The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction October 1990

by Edward L. Ferman (Editor)

6 • Invaders • novelette by John Kessel
28 • Books (F&SF, October 1990) • [Books (F&SF)] • essay by Algis Budrys
33 • Books To Look For (F&SF, October 1990) • [Books To Look For] • essay by Orson Scott Card
36 • The Gazebo • [Crazy Carol Magusen] • shortstory by Sheri S. Tepper
53 • Harlan Ellison's Watching: Installment 43 • [Harlan Ellison's Watching] • essay by Harlan Ellison
61 • Hollywood Kremlin • [Leggy Starlitz] • novelette by Bruce Sterling
89 • Frankie the Spook • shortstory by Mike Resnick
104 • One Down, One to Go • shortstory by Philip José Farmer
116 • Jimmy Blackburn Flies a Kite • shortstory by Bradley Denton
134 • Out of the Typewriter, Endlessly Writing • [Asimov's Essays: F&SF] • essay by Isaac Asimov
144 • A Down East Storm • shortstory by Hilbert Schenck

162 pages, Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

Edward Ferman (born 1937) was an American science fiction and fantasy fiction editor and magazine publisher.

Ferman is the son of Joseph W. Ferman, and took over as editor of The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction in 1964 when Avram Davidson, due to his residence in various Latin American locales with unreliable postal delivery, could no longer practically continue editing; on the masthead, Joseph Ferman was listed as editor and publisher for Edward Ferman's first two years. Edward Ferman would take on the role of publisher, as well, by 1970, as his father gradually retired. He remained as editor until 1991 when he hired his replacement, Kristine Kathryn Rusch. He remained as publisher of the magazine until he sold it to Gordon Van Gelder in 2000. While Ferman was the editor, many other magazines in the field began to fold or were shortlived, and his magazine, along with Analog, was one of the few which maintained a regular schedule and sustained critical appreciation for its contents.

From 1969-1970, he was the editor of Fantasy & Science Fiction's sister publication Venture Science Fiction Magazine. Together, the Fermans had also edited and published the short-lived nostalgia and humor magazine P.S. and a similarly brief run of a magazine about mysticism and other proto-New Age matters, Inner Space.

Ferman received the Hugo Award for Best Professional Editor three years in a row, from 1981 through 1983. F&SF had previously won several other Hugos under his editorship, which had been famously conducted, at least in the last decade of his tenure, from a table in the Ferman family's Connecticut house. He edited or co-edited several volumes of stories from F&SF and co-edited Final Stage with Barry N. Malzberg. It is probable that he also ghost-edited No Limits for or with Joseph Ferman, an anthology drawn from the pages of the first run of Venture.

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_L..."

Reviews

[Beth Cato · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've been spoiled by recent issues of F&SF. This one simply didn't hold up for me. A few stories lacked fantastical elements, and many offered a few too many cringe-worthy dated elements for my preference. That included the story I liked best--notably, by the only woman in the whole table of contents--"The Gazebo" by Sheri S. Tepper. Isaac Asimov's nonfiction column on life as a writer was interesting, too.

[Jeppe Larsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Kessel story was crazy and weird. The Tepper story really depressing but really really good. And the Resnick really funny.

[Kevin Phyland · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Kessel draws an analogy between the Spanish subjugation of the Incas and a future alien contact in "Invaders", where the reasons for the aliens' visit seems to be a trade in recreational chemicals. Carol meets with her children In "The Gazebo" so as not to anger her new husband Richard who despises her spending time with them, but when Richard makes her adopt two behaviourally-challenged toddlers it is a camel's back-breaking straw. A chiller from Sheri Tepper! Bruce Sterling takes us to Azerbaijan where a smuggling operation involving Armenian lackeys and Russian pilots withdrawing from Afghanistan comes to the attention of the Politburo in "Hollywood Kremlin". Not a trace of genre to be seen but entertaining. Bradley Denton gives us a tale of childhood revenge when "Jimmy Blackburn Flies A Kite", wherein Jimmy gets even with Todd Boyle by stealing something precious and luring him away from home with it. I found the resolution problematical. Finally, a tale sticking it to the man where Maine lobsterman Caleb Johnson gets his island sold from under him but a mysterious field generator that deters buyers looks like a too-good-to-be-true salvation. It is. A nice tale from Hilbert Schenck.

[Sjoerd · Rating 3 out of 5]

This issue features coke snorting aliens.

[John Loyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

6 • Invaders • 22 pages by John Kessel
Good. Two plot lines. The conquest of the ancient Incas by foreigners, and a future where the Krel have visited Earth.

36 • The Gazebo • 17 pages by Sheri S. Tepper
Good+. Carol is a put upon housewife, Richard taking in two children without asking her and providing no help. Carol's only refuge was a few minutes a day spent in the gazebo. If it didn't stay so depressing for so long I could have rated it higher.

61 • Hollywood Kremlin • 28 pages by Bruce Sterling
Good. A Russian pilot brings some smuggled goods into Armenia. The ground crew except for Starlitz is on strike. When they go to refuel they find half the kerosene gone and need to locate some more. Kind of humorous, but another drab setting.

89 • Frankie the Spook • 15 pages by Mike Resnick
Very Good+. Marvin programs a computer to write as Francis Bacon. It also has Bacon's temperament, and has to be coaxed into writing. Hilarious.

104 • One Down One to Go • 12 pages by Philip Jose Farmer
Good. A social worker wants to help one of the underprivileged kids who has managed to get straight A's, stay off drugs and avoid other bad influences get to a place where she can really flourish. Another depressing setting.

116 • Jimmy Blackburn Flies a Kite • 18 pages by Bradley Denton
Good. Jimmy plots revenge against the bully, Todd. I didn't catch any SF elements in this story, just sounded like it was set in a '70s small town where corporal punishment was normal.

144 • A Down East Storm • 15 pages by Hilbert Schenk
Very Good+. Caleb owns a small island and the nearby town is blackmailing him into selling it to developers by raising the taxes astronomically. Caleb just wants peace and quiet. Mandell a helpful lawyer gives him a device that drives away potential buyers. Nice premise and clever twist.