Review: Dolphin Island by Arthur C. Clarke

Yes, I am reading a lot of Arthur C. Clarke lately. I had begun Dolphin Island after finishing Garden of Rama. I couldn't find Rama Revealed at the local used bookstore, so I ordered it online and, being in a Clarke mood already, plucked this off my shelf to tide me over (sorry) because it was fairly short.

As fate would have it, Rama Revealed arrived later the same day, and I put Dolphin Island down so I could finish the Rama series (see my review here). When I picked Dolphin Island back up again, I was transported into a world of wonder and adventure.

What I didn't know when I began this book is that it is a young adult adventure novel. It takes place in the near future, as envisioned from 1963. The main character is a teenage boy named Johnny who hitches a ride on a hovership to escape his dreary home life. When the engines of the hovership explode over open water, Johnny is left stranded, floating on a piece of debris.

He is saved by a group of dolphins who pull him to an island on the Great Barrier Reef called, appropriately, Dolphin Island, where a biologist, Professor Kazan, has been experimenting with communicating with dolphins and has, as it turns out, had quite a lot of success with it.

I don't want to reveal too much about the plot, but the story progresses at a pretty good clip from that point onward, and Clarke's experience as a diver lends authenticity to the descriptions of the animals inhabiting the reef around the island. And as far as young adult adventure novels go, this one is quite good. It captured my imagination and, even though I left my childhood behind long ago, it made me yearn for sandy beaches, coral reefs and exotic locales where a new adventure is waiting around every corner.

I give it 4 out of 5 stars. It's a very short book and is pure escapist fun. While it seems to be currently out of print, used copies can be had for just a few bucks if you can find it. There are many other Arthur C. Clarke novels I'd recommend reading before Dolphin Island, but if you've already read his more popular works and are a fan, this one is definitely worth a look.

Image Source: Dolphin Underwater by Bobbi Jones Jones

Review: The Rest of Arthur C. Clarke's Rama Series

About a month ago I wrote a review of Arthur C. Clarke's Rendezvous with Rama. I loved it and immediately began reading Rama II by Clarke and his co-author Gentry Lee. I then read Garden of Rama immediately after that and, not finding Rama Revealed in my local used bookstore, I ordered a copy and impatiently waited for it to arrive. I've now finished the entire series and since Rama II, Garden of Rama and Rama Revealed tell one cohesive story line and follow the same set of characters, I've decided to review them together.

Rama II begins 70 years after the events that took place in Rendezvous with Rama when a second, seemingly identical Rama ship arrives in our solar system. This time Earth has more time to prepare to meet it and sends a crew that has been carefully selected for the task. If I tell you anything beyond that I will a) have to reveal key plot points and b) be here quite a long time because the story is vast. I will instead like to talk about my impressions of the Rama sequels versus the highly negative impressions that so many others seem to have of these books.

If you look at the Amazon reviews for any of the Rama sequels you'll see endless complaints, most of them directed at Gentry Lee who, according to what I read, did the majority of the writing on the Rama sequels with Clarke providing the basic plot and suggesting changes after Lee sent him chapters he had completed.

This may not be a popular point of view but I honestly believe that Gentry Lee is a great writer. The complaints stem from the fact that so many who had read Rendezvous with Rama picked up the others expecting them to be classic Arthur C. Clarke. Now, Clarke is my all-time favorite science fiction writer, and I do confess to having to adjust to the very different style of Lee, but once I did that and understood that Rama II and the rest of the books are not the Clark books but Lee books with guidance by Clarke, I really began to appreciate his style.

First of all, Lee is a lot wordier than Clarke. Clarke is famous, in fact, for his minimalist approach when it comes to character; he is all about telling the story and describing the science. And this works wonderfully with the right kind of story. In Rendezvous with Rama, the minimal characterization allows one to focus on the spaceship Rama and experience it for its awe-inspiring alien-ness. In 2001: A Space Odyssey, the mysterious power behind the monolith is given a similar treatment unencumbered by lots of details about the characters' pasts and inner thoughts.

But this impression that Clarke does not write character well, or does so minimally, is a misconception. Read Childhood's End or The Songs of Distant Earth, for example, and the beauty of those novels can be found in how the very human characters react to the unusual experiences they are having. So even though some readers of Rendezvous with Rama wanted minimalist Clarke in the sequels, their expectation was unfounded.

So Rama II and the other sequels are not in Clarke's classic style. This is true. So what? As I read, I began to fall in love with the intricately crafted characters that Lee wrote. Even if some of them are remarkable people, they are still fully human. Some said the Rama sequels were soap opera-ish because of this focus on the characters and what they are feeling. No, that's how real people respond to stressful situations: emotionally. "But wait," some will say."They don't respond like real people. They're much too well-balanced and competent." Well, this is the opposite complaint but my answer: of course! The main characters were hand-picked from the top of their respective fields to go on this mission to rendezvous with the second Rama ship. So yes, their inner lives are explored in detail but the actions they take, in spite of what they are feeling emotionally, are the competent actions of professionals. Few people are all one way or the other. Everyone contradicts themselves at times. Lee has been able to explore this human-ness in a very real way.

The next complaint I came across was that Gentry Lee is a dirty old man who likes to write gratuitous sex scenes. Hmm.... Apparently these people don't get out much. Are there a handful of sex scenes? Yes. Are they particularly vulgar? Not really. Perhaps I'm not as prudish as some, but I didn't find anything all that shocking about them. And are they gratuitous? Quite the opposite, actually. There is a rich interplay between the main characters and how they respond to each other sexually is part of that. If you read them out of context, not knowing the characters, you may not see the point of the sex scenes. But in the context of the story, those scenes tell us volumes about the characters.

Complaint three (or is it four?): Gentry Lee over-described everything. Again, I think this mostly comes down to expectation. For the most part, Clarke wrote rather brief novels. In the copies I have, Rendezvous... runs to around 250 pages. None of the sequels are less than 450 pages. But again, this is because of the rich characterization and, in the later books, the highly-detailed work Lee does describing the biology and behavior of different alien species. I found it all fascinating. I can close my eyes right now, and because of Lee's descriptive skill I can picture very clearly the places and creatures that inhabit the world of Rama.

Now in spite of all that I've already said, the novels are not perfect. There are more than a few cliches, some of the secondary characters are stereotypes and there are some plot points left hanging at the end of the series. I will also acknowledge that some slight trimming probably would have strengthened the books. But by the end of Rama Revealed I had grown not only to know the handful of main characters but to love them, to root for them, to rejoice at their triumphs and I will admit I even shed tears on more than one occasion. A writer who can do this for me is, in my book, a great writer.

If you do decide to read the rest of the Rama books, go in knowing you aren't getting "classic" Clarke. But it doesn't matter. Gentry Lee took Clarke's Rama and made it his own, and his Rama is definitely a world worth exploring.

NEW RELEASE: Reign of Blood by Alexia Purdy

Reign of Blood is a Young Adult Urban Fantasy/Horror novel with a dark and edgy paranormal theme that will appeal to the YA and crossover YA audience. Ever since Alexia Purdy released her debut novel Ever Shade: A Dark Faerie Tale in February of 2012, it has received rave reviews and has been a frequent presence on Amazon’s “Best Sellers in Mythology” list.

Reign of Blood begins an new series that takes place in a post-apocalyptic world. A viral epidemic has wiped out most of humanity and April, one of the last humans left alive, has become a vicious vampire hunter. Despite her desire to live as normal a life as possible, she finds herself on a mission to save her family from the clutches of the unknown. Her world is infested with wild vampires but she soon discovers that something else lurks in the city, something that wants her blood even more.

Alexia says “I’m very excited about Reign of Blood; it’s a suspenseful thriller with a touch of horror to keep you on the edge of your seat and definitely begging for more.”

Praise for Reign of Blood:

     “Alexia has created an end of world scenario right out of your nightmares, filling this new world with a multitude of mutations and action that will have you willingly falling deeply into the story.”
     - Author J.T. Lewis
     “WICKED AWESOME!!!!! Reign of Blood will BLOW YOU AWAY!!!!”- Amy Conley
     “...such a page turner…..This is a fascinating read for all ages!”- Bella (Paranormal Book Club)
     “Another masterpiece from Ms. Purdy.” - Jacquie Talento

Reign of Blood is now available in e-book format via Amazon's Kindle Store, Barnes & Noble's Nook Store and Smashwords.com. A print edition is coming soon.

For more information on Reign of Blood please visit the author’s websites:
http://alexiapurdy.blogspot.com
http://www.alexiapurdy.com

Alexia Purdy resides in Las Vegas, Nevada and is the author of Ever Shade: A Dark Faerie Tale, a contributor to the Dark Light Anthology with Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing. She is also the author of the poetic collection Whispers of Dreams. To receive a review copy of Reign of Blood, arrange an interview, guest blog, or event, please contact Alexia Purdy at alexeea@yahoo.com

NEW RELEASE: Verliege by Micheal Rivers

     Micheal Rivers has just released his new paranormal thriller, Verliege! I'd just like to say a quick personal word, then I'll let Micheal's official bio and and an excerpt from the novel do the rest. I am currently reading Verliege and it is an absolutely absorbing and, at times, terrifying adventure. At every turn the unexpected may happen and there is enough of a psychological element to leave the reader wondering who--or what--is behind it all. I hope the tantalizing excerpt that follows the biography leaves you wanting for more!

Author Biography

     Micheal Rivers, author of paranormal thrillers, announces his new release Verliege. The novel is based on a haunted castle in Verliege, Germany. Murder, mystery, and intrigue will keep you spellbound as you journey through the castle in search of the secret of the nine.
     Rivers is the author of three previous books, The Black Witch, Moonlight on the Nantahala, and Ghosts of the North Carolina Shores. His books can be purchased at Amazon.com.
     Micheal, an American author, was born in Ahoskie, North Carolina in 1953. He served his country during the Viet Nam war in the USMC. Later, his travels provided over thirty years of investigating and collecting stories of the paranormal. His genres include horror and thriller with an element of paranormal in all of his novels. The Smokey Mountain Ghost Trackers of Western North Carolina was founded by him and he is the lead investigator. Micheal currently resides in the mountains of North Carolina along with the love of his life and his Boxer he fondly calls Dee Dee.


Micheal Rivers' books may be found at http://amzn.to/uHpPD6
Visit his website here: http://michealrivers.com/


Please enjoy the following excerpt from Verliege:

     Near the center of the cemetery the mausoleum beckoned them to draw closer. From their position they could not see the front of the mausoleum. Two sides could be clearly seen, appearing unusually clean. Emery did not approach the mausoleum immediately. He stood squinting in the morning sun, trying hard to find a reason why the stone structure had not aged over the years.
     He had learned early in his career not to advance too quickly upon a scene that did not feel right. Raising his camera to his eye, he adjusted the long-distance lens to bring the mausoleum closer. Something was wrong. The stone was too perfect in every way. He could not find a single flaw.
     Weis spoke softly. “We may find something of interest within the tomb.”
     Emery spoke without taking his eye off of the mausoleum. “I think we should skirt around it and approach it from the front. It doesn’t feel right to me. Take a look through your camera and tell me what you see.”
     Weis raised his camera and inspected the walls of the mausoleum carefully. “I don’t see anything unusual.”
     Emery laughed lightly. “Look again. The stonework has not aged a day. There are no cracks or signs of erosion as there should be.”
     Weis looked once more, realizing Emery had been correct in his observations. Carefully they walked in a large circle to enable them to see the front of the mausoleum. Standing a safe distance away, they saw that one of the doors was partially open, allowing them to see the darkness of the interior.
     Stepping slowly forward toward the open door, each man prepared himself for a possible intruder. Emery approached the open door at an angle to help protect himself. Time slowed to a crawl. Reaching for the door to open it farther, Emery’s fingers had barely reached the handle when it slammed shut violently.
     They both jumped back away from the door, and Weis fell over a broken headstone behind him. A loud moan echoed through the air around them.
     Weis gained his feet, shaking his head. “I am not going in there. Whatever it is, I’m happy to leave it in there.”
     Emery grinned. “Sorry, Weis, but I have to see what the moaning is about.” He reached forward and jerked the door open with a vengeance. Shining his light inside, he found the mausoleum empty except for the neatly stacked burial coffins. Emery turned, questioning what he was seeing. “There is nobody there, Weis. I guess the moan was the rusty hinges and a little imagination.”
     Weis disagreed. “The door was shut before we heard the moan. Do you think you can tell me who shut the door? I think not. It is too heavy to close on its own. I’m leaving.”
     Emery watched as Weis started to walk away. The incident had shaken him badly. Weis was glad he had taken pictures of the open door before it had slammed shut. It was hard for him to shake the feeling that there was someone close behind them as they made their way back across the bridge. Turning back toward the cemetery when he was at the foot of the bridge, he glimpsed a large black shadow disappearing into the trees.

***

Get your copy of Verliege here: http://www.amazon.com/Verliege-ebook/dp/B007QOB0V6/

Buying Indie Month

Inspired by a blog post by Benjamin X. Wretlind (He outlines the reasons why quite elegantly; read them here: http://bxwretlind.com/blog/2012/02/02/buying-indie-month/) I am buying one Indie book a day for the month of February. I will update this page with each purchase throughout the month. If you want to recommend your book to me--I favor science fiction and literary fiction--leave a comment below with the Amazon US store link and I'll take a look! I also encourage you to hop on board with this idea, even if only for part of the month. Indie writers need to stick together and show the rest of the world the great quality that is out there by getting our books to the top of the best-seller lists!

01. Ties that Bind by Carolyn Arnold
02. Moonlight on the Nantahala by Micheal Rivers
03. Nighteyes: A Will Castleton Adventure by David Bain
04. Betrayed by Wodke Hawkinson
05. The Dark Path by Luke Romyn
06. The Fall of Billy Hitchings by Kirkus MacGowan
07. Judgment Tramp (An Eb Maclean novel) by JD Currie
08. Space Orville by Jeff Whelan
09. A Dream of Storms (In the Shadow of the Black Sun) by William Kenney
10. The Watchers of Ur: Cradle by LaMonte M. Fowler
11. Hope Road by John Barlow
12. California Blood by Pete Palamountain
13. Black Beast by RS Guthrie
14. The Rings of Alathea by Dan Moore
15. Legend Unborn, The Key of Souls - Book 1 by David G. Welsh
16. Xenocide by Larry Kollar
17. Archaea by Dain White
18. Outback Love by Teri Heyer
19. Lunara: Seth and Chloe by Wyatt Davenport
20. Convergent Space by John-Paul Cleary
21. Gabriel's Redemption by Steve Umstead
      Attic Clowns: Complete Collection by Jeremy C. Shipp
22. Vigilante by Claude Bouchard
23. Dead of Knight by William R. Potter
24. Hot Roast Beef with Mustard by James Paddock
25. Leiyatel's Embrace by Clive S. Johnson
26. The Code by Craig McGray
27. What in Hell is up with Heaven? by Christopher David Petersen
28. Weimar Vibes by Phil Rowan
29. Farewell to Tyrn by Ryan Harvey

Related Posts:
Benjamin X. Wretlind's "Buying Indie Month" Post
Benjamin X. Wretlind's "Buying Indie Month, Revisited" Post
J.D. Currie's "Buying Indie Month" Post
Five Ways to Help Authors without Spending a Dime

Three Short Story Recommendations

I've been a little busy and haven't been keeping up with my usual speculative fiction magazines. This means my reviews/recommendations have been lacking as of late. However, there are three speculative fiction short stories that I've bought for my Kindle that I would like to recommend. Two of them can be had for 99 cents apiece and the third is free! I have rated them all 5 stars at Amazon.

1. Sinner, Baker, Fabulist, Priest; Red Mask, Black Mask, Gentleman, Beast by Eugie Foster
My Amazon Review: Wow... Shocking, disturbing, stunning, brilliant. This is a story that cannot be described in words other than its own. You must read it to understand.

Further Thoughts: This is a story that stayed with me for several days after reading it. It is all of the things I wrote in my Amazon review and so much more. I still cannot come up with sufficient words to explain or describe it; it simply must be read. I had read a few of Eugie Foster's stories before this and felt that she could easily become one of my favorite short story authors. This work made it happen. It is no surprise that this story won the  2009 Nebula Award for Best Novelette.

2. Cryoskip's Footprints by Jason G. Anderson
My Amazon Review: Action-Packed and Gritty Tale This is the second story I've read from Mr. Anderson's Atomic Wasteland Tales (the other being The Outsider). I have to say, I really enjoyed The Outsider but I was completely absorbed by Cryoskip's Footprints. It has everything one could want in a story: action, mystery, suspense, sorrow and an ending that is hopeful but uncertain (laying the groundwork for a sequel which I would read in a heartbeat).

I've downloaded his novel, Gears of Wonderland, and am interested to see how he writes in a different genre but as far as post-apocalyptic science fiction goes, Mr. Anderson is a master. I look forward to further installments in this series.

Further Thoughts: I have since read Gears of Wonderland and it is fantastic. Mr. Anderson only has a handful of works currently available but he is a writer to watch! He has a new science fiction novel in the works called On Ice which I will definitely be buying as soon as it's available.

3. Island Ghosts: A Will Castleton Adventure by David Bain
My Amazon Review: A Quick, Thrilling Read  I'd read one story by David Bain previously and enjoyed it so when I saw that this was free I grabbed it. Despite being a very short story, this quick and thrilling read manages to flesh out the characters quite nicely, something that is often lacking in shorter fiction. It's also a great introduction to Will Castleton. He's a character that intrigues me; after such a brief glimpse I want to know more about him. I'll definitely be picking up the other stories in the series. 5 Stars.

Further Thoughts: David Bain is just a fun writer, plain and simple: irreverent, unpredictable, occasionally offensive, and one who makes me laugh out loud while reading. He has a smart, casual style that makes it easy to keep the pages turning.

I hope you choose to check out some or all of these stories. If you have any short story recommendations, I'd love to hear about them. Leave a comment below!

Best,
Michael

Regarding the Classic Science Fiction Series

So, I suppose that technically three can be considered a "series" but my Classic Science Fiction (CSF) series of articles has been left lacking. As you can tell by my other recent updates on the blog I've been busy writing rather than reading. However, I really enjoy writing the CSF articles and will endeavor to write another installment before the month of December is out. In the mean time, here are the first three CSF articles:

01: "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes
02: "The Moon Moth" by Jack Vance
03: "Arena" by Fredric Brown

If you have not seen them before, I hope you enjoy!

Best,
Michael

Review: "Tomorrow's Dawn" by Milo James Fowler

     I really must say that I am in awe of the stories coming out of Daily Science Fiction.  They've done it again with "Tomorrow's Dawn," by Milo James Fowler.  Read it here.

     SPOILERS FOLLOW, read the story first!

     To me, this story feels like a Golden-Age science fiction tale, '50s or '60s era, but with a definite modern twist.  It has that cold-war era sensibility but the alien is not cast as a Soviet spy, as it would have been at that time, but as a potential suicide bomber.  If you've read any number of my other blog posts you know that this is exactly the type of story I love: one in which a failure of one group to treat another group with dignity and respect results in death and misery.  Retaliations are made and the animosity escalates until one group can only see the other cast in that negative light.

     Fowler does a good job of making the situation presented in the story feel tense and immediate.  And he doesn't tip his hand one bit, making the ending a genuine surprise.  It is also a hopeful ending and it, along with Fowler's story of how the idea developed, keeps me hoping and believing that people, independent of societal, religious or ethnic pressures, would choose to live in harmony.  We have transcended our primitive, animalistic nature in so many other ways.  Why not in this way as well?

Classic Science Fiction 03: “Arena” by Fredric Brown

     We’ve all seen the episode: Kirk must use the tools provided to him by a super-intelligent alien to defeat the evil Gorn.  “Arena” is one of the most-recognized episodes of the original Star Trek series.  It was based on a story of the same name by science fiction writer Fredric Brown.  That story was first published in June of 1944 in Astounding magazine and has become a classic of the genre.

     The premise is this: a highly-advance alien entity observes humans and another species--called the Outsiders by the humans-- on the brink of a war that would devastate both civilizations.  The entity’s solution is to pit one human against one Outsider and whoever kills the other will ensure the safety of their own people and the complete annihilation of their foes.  Carson is the man who is chosen for this battle and he wakes up in a dome-shaped enclosure with a force field separating him from an Outsider.  He must find a way through that force field and kill his enemy before the Outsider finds a way to dispatch him.

     There are some flaws in the story.  For one, the entity doesn’t seem to have exhausted all options before deciding to kill off an entire species.  “It is in my power to stop the war, to send the Outsiders back to their galaxy,” it claims.  “But,” it continues, “they would return, or your race would sooner or later follow them there.  Only by remaining in this space and time to intervene constantly could I prevent them from destroying one another, and I cannot remain.”

     And is a to-the-death match between two randomly chosen individuals really fair?  Carter may be a fine pilot but his hand-to-hand training may be non-existent.  He could be abnormally weak--or strong--for a human.  The same goes for the Outsider.

     Another flaw is the mechanism by which Carson is able to pass through the force field.  It hardly seems logical or reasonable for the smarter of the combatants, the one who figured out how to get through, to have to brain himself with a rock and be exposed to attack in order to have a chance at winning.  One would think that the entity would reward the more intelligent/resourceful combatant by ensuring him victory rather than making it, in the end, a physical struggle between the two.

     But these are quibbles.  The main strength lies in the story-telling and the wonderful alienness of the Outsider.  This is no man-in-a-rubber-suit type of alien.  This is a spherical organism that utilizes rotating locomotion.  Carter calls it a “Roller.”

     Still, as much as I like this story, that issue of killing off an entire intelligent species keeps me from loving it.  For Carter, the choice is obvious: he wants to win and preserve his own species.  But suppose the entity decided to choose one to preserve and one to destroy based on criteria less arbitrary than a one-on-one cage match?  Do we humans really have much going for us, from a Universal perspective?  Are we any better or any worse than the other intelligent species that are out there?  We haven't encountered anyone else, so who knows?

     True, in Brown’s story the Outsiders are the aggressors and, based on Carter’s experience, we learn that they lack any recognizable form of compassion.  But we know from history that it doesn't take much for humans to take this same hateful, uncompassionate attitude.  So, would we be the best species to save?  Maybe we’d be better off letting a champion decide our fate after all.

Review: "Ten Speeds at the End of the World"by Guinevere Robin Rowell

     Daily Science Fiction continues to publish great writing (delivered free to your inbox! Go subscribe.). Most recently I have been taken with "Ten Speeds at the End of the World" by Guinevere Robin Rowell. This is a fairly short story that speaks for itself so I won't comment on it too much. I will just say the idea that it's never too late to do the right thing really grabbed me. And the world doesn't have to be ending for us to come to this realization. When you stop and think of how soon each of us might die--today, tomorrow, even fifty years from now will be too soon for a lot of people--is it really too much to ask that if we don't go out of our way to help others like the characters in this story, can't we at least go out of our way to try to not hurt each other? Every moment a person spends in pain or sorrow is a moment that is lost forever. Every second of life is precious, irreplaceable. If you want make your own life miserable, it is sad but it is your choice. But no one has the right to make that choice for anyone else.

Review: "Requiem Duet, Concerto for Flute and Voodoo"by Eugie Foster

     Over at Daily Science Fiction "Requiem Duet, Concerto for Flute and Voodoo" by Eugie Foster can now be read. Daily Science Fiction sends a free story to your inbox every day. A week after that the story is available on the website. So, I have waited until now to review "Requiem Duet...."

Review: "The Day the Pod Landed" by Jeff Cross

     What does our increasingly-consumerist society have in store (pun intended)? A future in which corporations have their own armies and invade villages and other corporations to expand their brand, according to "The Day the Pod Landed" by Jeff Cross, which can be read over at Redstone Science Fiction. (Spoilers follow, so go read it first.) These corporations dazzle the vanquished with shopping malls and well-paying jobs, they give them products the likes of which the villagers have never before seen. It's an appealing prospect for Sofia, a villager who has always had higher aspirations.

Classic Science Fiction 02: "The Moon Moth"

     With a fund of racial energy and a great deal of leisure time, the population occupies itself with intricacy. …[I]ntricate symbolism, as exemplified in the masks worn by everyone; the intricate half-musical language which admirably expresses subtle moods and emotions; and above all the fantastic intricacy of interpersonal relationships. Prestige, face, mana, repute, glory: the Sirenese word is strakh. Every man has his characteristic strakh….
     -- from "The Moon Moth" 

     One of the most rewarding aspects of speculative fiction is being able to get lost in new and unique realities. Speculative fiction writers refer to the process of creating these realities as “world building.” Whether it be describing a world in which magic and mythical creatures are commonplace, exploring the planets and cultures of alien races or even just predicting what human culture will be like a hundred, a thousand, a millions years from now, world building is a process many writers relish.

Classic Science Fiction 01: "Flowers for Algernon"

     I felt sick inside as I looked at his dull, vacuous smile, the wide, bright eyes of a child, uncertain but eager to please. They were laughing at him because he was mentally retarded.
     And I had been laughing at him too.
     Suddenly, I was furious at myself and all those who were smirking at him. I jumped up and shouted, "Shut up! Leave him alone! It's not his fault he can't understand! He can't help what he is! But for God's sake... he's still a human being!"
     The room grew silent. I cursed myself for losing control and creating a scene. I tried not to look at the boy as I paid my check and walked out without touching my food. I felt ashamed for both of us.
     --  from "Flowers for Algernon"

     What is the point of art? What is its purpose, what does it hope to accomplish? This question has been debated for centuries but for me the answer is simple: art should make you think or it should make you feel and the best art does both.

A Reboot

     Well, anyone who's visited my blog in the past (all three or four of you) will notice that all previous content has been removed. This is because I am rebooting the blog and returning to a focus on speculative fiction (meaning science fiction, fantasy, horror, etc.) I mostly write science fiction but have written a few stories in the other genres.

     In this blog I will discuss my writing, writing in general, great stories and books that I read as well as the business of publishing fiction (or difficulty that lies therein).