The Short Story Thread

[clovis-man]

From Asimov's series, The Great Short Stories, I was very much intrigued by Proof by Hal Clement. This story is from 1942. Clement was one of the pioneers of "hard" science fiction. This story was fascinating to me because it presages, by almost forty years the novel Sundiver, by David Brin. Both deal with the notion that intelligent life may be found inside the sun.

[blacknorth]

Death of a Sensitive by Harry Bates - oddly beautiful story - literally not of this world. This was followed, in the same volume, by Cherryh's acclaimed story Cassandra which I found short and messy by comparison.

[dask]

Originally Posted by blacknorth

Death of a Sensitive by Harry Bates - oddly beautiful story - literally not of this world. This was followed, in the same volume, by Cherryh's acclaimed story Cassandra which I found short and messy by comparison.

Which collection is this? Harry Bates stuff isn't that easy to find.

[blacknorth]

Originally Posted by dask

Which collection is this? Harry Bates stuff isn't that easy to find.

It's an anthology called The Unexplained - Stories of the Paranormal, edited by Ric Alexander, published in paperback by Millenium in 1998. It seems to be a cash-in on The X-Files, but its contents are so good that it defies that intention - the stories are well-chosen.

[dask]

Many thanks, I'll keep my eyes peeled.

[Fried Egg]

I just finished a superbly scary story called "The Beast of the Gateway" by W. H. Hodgeson in the Wordsworth collection "The Carnacki Casebook: Ghostfinder".

I think that he writes a really good ghost story. Not quite as careful a build up nor as subtle as M. R. James but he weaves a really great, scary and down right entertaining story nonetheless. I can't wait to see how this collection develops.

[jojajihisc]

A Cabin on the Coast by Gene Wolfe - Creepy little mystery about a sea-faring, mystical race. Can be found in Best of the Best: 20 Years of the Year's Best Science Fiction edited by Gardner Dozois

Stories For Men by John Kessel - Matriarchal, lunar utopia with men as disenfranchised playthings that live lives of leisure and irrelevance, mostly. Can be found in The Year's Best Science Fiction: Twentieth Annual Edition edited by Gardner Dozois.

[Connavar]

Originally Posted by Fried Egg

I just finished a superbly scary story called "The Beast of the Gateway" by W. H. Hodgeson in the Wordsworth collection "The Carnacki Casebook: Ghostfinder".

I think that he writes a really good ghost story. Not quite as careful a build up nor as subtle as M. R. James but he weaves a really great, scary and down right entertaining story nonetheless. I can't wait to see how this collection develops.

I dont think too highly of Carnacki stories in general because his sea monster stories has much better energy,horror atmosphere to them.

Thats why i gave away my copy in bookmooch and ordered Nighsthade's complete collection books of his.

Look for them in second hand or library if you want see the best of William Hope Hodgson.

[Fried Egg]

Well I've read "House on the Borderland" which is supposed to one of his best and I am enjoying these stories at least as much as I enjoyed that. Perhaps more because I think I enjoy his shorter stories more. I also read his "Eloi Eloi Lama Sabachthani" in an anthology which was very good.

[Connavar]

I havent read House on the Borderland, i meant other shorter stories of his that different from Carnacki.

I'm not a big fan of the ghost story. I prefer other types of horror. Might be why i didnt enjoy Carnacki stories as much.

Have you read Le Fanu ?

The stories In a Glass Darkly except Carmillia are about the occult detective Dr Martin Hesselius with similar stories to Carnacki.

[Fried Egg]

No, I haven't read Le Fanu yet altough he is on my radar.

[Fried Egg]

A nice little tale by Robert Silverberg called "To be Continued" in the collection entitled: "The Songs of Summer".

The story was one of his early stories written in 1956 about a near immortal human who has waited two thousand years to become fertile and now seeks a mate in order to pass on his gift of elongated life but is having a spot of trouble finding the right woman...

[Connavar]

Originally Posted by jojajihisc

A Cabin on the Coast by Gene Wolfe - Creepy little mystery about a sea-faring, mystical race. Can be found in Best of the Best: 20 Years of the Year's Best Science Fiction edited by Gardner Dozois

Stories For Men by John Kessel - Matriarchal, lunar utopia with men as disenfranchised playthings that live lives of leisure and irrelevance, mostly. Can be found in The Year's Best Science Fiction: Twentieth Annual Edition edited by Gardner Dozois.

Heh i have that 20 Years special collection of Gardner Dozois. Easily the finest anthology of newer sf stories i have read.

Not read the Gene Wolfe one. Read most of the authors. Focusing on new authors for me.

Do you remember a great annual of that series, i was wondering an older annual to get ?

[jojajihisc]

Originally Posted by Connavar

Heh i have that 20 Years special collection of Gardner Dozois. Easily the finest anthology of newer sf stories i have read.

Not read the Gene Wolfe one. Read most of the authors. Focusing on new authors for me.

Do you remember a great annual of that series, i was wondering an older annual to get ?

I wish I knew myself, but the only other one I have is the twentieth and it is not as good as that "Best of.." edition. Browsing Amazon (where you can look at the table of contents which is great for anthologies) the highest rated one by customers is the ninth edition.

[blacknorth]

Originally Posted by dask

Many thanks, I'll keep my eyes peeled.

Happened across another Bates story, titled, Alas, All Thinking, in The Mammoth Book of Classic SF - Great Short Novels of the 1930's. Have set it aside for reading.

In the meantime I'm rediscovering Martian Crown Jewels by Poul Anderson. What a great title!