Ellison, Harlan

Average customer rating:

Surprisingly good...
Ender's Game review
Why did no one give me this book years ago?
A valuable read for all ages
Ender's Game (Ender Quartet) Audiobook

Ender's Game (Ender Quartet)
Orson Scott Card
Manufacturer: Audio Renaissance
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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Speaker for the Dead (Ender, Book 2)
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ASIN: 1593974744
Release Date: 2004-09-09

Amazon.com

Ender Wiggin is a very bright young boy with a powerful skill. One of a group of children bred to be military geniuses and save Earth from an inevitable attack by aliens, known here as "buggers," Ender becomes unbeatable in war games and seems poised to lead Earth to triumph over the buggers. Meanwhile, his brother and sister plot to wrest power from Ender. Twists, surprises and interesting characters elevate this novel into status as a bona fide page turner. It captured the Nebula and Hugo Awards.

Book Description

Andrew "Ender" Wiggin thinks he is playing computer-simulated war games at the Battle School; in fact, he is engaged in something far more desperate. Ender is the result of decades of genetic experimentation, Earth's attempt to make the military genius that the planet needs in its all-out war with an alien enemy. Ender Wiggin is six years old when his training begins. He will grow up fast. Ender's two older siblings, Peter and Valentine, are every bit as unusual as he is, but in very different ways. Between three of them lie the abilities to remake a world-if the world survives. This, the author's definitive edition, also includes an original postscript written and recorded by the author himself, in which he discusses the origins of the novel.

Customer Reviews:

Surprisingly good..........2007-06-23

I read very little science fiction as typically I am more drawn to fantasy or horror titles. I picked this book up on a recommendation from a friend and boy am I glad I did. Card not only managed to draw me into his world, but was able to genuinely catch me off-guard with the ending of the book which, unfortunately, doesn't happen very often. His portrayal of Ender is deep and meaningful and indeed, drives the story itself. The premise of the story is exciting and reveals the authors deep understanding and identification with the human condition. Additionally, there is a message here, rather profoundly delivered, that manages to provide allegory without venturing into the pretentious or preachy trap that many other "books with messages" tend to fall into.

All in all, Ender's Game will provide you with a story that is deep, engaging, entertaining and touching with none of the irritating stuff that clutters otherwise decent story lines in this genre. In short, it's everything you love about science fiction (and indeed, books in general) with none of the stuff you hate. Highly recommended.

Ender's Game review.......2007-06-14

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Review by Wade Rediger

"I've watched through his eyes, I've listened through his ear, and I tell you he's the one. Or at least as close as we're going to get."

Ender Wiggins is 7 years old. Taken from home, surrounded by enemies, impossible odds, and no hope. After all he is Earth's last hope. Although, young and a `third', he soars to the top of his battle training. Always finishing his superiors' orders and making up the rules as he goes. Though, time is of the essence and an alien `buggers' invasion looms over Earth. Ender, the wonder child, is put to the test. He is predestined to lead Earth's defense and retaliation attack against the `buggers'.

The entire book, every page, was truly entrancing. Yet, I won't spoil it for you, but the ending is what separates this book, what makes it better than all the other sci-fi books out there. It is ingenious, unusual, and different, but it draws you in and you reread the ending for days, just to take it in. The twist of what happens to Earth and what becomes of Ender is shocking and unexpected to a new level that I have never read in a book before.

Ender's Game is by far the best book I have ever read. The details, dialogue, visuals, and sensory Scott Card uses forms an remarkable bond between you and the characters, especially Ender and his family. You learn to love ender, learn to feel his world, and eventually learn to believe in him. Scott Card makes you hate the characters Ender hates, and love those he loves. I felt close to Ender because he reminded me of any other regular child and even of me as I was when little.

I gained a personal connection and relationship to the main characters because each character resembles common personality traits that everyone has. You feel as though you are right in the story involved in the plot. You want to reach out and touch the characters. Scott Card bridges the gap from reality to imagination.

Ender's Game reminds us that our future, our hopes for earth always lies with the youth; they control the balances of power. More importantly Scott Card emphasizes the theory throughout the book that death not being an end, but rather a beginning for something new.

Is there enough time? Can Ender save the human race from the impending `bugger' threat?

Why did no one give me this book years ago?.......2007-06-13

Having blown off life, spouse, and cats on Sunday in order to read cover to cover Ender's Game, I was left feeling cheated that no one had given me this book earlier in life and demanded that I read it. On my brief breaks from the book to forage for food in the fridge, I refused to speak to my spouse as I didn't want to come out of the world created by Card in this must-read book.

I'm not a sci-fi fan by nature and so wasn't expecting much. But I was hooked from page 1 and never looked back. I'm off to the local library to see if they carry the sequels.

A valuable read for all ages.......2007-06-10

I learned a lot from this book. I manage a team of people in a vary stressful environment and this book actually helped me think of things differently. Crazy, huh? Well, give the book a try, I'm sure you'll think of things a little differently afterwards.

Ender's Game (Ender Quartet) Audiobook.......2007-06-08

For anyone who is not keen on reading books, this audiobook is Excellent.

Everyone should experience "Ender's Game"

Average customer rating:

Will appeal to both pop culture fans and those who like fine art
He's Not Just for Doc Savage Fans
The Bama, the whole Bama and nothing but the Bama!

James Bama: American Realist
Brian M. Kane
Manufacturer: Flesk Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0972375880

Product Description

The illustration art of James Bama has now been collected into this impressive 160-page full color hardbound edition. James Bama: American Realist is the first book to span his entire career. Examples explore his diverse brush from magazine illustrations, paperback book covers, and advertising. Chapters examine his work in pop culture, horror, science fiction, adventure and western genres, concluding with his most recent fine art endeavors. This volume features a detailed biography exploring his noteworthy and singular career. Insightful quotes by Bama accompany many pieces. In addition, testimonials by leading artists, writers, and historians are contained throughout. During his career, Bamas art graced many memorable pop culture paperback book covers. Among his most notable works are the 62 cover paintings for Bantams Doc Savage adventure series, all of which are contained within. Over 260 illustrations are featured, of which more than 85 are from the original art. Over 30 personal photographs of family and modeling shoots are contained within.

Customer Reviews:

Will appeal to both pop culture fans and those who like fine art.......2007-02-22

Anyone who glanced at a rack of paperback books in the mid 60's to early 70's was bound to see at least one or two covers painted by the gifted artist James Bama. The most memorable of these covers were those for the "Doc Savage" series published by Bantam Books. These illustrations were always striking and dramatic and served to make the book stand out from the other titles next to them. When I saw a second-hand copy of "The Living Fire Menace" at a thrift store in 1973, it was the dramatic cover painting of Doc, in all his ripped-shirt glory against a background of orange flames and some kind of electric-blue sphere, that made me shell out my hard-earned 50 cents. From that day on I was hooked, and collecting the adventures of Doc became one of my hobbies. It became second nature to scan the shelves for those distinctive Bama covers, and when he stopped painting them in the mid-70's the series lost some of its appeal.

At the time, it was hard to learn much about James Bama, much less the significant role he played in making these repackaged 30's pulp stories bestsellers for a contemporary audience. Indeed, any artist who worked for the paperback market in those days had to confront the reality that the publishing world considered them hired guns at best, and getting a credit line of tiny-font text on the back of the title page was about all the acknowledgement they could expect to receive.

James Bama: American Realist is therefore a timely, and handsomely produced, overview of Bama's art. Over the course of 7 sections, it covers his work in commercial art in the 60s and early 70s, and his subsequent career in studio art since that time. I'm sure many Baby Boomers will be nostalgic at seeing the illustrations Bama did for pop culture artifacts from their childhood reproduced here. Such as the boxes for the Aurora plastic model kits for the Universal monsters (Frankenstein, the Mummy, etc.), and the covers for bestsellers, such as "The Harrad Experiment" and the first of the "Star Trek" paperbacks by James Blish, as well as a seemingly unending series of potboilers churned out by William Goldman and Howard Fast. All 62 of the covers Bama did for the Doc Savage books are presented here as well, six to a page, with some getting full-page treatment.

The reproductions are of good quality and the layout pleasing to the eye, with the text placed to minimize encroaching on the illustrations. The introductory chapters offer an interesting account of the commercial art scene back in the era when magazines were starting to lose ground to the burgeoning paperback book as the principal format for print media. Once paperbacks became the dominant media and on-shelf competition tightened, having the right cover became increasingly important in boosting sales. Indeed, during his busiest period, Bama was producing a paperback cover painting a week, but he and his fellow freelance artists were stuck in a 'work for hire' system that rarely provided any royalties or other compensation for illustrating top-selling books. This fact of life as a commercial artist, and burn-out, may have been what led Bama to go into semi-retirement in Wyoming in the early 70's. Since then he has focused on Western art, and his paintings of cowboys and Indians are featured in the book's last section.

If the book has a weakness, it is the lack of any exposition on Bama's technique. Whether the author felt it would be out place in this particular book format, or if the artist himself was reluctant to reveal too many of his 'secrets', is unclear. Unfortunately, this means that those hoping to learn how to paint Bama-style, will have to look elsewhere.

He's Not Just for Doc Savage Fans.......2007-02-09

Cover paintings for the Bantam reprints of Doc Savage "novels" brought Mr. Bama to my attention. Later, as many others have noted, I began to spot and recognize his work elsewhere. The elegant simplicity of the title says it all: he lovingly renders each and every wrinkle and shadow in flesh and clothing.

This is an expensive book, particularly if you are going to just flip through once and put it aside. However, if you keep art books handy, and periodically take them down to re-experience them, this one is worth the price of admission. It has been produced with the same care and attention that Mr. Bama puts into his art. And, if you do know Mr. B. only from the paperback covers, there will be some surprises in this volume.

OK, so you're the flip-through type, but you've got the bucks? Buy a copy of this for your local or favorite library!

The Bama, the whole Bama and nothing but the Bama!.......2006-10-26

When Bama's book of Western art came out in the 1990s I gobbled it up, buying copies for family and friends. My only disappointed was that the only thing I could share was his fine art. James Bama: American Realist has rectified that problem.

Interspersed with Kane's biographical text are quotes by some pretty powerful artists, such as Evertt Raymond Kinstler (who has known Bama since they were both 15), Boris Vallejo and Mark Schultz, not to mention dozens of quotes and observations by Bama himself, but it's the color illustrations that this book is really all about.

If you're a Doc Savage fan you not only get all of Bama's amazing Doc covers, but a number of the Steve Holland photo shoots that inspired them. What I particularly like is that in many cases you can compare the photo to the painting and see what Bama adds to each; his innate sense of color and design, the way the figures in his paintings glow with some inner strength that is not present in the photos. Some people say that Bama just paints reality, this book should remove that notion from their heads.

Bama abandoned the commercial art world at the height of his career in the 1970s and this book covers both of his careers. It's dominated by his commercial work but there is plenty of his fine art work as well. Like I said, this book is complete.

You open the book and you are bowled over by a portrait of Robert Kennedy and I wonder, "How can Bama paint hope?" Maybe it's in the eyes or the gesture of the hand, whatever, it makes a immediate and powerful impact. And it's just the first of the many treasures to be found within.

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Gaiman at his best
A turning point in the Sandman saga.
I walked in Destiny's Garden...
Angels, Demons, and School Bullies
Oh, My--What Fun!

The Sandman Vol. 4: Season of Mists
Neil Gaiman , Neil Gaiman , Kelley Jones , Harlan Ellison , and Mike Dringenberg
Manufacturer: Vertigo
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1563890410

Amazon.com

In many ways, Season of Mists is the pinnacle of the Sandman experience. After a brief intermission of four short stories (collected as Dream Country) Gaiman continued the story of the Dream King that he began in the first two volumes. Here in volume 4, we find out about the rest of Dream's Endless family (Desire, Despair, Destiny, Delirium, Death, and a seventh missing sibling). We find out the story behind Nada, Dream's first love, whom we met only in passing during Dream's visit to hell in the first book. When Dream goes back to hell to resolve unfinished business with Nada, he finds her missing along with all of the other dead souls. The answer to this mystery lies in Lucifer's most uncharacteristic decision--a delicious surprise.

There is something grandiose about this story, in which each chapter ends with such suspense and drive to read the next. This book is best summed up by a toast taken from the second chapter: "To absent friends, lost loves, old gods, and the season of mists; and may each and every one of us always give the devil his due." --Jim Pascoe

Customer Reviews:

Gaiman at his best.......2007-04-02

For a short read, each episode is superbly written. Gaiman is the best of his genre.

A turning point in the Sandman saga........2007-01-16

After reading all of the Sandman collections, "Season of Mists" is with out a doubt my favorite.(it's also the first one I read) "Season of Mists" begins with a family meeting between Sandman's family "The Endless". During this meeting Sandman's older brother, Destiny announces that he has recently been visited by the fates. He says that the fates told him that "Something IMPORTANT will happen. Something that sparks a chain of events, causing much change and upheaval" Sandman's sister death then asks "And what is that occasion?" Destiny simply answers "THIS meeting that is all. The rest is up to you" After these statements Destiny's prophecy quickly unfolds when the family sits down to dinner. Sandman's sister, Desire attacks Sandman by opening an old personal wound, his past love life. If you read the books prior to "Season" you'll discover that Sandman sentenced is old flame, Nada (a formed African queen) to the tourments of hell because she refused to give up her mortal life to be his queen. Insulted by Destiny, Sandman storms off to sulk outside on the balcony. Death later comes out to give Sandman a royal tongue lashing (one of her shinning moments in the seires)and tells him that what he did to Nada was selfish and wrong. Sandman soon realizes that is big sister is right and he sets off to free his former love. Sandman and Lucifer(the lord of hell) have some bad blood(established in prior chapters) and when Lucifer is informed that Sandman is comming to his realm, he says that it is a day that they will both remember. When Sandman arrives in hell he is surpized to find the place empty. Lucifer soon greets Sandman to tell him that he has quit his job, let every soul free, and has decided to give the key for the gates to Sandman. This is where the true conflict of 'Seaons" starts. What is Sandman to do with this new realm? and with all of hell's souls now free, Where is Nada? Sandman soon finds that his troubles have only begun when gods and godesses of new and old flood his realm to lobby for posession of the key to hell. Who will Sandman choose and how will he save Nada when a powerful demon holds her for ransom? "Seasons of Mists" is the best written and most exciting chapter in the Sandman collection and one of the best graphic novels I've ever read. If you're a Sandman fan you MUST read this book. read it!

I walked in Destiny's Garden..........2006-11-05

Highly disappointed with "Dream Country", I found myself a bit hesitant about opening the pages to this next chapter in possibly the most imaginative fictional character ever created. "Preludes & Nocturnes" made me salivate for more of Gaiman's creation, while "The Doll's House" set the foundation for future stories and possible interludes, but when it came to "Dream Country" I found myself taking several huge steps back. It followed a different beat, the characters were nowhere to be seen, and it felt like a colorful collection of short, un-compelling stories. I was hurt, and it took me quite a bit of time to open Gaiman's next chapter, but not to worry, my fears ended as I started to read the first few frames ... Gaiman was back, and no door was going to be closed for this next collection entitled, "Season of Mists"!

Gaiman has this unique ability to bring worlds of near non-parallel existence together in a way that we could never imagine. His darkness is back from the opening page when we meet one of his brothers - Destiny. What is great about this opening is that fans of Gaiman's previous chapters will instantly have satisfaction in knowing that the cold spell known as "Dream Country" is over, and we are pulled back into Dream's world. Gaiman re-introduces us to our heroine through his family, by introducing us to his sisters and brothers. While we do not know the purpose of the meeting, we see how the family (perhaps not unlike your own family) interact and co-exist. Like a glass of aged wine, the story progresses with comfort and ease, with Gaiman never quite giving us answers only leading us further down his darkened road. We see humility with our Master of Sleep, Sandman, when he is reminded of a past love that he sentenced to Hell ten thousand years ago. He wants her back, and due to the meeting (thanks to Destiny), he decides to get her back. Nearly reminiscent of "Preludes & Nocturnes", we head back to Hell, but this time, Lucifer himself has a trick up his sleeve.

Lucifer presents Sandman with the ultimate gift, the Keys of Hell, and it will be his decision on what to do with the "gift". What creates the meaty center of this epic tale are what choices the Sandman is presented with by each one of the possible suitors looking to inherit the keys to the almighty Kingdom. Gaiman intricately weaves different Gods from different myths and stories to give us such a vast universe of truths and legend. Gaiman grows the small world we began with into something extraordinary, a world with more open doors than one could ever imagine. We, the readers, are given hints towards the future, as to the strange occurrence of Dream's missing brother, the troubled love between him and Nada, as well as the angels that are determined to change Hell. Loki is even traded for a favor that I am sure Gaiman will explore later.

"Season of Mists" rebirths the excitement that was originally developed in the first two collections that introduced us to Dream. These stories are dark, disturbing, challenging, and utterly fantastical. There is an amazing blend (of which only Gaiman could create) of imagination, creativity, fantasy, and honesty within these stories that immediately pulled this skeptical reader back from the "Dream Country" void. The images are crisp, vibrant, and completely within the realm of this series - for those that couldn't enjoy "Dream Country", "Season of Mists" will bring you back to the world that you loved. Gaiman and his collection of illustrators bring us back to the world that we loved and missed with the last collection. The disturbing truth of Hell, the infinite life of Dream's family, as well as the colliding worlds around that all pine for a track of land to call their own. This collection opened a whole new world to the series, demonstrating that there is a world outside of our own that may have magic, but the undertones are very similar to ours. Sibling rivalry coupled with competitive land developers are just a few of the channels that Gaiman bring to us in "Season of Mists".

I haven't mentioned this in my other reviews yet, but I have to with this collection because it became more obvious to me as I read and saw Dream in each of the stories. I am an enormous fan of what Gaiman has chosen to do with this character - he has given Dream a constantly changing face. What I mean is that Gaiman always has new artists creating his work, thus providing us this true feeling of being in a dream where nothing remains the same. I love to see other's thoughts on what Dream may look like, and while we revert back to the "original" form to demonstrate consistency, it is these subtle changes that make these stories more enjoyable each time you turn the page. The Sandman may be only one person, but he wears many eccentric faces.

Overall, for those that felt that Gaiman fell off his stride in "Dream Country", you will not be disappointed with this outing. We go further into the mind of Gaiman to see his demons, his Gods, and his darkly religious undertones. What I loved about this collection is that while there is this idea of religion, Gaiman seems to bring it to us in all different shapes and sizes. There are Gods, but he skittles around the idea of one larger entity. I loved the idea of "Chaos" and "Order", and the shapes that they chose to take. I deeply enjoyed the poetic ending that seemed to bring purpose to it all - it seemed that Destiny did make an impact, even with just one small event. "Season of Mists" easily ranks as my second favorite in this series. While I do believe that there isn't one that could quite match the veracity of "Preludes and Nocturnes", this one comes very close. For anyone that wants to explore the world of Dream, I would use this as a reference due to the humanity of his character in these stories. He has a conflict, and it is how he chooses to deal with the issues that make him purely Gaiman. I was impressed from page one!

Grade: ***** out of *****

Angels, Demons, and School Bullies.......2006-01-30

Guard your nipples against the corpse-ified bullies of yore: that's what I learned! No, seriously this is an AMAZING book. As if one twist in the middle of the book(after some well-built suspense) wasn't enough to make the story seem grandiose, another twist near the end comes along and makes it epic.

We return to an old character in this volume(which is genius, of course; cliffhangers SUCK!!) and meet a new one. The best thing is, you sympathize with ALL gaiman's characters(even the mischevious ones). And more references to mythology and even art are thrown in, as expected (watch Susano-o-makoto's expressions and poses).

Excellent volume, Mr. Gaiman! I'll get 5 on my next paycheck, but for now I'm working on American Gods!! :)

Oh, My--What Fun!.......2005-10-25

The Sandman is an incredible series on so many levels. If you've not read yet, please do (and please start with the first volume; you'll want to read them all eventually anyway, I guarantee). Some of the tales are deep, some profound, and this collection shares in all of that and at the same time is simply so much fun(!): Satan decides to close Hell down and hit the beach--he gives the keys to Morpheus, lord of dreams, who is then besieged with deities from all the world's pantheons, each of which wants the prime real estate for their own uses. What a premise!

And what execution!

The Sandman is up there with anything else printed in the late 20th Century. Begin reading it today.

The Essential Ellison: A 50-Year Retrospective

Average customer rating:

Xenogenesis and so much more
I Have No Book, And I Must Read
Superlative Spinner of Dreams
Ellison as Americana
Tour de Force Ellison Compilation

The Essential Ellison: A 50-Year Retrospective
Harlan Ellison
Manufacturer: Morpheus International
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1883398622

Book Description

Harlan Ellison is probably best known as a script writer for sci-fi and fantasy movies and TV series such as the original Outer Limits, The Hunger, Logan's Run, and Babylon Five. But his range is much broader than that, encompassing stories, novels, essays, reviews, reminiscences, plays, even fake autobiographies. The Essential Ellison, a special limited edition personally signed and numbered by Ellison, contains 74 unabridged works, including such classics as "A Boy and His Dog," "Xenogenesis," and "Mefisto in Onyx."

Customer Reviews:

Xenogenesis and so much more.......2007-02-10

I bought this book initially so I'd have a copy of the essay 'Xenogenesis', which scared seven shades of pea soup out of me when I first read it in IASFM. Further perusal gave me a thorough glimpse of the work of an author I'd been skipping, as I considered him a product of the 'second wave' of science fiction/science fiction-influenced authors (first wave involving Heinlein, E. E. 'Doc' Smith, and so on). Good to have been proven so wrong, and now it's a book I'll recommend to those of my friends who see 'Harlan Ellison' and only think 'that guy from Babylon 5'.

I Have No Book, And I Must Read.......2007-01-28

For the uninitiated or causal reader, "The Essential Ellison" represents the best compilation of the author's works between two covers. With 1400 + stories under his belt, Harlan Ellison is one of the most prolific writers of any genre of fiction. The amazing thing is that all of them are good. Even better, most of them are great. And better yet, a good number of them are some of the best short stories written in the last fifty years. Though classified as a sci-fi author, Ellison writes fierce and barbed tales about the alienation of the individual in modern life, whether it's the guise of sci-fi, fantasy, or non-genre fiction. With defiant tone, Ellison passionately defends the individual against the impersonal machinations of ridged, authoritarian systems and their apathetic leaders. Unrelenting and sincere, Ellison's prose and characters take a stand for those who can't or won't. "The Essential Ellison" contains most of the author's greatest stories. From the spiritual longing of "Grail" to the utter insanity of "I Have No Mouth, And I Must Scream"; from the mute hopelessness of "The Whimper of Whipped Dogs" to the phantasmagorical absurdity of "Repent, Harlequin! Said the Ticktock Man"; from the prophetic frustration of "Along the Scenic Route" to the rebellious shriek of "A Boy and His Dog." Mercurial and pointed, purposeful and thought-provoking, Ellison rarely writes for bemusement's sake alone. And like all great authors, the reader leaves a story with more than they started with. So, if you're tired of the same ol' sci-fi/fantasy story of "an ambitious young farm lad who is really of noble birth assembles a cadre of trusted misfit warriors and does battle with the great evil that threatens to envelop the world" rot, then I whole-heartedly suggest you check out the work of Harlan Ellison.

Superlative Spinner of Dreams.......2005-07-21

Taken from the introduction, "Sublime Rebel," by Terry Dowling:

"In Egyptian mythology, Iai is a fascinating character. He is the rebel, the tester, the stubborn resisting force of intellect and insight which donkey-like stands its ground, refusing to budge, and challanges what is accepted and valued and thought to be sensible and true. The same sort of honest irrepressible rebel, in fact, which surfaced in the child who pointed out that the Emperor wore no clothes and in the Fool who told King Lear that he was wrong. Those dear precious rebels(for there are, and have been, many)not only dare to question but for their pains alienate themselves from those who haven't questioned, who didn't think to question, who are now made to look stupid because they didn't."

Throughout the latter half of the twentieth century, author and social critic, Harlan Ellison, was a seminal influence within speculative fiction, fantasy and science fiction. As though from some bygone era, his writing in the field of science fiction is thematically grounded in human dilemma. The emotionally qualitative properties of his stories are vivid and palpable.

Think stubbornly, cantankerously steadfast in personal conviction, artistic craft and vision. A true sort of sui generis, refusing to dillydally or sugarcoat the bitter truth. Appropriately overwrought, humorous, devilish. Dead on and justified, Harlan Ellison was watching.

Time after time, Harlan's words serve as a breaker bar to wrest truth's free from convenient, apathetic confinement. I can think of no other author whose work, be it fiction or otherwise, so diligently rummages the depths of the human condition; all of those secretive, quiescent corners of the collective unconscious, hidden in the shadow of the soul.
From our shameful indifference and distraction to the overwhelming din and pall of homogeneous, race lunacy, no other author was or is more aptly suited to chronicle our perceived time...the approaching the end of a millennium, or, perhaps more likely(and to borrow a title from Ellison) approaching oblivion.

I have some twenty-five books of his, collected over many years. Some purchased new, many found in little hole-in-the-wall used book shops. But those twenty-five or so are merely a drop in the bucket when considering the totality of his work. Most of his books are long out of print, making this comprehensive tome, "The Essential Ellison", a true necessity for those seeking Harlan's work. I've had the old Morpheus addition for fifteen years, however, I'm glad to see this vital compilation of Harlan's writing hasn't disappeared as mankind slowly circles the drain. The revised and expanded retrospective assembles several pieces not found in former additions.
Also noteworthy is the recently re-issued and long sought after "Strange Wine". Next to "Deathbird Stories", it's one of my favorites. However, "The Essential Ellison" is a fine place to start. Harlan's words leave a lasting impression.

Ellison as Americana.......2004-11-22

I have been reading Harlan Ellison's work for years and can't recommend this book highly enough. Not only is his work enormously entertaining, but also illustrative of the social landscape from where it finds its meaning. The Essential Ellison does more than provide a retrospective of the author's work: it allows the reader to appreciate the social influences that infiltrate the fabric of the prose. Clearly, Ellison's great talent is marrying cultural and personal significance to the most arcane subject matter. Though this ability is more clearly seen in his nonfiction, it also exists perforce in his fiction, where the fantastic settings and narratives tend to divert the reader's attention from the deeper influences that may be seen in the work.

I believe that Ellison's supporters have neglected this literary attribute, as well as his critics, who should know better. Ellison, like most of us, is a product of American culture and its influences, beginning with his early experiences with anti-Semitism, his love for radio drama and comic books, and his early fascination with science fiction, and leading to more mature experiences with racism, political corruption and social irresponsibility. That these experiences influenced his life is very human; that they converted his art from ordinary narrative to meaningful literature is to the credit of the artist, who, despite working in the terribly debilitating media of television and motion pictures, retained his ability to examine human subjects with affinity and insight. Even while working inside the entertainment industry, he was able to understand the corruptive elements of it and translate these symptoms into often painful stories of human neglect and shallow intent.

Though much of Ellison's fiction is fantastic and otherworldly, it is also acutely human and introspective. A book such as this allows the reader to appreciate the artistic and intellectual growth of the artist as well as enjoy the best of that artist's efforts. Ellison's work is part of Americana, and often powerfully illustrates the failure of America idealism. He is one of the best, if not the best, living American fantasists.

Tour de Force Ellison Compilation.......2002-07-06

This is simply the most thorough and compelling compilation of Ellison's works. Period. It runs the gamut of all his works, from the early days, until the date of the compilation's publication. By far, its a must have for anyone who appreciates Ellison. PERIOD.

Harlan Ellison's Dream Corridor Volume 2

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Get it!

Harlan Ellison's Dream Corridor Volume 2
Harlan Ellison , Gerard Jones , Mark Waid , Steve Niles , John Ostrander , Various , Eric Shanower , Neal Adams , Paul Chadwick , and Steve Rude
Manufacturer: Dark Horse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1593074948

Book Description

Ever wonder what it would be like to walk into someone else's mind and have a look around? Well, what if that person happened to be a brilliant storyteller whose imagination has captivated millions of readers over the past five decades? In the award-winning anthology Harlan Ellison's Dream Corridor, we have had both the privilege and peril of rooting around in the eponymous fellow's noggin to see what makes him tick - and what engrossing stories have been hidden away in the cracks and crevices of his gray matter. The words of world-renowned science-fiction author Harlan Ellison are once again translated onto the page by top comics creators, including Paul Chadwick, Neal Adams, Steve Rude, Gene Colan, Steve Niles, Gerard Jones, Richard Corben and the legendary Oz illustrator Eric Shanower. Most of these stories have never before seen print!

Customer Reviews:

Get it!.......2007-05-23

It is just like the first and just as good. An excellent collection of hardcore fantasy by the master of his trade. Harlan Ellison plays tour guide, and boy do you wish you had someone SANE to guide you when reading this stuff. Wild illustrations of considerable variety flesh out each story. In my opinion Ellison is best when illustrated like this. It's unpredictable, dazzling, a lot of fun. One story is entirely b&w, while another is the last, unfinished work of Curt Swan. Author's sentiments are dark and funny, "twisted," lonely, concerned... each story has something to say.

Goodbye, Columbus and Five Short Stories

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"I sat down on my Brooks Brothers shirt and pronounced my own name out loud."
Relevant and moving
All the heart that Portnoy lacks...
Great debut, beginning of a great career
Goodbye, Columbus

Goodbye, Columbus and Five Short Stories
Philip Roth
Manufacturer: Audio Literature
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

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Portnoy's Complaint
The Human Stain: A Novel
American Pastoral
The Ghost Writer
The Magic Barrel: Stories

ASIN: 0787118354

Book Description

Neil Klugman (he of poor Newark) and pretty, spirited Brenda Patimkin (she of suburban Short Hills) meet one summer and dive into an affair that is as much about social class and suspicion as it is about love. Goodbye Columbus is accompanied by five short stories that range in tone from iconoclastic to the astonishingly tender and illuminate the subterranean conflicts between parents and children and friends and neighbors in the American Jewish Diaspora.

Customer Reviews:

"I sat down on my Brooks Brothers shirt and pronounced my own name out loud.".......2006-10-25

First Love is a really wonderful novella that was the first work of Philip Roth. It was published in 1959 and won the National Book Award.

What makes it so wonderful? The quality of the prose is exceptional. It is precise and often poetic without ever using that overly precious tone from which many short story authors suffer. Roth takes careful aim at upwardly mobile Jewish life-- most of the stories in the volume look at least subtly at the internal (identity) clash that arises as Jewish families start integrating into the mainstream middle class. What's nice is that he is unflinching and often critical without ever feeling as though he were being mean. Goodbye Columbus is beautiful and thought provoking, wry but not bitter.

The novella is published together with five short stories, "The Conversion of the Jews", "Defender of the Faith", "Epstein", "You Can't Tell a Man by the Song He Sings", and "Eli, the Fanatic". "The Conversion of the Jews" is generally considered the best of the lot, but personally I was more drawn to "Defender of the Faith". All five stories are worth reading, even if they are not as strong as the title novella.

Highly recommended.

Relevant and moving.......2006-07-12

Are you neurotic or psychotic? Do you worry and obsess over little things or see sombrero-wearing orca whales tangoing with sea anemones in their teeth? Then you should either read Goodbye, Columbus or seek professional help. Following Neil Klugman through a summer of indecision, sex, and straddling of social strata, the book is as relevant today as when it was published in 1959. Also, don't shirk reading the five short stories that follow it. They're great. And I know your mother and I didn't raise you to be a Lazy Jane.

To read more reviews check out Void Magazine's website.

All the heart that Portnoy lacks..........2005-08-15

I find Philip Roth's debut novella, Goodbye, Columbus, to be much more enjoyable than his more famous work, Portnoy's Complaint. For one thing, Columbus is much shorter - it gets to the point. It is not endlessly repetitive, the way Portnoy is - nor is Roth as full of himself in this more modest work.

Goodbye, Columbus has all the heart that Portnoy's Complaint lacks. It is the proverbial "coming of age" story of Neil Klugman. Neil is the Philip Roth stand-in - like Roth, he is a poor Jewish boy from Newark. He has his first great love affair with Brenda Patimkin - a rich girl from Short Hills. Brenda is all he could ever want in a woman, so everything should be perfect...right? The reader may guess at the stops along the way, but predictability isn't really the issue - it's the journey that matters.

I found the short stories in this collection less appealing. They are all on the same theme: the aversion Roth feels towards Jewish-American culture, while being a Jewish-American. This is one of the central themes in his novels as well, but his short stories are not able to support this theme as well as the other diversions that make his novels enjoyable. As such, the short stories are one-trick-ponies, and I found them tiring. Perhaps this is the reason that Roth is known as a novelist and not a short-story writer. However, the book is worth purchasing for the novella alone.

Great debut, beginning of a great career.......2005-04-17

This is Philip Roth's first acclaimed work, a novella about a Jewish twenty-something and the yearnings of young love, and five other short stories. Roth always touches on something completely exceptional by its normality, and tells a story in a gripping, intelligent and thoroughly honest manner. The title story is about a young man who out of youtful desire starts a passionate affair with a Jewish girl, knowing nothing about her or her family. He ingratiates himself into her life and family, while still remaining somewhat elusive and anonymous. He has no real family ties, with parents living thousands of miles away and an aunt in Newark whom he is trying to break away from. It is a fascinating story, providing yet another glimpse into Jewish identity and alienation, of which Roth is one of fiction's greatest exponents.

The remaining stories are also outstanding; remarkably different from the title story, but each providing something of the present day (well, 1950's when the book was written) struggles with identity experienced by the post-WWII American Jew, ranging from a 13 year old boy undergoing training for his bar mitzvah and questioning issues of faith and tempting fate; to a Jewish military sargeant conflicted about how to fairly treat Jewish members of his military battalion.

One can almost taste the honesty, it is so thick. That is what I love about Roth. He has no agenda other than the accurate descriptions of humanity, which in his experiences happen to be mostly Jewish, in all its failings, idiosyncrasies and conflict.

I eagerly await the next installment in my Roth-provided education.

Goodbye, Columbus.......2004-10-31

Goodbye, Columbus is a coming of age story, a summer romance between a poor boy and a wealthy girl. Many themes that were to show up in much more detail in his later works are presented in embryonic form in this novella, his first major work. Being Jewish in America, sex, class boundaries, the American Way: All Roth subjects, all handled with intelligence and compassion.

Neil is the typical poor Jewish boy enamoured with Brenda, the classy, self-assured, rich girl. He shows a rare spark of confidence when he calls her for a date after first meeting her at a swimming pool, when she accepts and they meet, he finds that he really doesn't know what to do from there. But, they bumble through the beginnings of a relationship, mutually attracted physically, diametrically opposed socially. Neil has a few 'poor' ideas and thoughts that Brenda cannot relate to, while she accepts such luxuries as a maid or 'getting her nose fixed' with such ease and complacency that we - and Neil - are amazed. Over the summer, their relationship develops further, with the typical ups and downs of love colouring the journey.

Neil is the 'I' character of the story, and it is through his point of view that we watch the story unfold. However, even though the story is in first person, there is never much of his personality revealed through contemplative thought or reflection. Instead, we learn who he is from the way he interacts with Brenda and others, and from the way he studies the events in which he is involved. By the end of the novella, we (mostly) understand his motives and ideas, and though, admittedly, it is a little difficult to imagine Neil existing outside the scope of the novel, that actually plays into the theme of the story. Neil is searching for meaning, for a reason to keep on existing, and he considers that in Brenda, he has found it. Whether this is true or not becomes a large focus in the novel, particularly when, later on, she repeatedly reveals to him that she is in fact her own person, with her own ideas, and that sometimes they won't mesh with his.

Brenda, on the other hand, remains a complete mystery to both the reader and Neil. Because we are never allowed to see her thoughts, and because her and Neil have such a different social background, she is someone who we try to understand, but inevitably fail. At times, Neil will say or do something and she will become upset, or tender, or both, and Neil will be so confused that he simply accepts. This can be frustrating for the reader, because Brenda is an appealing character, and it would be nice for him to have the gumption to search deeper within her for meaning and thought, but unfortunately he rarely does. Interestingly, this doesn't come off so much as a failing on Roth's part as an author, but Neil's as a character.

As stated above, the typical themes and ideas that Roth was to develop more fully in his later works are present here. There is the same easy insight into the mundane reality of life, and the same simple joy in, say, eating a piece of fruit or swimming in a pool. Goodbye, Columbus is a story that focuses on one single idea, that being the summer romance between two people that could not have a relationship in any other situation, and it explores it in a remarkably fulfilling way. Admittedly, the very Jewish quality of the writing and ideas may not be as identifiable for a non-Jewish person, but speaking as a man of no faith, I didn't find it to be all that much of a problem. Also, the casual racism towards African-Americans may be off-putting, but again, it didn't upset the flow of the novel.

To conclude, what Roth has done here is to introduce himself as an author, and for a twenty-six year old, it is an impressive introduction. Having read other works of his, I would recommend it as a good starting point. If you like Goodbye, Columbus - and I am quite certain everyone would - then you will love his later works. If not, not. And at only 140 pages, it is worth everyone's time to check out.

H. R. Giger's Biomechanics Limited Edition

Average customer rating:

Slightly dissapointed with this edition

H. R. Giger's Biomechanics Limited Edition
H. R. Giger
Manufacturer: Morpheus International
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound

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H. R. Giger's Necronomicon II

ASIN: 188339869X

Book Description

H. R. Giger, Oscar-winning designer of the hit movie Alien and widely considered the world’s finest dark fantasy artist, redefined edgy, contemporary art starting in the 1980s with his biomorphic creatures inhabiting gorgeously grim dystopias. His visionary art is unmistakable. Unfettered by labels or category, Giger’s work has appeared in every conceivable format — from set design to sculpture, paintings to airbrush, book covers to album covers. This massive, oversized volume, limited to just 300 copies worldwide, showcases 200 of Giger's paintings and sculptures, including design paintings for Emerson, Lake and Palmer albums, and the film Poltergeist II. The book is bound in black leather, with a black cloth slipcase — all embossed in gold foil. It includes a signed and numbered print of one of Giger’s drawings, which can be removed and framed. The foreword by longtime Giger fan Harlan Ellison, who calls him “our latter-day Hieronymus Bosch,” adds welcome context and insight.

Customer Reviews:

Slightly dissapointed with this edition.......2007-05-04

Giger's Biomechanics book itself gets five stars. This review pertains to the Limited Edition which consists of the following 3 items:

1. Hardbound copy drawn from what I assume is the latest print run (2005) of the standard edition. The book is conspicuously marked Seventh Printing on the inside front cover's endpapers. I'm a little dissapointed that the book was not designated as the first printing of a unique edition.

2. Signed/numbered print, one of three different images available. The print is roughly the same dimensions as the book. It's printed on 2-ply coated stock and reproduces very rough graphite concept sketches. Given the stature of Giger as an artist, I guess it's a bit much to expect a top quality print for the price offered here. That said, the image included with my copy is pretty crudely drawn, and I wouldn't consider framing it.

3. Cloth covered slipcase in place of the dustjacket from the standard edition. The slipcase is attractive and sturdy.

The limited edition was somewhat of a disappointment at Amazon's price of $122.00. Having not already owned a copy of the standard edition, I'm not unhappy with my purchase. I personally wouldn't consider this worth buying if I already owned a copy of the standard edition, and certainly not worth the $275.00 list price asked by Giger's US website.

Dangerous visions; 33 original stories (Doubleday science fiction)

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Dangerous visions; 33 original stories (Doubleday science fiction)
Harlan Ellison
Manufacturer: DoubleDay
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0006BQSFO

The Nail and the Oracle: Volume XI: The Complete Stories of Theodore Sturgeon

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The Nail and the Oracle: Volume XI: The Complete Stories of Theodore Sturgeon
Theodore Sturgeon , and Paul Williams
Manufacturer: North Atlantic Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Man Who Lost the Sea: Volume X: The Complete Stories of Theodore Sturgeon

ASIN: 1556436610
Release Date: 2007-07-17

Book Description

This book contains ten major stories by the master of science fiction, fantasy, and horror written during the 1960s. The controversial “If All Men We re Brothers, Would You Let One Marry Your Sister?” shows the author’s technique of “ask the next question” used in a way that shatters social conventions. “When You Care, When You Love” offers a prescient vision of the marriage of deep obsessive love and genetic manipulation, written long before actual cloning techniques existed. “Runesmith” constitutes a rare example of Sturgeon collaborating with a legendary colleague, Harlan Ellison. Included also are two other rarities: two detective stories and a Western that showcase Sturgeon’s knack for characterization and action outside his usual genre. “Take Care of Joey” has been read as an allusion to the complex personal relationship between Sturgeon and Ellison, while “It Was Nothing, Really!” hilariously skewers the mores of the military-industrial complex. As always, these stories demonstrate not only Sturgeon’s brilliant wordplay but also his timeliness, with “Brown-shoes” and “The Nail and the Oracle” standing out as powerful commentaries on the use and abuse of power that might have been written yesterday.

Slippage: Previously Uncollected, Precariously Poised Stories

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Dark Voyages
In the undying words of Keanu Reeves, "Whoa."
A masterpiece
A strong collection of stories by one of our best authors
Nearly the Best of Ellison

Slippage: Previously Uncollected, Precariously Poised Stories
Harlan Ellison
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin (T)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Angry Candy
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Harlan Ellison's Dream Corridor Volume 1 (Dark Horse Comics Collection)

ASIN: 0395353416

Amazon.com

Harlan Ellison is undoubtedly one of the most audacious, infuriating, brazen characters on the planet. Which may help explain why he is also one of the most brilliant, innovative, and eloquent writers on earth. Slippage simply presents recent, typical Ellison. In a word, masterful. The 21 stories in this 1997 collection, which is encased in black boxes, show Ellison at the height of his powers, with several of the stories (no surprise here) major award-winners. Highlights include a black mind reader who pays a visit to a white serial killer, a husband who falls prey to a vampiric personal computer, and a love affair between a young man and a woman who may be more undead than alive. Perhaps even more fascinating are the painfully candid snapshots of autobiography running throughout the volume. Even if Ellison's unsettling fictions are not enough to dazzle you, his often bizarre life experiences as an author will still keep you compulsively turning the page like a polite voyeur. --Stanley Wiater

Book Description

With this, his best-selling and most critically acclaimed collection ever, Ellison celebrates four decades of brilliant, outrageous writing. The award-winning novella "Mefisto in Onyx" is the centerpiece of an irreverent and wildly imaginative book that the San Diego Union-Tribune called "electrifying...Ellison is back, as unsettling as ever."

Customer Reviews:

Dark Voyages.......2005-08-13

I bought a copy of this when I heard Mr. Ellison speak in April, 1998 - it took me this long to get around to reading it. When I began, my husband said to me "Uh, oh, you'll be having wierd dreams for awhile". The stories do haunt you like that, in those quiet, creepy moments in the night. These are brilliant, violent, dark stories - you never forget them. While many reviews concentrate on the stories receiving wide acclaim, the one that hit me hardest was "Pulling Hard Time", a nightmarish vision of "capital punishment". It is a wonderful example of Mr. Ellison's ability to knock you between the eyes in relatively few words and the kind of work that is best appreciated by reading it out loud. He defies definition - honored in many fields of writing & superior in all of them. He is out-spoken & defiant in person, but I must say that the hour & a half I heard him speak was some of the best time I've ever spent, agree with him or not.

In the undying words of Keanu Reeves, "Whoa.".......2004-08-27

This collection will kick your posterier. It will grab you by your lappels and slam you against the wall and shake the @#$% out of you until you've had your complacent, comfortable litte existance irreperably shattered. Like its creater, its not to be taken lightly.

Do not hesitate. Buy it. Read it. If you dare. You will not view the world or your place in it quite the same again.

A masterpiece.......2002-12-22

I've been a fan of Harlan ever since first learning of him back in the early 90s. I picked up one of his story collections....and then another, and another, until now I've read just about all of them. I truly believe that when it's all said and done, Ellison will be remembered as being one of the absolute best writers of speculative fiction that have ever lived.

Note those key words: "speculative fiction". Harlan himself has mentioned before that he doesn't want to be pigeonholed into one genre (i.e. stuck with the constraining label of "science fiction writer", although much of his work would fall into the sci-fi field). And he doesn't limit himself to one genre. So I would tell you, whomever you are reading this review, to take some of the opinions of my fellow reviewers ("This book isn't sci-fi enough!!!") with a grain of salt.

"Slippage" is another masterpiece by Harlan. It's one of my favorites, and I feel that some of the work here rivals some of his best. It's a beautiful work, one that touches the soul in places, particularly in "The Man Who Rowed Columbus Ashore", as well as the award-winning "Mefisto in Onyx".

I strongly urge any fan of speculative fiction to pick up this book, and be welcomed into the wonderland of Ellison.

A strong collection of stories by one of our best authors.......2002-05-03

This is perhaps Ellison's best collection. It easily rivals Angry Candy (1988), which is widely considered to be his best work. The centerpiece of Slippage is the novella "Mefisto in Onyx." It is not only a well crafted story with too many twists to count, but it is a great commentary on race, gender, and human relations in general. Another jem in this collection is "The Man Who Rowed Christopher Columbus Ashore," which is a great tale of an unlimited man living in a limited world. This story is touching, contemplative, and horrifying at times. It was included in the 1993 Best American Short Stories. Many other stories are included as well as three essays: The introduction is worth the cost of the book, An essay on Ellison's writing process, and an essay about the dangers of television for writers. You also have to admire a man who puts someone else's short story in his collection and praises it. Included is Donald Westlake's striking "Nackles". A tale about hate, more or less. Many other stories are included and all are well polished. This is among my favorite Ellison collections.

Nearly the Best of Ellison.......2001-09-20

This great collection gives you a representative sampling of Ellison's best short stories, and prove that he is far from a science fiction writer, which is what most people think. Sure, some of his stories definitely are sci-fi, like "Chatting with Anubis" and "Midnight in the Sunken Cathedral". However, most of Ellison's tales are better described as speculative fiction, and mostly consist of biting social observation. The best example is the classic "Mefisto in Onyx" which adds the supernatural to a treatise on racial tension, and the "Nackles" stories which deal with the uncomfortable realities of child abuse in the guise of a Christmas fairy tale. Ellison even veers into fantasy ("The Dragon on the Bookshelf") and bizarre character sketches ("The Man Who Rowed Christopher Columbus Ashore") while keeping his offbeat but perceptive worldview intact.

Here you can see that Ellison as a writer is impossible to categorize, and also impossible to ignore. (Note: For an even better collection, see the similarly-packaged volume "Angry Candy".)

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