by Henry Leon Lazarus

Science Fiction and Fantasy is often considered to exist in a ghetto, the science fiction section of book stores, and rarely finds itself selected for book-of-the-month clubs or listed in general fiction. The line, however, keeps changing as more of the general population finds itself able to handle science fiction concepts.

For instance consider The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell (hard from Villiard), a Book Of The Month Club selection. When a SETI scan finds alien music broadcast from Alpha Centauri, the Jesuits buy a mined-out asteroid with intact engines and use it to send an expedition to learn about the two intelligent species who live there. Filled with catholic angst, this complex, human story of a failure of that expedition and the ability of the single survivor to come to terms with that failure is more human oriented than typical SF, but would fit easily in the SF ghetto with its hard science background. I'm glad it made it out.

If Harry Turtledove had decided to do a four volume history of our World War II he would easily have made the best seller lists with his detailed reporting and very real characters. However, he has chosen to put his World War series in an alternate past in which lizards invade our earth at that time. In doing so he has an obligation to come up with a twist of an ending and the ending implied by the title Striking the Balance (Hard from Del Rey) is both abrupt and inconclusive. History buffs will really love what he has accomplished. Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman have set their melodrama, Starshield in a fascinating universe, one in which physical laws change with the blowing quantum winds. They mix of melodramatic tale of evil robots looking for sentience with the crew of a human ship suddenly unable to operate when it crossed a border, that, while complete, promises to be the first of a series. I really loved it when one starship crossed a border it had to hook dragons to its front to pull it. Star Wars fans will enjoy I'd rather kiss a Wookie (paper) a series of funny quotes compiled by Stephen J. Sansweet. I like the pictures of the original Topps trading cards from 1962 in Mars Attacks! The Art of the Movie (trade) put together by Karen R. Jones. I still can't believe they made a movie from them.

In a fantasy set in the future you would expect dialog from the computer like, "Protective circle operating at seventeen per cent of rated capacity." Eric S. Nylund's A Game of Universe (paper from Avonova ) not only has that, it has an assassin with multiple, magically stolen personalities on the trail of the holy Grail. It's great reading and a lot of fun. Ben Bova's beginning of a larger-than-life family saga seems to have more to do with nano-technology and the fears it induces that it does with the lunar colony that gives it its title, Moon Rise (hard). Starting with the owner of a private moon development corporation trying to survive a nano-tech dusting on the moon and continuing with bad people trying to kill his son, while looking for lunar ice on the moon (right from current headlines) it's exciting and fun, but a little over the top. Look also for Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling's collection of fairy tales, Ruby Slippers, Golden Tears now out in paper and for a new edition of Tim Powers' Last Call (trade) a world fantasy award winning novel that mixes King Arthur legends with modern Las Vegas.

David Brin's continuation of the story started in Brightness Reef (paper) continues in Infinity's Shore (hard from Bantam Spectra) begins with the arrival of the dolphin crewed starship, Streaker, first mentioned in his Hugo award winning Startide Rising (paper). Still on the run with its knowledge of the old ones, its running out of places to go to when it hides on Jijo, the planet with the six sooner species hiding from the rest of the galaxy. We are still a book from the ending of this complex story and I am beginning to dislike these cliff hanging endings.

I picked up a few Tor hardcovers at last months Philcon. Harry Harrison tries to tell us that The Stainless Steel Rat goes to Hell, but he really doesn't. He, his wife and kids end up in a series of alternate universes modified by an evil scientist trying to live forever. Piers Anthony tries to revive the energy of his long running Xanth by sending an RV filled with a vacationing tourist family into the magical land. However the bad puns threaten to overwhelm the attempt as they try to fix Yon Ill Wind. It's at least funny. Steve Barnes' Blood Brothers, a tale of white Green Beret and a black computer hacker fighting their slave owning ancestor who's sorcerous talents can let him live forever if, every so often, he kills a son in his direct line of descent, could easily find itself filed with horror instead of sf, but it's an exciting tale. And Terry Goodkind continues his exciting, but generic tale as the woodsman who has become the seeker of truth tries to unite the lands against The Blood of the Fold, an evil from the old empire ruled by a dream walking villain. Mr. Goodkind has a gift for pulse raising, pulp fiction. I just wish he could have more originality in his background.

Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough have edited a collection that takes Space Opera (paper from DAW) seriously with a collection of tales about the music of the future.

A sailboat from the far past leads to a buried gate to other planets in Jack McDevitt's Ancient Shores, now in paper from Harper Prism. Horror fans will love Forms of Heaven (hard) three plays by Clive Barker. Tales from the Impossible, a collection edited by David Copperfield, is now in paper.

Finally star trek fans will appreciate two novelizations. Diana Carey has brought Trials and Tribble-ations (paper from Pocket) to life. This is the special DS-9 episode that sent the crew back in time, with special electronic merging, to the original Trouble with Tribbles episode. David Gerrold, the author of the original script has a great introduction. J. M. Dillard gets First Contact (hard) to make live. The book also includes pictures and a behind the scenes look at how the movie was made.

The Philadelphia Science Fiction Society meets monthly, with a guest speaker for each meeting. Guests are welcome to attend this, the second oldest science fiction club in the country.