to: International Polygonics Ltd.,
Madison Square, PO Box 1563, New York, NY 10159-1563.
**************************
^ ALFRED HITCHCOCK'S HOME SWEET HOMICIDE
Stories from Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine
edited by Cathleen Jordan
(Walker, 1991, $18.95, ISBN 0-8027-5798-7)
review by Cindy Bartorillo
Here is another great mystery volume from Walker, this one an
anthology of stories concerning home and family that have appeared in
ALFRED HITCHCOCK'S MYSTERY MAGAZINE (a continuing source of great
mystery fiction). I particularly liked "The Moonstone Earrings" by
Herbert Resnicow. Intelligent but plain Patsy is called in to solve
the mystery of the stolen earrings by wealthy and pretty Angela. Patsy
isn't Sergeant Cuff (see THE MOONSTONE by Wilkie Collins, 1868) but
she's smart, spunky, and much more likeable. Loren D. Estleman's
"Greektown" was another first-rate story, about Constantine Xanthes
who is afraid his half-brother Joseph is the Five O'Clock Strangler.
He hires Amos Walker to discover the truth, and Amos finds a few
surprises along the way. The most touching story is "A Candle for the
Bag Lady" by Lawrence Block. Matthew Scudder inherits $1200 from a bag
lady who wasn't as down-and-out as she appeared. In this story the
home and family is New York City and its population, and, as in most
families, there are unseen ties that bind as well as a few dark
secrets in the attic.
"The Owl in the Oak" by Joseph Hansen involves a mother-son
relationship that isn't what it seems to be from the outside, and John
Lutz's "What You Don't Know Can Hurt You" concerns Danny (of Danny's
Donuts) and his alcoholic uncle. If Nudger doesn't find out what's
going on at the clinic where Danny's uncle in staying, it could be him
that gets hurt. It's brothers and sisters who can't get along in
Marcia Muller's "Deadly Fantasies", where a young heiress suspects her
brother or sister of trying to poison her; or is just a delusion? And
in "A Young Man Called Smith" by Patricia Moyes, Margie and her sister
Sue must cope with two young men named Smith, one of whom is certainly
an impostor--but which?
Most of the stories, like most real-life crime I imagine, involves
husbands and wives. "Domestic Intrigue" by Donald E. Westlake is
certainly the cleverest tale, about Mona trying to juggle a rich but
jealous husband, a poor but sensitive lover, and a blackmailer. Then
there's Martin Quimby--from Ralph McInerny's "In the Bag"--who gets
the chance to steal a criminal's money and thereby escape his stale
marriage. But the money, the criminal, and his wife, have plans of
their own. "I, Witness" by Nancy Pickard is an odd story. Steve Krebs
witnesses a possible drowning, then goes home to his unappreciative
wife. He just can't get the drowning out of his mind. "The Unlikely
Demise of Cousin Claude" is another example of Charlotte MacLeod's
talent for upbeat stories about people with goofy names. This one
involves a visit with Aunt Agapantha and the death of Claude, who got
his necktie caught in the cream separator. But who wears a tie while
separating cream? Lastly, John F. Suter's "The Stone Man" concerns a
stonemason who kills his unfaithful wife; the story soon disappears
under the weight of confusing details and improbable plot twists.
HOME SWEET HOMICIDE is a fine anthology of mystery shorts, and a
subtle reminder that home is sometimes a refuge from the cares of the
world, and sometimes the scene of the crime.
**************************
^ MAIGRET AND THE HOTEL MAJESTIC
by Georges Simenon, translated by Caroline Hillier
(Harvest/HBJ, $5.95, ISBN 0-15-655133-0)
review by Howard Frye
This is a good-quality paperback reprint (with an easy-to-manipulate,
flexible binding) of a 1942 mystery by the great Belgian mystery
writer, Georges Simenon. Simenon's more than 200 novels are divided
between his mysteries featuring French policeman Jules Maigret and
unclassifiable novels of psychological suspense. His books are spare,
with no unnecessary characters or plot elements, which gives them a
simplicity that is rare today (exceptions: Bill Pronzini and Joseph
Hansen). Another distinguishing feature of Maigret mysteries is the
lack of speculation. The reader follows Maigret as he investigates
each crime, but he's not an effusive talker, keeping more to himself
than he reveals to suspects or even to colleagues.
In this outing, Maigret is called to the Hotel Majestic when a dead
woman is found stuffed into an unused employee locker in the basement.
She was a guest in the hotel, the wife of a rich American, staying
with her husband, son, maid, and governess. The late Mrs. Clark was
found by the breakfast cook, Prosper Donge, and when a connection is
discovered between Prosper and Mrs. Clark, he becomes the most likely
suspect. He doesn't stay the most likely suspect, though, at least not
with the reader, because Bonneau, apparently the French equivalent of
the District Attorney and a man Maigret doesn't like, insists on
taking over most of the case and is convinced that Prosper is guilty.
Any mystery reader worth a red herring knows that this is an
infallible sign that Maigret must discover the REAL murderer and
ultimately show up the pretentious Bonneau, which Maigret does in his
usual quiet and intense way. MAIGRET AND THE HOTEL MAJESTIC is prime
Simenon and a very good read.
**************************
^ SOLOMON'S VINEYARD
by Jonathan Latimer
(International Polygonics, $4.95, ISBN 0-930330-91-9)
commentary from the publisher
"A classic you've probably never heard of."
---William L. DeAndrea, from his introduction
Originally published in England in 1941, SOLOMON'S VINEYARD has never
before been available to the general public in its author's own
country. (A highly expurgated version entitled THE FIFTH GRAVE was
offered in the U.S. in 1950, but until now the complete text has only
appeared in a privately printed limited edition.) The probable reason
is apparent in the novel's first sentence. SOLOMON'S VINEYARD was too
realistic for a pre-war America which routinely censored films and on
occasion banned books. Even today, in a time when more explicit
material regularly appears in films and on television, SOLOMON'S
VINEYARD retains tremendous power and vitality. We at IPL are pleased
and proud to bring home one of the great private eye novels of all
time.
(RFP realizes that many of our readers will be in an absolute frenzy
to know what that first sentence is, so here it is: "From the way her
buttocks looked under the black silk dress, I knew she'd be good in
bed." For the rest of the story, you'll just have to get the book.)
You can get SOLOMON'S VINEYARD at your local bookstore or directly
from the publisher by sending the list price, plus $1 shipping and
handling, to: International Polygonics Ltd., Madison Square, PO Box
1563, New York, NY 10159-1563.
**************************
^ TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS
by Damon Runyon
(International Polygonics, 1991, $9.95, ISBN 1-55882-106-6)
commentary from the publisher
This heretofore-lost book by one of America's most distinctive
stylists and best-loved writers was published posthumously nearly
fifty years ago. Until now it has never been reprinted.
TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS was compiled by Runyon himself shortly before
his death in 1946 and collects the best of his courtroom reporting
including a vital account of the Halls-Mills case, where a minister
and his choir-singer mistress were murdered in an orchard; the
sensational trial of financier J.P. Morgan; the scandalous
May-December divorce of Peaches and Daddy Browning; a blow-by-blow
account of the notorious Snyder-Gray affair; and an insider's view of
Al Capone, with whom Runyon was said to have dined the night before
the trial.
**************************
~ IPL COLLECTS JOHN DICKSON CARR'S SHORT FICTION
edited and with commentary by Douglas G. Greene
reviews by Cindy Bartorillo
John Dickson Carr (1906-1977) was one of the writers who made the
Golden Age of Mystery golden, and was the hands-down master of the
Impossible Crime, sometimes known as Locked Room Mysteries.
International Polygonics has been reprinting JDC's mysteries for some
time, and now they have collected his short fiction in three terrific
volumes.
^ FELL AND FOUL PLAY
($19.95, ISBN 1-55882-071-X)
Dr. Gideon Fell was probably Carr's most popular sleuth, a character
based on one of his favorite writers, G.K. Chesterton. The earliest
Dr. Fell short story, "The Wrong Problem" (1936), was written at the
request of Dorothy L. Sayers, and is included here. You'll also find:
"Who Killed Matthew Corbin?", a previously unpublished 3-part radio
script starring Dr. Fell.
"The Proverbial Murder", an espionage story starring Dr. Fell and one
of Carr's best short fictions.
"The Black Minute", another Dr. Fell radio play, that uses a trick
derived from Harry Houdini's book A MAGICIAN AMONG THE SPIRITS.
"The Locked Room" (1940), another Dr. Fell short story.
"The Devil in the Summer-House", a radio play originally written as a
Dr. Fell mystery, shortened by JDC for production (which involved
in the removal of Dr. Fell) and so printed. It is here published
for the first time in its original version with Dr. Fell.
"The Incautious Burglar", a Dr. Fell story with plot elements that
were later reused in a Sir Henry Merrivale novel.
"The Dead Sleep Lightly", a radio script and one of Dr. Fell's
greatest cases.
"Invisible Hands", the last short story starring Dr. Fell.
Also collected in FELL AND FOUL PLAY are several stories of historical
mystery and romance. There is "The Dim Queen", which was written when
Carr was 19 years old and is reprinted for the first time. Also
included:
"The Other Hangman", which Carr said had "one of my best plots, which
I should have been sensible enough to reserve for a novel".
"Persons or Things Unknown", a Christmas ghost story.
"The Gentleman From Paris", often considered one of JDC's best short
stories, and it was the basis for the Joseph Cotten movie, THE MAN
WITH A CLOAK (1951).
"The Black Cabinet", a mystery with the solution in the last line.
FELL AND FOUL PLAY finishes with a Locked Room novella, "The Third
Bullet". Originally published in an obscure British paperback in 1937,
a heavily-abridged version appeared in ELLERY QUEEN'S MYSTERY MAGAZINE
in 1948, and the abridged version has been used ever since. FELL AND
FOUL PLAY includes the very first printing of the original full-length
version since 1937.
~DR. GIDEON FELL BOOKS:
Hag's Nook (1933) $5.95
The Mad Hatter Mystery (1933)
The Blind Barber (1934)
The Eight of Swords (1934)
Death Watch (1935)
The Three Coffins (1935) (British title: The Hollow Man) $4.95
The Arabian Nights Murder (1936)
To Wake the Dead (1937)
The Crooked Hinge (1938)
The Problem of the Green Capsule (1939) (British title: The Black
Spectacles) $5.95
The Problem of the Wire Cage (1939)
The Man Who Could Not Shudder (1940)
The Case of the Constant Suicides (1941)
Death Turns the Tables (1941) (British title: The Seat of the
Scornful) $4.95
Till Death Do Us Part (1944) $5.95
He Who Whispers (1946) $5.95
Dr. Fell, Detective (1947; short stories)
The Sleeping Sphinx (1947) $4.95
Below Suspicion (1949) $4.95
The Third Bullet and Other Stories (1954; short stories; Dr. Fell
appears in 3)
The Dead Man's Knock (1958)
In Spite of Thunder (1960)
The Men Who Explained Miracles (1963; short stories; Dr. Fell appears
in 2)
The House At Satan's Elbow (1965) $4.95
Panic In Box C (1966)
Dark of the Moon (1967)
NOTE: The prices are for IPL editions. Send the list price(s), plus
shipping and handling ($1 for first book, .50 for each thereafter) to:
International Polygonics Ltd., Madison Square, PO Box 1563, New York,
NY 10159-1563.
^ MERRIVALE, MARCH AND MURDER
($22.95, ISBN 1-55882-101-5)
Merrivale was Carr's most comical detective, who appeared in only two
short cases, both of which are reprinted here. "The House in Goblin
Wood" was written in 1946 for ELLERY QUEEN'S MYSTERY MAGAZINE, and
"All in a Maze" is a 1956 novelette originally published serially in
England under the name "Ministry of Miracles". You'll find a list of
Merrivale novels and IPL editions in RFP #19.
Colonel March is another of Carr's detective characters, this one
based on his good friend Major C.J.C. Street, who wrote detective
novels under the names John Rhode and Miles Burton. Colonel March
headed the most peculiar division of Scotland Yard, the Department of
Queer Complaints. This is the first time that all nine of the Colonel
March and the Department of Queer Complaints stories have been
collected in one volume. Trivia Note: In 1953, Boris Karloff starred
in a TV series called COLONEL MARCH OF SCOTLAND YARD, based on JDC's
character.
Other short fictions included in MERRIVALE, MARCH AND MURDER are:
"Blind Man's Hood", a 1937 Christmas story that includes a possible
solution to a real-life murder, the Peasonhall case of 1902.
"New Murders for Old", another Christmas story.
"The Diamond Pentacle", a locked-room mystery reprinted here for the
first time since 1939.
"Lair of the Devil-Fish", a radio script.
"Scotland Yard's Christmas", which was written as an exercise in
getting a character to disappear from a phone booth.
Also reprinted here is "Strictly Diplomatic" and "The Clue of the Red
Wig".
^ THE DOOR TO DOOM And Other Detections
($10.95, ISBN 1-55882-102-3)
THE DOOR TO DOOM contains the best of Carr's previously uncollected
work, but begins with a 17-page biography of Carr written by Douglas
Greene (who is currently at work on a full-length biography).
Originally published in 1980, THE DOOR TO DOOM did not then contain
JDC's famous essay, "The Grandest Game in the World", which appears
now for the very first time in its entirety.
Five stories of crime and detection are collected in THE DOOR TO DOOM,
four of which feature Henri Bencolin, the head of the Paris Police and
the star of JDC's first novel, IT WALKS BY NIGHT (1930). Bencolin also
appeared in four other novels: CASTLE SKULL (1931), THE LOST GALLOWS
(1931), THE CORPSE IN THE WAXWORKS (1932; British title: THE WAXWORKS
MURDER), and THE FOUR FALSE WEAPONS (1937).
There are also six radio plays, including one Dr. Gideon Fell script,
one ("Cabin B-13") that was the basis for the movie DANGEROUS
CROSSING, and one ("Will You Make a Bet with Death?") that was
reworked into a novel (THE 9 WRONG ANSWERS). THE DOOR TO DOOM also has
three of Carr's stories of the supernatural--one of his favorite
subjects--as well as two Sherlockian parodies, which were written to
be performed at the annual meetings of the Mystery Writers of America.
In both cases, Clayton Rawson played the part of Holmes, Lawrence G.
Blochman was Watson, and JDC was the visitor. THE DOOR TO DOOM ends
with two essays, "The Grandest Game in the World" and "Stand and
Deliver!", the last thing JDC wrote other than book reviews.
No fan of John Dickson Carr can afford to be without all three of
these fascinating collections. And I can't overemphasize the worth of
Douglas Greene's introductions and running commentaries in all three
of these volumes. His facts, figures, comments, and bits of history
add to any reader's enjoyment; the volumes would be greatly diminished
without them. See the note after the Dr. Fell book list for ordering
instructions.
**************************
^ MURDER ON THE CLIFF: Starring Charlotte Graham
by Stefanie Matteson
(Diamond, November 1991, $3.99, ISBN 1-55773-596-4)
review by Carol Sheffert
Charlotte Graham, film star since the late 1930s and now an occasional
amateur detective, is back! (See MURDER AT THE SPA and MURDER AT
TEATIME in RFP #16.) This time she's staying with friends in Newport,
Rhode Island, to take part in the Black Ships Festival, which
commemorates the arrival of Commodore Perry in Japan. The Black Ships
Festival is also celebrating the 100th anniversary of the suicide of
the geisha Okichi, the real event that was the inspiration for the
story of Madame Butterfly. Okichi committed suicide after being
deserted by her lover Townsend Harris, first American consul to Japan,
who left her and returned to America, building a house in Newport.
Charlotte Graham is part of the festivities because she played the
role of Okichi in the most famous movie made of the historical event.
The highlight of the celebration will be the appearance of
Okichi-mago, a beautiful girl who is not only a geisha but it also the
descendant of the original Okichi and Townsend Harris. Before she can
grace the Festival, however, she is found at the base of a cliff,
apparently having committed suicide in exactly the same manner as the
original Okichi. Although Charlotte doesn't suspect murder until
mid-book, Okichi-mago didn't commit suicide, of course. But who could
have done it? Was it her Japanese sponsor, the wealthy Tanaka, angry
at her love affair with the American sumo wrestler Shawn? Or is there
some more obscure motive? Once again, Stefanie Matteson weaves an
entertaining mystery against a fascinating and educational background,
leaving the reader hoping for more Charlotte Graham mysteries soon.
**************************
^ MURDER IN ORDINARY TIME: A Sister Mary Helen Mystery
by Sister Carol Anne O'Marie
(Delacorte, October 1991, $18.00, ISBN 0-385-30226-6)
review by Cindy Bartorillo
Channel 5's Noon News is the set for murder in this fourth Sister Mary
Helen mystery. Investigative reporter Christina Kelly finds a plate of
cookies on her chair before air time. She eats one cookie and dies,
and the police lab later discovers that the one cookie she ate was the
only cookie poisoned. It also happened to be the only raisin cookie in
a plate of chocolate chip cookies. Sister Mary Helen was about to be
interviewed by Christina when she died, and is thereby drawn into the
case, despite the objections of the police as represented by her old
friend Kate Murphy (who is pregnant and gives birth during the course
of the story) and her partner Dennis Gallagher.
Unfortunately for the reader, the characters are more interesting than
the mystery. There are two big clues about the murder, and neither of
them are successfully handled. The first is a huge screaming clue that
no self-respecting mystery fan could miss and it occurs on page 23.
Sister Mary Helen, however, doesn't figure it out until page 180. The
second major clue is a sound clue (the murderer's voice on a tape) and
the reader is reduced to a frustrated onlooker as both Sister Mary
Helen and Kate Murphy find something familiar about the voice, but
can't quite put their finger on what it is. Actually, there is more
consideration given to Kate's pregnancy than to the mystery, a side
plot that is handled with charm, making MURDER IN ORDINARY TIME a
pleasant read for mystery fans who are expecting a baby. The previous
Sister Mary Helen mysteries are: A NOVENA FOR MURDER, ADVENT OF DYING,
and THE MISSING MADONNA.
**************************
^ QUOTH THE RAVEN
by Jane Haddam
(Bantam Crime Line, October 1991, $4.99, ISBN 0-553-29255-2)
review by Cindy Bartorillo
This is the fourth in the "Holiday Mystery" series starring former FBI
agent Gregor Demarkian of Cavanaugh Street in Philadelphia. The three
previous novels by Orania Papazoglou writing under the name Jane
Haddam were: NOT A CREATURE WAS STIRRING, PRECIOUS BLOOD, and ACT OF
DARKNESS. (ACT OF DARKNESS was reviewed in RFP #19.) As the story
opens, Gregor's friend Father Tibor Kasparian has come to Belleville,
Pennsylvania, to teach a course in an interdisciplinary program called
The American Idea at Independence College. Tibor enjoys teaching his
class, he enjoys feeding the resident tame raven named Lenore, but he
doesn't enjoy academic politics and he positively loathes the new
faculty celebrity, Dr. Donegal Steele.
Dr. Steele was lured to Independence College by the administration
with instant tenure, a huge salary, and some suspect he was promised
the now vacant Chairmanship of The American Idea Program. Everyone had
thought it would go to Dr. Ken Crockett, a longtime member of the
faculty and a native of Belleville, or possibly to Dr. Alice Elkinson,
newer but even more academically qualified. Also, Program secretary
Maryanne Veer won't be happy to see Dr. Steele installed in the
chairman's office either. Despite the fact that she's been virtually
running the Program since its inception, Dr. Steele is sure to fire
her at once. He prefers his women young (Miss Veer is sixtyish), great
looking, and squeezable.
You see, Dr. Steele has only been at Independence College for two
weeks and he's already managed to earn a reputation for sexual
harassment. Absolutely EVERYONE hates Dr. Steele. So the reader is
instantly suspicious when Dr. Steele is missing as the narrative
begins. He was last seen going off to "pop beers". Has someone finally
gotten fed up, or is he just sleeping off a hangover? When Gregor
shows up at the college to give a lecture on FBI techniques on
Halloween Dr. Steele still hasn't shown up, and Gregor meets the
entire cast of suspects. In addition to the faculty already mentioned,
there is the bizarre Dr. Katherine Branch, a rabid feminist who also
seems to believe she is a witch. Then there's the best-looking girl in
the school, Chessey Flint, whose reputation has been trashed by Dr.
Steele. Her boyfriend Jack Carroll can't be counted out either. Before
the reader, or Gregor, can think much more about Dr. Steele, Maryanne
Veer is poisoned with lye in front of a crowd of people in the school
cafeteria. No one can figure out how, or why, someone would try to
kill Miss Veer.
Gregor Demarkian only has a matter of hours to discover the truth,
which he will use to turn his expected lecture into a classic "I'm
sure you all wonder why I've asked you here" speech worthy of Ellery
Queen. Although I thought the method of attack here was unnaturally,
and unwarrantably, gruesome, the mystery was exciting to follow. The
best part is that the reader is allowed to figure out part (but only
part) of the mystery early. The remainder of the book is read in
feverish frustration as Gregor strains to catch up. QUOTH THE RAVEN is
another good mystery from Orania Papazoglou.
**************************
^ MURDER IS GERMANE: A Brigid Donovan Mystery
by Karen Saum
(Naiad Press, 1991, $8.95, ISBN 0-941483-98-3)
cover copy
Panama, the land of Brigid's birth. Where she adored with her child's
eyes the blonde and beautiful Georgie Hendryks, who "drove a
lime-green convertible and rode a white stallion."
Brigid has returned, to look into the disappearance of an INS agent
because of his murky association with Monte Cassino, a Maine community
of nuns.
Brigid locates Georgie--whose more than warm welcome makes all of
Brigid's childhood dreams come true. But Brigid's visit also sets into
motion an inexplicable series of violent deaths and attempts on
Brigid's own life.
Brigid must unravel the intricacies of the past, and the skein of
tangled passions hidden within it, to discover the pattern behind the
murders. Her very life depends on it...
MURDER IS GERMANE is both an enthralling mystery and a vivid adventure
story--set in a lovely, enigmatic land of violence and passion. If
your local bookstore doesn't have MURDER IS GERMANE, you can order it
directly from the publisher by sending the list price, plus 15% extra
for shipping and handling, to: The Naiad Press Inc., PO Box 10543,
Tallahassee, FL 32302. Or get your credit card and call
1-800-533-1973.
**************************
^ A PRIVATE DISGRACE: Lizzie Borden By Daylight
by Victoria Lincoln
(International Polygonics, 1967, $7.95, ISBN 0-930330-35-8)
review by Cindy Bartorillo
I've already admitted to my fondness for the Lizzie Borden story. In
RFP #8 was a list of Borden books and RFP #19 had a review of a recent
addition, LIZZIE BORDEN: THE LEGEND, THE TRUTH, THE FINAL CHAPTER by
Arnold R. Brown. Of all the Borden books on my True Crime shelf,
however, my favorite has always been A PRIVATE DISGRACE by Victoria
Lincoln. Not only is the book more charmingly written than most, it is
written by someone who actually KNEW Lizzie Borden! Of course Victoria
Lincoln was a young child when Lizzie was near the end of her life,
but she stills brings a personal, insider point of view to one of the
most perplexing cases in criminal history. It is particularly
difficult for a modern reader to understand Fall River, Massachusetts
of 1892, but in A PRIVATE DISGRACE we hear directly from someone who
can bridge the gap for us, explain the 19th-century, insular New
England town to the 20th-century urban reader. If you can only have
one Borden book, this is the one to get. (You can order A PRIVATE
DISGRACE directly from the publisher by sending the list price, plus
$1 for postage and handling, to: International Polygonics Ltd.,
Madison Square, PO Box 1563, New York, NY 10159-1563.)
"In school, I began to make friends of my own age, and
observed with interest that one was supposed to shudder and
giggle when Miss Borden's name was mentioned. I asked Mother
why.
"'Well, dear, she was very unkind to her father and
mother.'"
---from A PRIVATE DISGRACE by Victoria Lincoln
**************************
* We hear that CD Publications (PO Box 858, Edgewood, MD 21040) is
coming out with a short story collection by Ed Gorman this coming
spring. It will be called PRISONERS AND OTHER STORIES and will include
"Turn Away", Shamus Award-winner and Anthony nominee; as well as the
Edgar nominee, "Prisoners". With a full-color dust jacket and printed
on acid free paper, PRISONERS AND OTHER STORIES will cost $20.95, plus
$1.05 shipping and handling. CD Publications is taking reservations
now.
* Jean Hager's NIGHT WALKER (Worldwide Library, December 1991, $3.50):
Some people thought Graham Thornton deserved to die. Thornton's Indian
employees are convinced the murder of the arrogant owner of the new
resort lodge in Buckskin, OK, is the vengeful act of a night walker, a
Cherokee witch. Chief Mitch Bushyhead, however, has a long list of
human suspects to worry about--disgruntled employees, a vindictive
ex-wife, a hateful sister, the lover Thornton was blackmailing. Then a
second murder leaves Bushyhead to a web of secrets, lies and hidden
depravations...and a killer's desperate final act that hits perilously
close to home.
* THE BULRUSH MURDERS: A Botanical Mystery by Rebecca Rothenberg
(Carroll & Graf, November 1991, $18.95, ISBN 0-88184-749-6):
Microbiologist Claire Sharples flees the academic rat-race of MIT for
a research position in California's San Joaquin Valley and is
immediately embroiled in the murder of a young Mexican farm worker.
Soon she is using her training to unravel a tangle of sabotage, greed,
and revenge. But Jane Austen takes on Mickey Spillane when Claire
falls for a taciturn co-worker and is called upon to solve the
mysteries of the heart as well.
* William Bernhardt's PRIMARY JUSTICE (Ballantine, January 1992,
$5.99, ISBN 0-345-37479-7): Ben Kincaid wants to be a lawyer because
he wants to do the right thing. But once he leaves the D.A.'s office
for a hot-shot spot in Tulsa's most prestigious law firm, Ben
discovers being moral and being a lawyer can be mutually exclusive.
**************************
~ Catalogs worth getting:
The Mysterious Bookshop
129 West 56th Street
New York, NY 10019
212/765-0900
Mysteries By Mail
PO Box 679
Boonville, CA 95415-0679
**************************
~ MORE CHRISTMAS MYSTERIES
Here is a small addendum to the Christmas Mysteries list in RFP #7:
Cohen, Charles Silver Linings
Drummond, John Keith 'Tis the Season to be Dying
Eccles, Marjorie Death of a Good Woman
Haddam, Jane Not a Creature Was Stirring
Jordon, Jennifer Murder Under the Mistletoe
Long, Manning Vicious Circle
McGown, Jill Murder at the Old Vicarage
MacLeod, Charlotte, ed. Christmas Stalkings (anthology)
O'Marie, Sister Carol Anne Advent of Dying
Page, Katherine Hall The Body in the Bouillon (St. Martin's,
Dec 1991)
Parker, Robert Stardust
Pulver, Mary Monica Original Sin
Roberts, Gillian Philly Stakes
Smith, Joan Don't Leave Me This Way
Wingfield, R.D. Frost At Christmas
<-*->:<-*->:<-*->:<-*->:<-*->:<-*->
< >
< LOOSEN YOUR GRIP ON REALITY >
< >
<-*->:<-*->:<-*->:<-*->:<-*->:<-*->
<< Editor: Darryl Kenning >>
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Loosen Your Grip On Reality is a division of Reading For Pleasure,
published bimonthly. This material is NOT COPYRIGHTED and may be used
freely by all. Contributions of information, reviews, etc. should be
sent to:
Darryl Kenning CompuServe: 76337,740
6331 Marshall Rd. or GEnie: D.Kenning
Centerville, Ohio 45459 HeavenSoft BBS 513-836-4288
The Annex BBS 513-274-0821
---------------------------------------------------------------------
THE KENNING QUOTIENT (KQ) is a rating applied to books read by the
editor of this section, a number ranging from 0 (which means the book
is an unredeemable stinker) to 5 (meaning the book is absolutely top
drawer).
---------------------------------------------------------------------
~ RANDOM ACCESS
This year it is almost impossible not to write an editorial or feature
piece about STAR TREK--it being the 25th anniversary and having seen
the death of Gene Roddenberry. BTW, one of the best of the things I've
seen was published in the September 27, 1991 issue of ENTERTAINMENT, a
magazine I've never read except for that issue with it's 1966 picture
of Nimoy and Shatner on the cover.
As an original trekkie who watched the series when it was first aired
and has been collecting episodes as far back as beta, I feel I have a
personal vested interest in the whole phenomena--although I guess I
really can't claim any more insights into the whole thing than anyone
else. It is absolutely fascinating how a minor show in a rather
mediocre year for TV has turned into something that pervades society
from top to bottom. Even if you've never seen any episode of any of
the Star Trek series, or movies, or books,and yes that does seem hard
to believe, you still know what BEAM ME UP SCOTTY means! Imagine
enough of us pressuring the US Government to change the name of the
first space shuttle to the ENTERPRISE. Not to mention that 25 years
later after a steady stream (in the last 10 or 15 years) of movies,
books, and a new series, that another movie with the original cast
members is due out and is being eagerly awaited by millions.
"Fascinating, Doctor."
A lot of folks have called the series "cowboys in space", and if you
remember that TV cowboy series were very popular in those days,
however, there is an element of truth in the comment. But there were
some really GOOD cowboy series done that didn't elicit this kind of
response. Personally I always thought it was the stories--stories that
for the most part (some, of course, were absolute bummers) illustrated
the human condition, and for better or worse showed us in all our best
and worst parts. While many of them are hopelessly dated now it is
still amazing to me that many are still indicative of the problems and
dilemmas that we face today. Even the crew, radical in those days,
reflected the glimmer of hope we had for the future while still
retaining the American "cowboy" psyche. And then there is the pride
that I feel as a SF aficionado who feels gratified that the world
finally sees at least a little of what I find so rewarding in Science
Fiction.
It does make you wonder what archaeologists in the 25th century will
make of all the plastic models and the scholarly writings about a
little series that ran only a few short seasons and was clearly not
even a near miss in its projections of the real future. Hmmm.
Thanks to all of you, the TV staff and crew members, the authors, the
actors, the producer, and even the TV executives who took a chance in
the first place and probably did us all a favor by killing it off in
its prime.
Benjamin Svetkey said it best for me in his article:
ICH BIN EIN TREKKIE
dkk
**************************
~ THE HUGO AWARDS
Best Novel: THE VOR GAME by Lois McMaster Bujold
Best Novella: "The Hemingway Hoax" by Joe Haldeman
Best Novelette: "The Manamouki" by Mike Resnick
Best Short Story: "Bears Discover Fire" by Terry Bisson
Best Nonfiction Book: HOW TO WRITE SCIENCE FICTION AND
FANTASY by Orson Scott Card
Best Pro Editor: Gardner Dozois
Best Pro Artist: Michael Whelan
Best Dramatic Presentation: EDWARD SCISSORHANDS
Best Semiprozine: Locus
Best Fanzine: Lan's Lantern
Best Fan Writer: David Langford
Best Fan Artist: Teddy Harvia
John W. Campbell Award: Julia Ecklar
**************************
^ THE LORD OF THE RINGS
by J.R.R. Tolkien, illustrated by Alan Lee
(Houghton Mifflin, November 1991, $60.00, ISBN 0-395-59511-8)
review by Cindy Bartorillo
In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the
Elven-smiths, and Sauron, the Dark Lord, forged the One Ring
to rule all the others. But the One Ring was taken from him,
and remained lost until after many ages it fell by chance
into the hands of the hobbit, Bilbo, and was then bequeathed
to his young nephew Frodo. THE LORD OF THE RINGS tells of
the quest undertaken by Frodo together with the fellowship
of the ring: Gandalf the wizard, Merry, Pippin, and Sam the
hobbits, Gimli the dwarf, Legolas the elf, Boromir man of
Gondor, and a tall mysterious stranger called Strider.
Their quest was perilous: to journey across Middle-earth,
deep into the shadow of the Dark Lord, and destroy the Ring
by casting it into the Cracks of Doom.
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was born on January 3, 1892, and to
celebrate this centenary Houghton Mifflin has produced this omnibus
volume of Tolkien's most famous trilogy, certainly the most exquisitly
beautiful edition of the works ever published. Fifty paintings were
especially commissioned from the noted English artist Alan Lee for
this very first illustrated edition of THE LORD OF THE RINGS. The book
comes shrink-wrapped and is heavy, sturdily bound, with an Index and a
red ribbon to mark your place. The jacket is foil-laminated, the pages
are cool and creamy to the touch--but it's still the artwork that
stands out. This is a book for readers who not only enjoy Tolkien's
master epic but who love the physicality of books as well. (There is
also a boxed edition, signed by the artist, for $200.00.)
The first volume of the trilogy, THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, was first
published in 1954, followed by THE TWO TOWERS and THE RETURN OF THE
RING; and this masterwork of one of the world's most distinguished
philologists still stands as a supreme work of the imagination. THE
LORD OF THE RINGS has also been loved and read all over the world,
having sold more than 15 million copies and been translated into 26
languages.
In addition to this landmark edition of THE LORD OF THE RINGS,
Houghton Mifflin is also releasing three other Tolkien-related items
for the centenary:
THE ATLAS OF MIDDLE-EARTH, Revised Edition, by Karen Wynn Fonstad.
Newly revised--one-third of the maps are new--this paperback edition
includes all the information gleaned by Christopher Tolkien's research
in THE HISTORY OF MIDDLE-EARTH, including the forthcoming 1992 volume,
SAURON DEFEATED. THE ATLAS OF MIDDLE-EARTH will be available in
January 1992, $15.95, ISBN 0-395-53516-6)
THE FATHER CHRISTMAS LETTERS, Third Edition, by J.R.R. Tolkien. These
charming letters were written for the author's four children in the
1920s and 1930s, when he was a struggling young professor during the
Depression. Restored to print, this delightful book is illustrated in
full color by Tolkien himself. (Available now, and reviewed elsewhere
in this issue of RFP, $10.95, ISBN 0-395-59698-X)
THE TOLKIEN FAMILY ALBUM, by John and Priscilla Tolkien. The text, by
two of J.R.R. Tolkien's children, weaves together family reminiscences
with personal, informal family photographs, most of them never before
published. Publication will be on the anniversary of Tolkien's birth,
January 3, 1992. ($29.95, ISBN 0-395-59938-5)
The publisher can be contacted by writing to: Houghton Mifflin Co.,
215 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10003.
**************************
^ THE WORLD AT THE END OF TIME
by Frederik Pohl
(Ballantine Books, 1991)
review by Robert Pittman
Frederik Pohl has the capacity to craft stories of science and space
that reach far beyond the boundaries and horizons of most
imaginations. In the five books of the Heechee saga, he introduced his
readers to new concepts and new values of civilizations and "invented"
new ways to look at time and space. In THE WORLD AT THE END OF TIME he
holds true to course and requires his readers to take another long,
forward step with their imaginations. The story introduces the oldest
and most powerful being in the universe and spans a time frame of more
than ten-to-the-fortieth power years! He also sets up a situation in
which a few remnants of humanity are still living at the end of this
long time span even though the universe is exhausted and contains only
the cinders of the stars and planets of which it was once composed.
Wan-To is the super being and super intelligence in the story. It was
naturally and accidentally created early in the life of the universe
and exists as a master manipulator of energy. It lives within a star,
can move from star to star and has several abilities to communicate
and extend its actions throughout the universe. Wan-To has character
and personality with traits such as curiosity, mischievousness,
avarice, treachery and even loneliness. Loneliness, in fact, leads to
Wan-To's one big mistake in its long life. It has the ability to
recreate itself and does so several times. At first its offspring are
playmates and stimulating intellectual companions, but as duplicate
beings, they also have Wan-To's negative values such as avarice and
treachery. In time these characteristics surface and the playmates
become competitors and then enemies.
Its own procreation sets Wan-To on a lifetime effort to destroy its
offspring and to defend itself from their duplicate efforts toward the
same goal. In the process, stars are exhausted and galaxies are
collapsed as their energies are consumed in the long conflict between
super beings.
From the perspective of Wan-To and its fellow super beings, humankind
is simply a construct of matter, insignificant and utterly beneath
their notice.
The fortunes of humanity are affected by the antics of the super
beings, and the author cleverly and entertainingly carries a human
story in parallel with the story of Wan-To. It starts with a young
boy, Viktor Sorricaine, who is in frozen sleep along with a thousand
other passengers on a 150 year journey to an earth colony planet
called Newmanhome. Viktor has been in a freezer unit with his mother
and father for about 112 years into the voyage when the captain of the
starship decides that it is necessary to wake Viktor's father. He is
the only qualified astronomer aboard and the captain is concerned
about erratic activity occurring in a star situated along the path
that the ship must travel. Following observations, he describes the
unusual activity as "an anomalously flaring K-5 star." Beyond that, he
does not understand nor does he ever learn what is really happening.
The reader, however, by following the Wan-To segment of the story,
knows that the flaring anomaly is the result of Wan-To and its
offspring attempting to destroy each other (remember, the super beings
live in stars).
After a few weeks of roaming the ship, Viktor is returned to a frozen
sleep and wakes again 30 years later, still a twelve year old boy,
when the ship arrives at Newmanhome. The colonists establish
themselves on the planet and Viktor grows to adulthood as the new home
for humanity is developed. During this period, Viktor's father and a
few other members of the scientific community are puzzled and
disturbed by unexpected and inexplicable events on some of the planets
and stars within their range of observation. These events get little
attention and almost no scientific study as most of the population and
its resources are focused on the development of Newmanhome.
At the same time, Wan-To and its offspring continue their conflict
with widespread destructive results. Stars are consumed and energies
are drawn off entire galaxies in order to sustain the battle between
the super beings. Ultimately the results are felt by the colony in
Newmanhome. One of the super beings draws energy from the sun around
which Newmanhome revolves and the colony is rapidly pushed into an ice
age. As the planet becomes colder and less able to support life, the
author develops several interesting sub-themes on social and cultural
changes arising from the threat of extinction. As food supplies become
scarce and sources of heat become critical, one solution for survival
is to return much of the population to a frozen sleep (Pohl calls the
frozen ones "corpsicles"). Viktor Sorricaine again becomes a corpsicle
and thus survives the next great impact of Wan-To's battle tactics on
Newmanhome.
In a defensive measure against its challengers, Wan-To tears out a
vast section of the galaxy in which Newmanhome resides, and with
energies drawn from the Newmanhome sun, starts it speeding through the
universe. The acceleration is rapid and the speed achieved almost
stops time relative to the rest of the universe. Eons and eons pass
and as the universe burns out and becomes a void, the partial galaxy
continues to exist as a relatively young and viable star system.
In this time Newmanhome has become a cold, lifeless planet but a few
of its people have adapted and evolved to allow them a comfortable but
confined life aboard space habitats. In order to enhance their gene
pool, they occasionally withdraw and revive male corpsicles as sperm
contributors (Pohl has these revived ancients making sperm
contributions at astonishing rates!). Viktor is chosen as a
contributor and comes awake in a world that bears little relation to
his past. People have become kinder and more tolerant and have made
stunning progress in the biological sciences. There is little interest
in astronomical science and people simply accept the proposition that
planets are not suitable for human occupancy and that they must make
their homes in space habitats. Viktor stimulates curiosity about
astronomy and space and begins a project to restore and repopulate
Newmanhome.
Over this incredible time span, Wan-To has succeeded in eliminating
its offspring and is again the only one of its type in existence. It
is a lonely and miserable existence in a universe where most of the
energy is dissipated and Wan-To is resident in a cold star, unable to
thrive with most of its abilities and sense in a state of suspension.
In effect, trapped in a dying star in a dying universe.
Pohl ends the story with Viktor Sorricaine on the road to success in
rehabilitating the planet Newmanhome and in recreating a new colony
from the surviving corpsicles. At the same time the quasi-dormant
Wan-To "senses" the presence of fresh and vibrant stars in the remnant
of the galaxy that was sent speeding through space so many eons ago.
The proposition is there - will humankind and Wan-To cross paths
again? Only Frederik Pohl can tell us and I hope he creates the sequel
to do so.
Even without absolute resolution, the ending is not a disappointment.
The story is well written, fun and exciting to read. The characters,
while not always likable or admirable, are well drawn for their roles
in the adventure. Viktor Sorricaine, for example, is not a bright,
dynamic, heroic figure. He is about average, somewhat dull and
stubborn to a fault in his personal relationships. Wan-To's powerful
intelligence is often diminished by his petulance and arrogance. These
and other character faults condemn Wan-To to a lonely existence and
Viktor to the frustrations of an unusually long life.
Overall it is a great adventure story with several "sparkling new"
concepts for the science fiction fan.
**************************
~ THE DARK TOWER ON TAPE
Donald M. Grant, Publisher, has unabridged recordings read by Stephen
King himself.
THE GUNSLINGER (AT-1) $29.95
THE DRAWING OF THE THREE (AT-2) $34.95
THE WASTE LANDS $34.95
Add $2 shipping for the first item and $1 for each additional item.
Add an additional $3 per item for addresses outside the U.S. Send the
total to: Donald M. Grant, Publisher, Inc., PO Box 187, Hampton Falls,
NH 03844.
**************************
^ FUTURESPEAK
A Fan's Guide to the Language of Science Fiction
by Roberta Rogow
(Paragon House, September 1991, $24.95, ISBN 1-55778-347-0)
review by Carl Ingram
Here is the perfect gift for the SF fan on your holiday gift list.
FUTURESPEAK is a dictionary of over 1,000 terms that pop up in and
around Science Fiction literature and is absolutely amazing in its
comprehensiveness. The types of words and expressions in FUTURESPEAK
include:
Fan Lingo: Con-Com Mommy, pro-ed, filk, nuke, grazing
Magazines Terms: letterzine, closedzine, hurt/comfort story
Scientific Words: genetic engineering, barbecue maneuver, parsec
Gaming Terms: constitution, proficiency, cronk, chaotic
Writers: Jules Vern, Rober Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, H.P. Lovecraft
Filmmaking: matte painting, hook, continuity, hyphenate
Art: creepy crawlies, control sheet, matting, planetscape
Publishing Terms: samizdat, mass-market paperback, cross-genre
Comics Terms: colorist, flaking, graphic album, ashcan edition
Terms from SF Lit: generation ship, open Universe, Pern, subtext
Each entry defines the term and explains its usage, and, where
possible, gives the origin. Author Rogow tries to pinpoint how the
term evolved, who if anyone started it and why it is a part of the
language of Science Fiction. For example, she defines "Grok" as "a
total understanding of one person by another, without the necessity of
verbalization," then notes that the term was "coined by Robert
Heinlein in STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND, first published in 1961; taken
into the language by the Counterculture, for whom the book became a
kind of icon."
FUTURESPEAK bears a Foreword by C.J. Cherryh, and four useful and
entertaining appendices:
Useful Addresses (SF publications, organizations, conventions)
Filk Song (Filk Distributors, Filker's Bill of Rights, and several
filk songs)
Rotsler's Rules for Masquerades
Award Rules (for Hugo and Nebula)
Entertaining and educational, FUTURESPEAK is an excellent addition to
any SF bookshelf, and would make a particularly fine gift for the
younger reader just getting into SF. (The publisher may be contacted
by writing to: Paragon House, 90 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10011.)
**************************
^ THE ELVENBANE
An Epic High Fantasy of the Halfblood Chronicles
by Andre Norton & Mercedes Lackey
(Tor, November 1991, $19.95, ISBN 0-312-85106-5)
commentary from the publisher
Andre Norton has been acclaimed as the "grande dame of science
fiction" by LIFE magazine. Mercedes Lackey has been heralded as one of
the most "brilliant and popular"--as well as bestselling--young
fantasy writers. When these two masters (mistresses?) of high fantasy
meld their talents in THE ELVENBANE, the result is, as PUBLISHERS
WEEKLY says, "one of the season's liveliest and most appealing fantasy
epics."
THE ELVENBANE tells the story of the powerful, proud Elvenlords,
secure in their rule over weak humans and halfbreeds, rulers who on
the one hand build beautiful, near-perfect cities...and at the same
time keep legions of slaves for work and entertainment, and prey on
Elven or human concubines for pleasure. The only cloud in this
otherwise-perfect world of Elven supremacy is "The Prophecy", which
portends that magic and fortunes will remake the world.
The prophecy is passed on to the halfbreed Shana, who grows up to be a
wizard powerful enough to lead the humans and dragons against the
cruel elves who rule the land and enslave others. PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
calls THE ELVENBANE a "fine coming-of-age adventure". BOOKLIST regards
the book as "dynamic fantasy". And Anne McCaffrey pays tribute to both
authors: "A damned fine tale, a splendid blend of the talents of two
excellent storytellers."
**************************
^ MIRABILE
by Janet Kagan
(Tor, 1991, $18.95, ISBN 0-312-85220-7)
commentary from the publisher
There's a problem on the planet Mirabile with dragon's teeth. The
humans from Earth sent to colonize the planet on a generations-long
voyage through space lost some essential information in transit. Now,
in the early decades of human settlement, the Earth plants and animals
genetically programmed to proliferate the old species (so that, for
instance, a cow might give birth to a deer sometimes, that will breed
true, except that sometimes the deer will give birth to a moose...)
are occasionally producing mutants. Thus the carnivorous Kangaroo Rex
is born, and the Loch Moose monster, and the voracious Frankenswine,
dragon's teeth that threaten the ecology of Mirabile and perhaps the
very survival of the colonists.
Mirabile is a frontier planet with a generous mixture of ethnic and
regional cultures from Earth, and the people are tough, hard-working
and generally cooperative, fighting for a new life far from home. And
the toughest of all has to be the ecological troubleshooter Mama
Jason, a legend in her own time. It's up to her and her teams to
protect the environment during this wild growth period, with only
partial scientific knowledge and no genetic roadmap. She has to judge
the dragon's teeth: are they a useful contribution to the environment
or must they die--if you can get them before they get you.
**************************
^ THE TIME PATROL
by Poul Anderson
(Tor, October 1991, $21.95, ISBN 0-312-85231-2)
commentary by the publisher
For 35 years Poul Anderson has written about the "Time Patrol", the
far future agency charged with responsibility for the stable
continuity of human history. Now, in THE TIME PATROL, Tor publishes a
new novel of Anderson's "Unattached Agent" Manse Everard and the
Patrol, STAR OF THE SEA, along with all the previous stories in the
"Time Patrol" series.
In the new novel, Everard is sent to Northern Europe in A.D. 70 to
investigate dangerous anomalies in the fabric of known history. At
this time, according to the historian Tacitus, the Roman Empire is
engaged in continuing brush-warfare with Germanic tribes along its
border. Simultaneously, a charismatic warrior cult, led by a brilliant
young woman, is beginning to surface, threatening the power of the
Germanic tribes as well as the Romans. Once again, Everard must save
human history from paradox and chaos, no matter what suffering this
forces him to "preserve".
STAR OF THE SEA is the core of Tor's new book which finally collects
in one volume all the "Time Patrol" stories Anderson has written in
the last 35 years, including "Gibraltar Falls", "The Sorrows of Odin
the Goth", and the novel THE YEAR OF THE RANSOM, the little-known
prequel to THE SHIELD OF TIME (Tor, 1990).
**************************
^ PLAYGROUNDS OF THE MIND
(The sequel to N-SPACE)
by Larry Niven
(Tor, November 1991, $22.95, ISBN 0-312-85219-3)
commentary from the publisher
In N-SPACE (Tor, 1990), Niven provided his readers with a panoply of
excerpts from solo fiction, nonfiction, and his collaborative novels,
representing the first half of his career. PLAYGROUNDS OF THE MIND
picks up where N-SPACE left off, with award-winning stories, memoirs,
nonfiction essays in scientific extrapolation, and uncollected
fiction. Included are such classics as: "Becalmed in Hell", "What Good
Is a Glass Dagger?", and the Hugo-winning "The Borderland of Sol". The
reader will also relish comments on and extracts from novels like THE
RINGWORLD ENGINEERS and THE MAGIC GOES AWAY, articles like "Mars, with
Craters", and "The Theory and Practice of Teleportation",
autobiographical essays, and never-before-collected works of hard SF
in which Niven writes about his alien-filled Known Space.
**************************
^ RED ORC'S RAGE
by Philip Jose Farmer
(Tor, October 1991, $18.95, ISBN 0-312-85036-0)
commentary from the publisher
In the 1960s and '70s, Philip Jose Farmer wrote 5 volumes of the
"World of Tiers" series, classics of contemporary fantasy which take
place in artificial pocket universes created by the arrogant and
decadent super-race, The Lords. For the Earthman, Kickaha, the
greatest and most deadly foe is the Lord, Red Orc.
The "World of Tiers" books, based loosely on the poetry of William
Blake, have been in print for the last 25 years. In 1978, Dr. A. James
Giannini, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Ohio State University,
decided to use a unique method of psychiatric therapy to treat
troubled adolescents. His method was based on the "World of Tiers"
series. His patients, all volunteers, read the series and chose which
character or characters to identify with and to try, in a sense, to
become, based on Farmer's settings and ideas. In a daring literary
maneuver, Farmer then took the idea of Dr. Giannini's therapy and
turned it into a fictionalized version of a young man in a treatment
center undergoing such revolutionary therapy.
That young man is Jim Grimson, whose Tiersian fantasies, as he
inhabits the fantastic mind of Red Orc, include attacking and maiming
his father, making love to 20 of his sisters, saving his mother from
prison and a killer while riding a white horse--all occurring while he
was 17 years old in October of 1979 and couldn't possibly understand
that he had created a seemingly ten-billion-year-old universe.
In this art-imitates-life-imitates-art novel, nearly half the action
chronicles Jim's exciting and disturbing adventures in other worlds.
The result is a powerful blend of psychology and fantasy from Philip
Jose Farmer, who critic Leslie Fiedler called "the single best SF
writer alive."
**************************
^ AVALON
by Mary J. Jones
(Naiad Press, 1991, $9.95, ISBN 0-941483-96-7)
cover copy
AVALON...where strong, courageous women prepare to defend the world
that is theirs.
Fleeing from Camelot and Arthur's anger, two desperate riders reach
the sea to meet the waiting boats. In their care is a baby girl--whose
destiny is to rule the fabled isle of Avalon as Lady of the Lake.
Named Argante--brilliant one--she will grow to womanhood with her
soul-friend, Elin. As one of the Daughters of the Goddess, her duty is
to watch over the Celtic Realms of Ireland, Britain, and Gaul.
Against her stands a fearsome foe, dark sister of the Goddess Mother,
Annis the Hag, Queen of the Wastelands.
The stain of evil has swept over the mainlands as Annis, her dreadful
Grey Host at her command, brings bloody war and pestilence to the once
fruitful kingdoms.
Now, only Argante and the Daughters of Avalon stand between Annis and
her complete dominion over the Celtic Realms...
AVALON...a sumptuous tale, a richly detailed, vivid tapestry of a time
when women reigned supreme. If your local bookstore doesn't have
AVALON, you can order it directly from the publisher by sending the
list price, plus 15% extra for shipping and handling, to: The Naiad
Press Inc., PO Box 10543, Tallahassee, FL 32302. Or use your credit
card by calling 1-800-533-1973.
**************************
^ STRANDED
by Camarin Grae
(Naiad Press, 1991, $9.95, ISBN 0-941483-99-1)
cover copy
A superb new tale from a marvelous storyteller...Camarin Grae,
bestselling author of THE SECRET IN THE BIRD and EDGEWISE, reveals
what it's like to be truly STRANDED...
Amy is more than a little startled to meet Jenna. Because Jenna has
taken up residence in Amy's mind. And because Jenna is from the planet
Allo.
Jenna, amazed and appalled by Earth's culture, must win the trust of
Amy and her friend Agatha. Only through them can she locate
love-partner Billy and friend, Cass, from whom she has become
separated in transit to Earth.
Then, for the sake of Earth, they must find and neutralize
Zephkar--for Zephkar is the reason the three have been sent from Allo.
Zephkar is already hard at work. Using his invincible powers, he has
taken over the mind and body of James Lane, and has founded New
Direction, a fundamentalist religion. And he is forming a political
party to rule America as a theocracy.
How can Jenna and her lesbian allies hope to defeat the all-powerful
Zephkar? And as for Jenna and Billy--how can they manage to love each
other while inhabiting these strange human bodies?
Find the answers to all these questions in the most wonderfully
entertaining story of the year. If your local bookstore doesn't have
STRANDED, you can order it directly from the publisher by sending the
list price, plus 15% extra for shipping and handling, to: The Naiad
Press Inc., PO Box 10543, Tallahassee, FL 32302. Or use your credit
card by calling 1-800-533-1973.
**************************
~THE PAPERBACK BOOKSHELF:
^ CITIES IN SPACE
edited by J. Pournelle and J. Carr
(Ace, September 1991, $4.50, ISBN 0-441-10591-2)
review by Darryl Kenning
This is volume III of THE ENDLESS FRONTIER. It is a collection of
short stories, articles, and poems from folks like Robert A. Heinlein,
Norman Spinrad, Doug Beason, John Gillespie Magee Jr. and Jerry
Pournelle to name just some of them. Like the others in the series
this is unashamedly a book extolling the virtues of space flight and
exploration and moving forward to the next frontier of human
exploration. The pieces in the book are all outstanding--every one!
Some are classics and THE LONG WATCH by Heinlein still sends a shiver
down my back--just like it did almost 30 years ago when I first read
it. This one is a must read if you are interested in space, poems, or
just like outstanding writing.
KQ = 5
--------------------------
^ LUNAR DESCENT
by Allen Steele
(Ace, October 1991, $4.99, ISBN 0-441-50485-X)
review by Darryl Kenning
Allen Steele has written 3 excellent books about the Moon and the
people who will be the first real inhabitants, the hard space workers.
(ORBITAL DECAY, CLARKE COUNTY, SPACE) In may ways his stories remind
me of early Robert Heinlein stories: they are about real people in
working environments, who face everyday problems and not-so-everyday
problems.
LUNAR DESCENT is a detective story and a story about how things really
work in life projected to the near future. It's a story about how
they/you/us deal with the gritty aspects of life. I for one am looking
forward to seeing much more of Steele's writing--it's exciting, it's
realistic, and it is about people.
KQ = 4
--------------------------
^ MUTINEER"S MOON
by David Weber
(Baen Books, October 1991, $4.50, ISBN 0-671-72085-6)
review by Darryl Kenning
David Weber has got a winner here--and I'm not exactly sure why. The
plot is old: An Air Force officer on a routine training flight over
the moon wakes up a self-aware Imperial Battleship, that gets him,
gives him extraordinary powers....well you see what I mean. I hate to
admit this but I think I bought it because of the cover art--I was on
a trip and was desperate for SF to read.
And yet, I found I couldn't put down the book. Weber has made this
rather overused plot line come alive and it works on a couple of
levels that are intriguing to say the least. I don't want to spill any
more of the plot--I'll bet you can guess most of it already, but it
really doesn't matter. This is a book for curling up with on a Friday
night when the TV has naught but its usual fare. It will keep you
interested and then you will be looking for more of Weber's stuff--and
that's probably me you see peering over your shoulder in the
bookstore.
KQ = 5
**************************
~ THE SCORECARD
Title Author KQ
Mutineer's Moon David Weber 5
A Reasonable World Damon Knight 4
The January Platoon Kevin Randle 3
The Mutant Prime Karen Haber 3
A Trace of Memory Keith Laumer 4
Immortality Inc. Robert Sheckley 3
Drifter William C. Dietz 3
Queen of Angels Greg Bear 2
The Jupiter War Bill Fawcet (ed) 2
Lunar Descent Allen Steele 4
Cities in Space J. Pournelle (ed) 5
**************************
~ NOVEMBER 1991 TITLES FROM TOR
commentary from the publisher
^A REASONABLE WORLD by Damon Knight ($3.99, ISBN 0-812-50978-1)
Ten years have passed since the researchers on the ocean-going
habitat, Sea Venture, accidentally released McNulty's Symbiont into an
unprepared world. The alien life form has infected and altered
thousands of adults, and is reproduced whenever a child is conceived
with a symbiont present. The symbionts are beginning to make
themselves heard: they will not permit violence, murder or warfare.
Those who attempt such behavior die instantly. A new dawn awaits
humanity on Earth, if only those who fear awakening can be made to
understand.
^THERE WON'T BE WAR edited by Harry Harrison & Bruce McAllister
($3.99, ISBN 0-812-51941-8)
This international anthology sparks the imagination with an
exploration of the peaceful development of space. This hopeful volume
contains brand-new original fiction from: Nicholas Emmett, Gregory
Frost, Joe Haldeman, Ratislav Durman, Frederik Pohl, James Morrow,
Robert Sheckley, Jack McDevitt, Jack C. Haldeman II, Charles Stross,
Marc Laidlaw, Nancy A. Collins, Timothy Zahn, George Zebrowski, Isaac
Asimov.
^EXPLORATIONS by Poul Anderson ($3.99, ISBN 0-812-51536-6)
An outstanding collection of science fiction stories by one of the
most respected names in the field, EXPLORATIONS contains classic Poul
Anderson stories, all involving interstellar voyages of discovery.
Anderson has won many Hugo Awards for his short fiction, and his 1991
release, THE BOAT OF A MILLION YEARS, was named a New York Times
Notable Book of the Year.
^CONAN THE ROGUE by John Maddox Roberts ($7.99, ISBN 0-812-51411-4)
Everyone in Sicas wants the priceless object Conan of Cimmeria has
gone there to find. Beautiful women who offer smiles and kisses--and
maybe a knife in the back. A priest who may be closer to his goddess
than he thinks. Noble lords, the bosses of criminal gangs, and a fop
whose perfumed kerchief may hide poison.
Everyone wants it, everyone is willing to murder to get it, and
everyone has a different tale of exactly what IT is. But they are all
wrong about one thing. None know the horror this object will unleash
on Sicas. Only one man has any chance of saving them all from a fate
worse than death. Only Conan of Cimmeria--and even his chances are
small.
^THE DRAGON KNIGHT by Gordon R. Dickson ($5.99, ISBN 0-812-50943-9)
In 1957, Hugo and Nebula Award-winning science fiction author Gordon
R. Dickson tried his hand at whimsical fantasy with a novelette titled
"St. Dragon and the George", a rollicking tale of a man transported to
a fantastic realm where humans are monsters, and dragons are heroes.
Twenty years later, Dickson expanded the story into a novel. THE
DRAGON AND THE GEORGE soon became one of Dickson's most beloved works.
THE MAGAZINE OF FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION called it "marvelous...an
excellent fantasy adventure that resembles real life as only the best
fantasy can." It won the Hugo and British Fantasy Awards and
ultimately sold more than three quarters of a million copies.
Dickson's loyal fans waited eagerly for a sequel.
Now, a decade later, Dickson returns to this enchanting world in THE
DRAGON KNIGHT. KIRKUS REVIEWS wrote: "For fans, it's been worth the
wait...THE DRAGON KNIGHT moves forward in a steady, amusing way, and
brings great charm to medieval England and magic lore."
JIm Eckert, a college professor, awakens one day in the body of a
dragon in a world where magic is real. Through a series of
misadventures, he saved his beloved Angela from an evil wizard,
regained his human form, and became a medieval Baron. Now Sir James
has suddenly become a dragon again, and can't change back. He has to
learn to control his magical powers in order to rescue Edward, the
Crown Prince of England, who has just been kidnapped by the King of
France.
Boris Vallejo, the artist who created the memorable cover painting
for THE DRAGON AND THE GEORGE a decade ago, has produced a delightful
new painting for THE DRAGON KNIGHT.
Gordon R. Dickson is one of science fiction's most respected
authors. In a career spanning nearly four decades, he has earned most
of the field's highest honors, including two Nebula Awards and four
Hugo A