Customer Reviews

Again, Dangerous Visions

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

To anyone who has read the original collection of science fiction stories by renowned Sci-Fi masters of the 70's that Harlan Ellison released, this sequel packs all these that were missed, such as Philip Jose Farmer's "Riders of the Purple Wage". Even doubters of repeat success will enjoy this book, as the one refreshing rule (rarely broken) is that each author could only submit ONE story. There were no other rules.

Oh yeah, and Kurt Vonnegut's in it too!

Flush with the success of the briliant Dangeraus Visions, Harlan Ellison and his publishers leapt into the creation of a mulit-volume sequel. They should have quit while they were ahead. Most of the stories are good, but they have not dated well. Also the book runs needlessly long, with Ellison's hyper ego prattling on in the introductions and needless double header works by the writers. It took me a year to read it all and, for someone who goes through 3 to 5 books a month, that is NOT praise.

Again, Dangerous Visions happens to include my favorite story 'Moth Race' by Richard Hill. It also includes 'With the Bentfin Boomer Boys on Little Old New Alabama' by Dick Lupoff. A story about a colony of whites at war with a colony of blacks.

I've read three reviews of this story. The editor himself remarked, "There has never been a thing like this one before, in or out of the field of SF. One expects some eye-openers... but nothing like Lupoff. He takes the solid gold award for chutzpah Above and Beyond the limits of Gall... Frankly, had no other story than this one been written for Again, Dangerous Visions, the book would have been worth reading."

Another reviewer echoed the editor saying the book was worth reading for this one story, "a truly dangerous vision, and a hoot to boot".

A third reviewer said, if you're going to write from the perspective of racists, "this is the only way they should ever be portrayed". I'll take the liberty of assuming he meant, if you're going to write from the perspective of a white racist. . . Or am I being redundant?

The story is written as a sort of parody. At one point, after attending mass, a character remarks, "Good to know God is on our side. Thanks chap old chap, crikies, think of going to war with him in the ranks of Them. How many divisions does he have, buy the weigh?" Another time they pass by a military surplus store looking for the bentfin boomer for their uniform, "military supplies (one-fourthmaster was out of stock bentfin boomers two months, three? local merchant had a-plenty, yes: old story, yes)" The story makes fun of their government, religion, and military. By extension, it's making light of our society really. I think this is done perhaps more to establish the credentials of the narrator than as simply a deconstruction.

I've reviewed this story myself now too, twice. I'm a lonely man.

It's in part a war story. When I watched the movie Saving Private Ryan a scene in the movie would remind me of this story.

'New Alabama' was nominated for a Nebula award (best SF story of the year) but didn't win. It's come to remind of 'New Riders of the Purple Wage', by Jose Farmer, a story that appeared in the original Dangerous Visions anthology, that won the Nebula.

'New Riders' received some odd criticism for being too far left (it's sometimes considering a satire of the left). New Alabama could be considered a response to the original story.

'New Riders' is about a young artist whose grandfather, the last capitalist alive, is a fugitive wanted by the leftest government. Said to be satire of the socialist nanny-state, the story in fact presents a great many interesting progressive ideas. 'New Alabama', on it's surface, is a satire of the racist right, while in fact presenting a great many ideas of it's own.

'New Riders' left quite an impression on me. I liked the society it presented more than the story itself which I probably didn't understand all that well. I liked it so much, im my own mind I'd always though of it as 'the book' (perhaps analogous to a Star Trek episode where a civilization had based their entire society on a book from Earth). As a note, the young artist in the story is in a competition that might be a bit similar to 'American Idol'. It's been a long while since I've read the story. I might note too that the 900 + page Dangerous Visions was a near iconic work (for the field of SF) that can still be found on most library shelves. This shorter and better positioned on the coat-tails follow up, for whatever reason, is hard to find. I also wonder how many who actually bought the book read this story. I didn't the first go-round. Never really liked the stories with Southern accents.

I definitely remember New Riders too. We're always told we live in a racist society (racism that benefits, whites) and this may be part of why I liked the story actually. In New Riders, health care, housing and everything, is free, and each and everyone, receives a minimum and equal amount of credit just for being alive. The 'unconscious racism' I carry around may be a big part of why I liked the society presented in New Riders so much.

The government in New Riders also trys to make sure young people have a sex parter, so, that could be another reason I liked it. . .

Unconscious racism may be why I Liked the story but the thing I really remember is that people were encouraged to cry.

I would go further, than suggesting one story is a response to the other, 'nice try but I see a different future!' or even, 'two can play at that game'. I would go further and suggest the entire Dangerous Visions project (Dangerous Visions, Again, Dangerous Visions, and the never completed Last Dangerous Visions) was simply a project to get this one story in print, by hook or by crook.

I think lots of people know this anthology, split here into two pieces isn't as good as the first. Still better than The Last Dangerous Visions though. Lots of not too good stories here. Bernard Wolfe supplies good booze, or something perhaps, to get two stories. Only a bit over a 3 average here, and 50-50 if the stories are any good, which overall spells a big steenkin' average.

Funny to hear Piers Anthony rant about editors not taking chances and later on go and write more fluffy kids fantasies in a series than you can probably count on your digits.

The intros and afterwords are pretty much done in the same style and spirit as the earlier volume.

Again Dangerous Visions 1 : Ching Witch! - Ross Rocklynne
Again Dangerous Visions 1 : The Word for World Is Forest [short story] - Ursula K. Le Guin
Again Dangerous Visions 1 : For Value Received - Andrew J. Offutt
Again Dangerous Visions 1 : Robot's Story - Gene Wolfe
Again Dangerous Visions 1 : Against the Lafayette Escadrille - Gene Wolfe
Again Dangerous Visions 1 : Loco Parentis - Gene Wolfe
Again Dangerous Visions 1 : Time Travel for Pedestrians - Ray Faraday Nelson
Again Dangerous Visions 1 : King of the Hill - Chad Oliver
Again Dangerous Visions 1 : The 10:00 Report Is Brought to You By... - Edward Bryant
Again Dangerous Visions 1 : The Funeral - Kate Wilhelm
Again Dangerous Visions 1 : Harry the Hare - James B. Hemesath
Again Dangerous Visions 1 : When It Changed - Joanna Russ
Again Dangerous Visions 1 : The Big Space Fcuk - Kurt Vonnegut
Again Dangerous Visions 1 : Bounty - T. L. Sherred
Again Dangerous Visions 1 : Still-Life - K. M. O'Donnell
Again Dangerous Visions 1 : Stoned Counsel - H. H. Hollis
Again Dangerous Visions 1 : The Bisquit Position - Bernard Wolfe
Again Dangerous Visions 1 : The Girl with Rapid Eye Movements - Bernard Wolfe
Again Dangerous Visions 1 : With a Finger in My I - David Gerrold
Again Dangerous Visions 1 : In the Barn - Piers Anthony

Wapoo ips SF.

3 out of 5


Apart from the fabulous title, a pretty interesting book.

A planet of aliens that are similar but different to humans is a target of exploitation.

The forests hold the whole ecology together in a more important way than on Earth. The natives know nothing of violent conflict, but when brutality and violence is used by the invaders to try and get what they want, the locals learn quickly.

4 out of 5


Resident patient intern cost.

4 out of 5


Real, maybe, dope.

2.5 out of 5


Balloon chick, maybe.

3 out of 5


Substitute boy.

2.5 out of 5


W@nker trip.

3 out of 5


Humans history, give the furry Titans a go.

4 out of 5


Literal newsmakers.

4 out of 5


Getting hairy.

3.5 out of 5


Cartoon copyright escape.

3.5 out of 5


Separation anxiety.

3.5 out of 5


Stupendous space spoof load launch.

3 out of 5


Robbery removal, high calibre.

3.5 out of 5


Third man pissoff whiner.

3 out of 5


Dream lawyers.

2.5 out of 5


Napalm death dog.

3.5 out of 5


Dream rock psi transfer rubbish.

2.5 out of 5


Malleable reality.

3 out of 5


Udderly alternate Earth Prime.

3.5 out of 5