I am emotionally involved with the crew of the Normandy.
How could I not be? I have spent hours and hours with this crew over the last several years, battling to save not only humanity but a galaxy filled with interesting, complex, diverse species from forces bent on wanton destruction.
It is only a game. True.
But I am emotionally involved, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
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.
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.
(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
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!