HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: mjb@doc.ic.ac.uk (Matthew Jude Brown)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
Subject: C.J. Cherryh's _Hellburner_
Date: 11 Sep 92 17:00:23 GMT
Organization: Department of Computing, Imperial College, University of London, UK.
NNTP-Posting-Host: oak5.doc.ic.ac.uk

I saw Cherryh's latest, _Hellburner_, in hardback in a shop on Tuesday
and just *had* to buy it. Isn't being a sf addict terrible? Read it
that night, read it again yesterday. Since I haven't seen a mention of
it on r.a.sf.w yet except in the 'forthcoming books' list, I thought
I'd write a small review of it for your consumption. Warning: I'm a
severe Cherryh fan, so bear that in mind.

_Hellburner_ is the sequel to _Heavy Time_, set a couple of years
later with the four major characters in _Heavy Time_ that survived to
the end again playing major roles. For those who are aware of the
timeline of Cherryh's Alliance/Union books, the Company fleet is
nearing completion, and the war is about to heat up. The novel takes
place within the development and testing of the 'Hellburner', the fast
attack craft which are to be a Company carrier's support during
combat; the programme is in trouble.

If you've read Cherryh before and liked it, I'd recommend this one.
It's similar in style to _Rimrunners_ and _Heavy Time_; in terms of
quality I'd put it above the latter and just below the former.

---------

If you haven't read much recent Cherryh, I don't think it's the
perfect introduction to her books. Read _Downbelow Station_ first;
it's not of the quality of her later works (mainly IMHO because it
tries to pack too much into a single book) but it's a good beginning.
_Cyteen_ too is an okay starting point, esp. since there is quite a
bit of background there.

---------

For a summary of what Cherryh's Alliance/Union novels are like: on the
surface there is all the apparatus of traditional SF; FTL, aliens,
interstellar war, cloned people etc. Cherryh's focus, though, is not
on the technology itself (which is pretty standard no-surprises stuff,
though it's well enough done that there aren't really many obvious
inconsistencies); rather, it is on what all this will do to *people*.
Cherryh's visions of what sort of characters and societies will be
produced by e.g. life on a merchant starship, a space station, a
colony world or an asteroid mining ship are what makes her work worth
reading, in my opinion.

-Matt/Morven


-- 
| Matthew J. Brown  | Dept. of Computing | If God intended for us to go to   |
| mjb@doc.ic.ac.uk  | Imperial College,  | lectures He wouldn't have created |
| mjb02@cc.ic.ac.uk | 180 Queen's Gate   | double-sided photocopiers.        |
| Morven on Lambda  | LONDON SW7 2AZ     |          -IC RagMag 1991/92       |
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
From: gdg019@cch.coventry.ac.uk (Ridley McIntyre)
Subject: Re: mailing list on Tolkien's languages.
Organization: Ironpig Arcadia, Coventry, UK
Date: Mon, 7 Sep 1992 10:26:11 GMT

In article <715696577.1@krypta.fidonet.org> Fritz.Niespodziany@p4.f41.n2403.z2.fidonet.org (Fritz Niespodziany) writes:
> JB>     It is possible to receive TolkLang as a weekly digest; please
> JB>     say if you want this.
>
> You`ve got problems...

So have you. You keep posting stuff four times...


-- 
        	 **Ridley McIntyre - Ronin Ironpig**			
		     gdg019@cck.coventry.ac.uk
		 -----------------------------------
     "It'll be a cold night tonight... If it's cold." - Iain Morales
From: dac@prolix.apana.org.au (Andrew Clayton)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
Subject: Re: "Help: ever heard of 'Red Shift Rendez-Vous' ?"
Date: Tue, 08 Sep 1992 13:44:35 GMT
Organization: More like Dis~, really.
X-Newsreader: Arn V1.00 beta rel2

In article <1992Sep7.084308.24288@puug.pt>, Ricardo Nuno Silva writes:

> 
> I'm looking for any info on a sf short story called "Red Shift Rendez-Vous".
> I'd like to know the author's name, publisher, maybe the ISBN or anything 
> else.

John E. Stith.

Dac
--
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
From: gdg019@cch.coventry.ac.uk (Ridley McIntyre)
Subject: Re: Terminology
Organization: Ironpig Arcadia, Coventry, UK
Date: Mon, 7 Sep 1992 10:20:39 GMT

In article <715696577.2@krypta.fidonet.org> Fritz.Niespodziany@p4.f41.n2403.z2.fidonet.org (Fritz Niespodziany) writes:
>
> RT> From: Robert.Turner@brunel.ac.uk (Robert Turner)
> RT> Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
>
> RT> Hi
>
> RT> Are there any other ?ware items around the fictional universe that I
> RT> have missed?  Is there a term for optical machines? Am I going mad?
>
>Yes...and Yes: How about mind-enhancing drugs ?
>(like in >>The Lawnmower-Man<<)

How about just posting this once instead of four times?


-- 
        	 **Ridley McIntyre - Ronin Ironpig**			
		     gdg019@cck.coventry.ac.uk
		 -----------------------------------
     "It'll be a cold night tonight... If it's cold." - Iain Morales
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
From: ingram@dirac.phys.washington.edu (Doug Ingram)
Subject: Re: John Steakly (sp?) books
Organization: University of Washington
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1992 20:59:31 GMT

TJS107@psuvm.psu.edu (Sime) writes:

>I have read Armor and thought it was amazing.  Any comments? (see below first)

>Anyone ever read Vampires?  I was thinking about getting it.  It has Jack Crow
>from Armor in it.  I liked the parts in Armor better with Felix than Mr. Crow,
>but Vampires still looks pretty good.  Sorta SF Steven King, in a way.

	I posted a review of "Vampire$" to rec.arts.sf-reviews right after
it was formed.  Here is a copy.  I hope you find it useful:

--
	Years ago, I first discovered John Steakley when a friend recommended
_Armor_ to me.  As an aside, _Armor_ was quite an incredible book, but nothing
new appeared on the shelves from Steakley until just last year when _Vampire$_
was released.  Those of you familiar with Steakley's first book can expect
the same kind of action:  fast-paced and very intense. 

	As one might gather from the title, if not the cover blurb, _Vampire$_
is a novel about a group of modern-day mercenaries who hunt down vampires.
Led by Jack Crow, this group travels around the world (mostly staying in the
United States) to do its work, hunting down and killing vampires.  Being
"professionals" in this business means you've got to survive for a fair 
amount of time, so Team Crow takes no chances and pulls no punches, making
for some very entertaining scenes.

	One of my favorite aspects of this novel is that I finally get to
read a story about vampires told from the point of view of someone with some
common sense!  Too often, vampire novels are plagued by characters you'd
expect on sitcoms like "Three's Company," but here at last is a character
who shakes his head at these poor slobs and understands what's going on.
Of course, the vampires aren't stupid either, and as time goes on, they
begin to realize the danger that Crow represents to them, and the war begins.

	As the battles wear on, Crow seeks out help in the form of a
mysterious old friend named Felix while a female reporter joins up with
the team.  A large part of the novel centers on Felix's struggle with
himself in the face of such great evil, and his past with Crow makes for
a great subplot.  The main thread of the novel, though, draws Team Crow
to Dallas, where they must find their way out of an intricate trap, and
I found I simply couldn't put down the book for the last 100 pages or so.

	It's very difficult to describe the plot in more detail without
putting in spoilers, so let it suffice for me to say that if you liked
_Armor_, vampire stories, or lots of action, then this is worth a read.
I'm looking forward to more great stuff by Steakley, but I don't recommend
that you start reading this book with any major deadlines looming.

%A Steakley, John
%T Vampire$
%I NAL Roc Fantasy
%C New York
%D November 1990
%G ISBM 0-451-45033-7
%P 357 pp.
%O large paperback, US$8.95

Doug Ingram // ingram@dirac.phys.washington.edu // ingram@u.washington.edu
			"Carpe Datum"
From: ca572@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Mark L. Stackpole)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
Subject: Re: ARISTOI: Walter Jon Williams
Date: 14 Sep 92 19:28:25 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (USA)
NNTP-Posting-Host: hela.ins.cwru.edu


Ahh..the link between ARISTOI & HARDWIRED and the etimology of
"reno" have the same answer. ***SPOILER***

Reno was a character in HARDWIRED who existed mostly in
cyberspace (I can't think of a better term). At the end of the
novel he was downloaded into the mind of the villian. Reno's
further adventures can be found in "Solip:System" which was
reprinted in Asimov's SF a few years ago. 
All that Greek makes sense also. ARISTOI is about a working
model of Plato's _Republic_. Philospher Kings & all that.
Mark Stackpole    pacnet@rocky.claremont.edu
From: lnh@soliton.physics.arizona.edu (sometimes a Wombat)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
Subject: RIP Fritz Leiber
Date: 7 Sep 92 04:24:28 GMT
Reply-To: lnh@physics.arizona.edu
Organization: Society for the Appreciation of Janni Lee Simner


   Fritz Leiber
Requiescat in pace




--

LNH@physics.arizona.edu          \  "One like a wombat prowled obtuse
The insane don't need disclaimers \  and furry"  --Christina Rossetti
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
Subject: Re: David Gemmel
From: ecmtwhk@ccu1.aukuni.ac.nz (Thomas Koenig)
Date: Mon, 7 Sep 1992 08:33:50 GMT
Organization: University of Auckland, New Zealand.

cwes1@cs.aukuni.ac.nz (Clare West) writes:

[about David Gemmel]

>I guess he doesn't have a very high profile in America or else readers
>of this group think him beneath them.

Probably the "Iain Banks" syndrome - unless somebody actually brings out
the books in the US, hardly anybody on the net is going to take notice...
-- 
Thomas Koenig, ecmtwhk@ccu1.aukuni.ac.nz, ib09@rz.uni-karlsruhe.de
The joy of engineering is to find a straight line on a double logarithmic
diagram.
Xref: sparky rec.arts.sf.written:12122 rec.arts.sf.science:2895 sci.bio:3220 soc.culture.british:12465
From: streater@unixhub.SLAC.Stanford.EDU (Tim Streater)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written,rec.arts.sf.science,sci.bio,soc.culture.british
Subject: Re: Are the Moties us?
Date: 14 Sep 92 15:31:34 GMT
Followup-To: rec.arts.sf.written
Organization: Stanford Linear Accelerator Center

In article <1992Sep11.165636.20409@menudo.uh.edu> chem91@Elroy.UH.EDU writes:
>
>Presumably Ronald means the use of "IQ-based" tests in the "11 Plus" exam, or
>whatever it's called these days. It used to be the case that you flunked that,
>you were shipped off to a "secondary modern," and you were *history* with
>respect to higher (post 16-years-old) education. 

Not necessarily. When I was in the sixth form, we had about half a dozen kids 
who joined us from the neighbouring "secondary modern".

tin
>
Organization: Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
Date: Sat, 12 Sep 1992 14:49:37 -0400 
From: Dan_Bloch@transarc.com
Subject: Re: John Steakly (sp?) books

TJS107@psuvm.psu.edu (Sime) writes:

> I have read Armor and thought it was amazing.  Any comments?
> ...
> Anyone ever read Vampires?  I was thinking about getting it.  It has Jack
> Crow from Armor in it.

I liked Armor a lot and thought Vampires sucked, but your mileage may
vary.  It does have lots of action but it's all pretty pointless.  And
the Jack Crow and Felix aren't the same characters.  He never explains
why he's recycling the names.

Dan


Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
From: mfterman@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Mutant for Hire)
Subject: Re: Gormenghast
Reply-To: mfterman@phoenix.princeton.edu (Mutant for Hire)
Organization: Mutant for Hire, Inc.
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 7 Sep 1992 13:45:04 GMT

In article <Bu5snv.Av@emu.com>, rickk@emu.com (Rick Kleffel) writes:
>If I recall correctly, it was not completely finished.  TO me it seemed
>more like a sketch for a much longer book.  I actually liked the journey to
>the outside world -- from castles to cars without surprise.  Another poster
>mentioned an imcomplete fourth book.  Any details out there?

Apparently there was going to be at least one more Titus book, if not
more. However Peake's health failed him, and there was nothing more
than a rough outline, a listing of concepts that Titus was going to go
through. I also personally tend to think that the third book didn't
get as much careful writing as the first two.

Gormenghast was sort of the womb in which Titus was conceived,
gestated and was born. He left the womb in the third book, to head out
into a much different world, filled with uncertainty. I'll agree that
the third book was much weaker than the first two, on the other hand,
not enough time was spent in the outer world to make much sense of it.

Of course, had Peake been a modern author, after the third book he
would immediately have gone back and written a book about the
foundation of Gormenghast, written at least one other book to set up a
far reaching storyline that would extend into the timeline of the
first trilogy, then started a new series of books to tie all these
plotlines together. (how many authors can you name who have fallen
into this pattern?) :)

-- 
    Martin Terman, Mutant for Hire, Mad Scientist, Priest of Shub-Internet
    Disclaimer: Nobody else takes me seriously, why should you be the first?
mfterman@phoenix.princeton.edu mfterman@pucc.bitnet terman@pupgga.princeton.edu
"Sig quotes are like bumper stickers, only without the same sense of relevance"
From: wayne@sw.stratus.com (Wayne Newberry)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
Subject: Re: Dick and Van Vogt (Was: Re: Who was Philip K. Dick ???)
Date: 15 Sep 92 13:03:57 GMT
Organization: Stratus Computer, Inc.

In article <6375@transfer.stratus.com>, jmann@vineland.pubs.stratus.com (Jim Mann) writes:
> In article <6368@transfer.stratus.com> wayne@sw.stratus.com (Wayne  
> Newberry) writes:
> > One piece of trivia.....I think that Dick got some early notice for  
> trashing
> > A.E. vanVogt's work.  He became much more "noticed" after he tore  
> the man's
> > work to shreds.  I think his theme was that vanVogt's stuff was  
> scientifically
> > impossible, and therefore not worth reading.
> > 
> Are you sure you aren't thinking of Damon Knight?  Knight tore
> Van Vogt's works apart. Specifically, he reviewed the World
> of Null-A and pointed out all the illogical nonsense in it.
> It was Knight who called Van Vogt a "pigmy at a giant typewriter"
> since Van Vogt picked up much of his following during WWII, while
> Heinlein, Asimov, De Camp, et al were busy elsewhere.  
> 
> Stanislaw Lem also dislikes Van Vogt.
> 
> Dick, on the other hand, praised Van Vogt on at least one
> occasion.
> 
> --
> Jim Mann            
> Stratus Computer   jmann@vineland.pubs.stratus.com  
> 

Jim,

You could be right.  The information came from quite a
few years ago, and my memory isn't infallible (in fact
I'm often pleased when it works at all).

Wayne
From: daynem@byron.u.washington.edu (Dayne Miller)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
Subject: Re: John Steakly (sp?) books
Date: 14 Sep 92 04:09:21 GMT
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle

Read VAMPIRE$ (yes, that's a dollar sign). As entertaining as ARMOR was, 
VAMPIRE$ is much more so (IMAO). And yes, the names Jack Crow and Felix are
reused, and no, they are not the same individuals; however, their personae are
pretty much the same. Seems to me that Steakley came up with some names and
character profiles he wanted to screw around with some more, but had no desire
to do a sequel to ARMOR (it's definitely one of those stand-alone works).

     Anyway, don't expect a helluva lot of artistry or deep meaning in VAMPIRE$.
DO expect some of the best action scenes that I've ever read or even seen in
movies. There are some good characters, tons 'o death and mayhem, and a few
interesting twists on the standard vampire-hunter theme (particularly in terms
of weaponry).

     Warning: the book slows down a little from pages 30-100 (approx.). Don't
let it discourage you. None of its REALLY slow, but it does get off the pace a
bit.

     Also, does anyone out there know anything about John Steakley? He doesn't
seem to be a real prolific writer, but I know I for one am anxiously awaiting
his next book (will Crow and Felix make another appearance? I hope so...)

     Rock 'n roll, team.

     -Dayne Miller
       daynem@u.washington.edu

     "You point that toy at me and I will, quite literally, rip your spine
        from your body." -the vampire Ross, VAMPIRE$
From: mweinste@pearl.tufts.edu
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
Subject: Re: Piers Anthony
Date: 15 Sep 92 15:55:17 GMT
Organization: Tufts University - Medford, MA

> If we're to get anywhere in this argument, we'd best have a definition of
> "good" and "bad" writing.
> 
> I'll offer four:
> 
> (1) Good writing is writing with good characters, plot, prose, etc.
> This is a wonderful show definition but, being vague, it doesn't
> much lend itself to argument.
> 
> (2) Good writing is writing that a lot of people like.  A
> utilitarian definition, but lacking that "je ne sais quoi" that
> brings true verve to a USENET debate.
> 
> (3) Good writing is writing that I like.  Now there's a definition.
> It's both objectively applicable and prejudiced as all hell - the
> Tabasco sauce of spirited conversation.  But some, I fear, may
> find it unpalatable.
> 
> (4) Good writing is writing that's read by intelligent, tasteful,
> literate folks like me; bad writing is writing that's read by
> swinish, callow, dimwit geeks like you.  While it may strike the
> cultured mind as uncharitable, this, I suspect, is the definition
> most people use.
> 
No, this is not the definition that most people use.  It's the definition that
people who have very large egos and very narrow scopes of thinking use. 
Certainly from a standpoint of science-fiction, the only accurate definition is
number three, with each person adapting to him/herself.  If I like it, it's
good.  If you don't like it, it's bad.  Because of this, I cannot criticize
your taste, and you cannot criticize mine -- we're both right, not both wrong.
From: murphy@CVAX.IPFW.INDIANA.EDU (Keith Murphy)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
Subject: Superman Deathwatch
Date: 15 Sep 92 20:43:58 GMT


	As you've probably already heard, Superman will be killed
	in November.  What follows is the listing of issues and
	crossovers in both the "Doomsday" and "Funeral for a 
	Friend" storylines (as per _Comics Buyers Guide_ and
	_Advance Comics_).

	"Doomsday"
	_Superman:  The Man of Steel_ #18
	_Justice League America_ #69
	_Superman_ #74
	_Adventures of Superman_ #497
	_Action_ #684
	_Superman:  The Man of Steel_ #19
	_Superman_ #75 (he dies in this one)
	"Funeral for a Friend"
	_Justice League America_ #70
	_Adventures of Superman_ #498
	_Action_ #685
	_Superman:  The Man of Steel_ #20
	_Superman_ #76
	_Adventures of Superman_ #499
	_Action_ #686
	_Superman:  The Man of Steel_ #21
	_Superman_ #77
	
	Keith Murphy...Indiana Purdue U. at Ft. Wayne
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
From: arthurc@sfsuvax1.sfsu.edu (Arthur Chandler)
Subject: Re: Tarot sf and fantasy
Organization: California State University, Sacramento
Date: Sat, 5 Sep 1992 18:49:36 GMT

Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
From: rolfl@karl.uio.no (Rolf Lindgren)
Subject: Re: Lovecraft question
Organization: Institutt for Humanistisk Informatikk, Blindern, Oslo, Norway
Date: Sat, 5 Sep 1992 14:24:25 GMT

In article <188eb3INNdl5@network.ucsd.edu> mmaxwell@ucsd.edu writes:
   (snip)
   > While noticing the influence of H.P. Lovecraft in modern science fiction,
   >someone pointed out to me that Lovecraft was in turn influenced by an early
   >20th century writer, whom I believe wrote a book called something like The
   >King in Yellow, and who was responsible for many places/concepts generally
   >attributed to Lovecraft.
   > 
   > Does anyone know if this is true? If so, does anyone know the name of this
   >author, and/or the titles of his works?
   > 


Lord Dunsany springs to mind - for writing style, anyway.
--
       Rolf Lindgren           |       "The opinions expressed above are
       616 Bjerke Studentheim  |        not necessarily those of anyone"
       N-0589 OSLO 5           |           rolfl.lindgren@usit.uio.no 
From: Fritz.Niespodziany@p4.f41.n2403.z2.fidonet.org (Fritz Niespodziany)
Sender: postmaster@p2.f41.n2403.z2.fidonet.org
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
Subject: mailing list on Tolkien's languages.
Date: 03 Sep 92  23:41:00 EST


 JB> From: tolklang-request@dcs.ed.ac.uk (Julian Bradfield)
 JB> Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written

 JB> This is an automated monthly posting to
 JB> rec.arts.{books,sf.{misc,written}} and sci.lang.

 JB> TolkLang

 JB>     Contact: tolklang-request@dcs.ed.ac.uk (Julian Bradfield)

 JB>     Purpose: Discussions of the linguistic aspects of
 JB>     J.R.R. Tolkien's works. This covers everything from Elvish
 JB>     vocabulary and grammar to his use of Old English. The list is
 JB>     (lightly) moderated.

 JB>     It is possible to receive TolkLang as a weekly digest; please
 JB>     say if you want this.

 You`ve got problems...

 * Origin:  kryton@krypta.in-berlin.de  (2:2403/41.4)
From: mprc@troi.cc.rochester.edu (M. Price)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
Subject: Thanks for John Wyndham info...
Date: 5 Sep 92 21:08:11 GMT
Organization: University of Rochester (Rochester, NY)


 Thanks to evryone who helped me identify the John Wyndham story I was
looking for. It turned out to be "Consider Her Ways," available in an
anthology of the same name. Thanks also to those who suggested
corrollaries.
 Thanks much,


                                                                MP
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
From: brad@clarinet.com (Brad Templeton)
Subject: Re: HUGO Awards?
Organization: ClariNet Communications Corp.
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1992 18:54:49 GMT

>the story were much more powerful to me. The rejection of "Buffalo" as
>non-sf i find mysterious - at the least, it is an alternative history
>story.

But by that standard any historical mainstream fiction that includes a
real historical character is an alternative history story.  Or even
contemporary fiction that modifies today's world.   There's nothing
really speculative, in the speculative fiction sense, in Buffalo.
"What if my dad met H.G. Wells?" doesn't cut it.

From the voting it's pretty clear that people thought Buffalo was not
SF and Cretaceous was.  But some twits came up to Connie Willis after the
Hugos and told her she should not have been on the ballot.  It upset her a
bit.  Everybody then jokingly ventured why none of her stories deserved to
be on the ballot, and then none of everybody else's.

So I guess people can argue this as much as they like.  The current standard
of letting the voters decide what they like and what qualifies, works well
enough.
-- 
Brad Templeton, ClariNet Communications Corp. -- Sunnyvale, CA 408/296-0366