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Mt. Holz Science Fiction Society
Club Notice - 9/3/93 -- Vol. 12, No. 10
MEETINGS UPCOMING:
Unless otherwise stated, all meetings are in Holmdel 4N-509
Wednesdays at noon.
_D_A_T_E _T_O_P_I_C
09/15 WORLD AT THE END OF TIME by Frederik Pohl
(Modern Stapledonian Fiction)
10/06 SARAH CANARY by Karen Joy Fowler (Nebula Nominee)
10/27 THE MOON IS A HARSH MISTRESS by Robert A. Heinlein (Classic SF)
11/17 BRIAR ROSE by Jane Yolen (Nebula Nominee)
12/08 STAND ON ZANZIBAR by John Brunner (Classic SF)
01/05 A MILLION OPEN DOORS by John Barnes (Nebula Nominee)
01/26 Bookswap
Outside events:
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. I have recently come to discover that writing for this
unpretentious little rag might actually be below my high-born
situation. I have only just discovered that I am a member of the
upper crust, the gentry, the aristocracy, the silk stocking crowd.
I can hobnob with Episcopalians. No more ketchup on oatmeal for
me; from now on I dine in the morning on scones and wedges of
toast. No more sitting in my underwear in the evening scratching
my armpit. Nope, I am going to take up fox hunting. Pip, pip!
Also tally ho.
THE MT VOID Page 2
What changed my life? Well, I got a piece of mail this evening.
It said, "A remarkable new book about the Leepers is about to be
published--and you, Mark Leeper, are in it." The letter came from
David S. Leeper. Catchy name, "Leeper." The letter says, "I have
exciting news for you and fellow Leepers. As you may already know,
extensive work has been done throughout the world on a project
relating to our Leeper family name. Now our new book, _T_h_e _W_o_r_l_d
_B_o_o_k _o_f _L_e_e_p_e_r_s, is about to be published and it includes
individual Leepers who immigrated to the New World between the 16th
and early 20th century. The first Leeper we found came to North
Carolina in 1748. [Well, I guess that's sort of 16th century-ish.
In the same way that Schenectady was sort of part of the Roman
Empire.] He was Robart. Like thousands of others, he sought a
better life for himself in this land of opportunity. Robart, or
any of the other Leepers who are documented in this new book, may
be the sole reason you and I are here today."
Wow! Robart Leeper was here before the Revolution. Seeking a
better life, not unlike Ralph Loebsker, who came to America about
1906. Ralph was a barber--"Fiddler-on-the-Roof" sort of Ukrainian
stock. Ralph was escaping the pogroms of the Ukraine and came to
the United States, only to have American kids call him "Lobster."
So Ralph Loebsker redubbed himself Ralph Leeper. Of course, that
does not mean old Robart is not part of my family, but I suspect he
is from the branch who went off looking for greener pastures around
the time of Australopithicus.
But you should see the envelope this thing came with. Two
beautiful crests in the upper corners. One corner has the majestic
Leeper Coat of Arms with a helmet, plumes, and a shield. Beneath
it is the legend "Leeper." Uh, the "Leeper" is printed off-center
and to the left, as if they intended that longer names could also
be printed. Almost as if they were going to use the same Coat of
Arms with different families. But, wow, so old Ralph now has a
coat of arms. I bet the real Ralph was lucky to have a coat of
patches. The right upper corner of the envelope shows a majestic
eagle and a shield. Beneath it is the legend "Bulk Rate USA"--
nicely centered. Clearly they found a whole bunch of us supposed
descendents of old Robart if they get bulk rate. I am sure most of
the extensive world-wide work relating to the Leeper family name
was done by clerks compiling data for phone books. All this is
made possible, no doubt, by computers and databases seeking out all
the Leepers they can find. Just what I wanted, a book with the
addresses of everybody named Leeper in America, related or not.
They probably don't even know which are still alive. Well, so much
for nobility.
===================================================================
THE MT VOID Page 3
2. ALADDIN edited by Mike Resnick and Martin H. Greenberg (DAW,
ISBN 0-88677-545-0, 1992, $4.99) (a book review by Evelyn C.
Leeper):
This anthology contains forty-three original stories on the theme
of Aladdin or the genie in the lamp. Those of you who are familiar
with my reviews of other anthologies will be pleased to hear that I
do not intend to review each story individually. There are limits,
even for me.
Many of the author's names in here will be familiar from previous
Resnick anthologies--not surprising, as I believe his original
anthologies are generally by invitation only. I found this one on
the whole less satisfying than his previous ones, due in large part
to the subject matter. To me, at least, Aladdin and the whole
magic lamp/three wishes bit is not as interesting as a good
alternate history. It was entertaining, yes, and there were a half
dozen or so notable stories, but nothing you could really sink your
teeth into.
Among the notable stories was Pat Cadigan's "New Life for Old"--we
all know that youth is wasted on the young, but Cadigan takes the
next logical step (or "asks the next question," as Ted Sturgeon
would say). Maybe not quite Hugo material (and too late for that
anyway, since it was a 1992 story), but close. Michelle Sagara's
"Gifted" is an example of why Sagara was nominated for the John W.
Campbell Award; it's about the last genie and the human he loved
and who loved him. Kate Daniels' "GENIE, Inc." tells the story
form the point of view of a genie--and being a genie is not as easy
a job as it looks: there's entropy and conservation of energy and
.... "The Three Thieves" by Lois Tilton takes an old idea and
develops it perfectly into a delightful little tale. "The Lamp of
Many Thieves" by Mel White is perhaps a bit too much of a polemic,
but it does examine what might happen if a genie took _a_l_l someone's
wishes seriously. And Maureen McHugh's "Human Nature" explains
once and for all not only why we believe legends, but why we
believe anything--and where that can lead. It is not so much a
story about Aladdin and the magic lamp as a story that uses that
story to illustrate a point. (I realize this sounds convoluted.
After you read the story, it will make more sense.)
The other stories vary from entertaining to only so-so. As I said
before, this is not as intellectually engrossing as some of
Resnick's other anthologies, but it is enjoyable and recommended on
that basis.
Mark Leeper
MT 3D-441 908-957-5619
leeper@mtgzfs3.att.com