WEEKLYPRESS.COM · UCREVIEW.COM · OCTOBER 26 · 2011 Science Fiction for November 2011 By Henry Leon Lazarus T


his year is turning out to be a good one for major novels from


writers who are not prolific. I expect to see difficult choic- es for the science fiction and fantasy awards this year.Two decades ago Vernor Vinge in- troduced us to the Star Ship Out of Bound II, running from the Blight, which was born in an area of the galaxy where high level physics that


seem almost like magic exist. They crash on Tines World, a world whose intelligent life is packs of dogs (anywhere from four to eight in a pack). It’s three decades later and information from the star- ship’s library has gotten to the natives. The Children of the Sky (hard from Tor) have to contend with Tycoon, a tine growing a commercial empire. Dr. Vinge has a lot of fun imagining a world with potentially immortal


beings (as long as they keep replacing older dogs with pups) whose personali- ties can be modi- fied with the death of certain pack members. Then there’s the choir in the south filled with so many dogs that no one can survive the noise. This is a certain Hugo


nominee.


We have lost the magic of the Victorians, who went to circuses. In fact, accord- ing to Erin Mor- genstern, we ignore all magic, thinking it is a sort of trickery. Two wizards devise a chal- lenge for their


apprentices, Celia and Mar-


co, in the form of The Night Circus (trade from Double- day, which I bought for my Kindle app), a collection of tents only open from dusk to dawn, filled with impos- sible wonders. Celia is the illusionist creating impos- sible displays that can only be created with real magic. Marcus runs the circus from a distance as assistant to the owner, and adds his own magical displays. As described this is a wonder


of the ages with its own fan following. It needs no adver- tising, appearing overnight suddenly and then gone in a few weeks. The rules that constrict Celia and Marco to showing the best magician are not clear, but they do not include the two falling in love. This belongs in a col- lection with Circus of Dr. Lao, and Something Wicked This Way Comes. This is a won-


continued on page 11


9


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16