Short Blade

by Peter Emshwiller

Ten years after his presumed death, Watly Caiper, now occupying the body of a powerful Second Leveler named Sentiva Alvedine, is certain he can instigate a peaceful revolution in the divided country of Manhattan.

Genres: Science Fiction

432 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 1, 1992

About the author

Back in the roaring eighties, Peter “Stoney” Emshwiller lived in the East Village of Manhattan, right around the corner from CBGBs. Did he spend his days punk-rocking out? Sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll? Nah, he was way too nerdy and introverted for all that. Instead he worked as the managing editor of a buncha international magazines (including Rod Serling’s Twilight Zone Magazine, Night Cry, and Gallery Magazine).

Since those years he’s had two science fiction Bantam Books novels published (The Host and its sequel, Short Blade), an original TV sitcom pilot produced, and numerous movie options taken out on his work by the likes of Jerry Bruckheimer. When he’s not writing, he’s acting — particularly as a voiceover artist. Yes, that’s Stoney you hear resonating mellifluously in radio ads, making goofy voices in cartoons, and dying a thousand horrible deaths in video games. (Hey, it beats working for a living.)

Stoney is currently working on a romantic, silly, deeply smutty, hopefully funny novel designed to offend anyone who has even the tiniest smidgen of good taste.

Reviews

[SciFiOne · Rating 1 out of 5]

1994 grade F

[Shawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

read this in high school back in the 90's, was bad.