1972 - Year in SF&F: Reviews

THE WONDER TIMELINE: SF&F RETROSPECTIVE Read other issues here ---------------------------------------------- Barrington J. Bayley "Empire of Two Worlds" (nv) © Ace Books, 1972 --/ cool sf novel --/ wonder award --/ idea: mega-cities --/ awesome scale --/ style award: gangster culture In a huge self-contained city on a dark planet lives a gangster with the dream to become an Emperor. He gets together a bunch of hoodlums, revolts against the society's stagnation and sets out in a cool-looking tank across the blasted landscape... toward the other city on the horizon (nobody ventures outside of cities, you know) He finds the gateway between the worlds (left over from Medieval times on Earth) and unloads his (and his buddies) unsavory presence upon the unsuspecting idyllic Earth populace. This is a study in power dreams, plus has an interesting idea of alchemy surviving as a precise science in the future. The first part of the novel captivated me, the second part lagged behind, mired in simplistic alien combat sequences. ---------------------------------------------- Kit Pedler (and Jerry Davis) "Mutant 59: The Plastic Eaters" © 1972, Viking Press --/ fourth place apocalyptic sf novel Based on a plot that was originally written as an episode of the groundbreaking British series "Doomwatch" (which ran from 1970 to 1972), the writing team of Kit Pedler and Jerry Davis wrote Mutant 59: The Plastic Eaters in 1971 as a unique, stand-alone novel. Doomwatch was an innovative, well-ahead-of-its-time series, mainly because of Pedler and Davis, and Mutant 59: The Plastic Eaters is an enjoyably well-written reflection of that series. The plot is simple enough, which makes it all the more powerful and frightening: through a series of all-too-real events, a bacteria is developed that consumes plastic and releases methane gas. I said it was simple. But think about it this way: wires are insulated with plastic, an insulation that keeps the copper from shorting – shorting that could cause a fire or, even worse, an explosion with, say, the presence of methane. Mutant 59: The Plastic Eaters is a great science fiction adventure story featuring well-realized characters, vivid descriptions, and a suspenseful plot. If you can find a copy – which isn't easy – you'll be in for a very enjoyable read. Another interesting review of this book can be found here Review by M. Christian ---------------------------------------------- James Tiptree, Jr. "And I Awoke and Found Me Here on the Cold Hill's Side" © F&SF, Mar 1972 Ten Thousand Light-Years From Home, 1973 --short story : 1972 Nebula --short story : 1973 Hugo --short story : 1973 Locus --/ third place space sf story --/ wonder award --/ style award --/ emotion award --/ shock value The way how humans get plastered over some aliens, and fall head-over-heals in love (or lust) spells disaster for humanity's self-esteem and erodes its soul... This is a sad, shining, bittersweet, irresistible tale, the true masterpiece of story-within-a-story narration and simply gorgeous alien / spaceship visions. I am in awe of Alice Sheldon - one of the best space adventure / space romance writers ever to grace the face of the Earth. ---------------------------------------------- Return to the Wonder Timeline

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