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%T The Year of the Quiet Sun
%A Wilson Tucker
%I Collier/Macmillan
%D May 1990
%O paperback, US$4.50
%P 252
%G 0-02-029895-1
Another handsome reissue from the Collier Nucleus series, of 1970
time-travel story I'd heard was a minor classic. Sadly, I found it so
dated I couldn't finish it -- the plot, which involves time travelers
exploring forward from 1978 into 1980 and beyond, necessarily gets
into a great deal of predictions of events in 1990's past that now
seem ridiculously wide of the mark. The writing is interesting, but
not interesting enough to overcome this handicap.
%T Wolfwalker
%A Tara K. Harper
%I Del Rey/Ballantine
%D May 1990
%O paperback, US$3.95
%P 310
%G 0-345-36539-9
When I first saw the cover illo and read the back-cover blurb and
Anne McCaffrey's plug for this book, I said to myself "Oh, Goddess --
not another formula menstrual-blood-and-guts fantasy!" But I'm happy
to report that this one rises above type through the sheer crackling
energy and electric zest of the writing. The world-building is better
than average, too; but then, by the time you've read a third of this
book you'll realize that the fantasy elements are actually pegged to
an SF premise. Do yourself a favor -- ignore the misleading category
box Del Rey dropped this one into, buy it, and enjoy.
%T Warrior's Woman
%A Johanna Lindsey
%I Avon
%D June 1990
%O paperback, US$5.95
%P 422
%G 0-380-75301-4
This book, by an acclaimed romance author, actually straddles two
genres. Cover illustration and plot line -- assertive yet virginal
female meets the ONE man who can best her AND meet her sexual needs --
reveal this to be the variety of romance novel often called a "bodice
ripper." Yet the setting is strictly science fiction -- the woman is
a first-class security officer from a spacefaring civilization and the
"warrior" is a barbarian leader of the native race on a planet her
people are investigating. The result? A pleasant, well-written, and
psychologically senstive sex/romance fantasy, peopled with believable
characters, and a story which, though formulaic, doesn't insult the
intelligence. Ideal summer poolside reading for femfen who are into
red-blooded romance. [Our thanks to guest reviewer Cathy Olanich, I
wouldn't have touched this one with a ten-foot pole myself -- ESR]
Up to Eric's Home Page | To Index | Thu May 24 09:55:05 EDT 1990 |
Eric S. Raymond <esr@snark.thyrsus.com>