Is there a right length for a science fiction story?

I have heard that the novella is the ideal length for a science fiction story. In some ways I have to agree. The short story does not allow enough room for the idea to be presented and the characters to be fleshed out. Over the years I have enjoyed many novellas in Galaxy, Worlds of IF, Analog, the Magazinze of Fantasy and Science Fiction, and Amazing.

What is your favorite length?

I tend to favor a short novel like those that were published in the sixties and seventies. It seems like the author is more focused on the story in these books. The stories kept your interest. I was more likely to try a new author if I thought I could read the novel in a few days. The length of many of today's novels discourage readers from trying new authors.

What started me thinking about this? Two things.

First is one of the novels I am currently reading. It is by an author I have never read. The book looked good. The writing is good but to be honest, I was not in a hurry to pick the book up when I took a break from reading. At the local used bookstore, I found a copy of a Philip Jose Farmer book I have not read. I stopped reading the first book and tore into the Farmer book. Once I started it I did not want to stop. I like that in a book. It does not have to be cliffhanger endings to chapters. Sometimes it is the plot, sometimes it is the characters but some books are hard to put down. And this leads into the second thing on my list.

A review on SF Signal. Their review of Doorways in the Sand by Roger Zelazny. I loved this story when it first appeared in Analog. Between it and the early Amber books, Zelazny became one of my favorite authors. The author of the review, Fred Kiesche, comments that this 180 page novel always charms him when he re-reads it. It is economic in language, packed full of ideas, and it still surprises him when he reads it again. I wonder how many of the giant doorstop novels will have that effect on readers in the future.

This does not mean that I will not read a long novel, one look at my bookshelf would tell you otherwise, but I will most likely continue to focus on shorter novels. Sometimes I will post reviews of longer novels. There are many forgotten classics like Doorways in the Sand. I will do my part to help people remember or discover them.

The Broken Cycle by A. Bertram Chandler

Synopsis:

John Grimes is lost inside a giant alien spaceship. In addition to being lost, he discovers that they are also in an alternate universe. The entity who has captured Grimes appears to be the "god" of this other universe. His only companion in this adventure is the policewoman-Una Freeman. The alien "god" wants them to recreate the Garden of Eden. With Grimes involved, things are not going the way the entity plans.

Chandler was an Australian born author who wrote the first Hornblower in Space series. Back in the seventies, I read and enjoyed many of the Grimes books. Some I picked up in the old Ace Double books and others in DAW editions. Somehow, I had missed out on this one until I found it in a used book store last year. The Grimes novels are classic pulp style series fiction. The length is short and the action is fast. Due to the length the plots were not as complicated as some of the space opera novels published today. In some ways I miss the shorter novels.

The Broken Cycle was not up to the quality of many of the other Grimes books. I thought the first chapters focused too much on everyone trying to sleep with Una. It seemed to dominate the plot. The rest of the novel was okay but did not put it near the top of the other books in this series. I would recommend reading The Way Back, The Anarch Lords, or To Keep the Ship.

Rating: 2 out of 5.

Planet of Exile by Ursula K. Le Guin

From the back cover:
The Earth colony had been stranded on distant Eltanin for six hundred years. And its lonely, strained numbers were beginning to dwindle, their only neighbors fearful nomads who burrowed in beside them during the cruel, fifteen-year long winter...
Fortunately for all. Because this winter they would be descended upon by hordes of barbarians and the eerie, deadly snowghouls.
And native and exile would have to join forces-or be annihilated.

Sometimes you start reading a novel and think you are going to like it. Sometimes you are wrong. Based on the fact that I have liked one collection and two novels by Ursula K. Le Guin, I expected to like this one. For some reason this story never connected with me. After reading a few chapters, I did not care if I read the rest of the book. Other reviews I have found were positive for Planet of Exile. The story of Rolery did not keep my interest.

Rating: 2 out of 5

Book Review Index

Anderson, Poul The Enemy Stars

Asimov, Isaac The Caves of Steel
                       Foundation Part 1, Part 2

Batson, Wayne Thomas The Door Within

Beagle, Peter S.  A Fine and Private Place

Biggle Jr., Lloyd  Monument

Budrys, Algis  Rogue Moon

Butcher, Jim Storm Front
                    Fool Moon

Campbell, Jack The Lost Fleet: Dauntless

Cherryh, C. J. Gate of Ivrel

Conway, Gerard F.  The Midnight Dancers

Del Rey, Lester The Runaway Robot

Dickson, Gordon R.  Dorsai!

Dvorkin, David Timetrap

Farmer, Philip Jose Jesus on Mars

Foster, Alan Dean Patrimony

Friedman, Michael Jan Double, Double

Gaiman, Neil  The Graveyard Book

Harness, Charles L. The Rose

Herbert, Frank  Dune

Kapp, Colin  The Patterns of Chaos

Kern, Gregory Cap Kennedy 1: Galaxy of the Lost

Le Guin, Ursula K. Very Far Away From Anywhere Else
Le Guin, Ursula K. Planet of Exile

MacLeod, Ian Newton's Wake

McDevitt, Jack A Talent for War

Morrow, James  Shambling Towards Hiroshima

Pratchett, Terry Going Postal

Resnick, Mike Walpugis III

Reynolds, Alastair  Revelation Space

Robinson, Kim Stanley  A Short, Sharp Shock

Rossiter, Oscar Tetrasomy Two

Scheer, K. H.  Perry Rhodan 1:  Enterprise: Stardust

Sheffield, Charles  Summertide

Strugatsky, Arkady and Boris  The Final Circle of Paradise

Tidhar, Lavie Cloud Permutations

Tubb, E. C. S.T.A.R. Flight

Wells, H. G. The Invisible Man

Williams, Sean Cenotaxis

Wilson, Robert Charles The Chronoliths

Zahn, Timothy Night Train to Rigel

Zelazny, Roger  Nine Princes in Amber
                         The Guns of Avalon

The Enemy Stars by Poul Anderson

Originally published in Astounding in 1959 as "We Have Fed Our Seas", this story was retitled The Enemy Stars when it was published a book. I think the original title was the better one. When you read this story, you will too. Over the years I have read mixed reviews. Some have trashed this book, others have praised it. I fall into the praise camp but recommend it with reservations.

For varying reasons Ryerson, Maclaren, Nakamura, and Sverdlov end up on a mission to investigate a black star. While they are on the mission, we get to see what happens back home between Ryerson's new bride and his father. The main plotline involves the men learning how to work together and what happens when tragedy strikes. Like many of Anderson's stories, this one reflects the Norse grand tragedy theme he is fond of. It is one of the things that makes his fiction stand out from others. You never know if the characters are going to suceed let alone survive. That sounds like real life to me.

I thought he was able to bring the characters to life in a short time. It is one of his many strengths as a writer.

This is a short book but it also feels "heavy" because of the storyline. The inevitable tragedy and how the characters cope with it is what makes this a memorable story.

The line "we have fed our seas" will have a meaning you might not think of after you read this story. I know I will never look at a sea or ocean the same way again.

If you like stories where you know everything will be ok at the end, avoid this book. Otherwise, by all means hunt this book down and read it. Especially fans of Poul Anderson.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

"No, No, Not Rogov!" by Cordwainer Smith

Now this is an example of a great science fiction short story. Cordwainer (Paul Linebarger) Smith was one of the best writers the field had to offer. When you read his fiction, it becomes obvious that he influenced later writers such as Roger Zelazny. Some of the same themes and ideas that layed the groundwork for Smith also appear in Zelazny's fiction. This is most evident in the naming of characters, the classic fiction characters, and the blending of fantastic elements with the more mundane modern settings. Another author whose fiction shows ties to Smith's is George R. R. Martin. Especially in his early science fiction stories. The way the characters persevere in the face of their inevitable fates is a trademark of both writers. Take "No, No, Not Rogov" as an example.

The prologue describes events in the year A. D. 13,582. It shows us events that do not appear to connect with the rest of the story until the end. The majority of the story takes place in the 1940s and features a team of Soviet scientists. Rogov is the top scientist. His wife Anastasia is a brilliant scientist in her own right. They are working on at top secret project. The only other people with them are 2 security guards. The female guard is secretly in love with Rogov and resents his wife. This is the story of the project and what happens when they are successful. The life of Rogov and the characters who inhabit his world is an example of how dedication can inspire people to achieve great things.

Modern writers would learn a lot by going back and rereading Smith's short stories.

Highly recommended.

Rating: 10 out of 10.

This story is available on line by clicking here.

For more information on Cordwainer Smith go to cordwainer-smith.com.

Very Far Away from Anywhere Else by Ursula K. Le Guin

Synopsis:
Owen and Natalie are different from the average teenagers. Both are very intelligent in their own ways. Owen dreams of being a scientist. Natalie is a very talented musician. Neither wants to be normal or a part of the crowd. Owen just wants to be left alone. In an effort to make him fit in, his father buys him a car. Owen resents it until the day he notices that Natalie is different from the other girls. This is the touching story of friendship and love between two outsiders.

I picked this up because it was written by Ursula K. Le Guin. Everything I have read by her was either science fiction or fantasy. I liked her collection The Wind's Twelve Quarters and her novel Rocannon's World. When I grabbed this off the shelf at a used book store, I did not realize it was a contemporary young adult novel. It turned out to be an excellent story that would hit home with a lot of science fiction and fantasy readers. Many sf and f readers know what it feels like to be an outsider. Le Guin shows that it is okay to be different. Not everyone needs to fit in. Sometimes a person is happier when left to themselves. But it is nice to have someone you can relate too.

If you are looking for science fiction or fantasy, avoid this book. If you are looking for a novel that will remind you of the television show, The Wonder Years, this is the book for you.

Rating: 4 out of 5