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Mt. Holz Science Fiction Society
Club Notice - 7/2/93 -- Vol. 12, No. 1
MEETINGS UPCOMING:
Unless otherwise stated, all meetings are in Holmdel 4N-509
Wednesdays at noon.
_D_A_T_E _T_O_P_I_C
07/14 SIGHT OF PROTEUS by Charles Sheffield (Human Metamorphosis)
08/04 Hugo Short Story Nominees
08/25 CONSIDER PHLEBAS by Iain Banks
(Space Opera with a Knife Twist)
09/15 WORLD AT THE END OF TIME by Frederik Pohl
(Modern Stapledonian Fiction)
Outside events:
07/31 Deadline for Hugo Ballots to be postmarked
The Science Fiction Association of Bergen County meets on the second
Saturday of every month in Upper Saddle River; call 201-933-2724 for
details. The New Jersey Science Fiction Society meets on the third
Saturday of every month in Belleville; call 201-432-5965 for details.
HO Chair: John Jetzt HO 1E-525 908-834-1563 holly!jetzt
LZ Chair: Rob Mitchell HO 1C-523 908-834-1267 holly!jrrt
MT Chair: Mark Leeper MT 3D-441 908-957-5619 mtgzfs3!leeper
HO Librarian: Nick Sauer HO 4F-427 908-949-7076 homxc!11366ns
LZ Librarian: Lance Larsen LZ 3L-312 908-576-3346 quartet!lfl
MT Librarian: Mark Leeper MT 3D-441 908-957-5619 mtgzfs3!leeper
Factotum: Evelyn Leeper MT 1F-329 908-957-2070 mtgpfs1!ecl
All material copyright by author unless otherwise noted.
1. Something that has been bothering me is: what the heck is a
pineapple? I think I like pineapple juice for breakfast as much as
most people like orange juice. My problem with pineapples is that
I don't know what they are. I mean, an orange is a citrus fruit.
That is a nice comforting thing to know. Hey, when I get tired of
oranges I can move on to tangerines or mandarin oranges if I want
something sweeter. If I want something less sweet but bigger,
there are grapefruits. Then there are lemons, which are great as a
healthy spice or sweetened as a beverage. But what do you branch
out to from a pineapple? Well, it turns out that there are a whole
family of things that, like a pineapple, are a real pain to get
THE MT VOID Page 2
into but once you do, they are worth the struggle. Scientists tell
us that the closest living relative of the pineapple is the
lobster. Both are cousins of a Puccini opera, some of which are
very sweet inside if you get past the exterior. I have even heard
it suggested that when you got past Mark Twain's mean exterior she
was sweet inside. I prefer not to believe that. He was sour to
the core. That's why I like him.
I recently saw the film biography of Samuel L. Clemens. This was a
pretty wretched and overblown Hollywood effort. But one thing they
did have in the film was that Clemens was born with the coming of
Halley's Comet. And he always claimed he would go out with
Halley's Comet. And sure enough, he did. Well, now, I have tried
to pattern my humor on his. (Now don't say you hadn't noticed.)
And with lifespans I expect to have the edge. He was born with
Halley's Comet and was able to hold on until it came again. The
only thing I can find that happened when I was born was Harry
Truman signing a bill giving parity to Wisconsin dairy farmers and
I expect to hang on until Harry Truman signs one again.
Mark Leeper
MT 3D-441 908-957-5619
...mtgzfs3!leeper
Those who lack the courage will always find a
philosophy to justify it.
-- Albert Camus
7TH ANNUAL SUMMER FESTIVAL OF FANTASY, HORROR, AND SCIENCE FICTION
Film Forum, 209 West Houston Street, New York City, NY 10014, 212-727-8110
VAL LEWTON FESTIVAL
Fri-Mon Jul 2-5 THE GHOST SHIP; CAT PEOPLE;
I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE
Tue-Thu Jul 6-8 THE GHOST SHIP; LEOPARD MAN;
ISLE OF THE DEAD
Fri-Sun Jul 9-11 THE GHOST SHIP; CAT PEOPLE;
THE BODY SNATCHER
Mon-Tue Jul 12-13 THE GHOST SHIP; MADEMOISELLE FIFI;
YOUTH RUNS WILD
Wed-Thu Jul 14-15 THE GHOST SHIP; THE SEVENTH VICTIM; BEDLAM
ED WOOD; JR. FESTIVAL
Fri-Sun Jul 16-18 PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE; BRIDE OF THE
MONSTER; NIGHT OF THE GHOULS
Mon-Tue Jul 19-20 THE SINISTER URGE; THE VIOLENT YEARS;
MARRIED TOO YOUNG
Wed-Thu Jul 21-22 GLEN OR GLENDA?; JAIL BAIT
MARIO BAVA FESTIVAL
Fri-Sun Jul 23-25 BLACK SUNDAY; BLACK SABBATH
Mon-Tue Jul 26-27 HERCULES IN THE HAUNTED WORLD;
ERIK THE CONQUERER
Wed Jul 28 LISA AND THE DEVIL; BARON BLOOD
Thu Jul 29 PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES; CALTIKI, THE
IMMORTAL MONSTER
Fri-Sat Jul 30-31 KILL, BABY, KILL; HATCHET FOR THE HONEYMOON
Sun-Mon Aug 1-2 BLOOD AND BLACK LACE; THE EVIL EYE
Tue Aug 3 BEYOND THE DOOR II; THE HOUSE OF EXORCISM
Wed-Thu Aug 4-5 DR. GOLDFOOT AND THE GIRL BOMBS;
DANGER: DIABOLIK; I VAMPIRI
THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT ALMOST BLANK
DEPARTURES by Harry Turtledove
Del Rey, 1993, ISBN 0-345-38011-8, $4.99.
A book review by Evelyn C. Leeper
Copyright 1993 Evelyn C. Leeper
While Turtledove is perhaps best known for his alternate
history stories, and while many of the stories in this collection
are alternate histories, the back blurb lies when it says, "Here
Harry Turtledove explores such 'what-ifs' in twenty alternate
history stories ranging from ancient times to the far, far-different
future." Even counting stories with werewolves or vampires as
alternate histories, only eleven of the twenty stories here are
alternate history. But all twenty are good.
Perhaps because of the historical nature of Turtledove's
writing, the stories are arranged chronologically (by when the story
takes place, not by when it was written). In fact, this collection
was originally to be titled _P_a_s_t_s, _P_r_e_s_e_n_t_s, _a_n_d _F_u_t_u_r_e_s. And this
historical bent is evident even in the non-alternate-history
stories, as you will see.
"Counting Potsherds" takes place in the early second century
B.C.E. and _i_s an alternate history story. What if the Persians
defeated the Greeks and democracy never developed? Turtledove has
done his research on the Near East (his degree is in Byzantine
history and he has also used the near East as the setting in his set
of alternate history stories collected in _A_g_e_n_t _o_f _B_y_z_a_n_t_i_u_m, about
which I will say more later), and the world here is as well-
developed as a reader could hope to find.
"Death in Vesunna" is about history, and books, and the mistake
of under-estimating one's opponents. Although reminiscent of Poul
Anderson's "Time Patrol" stories, it focuses more on the residents
of the period to which the time travelers go than on the time
travelers themselves or their time--and this is the whole point.
Turtledove's best known alternate history stories are his
"Agent of Byzantium" stories, and "Departures" is a prequel to that
series. 'Nuff said.
"Pillar of Cloud, Pillar of Fire" is a regular "Agent of
Byzantium" story which takes place between "Strange Eruptions"
(a.k.a. "Etos Kosmou 6816") and "Unholy Trinity" (a.k.a. "Etos
Kosmou 6824"). Turtledove has at last gotten away from having Basil
Argyros invent or discover something famous, although the story does
center around a very modern problem.
"Islands in the Sea," by its placement here, reads as an
alternate alternate history from "Departures" and the entire "Agent
Departures July 2, 1993 Page 2
of Byzantium" series--not only does Mohammed _n_o_t convert to
Christianity, but the Muslim Arabs successfully invade southeastern
Europe much sooner than they actually did. There is something odd,
however, about reading a theological argument between a Christian
and a Muslim written by a Jew. Well, at least no one can claim he
is biased.
If the existence of werewolves makes a story an alternate
history, then "Not All Wolves" is an alternate history. A young boy
who is actually a werewolf is fleeing from an angry mob in Twelfth
Century Cologne. Cornered and desperate, he finds help from a most
unexpected ally. Though the message is perhaps a bit unsubtle, the
story is effective.
"Clash of Arms" is _n_o_t an alternate history story, but a story
of a heraldic duel. I suspect one needs to know heraldry better
than I do to appreciate the story, though even I found it mildly
interesting.
"Report of the Special Committee on the Quality of Life" is
not, strictly speaking, alternate history. Rather, it's a parody of
government feasibility studies by having Jaime Nosenada ("I know
nothing" in Spanish) write up all the reasons why Spain shouldn't
bother to follow up on Columbus's journey. Cute, but more than a
little preachy--I'm sure all the pro-space groups love it.
An alternate history story only under the most liberal of
definitions, "Batboy" is a baseball story, but probably wouldn't
appeal to the average baseball fan--it's primary focus is fantasy
rather than sports. "Designated Hitter" is another baseball story,
but it is a straight science fiction story rather than alternate
history. It didn't work as well for me as "Batboy" did, probably
because it requires more knowledge of the techniques of baseball
than I have.
"The Last Reunion" is definitely not alternate history, though
it recalls _T_h_e _G_u_n_s _o_f _t_h_e _S_o_u_t_h in its story of a Confederate
captain returning to Richmond in 1932 for a reunion of the Forty-
seventh North Carolina. Turtledove recognizes the conflict between
the nostalgia of the old soldier and the horrors of war, and my only
complaint is that he doesn't do an entirely successful job of
reconciling the two.
If there's such a thing as an alternate future story, "Gladly
Wolde He Lerne" is one. Unfortunately, it's a bit predictable
(especially after the introduction Turtledove wrote) and a bit
preachy. In fact, while I like Turtledove's introductions to the
stories, I would recommend reading them _a_f_t_e_r you read the
respective stories.
Departures July 2, 1993 Page 3
We're on the receiving end of time traveling in "The Barbecue,
the Movie, and Other Unfortunately Not So Relevant Material," an
amusing story and a good change of pace from some of the more
serious stories in the book.
"In the Presence of Mine Enemies" is set in one of the more
common alternate history worlds, one in which Germany won the Second
World War. It's about survival under adversity and if it seems
unlikely, one merely has to look at the recent revelation that large
numbers of Catholics in the Southwest are descended from Jews who
fled to the New World to escape the Inquisition.
Just as "In the Presence of Mine Enemies" might have been
inspired by news that post-dated it, but wasn't (of course--
Turtledove is a good writer but not a fortune-teller), so might have
been "The R Strain." In the latter case, it is the report of the
babirusa, a cud-chewing pig, that could have generated this story of
a genetically altered pig that just might be kosher. There has been
much discussion on Usenet lately as to why pork is the ultimate
non-kosher meat, even more so in people's minds than shellfish or
anything else. And Turtledove's story acknowledges this by having
its Conservative rabbi more concerned about whether the animal is
prohibited than whether it has been killed in the kosher manner. To
the non-Jew this may not matter, yet to a Jew reading this story
there will remain the nagging feeling that if the rabbi is so blase
about the manner of killing the animal, his opinion on its kosher
status may also be suspect.
I liked "Lure" for its use of Cenozoic mammals, a newly found
interest of mine. Everyone is interested in dinosaurs, so I have to
be different, I guess. Of course, this somewhat outre interest
means I picked up some errors, such as Turtledove's having
_C_y_n_o_d_e_s_m_u_s, _D_i_c_e_r_a_t_h_e_r_i_u_m, and _S_y_n_d_o_c_e_r_o_s, all early Miocene North
American mammals, in late Miocene Italy (my reference is _T_h_e
_M_a_c_m_i_l_l_a_n _I_l_l_u_s_t_r_a_t_e_d _E_n_c_y_c_l_o_p_e_d_i_a _o_f _D_i_n_o_s_a_u_r_s _a_n_d _P_r_e_h_i_s_t_o_r_i_c
_A_n_i_m_a_l_s). But what the heck--we have dinosaur movies with cavemen
and dinosaurs co-existing, and those are considerably further apart
in time, if not in space. And "Secret Names" is a perfect follow-up
to "Lure," even though it is set in a post-holocaust future and at
first appears to have nothing in common with a tale of prehistoric
mammals. In fact, "The R Strain," "Lure," and "Secret Names" form a
nice biological triptych.
"Les Mortes d'Arthur" is primarily a science fiction murder
mystery, with some sports thrown in. I found it similar to some of
Isaac Asimov's "Wendell Urth" stories, and wonder if it isn't an
homage of sorts to Asimov.
The only story I have a real problem with in this collection is
"Last Favor." Its evolutionary premise is interesting--and has to
some extent been proposed as a model for certain groups here on
Departures July 2, 1993 Page 4
Earth--but I think there are major problems in assuming its
conscious self-application, particularly as described here. Then
again, I'm sure if I'm wrong, some biologist will tell me.
The final story is "Nasty, Brutish, and ...." It's a bar
story, and also a "So there!" to H. G. Wells (in a manner of
speaking). Unlike the five stories preceding it, this one at least
has some chance of being an alternate history, or at least a secret
history.
(There is also an excerpt from Turtledove's _G_u_n_s _o_f _t_h_e _S_o_u_t_h,
but since it's more an ad than a story, I won't review it here. I
do recommend the book, though.)
_D_e_p_a_r_t_u_r_e_s is a must-buy for alternate history fans, and highly
recommended even for the general science fiction fan.