Status Updates From The Double Star and Other O...

The pain in my limbs, the pain in my belly and the pain in my heart rose to my head like a redoubtable intoxication, and gave birth in my head to thoughts of crime...

Today we'd call several of these stories science fiction.

"The Dream of Myses" is, indeed, a nightmare, albeit a poetic one. The story is of the much and rightfully-maligned "it was all a dream" type, but in an inverse fashion. I'm also not a big fan of stories set in ancient Egypt - I don't know why, I just don't like the setting. It's a good story with strengths, but it didn't astound me like some of the others in this collection. Three stars over the Nile here.

I'm not overly fond of fiction set in ancient times. Not sure why, but by and large the "Classical" ages of Egypt, Greece, and Rome mostly bore me. Still, if this story goes as horribly wrong as I expect it will, that will over-ride my feelings about setting.

Another circus story, this one entitled "Red Lust," isn't quite as effective as "Sapho," as it misses the cleverness of the former tale. La Vaudere has a fascination with black panthers and circuses, I've noticed. Still, a good story, well-told. It could have benefited with a little more background on the antagonist, Antonia. A solid four stars, though.

"Sapho" is a clever little story. Very clever. Very short. Who is the real hunter and prey in this tale? It all depends on your perspective. Five stars.

"Yvaine" is a convoluted, engrossing tale of love, betrayal, incest, murder, black magic, and spectral vengeance. The framing mechanisms' dated feel do not lessen the impact of the story. Like all great horrific tales, this one extends far beyond the pages, with an ending full of frisson. How this story was not anthologized several times over, I don't know. To me, it is a Classic. This story is worth the book's $. 5*

"Sorcerer". Huh. Didn't see that one coming. This tale has become even more intriguing.

And there's the story's pivot. And the twist . . .?

A bit of a slow start to "Yvaine," but I've warmed up to it. Sometimes languorous beginnings lead to exciting endings!

"Astral Amour" suffers from the same structural weakness-of-frame as "Reincarnation", and is more predictable in its ending. It is not quite as effective as the preceding tale, but it still stands with a high degree of quality and writerly aplomb. Four stars.

This page contains the most eloquent description of anti-natalism I've ever read. And making anti-natalism into a thing of eloquence is quite a feat.

Mesmerism and a strange form of vampirism combine in the decadent tale "Reincarnation". And by "decadent," I mean clearly in the vein (pun intended) of the Decadent writers of the end of the 19th-century. A Dorian Gray-esque mechanism of transference is used to restore life and love. This story ended differently than I had expected, but in a guilty-pleasant surprise. I shouldn't have liked the ending, but I did. 4*

The titular story, "The Double Star" is a hallucinatory phantasmagoria of celestial imagery and occult symbolism. At moments a bit pedantic about non-vegetarians, it still shines with a certain gnostic luster, albeit of dubious philosophical merits. I'm making it sound like I didn't enjoy the story, but I rather did, in fact. Just a titch condescending is all. Really, a marvelous read! Four stars.