Conference noted::sf

221.0. "WRITERS OF THE FUTURE" by NUTMEG::BALS () Mon Jun 24 1985 16:52

Review of: "L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future"
           1985 -- Bridge Publications
           Paperback, $3.95
           ISBN 0-88404-170-0

Quickie Review -- Not bad if you can get it used or free. Not worth the
                  $3.95 price tag.

Full Review:

Writers of the Future (WOF herein) is the first in what is evidently to
be a series of paperbacks introducing new, amateur, unpublished writers
on the basis of a contest sponsored by L. Ron Hubbard (See note #220 for
more details).

As one would suspect, the writing quality is uneven at best, amateurish
at worst. The contest was judged by a panel of SF authors including:
Gregory Benford, A.J. Budrys, Stephin Goldin, C.L. Moore, Robert Silver-
berg, the late Ted Sturgeon, Jack Williamson, and Roger Zelazny. Many
of these judges have also included super-short "commentaries" on writing
in general and breaking into writing specifically. As far as I could tell,
this was done by the publishers solely in order to have the names of major
authors on the cover to sucker unsuspecting readers into buying the book.
The commentaries have little to do with the stories themselves, give no
great insights on these writer's craft, and appear to have been tossed off
between coffee breaks.

The stories themselves? As I said in my quickie review, not bad, but not
worth $3.95 either.

TYSON'S TURN -- postulates a future that strains the limits of "willing
suspension of disbelief." Take, if you will, a future where social
engineering has gone out of control, and COPS battle LAWYERS and SOCIAL
WORKERS in order to meet their criminal quotas. The story ultimately
depends on a trick ending that was probably developed before a word was
written C-

A STEP INTO DARKNESS -- Light, almost juvenile fantasy. Well-written. One
of the better stories of the book. Hard to believe this only took a 3rd
place.

TIGER HUNT -- Should have been the best story in the book. An all-too-
likely future of famine, and zoo-keepers trying to protect and feed their
now "unecessary" charges. Unfortunately degenerates into an unbelievable
ending. The story's introduction hints at some of the author's problems
with the story, which are all-too-apparent.

ARCADUS ARCANAE -- Another of the "devil vs; the games player" story. Bad.

RECALLING CINDERELLA -- Unreadable.

IN THE GARDEN -- Well-written, well-plotted story of "after the holocaust"
genre. Brings (to me, at least) the new idea that in such a future, healthy
babies will become the most valuable commodity.

THE EBBING -- Somewhat akin to King's "The Mist." The author, Leonard
Carpenter is good, and I'll bet we'll see more of him in the future. Best
story in the book.

THE LAND OF THE LEAVES -- Unreadable.

ANTHONY'S WIVES -- Well-written, but the type of horror story I hate, a la
"TURN OF THE SCREW." Was it real, or was it Memorex?

THE THING FROM THE SEAMAN'S MOUTH -- No, not phlegm, either. Another obvious
King-lover, who doesn't do it as well as his mentor.

WITHOUT WINGS -- Without merit. Trys to do a reversal on "the debbil got my
soul." Doesn't work.

SHANIDAR -- Tough to get into, but if you can, a good story. Here's an author
whose ideas are right now much better than his writing. The second-best
story of the book. Closest one to hard SF too.

ONE LAST DANCE, MEASURING THE LIGHT, A WAY OUT -- There's a reason why these
are the last three. Unreadable.

If you're interested in seeing spanking, brand-new authors, some of whom have
the potential to become acknowledged SF authors, see if you can find a used
copy of WOF.

Fred Bals