12 books by Budrys reviewed in this blog. This completes the SF reviews of Budrys' work.
Foreward to Book 4 Review: It is going to take me a long time before I get to read and review all the books in this series. I have been seeking out and reading other volumes by the first four authors, especially Farmer, and it is going to take a while before I am ready to tackle Robert Silverberg, who is on deck. However, I am reviewing each non-Rediscovery novel and short story that I read by the first four authors. Next up is a book of short stories by Kornbluth, edited by Frederick Pohl. I am loving these digressions! I am also trying to read other books, such as a biography of Brahms, and a 1905 Baedeker Guide to London. I will get the job done, just be patient.
Rogue Moon
Cover art by William Maughan. Budrys' 5th novel.
Algis Budrys (1931-2008) was a Lithuanian-born American SF
writer. Rogue Moon was nominated for a Hugo award. One of his novels,
"Who?", was made into a film starring Elliot Gould and Trevor Howard!
Another fabulous SF writer from the golden age that I had never heard of
before now. He wrote many novels and short stories. Hopefully you
will hear about some of them here. Be patient.
Wow! After reading James Blish's cover blurb, I have been itching to read this novel. I must say that I couldn't put it down once I began, and read it during two fairly busy days. Budrys, in his fifth novel, has really written two books in one, and they occasionally cross one another. The first one is a hard science fiction novel telling about humans trying to uncover the deadly secret of an alien labyrinth discovered on the lunar far side. The ingenious method of exploring the labyrinth is carefully and fully explained, down to the last detail. As I said, hard science fiction. The second story has to do with human relationships. Well over half the novel is conversation between lead characters, four male and two female. Most of these characters are fairly lost as human beings, and have failed to face up to their lives and to themselves. The fact that one of the main characters (and later, two of them) is split into an L version of himself, which stays behind on earth, and an M version, which visits the alien structure on the lunar surface, does not simplify the discussions and the relationship problems.
I found both stories quite fascinating, and eminently readable. If you crave an action yarn, this is not for you. It is heavy on talk and science, and interpersonal relationships. The characters are all interesting, however, and I never experienced a dull moment anywhere in the novel. The science fiction story is certainly a wonderful variation on Arthur C. Clarke's much earlier tale, "The Sentinel." Budry's story, too, could have been a short story, if the human element had been minimized. We would then have had a pretty decent short story. However, Budrys has added a heavy dollop of something difficult to find in science fiction novels; humans struggling with themselves as much as with their science problems. This really makes the story three-dimensional and much richer.
The novel was first published in 1960, so it is pretty logical that it would have to be a male that gets to explore the labyrinth and try to solve its puzzles. Imagine how futuristic it would have been, however, if the main explorer had been female. It would have added a huge level of complexity to affairs, which I'm not even certain that one of today's great authors would find an easy task. That's one of the problems with reading SF from the golden age; it's pretty heavy on the male leads and their exploits. Not that Budrys treats his two females badly. In fact, their conversations and personalities are pretty amazing! Both women are very strong, very intelligent, but in the end they are trapped by the times, and become catalysts for the males. Things could have been very much worse, though.
In the end, this is a brilliant story, and still worth rediscovering. It is a novel that will not easily be forgotten, and possibly even one that will call me back to it in a few years. I hope so.
**** stars. Reviewed August 16th/16
I bought this novel thinking it was one by Budrys I had never read. Instead, it turned out to be the original 1954 edition of Some Will Not Die (see below). Many early SF stories have convoluted histories, and this novel is no exception. It is less than half the length of the 1961 reboot. In fact, the original novel was only five chapters and 92 pages long, and still forms the core and best part of the story. Chapter Six was published separately in Galaxy, and followed by Chapter Seven, where this story ends.
It is not my intent to track down different versions of stories; I prefer the one last updated by the author. However, having unknowingly purchased False Night, I decided to reread it (the full story was read last October). The first few chapters are still among the best storytelling I have ever come across, and reading the bare bones version, without the unnecessary framing device, was just as good as the first time. Highly recommended.
**** stars. Reviewed March 10th/17 See also "Some Will Not Die," below.
Wow! After reading James Blish's cover blurb, I have been itching to read this novel. I must say that I couldn't put it down once I began, and read it during two fairly busy days. Budrys, in his fifth novel, has really written two books in one, and they occasionally cross one another. The first one is a hard science fiction novel telling about humans trying to uncover the deadly secret of an alien labyrinth discovered on the lunar far side. The ingenious method of exploring the labyrinth is carefully and fully explained, down to the last detail. As I said, hard science fiction. The second story has to do with human relationships. Well over half the novel is conversation between lead characters, four male and two female. Most of these characters are fairly lost as human beings, and have failed to face up to their lives and to themselves. The fact that one of the main characters (and later, two of them) is split into an L version of himself, which stays behind on earth, and an M version, which visits the alien structure on the lunar surface, does not simplify the discussions and the relationship problems.
I found both stories quite fascinating, and eminently readable. If you crave an action yarn, this is not for you. It is heavy on talk and science, and interpersonal relationships. The characters are all interesting, however, and I never experienced a dull moment anywhere in the novel. The science fiction story is certainly a wonderful variation on Arthur C. Clarke's much earlier tale, "The Sentinel." Budry's story, too, could have been a short story, if the human element had been minimized. We would then have had a pretty decent short story. However, Budrys has added a heavy dollop of something difficult to find in science fiction novels; humans struggling with themselves as much as with their science problems. This really makes the story three-dimensional and much richer.
The novel was first published in 1960, so it is pretty logical that it would have to be a male that gets to explore the labyrinth and try to solve its puzzles. Imagine how futuristic it would have been, however, if the main explorer had been female. It would have added a huge level of complexity to affairs, which I'm not even certain that one of today's great authors would find an easy task. That's one of the problems with reading SF from the golden age; it's pretty heavy on the male leads and their exploits. Not that Budrys treats his two females badly. In fact, their conversations and personalities are pretty amazing! Both women are very strong, very intelligent, but in the end they are trapped by the times, and become catalysts for the males. Things could have been very much worse, though.
In the end, this is a brilliant story, and still worth rediscovering. It is a novel that will not easily be forgotten, and possibly even one that will call me back to it in a few years. I hope so.
**** stars. Reviewed August 16th/16
False Night
The book originally sold for 25 cents! Cover artist unknown.
I bought this novel thinking it was one by Budrys I had never read. Instead, it turned out to be the original 1954 edition of Some Will Not Die (see below). Many early SF stories have convoluted histories, and this novel is no exception. It is less than half the length of the 1961 reboot. In fact, the original novel was only five chapters and 92 pages long, and still forms the core and best part of the story. Chapter Six was published separately in Galaxy, and followed by Chapter Seven, where this story ends.
It is not my intent to track down different versions of stories; I prefer the one last updated by the author. However, having unknowingly purchased False Night, I decided to reread it (the full story was read last October). The first few chapters are still among the best storytelling I have ever come across, and reading the bare bones version, without the unnecessary framing device, was just as good as the first time. Highly recommended.
**** stars. Reviewed March 10th/17 See also "Some Will Not Die," below.
Some Will Not Die
Budrys' first novel is from 1954, reworked in 1961.
The original is called "False Night."
The original is called "False Night."
This is a grim, uncompromising look inside the USA after a worldwide plague has killed off 90% of the population. This is not a romanticized view of life after the fall of civilization, but a rather well thought-out version. It is bleak and unrelenting, even as progress is slowly made towards reestablishing some semblance of human relations. There is a lot of killing, some of it appearing needless but necessary under the circumstances. As the urban survivors, mostly individuals at first, hunt for food, shelter, medicine and sanity, it's kill or be killed. This is a reworked version (1961) of Budrys' first novel (False Night, 1954; then expanded as Ironclad, also 1954).
Budrys' views are not only plausible, but the initial scenario is the one most likely to happen in such a situation. How long things remain at this primitive level depends on many things. Here in New York City, a young man initially teams up with a young woman, then eventually they team up with a family living next door. Slowly but surely the whole building comes together, and then it's building versus building for a while, until a neighbourhood is pulled together, and so on.
It is a fascinating, and sometimes heart-stopping journey back to civilization, and seeming setbacks are merely an excuse for events and progress to careen off in a new direction. At nearly 300 pages, Budrys does not tell a straight forward narrative, but rather picks up the story now and then as progress is made. And though new characters come into play, the main ones are related to the first two men who joined their families together, being their offspring or direct relations. The only character that does not fit into the NY stories is Joe Custis, though his adventure may (or may not) include a meet up with one of the original two men (Berendtsen).
This is the first novel I have read by Budrys outside of the Avon/Equinox novel, reviewed above. I am happy to have discovered this author, and look forward to other works by him, many now sitting on my shelf. Some Will Not Die is a book I am very likely to reread, and a book I would highly recommend to others.
**** stars. Reviewed Oct. 4th, 2016.
**** stars. Reviewed Oct. 4th, 2016.
WHO?
Cover art by Bob Giusti. Budrys' 2nd novel.
Budrys' second novel first appeared in Fantastic Universe, April 1955. He used the name of William Scarf, and the story was called "Just Around the Corner." In 1958 it was greatly expanded to the present version.
Original appearance of Who? from 1955. Budrys used a pseudonym.
This is a cold war story, with Russia capturing a top American physicist who is badly injured near their border. His body needs to be completely rebuilt, and he ends up looking part android and only part human. The Russians hope to learn the secret of the project he was working on, and after saving his life and putting him back together, try to hang on to him for interrogation as long as possible.
The Allies get him back after a few months, and have to determine a) if it is really the same man; and b) if he spilled the beans on the project. Because of his appearance it is virtually impossible to tell if it is really him, and the main part of the story is largely a detective yarn.
The story is told partly in flashback and partly in present time, and seems to work exceptionally well. As a result, there are two endings, both surprise ones! If I had purchased the pulp magazine version in 1958 I might have been disappointed in the fact that this isn't really a SF story at all. No one really cares how the Russians did what they did to keep Martinson (the hero) alive. The main thrust is over the man's identity. Who is he? As such it reads more like a cold war tale than a true SF one. However, Budrys has written a taut, streamlined narrative, and he gives us a wonderful impression of a young boy growing up as a scientific genius. The part where he searches for a girlfriend is particularly well written.
In 1974 Who? was made into a motion picture starring Elliott Gould. I am trying to track down a print, and will review it here if I find one. A very good novel!
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed Feb. 1st/17
Man Of Earth
Cover art by Powers. Budrys' 3rd novel is from 1958, reworked in 1965.
October 1956 Issue
Budrys' 3rd novel was first published in a shorter version in Satellite SF magazine in October, 1956. Two years later an expanded version was published by Ballantine, for 35c! The dedication says "To James and Virginia Blish, for encouraging the competition." This edition is 144 pages long.
Whereas Budrys' first novel is an undisputed masterpiece, this one falls quite short of the mark. It barely qualifies as SF, using Pluto as the main setting, but a Pluto that seems rather short of description and pretty much like earth. One of its satellites has been set ablaze and acts like a mini-sun. The settlers are pretty much forgotten by people of Earth, as are the settlers on Venus.
The plot revolves around Allen Sibley, a wimpy man who finds himself in deep financial and legal trouble on earth. He needs help from a company that gives people new identities, including new faces, bodies, minds, fingerprints, skin--the works. They take his money and ship him off to Pluto. He joins the military, a brutal organization that kills as many men in the training program as it graduates. Three quarters of the book is about his new persona--Sullivan--and his training. If you are into boot camps and military training, then you will enjoy this book much more than I did.
The master plan of the leaders of Pluto is not revealed until near the end, and the story stops just as, in my opinion, the good bit is ready to begin. A sequel would have been nice, as this entire book serves as the set up for a good series. Sullivan is going to have some wonderful adventures, but we will never know about them.
** 1/2 stars. Reviewed Jan. 9th/16
Falling Torch
Cover art by Wayne Barlow
Budrys 4th novel is from 1959, reworked in 1990 with a new chapter inserted. Its 211 pages go by quickly, mixing politics, action, and numerous very long soul-searching soliloquys. Budrys is interested in what makes a great leader, one capable of leading an occupied planet to freedom. It is not really a SF novel, as there is very little science. Michael Wireman was born on a spaceship escaping earth with his family, arriving at the Centauri system when he was one year old. His father was President, and tries to keep the Earth government alive on a different planet, after Earth is invaded by aliens (who are not very alien.) Though Budrys says this is not a parable of the Eastern bloc countries after WW2, it's not hard to see the similarities.
Budrys gives a good account of himself here, and the added chapter (7) does add a much needed event missing from the first version of the story. While there is some very good action, the novel mostly deals with Michael's inner struggle, as he comes to realize how natural he is at leading men, despite his grave misgivings about his value. Though it is a pretty decent novel, once again it barely qualifies as SF. Rogue Moon is really the only real SF story so far in this exploration of the author.
*** stars. Reviewed Feb. 24th/17
*** stars. Reviewed Feb. 24th/17
Unexpected Dimension
Short story collection published in 1960. The volume is
dedicated to Frederik Pohl. Cover design by Blanchard.
Of course I know that I could never have collected all these old, wonderful books in the days before Amazon and Abe Books. Getting hold of these volumes in local used bookstores alone would have been impossible. I still try hard to purchase whatever I can at local bookstores, of which John King Books in Detroit is indeed king. Sometimes the books, like this one, are so fragile and dry that I am afraid to read them. This book has seven stories by Budrys from the 1950s.
The End of Summer is from 1954, and is 27 pages long. It is an advanced piece of writing, and reading it twice will not hurt one's understanding of events. Thanks to one man saving the human race on a very significant date back in 1973, things ten thousand years later aren't exactly peachy. For one thing, due to the fact that human brains are constantly being repaired by a special protective radiation blocking beam, they are no longer capable of long term memory. What happened yesterday is not remembered tomorrow. This story would make a good Doctor Who adventure! It involves some time travel, a boy and a dog, and a man in search of his past.
*** stars.
The Distant Sound of Engines is from 1959, and is only five pages long. On his deathbed in a hospital, an alien tries to leave some of his legacy to the man in the bed across from him. Then that man in turn tries to leave some of himself with the new patient now across from him. A bit depressing.
*** stars.
Never Meet Again is from 1957, and is 16 pages long. A German professor experiences life in an alternate version of Earth, after leaving the one he grew up in where Germany won WW2. Sadly, there is no improvement in his prospects when he arrives in the world where Germany lost the war.
*** stars.
The Burning World is also from 1957, and at 37 pages is the longest in this volume. It's along the same lines as his False Night, from 1954. In this scenerio, peace has been achieved and freedom given to all. The problem with such accomplishments is the type of young person that this type of society breeds. With armies and wars abolished and virtually impossible to undertake, a young upstart wants to form an army anyway, to take care of a problem group in the northwest sector. Good writing, with many opportunities for discussion within a reading group.
*** 1/2 stars.
First to Serve is from 1954 and is 18 pages long. Two engineers build a perfect soldier robot for the armed forces, but it comes with a few drawbacks that cannot be left out of its design. This is a great robot story, one of the best. I can imagine John Sladek coming across this at some crucial point and having a Eureka moment. Highly recommended.
**** stars.
Go and Behold Them is from 1958 and is 22 pages long. It is an Adam and Eve story that reminded me a lot of James Blish's writing. A pair of crashed astronauts is found by a search team, on a most unusual planet. Quite a good story!
*** 1/2 stars.
The Executioner is from 1955 and is 36 pages long. It's a tale of justice in the future, which is a mix of the old west and a religious inquisition. A Judge Roy Bean type follows the law religiously (ha ha), but seems to find a lot of guilty verdicts. This was my least favourite story of the series, though it is pretty good.
** 1/2 stars.
*** stars.
Never Meet Again is from 1957, and is 16 pages long. A German professor experiences life in an alternate version of Earth, after leaving the one he grew up in where Germany won WW2. Sadly, there is no improvement in his prospects when he arrives in the world where Germany lost the war.
*** stars.
The Burning World is also from 1957, and at 37 pages is the longest in this volume. It's along the same lines as his False Night, from 1954. In this scenerio, peace has been achieved and freedom given to all. The problem with such accomplishments is the type of young person that this type of society breeds. With armies and wars abolished and virtually impossible to undertake, a young upstart wants to form an army anyway, to take care of a problem group in the northwest sector. Good writing, with many opportunities for discussion within a reading group.
*** 1/2 stars.
First to Serve is from 1954 and is 18 pages long. Two engineers build a perfect soldier robot for the armed forces, but it comes with a few drawbacks that cannot be left out of its design. This is a great robot story, one of the best. I can imagine John Sladek coming across this at some crucial point and having a Eureka moment. Highly recommended.
**** stars.
Go and Behold Them is from 1958 and is 22 pages long. It is an Adam and Eve story that reminded me a lot of James Blish's writing. A pair of crashed astronauts is found by a search team, on a most unusual planet. Quite a good story!
*** 1/2 stars.
The Executioner is from 1955 and is 36 pages long. It's a tale of justice in the future, which is a mix of the old west and a religious inquisition. A Judge Roy Bean type follows the law religiously (ha ha), but seems to find a lot of guilty verdicts. This was my least favourite story of the series, though it is pretty good.
** 1/2 stars.
Budrys' Inferno
Short story collection from 1963. Cover artist possibly Richard Powers.
There are nine short stories presented here, as well as a two-page introduction by Budrys. All stories are from the mid-to-late 1950s, and all were previously published in various magazines.
Silent Brother is from 1956, first published in Astounding SF Magazine. It is 16 pages long. I enjoy reading about the various ways aliens might be able to invade Earth. The first Earth expedition is just back from the Centauri system. The four astronauts have brought something, or someone, back with them. This is a very neat little mystery story.
*** stars.
Between the Dark and the Daylight is from 1958 and is 14 pages long. It is pretty much a SF horror story, along the lines of Alien. A spaceship carrying humans crashed over 400 years ago, and the ancestors are trying to deal with the horrible creatures that are continually trying to break down their shelter and kill them. One man oversteps his authority in order to deal with the situation. This is a pretty intense story, and very much in the tradition of Harrison's first "Deathworld" novel, which came out two years later.
*** stars.
And Then She Found Him is from 1957 and is 17 pages long. An unstoppable shoplifter is tearing apart a community. This is one of many short stories from the 1950s that would have made an excellent Twilight Zone episode. A woman can make people want to give her things, and then immediately forget she was there. Only one person has a chance to stop her.
*** stars.
The Skirmisher is only 5 pages long, from 1957. Though it proposes an interesting concept, it doesn't go far enough with the explanation, or motive, behind the killer's actions. Also, with a dangerous person such as this, would the Sheriff only send out one man to capture him?
** stars.
The Man Who Tasted Ashes is also from 1957, and is 14 pages long. This is another cloak and dagger tale, with an ending that again is too abrupt and too unsatisfying. Aliens attempt to start World War III.
** stars.
Lower than Angels is from 1956 and is 30 pages long. I read it just before turning out the lights and going to sleep, and it actually gave me something to think about as I drifted off. It is a story of first contact, as an Earthman confronts a primitive society. Things start off badly and get gradually worse, as the people believe him to be a god. No amount of dissuading them helps his cause, as he struggles to convince them that he is just a man, perhaps with a little more knowledge and technology. It is a problem worth considering, as when he leaves they are likely to severely alter their religious beliefs afterwards. I liked this mostly gentle story of two cultures meeting and finding uncommon ground. Recommended.
*** 1/2 stars.
Contact Between Equals is from 1958, and pits a blind man with the brain of a Sherlock Holmes against his own unfaithful wife and a deceitful doctor, who have been holding a prisoner. This is a great 14-pager that (yet again) would make a great short film or TV episode.
***1/2 stars.
Dream of Victory is 26 pages long and is from 1953. It's basically the story of an android driven to alcoholism by the fact that he cannot have a child. It doesn't help that androids are going out of fashion and there are fewer and fewer jobs for them. It is far too cynical and dark for my tastes, though it certainly seems to correctly catalogue the actions of an alcoholic.
** stars.
The Peasant Girl is from 1956 and closes out the volume at 18 pages (total length of book is 160 pages). A curmudgeon tries to be as grumpy as possible when his kid sister is abducted, to become the wife of an alien-type of human. It's a good story, and not that complicated. The ending is clear, clean, and optimistic, despite all the pessimism in the story. It makes me sorry that woodworking isn't offered in schools any more.
*** stars.
Reviews completed May 19th/17
Page proofread on March 22nd, 2019.
Mapman Mike
Between the Dark and the Daylight is from 1958 and is 14 pages long. It is pretty much a SF horror story, along the lines of Alien. A spaceship carrying humans crashed over 400 years ago, and the ancestors are trying to deal with the horrible creatures that are continually trying to break down their shelter and kill them. One man oversteps his authority in order to deal with the situation. This is a pretty intense story, and very much in the tradition of Harrison's first "Deathworld" novel, which came out two years later.
*** stars.
And Then She Found Him is from 1957 and is 17 pages long. An unstoppable shoplifter is tearing apart a community. This is one of many short stories from the 1950s that would have made an excellent Twilight Zone episode. A woman can make people want to give her things, and then immediately forget she was there. Only one person has a chance to stop her.
*** stars.
The Skirmisher is only 5 pages long, from 1957. Though it proposes an interesting concept, it doesn't go far enough with the explanation, or motive, behind the killer's actions. Also, with a dangerous person such as this, would the Sheriff only send out one man to capture him?
** stars.
The Man Who Tasted Ashes is also from 1957, and is 14 pages long. This is another cloak and dagger tale, with an ending that again is too abrupt and too unsatisfying. Aliens attempt to start World War III.
** stars.
Lower than Angels is from 1956 and is 30 pages long. I read it just before turning out the lights and going to sleep, and it actually gave me something to think about as I drifted off. It is a story of first contact, as an Earthman confronts a primitive society. Things start off badly and get gradually worse, as the people believe him to be a god. No amount of dissuading them helps his cause, as he struggles to convince them that he is just a man, perhaps with a little more knowledge and technology. It is a problem worth considering, as when he leaves they are likely to severely alter their religious beliefs afterwards. I liked this mostly gentle story of two cultures meeting and finding uncommon ground. Recommended.
*** 1/2 stars.
Contact Between Equals is from 1958, and pits a blind man with the brain of a Sherlock Holmes against his own unfaithful wife and a deceitful doctor, who have been holding a prisoner. This is a great 14-pager that (yet again) would make a great short film or TV episode.
***1/2 stars.
Dream of Victory is 26 pages long and is from 1953. It's basically the story of an android driven to alcoholism by the fact that he cannot have a child. It doesn't help that androids are going out of fashion and there are fewer and fewer jobs for them. It is far too cynical and dark for my tastes, though it certainly seems to correctly catalogue the actions of an alcoholic.
** stars.
The Peasant Girl is from 1956 and closes out the volume at 18 pages (total length of book is 160 pages). A curmudgeon tries to be as grumpy as possible when his kid sister is abducted, to become the wife of an alien-type of human. It's a good story, and not that complicated. The ending is clear, clean, and optimistic, despite all the pessimism in the story. It makes me sorry that woodworking isn't offered in schools any more.
*** stars.
Reviews completed May 19th/17
The Amsirs And The Iron Throne
Cover art by Frank Frazetta
Frazetta's painting for the Budrys novel.
First publication of the novel.
At 160 pages, this fascinating story is an easy and quick read. The novel is divided into three distinct sections. The first part takes place on a red desert planet. Hunters, called Honors, are part of the elite society, especially after they have made their first kill of a fast, intelligent, and formidable bird-like creature. Honor White Jackson is on his first hunt as we join the story, already in progress.
The second part takes place at the encampment, or "thorn" of the bird creatures. Jackson discovered something important on his hunt, and he cannot live with the knowledge. So he gets himself captured, leaving behind his own people. As a prisoner of the Amsirs, Jackson is given a job--he must open a sealed door that has puzzled the bird creatures forever. He opens it.
Thus begins the third and final part of the story, where Jackson must adjust to a new kind of life. It is a very difficult transition, and things do not go smoothly. It probably never will go smoothly, knowing Jackson.
The book is pretty serious during the first part, but becomes pretty amusing in the second part, before returning to being more serious in the final part. I enjoyed meeting the doctor and Susiem. Even Ahmuls grew on me after awhile. I must admit that the story went off in a direction I was not expecting at all. Funny how authors are like that; they can't seem to finish a story the way I would. I really enjoyed this book, and wish it could have been a bit longer. It was expanded from its pulp origins for the Fawcett World Library edition I read (published 1967). This would have made a good short series, with plenty to work with. Pity.
***1/2 stars. Reviewed June 15th/17
Michaelmas
From 1977. Cover art not credited.
First, shorter version of Michaelmas, from 1976.
When I reviewed the Ballantine Adult Fantasy Series (see link, left), edited by Lin Carter back in the day, I would always come across stories that were quite suitable for children. But then I would come across some truly adult writing (the novels of James Cabell come to mind), and I would feel refreshed that there really were fantasy novels only for adults. And so it goes with my Avon/Equinox project. Many of the books I read and review here are aimed at teens or early college students. So it is gratifying to come a cross a SF novel that is unequivocally for adult readers.
Mr. Michaelmas is a top reporter, and the most important man in the world. He has as his sidekick the world's most sophisticated and universally wired tool humankind has ever seen. Domino is hard wired to Michaelmas's brain, and feeds him continuous news of events happening in the world. These events can then be manipulated by Domino under Michaelmas's orders. We are given virtually no information how this power came about; it just is. The story takes place in the 1990s, as humans are about to venture to Jupiter, for mining purposes. Someone or something does not want this to happen. People suspect the Russians. It takes a long time for Michaelmas to get at the truth, but he does. Along the way we are kept entertained by some very good writing.
To enjoy this book fully, one must suspend a lot of belief. We don't need to continually know how things are done or manipulated, or even why much of the time. It would be like trying to figure out how The Enterprise can travel faster than light. Just accept that it can, as there is no logical scientific explanation that would satisfy critical minds. Reading the book in 1977 would have required much more suspension of belief, as now in 2017 (what a futuristic sounding year!) we (or someone) pretty much has the same capability. Budrys was far ahead of his time when he wrote this thriller.
It might seem a complex story to some, and I had to reread several pages. Michaelmas talks to Domino, he talks to others, he remembers other conversations and events while talking to Domino and others, and he thinks to himself, sometimes all on the same page. Still, it can all be unraveled by a careful reader. The rewards are great if you can follow the prose.
One of my favourite passages is from the bottom of page 187. It is spoken by a Russian cosmonaut, in an earlier (pre-novel) conversation with Michaelmas.
There are walls, walls, all around us, and no honest tang of the wind or the seed of the grass. We say the walls make us safe, but we fear they make us blind. We say the roof makes us warm, but we know we lie when we pretend there are no stars.
I really enjoyed reading this book, though not in the same way I have enjoyed most of the other books in this extended, perhaps never-ending reading project. This one is more introspective. This is very little action in the traditional sense, though plenty of things are going on backstage. This is a true adult SF, and though now 40 years old, it perhaps rings truer today than it did in 1977. Recommended.
**** stars. Reviewed July 25th/17
Wall of Crystal, Eye of Night is from 1961 and is 23 pages long. It describes some intense competition between video entertainment companies. It also is a bit like a Weird Tales horror story, though the ending is not catastrophic, or as expected. It is also the story of three men getting revenge on their various nemeses.
*** stars. Reviewed Aug. 30th/17
All For Love is from 1962 and is 19 pages long. A monstrously sized alien ship has landed on Earth, and it doesn't communicate. When attacked, it retaliates with a vengeance. There are two plans afoot to ultimately defeat it and make Earth liveable once again. And there is a love story, too. Pretty fine writing!
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed Aug. 31st/17
A Scraping of the Bones is from 1975 and is 17 pages long. It is more or less a detective murder-mystery story, and a rather odd but good one. In the future there won't be much room for everyone, so drastic measures might be needed to expand one's personal space. The first of two appearances in these stories by Michaelmas.
*** stars. Reviewed Aug. 31st/17
The Price is from 1960 and is 4 pages long. The thing I liked most was the short intro by the author, where he talks about one of my favourite authors, James (Jim) Blish. I found out he was a music lover! In this story a man apparently lives forever and is indestructible. The few remaining humans want his secret.
**1/2 stars. Reviewed Aug. 31st/17
The Ridge Around the World is from 1957 and is 10 pages long. A farmer gets bothered by new regimes the way we get bothered by flies. He always seems to outlast them. Yet another story about a man who cannot die, gradually outliving all of the competition. His field eventually gets mighty huge.
** 1/2 stars. Reviewed Aug. 31st/17
The Girl In The Bottle is from 1959 and is seven pages long. It is a war story, and describes the final battle between humans. It is a very small and short battle, more of a skirmish, as there are not many humans left.
** 1/2 stars. Reviewed Aug. 31st/17
The Last Brunette is from 1965 and is 14 pages long. Think of it as an adult Twilight Zone episode, as it was originally written for Playboy Magazine. A travelling man has a fatal attraction to brunettes (though he marries a blonde); or is it the same brunette? Anyway, she keeps improving every time he finds her, until he knows for certain she is out to get him. A story of a guilty conscience and a man who cannot stay still for long.
*** stars. Reviewed Aug. 31st/17
Scream At Sea is from 1954 and is 9 pages long. It is one of the few non-SF stories Budrys wrote, about a man stranded at sea on a raft, with a cat.
** 1/2 stars. Reviewed Sept. 1st/17
The Master of The Hounds is from 1966 and is 29 pages long. It is another non-SF story, a mean-spirited type of tale some people like to read. It's about a famous POW and what line of fun he gets into after the war, looking after a small housing development with his two dobermans. The ending I think is meant to generate a laugh or two, but I found it too claustrophobic and cruel. It is a very well-written story; it's just not my type. There were many ways out of the situation in which the young couple found themselves, but it would likely take a very cool head to figure them out and act on them.
*** stars. Reviewed Sept. 1st/17
The Nuptial Flight of Warbirds is from 1978 and is 42 pages long. This is an odd tale that starts out as a futuristic air war drama, then turns into a TV producer's shot at the big time. The second appearance of Michaelmas in these stories does not save this one. Not really very engaging, and things seems to drift too much. We do learn of the extent of Budrys' love for flying, however. And that someday there might be a lot of TV channels to watch.
**1/2 stars. Reviewed Sept. 2nd/17
Blood And Burning
Short stories from a 1978 publication. Cover artist not credited.
There are 11 stories and a forward by the author, dating from 1954 through 1978. 3 of the stories are long enough to be called novelettes (the first story and the final two). In addition, Budrys writes a very brief intro to each story.
Be Merry is from 1966, and is 46 pages long. Aliens need to make an emergency landing on Earth. Both species end up infecting one another, with nearly 70% casualty rates and no cure in sight. Two men, an Earthman and and the other a Klarri (alien) are sent to investigate a small coastal town to find out if it is true that the inhabitants are healthy, and if so, what have they done to cure themselves. This is a very good SF story, and did not end the way I expected. First contact may not be so grand when it does finally happen.
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed August 30th/17 Wall of Crystal, Eye of Night is from 1961 and is 23 pages long. It describes some intense competition between video entertainment companies. It also is a bit like a Weird Tales horror story, though the ending is not catastrophic, or as expected. It is also the story of three men getting revenge on their various nemeses.
*** stars. Reviewed Aug. 30th/17
All For Love is from 1962 and is 19 pages long. A monstrously sized alien ship has landed on Earth, and it doesn't communicate. When attacked, it retaliates with a vengeance. There are two plans afoot to ultimately defeat it and make Earth liveable once again. And there is a love story, too. Pretty fine writing!
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed Aug. 31st/17
A Scraping of the Bones is from 1975 and is 17 pages long. It is more or less a detective murder-mystery story, and a rather odd but good one. In the future there won't be much room for everyone, so drastic measures might be needed to expand one's personal space. The first of two appearances in these stories by Michaelmas.
*** stars. Reviewed Aug. 31st/17
The Price is from 1960 and is 4 pages long. The thing I liked most was the short intro by the author, where he talks about one of my favourite authors, James (Jim) Blish. I found out he was a music lover! In this story a man apparently lives forever and is indestructible. The few remaining humans want his secret.
**1/2 stars. Reviewed Aug. 31st/17
The Ridge Around the World is from 1957 and is 10 pages long. A farmer gets bothered by new regimes the way we get bothered by flies. He always seems to outlast them. Yet another story about a man who cannot die, gradually outliving all of the competition. His field eventually gets mighty huge.
** 1/2 stars. Reviewed Aug. 31st/17
The Girl In The Bottle is from 1959 and is seven pages long. It is a war story, and describes the final battle between humans. It is a very small and short battle, more of a skirmish, as there are not many humans left.
** 1/2 stars. Reviewed Aug. 31st/17
The Last Brunette is from 1965 and is 14 pages long. Think of it as an adult Twilight Zone episode, as it was originally written for Playboy Magazine. A travelling man has a fatal attraction to brunettes (though he marries a blonde); or is it the same brunette? Anyway, she keeps improving every time he finds her, until he knows for certain she is out to get him. A story of a guilty conscience and a man who cannot stay still for long.
*** stars. Reviewed Aug. 31st/17
Scream At Sea is from 1954 and is 9 pages long. It is one of the few non-SF stories Budrys wrote, about a man stranded at sea on a raft, with a cat.
** 1/2 stars. Reviewed Sept. 1st/17
The Master of The Hounds is from 1966 and is 29 pages long. It is another non-SF story, a mean-spirited type of tale some people like to read. It's about a famous POW and what line of fun he gets into after the war, looking after a small housing development with his two dobermans. The ending I think is meant to generate a laugh or two, but I found it too claustrophobic and cruel. It is a very well-written story; it's just not my type. There were many ways out of the situation in which the young couple found themselves, but it would likely take a very cool head to figure them out and act on them.
*** stars. Reviewed Sept. 1st/17
The Nuptial Flight of Warbirds is from 1978 and is 42 pages long. This is an odd tale that starts out as a futuristic air war drama, then turns into a TV producer's shot at the big time. The second appearance of Michaelmas in these stories does not save this one. Not really very engaging, and things seems to drift too much. We do learn of the extent of Budrys' love for flying, however. And that someday there might be a lot of TV channels to watch.
**1/2 stars. Reviewed Sept. 2nd/17
Hard Landing
Cover art by David Mattingly
From 1993 comes this 199 page SF novel by Algis Budrys, his first completely new one since Michaelmas in 1977. He had spent time reworking earlier stories. This one is very good, though it is always difficult for me to suspend disbelief enough for aliens to look exactly like humans. Once we are past that difficulty, the rest of the novel is a fine one. In Budrys' defense, he does cite a few interesting examples in nature to make such a thing at least plausible. There are differences, of course, apparent in an autopsy or close physical exam. For one thing, the aliens have a warmer body temperature than humans.
Five aliens crash land their saucer on the Eastern Seaboard of the US, landing in a cranberry bog. One member is fatally wounded and soon dies. The other four head off in different directions, never to contact one another again. They are following the rules for such an event as dictated by their society. Sometime after all five aliens have passed away, Budrys himself gets interested in the case. The landing took place in the early 1940s, and so he is playing detective and trying to find out what their life was like after that fateful day.
The novel examines the affairs of each survivor, explaining firstly how they escaped the saucer and what happened immediately afterwards. The story begins to jump back and forth between the four surviving aliens, following them until their death. Budrys claims to have inserted some guesswork into his writing. He is taking a course similar to something that P.J. Farmer might do, making us think that the crash really happened and that he really did track down much of this information in later years. This adds another layer of fun to reading this book.
One of the aliens breaks rules by allowing some of his knowledge to creep into human technology, thus ensuring riches for himself and his Congressman partner. "Yankee" is the only person who knows for certain that aliens have landed, and he thinks there were only two, one of them deceased shortly after crashing. However, the other three manage to find out about each other, and have certain limited interactions, adding tension and drama to the story, as well as tragedy.
I really liked the book, though found it pretty short. It is hard to put down once begun. I am getting depressingly near the end of my Budrys reading list. He is a very good writer, and his ideas are original and well expressed. He cares about his characters, and the details we learn about them make us care about them, too. Recommended reading.
*** 1/2 stars. Reviewed Nov. 1st/17
Page proofread on March 22nd, 2019.
Mapman Mike
