Stepping Stone and Love Machine: Two Short Novels from Crosstown to Oblivion

Crosstown to Oblivion

by Walter Mosley

Walter Mosley's talent knows no bounds. Stepping Stone and Love Machine are but two of six fragments in the Crosstown to Oblivion short novels in which Mosley entertainingly explores life's cosmic questions. From life's meaning to the nature of good and evil, these tales take us on speculative journeys beyond the reality we have come to know. In each tale someone in our world today is given insight into these long pondered mysteries. But how would the world really receive the answers? Stepping Stone : Truman Pope has spent his whole life watching the world go by--and waiting for something he can't quite put into words. A gentle, unassuming soul, he has worked in the mailroom of a large corporation for decades without making waves, until the day he spots a mysterious woman in yellow. A woman nobody else can see. Soon Truman's quiet life begins to turn upside-down. An old lover surfaces from his past even as he finds his job in jeopardy. Strange visions haunt his days and nights, until he begins to doubt his sanity. Is he losing his mind, or is he on the brink of a startling revelation that will change his life forever--and transform the nature of humanity? Love Machine : The Datascriber was supposed to merely allow individuals to share sensory experiences via a neurological link, but its true potential is even more revolutionary. The brainchild of an eccentric, possibly deranged scientist, the "Love Machine" can merge individual psyches and memories into a collective Co-Mind that transcends race, gender, species . . . and even death itself. Tricked into joining the Co-Mind, as part of a master plan to take over the world, Lois Kim struggles to adapt to her new reality and abilities. Is there any way back to the life that was stolen from her, or is she destined to lead humanity into a strange new era, despite the opposition of forces both human and otherwise?

Genres: Fiction, Science Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy

304 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 1, 2013

About the author

Walter Mosley (b. 1952) is the author of the bestselling mystery series featuring Easy Rawlins, as well as numerous other works, from literary fiction and science fiction to a young adult novel and political monographs. His short fiction has been widely published, and his nonfiction has appeared in the New York Times Magazine and the Nation, among other publications. Mosley is the winner of numerous awards, including an O. Henry Award, the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award, a Grammy, and PEN America’s Lifetime Achievement Award. He lives in New York City.

Reviews

[Owain Lewis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'd heard good things about Mosley, from friends and mentions by writers whose work I dig but I have to say I found this pretty disappointing. For a start, marketing it as two short novels is a bit misleading to say the least. The size of the page margins and line spacing mean that what you get is two longish stories; one has to wonder whether all three Uptown duos would have fit into a single book. I wouldn't have minded this had the content been better. Both stories start well, the prose is crisp and seductive and you feel like it might be going somewhere interesting. The themes of both stories - that of the idea of access to the experience of others and a shared conciousness or co-mind - are nothing new, which in itself isn't a problem; Mosley's depiction of what these conditions might feel like to the individual - mostly disorientation - is convincing enough. The problem is that Mosley's endings for both stories just don't do justice to the path he has lead us down. You feel like there's going to be some kind of philosophical conclusion on the nature of consciousness and the human condition, but instead of this what you get is something much less interesting and, it has to be said, incredibly old-fashioned. To me these feel like something he had lying around at the back of a draw, something to toss his publishers to get them off his back. Maybe I'm wrong and these only make sense within the Uptown trilogy but on their own these sort novels/novellas/longshort stories just don't stand up. I'll not give up on Mosley based on this though; I've heard him speak on radio and he came across as a thoughtful, interesting and generally sound human being and if you write as much as Mosley has you're bound to hit a few bum notes now and then.

[Carla · Rating 1 out of 5]

I specifically downloaded short story audio books for a long drive. I used Overdrive and had few options of books that I hadn't already read or heard. I've heard of Walter Mosely, and have in fact several books of his on my TBR list, but haven't read anything yet. I was expecting some type of private eye or mystery and what I got was science fiction. That in itself isn't bad, but these stories were awful! Can't remember who the narrator was, but he was very robotic. Worse yet, I was stuck in a car, and I suppose I could have turned it off, but thought I should listen to it through finish.

[Terence · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

Both stories start out strong but about 3/4's of the way through Mosley rushes toward very unsatisfactory endings.

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read one of the two novellas (stepping stone), and while it was well-written, I found its development disappointing. I prefer a mystery that has an interesting/clever explanation - it can be fantasy, but I want it to make sense on some level, to have some deeper meaning. This story made me feel like he just made stuff up and it didn't fit together into any sort of pattern or structure. Sometimes Neil Gaiman does this, but I think he does it so well that I could still enjoy it. Same with Stephen King. Not so with this novella. So I decided not to read the other one (Love Machine) since its ratings were lower than the one I read.

[Harley · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the last two months I have listened to four science fiction novellas by Walter Mosley. Three of these novellas involve a middle-aged black man in a dead end job. He is chosen by aliens to help them change the nature of the world and human beings. In the fourth novella, Love Machine, a dying black man is a mad scientist, but the lead character is a young Asian woman. Again, the plot involves altering the nature of human beings. Mosley has a fascinating imagination and I have enjoyed all four novellas.

[Stewart · Rating 2 out of 5]

When Walter Mosley does sci fi, he does it weird, sometimes unreadably so. These tales just didn't do it for me. Stepping Stone started off very strong, but then got so far out there that I was glad when it abruptly ended. Love Machine was fairly dull from start to finish. I should just stick to his mysteries.

Not recommended.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I never know what to expect when I open a non-traditional Walter Mosley book. These two tales were fascinating and well-written...as always.

[Jack · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hm. Nup.

[Jazzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I decided to revisit the first duo-book in Mosley's "From Crosstown to Oblivion" series, read the second and third (and final) duo-books, and "The Silver Box" novel that ends the series. Stepping Stone / Love Machine is the third of the duo-books.

Reading them all in quick succession reveals glaring themes running throughout that might not seem as pronounced if a year or two separated the readings. Most of the six short novels that make up the duo-books are based on some power/gift being bestowed upon an ordinary person by someone not human, and how that changed human then becomes part of an effort to change the world. There are explicit sex scenes in every story, and all the main characters experience a sort of sexual/intimacy/relationship awakening. These stories are a combination of mundane life being made fantastic, and vary in the scope of the sci-fi/fantasy/magical elements.

I won't reveal details of these two stories, because, because they are each so short, it's important to go into each with minimal foreknowledge to fully enjoy them. I rate the six stories in the duo-book series between 3.5 and 5 stars. These two stories in particular, I rate 4 and 3.5 stars.

Stepping Stone was more enjoyable and more vividly held my attention from the opening pages. It was fun to walk with Truman Pope for a while and live in his existence. Love Machine was good and had the potential to be great, but I think it suffered from not having enough pages to complete its ideas and build out its world.

None of the short novels need to be read to enjoy the others. There isn't any continuity from one to the next. However, there is a "feel" about the mini-novels that made me feel they all could have taken place in the same reality. Like we could read about fantastic events taking place over a couple of years, these stories playing out one after the other and concurrently over the course of a few years right now. As I read more of the stories, that feeling of unannounced joinedness added a little extra wonder to the tales.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

More of Walter Mosley's crazy speculative fiction. These stories are good examples of what I think of as Mosley's "world-changing-hero" template: He introduces us to some normal seeming person, then some weird stuff happens to them, they discover a power (and a friend or friends) and then they change the entire world. It's a little predictable, it's a fun medium for Mosley's writing style & ideas. In this way, these stories are similar to Futureland (which I liked better), and Inside a Silver Box (which I didn't like as much). The man in my basement follows the formula more loosely, & I'm only mentioning it because it's my favorite Mosley novel I've read so far.

[Drew · Rating 2 out of 5]

Full disclosure, I only read the first of two half books so this review is only about Stepping Stone. It started out well as I got to know Truman Pope, a simple, unassuming man who worked hard, kept his head down, and made some loyal friends. Most of the story followed this path and was an enjoyable read. But toward the end it suddenly devolved into a dark, confusing nightmare with seemingly no connection to the rest of the book. I’d say the first part was a 4/5 but the ridiculous ending wasn’t even worth 1/5. I’m generously giving it three stars and not bothering to read the other novella.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like Walter Mosley and wanted to read the Crosstown to Oblivion series. This book was yet another good read by my favorite author. In this book a man always considered strange and mentally slow since he was a child comes to realize as a middle age man, that he's a very special person with a very important destiny. This was an interesting tale and had good character development. I am really enjoying this series.

[Sandra Vaughan · Rating 2 out of 5]

April has not been a month of my favorite authors producing their standard of writing. All I can say this is not an Easy Rawlins or The Fortunate Son. Although they were short stories, they weren't short enough. I didn't understand neither plot.

[Tiffany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Confusing, but irresistible.

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the way Mosley thinks and creates other worlds!

[Jim · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. Not like they were bad or anything, just didn't turn out to be short stories I will likely remember let alone recommend.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Genevieve Davis · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't know why guys think it's cool to write about tortured women. But apparently this guy does.

[Fred Pierre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Walter Mosley writes from the African American experience, but his novels follow a traditional science fiction plotline. The hero is a normal, working man or woman, who discovers that he or she has a hidden talent and / or supernatural ally. The hidden talents of our heroes are revealed as well as a prophetic destiny for the characters. Will the system bring them down, or will they change the world? Mixing telepathy, genetics, clairvoyance and otherworldly aliens, Mosley provides us with complex characters who evolve throughout the stories.

This book has two tales, back-to-back (and upside-down). Mosley's stories are short, but complete, with a full plot arc, and well-developed main characters; a quick read, but worthwhile.

[Dave B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed all of Mosley's Crosstown to Oblivion short stories. I thought Stepping Stone was better than Love Machine. All the short stories have a similar theme. They generally center on a characters that have very little status in society. This person becomes pivotal in a significant change to humanity while humanity violently fights back. This is a story told often, the real difference here is the main character is a minority (generally African American). I hope these short stories will be re-published as an omnibus in the near future. I would like to enjoy re-reading most of them.

[Troy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This isn't a bad book, just that I don't know if this can GET right. Mosley writes characters you empathize with and want to know more about, and is the master at that. But when he ventures off into scifi territory, theresults can be absolute mush, in terms of story, or they can be...well, middling. This is the latter.

I appreciate him taking his hand to do scifi and branch out - cant get stagnant - but I just don't feel any of his scifi efforts. Something's missing? Can't put mmy finger on it. But he writes some great characters and dialogue.

[Algot Runeman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love Machine
Lois becomes the hub of the Co-Mind through the capabilities of a machine created by a genius who grew up autistic. A benevolent world domination is the goal. A short novel.
Recommended

Stepping Stone
Working in a mail room for twenty years and visiting his aunt three times a week is the life of Truman Pope. In this short fantasy novel, we find out True is much more than a black man who everyone thought was retarded when he was in school.
Recommended

[Nadine A. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not a fan of most science fiction novels or stories but I thought I would read this book anyway. Not only did I not like either story, I thought the end of Stepping Stone was either lazy writing or bad editing. Love Machine and the repeated mention of world domination made me think too much about the cartoons I use to watch with my son when he was a child for me to enjoy the story.

[Scott · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm with many of the other reviewers on here. Stepping Stone was a very interesting story and handled well. It suited the themes and tone of the rest of the stories in this series. Love Machine on the other hand felt hurried and ham fisted comparatively. I just couldn't get into it as well as the others and only skimmed through, looking for a hook. Sadly, it wasn't found.

[Walt Trizna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A treasure of a find.
Walter Mosley, in addition to being a fantastic mystery writer, writes great science fiction.
Love Machine is a fantastic ride to a new world order and nothing you would expect from the title.
Stepping Stone has a special needs adult with a universal purpose, literaly.
A most enjoyable read.

[PD Nixon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Love Machine is the first Walter Mosley book that I've read that I can say I didn't really like. He tried something a little different with the Crosstown to Oblivion series of short novels, and I thought he was successful with 5 of the 6 tales. For me, Love Machine misses the mark.

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars - enjoyed the first story "Stepping Stones" but not the send so abandoned.
A fan of the Leonid McGill series from Walter Mosley this was an interesting change. The character Troy was so clearly defined I believed that I knew him.

Read for yourself and decide.

DD@Phila

[Mariana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now I've read all six novellas from Crosstown to Oblivion. These two explore our connections to other people and to evil.

[Gerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

It wasn't bad, but I expect so much more from Walter Mosley. I really enjoyed both of these stories but found the endings confusing and disappointing.

[Jerry Walz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not the usual Mosley. More paranormal and science fiction. Very good!