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bigenk's review
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
This being the first anthology of short stories that I've read, I'm struggling to think of how to give it a rating. I'm think of rating them like music albums; rating them as a whole, rather than individually. I also don't really feel like talking about the stories that I didn't like, or felt indifferent about, because that would mean that these reviews take a long time to write.
If we're to do it that way, then I would definitely say this one is mixed. Half of the stories are nonsensical, out-dated, or dull. Because of them, I struggled to make it through the collection as a whole. Which was unfortunate, because there are a few flawed gems here too.
-He Who Shapes, by Roger Zelazney-
I didn't realize that the novella that was fleshed out into The Dream Master was in this collection until I started reading it, and it was a pleasant surprise. A wonderfully original concept, pared with some good prose and a kicker of an ending. Probably won't read The Dream Master for awhile, but I'm interested to see how this was fleshed out into a longer work.
-The Salvia Tree, by Brian Aldiss-
A Lovecraftian story about first contact with invisible aliens in a pastoral setting. A little long-winded and stately, but enjoyable and atmospheric. I really enjoyed how the story builds, leading up to a chaotic and quick finish.
-"Repent Harlequin!" Said the Ticktockman, by Harlan Ellison-
I have read very little Ellison, but this has convinced me to read more. A short story about a dystopia heavily influenced by time and scheduling. What really blew me away was the prose. The seeming ease of the writing, and yet so much depth and description. Excellent little thing.
-The Drowned Giant, by J.G. Ballard-
The last story in this anthology, and a really short one. Ballard's prose is on point, and he so effectively creates a tone and a feeling in a limited amount of words. Melancholic and gruesome, yet also full of awe. Not much other than that, but good for what it was.
The disparity in the stories in this anthology leaves me feeling rather middling about the whole thing. Some real clunkers that clogged the whole thing, with nothing superb to balance it out. It's fun though to see a years worth of stories in one place. I have a few of the books in the series, and I'm sure that some years are better than others.
If we're to do it that way, then I would definitely say this one is mixed. Half of the stories are nonsensical, out-dated, or dull. Because of them, I struggled to make it through the collection as a whole. Which was unfortunate, because there are a few flawed gems here too.
-He Who Shapes, by Roger Zelazney-
I didn't realize that the novella that was fleshed out into The Dream Master was in this collection until I started reading it, and it was a pleasant surprise. A wonderfully original concept, pared with some good prose and a kicker of an ending. Probably won't read The Dream Master for awhile, but I'm interested to see how this was fleshed out into a longer work.
-The Salvia Tree, by Brian Aldiss-
A Lovecraftian story about first contact with invisible aliens in a pastoral setting. A little long-winded and stately, but enjoyable and atmospheric. I really enjoyed how the story builds, leading up to a chaotic and quick finish.
-"Repent Harlequin!" Said the Ticktockman, by Harlan Ellison-
I have read very little Ellison, but this has convinced me to read more. A short story about a dystopia heavily influenced by time and scheduling. What really blew me away was the prose. The seeming ease of the writing, and yet so much depth and description. Excellent little thing.
-The Drowned Giant, by J.G. Ballard-
The last story in this anthology, and a really short one. Ballard's prose is on point, and he so effectively creates a tone and a feeling in a limited amount of words. Melancholic and gruesome, yet also full of awe. Not much other than that, but good for what it was.
The disparity in the stories in this anthology leaves me feeling rather middling about the whole thing. Some real clunkers that clogged the whole thing, with nothing superb to balance it out. It's fun though to see a years worth of stories in one place. I have a few of the books in the series, and I'm sure that some years are better than others.
foomple's review
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
This was published in 1967, so a lot of the outdated applies in the usual ways (casual sexism, horrifying terms for various disabilities, all white dudes, etc.). I liked the stories around those things, though.
Balanced Ecology, by James H. Schmitz, was the one I found most pure fun to read, and is only coincidentally the lone story that both contains even a single female character and manages not to be weird about it. It's highly original and a little reminiscent of Heinlein's juveniles in its sense of adventure adventure.
You know that feeling you get when you're reading something and it's really clear that a character is being lionized specifically because it's the author's idealized vision of themselves (raises quizzical eyebrow in Hemingway's direction) ? That is so pervasive throughout "Repent, Harlequin, said the Ticktock Man" that I couldn't believe it took me nearly the whole to story to realize Harlan => Harlequin. I know. This story, aside from competing with The Doors of His Face, the Lamps of His Mouth for most melodramatic title, mostly convinced me that I'm glad I never met the author. He is, I can say with certainty, the sort who would say "wake up, sheeple!" on the internet.
I read somewhere that Zelazny wanted to call The Doors of His Face [...] instead The Leviathan of Venus, which would have made a ton more sense and would have been thematically congruent with the story, which is in the style of an old pulp. His other in the collection, He Who Shapes, is darker and very interesting, even while the characterization of all of the women (a sum total of four, 1 in the former story, 3 in the latter) leaves, ah, something to be desired.
The Saliva Tree was quite good and I can see how it tied with He Who Shapes.
Gordon Dickson's Computers Don't Argue was cute and prescient.
Becalmed in Hell by Larry Niven was good and, in my opinion, ought to have won over Ellison's story.
The short, absurdist The Drowned Giant, by J. G. Ballard, was only mildly neat for this reader.
Balanced Ecology, by James H. Schmitz, was the one I found most pure fun to read, and is only coincidentally the lone story that both contains even a single female character and manages not to be weird about it. It's highly original and a little reminiscent of Heinlein's juveniles in its sense of adventure adventure.
You know that feeling you get when you're reading something and it's really clear that a character is being lionized specifically because it's the author's idealized vision of themselves (raises quizzical eyebrow in Hemingway's direction) ? That is so pervasive throughout "Repent, Harlequin, said the Ticktock Man" that I couldn't believe it took me nearly the whole to story to realize Harlan => Harlequin. I know. This story, aside from competing with The Doors of His Face, the Lamps of His Mouth for most melodramatic title, mostly convinced me that I'm glad I never met the author. He is, I can say with certainty, the sort who would say "wake up, sheeple!" on the internet.
I read somewhere that Zelazny wanted to call The Doors of His Face [...] instead The Leviathan of Venus, which would have made a ton more sense and would have been thematically congruent with the story, which is in the style of an old pulp. His other in the collection, He Who Shapes, is darker and very interesting, even while the characterization of all of the women (a sum total of four, 1 in the former story, 3 in the latter) leaves, ah, something to be desired.
The Saliva Tree was quite good and I can see how it tied with He Who Shapes.
Gordon Dickson's Computers Don't Argue was cute and prescient.
Becalmed in Hell by Larry Niven was good and, in my opinion, ought to have won over Ellison's story.
The short, absurdist The Drowned Giant, by J. G. Ballard, was only mildly neat for this reader.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Sexism, Suicide, Racial slurs, Grief, and Car accident
Minor: Animal death and Body shaming
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