Customer Reviews

Slippage: Previously Uncollected, Precariously Poised Stories

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

After his heart attack a few years ago, many were worried that Ellison might stop devoting himself so robustly to the short story. We need not have feared. Harlan had dished his lucky readers up another tray of poisoned chocolates, stories which will go down sweet and sear to the bone. While this collection is a little more uneven than the classic "Angry Candy" (which is the only reason I give it four stars rather than five), each tale is worth the reading, and some are bona-fide gems. My favorites: "The Man Who Rowed Christopher Columbus Ashore" (on the job, with a gestalt of Coyote, Loki, Feste, and Ellison himself. This one is worth the price of admission all by itself, and may well become an acknowledged masterwork on par with "The Deathbird"), "Crazy As A Soup Sandwich" (a very funny, wonderfully visual teleplay), the classic "Mefisto In Onyx" (never mind psychodrama, this is a PSYCHIC-drama! They're allegedly making a film of this one, so read the original before Hollywood starts messing), "Go Towards The Light" (the only sci-fi Channukah story I know of), and "Midnight In The Sunken Cathedral" (which should wring a tear or two from the most cynical reader). If you've never read Ellison before, this book is a fine example of the author's range, humor, anger, and real depth. If you're already a fan, rejoice! "Slippage" has the goods; just try to read it slowly, 'cause books like this should be made to last...

This great collection gives you a representative sampling of Ellison's best short stories, and prove that he is far from a science fiction writer, which is what most people think. Sure, some of his stories definitely are sci-fi, like "Chatting with Anubis" and "Midnight in the Sunken Cathedral". However, most of Ellison's tales are better described as speculative fiction, and mostly consist of biting social observation. The best example is the classic "Mefisto in Onyx" which adds the supernatural to a treatise on racial tension, and the "Nackles" stories which deal with the uncomfortable realities of child abuse in the guise of a Christmas fairy tale. Ellison even veers into fantasy ("The Dragon on the Bookshelf") and bizarre character sketches ("The Man Who Rowed Christopher Columbus Ashore") while keeping his offbeat but perceptive worldview intact.

Here you can see that Ellison as a writer is impossible to categorize, and also impossible to ignore. (Note: For an even better collection, see the similarly-packaged volume "Angry Candy".)

I keep a copy of Slippage in my house and I take another copy on the road. "The Man Who Rowed Christopher Columbus Ashore" is, perhaps, one of the most brilliant bits of disjointed fiction since Joyce tilted several pints and scribbled his "Wake" It reflects the complex personality Ellison portrays in the media and suggests that there are new gods, but they aren't on high...they are among us. But they are flawed, emotional and sometimes indescriminate in their actions with mere mortals.

The whole of "Slippage" It is cranky and angry - angrier and more cynical even than Angry Candy - but it is also passionate and pleading. In this collection of stories, Ellison just doesn't grab your left bit and squeeze til it hurts, he tears a hole into your chest and massages your heart until it works in the shape it had when you were a little kid seeing the world fresh. He knows how the world works and hates much of it, expounding on the dark beast of man in the same breath he expounds on its glory. The result of personal near-death exercises, his introduction is as Jacob Marley warning of the spirits within that will try to change our narrow-minded, shiny-object trained mentality before its too late. Read it. You need to.

I've been a fan of Harlan ever since first learning of him back in the early 90s. I picked up one of his story collections....and then another, and another, until now I've read just about all of them. I truly believe that when it's all said and done, Ellison will be remembered as being one of the absolute best writers of speculative fiction that have ever lived.

Note those key words: "speculative fiction". Harlan himself has mentioned before that he doesn't want to be pigeonholed into one genre (i.e. stuck with the constraining label of "science fiction writer", although much of his work would fall into the sci-fi field). And he doesn't limit himself to one genre. So I would tell you, whomever you are reading this review, to take some of the opinions of my fellow reviewers ("This book isn't sci-fi enough!!!") with a grain of salt.

"Slippage" is another masterpiece by Harlan. It's one of my favorites, and I feel that some of the work here rivals some of his best. It's a beautiful work, one that touches the soul in places, particularly in "The Man Who Rowed Columbus Ashore", as well as the award-winning "Mefisto in Onyx".

I strongly urge any fan of speculative fiction to pick up this book, and be welcomed into the wonderland of Ellison.

This is perhaps Ellison's best collection. It easily rivals Angry Candy (1988), which is widely considered to be his best work. The centerpiece of Slippage is the novella "Mefisto in Onyx." It is not only a well crafted story with too many twists to count, but it is a great commentary on race, gender, and human relations in general. Another jem in this collection is "The Man Who Rowed Christopher Columbus Ashore," which is a great tale of an unlimited man living in a limited world. This story is touching, contemplative, and horrifying at times. It was included in the 1993 Best American Short Stories. Many other stories are included as well as three essays: The introduction is worth the cost of the book, An essay on Ellison's writing process, and an essay about the dangers of television for writers. You also have to admire a man who puts someone else's short story in his collection and praises it. Included is Donald Westlake's striking "Nackles". A tale about hate, more or less. Many other stories are included and all are well polished. This is among my favorite Ellison collections.

I've been reading Ellison's stroies for many years, and he keeps me coming back, no only for more, but for a fresh look at old material. Slippage is a very good book, whose only failed effort is a collaboration with Robert Silverberg which shows in stark contrast the differrence between a superb craftsman and a so-so writer (you can tell where one man's language stops and the other's begins). "The Man who Rowed Christopher Columbus Ashore" is surely one of Ellison's best; "The Museum on Cyclops Avenue" is funny, sad, and surprising. If you're looking for 5-star Ellison, however, check out Angry Candy or Shatterday.

I bought a copy of this when I heard Mr. Ellison speak in April, 1998 - it took me this long to get around to reading it. When I began, my husband said to me "Uh, oh, you'll be having wierd dreams for awhile". The stories do haunt you like that, in those quiet, creepy moments in the night. These are brilliant, violent, dark stories - you never forget them. While many reviews concentrate on the stories receiving wide acclaim, the one that hit me hardest was "Pulling Hard Time", a nightmarish vision of "capital punishment". It is a wonderful example of Mr. Ellison's ability to knock you between the eyes in relatively few words and the kind of work that is best appreciated by reading it out loud. He defies definition - honored in many fields of writing & superior in all of them. He is out-spoken & defiant in person, but I must say that the hour & a half I heard him speak was some of the best time I've ever spent, agree with him or not.

Once again, Harlan Ellison has done it. He's put together an amazing collection of inventive, thought-provoking, and absolutely incredible stories.

From an incredibly funny essay on his year working for The Twillight Zone, to a dark and brilliant novella about a telepath in the mind of a serial killer, Ellison is able to cover almost all boundries of the imagination. Everything from love to sorrow to unrelenting horror is here.

Definitely worth every penny.

It doesn't pack the emotional whallop of Angry Candy, but Slippage is one book you'll take off the shelf over and over again to reread an old favorite.

There are plenty of favorites to choose from. "The Man Who Rowed Christopher Columbus Ashore" was listed as one of the best American short stories of 1993. "The Few, the proud" revists Ellison's classic war with the Kyban.

The best part is Ellison's recounting of his battles with CBS over his "Nackles" tv script, which has so far beeen his last. Rumor has it the grass still won't grow in some spots on the CBS lot....

Harlan Ellison is one of the most gifted writers and eloquent speakers of our time. I first heard about this book while listening to an NPR interview of Ellison one evening. He was such an interesting speaker on radio that I just had to buy this book. Once I started reading, it pulled me in like a tornado and I couldn't put the book down until the last page was turned.

Thought-provoking, soul-searching, always in-your-face is the way I describe Ellison's writing style. Normally I only manage to read halfway through a book and then lose interest. Not with Harlan Ellison. After reading this collection of short stories I ran out and ordered "Angry Candy". Shortly after that I picked up one of his mega-collections. All extremely fun reads - intelligent, humorous, and just plain entertaining.

Reading "Slippages" is like dining in a five-star French restaurant where every course is an incredibly mouth-watering experience and dessert is enough to keep your tongue moaning in ecstasy for days.