All posts by Carl V. Anderson

Interviews

An Interview with Cassandra Rose Clarke

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Allow me to take you back in time to the distant date of February 2nd, 2013.

I read a book.

I raved about a book.

That book was The Mad Scientist’s Daughter. Its author is one Cassandra Rose Clarke. Upon finishing the book I emailed John DeNardo of SF Signal and pleaded in my most obsequious voice to please be allowed to interview her for the site. He graciously agreed, made the arrangements, and I had the distinct pleasure of conducting said interview.

That interview in its entirety is now LIVE at SF Signal. Clarke was a lot of fun to interview and I would like to invite you to come on over, read the interview and join in on the conversation. Best part is: no spoilers for The Mad Scientist’s Daughter.

So come on, what are you waiting for? Let’s go see what makes this author tick.

Book Reviews, Science Fiction, Short Stories

The Back Channel ~John Scalzi

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It is week six in the episodic release schedule for The Human Division by John Scalzi. Each week thus far the stories have alternated between an A storyline and a B storyline, with the B stories revealing details that have already begun to become very important for the main characters. It has been interesting to watch this dance.

This week is a B storyline that puts the reader into heart of the Conclave, a political entity made up of 400 races, none of which are “human”. We are made witness to a town-hall meeting conversation that gives us some idea of the various positions the Conclave holds in regards to humanity and their continued existence.

This episode represents roughly the half-way point of the novel and through most of the chapter it feels as if Scalzi is giving us a bit of a breather, yet he manages to put a moment of tension within the episode that encapsulates the knife’s edge upon which humanity is now walking.

I will get into a more detailed discussion after the jump for those of you who are reading along. For those of you waiting for the release of the full novel before you return to the universe of Old Man’s War this is where we part company, at least for now.

Continue reading The Back Channel ~John Scalzi →

Book Reviews, Short Stories

Abyssus Abyssum Invocat ~Genevieve Valentine

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(Image created for this story by artist Galen Dara)

To call Genevieve Valentine’s “Abyssus Abyssum Invocat” a re-imagining or re-purposing of the Little Mermaid mythos would be to rob it of some of its tragic splendor, however, it must be mentioned as a bedrock upon which this story of obsession and longing is built. The appeal of sailor stories has always been this idea of the sea as siren, beckoning men to its seemingly endless waters. Valentine’s story takes the vastness of the sea and pares it down to something more intimate in its portrait of a mysterious but plain school teacher and the pull her presence exhibits on a young man named Matthew. “Abyssys Abyssum Invocat” is pleasing in its rhythms; in the way in which the words evoke the sounds of waves crashing on the rocks and the taste of sea salt on your tongue.

Like the story by Hans Christian Anderson there is a deeply melancholic aspect to Valentine’s story that draws upon deep emotion and reflects both the beauty and tragedy of life.

Genevieve Valentine’s short story “Abyssus Abyssum Invocat” was printed in the February 2013 issue of Lightspeed magazine and can be read online free. The following is a more in-depth discussion of the story that will contain spoilers.

Next Sunday’s story will be “The Cambist and Lord Iron: A Fairy Tale of Economics” by author Daniel Abraham. It is a really fun fantasy story with a very likeable protagonist, not the least of which because he is a voracious reader. I do hope you’ll take some time to read it this week so that you can join in the discussion.

In the meantime, lets talk about mermaids.

Continue reading Abyssus Abyssum Invocat ~Genevieve Valentine →

Book Reviews, Short Stories

Lightspeed, Issue 33

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It is Friday! Beyond thanking God for the end of the work week (and thanks to President’s Day the beginning of a three day weekend!) the fact that it is Friday also means that it is time for my Short Fiction Friday feature over at SF Signal.

This week I discuss the February 2013 issue of Lightspeed. I am two issues in to my subscription with Lightspeed and I have been blown away by the variety and quality of the science fiction and fantasy published. Each issue features four science fiction and four fantasy short stories (two original and two reprints in each category) as well as author interviews, an art gallery of the cover artist’s work and more.

Throughout the month Lightspeed puts up the stories from the current issue on their site for you to read for free. And there are some really worth while stories this month. I want to particularly point out the short story “Abyssus Abyssum Invocat” by Genevieve Valentine. If you read my review at SF Signal you will find the link to this short story. It is a beautifully tragic, haunting fantasy based in part on the story of “The Little Mermaid”. For those of you who regularly participate in the Once Upon a Time Challenge and like the work of Catherynne Valente, Angela Carter, Terri Windling and other authors who travel the roads of folklore, mythology and fairy tales I believe Valentine’s lyrical tale will pull you in.

I want to further encourage you to read it because I will be discussing it in greater depth (in the same fashion as my recent post for “Last Train to Jubilee Bay”) in a post this coming Sunday and would be interested in your reaction to the story.

As always I thank you for the support you give to me over at SF Signal and here. Please know that there is no pressure to do either. I realize that not everything I post has merit for you as a reader as we all have different tastes and no shortage of things to be reading and commenting on and working on, etc.

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend!

Book Reviews, Fantasy

Shades of Milk and Honey ~Mary Robinette Kowal

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At a Glance: Author Mary Robinette Kowal’s debut novel is a loving homage to the works of Jane Austen. Set in the same Regency period, Kowal overlays the work with a limited magic system, introducing a fantasy element that is woven in so deftly that it feels a natural part of that world. Shades of Milk and Honey is a love story, true, and beyond that it is an examination of self-worth and of a woman trying to make a place for herself with her talent in a time when wealth and beauty are prized above all.

Pros: Richly textured world-building; enjoyable, familiar characters; imaginative magic system; skilled narrative.
Cons: One confusing sequence late in the book is a bump in an otherwise pleasant journey.

My Experience: Mary Robinette Kowal’s Nebula-nominated debut novel, Shades of Milk and Honey, had sat languishing on my shelves for so long I swear I could hear it sigh in relief when I retrieved it the other night (the night before Kowal’s birthday, oddly enough) to read aloud to my wife, Mary. We are both fond of the work of Jane Austen and the praise this novel has generated gave me hope of a satisfying reading experience. This novel was a great pleasure to read. The characters are engaging, the setting at once familiar and yet made new by Kowal’s introduction of magic, and the story flows beautifully. For readers of Stainless Steel Droppings who have been looking for a non-science-fictional offering from me for the past two months, I give you a novel that you must add to your to-read list.

My Rating: 9/10

Continue reading Shades of Milk and Honey ~Mary Robinette Kowal →