Science Fiction Gets with the Times

Author James Lovegrove reviews several science fiction novels, including Ian McDonald's forthcoming Brasyl, in a February 10th article in the Financial Times entitled "They Walk Among Us."

Lovegrove says, "Contrary to received opinion, science fiction's preoccupation has always been the here and now. Its far-flung planets and future timelines are merely a way to analyse the contemporary. In this respect, it is the most politically engaged of all literary genres. Motifs that may appear trashy to the uninitiated - space exploration, extraterrestrials, futuristic technology - can in fact be surprisingly sophisticated tools for dissecting and examining the world as it is."

He then goes on to note, as others have done, a recent trend emerging in modern science fiction, an alteration in the way SF realizes "the urge to address state-of-the-world concerns." As Lovegrove says, "The emptiness of space, coupled with the fragility of our increasingly fevered home planet, has led these writers to aim their telescopes directly at life on Earth. The genre is still intrigued by notions of otherness. This manifests now, though, not through tales of bug-eyed monsters from beyond, but by measured scrutiny of 'aliens' closer to home. Science fiction is written predominantly by white, western males. For them, the alien may be found beyond borders, across continents. The Other is someone with a different language, skin colour, even gender."

Lovegrove then discusses Geoff Ryman's Air, Ken MacLeod's The Execution Channel, Richard Morgan's Black Man (published in the US as "Thirteen"), and finally McDonald's work, of which he says it's literary structure is: "an immense, marvellous beast whose shape comes slowly, majestically into focus, constructed out of a welter of thematic elements such as quantum computing, multiverse theory, and the clash between science and religion."

All in all, a very interesting article about the new globally-focused, non-US-centric science fiction.

John Picacio Speaks

John Picacio, the amazing cover illustrator on Fast Forward 1: Future Fiction from the Cutting Edge,talks about his illustration on his blog, On the Front:

"Lou and I talked a lot about this one. More than anything, we talked about the editorial direction of the book and what territory he was trying to explore. I read his introduction early in the process. Incredibly inspiring. He and I talked a lot about Richard Powers and his effect on Ballantine's covers in the '50s. On Lou's blog, he mentioned something about the cover 'approximating some of Powers' energy for our time.' I don't want anyone to think that I equate myself with Powers, so I might clarify that by saying that the thing I love about Powers' covers is that they challenge their audience. They refuse to be beauty pageant pieces that desparately preen to be liked for their surface polish. I think that's one of the most powerful lessons in his art....they spoke to the audience of their time, and they did it on their own terms. So I guess if anything, I was attempting (and attempting is the keyword) to do the same with this cover. Lofty as that may sound. Of course, in the end, I look at the FF1 cover and as much as it's one of my recent favorites, I see my own glaring shortcomings more than anything. I've got a long way to go...."For my two cents, John may be going a long way still - in terms of his evolution and career - but he's already pretty far ahead of the pack with this and many other pieces!

A Forward Looking Booklist

Booklist has reviewed Fast Forward 1: Future Fiction from the Cutting Edge:

"An anthology inspired by its editor's declaration that 'science fiction is a tool for making sense of a changing world' contains quite a range of stories, from Elizabeth Bear's 'The Something-Dreaming Game,' in which children play a fainting game (basically autoerotic asphyxiation), and one girl communicates with the possibly last member of an alien species, to Tony Ballantyne's 'Aristotle OS,' in which a journalist with computer problems upgrades from the familiar, platonic OSs to Aristotle; the different systems operate on the theories of the philosophers referenced, causing some very interesting problems when the journalist connects to the Internet with its wealth of contradictory information. Ken MacLeod's 'Jesus Christ, Reanimator' is an interesting take on the second coming, replete with fascinating rationalizations by both scientific and Christian establishments, none of which wants to take Jesus on faith. Louise Marley tells a time-travel story about a particular performance instruction, p dolce, in the music of Brahms. Other contributions by familiar and new names fill out a worthy menu of engrossing forays into wildly, creatively varied futures." --Regina Schroeder

New Reviews for Old

SFSignal gives Mike Resnick's short story collection, New Dreams for Old, four stars - and here they are:


They call the book, "An above-average collection of stories featuring many award winners and nominees," and go on to say that "Simply put, Resnick writes 'people' stories that carry quite an emotional impact. Instead of far-flung, hard science fiction that deals with impersonal concepts, these stories are endearingly personal. Resnick writes from the heart and with heart thus making an instant connection with the reader."

B&N on Melty Men

The Barnes and Noble review of The Man Who Melted, courtesy of Paul Goat Allen:

"Jack Dann's Nebula Award–nominated The Man Who Melted (1984) is one of the genre's most underappreciated classics. Written as four interconnected short stories between 1981 and 1983, Dann's haunting vision of a dystopic 22nd-century Earth is appropriately described by Robert Silverberg in the novel's introduction as 'a book like no other science fiction novel…the future as nightmare, science fiction as poetic vision.'

Equal parts social commentary, apocalyptic thriller, and dark prophecy, the novel stars Raymond Mantle, a psychologically shattered man obsessed with finding his wife (and sister) Josiane, who disappeared during the Great Scream -- a large-scale outbreak of shared insanity that swept the Earth and turned millions into raging, murdering disciples of the collective conscious. Suffering from amnesia when it comes to memories of his wife, Mantle will do anything to find her -- even if it means telepathically plugging into a dying Screamer's memories. But after traveling a world gone insane in search of clues to her whereabouts, what Mantle finds at journey's end just may be enough to trigger another -- and final -- Great Scream…

Since its launch in 2005, the editorial brain trust at Pyr has (among other accomplishments) reissued numerous largely overlooked genre masterworks and breathed new life into them with innovative new cover art, updated introductions, etc. Longtime science fiction fans who enjoy rediscovering truly visionary classics like Dann's The Man Who Melted should also check out Pyr reissues of George Zebrowski's Macrolife and Robert Silverberg's Star of Gypsies. All three novels more than adequately support the curmudgeonly claim that they just don't write 'em like they used to… "

Locus Looks Forward, Times Two

The February 2007 issue of Locus is out, containing two very nice reviews of Fast Forward 1: Future Fiction from the Cutting Edge:

“Lou Anders has edited a couple of first rate anthologies over the past few years, and with this book he initiates what one hopes will be a series of original anthologies. I enjoyed Fast Forward 1, and I certainly hope it continues for years…The table of contents is intrigu­ing – featuring many of the best newer writers, including some who may be unfamiliar to US readers…it must be said that the stories are on the whole solid work…plenty of good stories, only one great one. That great story is Ken MacLeod’s ‘‘Jesus Christ, Reanimator’’, at this very early date a definite competitor for the 2007 Hugo...It’s smart and cynical and even surprising. First rate work…well worth reading…on balance a pretty fine anthology.” -review by Rich Horton

“For some years now, Lou Anders has been editing good to excellent original anthologies with urgently prospective science-fictional themes…Now, in charge at Pyr Books, Anders has the security of outcome necessary to plan a whole anthology series – a rare opportunity these days. And, naturally, his continuing urge to confront the future grounds that series: Fast Forward. The first volume is definitely promising: many first-rate contributors, some striking individual stories…many SF readers will enjoy Fast Forward 1 cover to cover; but ‘Fast Forward’ should be exactly that, a speculative onrush into futures still possible and valid, and on that count this anthology is only partly successful.” –review by Nick Gevers

More Alien Sex

Eric Brown reviews Martin Sketchley's The Liberty Gunin a piece in the Guardian entitled "Identity Crisis":

"...a fast-paced action adventure with an oddly nostalgic feel. What isn't at all old-fashioned is an alien race comprising three sexes which leads to fascinating human-alien-human intercourse and its resulting emotional fallout; and a hard-bitten central character whose humanity is tested to the limit."

Also reviewed, books by Jeffrey Thomas, Stephen Baxter, and Liz Williams.

SFFWorld on FF1

Tired of the good reviews of Fast Forward 1 yet?
I'm not!

Here's the latest, from Rob H. Bedford over on SFFWorld:

"With Fast Forward 1, Anders has brought together some of the most visionary voices in the genre to postulate on our future, to entertain us with their visions of where our world will be in the proverbial subsequent frames. The writers are of a varied enough sampling to give something of a state of the genre status, and with the quality of the stories, this state of the genre is good. One of the best things about this anthology is the '1' following Fast Forward, which like the stories contained between the covers, points to something readers of the genre can anticipate every year."

For Your Viewing Pleasure: Full Jackets for Gradisil and Keeping It Real

Our two March releases, seen in full:
Keeping It Real (Quantum Gravity, Book 1) by Justina Robson
Art by Larry Rostant
Design by Grace M. Conti-ZilsbergerGradisil, Adam Roberts
Art by Stephan Martiniere
Design by Jacqueline Cooke

LJ on FF

The Library Journal has just reviewed Fast Forward 1: Future Fiction from the Cutting Edge, and I'm happy to report the string of positive reviews continues:

“Sf anthologies generally trace their roots back to the classic Amazing Stories magazine series, which began in 1926. Having edited a number of sf collections, Anders understands this historical context; his introduction to his fifth anthology is an invitation to the young acolyte reader as well as the grizzled veteran to sit back and enjoy the "amazing" enlightenment possible in reading sf shorts. The names on the list of contributing authors read much like an All-Star roster of current American and British sf writers. From stories by Tony Ballantyne about software and David Hume to the problems associated with raising genetically cloned saber-toothed cats in Mary Turzillo's story "Pride," the writers tackle moral, ethical, and philosophical issues. Anders is your guide, and the limits of your imagination determine the level of enjoyment and amount of wisdom to be garnered from this anthology. Recommended for both public and school libraries.” -Library Journal web exclusive review, January 30, 2007