Five books and two novellas this month. Tomato Cain, Danse Macabre, and An Hour Before Daylight are books that I started months ago and just got around to finishing.
The Word for World is Forest by Ursula Le Guin (Gollanz, 2015) First published in 1972.
Captain Don Davidson is the captain of a logging camp on the planet Athshe, also called New Tahiti. The planet provides materials for Earth which has lost its natural resources. Many of the peaceful natives of the planet are conscripted as “voluntary workers” and used as slave labor. While Davidson and the other loggers look down on the natives, the scientist Raj Luybov has built a relationship with one of them. This allows him to learn their language and study how they use dreams for healing and making decisions. After years of stripping forests there’s a native uprising.
Captain Davison isn't a very complex character and comes across as a one-dimensional villain, but his way of thinking and the excuses he makes to justify his actions seem pretty familiar these days. Although the themes of colonialism and deforestation were not very subtle, I was still drawn in by the writing and characters, including the inhabitants of the forest world. Winner of the 1973 Hugo Award for Best Novella.
Tomato Cain and Other Stories by Nigel Kneale (Comma Press, 2023) First published in the Uk in 1949 and in the US in 1950.
A few years ago I watched a video of a speech Ray Bradbury gave to aspiring writers. One of the things he did in the speech was to recommend short story authors to read. One of the authors mentioned was Nigel Kneale, known for creating and writing the Professor Quatermass serials and movies. At the time I watched the video his work was out of print. That changed in 2022 with a new edition of Tomato Cain and Other Stories. It includes a new introduction by Mark Gatiss and collects all the stories from the original US and UK editions, plus three previously uncollected stories. The third uncollected story was discovered after the new edition was published and is now included in later editions.
The stories are a mix of character, ghost, and horror stories, some experimental, many set on the Isle of Man, many involving animals somehow, and most ending with a final twist. It’s an interesting variety; some are lighthearted and humorous while others are quite dark and sad. The stories reminded me of three of my favorite authors, Roald Dahl, Fredric Brown, and Ray Bradbury. As with most collections, I enjoyed some stories more than others, but I was never bored, and I got something out of all of them.
The White Lion by Scott Oden
In the city of Acre during the last days of the Crusades, sword for hire Tancred of Antioch aka The White Lion, seeks revenge after his friend is murdered. This fast-paced novella is filled with action and intrigue and reminded me of the historical fiction of Harold Lamb and Robert E. Howard.
One thing I would have liked is a short afterword with some historical background information. The ones included at the end of Bernard Cornwell’s Richard Sharpe novels always add to my enjoyment of the books. In any case this novella has reawakened my interest in the history of the Crusades. This was a quick and enjoyable read. I’m looking forward to the further adventures of the White Lion.
Xenia in the Court of the Winds: A Tale of the Ancient World by Scott Oden
In this novella, Odysseus and the Cyclops Polyphemus are written as if they were historical figures. A young boy befriends an injured Polyphemus and brings him to his king. The story explores the concepts of the outsider, the monster, the hero, as well as the custom of xenia, “guest friendship” in the ancient world. The writing has a lyrical quality and reminds me of the historical fiction of Mary Renault.
Deliverance by James Dickey (Delta, 1994) First published in 1970.
I never watched the film adaptation, but I was aware of some of the plot details since the movie is so well known. Four middle aged men from the city go on a canoe trip in a remote area of North Georgia. The tension builds slowly at first but then really ramps up as they wind up fighting for survival.
I wasn’t expecting to like the writing as much as I did, and I didn’t realize that James Dickey was not only a poet but a Poet Laureate. It explains his prose, which captivated me from the start. When reading about the author I also learned that he was passionate about archery, guitar, and white-water canoeing, all of which he put to good use in this novel.
There are times when the author uses long sentences and paragraphs. Although I usually don’t care for that, the sentences flow here. Dare I say it, the story and the prose carried me as if I were white water rafting, alternating between moving slowly and effortlessly to plunging headlong between dangerous rocks. While parts were a real page turner parts were also descriptive and reflective.
James Dickey also wrote the screenplay for the film adaptation which I watched the day after finishing the book. The film follows the novel very closely and the cast is perfect. The minor changes, the direction, the visuals, the soundtrack, all bring the movie to the next level.
Non-fiction:
Danse Macabre by Stephen King (Berkley, 1983) First published in 1981.
In Danse Macabre, Stephen King discusses horror fiction in film, radio, television, and in print, focusing on 1950 to 1980. The book begins with a couple of introductory chapters on the basics of horror and an autobiographical chapter. I found the chapter on radio fascinating and the chapters on television and books interesting, but I felt that the chapters on film dragged. Those chapters were a little too long winded for me.
King gives the plot details of the works he discusses and, in most cases, provides interesting analysis and insight. As he gives lots of spoilers, I skimmed the parts regarding movies and books I want to get to in the future. I thought it was a mostly fascinating overview of horror, but some may find it too detailed.
Full review here:
We Learn by Writing: Danse Macabre by Stephen King
In this book former US President Jimmy Carter writes about his childhood on his family’s Depression-era farm in Plains, Georgia. Waking up before dawn he helped out with tasks from a very early age and graduated to more complicated jobs as he got older. From plowing fields to making sausage, there was always something that needed to be done.
He also describes small town life, explores family dynamics, and discusses segregation. While many of the topics are serious, he throws in some very humorous anecdotes as well. It rambles at times, but he always brings it back to his parents and the other people in his life who influenced him. An inspiring read.
Next Month
I haven’t been able to get into any of the YouTube reading events. I think I’m more of a mood reader so who knows what’s next. How is it almost September already?
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