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The Science Fiction Novel - Phyllis Fay Gotlieb
Phyllis Fay Gotlieb (born Bloom) was a Canadian Science Fiction author and poet. She was born in Toronto in 1926 and died there in 2009. I discovered her books in the early 2000s when I regularly searched through ABC Books in downtown Courtenay (unfortunately it closed down a few years later). The Sunburst Award for Canadian Literature of the Fantastic, an annual award for speculative fiction was named after her first novel, Sunburst.
Gotlieb won the Prix Aurora Award for Best Novel (another annual award for Canadian Science Fiction / Fantasy) in 1982 for her novel A Judgement of Dragons. Over the course of her life, Gotlieb wrote a number of poetry collections and 13 novels / short story collections. Since I discovered her books I've read 6 of her books.
"The classic novel of man against machine by Canada’s greatest science fiction writer.
It’s all-out combat, Man and Mutant vs. Machine in a gigantic battle for survival and control of GalFed’s trash planet, Barrazan Five, also known as Dahlgren’s World. Years ago, geneticist Dahlgren arrived on the planet with 100 humans and 1,000 ergs. Then the robot-ergs, their intelligence expanded by Dahlgren’s experiments, rebelled and slaughtered their masters. Now it’s a war for possession of Dahlgren’s World, a brutally hot, highly radioactive and barely habitable jungle in space. On one side of the conflict are the ergs, who have evolved into sophisticated artificial intelligences. They are opposed by the mutants, including a talking goat, a mothering gibbon, and a four-armed youth. The mutants are allied with the remaining humans, including Shirvanian, a crybaby boy prodigy who can communicate telepathically with machines and may be man’s last hope for regaining control of the planet.
And then there is the creator, Dahlgren himself … and a game of chess unlike any other, with the fate of a planet and a people as the stakes." (3 stars)
"A nuclear accident ravages a small town outside of Chicago, resulting in a government quarantine isolating it from the rest of the world. A generation later, with the quarantine still in place, strange mutations have affected the minds of the town's children -- mutations which could either spell the next stage in human evolution, or something far more sinister. As the children's psychic powers begin to manifest themselves in more demented and destructive forms, the kids escape their compound. Now it is up to Sandy Johnson and her friends to track down the runaways. Possessing similar powers, Sandy and her friends find themselves facing increasingly frightening confrontations with their escaped peers." (4 stars)
"Canadian writer/ poet, Phyllis Gotlieb has written some of my favourite Sci-Fi stories, especially Sunburst. A Judgment of Dragons contains four short stories featuring the giant red cats from the planet Ungruwarkh, the male, Kreng and his telepathic mate, Prandra. Unfortunately, the first story, Son of Morning, was also contained in another book of short stories I'd already read, Son of Morning and Other Stories, but it was still nice to be reintroduced to Prandra and Kreng with that story and then to continue with three other stories featuring the irrepressible pair; The King's Dogs, Nebuchadnezzar and A Judgment of Dragons.
The four stories could just as easily have been one novel as the stories follow on one after the other as the two cats go to Gal Three (AKA Earth) so Prandra can learn to use her esp powers better and they can obtain assistance from the Federation in helping the planet Ungruwarkh become more self sufficient. Prandra and Kreng are wonderful characters, grumpy, loving and just fun to read about. Each story is almost a mystery, as the two find themselves in situations that need resolution. The supporting cast; Espinoza, an esp brain who accompanies them in the first story, Kinnear, a blunt security official in the 2nd and 4th stories and others, are all excellent as well. The stories were very enjoyable and just added to my love of Gotlieb's writing. Check her out. (4 stars)"
"All is not well on Qsaprinel. The normally peaceful world, ruled by crustacean-like creatures blessed with a dry wit and the philosophical good sense of a Mahatma Gandhi, has suddenly turned up "Classified" on all Federation records. Duncan Kinnear isn't an important Federation investigator—but then Qsaprinel isn't an important planet.
Besides, Kinnear has a modest record of success in odd jobs where even the problem is unclear, to say nothing of the solution. And. he has some unlikely allies: the big red cats called Ungrukh—dangerous, telepathic. and fiercely loyal to their friends.
Kinnear saved their world; they will help him save this one—even though the natives do look more like crayfish than one normally expects of a race of philosophers, and are not good to eat. With the help of a psychic reader of Tarot cards and a chilling rumor about mutant humans (not inclined even slightly toward philosophy) on Qsaprinel, Kinnear and company are on their way. (3 stars)."
"Kingdom Of The Cats his is the third and final book in the Starcats series by Canadian science fiction writer, Phyllis Gotlieb. I've enjoyed the series and other books by Gotlieb very much. She has a unique take on the Science fiction novel.
I had issues with Kingdom of the Cats even as I ultimately enjoyed the whole of the story. It was very complex, which in itself is not a bad thing. What I mean is that it was often difficult to ascertain where in the universe we were at a particular time and who was speaking or performing actions or who even the heck they were.
As I mention, complexity is not necessarily a bad thing, in fact, it can make you pay more attention to the story, which was the case for me.
So there, now what was the story about? A group of Starcats, including Emerald and Etrem and 'the twins' come to the Earth and are placed in what I presume is the Grand Canyon. A catastrophe occurs, in which the majority are killed by a secret band and they are skinned as well. The rest of the story focuses on the investigation; by the Cats, Earth police and Gal Three investigators. As well, we have a situation on a separate planet, where smugglers are killing and stealing special pearls. Into the mix as well is the Quemedon being who was responsible for locating the Cats on their planet and who has influenced their lives in both of the initial stories' A Judgment of Dragons and Emperor, Swords, Pentacles.
"1 • Tauf Aleph • (1981) • novelette
22 • Sunday's Child • (1977) • novella
65 • The Military Hospital • (1971) • short story
80 • Gingerbread Boy • (1961) • short story
95 • Blue Apes • (1981) • novelette
131 • Phantom Foot • (1959) • short story
148 • A Grain of Manhood • (1959) • short story
160 • Ms & Mr Frankenstein • (1975) • poem
164 • Was/Man • (1978) • poem
166 • Son of the Morning • (1972) • novella" (4 stars)
I will continue to search for Gotlieb's other novels. The complete list of her works is available at this link.
Check her out. You'll enjoy, I'm sure. Enjoy the rest of your week.
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