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The Metallic Muse
Lloyd Biggie is not only a writer, but also a musician. In THE METALLIC MUSE he has included seven science fiction stories, written over several years, all of which in some way relate to the arts. Thoroughly entertaining and provocative, many of the stories explore the intricate relationship between life and art, and all of them contain very pertinent ideas about present and future experience. Superbly demonstrating their author's depth of insight to the human condition, they offer to all who read them an intriguing blend of accurate analysis and sometimes devastating speculation.
228 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1972
1 person is currently reading
69 people want to read
About the author
Lloyd Biggle Jr.
131 books27 followersBiggle was born in 1923 in Waterloo, Iowa. He served in World War II as a communications sergeant in a rifle company of the 102nd Infantry Division; during the war, he was wounded twice. His second wound, a shrapnel wound in his leg received near the Elbe River at the end of the war, left him disabled for life.
After the war, Biggle resumed his education. He received an A.B. Degree with High Distinction from Wayne State University and M.M. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Michigan. Biggle taught at the University of Michigan and at Eastern Michigan University in the 1950s. He began writing professionally in 1955 and became a full-time writer with the publication of his novel, All the Colors of Darkness in 1963; he continued in the writing profession until his death.
After the war, Biggle resumed his education. He received an A.B. Degree with High Distinction from Wayne State University and M.M. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Michigan. Biggle taught at the University of Michigan and at Eastern Michigan University in the 1950s. He began writing professionally in 1955 and became a full-time writer with the publication of his novel, All the Colors of Darkness in 1963; he continued in the writing profession until his death.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 17, 2020
DAW Collectors #106
Cover Artist: George Barr
Name: Biggle, Lloyd, Jr., Birthplace: Waterloo, Iowa, USA, (17 April 1923 - 12 September 2002)
Alternate Name: Donna Biggle Emerson.
Contents::
002 -The Metallic Muse (frontispiece) • interior artwork by George Barr
009 - The Tunesmith (Introduction) • [Notes on Biggle, Jr.'s own work] • (1972) An essay by Lloyd Biggle, Jr.
012 - The Tunesmith • (1957) Lloyd Biggle, Jr.
053 - Leading Man (Introduction) • [Notes on Biggle, Jr.'s own work] • (1972) an essay by Lloyd Biggle, Jr.
055 • Leading Man • (1957)
068 • Spare the Rod (Introduction) • [Notes on Biggle, Jr.'s own work] • (1972) an essay by Lloyd Biggle, Jr.
070 - Spare the Rod • (1958)
091 - Orphan of the Void (Introduction) • [Notes on Biggle, Jr.'s own work] • (1972) an essay by Lloyd Biggle, Jr.
093 - Orphan of the Void • [Terran Federation • 1] • (1972) (variant of The Man Who Wasn't Home 1960)
141 = Well of the Deep Wish (Introduction) • [Notes on Biggle, Jr.'s own work] • (1972) an essay by Lloyd Biggle, Jr.
143 •-Well of the Deep Wish • (1961) (variant of The Well of the Deep Wish)
162 - In His Own Image (Introduction) • [Notes on Biggle, Jr.'s own work] • (1972) an essay by Lloyd Biggle, Jr.
163 • In His Own Image • (1968)
176 • The Botticelli Horror (Introduction) • [Notes on Biggle, Jr.'s own work] • (1972) an essay by Lloyd Biggle, Jr.
178 - The Botticelli Horror • (1972) • interior artwork by Paul Frame (variant of cover art for Fantastic Science Fiction Stories, March 1960 1960)
180 - The Botticelli Horror • (1960)
Lloyd Biggie is not only a writer, but also a musician. In THE METALLIC MUSE he has included seven science fiction stories, written over the years, all of which in some way relate to the arts. Thoroughly entertaining and provocative, many of the stories explore the intricate relationship between life and art, and all of them contain very pertinent ideas about present and future experience. Superbly demonstrating their author's depth of insight to the human condition.
Cover Artist: George Barr
Name: Biggle, Lloyd, Jr., Birthplace: Waterloo, Iowa, USA, (17 April 1923 - 12 September 2002)
Alternate Name: Donna Biggle Emerson.
Contents::
002 -The Metallic Muse (frontispiece) • interior artwork by George Barr
009 - The Tunesmith (Introduction) • [Notes on Biggle, Jr.'s own work] • (1972) An essay by Lloyd Biggle, Jr.
012 - The Tunesmith • (1957) Lloyd Biggle, Jr.
053 - Leading Man (Introduction) • [Notes on Biggle, Jr.'s own work] • (1972) an essay by Lloyd Biggle, Jr.
055 • Leading Man • (1957)
068 • Spare the Rod (Introduction) • [Notes on Biggle, Jr.'s own work] • (1972) an essay by Lloyd Biggle, Jr.
070 - Spare the Rod • (1958)
091 - Orphan of the Void (Introduction) • [Notes on Biggle, Jr.'s own work] • (1972) an essay by Lloyd Biggle, Jr.
093 - Orphan of the Void • [Terran Federation • 1] • (1972) (variant of The Man Who Wasn't Home 1960)
141 = Well of the Deep Wish (Introduction) • [Notes on Biggle, Jr.'s own work] • (1972) an essay by Lloyd Biggle, Jr.
143 •-Well of the Deep Wish • (1961) (variant of The Well of the Deep Wish)
162 - In His Own Image (Introduction) • [Notes on Biggle, Jr.'s own work] • (1972) an essay by Lloyd Biggle, Jr.
163 • In His Own Image • (1968)
176 • The Botticelli Horror (Introduction) • [Notes on Biggle, Jr.'s own work] • (1972) an essay by Lloyd Biggle, Jr.
178 - The Botticelli Horror • (1972) • interior artwork by Paul Frame (variant of cover art for Fantastic Science Fiction Stories, March 1960 1960)
180 - The Botticelli Horror • (1960)
Lloyd Biggie is not only a writer, but also a musician. In THE METALLIC MUSE he has included seven science fiction stories, written over the years, all of which in some way relate to the arts. Thoroughly entertaining and provocative, many of the stories explore the intricate relationship between life and art, and all of them contain very pertinent ideas about present and future experience. Superbly demonstrating their author's depth of insight to the human condition.
July 20, 2022
It's rare that I find a prose style dull. It may not be my taste. It could be too active, too snippy. It could be too precise and simplistic. Rarely, it's too floral (because I like floral). But this is the rarest of occasions, where it's simply disengaging. I was bored to tears with this writing. It took me days to read just one ten-page story—almost two weeks to read just seven short stories from the 50s and 60s.
The topics ranged from okay to interesting, but the presentation was just never investing. The characters are flat and hazy, and at no point did I care about any of them. The last story, about a seemingly undefeatabe alien predator, was the best, but still felt somehow bland.
The cover also promised me things I didn't receive. Funny thing about that, the last story was a commission for Fantastic. Biggle was given a vague description of what the cover would depict and told to write a story about it. The same thing happened in reverse for this book's cover. The artist, George Barr, was obviously given a vague description like 'robot plays violin' and went wild, producing something with the absolute wrong tone and imagery for this collection while also being more appealing than anything it contains.
It's also comically dated in regards to gender equality. Here's a good example: 'occasionally a pretty junior secretary darted out of a room, stepped onto a ramp, and rode away purposefully. Closed doors were marked with a man's name, a fancy title, and the word "Private " ' This line occurs in a far future story, where the whole galaxy is inhabited by humans, but women are secretaries and men have their names on doors. Little bits of this appear any time women appear. I'm used to this sort of thing in mid-century writing but it felt exceptionally silly here.
2.5, rounded up.
The topics ranged from okay to interesting, but the presentation was just never investing. The characters are flat and hazy, and at no point did I care about any of them. The last story, about a seemingly undefeatabe alien predator, was the best, but still felt somehow bland.
The cover also promised me things I didn't receive. Funny thing about that, the last story was a commission for Fantastic. Biggle was given a vague description of what the cover would depict and told to write a story about it. The same thing happened in reverse for this book's cover. The artist, George Barr, was obviously given a vague description like 'robot plays violin' and went wild, producing something with the absolute wrong tone and imagery for this collection while also being more appealing than anything it contains.
It's also comically dated in regards to gender equality. Here's a good example: 'occasionally a pretty junior secretary darted out of a room, stepped onto a ramp, and rode away purposefully. Closed doors were marked with a man's name, a fancy title, and the word "Private " ' This line occurs in a far future story, where the whole galaxy is inhabited by humans, but women are secretaries and men have their names on doors. Little bits of this appear any time women appear. I'm used to this sort of thing in mid-century writing but it felt exceptionally silly here.
2.5, rounded up.
March 1, 2020
Full review: https://sciencefictionruminations.com...
"Over the years I’ve collected quite a few of Lloyd Biggle, Jr.’s SF novels and collections but have not read any of his work since late 2011 when I reviewed The Light That Never Was (1972). Mike’s mostly positive review of his short stories in The Metallic Muse (1972) reminded me of my lack of knowledge of Biggle, Jr.’s strange brand of relatively breezy but [...]"
"Over the years I’ve collected quite a few of Lloyd Biggle, Jr.’s SF novels and collections but have not read any of his work since late 2011 when I reviewed The Light That Never Was (1972). Mike’s mostly positive review of his short stories in The Metallic Muse (1972) reminded me of my lack of knowledge of Biggle, Jr.’s strange brand of relatively breezy but [...]"
February 5, 2022
A series of short science fiction stories originally published in magazine in the 1950s and 60s. These are mind expanding stories that are designed to make us question how we see the future and the ultimate end to which things will go. It's an interesting look at the how the author thought things might go.
August 20, 2024
Voy a comentar sobre Leading Man o Componedor, ya que este es el único libro que encontré en Goodreads que lo contenga.
QUÉ MARAVILLA!
Confuso al principio, pero con un desarrollo sumamente interesante y apasionante. Y un final a la altura, de esos amargos y sorprendentes.
Terminé con una energía tremenda. Esta es la clase de literatura que hace a uno sentirse vivo y agradecido del arte.
Recomendadísimo, sobre todo a quien vive la música intensamente.
QUÉ MARAVILLA!
Confuso al principio, pero con un desarrollo sumamente interesante y apasionante. Y un final a la altura, de esos amargos y sorprendentes.
Terminé con una energía tremenda. Esta es la clase de literatura que hace a uno sentirse vivo y agradecido del arte.
Recomendadísimo, sobre todo a quien vive la música intensamente.
November 1, 2020
Unmemorable--except for 'The Botticelli Horror'--collection of science fiction stories about the arts by the musician, Lloyd Biggle, Jr.
February 3, 2011
Too many adverbs. Star Trek ideas enthusiastically written in poor style.
March 4, 2011
Grade B. Short stories.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews