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+-+--+-+--+-+ VOLUME THREE NUMBER ONE
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+___________+ FFFFF SSS FFFFF N N EEEEE TTTTT
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| ++ | F S F NN N E T
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| ++ | FFF SSS FFF N N N EEE T
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| | F S F N NN E T
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|_________| F SSS F N N EEEEE T
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/___________\ ==========================================
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| | BITNET Fantasy-Science Fiction Fanzine
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___|___________|___ X-Edited by 'Orny' Liscomb <NMCS025@MAINE>
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<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>
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CONTENTS
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X-Editorial Orny
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Review: CATS HAVE NO LORD Rich Jervis
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Narret Chronicles: 5 Mari Paulsen
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Featured Author: CHRISTOPHER STASHEFF Orny
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Review: Chris Condon
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<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>
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X-Editorial
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Hello, and welcome back! School is back in session, and here is the first
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issue of the year. Unfortunately, due to a lack of submissions, the summer
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volume only consisted of two issues, but I am hoping that with the return to
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school there will be a corresponding increase in submissions. Remember, this
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is your zine, and I can't do it alone. An entire zine by me would be boring,
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anyways, so for all of you who have thought about submitting anything, please
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do!
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Well, hopefully next issue will be out soon, depending on the number of
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submissions. I hope that this issue is not too slow, since it is composed
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almost entirely of reviews. Of course, Mari Paulsen's Narret Chronicles
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continues, and the featured author column this issue concentrates on
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Christopher Stasheff's Gramayre books.
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Well, I bid you welcome to volume three, and remind you that FSFnet cannot
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continue without reader submissions, and also that there are a number of new
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BITNET users who no doubt enjoy BITNET use but have yet to hear of FSFnet.
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Please try to spread the word to anyone you think might be interested.
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PS: Well, thanks to the link between YALEVM and MAINE, this issue is yet
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another week late. Sorry about that. Also, look for a continuing fantasy
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work called "The Aquisition" beginning next issue and the continuing Narret
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science fiction series. Watch this space!
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Orny <NMCS025 @ MAINE>
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<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>
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Review: CATS HAVE NO LORD
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"...Dogs serve Ralkan the wolf king, horses answer to an aging mare named
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Flowers, and ants obey Her Peerless and Exalted Majesty; Bzxxyl the 1842th,
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mistress of the Universe and Eater of Treats. Yet cats have no lord...
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Hawks serve Deathswoop the Daring, but all birds honor the Phoenix. Sharks
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only share with the Hungry One, while all fish swim at Tam tuna's request.
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Cobras turn at the command of the Hood of All-Potent Poison... Now, all snakes
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revere Nosey Groundsnake. And so on.
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Some wise folk claim that ther are creatures smaller that the eye can see.
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If so, they're ruled by a Supreme Atomie, for so the God ordered all things
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when She shaped the level of existence...."
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"What has this matter of Cat Lords, or the lack thereof, to do with us?"
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"My Order will pay each you each three thousand royals to climb World's
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Peak, discover where the Wisest one lives there and ask her for the answer to
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that riddle..."
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This is the reason of CATS HAVE NO LORD, if not it's rhyme. And it's by no
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means all there is to this smooth flowing novel by Will Shetterly. The main
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characters, the acrobat/thief, the half-elven swordsman, the merry cleric, and
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the most astute barbarian i've ever read, must find the Cat Lord while being
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manipulated, helped and hindered by forces arcane and mundane.
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Gamers and fans of Robert Aspirin's Thieves' World will find a familiar
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feel to the novel, with the added plus of being one complete novel by one
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author rather than a compendium of short stories.
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This is not to say that 'straight' fantasy fans will be left out of the
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action. Outside of beginning in an awkward way - the middle of a telepathic
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discussion between a woman and her rather adroit horse - the world is full
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fledged and easy to get into. Tensions between cities, lords and races (not
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to mention the various Lords themselves) give an overtone that there is more
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at stake than academic curiosity. It is almost a must that more will be heard
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from this magical world.
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CATS HAVE NO LORD by Will Shetterly, Ace Fantasy, New York, 5-85. Quoted
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in part as a review and not intended to violate any copyrights pending.
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-Richard Jervis <78KCK @ IRISHMVS>
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<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>
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THE NARRET CHRONICLES
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BOOK THE FIFTH
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"Well, it bears no Soviet markings at any rate, sir."
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"Or any marking's of any kind for that matter, Captain Phillips."
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"Well sir, what should we do now?"
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"You try to establish radio contact with the bogie while I contact NORAD."
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"They ought to be about ready to communicate by now," thought Samo. I had
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best stop down the counter-universal communications descanner and encrypter.
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"Seeker-1 to NORAD, come in NORAD, over."
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"NORAD to Seeker-1, we read colonel, over."
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"NORAD, we have established visual contact with the bogie, have found
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neither hostile nor friendly markings of any kind. Trying to establish radio
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contact at this time. Awaiting further instructions, over."
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"Seeker-1, proceed with communications interface and report any necessary
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changes in flight pattern, over."
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"NORAD, we copy, Seeker-1 out."
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"Any luck captain?"
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"None, sir. There's no response on the standard frequencies at all."
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"That's not surprising, let's face it - that's not exactly your standard
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craft were up against. Try the international hailing frequency."
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"All right sir... Seeker-2 to unmarked craft, Seeker-2 to unmarked craft,
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please respond."
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"Well," said Samo, "what do you know... they communicate. It took them so
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long to find the right frequency I was beginning to have doubts."
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"Unmarked craft to Seeker-2 - responding..." Samo said into the
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communications device."
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"Unmarked craft you have violated the airspace of the United States of
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America. Please identify yourself or we will be forced to shoot you down."
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"Friendly people." Samo said to himself. "I am Sgt. Dr. Samo Ht. I come on
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a mission of trans-universal importance. I am here to prevent a possible
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global war. Mine is a mission of peace, over."
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"Well, Dr. Ht, this is Colonel William Roberts, US Air Force. I don't know
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who you are, or where you come from but if yours is a mission of peace as you
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claim, then I must ask you to cooperate. At this time you are approaching the
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western boundary of our airspace. I must ask you to turn your ship around and
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continue in this formation due east until we receive clearances for landing.
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Will you cooperate?"
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"Yes of course, I'll cooperate. Tell your superiors what I have told you,
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I come in peace, and tell them also that I must speak to the leaders of the
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two belligerent nations before an international forum."
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"Seeker-1 to NORAD come in NORAD, over."
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"NORAD to Seeker-1 we read, over."
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"NORAD, we have established radio contact. The pilot of the craft is
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cooperating and states he is on a mission of peace. He also requests to
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address the President of the United States and the Premier of the Soviet Union
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before the assembled ambassadors of the United Nations. Over."
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"Seeker-1 the President is in his Oval Office, at this hour, and is being
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briefed on your situation. Proceed on a course for Dover Air Force Base,
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bearing 120 at 25,000 ft. We will notify the President of the pilot's
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requests and relay further orders as they we receive them, over."
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"NORAD, proceeding 120 degrees at 25,000 feet, Seeker-1 out..."
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"...Dover Control to Seeker-1, come in Seeker-1, over."
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"Dover Control this is Seeker-1, over."
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"Seeker-1, you are no longer under NORAD command. Permission for landing is
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granted. Proceed to dock alien craft in hanger-81, and place your Blackbirds
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in hanger 71 Alpha."
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-Mari A. Paulsen
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<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>
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Featured Author: CHRISTOPHER STASHEFF
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Born in New York state in 1944, Christopher Stasheff grew up immersed in
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the developing years of both television, radio, and science fiction
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literature. Stasheff maintains that de Camp and Pratt's "Inconpleat
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Enchanter" is the single largest influence on his style, followed by Lester
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del Rey's "Day of the Giants" and "The Sky is Falling". After writing two
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unpublished novels, Stasheff began writing a text for a contest sponsored by
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the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. Although the manuscript was
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never completed until 8 months after the contest deadline, Stasheff sent the
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book to Ace, who published it as "The Warlock In Spite of Himself". He has
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also published three other books: "King Kobald" (and "King Kobald Revived"),
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"The Warlock Unlocked", and "Escape Velocity".
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There is some question as to the chronological order in which these novels
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fit together. For simplicity, they will be discussed in order of publication,
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rather than chronological order. "The Warlock In Spite of Himself" is the
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story of Rod Gallowglass, an interstellar explorer, and his adventure in
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trying to establish democracy on a long-lost planet of medievals (founded by
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members of the Society for Creative Anachronism, no less). Rod discovers an
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interstellar conspiracy across time trying to oppose him, and he and his
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robot-brained horse, Fess (who is subject to seizures due to an engineering
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problem), have their hands full trying to stymie their foes, occasionally
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using superior technology, which earns Rod an unwanted reputation as a
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warlock. An exceptional book.
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"King Kobald" was published in 1970, although before the recent Ace reprint
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of the series, Stasheff rewrote the book, and retitled it "King Kobald
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Revived". This book takes place approximately two years after the previous
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book, and describes a further threat from the forces opposing Rod's effort to
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steer the planet, Gramayre, back to democracy. His role as Royal Warlock is
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influential in defending Gramayre from an invasion of Neanderthals with
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strange telepathic powers. An excellent book, with plenty of excitement and
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wonderfully developed characters. The new version is much improved over the
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original, due to the rewrite, but it does not contradict the other books in
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the series.
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"The Warlock Unlocked" is begun following two characters, Rod, of course,
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begins the novel some 6 years after "King Kobald", and Father Al Uwell, a
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priest of the Order of St. Cathode, an engineering saint. Uwell is being sent
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to Gramayre by the church to monitor Rod, since he has become so involved in
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the fight for democracy. meanwhile, Rod and his Gramayre family (wife and
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four children) are transported to another world, and must discover the way
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back to Gramayre before the forces against him overthrow all his works. He
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meets up with Father Al, who has been tracking him, and together the group has
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a number of very unique adventures. A very fast-paced book, indeed.
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"Escape Velocity" is the only book of the series that does not concentrate
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on the events on Gramayre, and is more science fiction than fantasy. In this
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book, which takes place long before the establishment of Gramayre, Dar Mandra
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and company must reach Terra before a coup planned by the LORDS overthrows the
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democratic Interstellar Dominion Electorate. Unfortunately, someone in the
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upper echelons has it out for Dar, and spreads the rumor that Dar and his
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group are horrible telepaths, out to pry into every citizen's secret thoughts
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and desires. In the following panic, Dar manages to reach Terra. This book
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is perhaps the most interesting of the series, as the characters are all
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fantastic and yet somehow believable. Though the action is interesting and
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riveting, the end of the book comes too fast, and seems less well-written than
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the beginning of the book. In this book, the founding of Gramayre (which
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later is lost during a "twilight" of democracy and then later found by Rod
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Gallowglass) is described.
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In all the books, Stasheff's style is very enjoyable and readable. his
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characters are all excellently depicted, and there is no lack of plot
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movement. His Gramayre books are an excellent fantasy work, and "Escape
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Velocity" is a very good piece of science fiction. His style is easily
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adaptable to either genre, since it does not concentrate so much on the
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environment, but on the human characters and their relations with other
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humans. Altogether an excellent study in characterization, and also an
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excellent read!
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-Orny <NMCS025 @ MAINE>
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<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>
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Review: THE SAGA OF PLIOCENE EXILE
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by Julian May
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A four book series:
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The Many-Colored Land
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The Golden Torc
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The Nonborn King
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The Adversary
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All kidding aside, this set of books is some of the best SF I have ever
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read. It is chock full of truly interesting characters, plot twists,
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insight, high tech and (yes!) even some action. There are several plots
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running at once. MAIN CHARACTERS actually DIE! The GOOD GUYS (if you can
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tell who they are) DON'T always win! It is a delight to read and so
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sprawling in it's plot that it is difficult to describe.
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Without giving too much away, this is how the story works: Sometime in the
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not-too-distant future humanity is part of a Galactic Milieu of minds.
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There are many metapsychics that are part of this "cosmic unity". The psychic
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powers (such as coercion, psychokinesis, etc.) are supposed to be genetic
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traits. Those people with latent abilities have no way to make
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themselves operant metapsychics.
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Enter the time-gate: A scientist puts together a one way time-gate
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which runs six-million years into the past. Notice: ONE WAY. Anything that
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enters the time gate from the pliocene takes on the burden of six
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million years of aging. Until his death he keeps the gate running as a
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curiosity. Upon his death his wife supports herself by sending PEOPLE on a
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one way trip into the past. Many of those disgruntled latent
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metapychics take that ticket to get way from it all.
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This time gate tripping goes on for many years. We then meet a group of
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time travelers and follow them on their journey into the past. Instead of a
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"Riverworld" type of society they find a Europe inhabited by an alien
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race! These Tanu use torcs to make themselves and latent humans
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operant metapychics as well as enslave those that are not latents.
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Can humanity be freed from the slavery of the torcs? Do they want to be?
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Is the time gate really one-way?
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That little synopsis covers the first fifty pages of the first book without
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giving away the juicy details. Those of you that have already read the book
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know that I haven't even gotten to the really good stuff. This is too good
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to spoil. It's in paperback so it won't bust your wallet to read it. Trust
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me. Read it during the summer when you have time to get really involved in
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it.
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-Chris Condon <BITLIB @ YALEVMX>
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<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>X<>
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