“The Bordello in Faerie” by Michael Swanwick “The Empty Pool” by Robert Edric
“Fear of Rain” by Robert T. Jeschonek
“The On-Deck Circle’” by Gene Wolfe
“Nature Tale” by Matthew Hughes
“Red Nails” by Brian A. Hopkins
“Fighting the Zeppelin Gang” by Darrell Schweitzer
“Alsiso” by Tony Richards
“Happy Time” by Scott William Carter
“Ninja Two-Fifty” by K. W. Jeter
“Billy and the Talking Plant” by Terry Bisson
Issue 8 of Postscripts is a well-rounded mix of stories featuring some of speculative fiction’s heavy hitters. Not only are offerings diverse, the writing is uniformly trenchant. Strangely, reality television rears its ugly head in not one, but two of the stories. Although reality TV is reflective of the tastes of our current society, I hope this isn’t a writing trend. Nevertheless, readers can find something to enjoy in each and every one of the stories featured. Don’t skim over the introductions to each piece. They offer glimpses of the author’s inspirations, intent, future projects, and background.
In “The Bordello in Faerie,” Michael Swanwick crafts a dark, alien world that lies parallel to our own. After the men of Ironbrock come of age, they slip away to the bordello across the river. The only way to get there is to be shown the way. Thinking of himself as one of the lads, Ned Wilkins is shocked when no one will tell him how to get there. Eventually, one friend is persuaded, and Ned finally gets to experience what all the fuss is about. From that point on, the story revolves around whether or not he will be seduced into the world of faerie.
Swanick’s tale has good characterization; Ned could be just about any guy caught in the throes of obsession. For some, it’s games or cars, for Ned, it just happens to be the bordello—making his plight understandable, even when it’s clear his growing fixation will most likely lead to no good. Most of the other characters serve simply to move the plot along, although Gilbrig the imp is winningly repulsive. The plot moves at a good pace, with a definite beginning, middle, and end and descriptions of the bordellos denizens—along with glimpses of Ned’s Ironbrock life—that keep the story interesting.
All in all, “The Bordello in Faerie” is a nicely crafted tale. One word of caution though, the language used to describe some of the bedroom encounters is a bit graphic. It’s nothing that most adults haven’t seen before, but readers should still be aware of it.
“The Empty Pool” by Robert Edric revolves around a private investigator hired to get dirt on a husband whose wife is planning to sue him for divorce. What he finds are pool boys, pornography rings, and strangely compliant clients working in tandem to create a picture perfect divorce. Reading like a classic noir, “The Empty Pool” is a fun read. The unnamed protagonist and his clients, the Shapiros, are interesting to say the least, as are some of the plot twists.
“Fear of Rain” by Robert T. Jeschonek revolves around two characters, Mr. Flood and his protégé, Aphrodite. They are a study in contrasts. He revels in his ability as a rainmaker and bringer of floods, she cringes away from it. He reflects on glories past, she thinks of the future. He loves the feel of the water gliding over him, she hates getting wet. He is ready to move on to the next phase of existence, she can’t let him go.
Jeschonek has a way with language; his descriptions of the falling water and the power Mr. Flood yields are scintillating. His description of Johnstown is insightful too. As a former resident of Pennsylvania, I know firsthand just how devastating the floods can be. I also know how resilient residents are in the face of such adversity; Aphrodite is a perfect reflection of that resilience. The combination of excellent characterization and dazzling language make for a potent tale. “Fear of Rain” strikes just the right chord.
Imagine a game of baseball played with speedboats and cruise ships. Then, imagine what it must to be like to have one last chance at eternal glory. Throw in a dose of reality TV and you’ll have a good idea of the events unfolding in “The On-Deck Circle’” by Gene Wolfe. The protagonist, Scooter Scarlata, remembers the good old days when people played for the love of the game instead of Nielsen ratings.
I’m really not a sports fan, so it took a second reading for the events of “The On-Deck Circle’” to really gel for me. Nevertheless, I found Wolfe’s story quite engaging. The over-the-top version of baseball that Wolfe imagines borders on whimsy—at least until you really think about reality TV. Scooter’s reaction to the new form, though a bit predictable, is still quite fun to read about. Baseball fans and non-sports types alike will find something to savor. Who knows, this very special version of baseball could be popping up on a television screen any day.
“Nature Tale” by Matthew Hughes centers on Luff Embry, criminal mastermind. Luff is a heady combination of a gastronome, a mathematical wizard, and a cold-blooded opportunist—think a modern man’s Moriarty. Needless to say, a person wouldn’t want to cross him, at least not if they knew what he would become. An evil genius has to start somewhere, and that origin is a major part of what “Nature Tale” is about.
Telling you what else the story contains would ruin too much of the plot. Suffice it to say there is no Sherlock Holmes figure to swoop in and save the day; the story belongs to Embry. Strangely alluring, Luff gets under you skin and compels you to find out what’s next, even if you already have a good idea what it might be. “Nature Tale” is a nasty piece of work if you reflect upon it too much. Don’t. Simply enjoy the ride.
In “Red Nails,” Brian A. Hopkins uses gorgeous prose to tell the tale of two strangers on an airplane trying to capture the impossible. What the impossible “is” will be for you to determine when you check out this excellent piece of flash fiction.
“Fighting the Zeppelin Gang” by Darrell Schweitzer captures the feel of the pulp fiction that was widely published from the 1920s through the 1950s. The protagonist, Matthew, is drawn into his father’s crazy adventures at the ripe old age of ten. It seems dad is part of an age-old secret society that fights evil, and Matthew will someday take his place at his father’s side. The story develops from there, spiraling through the years and drawing Matthew further and further in.
While some elements suggest that Daddy’s flights of fancy are real, we never get to meet any members of the nefarious Zeppelin Gang, so it may be a very elaborate fantasy. Regardless, “Fighting the Zeppelin Gang” is pure, escapist joy. Schweitzer has done an excellent job creating a world we all dreamed of entering as kids. Each time we read a comic book or pulled a secret decoder ring out of our cereal, we dreamed up our own spy adventures. In Matthew, we have a chance to see what life outside the dream might be like.
“Alsiso” by Tony Richards takes place in a Mexican city of the same name along the Caribbean. Harriet and Beth are lovers living a simple life. All is well until tall, handsome drifter Cody appears and gets Harriet all hot and bothered. Will Harriet succumb to his charms? What lengths will Beth go to in order to protect what’s hers? You’ll just have to read “Alsiso” to find out. Sip something cold and frosty, imagine blue skies and warm Caribbean breezes, then delve right in. The story and the water are fine.
“Happy Time” by Scott William Carter is about the chance encounters that can make or break the flow of your life. The protagonist, Dale, gets the opportunity to see his best possible future, his “happy time.” For him, that future is both a blessing and a curse. What he chooses to do with the knowledge is the crux of the story. Dale could be any businessman you see in a restaurant or on a plane, and we’ve all had opportunities we didn’t capitalize on. For those reasons alone, he is easy to connect to. The other characters seem real too, which helps keep the story engaging. I really enjoyed this story, especially the pacing. “Happy Time” is particularly appropriate to read now, when most people are reflecting on the changes they want to make in the coming year.
“Ninja Two-Fifty” by K. W. Jeter starts during a prison riot and transitions into a tale of talking bones and motorcycles. The protagonist is an ex-con who modifies his motorcycle as the story goes along. All the while, he is stalked by a talking pile of bones with a baby scorpion in its skull that wants him dead. The evil in the story is nebulous; it’s never really clear if the evil actually exists or if it’s all in the protagonist’s head.
The protagonist’s relationship with his motorcycle is interesting, but it kept making me think of Robert M. Pirsig’s Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance which chronicles the author’s spiritual journey during a motorcycle trip across the United States. I suspect I missed the rhythm of “Ninja Two-Fifty”; there was probably much more to the store than meets the eye. Unfortunately, I never found that other level. The protagonist, the plot, and the intended conflict didn’t manage to hold my attention for the length of the “Ninja Two-Fifty.” The most riveting part of the story takes place in the first five pages, then it quickly loses steam. For this reviewer, the title and the initial plotline work well, but little beyond those initial pages is effective.
“Billy and the Talking Plant” by Terry Bisson is about a little boy, Billy, and his talking plant. To say more would be to give away too much of the plot. I will say it is a bit of sheer absurdity. Take a few minutes to get to know Billy, his mom, his grandpa, and his legacy: the talking plant. It will definitely put a smile on your face. Then go search out Bisson’s other Billy stories.