donn@sdchema.UUCP (Donn Seeley) (05/25/84)
Yes, another insufferable book review... I couldn't resist. I reviewed FEVRE DREAM by George R. R. Martin in SF-LOVERS not too long ago; GREEN EYES does for zombies what FEVRE DREAM does for vampires, that is to say, it establishes a pseudo-scientific basis for the creatures. Jocundra Verret is a therapist at a peculiar clinic: she supervises the short-lived 'recoveries' of patients who have been infected with a unique bioluminescent bacteria culture. The fact that the patients must be dead for at least a few hours before the culture is administered, and that the eyes of the patients give off a green glow, leads her to wonder whether these patients are zombies. Most of the patients only 'survive' for a few days, but Jocundra is assigned a patient who has received a mutant culture and is expected to last for months. From this patient, who discovers his true nature and rebels against his impending second death, Jocundra learns that the voodoo beliefs about zombies are not as superstitious as they sound... The book has a very nice feel, with many beautiful images and interesting characters (the story does a good job of conjuring up the Cajun country of Louisiana, a place I've never visited), and it also has a slam-bang climax. With its emphasis on the voodoo religion, it reminds me of some of Roger Zelazny's early novels, but is written with a style and atmosphere more reminiscent of Michael Bishop. I really liked it. Can't stop reading, Donn Seeley UCSD Chemistry Dept. ucbvax!sdcsvax!sdchema!donn 32 52' 30"N 117 14' 25"W (619) 452-4016 sdcsvax!sdchema!donn@nosc.ARPA PS -- to readers in San Diego: Kim Stanley Robinson is giving a reading from his novel THE WILD SHORE and a lecture at UCSD (6/5, 4 PM TCHB 142). If you have Robinson's PhD dissertation (on the novels of Philip K. Dick) checked out from the University library, can I get a look at it before the talk?