The Science Fiction Novel - Keith Roberts

This will be a short entry. Keith Roberts is a new author for me. I remember seeing his name in another book I'd read so decided to give him a try. I have so far purchased one of his books but haven't had an opportunity to try it quite yet.

The Science Fiction Novel - Keith John Kingston Roberts

Keith Roberts

Keith Roberts was born in Kettering UK in 1935 and died in Salisbury in 2000. He began publishing with a short story in Science Fantasy magazine in 1964. Roberts wrote numerous novels and short stories and was also an illustrator.

Roberts's first novel, The Furies, was used in an episode of the TV series Bones. During his life he wrote 10+ novels and numerous short story collections. As I mentioned previously I have one of his books on my bookshelf, which is supposed to be his most famous work.

1. Pavane (1968).











"An ever-expanding sub-genre of Sci-Fi is devoted to "alternate worlds" or "alternate histories": fiction in which a crucial event goes differently than in the world we know, & history is changed.

Keith Roberts's Pavane ('68) is set in a backward 20th century molded by the assassination of Queen Elizabeth I & the triumph of a militantly antiscience Catholic Church. This is a classic alternate history, in the same company as such highly regarded novels as L. Sprague De Camp's seminal Lest Darkness Fall ('41), in which a modern man slips back in time & attempts to avert the Dark Ages; Ward Moore's Bring the Jubilee ('53), set after the South wins the US Civil War; & Philip K. Dick's The Man in the High Castle ('62), set after the Germans & Japanese win WWII. Lest Darkness Fall & The Man in the High Castle are justly famous; the other two classics, Bring the Jubilee & Pavane, are less well known, & that's a shame. 

One reason for Pavane's relative obscurity among American SF readers might be its British setting & author (the Moore & Dick novels are both set in the US, & De Camp, Moore & Dick were all American). Another reason might be that Pavane is a novel created from interrelated but standalone stories (6 'measures,' or novelettes, & a coda), & the stories are of varying quality. 

Most are wise, beautifully written & intensely visualized, especially the opener, "The Lady Margaret," & the closer, "Corfe Gate"; but "Brother John," the story of the monk-artist who witnesses Inquisition tortures & sparks an anti-Church rebellion, is far less detailed & sometimes even unclear. Another reason for the novel's obscurity may be that some of the stories/chapters have more of a fantasy feel than is typical of more recent alternate history. Also, the nature of the coda's revelations may put off some readers. Nonetheless, Pavane is an intelligent, powerful & moving work, deserving of a wide readership.--Cynthia Ward
 
Prologue (1968) story
The Lady Margaret (1966) novelette (aka The Lady Anne)
The Signaller (1966) novelette
Brother John (1966) novelette
Lords & Ladies (1966) novelette
The White Boat (1966) novelette
Corfe Gate (1966) novelette
Coda (1968) story"

Keith Roberts' complete catalogue of books is available at this link.

More to follow tomorrow.