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What Remains: Stories and Interviews
A collection of three short stories and two interviews.
What Remains
is published in conjunction with the appearance of Ellen Klages and Geoff Ryman as the Guests of Honor at WiscCon33, held 22-25 May 2009 in Madison, WI.
This edition is limited to 150 numbered paperback.
This edition is limited to 150 numbered paperback.
84 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2009
19 people want to read
About the author
Ellen Klages
74 books244 followersEllen Klages was born in Ohio, and now lives in San Francisco.
Her short fiction has appeared in science fiction and fantasy anthologies and magazines, both online and in print, including The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Black Gate, and Firebirds Rising. Her story, "Basement Magic," won the Best Novelette Nebula Award in 2005. Several of her other stories have been on the final ballot for the Nebula and Hugo Awards, and have been reprinted in various Year’s Best volumes.
She was a finalist for the John W. Campbell Award, and is a graduate of the Clarion South writing workshop.
Her first novel The Green Glass Sea, about two misfit eleven-year-old girls living in Los Alamos during WWII, while their parents are creating the atomic bomb, came out in October 2006 from Sharyn November at Viking. Ellen is working on a sequel.
She has also written four books of hands-on science activities for children (with Pat Murphy, et al.) for the Exploratorium museum in San Francisco.
In addition to her writing, she serves on the Motherboard of the James Tiptree, Jr. Award, and is somewhat notorious as the auctioneer/entertainment for the Tiptree auctions at Wiscon.
When she's not writing fiction, she sells old toys and magazines on eBay, and collects lead civilians.
from ellenklages.com
Her short fiction has appeared in science fiction and fantasy anthologies and magazines, both online and in print, including The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Black Gate, and Firebirds Rising. Her story, "Basement Magic," won the Best Novelette Nebula Award in 2005. Several of her other stories have been on the final ballot for the Nebula and Hugo Awards, and have been reprinted in various Year’s Best volumes.
She was a finalist for the John W. Campbell Award, and is a graduate of the Clarion South writing workshop.
Her first novel The Green Glass Sea, about two misfit eleven-year-old girls living in Los Alamos during WWII, while their parents are creating the atomic bomb, came out in October 2006 from Sharyn November at Viking. Ellen is working on a sequel.
She has also written four books of hands-on science activities for children (with Pat Murphy, et al.) for the Exploratorium museum in San Francisco.
In addition to her writing, she serves on the Motherboard of the James Tiptree, Jr. Award, and is somewhat notorious as the auctioneer/entertainment for the Tiptree auctions at Wiscon.
When she's not writing fiction, she sells old toys and magazines on eBay, and collects lead civilians.
from ellenklages.com
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 18, 2009
I definitely enjoyed reading these stories, and if my expectations hadn't been so high, I would probably be raving about them.
The stories by Geoff Ryman were both page turners, set in surprising, interesting worlds with compelling characters. I was left, though, with a bit of a "so what" feeling after I read them. They both sort of have "And then humanity was screwed. The end." endings, which left me feeling a bit cheated. After reading _The King's Last Song_, which is amazingly deep and rich and heartfelt, I was expecting more.
The story by Ellen Klages is imbued with a beautiful, semi-magical atmosphere. The setting reminded me a bit of some of Stephen King's best stuff; a place unlike my actual experience, but in which I completely believed. And I love how she depicts a lesbian romance, where the focus is not on it being two women, but rather on the particulars of the relationship. The relationship is sweet and real and lovely. My criticism of the story, though, is that the situation that brings the two characters together seems unrealistic and a little sappy. The non-POV character acts with such long-term, unswerving loyalty that it seemed unrealistic and a bit sappy.
The interview with Ryman by Eileen Gunn was funny but had a sort of clubby feeling that I found difficult to enjoy. It seemed that while Gunn and Ryman enjoyed the inverview immensely, the reader was not invited to join in.
The interview with Klages by Debbie Notkin was much more conventional and more accessible.
My criticisms aside, I recommend this enjoyable, brief volume. I imagine it's pretty hard to get, but I'm happy to lend it out--if you are local to me, just ask.
The stories by Geoff Ryman were both page turners, set in surprising, interesting worlds with compelling characters. I was left, though, with a bit of a "so what" feeling after I read them. They both sort of have "And then humanity was screwed. The end." endings, which left me feeling a bit cheated. After reading _The King's Last Song_, which is amazingly deep and rich and heartfelt, I was expecting more.
The story by Ellen Klages is imbued with a beautiful, semi-magical atmosphere. The setting reminded me a bit of some of Stephen King's best stuff; a place unlike my actual experience, but in which I completely believed. And I love how she depicts a lesbian romance, where the focus is not on it being two women, but rather on the particulars of the relationship. The relationship is sweet and real and lovely. My criticism of the story, though, is that the situation that brings the two characters together seems unrealistic and a little sappy. The non-POV character acts with such long-term, unswerving loyalty that it seemed unrealistic and a bit sappy.
The interview with Ryman by Eileen Gunn was funny but had a sort of clubby feeling that I found difficult to enjoy. It seemed that while Gunn and Ryman enjoyed the inverview immensely, the reader was not invited to join in.
The interview with Klages by Debbie Notkin was much more conventional and more accessible.
My criticisms aside, I recommend this enjoyable, brief volume. I imagine it's pretty hard to get, but I'm happy to lend it out--if you are local to me, just ask.
May 9, 2010
Both of these authors are great short story writers, and very different. This was a nice quick read for in between times like riding the train. I liked all three stories, but I especially loved Ryman's story about vampire Albert Einstein, "No Bad Thing."
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews