The Ballad of Scabbard Pete--review

Cap'n: Are ye ready, kids?
Kids: Aye-aye, Cap'n!
Cap'n: I can't heeear you...
Kids: Get a hearing aid, you stupid geezer!
Cap'n: Close enough. Who lives in a ship barely a-top the sea?
Kids: Scab-bard Pe-tey!
Cap'n: Obnoxious, sneaky drunkard, he!
Kids: Scab-bard Pe-tey!
Cap'n: If piratish nonsense be what ye wish...
Kids: Scab-bard Pe-tey!
Cap'n: Go read his blog like a goggle-eyed fish!
[musical noise, followed by low murmuring]
Kids: Hey, Cap'n! Your check bounced, so we're off to watch a sponge.
Cap'n: What! Why, I...you... Arrgh! Callow swabs! Don't anyone appreciate good music these days?

[Unidentified voice, sobbing]: I do, Cap'n. It done touched me heart!
Cap'n: Really? And who be ye?
[Unidentified voice, sniffling]: I be Scabbard Pete. But ye may call me "Scabby Petey." 'Tis no more than I deserve.
Cap'n: Are ye sure? Ye sound too snivelly fer Pete.
"Scabby Petey": I've seen the error of me ways, and as penance, I want everyone to call me "Scabby Petey," that's all.
Cap'n [scribbling furiously]: Okay, then, will ye read out this announcement to that effect?
"Scabby Petey": Of course. "I am a demon." What! Blast!
Cap'n: A-har! As I thought: ye be Scabbard Pete's personal demon--like a personal trainer, only meaner.
Scabbard Pete's personal demon: I still want people to call him "Scabby Petey."
Cap'n: But what does we call ye, ye sulphurous swab? Why don't they give ye a name?
Scabbard Pete's personal demon: Because it's embarrassing. Who would take seriously a demon named "Evelyn"?
Cap'n: Evelyn? Ain't that a girl's name?
"Evelyn": Not "Eh-vlyn"! "Evil-in"! It's a pretty good name, really, but people think I'm a girl or a writer.
Cap'n: Well, I thinks ye be fibbin'.
"Evelyn": Hey! I'm a demon! I work for the Father of Lies! If you can't trust me, who can you trust? A politician? ...That reminds me: I need to get off to Washington.
Cap'n: Temptin' people?
"Evelyn": Collecting some debts. Not everyone's as big a challenge as Scabby.
Cap'n: Arrggh! Well, now the demon's gone, it be time for that Ansric swab ta do some blatherin' 'bout the blog.

Well, that was...interesting, for want of a better word. I don't normally review works in progress, but The Ballad of Scabbard Pete by Tony Lavoie is no normal work. It's a novel-in-progress (currently on chapter 13) posted on a blog. It's also very roughly what you might get if Keith Laumer had written Pirates of the Caribbean: fast-paced and funny. It's about a pirate who's trying to stay ahead of the demon that wants to yank him down to Hell. (That gives them both a hobby.) Unfortunately, there's not much more I can say about it without committing a spoiler.

However, I will mention a few points that may bother some people, and my own reactions.

Violence. This is another of those "If you want it, you got it; if you don't want it, you got it anyway" situations. Actually, there isn't much violence, and most of it is cartoonish. The only halfway gory scene I've encountered so far involves using archery on a sea monster. Not a lot of detail there, however, so it's mostly gross if you dwell on it and have a vivid imagination.

Language. Yes, it has language. And here you thought it was entirely in mime! Expletives are pretty much limited to an occasional "damn" or "Hell" (many of the latter being at least partly literal references). Pretty tame by pirate standards or even modern standards.

Moral relativism. Some of Pete's piracy is more or less justified by his using some of the money for good ends and by his decision to target the rich. But that's like arguing that the end justifies the means; it's essentially the same as vigilantism: it's okay to rob or kill someone if he "deserved" it. But who are we to judge, and by what authority do we act?

Theology. This is kind of jokey anyway, so I won't go into the whole business of demons and Hell as portrayed in the story. However, there is some material about the dead getting involved with what the living are doing. It's fairly limited so far, but it does bother me somewhat. We'll see where it goes.

Anyway, it's worth a look, and it's free. I've seen a number of stories lately that were neither, so get over to The Ballad of Scabbard Pete before some publisher stumbles onto it and converts it to pirate gold.

The Book of Names: A Genuine Site Review

I thought I'd close out the CSFF blog tour of D. Barkley Briggs’s The Book of Names with a look at the "Hidden Lands" site. (No, the publisher still hasn't sent me a book. I think I've been erased from their Book of Names.)

Anyway, the site is very graphics oriented, but there's also a lot of information. If I'd had more time to assemble my Genuine Fake Review, the site would've improved it significantly. If there's a negative here, it's that it takes quite a while to work through all the pages, so it can be rather intimidating. It might have been better to have an introductory tour to give an overview of the book, the land, and so forth. The reader could then click the other sections for more detailed information.

Just a thought.

One of the main surprises I encountered was right on the main page: The "D" in "D. Barkley Briggs" stands for "Dean." I somehow assumed it would be "Dilbert" or "Diplodicus" or something else you wouldn't want in the author slot of a book. But "Dean"? One of the major characters in League of Superheroes (he becomes more important as the series progresses) is named Dean. But I suppose the initial initial (intentional, not dittography--thanks for noticing) is more impressive.

But I digress, regress, or even transgress once again. It's well past my bedtime--busy days, lately--so I'm free-associating even more than usual, which frightens even me. In closing this very short post, I'll just say that if you want to look into this series, the Web site is the place to go. Also, bear in mind that even the reviewers who clearly wanted to give a negative review on Amazon had to admit that The Book of Names was irresistibly readable. That impressed me more than the gushy reviews.

Check the rest of the CSFF bloggers:
Sally Apokedak
Brandon Barr
Keanan Brand
Rachel Briard
Valerie Comer
Frank Creed
Amy Cruson
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
Shane Deal
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Karina Fabian
Andrea Graham
Todd Michael Greene
Timothy Hicks
Joleen Howell
Jason Isbell
Cris Jesse
Jason Joyner
Carol Keen
Magma
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Mirtika
Eve Nielsen
Nissa
Steve Rice
Crista Richey
Alice M. Roelke
Chawna Schroeder
James Somers
Rachel Starr Thomson
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Jason Waguespac
Phyllis Wheeler
Timothy Wise

Lost Genre Guild 2: Going Deeper

Yesterday we began our blog tour of the Lost Genre Guild with Murray the Alchemist, from the Light at the Edge of Darkness story "At the Mountains of Lunacy," and Rod Davies, or Titan, from League of Superheroes, examining the founding concept of the LGG. Today we'll add the other superheroes to the mix, especially Allen/Tachyon, who will hack his way into the mysteries of the LGG Website.

Allen/Tachyon: You heard the man. Let's have a look at their homepage. Hmm. A bit flat for speculative fiction. I was expecting some garish illustrations at least, but no dragons, spaceships--

Murray the Alchemist: No alchemists.

Allen/Tachyon: Way to find the upside, Murray. Now let's look at the other pages. Hey, they've even got a link to the home page on the home page! I guess Frank's into self-referential humor. "The Guild Review" is a group of short reviews of Christian spec-fic. "Bookshelves" showcases Frank's attempts at recycling cardboard boxes--okay, no, it's a list of books and stuff by LGG members. "Media Room" sounds scary, but they don't actually have any reporters in there. It's just PR for some Christian spec-fic titles. "Resources" is pretty much a links list for other LGG sites and similar groups. "Catalogue" is exactly that: a promotional listing of LGG-related projects. "CONTACT" is pretty much what you'd think, too, unless you're thinking about starting an old plane. Whatever spins your prop. And "ABOUT" tells you what it's all about, even if you aren't Alfie.

Murray: Okay, so are we done?

Allen/Tachyon: Anyone could get all that! No, I'm going to hack into the horrifying underbelly of the Guild itself!

Rod/Titan: Sounds gross--and there could be kids reading this.

Allen/Tachyon: Yes! As I suspected, there's a missing link the casual visitor wouldn't spot!

Rod/Titan: Wow! Is that what's inside Frank's head, or is Steve just showing off his inability to use a paint program again?

Allen/Tachyon: Actually, it's somebody else's work. But I think it shows there's more to LGG than you might think...

Meanwhile and elsewhere, a mysterious figure sits in the gloom, stroking a cat.

Mysterious Figure: Drat. Those meddling kids may be on to us! I shall have to contact Number Two and tell him to try harder.

Meanwhile again, back at the blog...

Allen/Tachyon: Well, let's see what other hidden links I can find... Wait! A worm from the Chicken Booksellers' Association! Let's follow it!

Oh, my! Whatever will happen next? Tune in tomorrow to find out whether the Chicken Booksellers' Association is litigious. Meanwhile, have a relaxing dose of comparative sanity with these other CSFF bloggers::
Brandon Barr
Justin Boyer
Keanan Brand
Kathy Brasby
Grace Bridges
Valerie Comer
Courtney
Frank Creed
Amy Cruson
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
Janey DeMeo
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Karina Fabian
Andrea Graham
Todd Michael Greene
Katie Hart
Timothy Hicks
Joleen Howell
Jason Isbell
Cris Jesse
Jason Joyner
Kait
Carol Keen
Lost Genre Guild
Mike Lynch
Magma
Margaret
Rachel Marks
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Nissa
John W. Otte
Crista Richey
Mirtika
Hanna Sandvig
James Somers
Robert Treskillard
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Jason Waguespac
Phyllis Wheeler
Timothy Wise

Lost Genre Guild 1: Get Lost!

To begin our blog tour of the Lost Genre Guild, I thought I'd turn things over to a couple characters who have appeared in "lost genre" type works and are familiar with Frank Creed, who founded LGG. So today's guest hosts are Murray the Alchemist, from the Light at the Edge of Darkness story "At the Mountains of Lunacy," and Rod Davies, or Titan, from League of Superheroes.

Murray the Alchemist: So I guess we have to talk about how Frank founded the Lost Genre Guild. Or found it. Maybe he should find a book on grammar instead.

Rod/Titan: Different words, Murray. Cue the language geek...

Tom Reilly/Darklight: Romance and Germanic roots, yes. You see, "found" is related to "foundation," which--

Rod: ...is more than anyone wanted to know. Thanks for calling. Anyway, Murray, shouldn't you give the link for LGG?

Murray: No, because we've already seen it, so who cares, and why should I tell someone how to find a group that wants to be lost? Besides, if it's Christian fiction, why's it the "Lost" Genre Guild? Shouldn't it be the "Saved" Genre Guild? It makes no sense!

Rod: I think it means "undiscovered" or something--thank you, no language geek interruptions this time!

Murray: Anyway, Frank Creed began the Lost Genre Guild when a sudden inspiration hit him. You can still see the bump if you look hard...

Rod: Wrong bump; that was another inspiration, and I thought we were steering clear of that one.

Murray: What are friends for? Or enemies, whatever. Anyway, Frank looks around and doesn't see much Christian speculative fiction coming out, and suddenly it hits him like ears to the head: people can ignore several individual Christian spec-fic writers, but gather them all in one place, and people can ignore them all at once! Frank's into efficiency.

Rod: I think it's more like getting a bunch of Whos to yell "We are here!" together so they don't get boiled.

Murray: And here I thought it was the other kid who was into Literature! Take it from me: getting everyone together in one place just makes it easier to blow you all to the Moon! Ka-Boom!

Rod: What I wonder about is the statement on the main page: "CHRISTIAN BOOKSTORE SHELVES ARE NEARLY BARREN OF SPEC-FIC." Okay, your bookstore may vary, but CSFF has had lots of Christian spec-fic over the last year. If they aren't on the bookshelves, they're available through online bookstores. Why the drama? I'd like to call in an even greater mind to figure this out.

Murray: Something smarter than you? But my athlete's foot can't go on! It hasn't shaved!

Rod: No, I mean Genie.

Genie: Marketing matters are not within my usual bailiwick, Rod.

Rod: But as a matter of simple logic, what's the deal, here?

Genie: A swift perusal of prior CSFF and CFRB posts indicates that most Christian spec-fic authors are either self-published, published by a small press, or already well-known in some other field. Thus, if Donita K. Paul hadn't started out with romances, she probably wouldn't have been able to publish her Dragonkeeper books. And last month we saw that John Olson had to team up with an established writer to get published. So it's accurate to say that the status quo hinders new writers. The Lost Genre Guild helps new writers get noticed and read, even though it isn't a publisher itself.

Okay, problem solved. Join us tomorrow for a look inside the Lost Genre Guild. I bet we'll encounter a strange man stroking a cat and muttering to himself...

In the meantime, see what the rest of the CSFF has to say on this vital topic:
Brandon Barr
Justin Boyer
Keanan Brand
Kathy Brasby
Grace Bridges
Valerie Comer
Courtney
Frank Creed
Amy Cruson
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
Janey DeMeo
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Karina Fabian
Andrea Graham
Todd Michael Greene
Katie Hart
Timothy Hicks
Joleen Howell
Jason Isbell
Cris Jesse
Jason Joyner
Kait
Carol Keen
Lost Genre Guild
Mike Lynch
Magma
Margaret
Rachel Marks
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Nissa
John W. Otte
Crista Richey
Mirtika
Hanna Sandvig
James Somers
Robert Treskillard
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Jason Waguespac
Phyllis Wheeler
Timothy Wise

Marcher Lord Press 3: Nobody expects the Elvish Disquisition!

Have you noticed that hardly anyone really writes about vampires these days?

I know, I know: "Hey, I was expecting some kind of Elvish Disquisition, here."

That's the point, friend: Nobody expects the Elvish Disquisition--or the Vampiric Inquisition (run, of course, by Cardinal Fang).

So there.

Anyway--I'll be dealing with horror again this Halloween season, just as I did last year. But yesterday I mentioned that The Personifid Invasion from Jeff Gerke's new print-on-demand publishing house, Marcher Lord Press (hereafter MLP), deals with the nature of humanity and other matters of life and death. But these days we (Christians included) often like to be fuzzy about when biological life begins and ends. Is it any wonder that we embrace the idea of "undead "beings while denying the classical theology back of them--that they're demonically animated corpses?

We dislike the idea that they're demonic (in the proper, not Hollywood, sense) because it makes them less human and sexy, which is as it should be. But we also dislike the idea that they're damned. Nobody's really damned anymore; it's old-fashioned. So we keep trying to give these corpses redeemable souls. And it is this that leads unexpectedly to a kind of Elvish Disquisition.

Nobody expects the Elvish Disquisition! Our chief weapon is surprise...surprise and fear...fear and surprise.... Our two weapons are fear and surprise...and enchanted blades. Our three weapons are fear and surprise and enchanted blades...and nice pointy ears. Our four...no... Amongst our weapons.... Amongst our weaponry are such elements as fear.... I'll come in again.

While we're waiting, MLP's Summa Elvetica: A Casuistry of the Elvish Controversy by Theodore Beale also deals with the topic of redeemable souls: specifically, whether Elves and other such creatures have them.

You see, Summa Elvetica actually bothers to put the most important medieval institution (the Catholic church, or something like it, anyway) in a standard quasi-medieval fantasy setting to see how well they get along. There are some oddities: apparently this is a world where the Roman Empire hasn't fallen. The main city is called "Amorr," which, for the terminally thick, is "Roma" (Rome) more or less backward, as well as the Latin word for "love" with an extra r.

A young scholar is called in to join a pair of geezers--uh, established scholars--to figure out whether elves actually have souls in the sense that they are proper targets for door-to-door evangelism. This is important for several reasons, because it will let the scholars publish a vital essay on the whole thing, and "Publish or be damned" takes on a whole new meaning when you're working for the Church. Also, if the average elf does have soul and tests positive for rhythm, R&B could take a whole new direction.

But to return to the earlier point, it matters whether any given being can be saved, but we tend to trivialize the question, even in speculative fiction. Much of the Christian speculative fiction either assumes that another world would work exactly like our own (boring, perhaps, but both safe and reasonable) or allows oddball variations on standard soteriology (exciting, perhaps, but both unsafe and unreasonable). How would salvation work for a multiple-species scenario? Would elves have their own Incarnation, or would they somehow use ours? These are weighty questions, and I'll return to them when I do a full review of Summa Elvetica in the near future.

But for now I'll conclude. I apologize for the length of the post. Despite the title, I'm sure nobody expected the Elvish Disquisition.

Nobody expects... Oh, Baggins!

Well, let's see what everyone else on the CSFF tour has to say...
Brandon Barr
Justin Boyer
Keanan Brand
Kathy Brasby
Jackie Castle
Valerie Comer
Karri Compton
Courtney
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
Janey DeMeo
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Karina Fabian
Kameron M. Franklin
Andrea Graham
Todd Michael Greene
Katie Hart
Timothy Hicks
Joleen Howell
Jason Joyner
Kait
Tina Kulesa
Mike Lynch
Terri Main
Margaret
Shannon McNear
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Nissa
John W. Otte
Ashley Rutherford
Hanna Sandvig
Mirtika or Mir's Here
Greg Slade
James Somers
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Jason Waguespac
Laura Williams
Timothy Wise

Marcher Lord Press 2: Invasion of the Body Snatchers

I mentioned last time that Jeff Gerke's nascent print-on-demand publishing house, Marcher Lord Press (hereafter MLP), has some impressive titles. They deal with important, timely issues such as transhumanism.

A friend of mine asked me a while back what the next step was, since gay rights hasn't had much true resistance lately. I said the transgendered movement was next, but the ultimate goal was transhumanism.

Then I got to explain what that was.

I would have been easier to simply loan him a copy of The Personifid Invasion by R. E. Bartlett, a novel that explores the ultimate triumph or tragedy of transhumanism: people uploading their consciousness to a kind of android, thereby shedding their human weaknesses, including mortality. That's a pretty Faustian deal, and the price is going to be steep.

Now, at the risk of spoiling my own plots, since I pursue the same topic in the "League of Superheroes" origin series, I don't think this is possible. To transfer one's consciousness would mean that it was nothing more than a collection of physical phenomena--electrical patterns, for example. That's the atheist worldview, where everything is ultimately just physics, no spiritual phenomena allowed. One of the fundamental concepts of Christianity is that there are phenomena from outside the physical realm, and our consciousness is among them.

However, we may view this as a mere plot device so that the transhumanist idea may be explored in some detail.

Bartlett also provides a spiritual phenomenon as counterpoint: "interterrestrials," also known to us superstitious types as demons. Apparently their existence is accepted by the people who push personifids as the secular version of the Resurrection. That sounds about right: Screwtape's "materialist magician" has arrived.

In any case, the question of what humanity really is has become a very practical, vital question today, and some people are too quick to ignore the fact that God gave us our bodies as the proper interface with his creation. I doubt we can improve on his design: all attempts to overcome design limitations (and those brought about by the Fall) will surely just move us further out of touch with both Creation and Creator. If The Personifid Invasion helps get that point across, it will have served us well.

Well, let's see what everyone else on the CSFF tour has to say...
Brandon Barr
Justin Boyer
Keanan Brand
Kathy Brasby
Jackie Castle
Valerie Comer
Karri Compton
Courtney
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
Janey DeMeo
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Karina Fabian
Kameron M. Franklin
Andrea Graham
Todd Michael Greene
Katie Hart
Timothy Hicks
Joleen Howell
Jason Joyner
Kait
Tina Kulesa
Mike Lynch
Terri Main
Margaret
Shannon McNear
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Nissa
John W. Otte
Ashley Rutherford
Hanna Sandvig
Mirtika or Mir's Here
Greg Slade
James Somers
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Jason Waguespac
Laura Williams
Timothy Wise

Marcher Lord Press 1: Press On!

Jeff Gerke's latest contribution to Christian speculative fiction is Marcher Lord Press (hereafter MLP), a print-on-demand publishing house dedicated to Christian sci-fi and fantasy. It will officially open its doors October 1: “Atomic batteries to power; turbines to speed,” as the philosopher said.

MLP has various unusual aspects, among them the fact that its graphic mascot is almost certainly Shemp Howard with a dye job. But for those less interested in cultural allusions, the most striking feature is the initial list of novels. Even a quick look will reveal something important.

Okay, yes, the prices are very competitive. But I mean something even more important than that: MLP isn't afraid to pitch to readers with functioning brains. Summa Elvetica clearly doesn't target the hardcore dolt demographic. But even Hero, Second Class by Mitchell Bonds, which may at first seem a lightweight, offers intellectual humor and a bit of a learning experience.

Hero, Second Class is a modern fantasy, roughly along the lines of the Shrek mini-franchise. It's fantasy seen through a sci-fi lens, so fans of Tolkien, Lewis, etc. won't be too annoyed. The humor is fairly universal, however, and even people who don't care for fantasy of any kind will probably find it amusing, unless they don't care for humor of any kind either.

What about the Christian content, if any? I don't know, not having read the whole thing. However, since I've occasionally been barked at for the supposed lack of a Christian basis for "At the Mountains of Lunacy" in Light at the Edge of Darkness, I'm willing to give Bonds the benefit of the doubt. As I usually point out, "At the Mountains of Lunacy" was only a chapter from a larger story, and the next chapter, "A Paladin Called Shecky," gives a brief overview of a theological justification for the setting. (Curiously, the fact that I can justify it seems to annoy critics more than the supposed lack of justification does.) So it may well be that Bonds has some kind of explanation later on. Or perhaps he's just content to incorporate generally Christian themes into the work.

In such cases we should remember what Nicodemus asked the chief priests and Pharisees: "Does our law condemn anyone without first hearing him to find out what he is doing?" (John 7:51) This author and his book seem worth a hearing.

Tomorrow we'll look at R. E. Bartlett's The Personifid Invasion, among other things. You might want to bring a peashooter.

Well, let's see what everyone else on the CSFF tour has to say...
Brandon Barr
Justin Boyer
Keanan Brand
Kathy Brasby
Jackie Castle
Valerie Comer
Karri Compton
Courtney
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
Janey DeMeo
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Karina Fabian
Kameron M. Franklin
Andrea Graham
Todd Michael Greene
Katie Hart
Timothy Hicks
Joleen Howell
Jason Joyner
Kait
Tina Kulesa
Mike Lynch
Terri Main
Margaret
Shannon McNear
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Nissa
John W. Otte
Ashley Rutherford
Hanna Sandvig
Mirtika or Mir's Here
Greg Slade
James Somers
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Jason Waguespac
Laura Williams
Timothy Wise

MindFlights 3: Neutrality is not an option

So roughly half of the available stories for MindFlights are worthwhile, in my opinion, but only one or two are noticeably Christian. That's fairly common these days, which is a solid-gold clue that something's wrong.

Historically, we have been the counter-culture. Even Balaam figured that out concerning Israel: "From the rocky peaks I see them, from the heights I view them. I see a people who live apart and do not consider themselves one of the nations." (Num 23:9).

Compare Paul:

Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people." "Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you." "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. (2 Cor 6:14-7:1)

That doesn't mean abandoning the field entirely, but we should stop playing catch-up with the world. We should innovate and let them copy if they can. And one of our standards should be Php 4:8--"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." (That would probably clear out even a Christian bookstore pretty fast.) I should mention that the Greek does not refer to thinking about such things from time to time but constantly--these are the things we are to dwell on. You are what you read.

Does that mean we should read only Christian work? No; there is worthwhile material even in pagan sources. Paul quoted pagan writers on various occasions.

Does it mean that we should only write tracts on getting saved? Again, no. Read the New Testament carefully: how many "Steps to Salvation" pieces do you find?

And the Christian nature of a spec fic story is far more important than for any other type. Why? Because even if a mystery or romance is filled with atheists and Satanists, it still takes place (more or less) in the real world, so whatever the characters' opinions, we know that God is there.

But in spec fic, we are dealing with another world, perhaps one without God. Many writers turn to spec fic precisely so they can have a godless universe. And while it was possible in Lewis' day and Tolkien's to let the writer's mindset do the work, that was a different world too. Back then people were more likely to get a biblical reference or take a hint. At this point we are so muddled with soundbites about cultures and religions we have no deep knowledge of any of them--not even our own. Indirection and subtlety no longer work.

So what's the alternative? Some publishers think that if you pursue unabashed Christianity, people will tune you out. Some will. But I think you'll find that most people are curious about what we believe, and our spin-sick world longs for someone who is candid about his beliefs. If you can mention those beliefs naturally in the course of a story--not forcing them in for no good reason, but letting them occur naturally--I doubt most people will object.

But neutrality is impossible. One of the things that bothered me about Wayfarer's Journal was a remark on the site about the desirability of writing fiction where one's faith was no more central than the color of one's eyes. In other words, it shouldn't matter at all. This is an increasingly common view: the attempt to sink to the lowest common denominator, to put the lamp under the basket. Jesus said, "So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth." (Rev 3:16)

Pick a side!

Other CSFF Blogs on the tour:
Brandon Barr
Justin Boyer
Jackie Castle
CSFF Blog Tour
Gene Curtis
D. G. D. Davidson
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Karina Fabian
Kameron M. Franklin
Beth Goddard
Andrea Graham
Todd Michael Greene
Katie Hart
Michael Heald
Christopher Hopper
Joleen Howell
Jason Joyner
Kait
Carol Keen
Mike Lynch
Terri Main
Margaret
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Pamela Morrisson
John W. Otte
John Ottinger
Rachelle
Ashley Rutherford
Mirtika or Mir's Here
Rachelle Sperling
Stuart Stockton
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Robert Treskillard
Linda Wichman
Laura Williams
Timothy Wise

MindFlights 2: The Stories

Since MindFlights is a speculative fiction e-zine, it's fair to look over the stories. Although MindFlights is technically new, it has a seasoned staff, so I'll set the bar higher than I did for the newer Wayfarer's Journal.

The best of the stories, in my view, is "The Significance of Snowflakes," by C. L. Dyck. It's also the best story from a scientific and philosophical standpoint. For that matter, it's the only outright Christian story in the group; all the others could have been written by an atheist or Wiccan with the right kind of imagination. (If you've ever looked at Isaac Asimov's "religious" fantasy short stories you'll know what I mean.)

"The Other's Mission," by Matthew Wuertz, is also good, showing how a spec fic story can be generally "Christian" without being particularly preachy. (On other hand, the basic plot could also be transferred to a non-spec fic setting: it's basically a missionary story.)

"The Red Unicorn," by Rebecca D. Bruner, is caught in a dilemma of the author's own making. In medieval symbology, the unicorn represented Christ, and Bruner appears to accept that. But that makes the importance of virginity work in a troublesome way, as though it were a means of grace or even salvation. Is there forgiveness for someone who marries for the wrong reason? Apparently not.

"On the Edge of Eternity," by Steve Stanton, has a few issues. The opening scene should've been deleted; the story proper starts in the lounge. I found the "sprite" idea excessively cute. It could work, but not this way.

"Heart of Flesh," by Michael Bonett, Jr., was depressing enough I didn't finish it. I suspect it has a worthwhile point; I just didn't care for the overall tone or spirit of the piece.

"Takin' Notice," by Susan Plett, just annoyed me. The narrator affects a folksy tone, yet when God shows up in quasi-Bubba gear, he talks like a regular city fella. It probably wasn't God at all--just Obama makin' a stopover in flyover country. (Zeb shoulda ast to see him bowl!) And remember, flyover folks at best are well-meanin' but childlike dolts who need a city slicker to straighten 'em out. And what's on God's mind anyway? Salvation? Repentence in general? No, just avoidin' critters on the road. Good point and all, Lord; should I save the whales while I'm up?

"Potato," by Ben Payne, and "Poisoned Thorns," by Jonathan Moeller, were both good stories at the start, but in the end they inexplicably took a sharp turn right into the wall. I wanted to like "Potato" in particular--its opening is reminiscent of my novella "Virtual Messiah," though the setting there is relevant to the story as a whole. In this case we seem to be looking at a fake existence that is changed (more or less) to something more real by evil. There's a wrinkle God never thought of! (Yes, God does use our evil deeds to confront us with our selfish, godless fantasies, but perceiving reality is a gift of God, not a direct result of evil.) And the solution to mindless fantasy is something poisoned and evil. Okay...

In "Poisoned Thorns" the main character decides that the answer to bad magic is not-so-bad magic. Though warned at every turn that there will be some kind of curse on the result, she perseveres--and no curse turns up! (Okay, her hubby may throw a hissy fit. Large whoop.) I was prepared for some kind of "Monkey's Paw" resolution, and indeed the logic of the story requires one. I have no idea where it got off to.

Someone will probably take issue with my statement that "The Significance of Snowflakes" is the sole specifically Christian story in the group. What about "Wedding at the End of Time," by Russ Colson? It does use some biblical imagery and terms, but the concept is a bit of a stretch. The early Christians realized that the big deal about the afterlife was being admitted into or barred from the presence of God. Here, rather like "Waiting for Godot," there's a certain amount of chat about the curiously absent deity (okay, no, there's way more in the play than in this story), but it's unsurprising that the story ends without his actually putting in an appearance.

So we have two stories out of nine that are good, perhaps two more than aren't bad, and the rest (in my view) hit the wall for one reason or another. Not bad, I suppose.

Anyway, tomorrow I'll make a few observations about the e-zine as a whole and why it's necessary to set the bar higher for spec fic than for regular fiction.

Other CSFF Blogs on the tour:
Brandon Barr
Justin Boyer
Jackie Castle
CSFF Blog Tour
Gene Curtis
D. G. D. Davidson
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Karina Fabian
Kameron M. Franklin
Beth Goddard
Andrea Graham
Todd Michael Greene
Katie Hart
Michael Heald
Christopher Hopper
Joleen Howell
Jason Joyner
Kait
Carol Keen
Mike Lynch
Terri Main
Margaret
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Pamela Morrisson
John W. Otte
John Ottinger
Rachelle
Ashley Rutherford
Mirtika or Mir's Here
Rachelle Sperling
Stuart Stockton
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Robert Treskillard
Linda Wichman
Laura Williams
Timothy Wise

MindFlights 1: Intro

I should begin this tour of MindFlights e-zine by mentioning that I am a proofreader for two other Double Edged Publishing e-zines, and on one of them I also serve as an editor. I don't usually bother actually reading those e-zines; I've already read them in proof.

MindFlights isn't one of them, but I admit I've steered clear of it on several grounds, as I did from its predecessors, The Sword Review and Dragons, Knights and Angels. But it's on the CSFF list, so I thought I might as well take the time for a look.

To begin with, there's a bit of an odd nuisance factor: unless a piece is unusually short, such as a poem or flash fiction, you get a teaser page with about a printed page worth of text. You can then get the whole piece in your choice of html or pdf, and the full version comes with a copy of that month's cover art.

Free advice: Just have the whole piece in html minus the cover art, and have a link at top or bottom for those who'd rather have it in pdf. If the reader decides to drop it after a few paragraphs, that's every bit as easy to do with the full story loaded. And if catering to those with a slow connection is a concern, html loads much faster than graphics, so losing the cover art will speed up the download, and you won't have to click through. (Hands up, anyone who does enjoy click-through pages!)

Anyway, tomorrow I'll look at some of the stories that are up at the moment, and in the third post make a few observations about the e-zine as a whole.

Other CSFF Blogs on the tour:
Brandon Barr
Justin Boyer
Jackie Castle
CSFF Blog Tour
Gene Curtis
D. G. D. Davidson
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Karina Fabian
Kameron M. Franklin
Beth Goddard
Andrea Graham
Todd Michael Greene
Katie Hart
Michael Heald
Christopher Hopper
Joleen Howell
Jason Joyner
Kait
Carol Keen
Mike Lynch
Terri Main
Margaret
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Pamela Morrisson
John W. Otte
John Ottinger
Rachelle
Ashley Rutherford
Mirtika or Mir's Here
Rachelle Sperling
Stuart Stockton
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Robert Treskillard
Linda Wichman
Laura Williams
Timothy Wise

Original copy

In case anyone wonders, the preceding post arose from circumstance and necessity: the political season is heating up here, and I'm a freelance journalist for a local newspaper. I had to report on a candidates' forum last night, and I'd been too busy during the day to get to what I had originally promised: a review of the author's Web site. But I can do zany stuff very quickly, so I ran off a genuine fake review.

It's late again, but I'll have some factual elements this time, until it gets late enough to uncork the weird stuff.

To begin with, some parts of the copwriter.com site haven't been updated for a while--The Void itself is listed as a coming attraction (to be published in August 2007)! The best parts of the site are unaffected, however: My Testimony and Why I Write. The blog is nonexistent, and you occasionally run into a gratuitous and annoying login requirement. But then, as a cop and writer, Mynheir is presumably a busy guy.

So what can we learn of Mynheir the writer?

Well, one of the Amazon reviewers said, "Mynheir is an author worth watching." Obviously she found out the hard way how professional writers clean out your cookie jar when you aren't looking! (Or maybe donuts when he's on duty, though this seems to concentrate on the writing aspect.) Successful writers can afford cookies; less successful ones can snitch a few here and there. Wannabes and hacks have to make do with crackers. Apparently Mynheir is in either the first or second category. But has he achieved his full potential?

Myself, as I look at his Web site, copwriter.com, I am filled with sadness: just one more letter and he could've been a rich and famous copywriter, which is a technical term in the writing game for plagiarist. But we can't all have the glamor jobs. Look at me, for instance. Okay, no, you can't look at me, because I found all those little cameras long ago. (And they said I was paranoid!)

Anyway, I am a copyeditor, not a copywriter. This means that I'm a plagiarist with good grammar and spelling, not one of those illiterate slobs who makes a lot of money. Let them have their money! I have my pride.

And it tastes good on a cracker.

Participating Blog links:
The Christian Fiction Review Blog
Queen of Convolution
A Frank Review
Between Sundays
Bibliophile' s Retreat
Cathi's Chatter

Wayfarer's Journal--conclusion

So what have we learned?

1. Don't accept rides from aliens. Even if the candy's good, the probes aren't.
2. 186,000 miles per second: It's not just a good idea, it's the law.
3. Only a simpleton judges a magazine based on its first two issues, especially when it isn't some kind of professional start-up.

This isn't to put Wayfarer's Journal down. If it were a Double-Edged project or an offshoot of Analog, I'd set the bar higher. As it is, its first two issues have been good, but it's really too early to review it. I'll check back in another year, perhaps.

It is not too early to get involved by reading and writing. That can begin now. I hope I haven't scared anyone off--I doubt I could if I tried. Keep your brain on, even though it's fiction, because ideas have consequences, and some are serious. Provide feedback and be specific: what was good or bad--and why?

Of course, this requires more than just reading WJ intelligently. You also need to read your Bible intelligently. You are doing that already, aren't you? Broaden your world by picking one of your trivial hobby-horses--something that doesn't matter to salvation, but which you go ballistic over anyway--and do your level best to understand what people on the other side say. If you're a premill, check out amills and postmills. If you baptize by immersion, find out why some sprinkle or pour. There are alien creatures and cultures all around us right here on earth, even in the family of God. You might as well get acquainted.

You might even get an idea for a story. Send it to WJ and see what happens.

Other Blog Links:
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Marcus Goodyear
Andrea Graham
Jill Hart
Katie Hart
Michael Heald
Jason Joyner
Kait
Carol Keen
Mike Lynch
Margaret
Rachel Marks
Melissa Meeks
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Mirtika or Mir’s Here
John W. Otte
John Ottinger
Rachelle
Cheryl Russel
Ashley Rutherford
Hanna Sandvig
James Somers
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Jason Waguespac
Laura Williams
Timothy Wise

Understand first...

I had a friend once, which in itself will amaze many people. He got a bit wired about the danger of postmillennialism (actually about "dominion theology"). Unfortunately, it soon became clear that he didn't know the difference between postmillennialism and posttribulationism. I told him, "First you make sure you understand someone's views. Then, if necessary, you rip their head off."

I'm not interested in ripping off heads, but I do try to understand ideas before jumping in. And I'm not trying to be the CSFF version of Simon Cowell. Wayfarer's Journal is a promising e-zine. I may even send a story their way to see how good their perimeter defenses are. But there's a need to check matters carefully, even in the non-fiction section.

For example, the current essay is "Are you Ready for Science Fiction Clergy?" From what writer Tom Hohstadt says, probably not. But it is just science fiction. The types of clergy he lists (both good and bad) aren't really types of clergy so much as types of people. You can find them all in the pews or even at an atheists' convention, if you look carefully. From what I read, I gathered that the pastor merely helps the congregation, which does all the major ministry--the equipping model. This is assumed to be the right way to do things, even though it would be far easier to argue scripturally for the more traditional "Pastor = Shepherd, Congregation = Flock" model. ("Pastor" means "shepherd," after all.)

Unfortunately, most readers wouldn't have the patience to sit through an exposition of different views of the clergy/laity relationship, so instead we get a fairly standard bit of Christianized futurism. It's a good playing field for Buzzword Bingo, but it assumes that major changes are ahead for clergy roles.

Quoth Qoheleth, "There is nothing new under the sun." Technology changes a lot, but people and social realities don't vary much. What will future clergy look like? Pretty much like the past variety, unless mankind changes so thoroughly that we turn into another species. Modern clergy and laity as people look a lot like the ones we read about in the first few centuries of the Church. Why should that change now? Well, because this is Now. It's Different. No one has ever gone through what I'm going through right now. In other words, because we're all teenagers at heart, and no old fogies could possibly understand.

Take the time to understand what already is and has been. The Future probably won't arise from nothing; understanding its past will give you a better mirror for things to come. Not a faddish, buzzword-heavy analysis, but true perspective. Who knows? You might not even have to rip anyone's head off.

Other Blog Links:
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Marcus Goodyear
Andrea Graham
Jill Hart
Katie Hart
Michael Heald
Jason Joyner
Kait
Carol Keen
Mike Lynch
Margaret
Rachel Marks
Melissa Meeks
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Mirtika or Mir’s Here
John W. Otte
John Ottinger
Rachelle
Cheryl Russel
Ashley Rutherford
Hanna Sandvig
James Somers
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Jason Waguespac
Laura Williams
Timothy Wise

Sci-fi With a Difference?

Wayfarer's Journal is only has a new edition twice a year, so don't let any old items on the site fool you: it is alive and updates between editions. It's also very new, so it could change markedly for better or worse, and the readers and writers can influence that.

WJ is dedicated to sci-fi (and only sci-fi: sorry, fantasy fans) with a spiritual, i.e., Christian, dimension. Like most modern projects, it goes out of its way to avoid being "preachy." While I still have problems with that, WJ is somewhat more open to a Christian message than some other putatively "Christian" e-zines.

But there are also problems. Consider "The Soulless," by Donna Sundblad, for example. Ignoring the numerous errors of grammar and punctuation--they really do need editing at WJ--there is preachiness. The topic is cloning, and if you can't predict the ending at least generally before you're halfway through, you're not trying. But the larger point is that it is preachy.

Really: just look at it. We have a rabble-rousing preacher, who is clearly of the same kind as those who preached against civil rights for minorities decades back, and he is the Bad Guy. (This is a Christian e-zine, too: count your blessings. Who knows what an atheist magazine might do? Oh, yeah: about the same thing.) So, since he is obviously a jerk, the Other View is just as obviously the Right One. There is no actual argument to sustain the viewpoint presented; it is supported by emotion and (let us be candid) prejudice alone. For the preacher evokes prejudice, and it is that which argues against his views. The result is propaganda: an uncritical reader will come away knowing less than he did going in.

Christians can do better than this.

(Part of the problem is the naive assumption that Greek and Hebrew had the modern English concept of the soul. They didn't. In fact, although a hundred years ago the word "soul" was vaguely like Hebrew nephesh and Greek psyche, it has changed markedly since then. The same problem occurred in early Latin theology: the whole argument over "ensoulment" derived from trying to make the Bible languages have the same semantics as Latin.)

"Changed Minds," by Alice Roelke, is better, though it ends without hope, which is a cardinal sin for Christian fiction in my view. I'd still consider it the second-best current story. As for "Immunity Project," by Ann Wilkes, I don't see the Christian/spiritual angle, for the most part. There's a passing reference to angels, but the actions of the characters belie whatever faith they might profess. This could've been published in a completely secular magazine.

On the other hand, "Phobos," by Stoney M. Setzer, represents the direction I hope WJ takes. It is definitely sci-fi and definitely Christian--and I'm no fan of telepathy in Christian fiction. Imagine an episode of The Outer Limits written by a Christian.

I couldn't get Colleen Drippe's "Memories" to load, so I can't comment on it. I was surprised to find Grace Bridges' "Invasion" in the archive. It's a good story, but not regular sci-fi. Perhaps WJ will be more inclusive of other genres after all.

Other Blog Links:
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Marcus Goodyear
Andrea Graham
Jill Hart
Katie Hart
Michael Heald
Jason Joyner
Kait
Carol Keen
Mike Lynch
Margaret
Rachel Marks
Melissa Meeks
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Mirtika or Mir’s Here
John W. Otte
John Ottinger
Rachelle
Cheryl Russel
Ashley Rutherford
Hanna Sandvig
James Somers
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Jason Waguespac
Laura Williams
Timothy Wise