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SF Reviews and Articles in General Publications
''Hannibal'' is a novel full of rough bumps and little insights as sharp as one of the doctor's own needles; Harris observes America with a cultured civility and perfect grasp of Southern idiom that only Tom Wolfe can match. And Harris understands plot as well as language. The result is a book as insightful as ''A Man in Full,'' but rather more successful; there is never the feeling that the author is carrying his story on his back like a heavy piece of furniture, teeth gritted and cords popping out on his neck.Earlier reviews were not so positive: Christopher Lehmann-Haupt's review in the June 10th New York Times; Jabari Asim's review in the same day's Washington Post. (Mon 14 June 1999) § New York Times Book Review June 6th The ''Summer Reading'' issue of recommended books of 1999 so far lists four SF titles, including three of those just reviewed last week in Gerald Jonas' SF column: books by Christopher Priest, James Alan Gardner, and Elizabeth Hand. The fourth book is Octavia E. Butler's Parable of the Talents (Seven Stories). Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon (Avon) is included on the Fiction & Poetry list, along with (among many others) John Updike and Katrina Kenison's anthology The Best American Short Stories of the Century, Julian Barnes' England, England, Salman Rushdie's The Ground Beneath Her Feet, Martin Amis' Heavy Water and other stories, Ann Arensberg's Incubus, Colson Whitehead's The Intuitionist, Christopher Buckley's Little Green Men, Steve Erickson's The Sea Came in at Midnight, and Kurt Andersen's Turn of the Century. Among nonfiction titles: Brian Greene's The Elegant Universe, Susan Blackmore's The Meme Machine, Marina Warner's No Go the Bogeyman, Richard Dawkins' Unweaving the Rainbow, and David Fromkin's The Way of the World. (Wed 9 June 1999)
Here's MSNBC's take on Stephenson and Cryptonomicon.
[E]arns a place of honor among the already distinguished titles in what might be termed the literature of the Third Sex. ... In prose as clean and precise as a surgical instrument, Mission Child tells a story both deeper and broader than that; but the problem of finding one's place in a vast and rapidly changing world, a place of terror and beauty, lies at the heart of this splendid book.On Constantine: ''the reputation she really deserves is that of a fine, underappreciated writer.''
Rowling delivers plenty of ghoulish giggles, including a "deathday" party for a 500-year-old ghost, peevish poltergeists, exploding wands and magic potions aplenty. And in young Potter the prestidigitator, she has created a hero as resourceful, brave and loyal as Luke Skywalker himself.
I have to say that I think the Barnes is a makeweight on the shortlist; the Sinclair and Sullivan are not bad, but not winners, and the Delacorte is too traditional. This year's winner must be either MacLeod or Priest, both devoted, in stunningly different ways, to exploring ''the nature of the universe, of man, or 'reality' ''.In fact, Tricia Sullivan's Dreaming In Smoke won the award. Here's David Langford's report on the nominees, the winner, and his take on other current awards nominees. (Thu 3 June 1999) |
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§ New York Times June 2nd
§ New York Times Book Review May 30th and June 6th
§ Washington Post Book World May 30th
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