mwm@OKC-UNIX@sri-unix (12/10/82)
From: Mike Meyer <mwm at OKC-UNIX> ~= FtG claimed that "SF is the last refuge of the MCP" or some such (oh, for a real mailer...). I remember seeing somewhere tht SF had the HIGHEST imply that you would have trouble as a writer. Just look at Alice Sheldon in all her avatars. Finally, the Grand Master himself tends to make his female characters much more intelligent/competent/etc. than his male characters I have lots to say about the womens movement & ERA, but this isn't the place. FtG (whoever s/he is) can contact me personally if she wants to hear it. =~ Paul Fuqua mentioned changing reality via massed believe. He failed to a GOOD smention a GOOD story that uses this idea, and a mediocre novel/movie. The story is the Amber series by Zelazny, wherein the inhabits of the `base reality,' Amber, can move at will from one `reality,' or shadow, by moving, and thinking about what the want the universe to be like. Good stuff - when Good stuff - but I like reality-warping stories (probably has something to do with having a warped view or reality...) The mediocre novel is `The Lathe of Heaven,' by LeGuin. The writing is up to LeGuin's usuall standard, but the solution is obvious from very early in the thing. Almost forgot - Laumer has something using a concept similar to the Amber trick in `The World Shuffler,' and it's sequel, `The Time Bender.' This is Laumer with his tongue in his cheek, and I enjoyed it as much as I do the Retief stories. Since short stories have been introduced in the time travel topic, I have to mention the classics: `All You Zombies' has the most convoluted plot knot of anything I have ever read. For example, our hero is her own mother and father, and he inroduced himself to herself. `By His Bootstraps' is another tale wherein the protagonist meets himself coming, going, and trying to stop himself from going. This is also mind-warping stuff. Both by Heinlein (The Grand Master). <mike