I was at the bookstore today, in the SF/Fantasy section as usual, looking at the anthologies that are lined up between "New Books" and the A's. They were all science fiction.
As I thought about that, it occurred to me that almost all the sf/f short story anthologies I'd seen were science fiction rather than fantasy. Fantasy, on the other hand, seems to have all the super-long Jordan/Goodkind epics.
Why is that? Is it just a quirk of publishing history- i.e. if Jordan had been an SF writer, we'd have a lot of encyclopedia-length science fiction imitators? Or is there something in the vaguely-defined difference between the two that selects for story length?
Showing posts with label short stories. Show all posts
Showing posts with label short stories. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Thursday, January 17, 2008
The Ones Who Walk Away...
Ursula K. Le Guin’s “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas” is another one of those stories that are science fiction only in the loosest sense of the word. If I had to place it, I’d probably call it religious fiction (though that isn’t exactly right, either, since there is no explicit reference to God or any organized religious doctrine.)
A fable, maybe? Or a thought experiment? Or just call it fantasy and be done with it.
At any rate, it’s very well-done; you feel the pull of those who walk away, while the analogy to life-as-we-live-it is close enough that it’s hard to be comfortable with that decision. Could we have a society in which there are no victims, at all, in any sense? If not, can-or-should we just walk out?
You can’t make Omelas without breaking a few eggs, after all.
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Postscript: Wikipedia helpfully clarifies some things. The full title, not included in this anthology, was "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas (Variations on a Theme by William James)."
James' theme was as follows:
Or if the hypothesis were offered us of a world in which Messrs. Fourier's and Bellamy's and Morris's utopias should all be outdone, and millions kept permanently happy on the one simple condition that a certain lost soul on the far-off edge of things should lead a life of lonely torture, what except a specifical and independent sort of emotion can it be which would make us immediately feel, even though an impulse arose within us to clutch at the happiness so offered, how hideous a thing would be its enjoyment when deliberately accepted as the fruit of such a bargain?
With all respect to William James: Le Guin's story tells it a lot better. But it does come to the same point.
A fable, maybe? Or a thought experiment? Or just call it fantasy and be done with it.
At any rate, it’s very well-done; you feel the pull of those who walk away, while the analogy to life-as-we-live-it is close enough that it’s hard to be comfortable with that decision. Could we have a society in which there are no victims, at all, in any sense? If not, can-or-should we just walk out?
You can’t make Omelas without breaking a few eggs, after all.
------------------------
Postscript: Wikipedia helpfully clarifies some things. The full title, not included in this anthology, was "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas (Variations on a Theme by William James)."
James' theme was as follows:
Or if the hypothesis were offered us of a world in which Messrs. Fourier's and Bellamy's and Morris's utopias should all be outdone, and millions kept permanently happy on the one simple condition that a certain lost soul on the far-off edge of things should lead a life of lonely torture, what except a specifical and independent sort of emotion can it be which would make us immediately feel, even though an impulse arose within us to clutch at the happiness so offered, how hideous a thing would be its enjoyment when deliberately accepted as the fruit of such a bargain?
With all respect to William James: Le Guin's story tells it a lot better. But it does come to the same point.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Sandkings
“Sandkings” is the thoroughly-creepy, and engrossing, entry from George R.R. Martin. Simon Kress likes exotic pets- especially violent, predatory ones. An imports dealer sells him four “Sandkings”- ant-like insects that build castles and fight wars with each other. They also worship the human being that feeds them, creating huge (from their perspective) carvings of Kress’ face on their castle walls.
(In other words, it’s a sort of live-action “Populous.”)
Some people can handle absolute power; Kress is not one of them. He starves the insects, tests them against small predators, and generally shows himself to be much less sympathetic than the insects. This creates some unease on his part, of course, as the insects grow larger; it’s only a matter of time before they get out and stage their own personal Reformation.
(In other words, it’s a sort of live-action “Populous.”)
Some people can handle absolute power; Kress is not one of them. He starves the insects, tests them against small predators, and generally shows himself to be much less sympathetic than the insects. This creates some unease on his part, of course, as the insects grow larger; it’s only a matter of time before they get out and stage their own personal Reformation.
The Tunnel Under the World
Frederik Pohl’s “The Tunnel Under the World” is a beautiful, Philip K. Dick-like story about paranoia and underlying questions of reality. (Actually, it reminds me of Dick’s novel Time Out of Joint- which was also about a thoroughly-normal suburban world that turned out to be completely artificial and false.)
The ending makes the story; and my biggest regret is that, with the advance of computers, the ending is no longer really plausible to modern readers. They could update it, I suppose; but virtual-reality simulations just aren’t the same.
The ending makes the story; and my biggest regret is that, with the advance of computers, the ending is no longer really plausible to modern readers. They could update it, I suppose; but virtual-reality simulations just aren’t the same.
"Repent, Harlequin," Said the What?
“’Repent, Harlequin!’ Said the Ticktockman” was the contribution of Harlan Ellison.
Ugh. I’m sorry, but this was the only story that I really could not find any liking for at all. Or, rather, I found a great deal to dislike. The pretentious Thoreau quote at the beginning. The affectedness of the names: Harlequin? “Ticktockman”? The offhand remark that no one’s made jellybeans in centuries (then where did he get them? And how did everyone know what they were?)
I got the odd impression, after reading it, that Ellison first came up with the title and then tried very hard to write a story to fit it. And the story just isn’t that good.
Ugh. I’m sorry, but this was the only story that I really could not find any liking for at all. Or, rather, I found a great deal to dislike. The pretentious Thoreau quote at the beginning. The affectedness of the names: Harlequin? “Ticktockman”? The offhand remark that no one’s made jellybeans in centuries (then where did he get them? And how did everyone know what they were?)
I got the odd impression, after reading it, that Ellison first came up with the title and then tried very hard to write a story to fit it. And the story just isn’t that good.
Robot Dreams
It’s peculiar that they chose “Robot Dreams” for Isaac Asmov’s contribution to the collection: it’s a very uncharacteristic Asimov story.
Asimov’s whole point in writing his robot stories was to fight the “Frankenstein complex,” the irrational sense of doom that people had about technology. He felt that AI would inevitably have safety precautions built in, and that robots would almost inevitably end up to be less dangerous than human beings themselves.
As I said, “Robot Dreams” is unusual for Asimov; it's not abou that at all, except perhaps in the sense that the Frankenstein complex afflicts even the robot-makers. I suppose they picked it because it was one of his last stories, and because it’s undoubtedly very good.
Asimov’s whole point in writing his robot stories was to fight the “Frankenstein complex,” the irrational sense of doom that people had about technology. He felt that AI would inevitably have safety precautions built in, and that robots would almost inevitably end up to be less dangerous than human beings themselves.
As I said, “Robot Dreams” is unusual for Asimov; it's not abou that at all, except perhaps in the sense that the Frankenstein complex afflicts even the robot-makers. I suppose they picked it because it was one of his last stories, and because it’s undoubtedly very good.
Two Stories About Music
“Tunesmith,” by Lloyd Biggle Jr, and “A Work of Art,” by James Blish, are superficially alike: they’re both about brilliant composers who are misunderstood and neglected by society. The differences are considerable, though.
“Tunesmith” is about a man fighting for the composition of quality music, in a world where all music is controlled by the advertising industry. “A Work of Art” is more introspective; it’s about a man trying to recover the genius of his youth.
What’s interesting is that “Tunesmith” seems much less science-fictional than “A Work of Art”; it’s essentially social commentary with a big shaggy-dog pun. “Art,” by contrast, is sf from beginning to end (especially the end!)
"Art" is ultimately a better story, I think; not just because it’s clearer science fiction but because it seems to be more about the act of creation, whereas “Tunesmith” is about society’s reaction to the artist. The former is a better story for introverts, at any rate.
“Tunesmith” is about a man fighting for the composition of quality music, in a world where all music is controlled by the advertising industry. “A Work of Art” is more introspective; it’s about a man trying to recover the genius of his youth.
What’s interesting is that “Tunesmith” seems much less science-fictional than “A Work of Art”; it’s essentially social commentary with a big shaggy-dog pun. “Art,” by contrast, is sf from beginning to end (especially the end!)
"Art" is ultimately a better story, I think; not just because it’s clearer science fiction but because it seems to be more about the act of creation, whereas “Tunesmith” is about society’s reaction to the artist. The former is a better story for introverts, at any rate.
Masterpieces
I’m working my way through Masterpieces: The Best Science Fiction of the Twentieth Century. It’s an excellent collection of short stories.
It’s not necessarily easy to review, though, since it’s a collection of short stories from different authors on different themes from different decades. I may just have to do different posts on every story; or, at least, on the ones that seem to require several paragraphs of thought.
It’s not necessarily easy to review, though, since it’s a collection of short stories from different authors on different themes from different decades. I may just have to do different posts on every story; or, at least, on the ones that seem to require several paragraphs of thought.
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