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Smithereens
Smithereens is Aylett's most recent collection, one in which he outstrips his reputation - 'He has made a career out of redefining the boundaries of science fiction - and sanity.' (Barnes & Noble Spotlight Feature).
167 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 27, 2010
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About the author
Steve Aylett
47 books158 followersSteve Aylett is a satirical science fiction and weird slipstream author of books such as LINT, The Book Lovers and Slaughtermatic, and comics including Hyperthick. He is known for his colourful satire attacking the manipulations of authority. Aylett is synaesthetic. He lives in Scotland.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 3, 2012
Most are unaware of the origin of the word “smithereen”. Many assume that because of its popular usage that it simply refers to “tiny pieces” as in “the grenade blew him to smithereens”. In actuality it comes from the name of a small town in British Columbia, whose residents are referred to as “Smithereens”. Etymological considerations aside, the word is now also used as the title of Steve Aylett's latest collection of short works.
Once again Mr. Aylett impresses with his command of written alchemy. He bends words to his will, combining their leaden banality to form sentences of golden sublimity. “Smithereens” is much like a gallery of intricately fashioned modern art. Each piece is different, but the maker has left his unmistakable signature on each. The reader may find that some are more aesthetically appealing than others, but at the very least they will leave with one etched into their mind's eye.
Two of the stories are of particular note: the “Voyage of the Iguana” and “Bossanova”.
While possibly the longest piece in page count, “Voyage...” is perhaps the easiest read of the assembled works, being a series of ship's log entries by one Samuel Light Sebastian (with an introduction penned by Mr. Aylett). The log begins rather innocently and almost normally with the exception of one man “peeing over rail throughout”. Slowly the tale picks up strangeness and absurdity like a type-written snowball.
“Bossanova” on the other hand, is (as the back cover describes) “the closest thing Aylett has ever written to a traditional SF story”. This is very true, as there are robots and spaceships, but beyond that Aylett's hand can clearly be seen through the dialogue between Bossanova and its creator Professor Baum. Existential meanderings and back-and-forth banter showcase Aylett's grasp of the bizarre.
Altogether, “Smithereens” should be required for any fan of Steve Aylett. While the aforementioned “Voyage...” is the easiest to digest, the book as a whole is no cheap collection of parlor tricks. Aylett delivers delicious insanity with each word. For those just coming into Mr. Aylett's world, this is a great introduction. With each story one gets a taste for his craft and will likely wish to move to the main course.
Once again Mr. Aylett impresses with his command of written alchemy. He bends words to his will, combining their leaden banality to form sentences of golden sublimity. “Smithereens” is much like a gallery of intricately fashioned modern art. Each piece is different, but the maker has left his unmistakable signature on each. The reader may find that some are more aesthetically appealing than others, but at the very least they will leave with one etched into their mind's eye.
Two of the stories are of particular note: the “Voyage of the Iguana” and “Bossanova”.
While possibly the longest piece in page count, “Voyage...” is perhaps the easiest read of the assembled works, being a series of ship's log entries by one Samuel Light Sebastian (with an introduction penned by Mr. Aylett). The log begins rather innocently and almost normally with the exception of one man “peeing over rail throughout”. Slowly the tale picks up strangeness and absurdity like a type-written snowball.
“Bossanova” on the other hand, is (as the back cover describes) “the closest thing Aylett has ever written to a traditional SF story”. This is very true, as there are robots and spaceships, but beyond that Aylett's hand can clearly be seen through the dialogue between Bossanova and its creator Professor Baum. Existential meanderings and back-and-forth banter showcase Aylett's grasp of the bizarre.
Altogether, “Smithereens” should be required for any fan of Steve Aylett. While the aforementioned “Voyage...” is the easiest to digest, the book as a whole is no cheap collection of parlor tricks. Aylett delivers delicious insanity with each word. For those just coming into Mr. Aylett's world, this is a great introduction. With each story one gets a taste for his craft and will likely wish to move to the main course.
December 15, 2011
This short-story collection is a gem. For any Aylett fan, you need this for your library.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews