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Strange Birds
Limited Edition of 1000. Paintings and sculpture by Lisa Snellings-Clark.
From the back cover: "Gene Wolfe presents two tales inspired by the engaging sculptures and paintings of Lisa Snellings-Clark. A collaboration characterized by the detail and mystery inherent in each of the artists' work, *Strange Birds* is a delight of imaginary beings and too-real people."
Includes the two stories, "On A Vacant Face A Bruise" and "Sob In The Silence."
From the back cover: "Gene Wolfe presents two tales inspired by the engaging sculptures and paintings of Lisa Snellings-Clark. A collaboration characterized by the detail and mystery inherent in each of the artists' work, *Strange Birds* is a delight of imaginary beings and too-real people."
Includes the two stories, "On A Vacant Face A Bruise" and "Sob In The Silence."
40 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2006
1 person is currently reading
96 people want to read
About the author
Gene Wolfe
507 books3,594 followersGene Wolfe was an American science fiction and fantasy writer. He was noted for his dense, allusive prose as well as the strong influence of his Catholic faith, to which he converted after marrying a Catholic. He was a prolific short story writer and a novelist, and has won many awards in the field.
The Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award is given by SFWA for ‘lifetime achievement in science fiction and/or fantasy.’ Wolfe joins the Grand Master ranks alongside such legends as Connie Willis, Michael Moorcock, Anne McCaffrey, Robert Silverberg, Ursula K. Le Guin, Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury and Joe Haldeman. The award will be presented at the 48th Annual Nebula Awards Weekend in San Jose, CA, May 16-19, 2013.
While attending Texas A&M University Wolfe published his first speculative fiction in The Commentator, a student literary journal. Wolfe dropped out during his junior year, and was drafted to fight in the Korean War. After returning to the United States he earned a degree from the University of Houston and became an industrial engineer. He edited the journal Plant Engineering for many years before retiring to write full-time, but his most famous professional engineering achievement is a contribution to the machine used to make Pringles potato crisps. He lived in Barrington, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago.
A frequent Hugo nominee without a win, Wolfe has nevertheless picked up several Nebula and Locus Awards, among others, including the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement and the 2012 Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award. He is also a member of the Science Fiction Hall of Fame.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/genewolfe
The Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award is given by SFWA for ‘lifetime achievement in science fiction and/or fantasy.’ Wolfe joins the Grand Master ranks alongside such legends as Connie Willis, Michael Moorcock, Anne McCaffrey, Robert Silverberg, Ursula K. Le Guin, Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury and Joe Haldeman. The award will be presented at the 48th Annual Nebula Awards Weekend in San Jose, CA, May 16-19, 2013.
While attending Texas A&M University Wolfe published his first speculative fiction in The Commentator, a student literary journal. Wolfe dropped out during his junior year, and was drafted to fight in the Korean War. After returning to the United States he earned a degree from the University of Houston and became an industrial engineer. He edited the journal Plant Engineering for many years before retiring to write full-time, but his most famous professional engineering achievement is a contribution to the machine used to make Pringles potato crisps. He lived in Barrington, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago.
A frequent Hugo nominee without a win, Wolfe has nevertheless picked up several Nebula and Locus Awards, among others, including the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement and the 2012 Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award. He is also a member of the Science Fiction Hall of Fame.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/genewolfe
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 27, 2017
Gene Wolfe is always a good writer, and this is a good story, even though it's not the genre he's most known for. As a matter of fact, this is more reminiscent of Stephen King than most of Wolfe's other work. A horror writer has invited an old friend's family for a country weekend at his old (and rather dilapidated) manor house. Not all will go well.
Crime fiction meets ghost story...
Crime fiction meets ghost story...
January 6, 2023
Read as part of Nightmares: A New Decade of Modern Horror.
There is a family (husband, wife and two children - a boy and a teenage girl) visiting the man's friend, a horror writer. The writer lives in a supposedly hunted house. He even tells the family some gruesome stories, and then they go to bed. The house is truly hunted, and only the boy sees the ghost. There's an intruder in the middle of the night.
I enjoyed the ending the most.
There is a family (husband, wife and two children - a boy and a teenage girl) visiting the man's friend, a horror writer. The writer lives in a supposedly hunted house. He even tells the family some gruesome stories, and then they go to bed. The house is truly hunted, and only the boy sees the ghost. There's an intruder in the middle of the night.
I enjoyed the ending the most.
January 19, 2021
* Read in the collection The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year- Vol 1. Ed by Jonathan Strahan
Gene Wolfe is the master of writing in any genre and this very creepy horror tale is exceptionally good. A foreboding old house out in the backcountry, stormy nights, murder, illuminae by moonlight and flashlight all of it can be corny tropes if done unwell, but Wolfe adds a level of intensity that makes this story scary as hell.
Gene Wolfe is the master of writing in any genre and this very creepy horror tale is exceptionally good. A foreboding old house out in the backcountry, stormy nights, murder, illuminae by moonlight and flashlight all of it can be corny tropes if done unwell, but Wolfe adds a level of intensity that makes this story scary as hell.
October 2, 2019
I was browsing through the dealer's room at Capricon38 earlier this year, when I noticed a chapbook with Gene Wolfe’s name on it--“Strange Birds.” It was on the table of Minnesota’s Dream Haven Books, publisher of the chapbook back in 2006.
Dream Haven Books had Wolfe write two novellas inspired by paintings and sculptures by Lisa Snellings. Wolfe used the unifying title “Strange Birds” to tie the novellas together.
The first story, “On a Vacant Face a Bruise”, is superficially about an abused boy running away with an interstellar circus, but, like much of what Wolfe writes, themes of use/abuse of others and slavery are throughout it.
Interestingly, “On a Vacant Face” has ties to two other Wolfe stories.
- Stromboli of “The Toy Story” has a major role in the plot. Reading “On a Vacant Face…” will totally change your reading of the earlier story.
- Late in the story, a ‘native’ boy joins the circus. He can ‘change, but not fast.’ “You think we’re all dead. And we are, just about. We don’t fit with you, even if we look like you…” The boy thought that he could fit in with the the freak show because of his ability to change. The boy’s planet is Hanumat, which I can’t tie to Sainte Anne, but this is clearly a reference to “The Fifth Head of Cerberus.
The second story, “Sob in the Silence” is one of the most disturbing Wolfe stories I have read so far. It begins as the late night telling of a ghost story, but the most horrifying entity is the storyteller himself.
The excellent stories and the haunting surreal artwork of Lisa Snelling make this chapbook highly recommended. It only had a run of 1000, so snap it up if you manage to find a copy!
Dream Haven Books had Wolfe write two novellas inspired by paintings and sculptures by Lisa Snellings. Wolfe used the unifying title “Strange Birds” to tie the novellas together.
The first story, “On a Vacant Face a Bruise”, is superficially about an abused boy running away with an interstellar circus, but, like much of what Wolfe writes, themes of use/abuse of others and slavery are throughout it.
Interestingly, “On a Vacant Face” has ties to two other Wolfe stories.
- Stromboli of “The Toy Story” has a major role in the plot. Reading “On a Vacant Face…” will totally change your reading of the earlier story.
- Late in the story, a ‘native’ boy joins the circus. He can ‘change, but not fast.’ “You think we’re all dead. And we are, just about. We don’t fit with you, even if we look like you…” The boy thought that he could fit in with the the freak show because of his ability to change. The boy’s planet is Hanumat, which I can’t tie to Sainte Anne, but this is clearly a reference to “The Fifth Head of Cerberus.
The second story, “Sob in the Silence” is one of the most disturbing Wolfe stories I have read so far. It begins as the late night telling of a ghost story, but the most horrifying entity is the storyteller himself.
The excellent stories and the haunting surreal artwork of Lisa Snelling make this chapbook highly recommended. It only had a run of 1000, so snap it up if you manage to find a copy!
May 1, 2023
This limited edition chapbook contains two excellent Gene Wolfe short stories, each inspired by artwork by Lisa Snellings-Clark. The first story is "On a Vacant Face a Bruise," a prequel of sorts to one of my favorite Gene Wolfe stories, "The Toy Theater." The story tells the tale of a boy who runs away and joins an interplanetary circus. It's a coming of age story that's told beautifully. What really got my heart pumping though was the fascinating backstory of the characters from "The Toy Theater" and learning more about their relationship. The second story is "Sob in the Silence," about a horror writer who plans to abduct a young woman and enslave her. Plans go awry as they often do, and the writer learns the real meaning of horror. This story is one of the creepiest stories I've ever read. I found it reminiscent of Edgar Allan Poe at his best. Great stuff.
April 7, 2008
Wonderful! I'd never read any Gene Wolfe before and thought that it was high time that I start delving into sci fi and speculative fiction beyond Bradbury and some Gaiman, so I started with these little chapbooks from Dreamhaven Books.
Wolfe is good at painting visual settings by way of well-written dialog and characterization; the textures of his characters react in my head to form their surroundings, like a fractal image, and I love it.
The first story is whimsical and fun, and the second story is pure horror. I look forward to reading more from Gene Wolfe in the future!
Wolfe is good at painting visual settings by way of well-written dialog and characterization; the textures of his characters react in my head to form their surroundings, like a fractal image, and I love it.
The first story is whimsical and fun, and the second story is pure horror. I look forward to reading more from Gene Wolfe in the future!
April 21, 2008
Two short stories from Gene Wolfe based upon the art of Lisa Snellings-Clark. (An artist friend of Neil Gaiman for those wondering how I found out about her.)
The stories are very good, and haunting in that "stick with you long after you stop reading" sort of way. They both seem a little too short, and the author clumsily includes the phrase "strange birds" in the text, but both stories are deep and complex.
Either that or I'm starved for good literature lately. :)
The stories are very good, and haunting in that "stick with you long after you stop reading" sort of way. They both seem a little too short, and the author clumsily includes the phrase "strange birds" in the text, but both stories are deep and complex.
Either that or I'm starved for good literature lately. :)
January 5, 2009
Two great little stories inspired by art from Lisa Snellings-Clark. In Gene-ish fashion, these are dark stories, one in particular is the startling and gruesome stuff of nightmares. An excellent read.
July 6, 2008
I love Gene Wolfe and while these aren't his best, they are great and I'm glad I have them to read and re-read.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews