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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Bloody Piece of Paper,
By
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This review is from: The Machine In Shaft Ten (Paperback)
It feels strange to review a book that was published the same year I was born - over thirty years ago. And even stranger that nobody has reviewed this great collection of stories on amazon.com. All I have to say is: "You bloody piece of paper." And then:
M John Harrison fans will already be familiar with some of these stories. "The Lamia and Lord Cromis" is also published in the book "Viriconium." And you can find the story "Running Down" in "Things That Never Happen." As you'd expect, though, there are subtle and intriguing variations. Also in this collection, "The Bringer with the Window" alarmingly resembles "The Dancer of the Dance" - a short fiction that appears in "Viriconium." Instead of Kiss-O-Suck the dwarf, for example, Doctor Grishkin from the novel "The Centauri Device" plays the antagonistic role of guide. There is a Viriconium story entitled "Events Witnessed from a City" that doesn't appear in the book "Viriconium" (At least I think it's the city of Viriconium). Others such as "The Bait Principle," "Visions of Monad," and "Ring of Pain" are abstract and challenging and, to me, the best and most rewarding in this collection. If we could get inside the mind of a character such as Yaxley, we'd probably hear these types of subjective poetic ramblings. There are also some straightforward stories such as "The Causeway," "The Machine in Shaft Ten," and "Coming from Behind;" that is, straightforward for M John Harrison. And these blend nicely in the volume. "Orgasm Band" I fittingly mention last. You'll have to read it to believe it - and then explain it to me. I liked the feel of it. And I guess that makes sense. If there is an overall theme, I'd label it: The Human Condition of Using and Being Used. More important than thematics, of course, is the artistry and style of the author. If you have not read M John Harrison, then none of the above makes much sense. But I made the assumption that if you are wondering about this lesser known work, then you have read most of his fictions. I highly recommend "The Machine in Shaft Ten." You don't need an authority like China Mieville to tell you that. Oxymoron? And despite this being a paperless review: Bloody piece of paper!
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