Raymond's Reviews #097

A selection of dreadful bombs for your reading displeasure...

%T The Lost King
%A Margaret Weiss
%I Bantam Spectra
%D Sept 1990
%O paperback, $4.95
%P 458pp
%G 0-553-28600-5

Wretchedly trashy space opera by one of the perpetrators behind TSR's endless series of formula fantasies for preadolescents. Handle with tongs.

%T Chicago Red
%A R. M. Meluch
%I ROC
%D October 1990
%O $4.95
%P 319pp
%G 0-451-45034-5

The quality of this book can be judged by the fact that one of the early scenes consists of a major character being upset because he can't manage to forcibly sodomize the protagonist. This is gay sado-porn disguised as SF. Unless your sexual imprints are ... unusual in that particular way, you'll likely find it pointless and disgusting.

%T Winterlong
%A Elizabeth Hand
%I Bantam/Spectra
%D October 1990
%O paperback, US$4.95
%P 442
%G 0-553-28772-9

This piece of New-Waveness-gone-berserk has already been adequately dissected by Tom Easton in Analog. I can only add that it sppears to be an expansion of the author's story in Full Spectrum II (RR#60).

%T Gundam II: Escalation
%A Yoshiuki Tomino
%I DelRey
%D November 1990
%O paperback, US$4.95
%P 209
%G 0-345-35739-6

More wretched space-opera, without even the mediocre writing of The Lost King to recommend it.

%T The Legion of Space
%A Jack Williamson
%I Collier Books
%D Dec 1990
%O paperback, US$4.95
%P 189
%G 0-02-038-355-X

And yet more wretched space opera. However, this one has an important redeeming quality -- it was the first of its kind! Yes, this book dates from 1935. It is thus of some historical interest.

RECEIVED BUT NOT REVIEWED:

"The King of Light and Shadows" by Adrian Cole (Avon).
"Bridgehead" David Drake. reaissue from '86.
Becoming Alien #3: "Human to Human" by Rebecca Ore.
Merovingen Nights #6: "Flood Tide" (C.J. Cherryh, ed)
Time of the Fox by Matthew J. Costello.
"Spell of Intrigue" (Dance of Gods #2) by M. A. Brenner.
The Return of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs