Asimov’s Science Fiction March 2010
–published by Dell Magazine
–112 pages
–4.25/5 stars
When I saw that the cover of the latest Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine was by the contemporary artist with classical talent, Donato Giancola, it became a must buy. I was also excited by the opportunity to read a story by Kristine Kathyrn Rusch, whose latest book, Diving Into the Wreck, has been getting positive buzz on the net. While I certainly hoped that a cover-to-cover read through this magazine would deliver more thrills than chills, I did not expect it to be quite the intensely pleasurable experience it turned out to be.
Immediately following the editorial, Robert Silverberg’s column, Reflections, focuses on the old adage “show, don’t tell” when it comes to memorable storytelling. In discussing this method of writing, Silverberg features several talented, classic authors, most extensively Robert A. Heinlein. It was an interesting article that turned out to be prophetic in regards to the stories included in this volume, which, in my opinion, “showed” very well.
In his column On The Net James Patrick Kelly discusses the idea of “free” in relation to the online world and in the process suggests several places to take advantage of “free” items, like science fiction stories.
The fiction included in this issue is broken down into short stories, novelettes, and poems.
Helping Them Take the Old Man Down by William Preston starts off the fiction on a very high note. The story is told from the point of view of a man, Lanny, who retired from a clandestine organization to settle down to married life and a teaching career. Throughout the story he references adventures that he and others participated in under the guidance of “the old man”, a formidable, almost prescient, enigmatic man whose sole purpose, it seemed, was to help those who cried out for his services. After the events of 9/11, the protagonist is approached by a government agency seeking to find the old man. Although he is not privy to his former employer’s whereabouts, Lanny feels himself drawn towards a conclusion that feels nothing if not inevitable. The story feels like a mix of the talents of Robert A. Heinlein and Paul Auster, which I submit is high praise indeed.
Centaurs by Benjamin Crowell continues the Heinlein vibe with a short story that reminded me of The Menace From Earth, not only because of the teenage female protagonist but also because of an event that happens near the end of the story that does not mirror, but does echo, the climax of Menace. The story is well told and charming right up until the end, where it stops in a manner too abrupt to be completely satisfying, as if an editor asked for the final page to be trimmed down to one paragraph. The hormonal moodiness of the typical teenager is well-portrayed here and I would not hesitate to sample more of Crowell’s work.
Next came another novelette, this one by Alexander Jablokov, Blind Cat Dance. Blind Cat Dance is the kind of story that could have easily been too far “out there” to ever be entertaining. It reminded me, structurally, of a few of Cordwainer Smith’s short stories. In Jablokov’s tale, the reader views the interactions of Berenika and a couple of her friends as she proceeds to make a new life for herself after leaving her husband. The person telling the story is a mysterious figure whose role is revealed as the story progresses. Woven in to the human’s story is a tale about how the animals of earth have been made to survive and how the wild quality of nature is returning due to a method whereby the animals are functioning in a world where they do not see or sense humans and where man made materials are interpreted by their minds as trees, rocks and other parts of the natural world. It sounds odd, and it is, but it works very well, especially as the story progresses. Jabolokov, through the voice of the observer, demonstrates the point of Silverberg’s column by telling the story through what he shows rather than spelling everything out in info dump style in the text.
Derek Zumsteg offers up the second short story in the issue, the entertaining Ticket Inspector Gliden Becomes the First Martyr of the Glorious Human Uprising. In another excellent example of “showing”, Zumsteg presents a future Berlin in which a train inspector who longs to be a detective finds himself in an increasingly hostile position as he attempts to enforce the ticketing policy with a couple of ranking alien politicians. Zumsteg’s tell is witty without being silly and the tension, present from the very beginning when one sees the word “matyr” in the title, mounts steadily to a satisfying conclusion.
Poetry is, in my opinion, an art form that generates opinions that are even more subjective than those regarding fiction. There are three poems included in this volume. The third, Our Canine Defense Team, finds man on trial for the treatment of the animal kingdom after an accident gives them sentience. This brief account of who defends mankind (beside those revealed in the title) and mankind’s response at the end of the trial is both cutting and clever.
The final short story in this issue is The Speed of Dreams by Will Lugwigsen, in which a young female student postulates that dream time moves faster than regular time, thus more living is accomplished when one dreams. The method by which she sets out to prove her theory is creative and fun, especially for dog lovers. The engaging protagonist presents a plausible argument for her theory and Lugwigsen delivers an ending that I did not see coming. Wow!
This issue ends with Kristine Kathryn Rusch’s novelette, The Tower. A clandestine meeting on London Bridge offers Thomas Ayliffe the time travel opportunity of a lifetime: the chance to go back to 1674 to pull of the greatest heist in history. This same journey offers Neyla Kendrick a chance to investigate the unsolved murder of the two young Princes in the Tower who disappeared during the reign of Richard the Third. Needless to say, two people at such cross purposes on a delicate and dangerous trip back through time are bound to find themselves in trouble. I was impressed with Rusch’s writing style. After the interesting groundwork is laid, the story ratchets up in suspense with each turn of the page. I thought for sure I had the whole thing figured out…turns out I was wrong. And while I like my own imagined ending better, I think Rusch did a really fine job of storytelling here.
Throw in a preview of the next issue, a few pages of book reviews by Paul Di Filippo, and a list of the science fiction conventions in the U.S. scheduled for the year and you’ve got a really nice volume of work, well worth the $4.99 cover price. I do believe this is the first issue of Asimov’s that I have read cover-to-cover but it certainly will not be my last. All of the short story/novelette authors are ones whom I would read again and will look for in future magazine issues and anthologies.
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This book is a selection for The Sci Fi Experience 2010
Mind Voyages (for the Pluto Voyage)
The 2010 42 Challenge
The 2010 Short Story Challenge
and
Does sound like a pretty good issue, though I have the unfortunate habit of measuring all SF magazines against the much beloved by me Astounding Science Fiction of my youth (sigh) which makes it mighty hard for any to measure up.
You don’t mention any interior illustrations. Have they gone the way of so many other good things that someone, somewhere decided were unnecessary or unprofitable?
I really liked Kristine Kathryn Rusch’s novel The Disappeared (my review is here) and have just taken the second in the Retrieval Artist series – Extremes – off the shelf. I also have her Diving Into the Wreck, which I’m eager to read. It recently won an award for best “adventure SF”.
On another topic, I went to the NESFA site yesterday, needing a bit of information on one of the collections. It was NOT an inexpensive visit! Four (yep, 4, count ’em 4) books on the way. More on that when those beauties arrive…
It’s raining cats and dogs here, and once again our storm will be heading east. Enjoy.
Thanks so much for the glowing review of my story (though you left a word out of the title). It’s immensely gratifying when someone speaks up about enjoying my work. Funny you should mention Auster: I have two of his early books on my desk right now, recommended by a colleague who thinks I might teach one of them next year; I must shamefacedly report I have only half-read one Auster novel (his most recent), so your comparison intrigues me. Thanks again and best wishes.
Donato Giancola: yep, he really is a good artist!!
Deslily: He is quite impressive. One of the few contemporary artists I am aware of working today that makes me feel like he time traveled back to be taught by “The Masters”.
Bill: You are very welcome, your story kicked this issue off on a really strong note. Yet another lesson learned about typing in the wee hours of the morning. Since I doubt that all the magazines in the world will suddenly adopt my title change, I have went back and corrected my mistake, thanks for pointing it out. I read Auster’s The New York Trilogy a little over a year ago and when I was reading your story yesterday I immediately flashed back to a memory of that book, so something about your writing struck that cord. I don’t always make an effort to compare one writer to another, but since that came up unbidden, and was a positive comparison in my mind, I couldn’t help but mention it.
Richard: I’ll be looking forward to seeing what tempted you into the big expense from NESFA once they arrive.
I’m sure it is really hard to compare today’s magazines to those giants of the past. Since I have read about an equal number of stories from both (and that not a lot from the actual digests/magazines themselves) I try to approach it with the idea that the stories featured in these just might be the kind of memorable stories that makes someone pick up a back issue of this magazine sometime in the distant future. You never know.
As for interior illustrations, there weren’t any here. Depending on the quality of them I don’t know if it helps or hurts more. I picked up either Analog or Fantasy and Science Fiction the other day and a couple of the story illustrations were, in my opinion, awful and made me reluctant to pick up the issue. Which is unfair.
I actually ended up picking up Rusch’s Diving Into the Wreck while I was out today because I found a copy that was in nice shape. I have a big queue right now of stuff I want to read this month, but there is a good chance that will be bumped up the list. I’ll be checking out your review of The Disappeared.
We are reportedly in between snowstorms here! Hopefully it won’t interfere with our Superbowl plans.
GREAT cover!!! Donato Giancola is a modern day master. I can definitely see why you want to pick it up.
I’ll be interested in hearing what you think of Diving Into the Wreck.
Richard: Thanks for weather! 🙂
Jeff: I was just over at Donato’s site and he created this image for a DVD demonstration project that is available through Massive Black. It is a 5 hour, 2 disc demonstration of the creative process. I would love to see it, but it is kind of pricey.
I also saw his book club edition illustration for PKD’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Interesting! Might have to keep my eye out for a used copy of that.
Have you read the book (DO ANDROIDS DREAM…) ?
Richard: Yes I have, I reviewed it here. It was an odd book, very different than what I expected after multiple viewings of Blade Runner (though I was not surprised that it was different). It was not my favorite book ever and yet I find that parts of it still enter my mind unbidden and it has stuck with me over the past two years.
Wow! I would love to see those DVD’s too but I can’t afford $ 60 for them at this point in my life. Someday though…someday.
Just thought I’d blow in (like the proverbial ill wind. Or something.) and wish everyone a happy Super Bowl day. If you’e enjoying a party, be safe, drive safe and al that stuff. If not, you apparently have no friends. Like me. No, wait, I’m going across the street to a small SB party. Game comes on at 3:00 p.m. here, so there’s still lots of time to get something worthwhile accomplished, like read a book.
We’ve all pre-ordered pizza from different places (Pizza Hut, Papa John, Ist Class, Dominoes, Ogie’s Chicago Best Pizza) and they’re all scheduled to be delivered about the same time (4:00 p.m.). Should be interesting.
I’m not rooting for anyone, I just want a good game, free of injuries and officiating gaffs. May the best team win!
Wish you all the same, Richard. I’m pulling for the Saints but don’t really care much either way, I too just want a good game.
And I’m about to log off and go do just what you suggest, continue reading a book! 🙂
You’ve got me really curious, what is with the pizza ordering from so many different places?!?!
Richard: I love that idea of ordering pizzas from a whole bunch of different places. What a fun idea. I will do that some time.
We just thought it would b e fun, and we can do a side-by-side comparison. There are due to be eleven (maybe 12) of us, and we’re getting a large pizza from each of the six joints. We did a favorite toppings list so no one ordered anchovies, spinach or something equally repulsive.
That sounds like a lot of fun. It would be even more fun if all the delivery guys arrived at the same time! I would love to get pizza from a few of my favorite places all at the same time to do some taste comparisons. And of course just to gorge myself with pizza. 🙂
And I like spinach on my pizza.
Just an fyi for those who are interested, you can read a sizeable chunk of William Preston’s “Helping Them Take the Old Man Down” and Kristine Kathryn Rusch’s “The Tower” on Asimov’s website here. If you are curious about either story and wondering if the magazine is something worth picking up (YES! in my opinion, check these out.
If you’ve still got the issue, I’d like to buy it off you. Or, if you know someone selling a copy, that would be great to. Let me know. Thanks