FutureTense

It was from Heinlein initally, later his peers, that I learned tolerance, learned to question authority, came to think deeply about the individual’s place in society, about man’s [sic] place in the universe.

Science fiction, it seemed to me then, was forever on the barricades, taking nothing for granted, plowing up everyday life for richer soils beneath, challenging all our assumptions and exploring radical ideas, causing us to think in different categories. And while I couldn’t be sure about man’s place in the universe, I knew my place had to be on those same barricades.

James Sallis, “Books,” Fantasy & Science Fiction, July 2004

That’s the kind of science fiction I can believe in. Tell me where to find it and I’m there.

Best regards,

Alan

Forum discussion on whether you would like to see fiction at FutureTense and how that might happen.

Forum discussion on using free electronic distribution of stories to bootstrap a writing career.

Forum discussion on what makes a work YA.

I missed this when it first appeared: “Shibuya no Love”
by Hannu Rajaniemi at Futurismic

I would like to thank those visitors to FutureTense who have been kind enough to purchse through the various affiliates links. In terms of the future, I hope FT would be able to buy and publish fiction as Futurismic does.

Best regards,

Alan

Got Great Escape back from Asimov’s. Rejected, alas. But not unexpected. Asimov’s takes more chances with new material than either Analog or F&SF. GE is not only different but long. Hey, I brought it in at 15,000 words plus change. A work that short is a major accomplishment for me.

But it does leave me wondering WTF to do: I have two in rewrite. One at 19,000, the other hovering at the 17,000 word mark. When I’m finished, what market will take them? Yet I’m becoming highly impatient with the “short” stories I’m reviewing. The short length feels like its working against content: you have to be so selective in what you say in 6,000 words that most authors seem to have given up and settled for saying nothing at all.

I wish I had time to do a full review. As you can guess from how stale the site has grown, things is busy. Still…

If you haven’t checked out Peter Straub’s Lost Boy, Lost Girl , you’re missing out. Ghost story meets serial killer with paranormal romance thrown in. Orson Scott Card did this–badly and minus the romance–with Lost Boys. Since LBLG is getting the awards where Card’s LB got the pan, I hope Mr. Card is taking it gracefully. Lost Boy, Lost Girl should be put on the top of your stack of summer reading.

Next up, Garth Nix’s Lirael: Daughter of the Clayr is the second book in his Abhorsen trilogy. Yes, this is a YA series. Still, you have to love a world in which working in the library is one of the most dangerous and most important jobs you can have. Garth Nix’s treatment of magic is the best that I’ve seen in a while and the quality of writing is up there with Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials Trilogy (The Golden Compass / The Subtle Knife / The Amber Spyglass). The conclusion of the series, Abhorsen leaves me pondering the functional differences between YA and so-called “adult” fiction. Why is the Abhorsen trilogy YA but Dragonlance is somehow regarded as more mature. (Your comments are, as always, appreciated.)

I’m not particularly a fan of militaristic SF so it came as a shock to find myself enjoying Richard K. Morgan’s Altered Carbon and Broken Angels. Takeshi Kovacs is an ex-UN envoy turned private eye. Forget the private eye. Takeshi has a tendency to make lots of things go splat when the going gets tough. But if you can take Aud Torvingen, Tekeshi won’t be any more difficult. Falling solidly in the realm of digital noir, the Takeshi Kovacs stories are action packed adventures with people not technology at the forefront of the narrative. Technology is presented in an exciting and innovative manner, but is important mostly in how it will affect people and relationships. The future of military tech in the Takeshi Kovacs novels is much better thought out than David Weber’s warmed over Napoleonic campaigns.