STOP THE PRESSES—EXTRA—EXTRA—EXTRA—John Varley At Work On IRONTOWN BLUES

Dateline July 11, 2015

After John Varley's most recent disappointing effort on DARK LIGHTNING (DL) we came to the conclusion that either Varley had lost his love for Science Fiction and just can't write in the genre anymore, or that someone had stolen his identity and had written the book forging his name. Neither Rick nor I could finish DL! And we tried. Oh how we tried. I managed to get 90 pages into the book before bailing. The main characters in a sort of dysfunctional homage to Heinlein, were space-faring, beautiful, athletic, and at the center of the action. Unfortunately, they are not at all likable.  They are so annoying insufferable as to be intolerable. I could not stand another minute of their story. Rick was even ore determined to finish DL. He spent an excruciating two months trying to continue the book before he punched-out, at only the 60 page mark. We anguished over the uncomfortable fact that there may now be a Varley book that we had not finished. But there it is: the book is unreadable. We choose to remember Varley for his successes, not his recent failures.

We don't know for sure just what happened to DL but it does not have the Varley touch that distinguishes the vast majority of his oeuvre from the more mundane efforts of other SF writers. The high mark of Varley's writing are the Gaean Trilogy and the Eight Worlds series. Varley's Eight Worlds has memory recording, biological sex-changing, and body swapping in its suite of society changing technologies. Varley wrote twenty short stories in the Eight Worlds with THE OPHIUCHI HOTLINE as the capstone novel. Later he revisited it with the first two novels of a proposed trilogy.

 The trilogy was conceived as a thematic trio with professional characters counterpoised to give a multifaceted view of his vision of the futureand all with a different metal in the title. This was to be Varley's "Metal" trilogy. The first novel of this trilogy, STEEL BEACH, featured a reporter. The second, THE GOLDEN GLOBE, published in 1998, had an actor as the protagonist. And the third proposed novel was to be about a cop. Its title was to be IRONTOWN BLUES. Reporter, actor and cop. Apparently Varley was stuck on the cop story because he published six other novels since 1998, one of which, MAMMOTH, ranks among his very best work. So now after a seventeen year hiatus Varley has announced that his is returning to his Eight Worlds stomping ground and is working on IRONTOWN BLUES!

This is such amazing news that I am already clearing my calendar for a re-read of all the Eight Worlds series in preparation for what I fully expect to be a great novel. Let's hope that Varley has gotten his grove back and that his return to the Eight Worlds indicates a return to the story telling greatness that made John Varley such an important author in our development.


Here is the press release from Varley.net:

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IRONTOWN BLUES

It's six years after I was included on io9's list of 12 Unfinished SF Novels We Wish We Could Read, and I am finally at work on IRONTOWN BLUES! I hope to have it finished by the end of the year, and it should see print sometime in 2016.

July 11, 2015
Vancouver, WA

THE STAND by Stephen King

Narrated by Grover Gardner

     Never Flagging in its Determination

Laying claim more to being a novel of Americana than a horror story The Stand explores our way of life by setting up an apocalyptic scenario that takes away every vestige of the United States except the good and the bad that reside within us.  Soon after the man-made plague exterminates 99 and 44/100 of the population the survivors have just begun to pool their resources when they are drawn into a larger end-of-the-world conflict between good and evil. The story has some of the qualities of a gothic horror novel, namely the slow built-up of anticipation leading to a terror-filled climax. Stephen King has managed to flesh out the characters well, so while they are chiefly stereotypes of accountants, rock stars, criminals, rapists, homemakers and the like, they manage to present themselves with a sense of authenticity that is a pleasure to experience.

This is a massive brick of a novel. When you see the 45 hour run time and begin listening you know you are in for a long haul. Expecting rapid pacing for such a tome is not realistic. I approached this knowing that it would be like watching a television mini-series. I knew it would develop slowly and that I would either find a way to like the characters, and thereby the story, or I would not be able to finish it. Fortunately Stephen King has a knack for creating likable characters, or, barring that, at least interesting characters, so I was along for the ride; willing to let the story unfold at its own pace, which is slow and deliberate, not plodding mind you, but certainly not up to the pace that fans of Zombie Apocalypse or of Military Science Fiction are used to.  The feeling one gets listening to The Stand is akin to going to a small farming town to visit your Great Aunt, passing the peaceful hours on the front porch in a rocking chair watching the corn grow. Peaceful, relaxing, contemplative. The element of horror is so subdued, so secondary that it will not give anyone nightmares.

The Science Fiction fan in me kept trying to analyze the situation put forth in this novel—that of a small remnant population living off the supplies left behind by a thriving civilization. Whenever a character mentioned that they now had an unlimited supply of some commodity, be it motorcycles, clothing, canned goods, or gasoline, I could not help but think that these people are very short-sighted. I was thinking to myself, “Don’t they realize that their supply lines and transport of goods has been completely cut off?” No one is making motorcycles. No one is refining gasoline. No manufacturers are stitching clothes, making shoes or making anything. Any food crops will soon have to be grown by them and that if they don’t locate seeds they will never taste a green bean again. The canned goods will soon expire and leave even their tiny population in need. I had to consciously repress this part of my mind to enable me to enjoy the story.

In times past I have been very critical of the narration of Grover Gardner. His effort on Shelby Foote’s Civil War series was a hindrance to the enjoyment the text. He seems to be a completely difference narrator here. In this piece of fiction his expressions are much more animated and, therefore, much more\enjoyable. He does different voices for every character, and they truly seem like different people. His female voices are convincing and appropriate. True his voice still has a slightly grating quality to my ears, high-pitched and nasal, but the other components of his voice. pitch, inflection, tone and pacing are inviting. He really puts a lot of effort into this. I attribute the difference to the material. The Civil War series is non-fiction, somber and matter-of-fact. The Stand is a work of fiction, well-written, and benefits from his dramatic performance.  

ARMADA by Ernest Cline

Narrated by Wil Wheaton

     Wax On—Wax Off    

FAQ:

Is this a sequel to Ready Player One?

No. But it is a thematic and stylistic follow-up novel. Cline not only understands the Science Fiction genre in books, movies and video games, he also has the chops to tell a valid story within that framework; one that tries to examine the human condition. Just as in Ready Player One, Ernest Cline draws in the listener with great characterization, and keeps him with a great story.

Will non-Sci-Fi fans find this as accessible as its predecessor?

Probably not. One of the best elements for me is the complete fanboy immersion experience. But then, I am so close to the subject that I may not be an objective judge on this one. While I appear to be a respectable functioning adult most of the time, in reality I am just a geek at heart.

Will using the many Sci-Fi tropes in this novel as a drinking game quickly drive you three sheets to the wind?

Oh Yes, and probably in less than an hour. You may even experience flashbacks if you lived through that decade. And this is one reason that non-Sci-Fi fans may quickly tire of the book. For the true fan every recognized reference is like scoring bonus points and high-fiving your imaginary friend. For the uninitiated it may seem like a compendium of obsessive self-indulgent narcissistic nerd fantasies strung together just to see how many can be squeezed into a novel length book.

Does Wil Wheaton give an all out dramatic performance?

Yes. Wil Wheaton has greatly improved in the variety and intensity of his character voices. In Ready Player One he always faithfully related the sarcastic thoughts of Wade Watts, the protagonist. His voicing of the other characters were not always as spot on or as energetic. Now, here in Armada, Wheaton steps up his game a full level. His dramatic performance adds a tremendous amount to the enjoyment of this audiobook. In fact, even if the story had fallen flat Wheaton’s performance would have made it entertaining.  

Is Ernest Cline now on your short list of Must-Listen Authors?

Yes. He is two for two in by book. And if Wil Wheaton signs on to do the narration I will definitely anticipate Cline’s next book as much as I did this one.

DEPARTURE by A.G. Riddle

Narrated by Nikola Barber and Scott Aiello

     Playing With Time Travel Paradox    

As is the case with many Time Travel novels this one deals with the paradoxes caused by looping when going back in time to f\try to fix things. One nice touch here is that the characters looping back through time do not always find themselves allied with their future selves. This provided for some dandy plot twists. It is quite an achievement for A.G. Riddle in managing to keep such time travel looping relatively simple and making the action easy to comprehend.

I really appreciated the technical production of this audiobook.  Ever since I listened to the tag-team narration of Dracula with Susan Adams and Alexander Spencer I have been a fan of books read by two narrators. Here in Departure the narration switches seamlessly from male to female whenever appropriate and it adds a great deal to the experience. The clarity of the audio is outstanding. Both narrators change their tone to give each character a different voice. Nikola Barber is really skilled at performing male voices. Scott Aiello gives convincing character voices that are instantly recognizable. 

BLOODY JACK by L.A. Meyer

Narrated by Katherine Kellgren

  Predictable But Enjoyable 

Part Dickensian street urchin story and part swashbuckler, this story is predictable but lovable. It follows the coming of age of a young orphan who survives the street and hides out on a British sailing ship masquerading as a boy. All the standard misadventures and close calls from such a situation are present but, somehow, are not entirely disappointing despite their inevitability.

Because of Katherine Kellgren’s performance I really enjoyed this. It is as predictable as any children’s story but also as clean. In some ways I appreciated the story for its simplicity. The characters are stereotyped but consistent and as voiced my Kellgren quite engaging. Jackie, the title character, is particularly well performed.  I can recommend this for a brief diversion. 

THE STRANGE AFFAIR OF SPRING HEELED JACK: Burton and Swinburne, Book 1 by Mark Hodder

Narrated by Gerard Doyle

  Steampunk / Filler / Time Travel / Wrap-Up 

Steampunk has its own appeal and this story rides that for all its worth. The first third is awash with alternate history Steampunk elements, but after a few hours the story simply must carry the day. In this regard, this it is only partly successful. The middle third is little more than filler, padding the book out to novel length. Then in the past third we are treated to a section from Jack’s perspective. He is the most interesting character in the story. This section is an interesting exploration of time-travel paradox and is a lot of fun. But then near the end we return to Burton and Swinburne who must solve the mystery and bring the novel to an anticlimactic finish.  Not enough to justify continuing with the series.

Gerard Doyle sounds so much like Simon Vance (aka Robert Whitfield) that I had to do a biographical search to validate, or in this case, invalidate that notion. Apparently Doyle and Vance are not the same person—at least that is what THEY say—but I am not so sure. At any rate, Doyle is every bit as competent as Vance would have been with the same material, so this audiobook has that much going for it. 

SPEAKS THE NIGHTBIRD by Robert MaCammon

Narrated by Edoardo Ballerini

     Mundane Mainstream Historical Fiction

Another novel that I gave a try based solely on the popularity among my fellow audiobook listeners. A historical novel that failed to capture my interest. I bailed out after only two hours. Lesson learned: Stick with what you know. 

Edoardo Ballerini has a rich sonorous voice that is pleasant to listen to. His performance, however, is far too understated for the material. Such a period piece demands a more dynamic performance. You know, flowery costumes, melodramatic acting. Think Anthony Andrews in the Scarlet Pimpernel. Had he gone that direction this could possibly have been fun. 

OUTLANDER by Diana Gabaldon

Narrated by Davina Porter

     CAUTION ROMANCE NOVEL AHEAD!

This is a very popular book, popular series, and popular author, but not everything popular is right for every reader. Just like Romance readers don’t like Science Fiction—and, no, a Romance Futuristic is not Science Fiction, not even if it involves an element of Time Travel. Make no mistake—this is a Romance novel. I decided to give it a try because thousands of people can’t be wrong. Well, they are not wrong, I am sure their fondness for this book is genuine—for them. When you look at the fawning reviews and the thousands of high ratings remember this important fact: Many thousands of people enjoy a nice romance novel. I am just not one of them. Go into any used bookstore and browse through the stacks and stacks of romance novels. Witness the avid romance readers bringing in bags and bags of books for trade and you will understand that there is a whole world of Romance readership and fandom that Science Fiction geeks will never be a part. I wanted to like this novel, I really did, but I just don’t get the whole Romance thing. I only made it about 90 minutes into this one.

Davina Porter was just average for me. She fails at depicting male voices convincingly. I realize that she is playing to a female audience but she did not help make this book accessible to me. 

DEAR LEADER by Jang Jin-sung

Narrated by Daniel York

     Tell a Lie 100 Times—Even the Liar Believes It

An adventurous tale of a North Korean defector making his way to freedom. Along the way he finds favor with empathetic strangers, his Korean pursuers nipping at his heels. This account makes clear the claim that North Korea is the most oppressive socialist regime in power. In comparison, even China seems like a free state. Devotion to Kim Jong-Il is so pervasive that even love for one’s family must be suppressed lest one is thought to be disloyal. This displaced loyalty leads to a sort of nationalized mental disorder. This book will have you rooting for Jang Jin-sung, his trials becoming your trials, adrenaline rushing through your body.

Daniel York manages to maintain a slight oriental accent but with British pronunciation. His performance quickly becomes the voice of Jang in your head. 

HAVANA NOCTURNE by T.J. English

Narrated by Mel Foster

     Business Trouble In Paradise

Before this book I had, of course, heard that the Mob once had ties to Cuba, but I never realized the extent of that involvement. I found this historical account to be very engaging and, at times, even quite exciting. The most interesting element is the business acumen exercised by the mob bosses who ran the casinos in Cuba as lucrative profit making ventures; staying within the local laws and customs. Their skills, garnered through years of illegal operations in the United States, served them well in dealing with the warlords of the Cuban dictatorship. Had it not been for the revolution of Fidel Castro the mob may have built a Caribbean empire; a sovereign underworld nation.

Mel Foster’s narration is quite dramatic and many of the people are given accents that help to keep the figures straight.