Live! From Planet Earth
Language: English
Pages: 320
ISBN: B006O9P5JM
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
LIVE! FROM PLANET EARTH represents a very special look at the many works of this unique genius. These 22 short pieces have been specifically selected and introduced by his fellow writers and editors, from Michael Bishop to Jack Dann, Mike Resnick to Neil Gaiman. Each writes about his or her memories of Effinger and his legacy.
Included are 'The Aliens Who Knew, I Mean, Everything' in which Earth is visited by benevolent aliens who happen to have annoying opinions about everything. 'Everything but Honor' goes along as a black physicist time-travels to 1860 to murder a Civil War general. Also included here are Effinger's O. Niemand stories, which perfectly mimic the styles of Steinbeck, Hemingway and Twain. The results are a tour de force sure to please existing fans and make new fans of anyone who reads them.
character presentation, and science-fictional self-referentialism, throwing in allusions to low-budget alien-invasion films from the 1950s and 1960s and to the influential Cold War satires of Robert Sheckley and William Tenn, but an introduction to a funny story should no doubt refrain from that sort of analysis. For one thing, it would spoil the jokes. For another, it would strike the author as overblown, tone deaf, and beside the point, for in this story George's primary purpose was to
what I once said to you —I'll furnish all the counsel you need, but no loans. You won't amount to much of a man if I fetch out my money and make all your trouble disappear. Why, d-mnation! There'd be one more numskull triumph after another for you if I did! You must study making your own bed, Halan, and then you must study lying in it, and then shaping it up again in the morning." "Aye, aye, sir, Uncle Grather; I know I reckon I gone up on my own. I'm not asking you to give me money. I have got
have to be careful, because there's a lot of Artists around who are trying to make us think that they're really Producers. Just remember: if you can use it, it's not Art." The crowd cheered again, and then it began to break up. Some of the men stood around arguing. One of the small groups of Producers that was slowly walking to the parking lot was deeply involved in debating the boundaries separating Artists and Producers. "I mean, where are we going to stop?" said one. "I don't like the way
"Fine. We'll name the star Odin, and the planets whatever you just said. I'm sure glad I have you. You're a lot better at this than I am." Jessica laughed. She looked forward to exploring the planets. It would be the first break they had in the monotony of the journey. Neither Leslie nor Jessica anticipated finding life on the two desolate worlds, but they were glad to give them a thorough examination. They wandered awe-struck over the bleak, lonely landscapes of Hugin and Munin, completing
expected something more exotic," I said. "Something hyper-modern, something eccentric. P-QN3 or something." I'M SORRY IF YOU'RE DISAPPOINTED. SHUT UP AND PLAY THE GAME. I moved P-K4 too. "You don't have to get abusive," I said. "I think I may trade you in on a more civil model." WE'RE ALL SENSITIVE, he said. PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR KING. YOUR KING WILL BE MORE THAN JUST AN IMPORTANT FIGURE IN A TRIVIAL GAME. YOUR KING IN THIS CONTEST WILL ACTUALLY BE SOMEONE YOU KNEW AND LOVED. YOUR KING