I’ve not been posting much, so a quick update on life, the universe and what I’m reading at the moment. First, the submissions have started to come in for Eclipse: New Science Fiction and Fantasy, which is very exciting. At the same time, Marianne is working in her office on the proofing/copyedits for the Australian edition of The New Space Opera. It’s a small world. I’ve also started to move ahead again on The Starry Rift, which should be heading into galleys and such before too long. I’m also waiting for the proofs for Best Short Novels: 2007 to who up. And, in the meantime, I’ve got taxes to do this weekend. Yay.
There are, however, some seriously cool upsides to this gig. First, last week a copy of this made it’s way into my hands. No. I can’t let you see it. And yes, it’s the book I’ve been most excited about reading all year. I also got a copy of Ken Macleod’s The Execution Channel, which looks terrific. The book I’m reading now, though, is Gene Wolfe’s Pirate Freedom. Thanks to the kind offices of one David Hartwell, it showed up on Monday morning here in Perth. I was half way through something else at the time, but started it last night with gusto. I think Wolfe has the reputation as being admirable, kind of ‘good for you’, the SFnal equivalent of bran in your diet. I’m not sure why, but I think he is. His work is also seen as difficult and maybe somehow clever. I think this is mostly based around not actually reading his stuff. I’ve also seen things in his short fiction that suggest to me that he could have been one of the best pulp adventure writers who ever lived, had he chosen too. Anyhow, this story of a young priest mysteriously transported back through time to captain a pirate ship during the Golden Age of Piracy looks to be the bomb! More on it, as I progress through.
What else? Sophie came into my office yesterday morning at about 6am, all tousled and sleepy-eyed, and asked if the fairy she’d seen out the front window of our house was real or a dream? Apparently she’d dreamed waking up, walking to the front of the house, and seeing Stardrip the Fairy in our front garden. I told her all dreams are just a little bit real. She seemed pretty happy with that.
All dreams are just a little bit real? Try telling her that next time she has a nightmare!
Yeah, an advance copy of “Spook Country” is a pretty cool upside; and free too…
Regarding Wolfe, I’ve always loved him and loathed him in equal doses. I’ve never read a collection of his that has kept me rapt from the first to last page; nor have I ever read a collection of his that didn’t leave me in awe of his storytelling prowess. His 1,000-page novels, due to publishing contingencies, seem more difficult to tackle than most 1,000-page novels. How difficult was The Wizard to love after being published nearly a year after The Knight? And how difficult is The Book of the New Sun to read as four separate books? No, you’ve got to jump headlong into his works and not come up for air to fully appreciate them. In that sense, Wolfe’s reputation as being somewhat difficult, to these yes, seems justified. That said, Pirate Freedom — a standalone, I presume — sounds pretty cool.
I’m continuing through PIRATE FREEDOM at the moment. It’s an interesting read, but I want to wait till I get to the end before I say much more. At the point I’m at, there’s stuff that’s troubling me, but this is Wolfe, and he’s likely to turn the tables on me :)
On thing, btw, I’d love to see some day is a ‘best of Wolfe’ collection. Don’t think it’ll ever happen though, or at least, not in the US.
Delighted you came up with a new title for your original antho. Congratulations. It’s much better than Universe.
As for a Best of Gene Wolfe, I’d be willing to bet Subterranean will someday put together a retrospective or treasury. Maybe something like the Jack Vance? :0)
Speaking of which, I’m still cooling my heels waiting on the limited edition. Can’t wait!
Bruce, I think what’ll most likely happen is that in three or four years time – maybe a little longer – Tor will do it. They’ve put in a lot of hard yards over the years, as his publisher, and I think, once they’ve cleared their inventory of stuff, it’s the kind of book they could well do. I think it’s very unlikely a small press would end up doing it. Personally, my prejudice would be to see it done as a college-style Reader, something that’d present 120k of his best work in an affordable tpb, as a kind of entry-level Gene Wolfe book.
Jonathan, you’re undoubtedly right. Tor’s published or re-issued virtually all of his work [other than say, Operation Ares, Young Wolfe and Leters Home + uncollected stories]. 230 stories and 120k words to showcase? It could be done but the stories you’d leave out! Oy.
I was thinking of the massive retrospective that Subterranean did of GRRM, but I’m being greedy.