Mind Out of Time (Five Star Science Fiction/Fantasy) [Hardcover]

Christopher Stasheff (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2, 2003

His Warlock and Wizard in Rhyme series have sold hundreds of thousands of copies around the world. Now Five Star is proud to bring together the best of Christopher Stasheff's short fiction -- including a brand new novella featuring Angus McAran. Stories include The Warlock's Grandfather, Coronach of the Bell, Pride and Puppetry and many more. (20021201)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Mind Out of Time, stories by Christopher Stasheff, collects the best short fiction by the author of the bestselling Warlock and Wizard in Rhyme series, including "The Warlock's Grandfather," "Pride and Puppetry" and the title tale, an original novella. Stasheff can now claim, in the author bio, "that every short story he's willing to have the public see, is now in print."
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"From a darkly humorous tale of the power of words (Death and the Librarian) to a never-before-published response to events of September 11 (Ilion), Friesner's 12 stories illustrate the author's acutely sensitive vision of wonder in the everyday world... Known primarily for his 'Star Wars' novels... Zahn's short stories also deliver strong plots and memorable characters... Zebrowski's many novels (e.g. Macrolife) mark him as a visionary as well as a master of hard sf. The ten short stories collected in In the Distance provide a benchmark of his creativity... the author expands his concept of the human condition to embrace the stars. Part of Five Star's continuing commitment to showcasing the short fiction of the genre's most prominent author's, these three volumes belong in most libraries where short sf is popular."
-- Library Journal (December 2002) (Library Journal 20020615)

"...Part of Five Star's continuing commitment to showcasing the short fiction of the genre's most prominent authors, these three volumes (Death and the Librarian and Other Stories/ Star Song and Other Stories/ In the Distance, and Ahead in Time) belong in most libraries where short sf is popular."
-- Library Journal (December 2002) (Library Journal )

"Four more titles in Five Star's new series (God Is an Iron and Other Stories/ Generation Gap and Other Stories/ The Lady Vanishes and Other Oddities of Nature/ Suppose They Gave a Peace and Other Stories) of short fiction by noteworthy sf authors offer a variety of tales that illustrate the depth and staying power of the genre...Most of the stories in these volumes have only appeared in periodicals. Libraries wishing to augment their sf or short fiction collections should consider any of them."
-- Library Journal (June 2002) (Library Journal )

"Stasheff's [Rhyming Wizard] series continues to be distinguished by intelligence, literacy, and wit, so put this volume confidently alongside its predecessors on your fantasy shelves."
-- Booklist (Booklist )

Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Five Star; 1 edition (January 2, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786249595
• ISBN-13: 978-0786249596
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 6.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,785,063 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More Than a Warlock, March 20, 2003

By 

Arthur W. Jordin (Smyrna, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mind Out of Time (Five Star Science Fiction/Fantasy) (Hardcover)

Mind Out of Time is a collection of stories covering a span from 1981 to 2003. They cover a variety of SF and fantasy themes.

"The Warlock's Grandfather" is an odd story of either madness or canniness. After a long life of dedication to the family business, Count Rory begins to live in a dream world of his own making. This humiliates some of his children and their spouses, but elates two of his grandchildren.

"Coronach of the Bell" is a sad tale warning of the dangers of intervention in an ecology with insufficient knowledge. At the same time, it is a tale of forgiveness.

The earliest story, "The Martyrdom of St. Vidicon of Cathode", is a tale of Murphy's Law as manifested in technology. A backstory of the Warlock series, this tale might be seen as a farce to non-technical readers, but it is a tribute to human perseverance to anyone who has had to deal with electronic equipment. It may be contrived, but there is more than a smidgen of truth in it. High tech has its own version of praying in the foxholes.

"Pride and Puppetry" is obviously about prejudice, but also about loyalty and justice. When is it appropriate to allow your liege lord to be humiliated?

"Gordon's Quest" is a story of redemption through martyrdom. Unlike St. Vidicon, Gordon is seeking death to achieve paradise. Sound familiar? Of course, the author doesn't write just a journey toward death, but throws in a few exploitive gods that use Gordon to put down another god who has been coopted by the Taiping revolution.

"Who Ghost There?" is a romantic tale of a little girl, Anthea, with negligent parents who finds parental love from the family ghost. It seems Sir Roderick cannot rest until he recovers his head, so he has been consoling and protecting lonely children for centuries. Just to enlivened the plot, there are two suitors for Anthea's hand, a pair of the last Faerie in England, and a foreign spirit who manifests as a ball of fire.

The latest story, "Mind Out of Time", is also a backstory of the Warlock series. Angus McAran is deformed in body, but brilliant of mind. After graduating with a electrical engineering degree with a minor in physics, he became an inventor for a large corporation for a six figure salary and a well equipped laboratory. The company paid him a good amount for each patent issued, but then retained the royalties. While the money was minor matter, the lack ownership of the patents still irked him. Then, one day he found himself faced with a man -- actually a Neanderthal -- from his future (and other times) who advised him to invent a time machine and free himself from the tyranny of being a salaryman.

These stories display the humor and characterization often found in the author's various series, but also show a greater degree of versatility than found in the series work. While this collection brings all his stories into print, one may hope that the author will produce a few more in the near future.

Recommended for Stasheff fans and anyone who enjoys humor and a bit of wisdom in SF and fantasy settings.

-Arthur W. Jordin

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars strong collection, especially the titled novella, February 4, 2003

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mind Out of Time (Five Star Science Fiction/Fantasy) (Hardcover)

This collection from the author of The Warlock In Spite of Himself and subsequent mythos consists of six sensational short stories and a long terrific time travel tale "MIND OUT OF TIME" that expands the Christopher Stasheff cosmos to the merriment of his followers.

Each of the shorter tales is well written with strong characters while supporting the Stasheff cosmos underlying supposition that misfits struggle to find a group or a loved one to belong to and reciprocally belongs to the antihero too. Mr. Stasheff expands on his theme in a two-page introduction to this anthology that his supporters will want to read. Fans of the Wizard universe will gain much delight with these six entertaining tales starring humanity's outcasts.

However, this book belongs to the title novella, MIND OUT OF TIME. Though born with a deformed body, Angus McArcan is brilliant having secured many patents for the company that employs him. When co-worker Yorick talks about a Neanderthal skull found in Michigan, Angus decides to astral time travel to find out if Neanderthals ever made it to North America. He lands in the body of Alaspar, a Neanderthal living in what will one day be Michigan. Angus learns from Alaspar that he will invent a time machine, be the founder of GRIPE (Guardians of the Rights of Individuals, especially patent holders) and will develop a sense of future. When he returns to the present, he meets Yorick again who is also a time traveler sent to save him from those who don't want GRIPE to succeed. This is a whimsical time travel tale starring an unusual but likable hero.

Harriet Klausner