December 18, as I write this. There are four birthdays I want to mention today. Alfred Bester (1913-1987), Sterling E. Lanier (1927-2007), Michael Moorcok (b. 1939), and Jack C. Haldeman II (1941-2002). Continue reading
Today is December 18, and I want to point out three birthdays of significance. Because today is going to be one of those days, at least schedule-wise, this will be short.
Alfred Bester (b. 1913) is better known as a science fiction writer, but he did publish some stories in Unknown, so I’ll use that as an excuse to include him here rather than at Futures Past and Present. Besides, I have another post for FPaP this evening if I can get to it. Bester is remembered primarily for the novels The Stars My Destination (which I haven’t read yet) and The Demolished Man (which is awesome). Bester also wrote some really good short fiction, especially “Fondly Fahrenheit“.
Of the three authors whose birthdays I’m mentioning today, Sterling E. Lanier (b. 1927) is probably the most unfamiliar to modern writers. There’s been some interest in his apocalyptic sf novel Hiero’s Journey online lately. I’ve not read that one or its sequel. I have read some of the Brigadier Ffellowes stories, which are tall tale club style stories. They are currently available in electronic form, although the price ($9.99) is a bit high in my opinion.
And finally we come to the writer born today who has cast the longest shadow across the genre, Michael Moorcock (b. 1939). I’m not sure what I can say about Moorcock that others haven’t said, and said better. He’s still with us, and I’m glad to have had the privilege to have met him a few times. I’ve not read a great deal of his work, but that’s partly because he’s so prolific.
I’m not sure which of these writers I’ll read something by today. Like I said, it’s going to be busy. But I’ll try to work one of them in and report back.
I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Moorcock on a couple of occasions, World Fantasy 2000 in Corpus Christi and the Nebula Awards in Austin in 2008. What I haven’t had the pleasure of doing is reading much of his work. (After he signed those books, they’ve tended to stay on the shelf, something that happens to most of my signed editions.) I’ve read some of his work and enjoyed it, don’t misunderstand me. I’ve just not found the time to dive deeply into his oeuvre. I’m hoping to read the Elric stories this year as well as some of his shorter series. Or start them, at least. I may not be able to finish everything this year.
Anyway, Happy Birthday, Mr. Moorcock. And many happy returns.
Cross Plains Universe
Scott A. Cupp and Joe R. Lansdale, ed.
Monkey Brain Books
296 p.
Given free to attendees of the 2006 World Fantasy Convention
In all the hubbub earlier this year about all the anniversaries related to Robert E. Howard, one seems to have been overlooked. This year marked the fifth anniversary of the publication of Cross Plains Universe, an anthology put together to mark the Robert E. Howard centennial as well as the 30th anniversary of Lone Star Universe, an anthology of Texas writers.
Now as anniversaries go, the fifth isn’t all that big a deal unless you forget and your wife has to remind you. (Can I get an “Amen” from the brethren?) Also, this book was never made for sale to the general public, at least as far as I know. If you weren’t able to attend the 2006 World Fantasy Convention in Austin or one of the following Howard Days, where the book was made available in the gift shop, you probably haven’t seen a copy. I’d even wager that many of you might not be aware of its existence.
If you are able to score a copy, do so. It’s worth your while. A brief perusal of the contents will show you why.
After an introduction by Scott Cupp, Ardath Mayhar leads off the stories with “The Pillar in the Mist”, the tale of a young Briton who has to prove his prowess as a warrior on the moors one night. Rick Klaw and Paul O. Miles give an interesting alternate history take on the pulps in “A Penny a Word”, while in “Slim and Swede and the Damned Dead Horse: A Tale of Bloodson” C. Dean Anderson mixes two of Howard’s favorite genres, western and sword and sorcery. Bradley Denton provides poetry in “The King Comes to Texas.” Howard is resurrected from the grave in “An Excerpt from The Stone of Namirha” by Bill Crider and Charlotte Laughlin. “Two Hearts in Zamora” by Jessica Reisman is the story of a pair of girls who find themselves in a dangerous land. Co-editor Scott Cupp provides a weird western with “One Fang”.
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| l. to r., Cupp, Reasoner, Crider, Lansdale |
One of Saddam Hussein’s sons meets an end not seen on the evening news in “The Bunker of the Tikriti” by Chris Nakashima-Brown. Gene Wolfe tells the tale of “Six From Atlantis”, while Mark Finn lets us know why a Conan movie wasn’t made in the early 70s in “A Whim of Circumstance”. James Reasoner’s contribution is a twisty El Borak story, “Wolves of the Mountains”. The incomparable Howard Waldrop tells what happens when some seniors make a trip across the border in “Thin, on the Ground”. Grandchildren learn about their grandmother’s encounter with a warrior king in Carrie Richerson’s “The Warrior and the King”. Lillian Stewart Carl provides a historical adventure in “The Diamons of Golkonda” while “Prince Koindrinda Escapes” is an alternate history tale with giant apes from Jayme Lynn Blashke.
L. J. Washburn tells how a young Bob Howard helps solve a murder in Cross Plains during the oil boom with “Boomtown Bandits”. Chris Roberson’s “The Jewel of Leystall” is an installment in his Paragaea series, and very much in the vein of Howard. Neal Barrett, Jr. tells a tall tale in “The Heart”, while Lawrence Person explains why you don’t mess with “The Toughest Jew in the West”. “The Sea of Grass on the Day of Wings” by Melissa Mia Hall is a meditation on Howard’s final hours. Finally, Michael Moorcock gives us the story of Ronan the Red Archer in “The Roaming Forest”.
As you can tell, the contents of this anthology are quite varied, with stories told in the style of Howard, using new characters, characters and settings previously created by the contributors, Howard’s characters, and even Howard himself. All of the contributors are from Texas or resided there at the time of writing, which is why some of the names may not be familiar to you.
ABE currently shows 11 copies available with prices ranging from a steal to a gouge. One thing to keep in mind, though, is that unsigned copies of this book are rare. With the exception of Gene Wolfe and L.J. Washburn, all the contributors, including artist Gary Gianni, were at the WFC and participated in the mass signing, and Washburn sent signed bookmarks with her husband James Reasoner. Before you buy a copy online, check to make sure you’re getting a signed copy.