Message-ID: <398@topaz.ARPA>
Date: Sat, 26-Jan-85 15:59:44 EST
Article-I.D.: topaz.398
Posted: Sat Jan 26 15:59:44 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 28-Jan-85 04:38:18 EST
Sender: daemon@topaz.ARPA
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.
Lines: 33

From: maxson%vaxwrk.DEC@decwrl.ARPA  (Rats live on no evil star)


	Well, in balance to Josh Susser's review of "Golden Torc", etc.,
	I'd like to offer an alternate opinion: Yrrch.

	Clarke once wrote that in designing a good SF story, you make one
	assumption of something incredible, and then construct the rest of
	the story from believeable and real elements. In this way, the reader
	gets to try one new idea against a backdrop of sanity. In 2001/2010,
	for example, the "what if" is - what if there is a shepharding alien
	intellegence which watches over man?

	In Julian May's "Golden Torc" extraviganza, there are too many "what
	if's". What if there really are psychic powers? What if there is
	time travel? What if there was an alien invasion? What if there were
	a galactic coalition of extraterrestrials? What if pigs had wings?
	Any one of these assumptions would have made a credible SF story.
	Any two or more leaves us in an unsatisfying world of fantasy, where
	you can't quite swallow the whole pill.

	May is too interested in romantic sub-plots and her character's
	emotional responses to the rather ludicrous events of her plot.
	Like this: "John was heartbroken when the earth split apart and
	swallowed Sally all of a sudden. How would he live without her?
	Would he ever see her again?"

	I reiterate: Yrrch.

						Mark Maxson
						VAXworks
	MAXSON%VAXWRK.DEC@DECWRL.ARPA		129 Parker St PKO2-1/M21
						Maynard, MA  01754

Message-ID: <442@topaz.ARPA>
Date: Wed, 30-Jan-85 09:16:16 EST
Article-I.D.: topaz.442
Posted: Wed Jan 30 09:16:16 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 31-Jan-85 02:29:04 EST
Sender: daemon@topaz.ARPA
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.
Lines: 41

From: Ronald L. Singleton 

    
>Well, in balance to Josh Susser's review of "Golden Torc", etc., I'd
>like to offer an alternate opinion: Yrrch.

>Clarke once wrote that in designing a good SF story, you make one
>assumption of something incredible, and then construct the rest of
>the story from believeable and real elements. ...

>In Julian May's "Golden Torc" extraviganza (sic), there are too many
>"what if's". What if there really are psychic powers? What if there is
>time travel? What if there was an alien invasion? What if there were a
>galactic coalition of extraterrestrials? What if pigs had wings?  Any
>one of these assumptions would have made a credible SF story.  Any two
>or more leaves us in an unsatisfying world of fantasy, where you can't
>quite swallow the whole pill.

I'd like to insert my answer to Mark Maxson.

You make a good point for some SF "purists" Mark, but for those of us
who read for the entertainment value, any reasonable number of
assumptions (as long as they are not added in later in the story, as
if to explain a wierd plot twist) can make a story more enjoyable.  In
addition, I consider the GT series more fantasy than SF anyway, and I
will allow for more "what if" in the genre.  The "Myth" stories are
another group in this category. What if there were other dimensions?
What if some had magic, some had technology and some had both in
varying degrees?  What if Demons and Devils were not really as bad as
superstition says? On and on.  I am currently enjoying these stories,
as I enjoyed the Golden Torc stories a while back.  There are many
other examples, but I would rather keep this short enough to be left
intact if published in the Digest.

NEW SUBJECT:  I thouroughly enjoy the SF-LOVERS Digest and have made a
habit of saving many of the pearls printed here for future shopping
lists of books and movies.  Keep 'em coming!!

You can flame me via emsg or the digest, I'm a regular reader.

Ron (rsingle at bbncct)

Message-ID: <580@ccice2.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 1-Feb-85 17:44:10 EST
Article-I.D.: ccice2.580
Posted: Fri Feb  1 17:44:10 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 6-Feb-85 02:31:36 EST
References: <442@topaz.ARPA>
Reply-To: bwm@ccice2.UUCP (Bradford W. Miller)
Organization: CCI Central Engineering, Rochester, NY
Lines: 21
Summary: 

I just finished reading "The Multi-Colored Land":

REVIEW:

Classification:	Science-fiction (soft).

Premise: Misfits from the near-future take a one-way trip to Pliocene
Earth, where they hope to escape from the tribulations of civilization,
but find themselves enslaved to an alien race.

<>

I think that the book is a good rapid read, and compares favorably with
other good action-sf, though it may not be as classic as Zelazny's
"Chronicles of Amber". Nonetheless, if you like Farmer and Zelazny's
tales, I think you'd enjoy this book. I have 'The Golden Torc' on my
nightstand, I'll be reading it next. 

Brad Miller
-- 
..[cbrma, ccivax, ccicpg, rayssd, ritcv, rlgvax, rochester]!ccice5!ccice2!bwm

Message-ID: <6307@boring.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 3-Feb-85 11:09:46 EST
Article-I.D.: boring.6307
Posted: Sun Feb  3 11:09:46 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 9-Feb-85 07:06:01 EST
References: <442@topaz.ARPA> <580@ccice2.UUCP>
Reply-To: jack@boring.UUCP (Jack Jansen)
Organization: CWI, Amsterdam
Lines: 18
Summary: 
Apparently-To: rnews@mcvax.LOCAL


I read the "Saga of the Exiles" series last summer,and the following
things struck me:
- There are a lot of references to the situation on earth before
2034. Did Julian May write a predecessor to this series? If he did,
how good is it?

- There are a lot of things that do not seem to make sense in the
context of the story. For instance the story about the rama with the
torc, or the fact that it is explicitly stated a lot of times that
Felice isn't dead. Would there be more books coming up? (By the way,
I have 4 books, The Many-couloured Land, The Golden Torc, The Non-born
King, and The Adversary, and the story seems complete).

Any responses will be welcomed, and I'll summarize, of course.
-- 
	Jack Jansen, {decvax|philabs|seismo}!mcvax!jack
Notice new, improved, faster address         ^^^^^