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.
Somewhat weirdly, I’ve read and love Bester and Lanier, but I’ve never read Moorcock.
I’ve only read some of the Elric and a few short stories. I’ve been intending to work some of his other characters into the queue.
I would suggest the first four Dorian Hawkmoon novels. The later ones aren’t as good.
Those are on my radar.
I’ve read The Stars My Destination and Fondly Fahrenheit and thought they were awesome. Haven’t read The Demolished Man, though I have a copy. You really should read Stars My Destination though you should know going in the main character is an anti-hero heavy on the anti-.
I have a love/hate relationship with Moorcock. I was a big fan of Elric when I was younger but some of his novels are better than others and I never liked his criticism of Tolkien.
I’ve never really gotten into Moorcock. I suspect it may be that he and I have pretty opposing worldviews. I line up more with Tolkien.
There’s stuff by Moorcock that’s worth reading (Stormbringer) but yeah…
Oh, and The Demolished Man has some very experimental writing in it, and by that I mean the typesetting does some interesting things when the telepaths are all communicating at once. The amazing thing is how well it works. I will try to work The Stars My Destination in sometime over the next few months.
Really, need to read that and about a hundred other books.
I remember Stars as having some graphics and other such typography tricks, as well/