Heat of Fusion
Aug. 18th, 2006 07:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jazzfishJohn M. Ford, Heat of Fusion and other stories
Words are inadequate (the poor craftsman curses his tools)
--John M. Ford, "Chromatic Aberration"
John M. Ford never has cause to curse his tools.
I've read this book once before. It probably got lost in the shuffle when Dana got stolen. I'm flipping idly through it again.
The first story ("The Persecutor's Tale") made me catch my breath and say "Oh." The second story ("The Hemstitch Notebooks") had me laughing harder than I have laughed at anything in ages. I am now halfway through the third story ("Chromatic Aberration") and it is simply brilliant. And in between there are occasional bits of poetry that engender the same reactions. A speech by Prospero on the ship back to Naples, after _The Tempest_. A brilliant tavern scene with Athos, Porthos, D'artagnan, and a gentleman with a long nose and silver tongue. "Winter Solstice, Camelot Station." "110 Stories."
. . . curse you, my tools.
Find and read this book. It really is that good.
Words are inadequate (the poor craftsman curses his tools)
--John M. Ford, "Chromatic Aberration"
John M. Ford never has cause to curse his tools.
I've read this book once before. It probably got lost in the shuffle when Dana got stolen. I'm flipping idly through it again.
The first story ("The Persecutor's Tale") made me catch my breath and say "Oh." The second story ("The Hemstitch Notebooks") had me laughing harder than I have laughed at anything in ages. I am now halfway through the third story ("Chromatic Aberration") and it is simply brilliant. And in between there are occasional bits of poetry that engender the same reactions. A speech by Prospero on the ship back to Naples, after _The Tempest_. A brilliant tavern scene with Athos, Porthos, D'artagnan, and a gentleman with a long nose and silver tongue. "Winter Solstice, Camelot Station." "110 Stories."
. . . curse you, my tools.
Find and read this book. It really is that good.