The Oracle Lips [Hardcover]

Storm Constantine (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1999

This is Storm Constantine's first hardback collection, bringing together the full range of her characters and ideas. Here are tales of the Grigori, the Nephilim, and the world of the Wraeththu. Here are stories of science fiction, fairy tale and dark fantasy; of prophets, princesses, and practical wizards, the ancient past and the far future. Her themes explore the intersections of science and magic and revel in the ancient mysteries of the past. This hardback edition is SIGNED by the author and numbered in a 1000 copy print run. Michael Moorcock provides a fine introduction: "Storm Constantine's vivid, exotic imagery, her flowing prose, bring an emotional substance to her work not commonly found in genre fiction...[she is] an authentic 21st century talent."

Editorial Reviews

Review

Locus Magazine, April 1999, by Faren Miller "It has its share of strange delights, cold shivers, and grand obsessions."

Science Fiction Chronicle,1999, by Don D'Ammassa "Storm Constantine has one of the most unique, multi-layered styles in the fantasy field, and this fine collection of her work brings together most of the best examples of her work at shorter length." --Publisher Comments

About the Author

Storm Constantine has been writing since childhood. In 1985 she began work on the first of her Wraeththu Trilogy, THE ENCHANTMENTS OF FLESH AND SPIRIT, which was quickly accepted and published in 1987 by MacDonald in the U.K. and TOR in the U.S. Since then, she has published eleven more novels. Her most recent work includes the modern-day Grigori Trilogy, published in the U.S. by Meisha Merlin, and SEA DRAGON HEIR, to be published by Tor. Lately, Constantine's writing has turned to books on psychic development (INWARD REVOLUTION) and an exploration of ancient feline deities (BAST AND SEKHMET: EYES OF RA). On her way to becoming a successful writer, Constantine has also managed a rock band, worked in experimental video, exhibited and sold her own art work, and become co-editor with Eloise Coquio of "Visionary Tongue," a dark fantasy magazine. She lives with her partner, Jim Hibbert, a friend, seven cats and a confused dog in an historic part of the English Midla! nds, close to ancient hunting grounds and far from the industrial dark of the black country.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 398 pages
• Publisher: Stark House Press; Limited edition (April 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0966784804
• ISBN-13: 978-0966784800
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,835,070 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dark, Wondrous Visions, May 3, 2003

By 

Wendy C. Darling (Atlanta, GA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Oracle Lips (Hardcover)

I'd set my sights on The Oracle Lips once I realized I had at long last read all of Storm's novels (but for the unfindable Aleph, alas). Having read a few of Storm's stories beforehand (the short Three Heralds of the Storm chapbook, "Paragenesis" in The Crow anthology and several posted to her web site), I had some idea of what to expect, but at the same time, I started out my reading curious what other strange new worlds and characters I might discover.

One of the things which surprised me was the fact that not all the worlds and characters were new. A half a dozen stories were directly related to novels I had already read! Three of the book's 24 selections are tales of Grigori. "Heir to a Tendency" is a peek at the exploits of one Peverel Othman, years before his fateful appearance at Little Moor -- an arrival described in another story appearing, "A Change of Season." Written for an anthology and with the twins in Little Moor being not Grigori but something else, "A Change of Season" is essentially a draft version of the first chapter of Stalking Tender Prey. The book's third Grigori story, "The Feet, They Dance," is a lyrical story of a museum curator who falls into the sort of "remembered life" experiences that come up so often in the third book of Grigori, Stealing Sacred Fire. Any reader and fan of Grigori cannot afford to miss these stories.

Other Storm novels also have relatives appearing. "Blue Flame of the Candle" is an exotic Magravandias tale of temple idols and mysterious strangers. (It also reminded me strangely of an E.M. Forster novel set in a cross between ancient Mesopotamia and Southeast Asia.) A Wraeththu story Storm once had on her web site, "By the River If Only, in the Land of Might Have Been," also makes an appearance, offering a poignant glimpse at what it means when a people loses touch with its roots and wander unquestioningly in darkness and confusion. And finally, just to tantalize me, there's a story set (so Storm's intro note explains) on the same world as Aleph, the (for me) impossible-to-find sequel to The Monstrous Regiment. "God Be With You" is a bitter account of how religious fanaticism and "born again" zeal can split apart families and turn friends into enemies.

Beyond these jaunts into more familiar territory, however, are many more virgin journeys where Storm has created people and places out of nothing and presents them for the length of a short story. Included within this are stories from various genres, from Storm's own brand of science fiction (where space is much more scary and grim than exciting and glamorous), dark fairy tales, fantasies, and strange (but wonderful) unclassifiables like "The Oracle Lips" (a Moebius strip of a story) to "Of a Cat, but Her Skin," a tale of one woman's liberation.

I found my favorite stories split among all the genres. One of the most dearly enjoyed was "The Vitreous Suzerain," the story that opens the anthology. This is one of Storm's forays into science fiction, with a new governor arriving on one of his empire's conquered planets and discovering there is much more to the planet's inhabitants (and more satisfaction to be had) than he or his fellows ever suspected. For me, this story captured my conception of an inter-species encounter far better than any episode of Star Trek.

Other favorites of mine were two dark fairy tales ("Sweet Bruising Skin" and "Remedy of the Bane"), another sci-fi tale ("As It Flows Into the Sea," very much a Twilight Zone episode set in outer space), Storm's fantasy-parody "The Deliveress," a story ("Return to Gehenna") that was like a one-chapter Thin Air, and just about every other story in the book. I made a good choice with this book!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A storm of ideas, December 12, 2001

By 

Ventura Angelo (Brescia, Lombardia Italy) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Oracle Lips (Hardcover)

Storm Constantine is a very eclectic writer.She goes from the Cyberpunk,to classic Science Fiction,to evocative fantasy,to religious satire. This book's a bountiful!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing for fans of her novels, November 6, 2000

By 

Professor J (Brooklyn, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Oracle Lips (Hardcover)

Maybe I'm just not a short-story person. But I was disappointed in this book---especially given its hefty price. I fell in love with SC through Wraeththu, and bought this book mainly because there was a Wraeththu story in it. Unfortunately, the story, although it had potential, simply lacked the emotional impact that I'd come to associate with the Wraeththu series. I cared nothing for the protagonist, nor for his people, nor for his lost lover, and I was just resigned, not pleased, by the end of the tale. I will say that the story did have a fascinating ethereal atmosphere... but that's the only positive thing I can say about it. Perhaps if I'd had a longer time to get to know the protagonist, I might have liked him better. (And I'll admit---I'd been hoping to see familiar characters in this story, from the Wraeththu trilogy, not a new chara.)

There are other stories in here which have potential, but it seems as if many of them are early treatments of what eventually became her finished novels. There's a proto-Calenture story in here, and a proto-Grigori one, etc. Given that these were the best stories in the book, I'm tempted to suggest that anyone who's interested in this anthology should skip it and just find a way to get the finished novels. Especially given the price. (The Wraeththu story is available on her website, anyway.)

But I'll stop short of not recommending it. The stories *are* well-written---more than enough to please someone not familiar with what SC is capable of. SC still proves herself to be far and away the best and most original fantasy writer out there, hands down. But for those who have read Wraeththu, or Calenture, or the Thorn Boy, and who know just how hypnotic and powerful her writing can be... it's just not enough.