In
this issue, writer Josh Aterovis reviewsLust by Geoff Ryman,
Storyteller by Amy Thomson,
The Salt Roads by Nalo Hopkinson
The Trouble Boy by Tom Dolby (page 13)
Josh Aterovis, a twenty-something artist-author, was born and bred on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and lives there with his husband, Jon. Aterovis is a Latin pseudonym meaning "black sheep." Visit his website, Black Sheep Productions.
  Lustby Geoff Ryman Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin, © 2003 Paperback: 400 Pages ISBN: 0-312-31212-1 Genre: GLBT Fantasy Rating: 5 of 5 Imagine discovering that you have the power to create a temporary copy of anyone in the world, alive or dead—and they will be yours to command. You can make them desire you, work for you, tell you their deepest, darkest secrets. What would you do with such a gift? Or is it a curse? This has become the reality for Michael Blasco, a mild-mannered research scientist. When he first conjures up a copy of his hunky gym instructor on a train platform, Michael fears for his sanity. He quickly realizes, however, that the copies are every bit as real as the original, complete with intelligence and awareness—at least while they exist. With just a thought, Michael can end their existence as easily as he brought them into being. Once they are gone, nothing remains of them except Michael’s memories. While he first sees it all as a sort of game for his own amusement, as time goes on, Michael begins to wonder why he has this strange ability. The book takes a more serious turn as Michael searches for answers and explores the morality of the situation. What at first seems to be a wet-dream come true gradually turns into a nightmare as Michael realizes that there are consequences to his actions with the copies. His long-term relationship is crumbling, he neglects his research project, the originals seem to retain some memory of what their copies do, and not all copies appreciate being brought back from the dead. Lust is an amazingly original and thought-provoking concept. It could have turned into a prurient tale in the hands of a lesser author, but Geoff Ryman’s strong writing more than pulls it off. The story both entertains and causes us to think about the consequences of our actions. I had a little trouble getting into Ryman’s style, but about a third of the way into the book it really takes off and I was left holding on for the rest of the ride. Ryman brings historic and well-known characters to life with shocking plausibility. I especially enjoyed the visits from Billie Holiday and Pablo Picasso. Knowing a bit about both of them, I believe Ryman truly caught their spirit in their portrayals. Once you adjust to his style, Ryman’s writing is simply stunning. His word-pictures are so accurate and vibrant that you feel as if you are seeing the story instead of just reading it. In turns humorous and touching, the book brings everything together by the end for a wonderfully satisfying read. I highly recommend this book. |
 Storytellerby Amy Thomson Publisher: ACE, © 2003 Paperback: 372 Pages ISBN: 0-441-01094-6 Genre: GLBT Science Fiction Rating: 5 of 5 In a culture that places so much emphasis on visual images, storytelling is almost a lost art. Storytelling was once a major part of our cultural heritage, and still is in many parts of the world. On the rather primitive planet of Thalassa, Storytelling is an art, Storytellers are highly valued, and among the Storytellers, the elderly woman known simply as Teller is the most revered of all. Passing on the oral history of their planet, offering morality lessons cleverly guised as humorous fables, and entertaining the crowds that gather to hear her, is her life. It may be a solitary life—just she and her harsel (large, sentient whale-like creatures who communicate telepathically) traveling from island to island on the many oceans of Thalassa—but Teller likes it that way...or so she believes. When a young, homeless orphan boy is caught stealing a loaf of bread in order to pay Teller for her story, Teller intervenes on his behalf and offers him food and a job serving as her guide while she is in the city. Samad cautiously accepts her offer, but he has learned not to trust kindness from strangers. Teller decides to help Samad find a family, but quickly the two outsiders bond, and when the time comes to give him up, neither is willing to walk away. After much convincing—both from Samad and Abeha, the harsel—Teller reluctantly agrees to take Samad on as her apprentice. As Samad develops into a master storyteller, he also hides a secret from Teller. He is attracted to his own sex, but he is afraid to tell her for fear he will lose the only family he’s ever known. Little does he know that Teller hides an even bigger secret, one that could change his entire world. At its heart, Storyteller is a tale of family, of a child’s need to please his parent while trying desperately to become his own person. Teller has hopes and dreams for her adopted son, but they aren’t the same as Samad’s. He finds himself caught between the plans he’s made for himself, and the plans Teller has made for him—plans that could affect the future of all of Thalassa. Amy Thomson’s writing is wonderfully evocative, drawing me in from the first page, and keeping me hooked until the last. She brings her imagined world lovingly alive with her words, and makes you care deeply for Teller, Samad, and Abeha—and even for Thalassa itself. Her story is both accessible and moving, staying with me for weeks after I finished it. She has created a unique and complex ecology, complete with a rich and believable history behind it. Thomson has proven to be a master Storyteller herself. |
 The Salt Roadsby Nalo Hopkinson Publisher: Warner Books, © 2003 Hardback: 304 Pages ISBN: 0-446-53302-5 Genre: GLBT Fantasy Rating: 5 of 5 Mer, a healer and midwife, is an African slave on a sugar plantation on Saint Domingue (renamed Haiti in 1804). Jeanne Duval is an Afro-French dancer and courtesan living in Paris—and the mistress of 19th-century poet Charles Baudelaire. Meritet is a Greek-Nubian prostitute in fourth-century Egypt, better known to the world as Saint Mary. Something connects these three women across the span of time—something larger than any of these women could ever suspect. When three Caribbean slave women, led by Mer, come together to bury one of the women's stillborn son, their powerful grief and prayers call the attention of Ezili, an African-Caribbean goddess. Using the unused life force of the dead child, Ezili moves back and forth across time, possessing and working her will through various bodies. Jeanne is one of the goddess' most frequent vehicles, mainly because Ezili finds herself inexplicably tethered to the beautiful French dancer. She is free to inhabit other bodies only when Jeanne, slowly dying of syphilis, is in a deep dream state. Ezili plants the seeds of revolution in Saint Domingue through Mer, and sends Meritet on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. What all these women have in common is salt—in all its various forms. Whether the salt of tears, the salt of the ocean, or the salt of sweat, the goddess travels the Salt Roads to accomplish her goal. The question is "What is her goal?" Not even Ezili fully understands at first, but as she grows more powerful, and comes to know the many aspects of herself, all is revealed—both to her and the reader. Author Nalo Hopkinson beautifully weaves her stories together in a broken narrative, jumping back and forth through time and between characters. Some readers may have a little difficulty finding the rhythm of her storytelling, but the reward for their perseverance is great. Hopkinson writes in a flowing, sensual, sometimes poetic, style, but her rich use of history keeps the book grounded in realism. While the stories of the three women are often heartbreaking, Hopkinson skillfully breaks up the sometimes heavy narrative with light touches of humor sprinkled throughout—the way a good chef uses salt. Ultimately uplifting and filled with hope, The Salt Roads is a beautiful book—one that stays with you long after you close the cover. The Salt Roads is the winner of the 2004 Gaylactic Spectrum Award for Best Novel. |