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| | BITNET Fantasy-Science Fiction Fanzine
___|___________|___ X-Edited by 'Orny' Liscomb (NMCS025@MAINE)
CONTENTS
Editorial Propaganda... in the Air!
1984-Orwellian Reflections A poem by T.P. Milley
Letters by Victor and Guy...
Featured Author: Larry Niven Orny's still at it!
Close Encounter... Story by Alex Williams
EDITORIAL
Well, folks, hello, and welcome to issue two of FSFnet! Just
two or three little things to mention for now...
First of all, FSFnet NEEDS SUBMISSIONS!!! This zine can only
survive if YOU contribute. I have had a number of people say that
they were interested in contributing, but very few have come
through. I realize it is difficult and time-consuming, but I am
sure you all would like to continue receiving FSFnet. Well, I need
your help. I can't do it all myself, although sometimes I have to
try...
I would also like to welcome all our new members. The mailing
list is currently running about 70 to 75. Please continue to
spread the word, and get more people to subscribe! At least it's
no strain on the wallet!
For those people who are interested in a game of Diplomacy over
the Net, I have already begun game 1, and, if sufficient people are
interested, I will run a second game. Contact me if you are
interested.
Well, enough of the propaganda. I hope you enjoy this issue,
although it is perhaps not as good as the last (since I have had
only one submission since issue 1 came out). Next issue will
feature my discussion of the works of the fantasy author Tanith
Lee, and whatever else anyone sends me. Please submit articles!
Until soon...
-Orny (NMCS025 @ MAINE)
The Naive worry that the world will end in Fire,
a nuclear holocaust.
--How lost we are!
I do not worry, because I already know
that it will end in Ice.
Many times I've felt
death's unmistakeable chill
glissando up my spine.
--How fortunate are we
to be the children of a new era!
The Electronic Age, conceived
through the toil of unremembered men;
who sacrificed their lives for us
for this.
This!
(let us end this talk of discontent;
there is no time for emotion,
We must hurry on!)
II
'The Church'
We are at war again.
"With whom?" you ask.
"The Communists, of course." he replies.
But where are they, these "Communists?"
So, "They live in Russia." you say.
I think not.
Have you ever seen one?
"No." you say.
Then how do you know that they are worse: more evil,
than you or I?
Think there.
There, they are at war with "the Americans."
Think that they have ever seen one?
Again, I think not.
We have as little to fear them for
as they have for fearing us.
So, why do we fear them?
Are they not men?
You say we fear them because they
will take the land we love by force,
with all their missiles, planes and bombs.
Open your eyes.
They won't take this land by force,
for they have taken it already.
Who are "they" anyway?
Look in the mirror, comrade.
They are we.
Let's change the flag tomorrow.
I think red with a golden reaper
would look sharp.
III
'The Craftsman'
(How wonderful it must have been,
to live in the age of patient craftsmen.
Men took pride in the work of their hands,
and women, wanting their place,
stood close behind their men.)
How sluggish they make me feel as they rush by.
I am a craftsman born late--
they leave me behind
in a cloud of hydrocarbon.
Orny, Was quite pleased to receive first edition of FSFNET
today. I enjoyed the stories, and am interested in seeing how this
piece of electronic imagination fares. I hope with this, you will
start a "Readers' Responses" section.
First a commendation: I am most impressed with the level of
literacy in FSFNET. Having been a bitnet user for some time, I
have seen some of the worst molestations committed on the English
language by computer users. I am relieved to see that there is
someone out there who CAN spell. Next, please tell us what format
you would like items submitted in. Allow me to suggest that you
extend you line length a bit to, say 65 or 70 characters to
conserve file and spool area.
I am looking forward to reading and contributing to future
issues. On the whole, I'd say it's a brilliant idea!
-Victor
Orny,
got V1N1 of FSFnet. Thanks. I like the idea. send more. How
about a play-by-net Traveller game? If asked nicely, I could find
the time to referee it (sometime during the weekends). If any
Inspirations hit me, I'll send them to you.
PPS - a LOC (what's a zine without LOC's?) on Mike Foley's Dune
review:
I only have 2 comments to add to Mike's excellent review of
Dune:
1) While the movie is a reasonably good adaptation of the book,
it really falls apart in a couple of places. One is when Paul and
Jessica first meet the Fremen. The scene in the cave bears no
resemblance to what happened in the book.
2) Probably due to the restricted time available in a
screenplay, a major amount of the intrigue so central to the book
was lost. Although the first half of the movie is provide this
feeling of "plots within plots within plots", I felt that it
failed. Due to the small amount of time available, not enough
background could be presented for a viewer who hadn't read the
book, and by taking time to present background, even more of the
intrigue is lost for the person who has read the book.
Unfortunately, the movie found that unhappy medium where the
beginner is lost, and the omissions become obvious to the
knowledgeable viewer.
Other than those two gripes, I think that the film was
enjoyable, and a good (but not perfect) adaptation of the book.
-Guy Garnett (GG822C @ GWUVM)
Featured Author: LARRY NIVEN
Most famous for his Known Space series, Larry Niven is a
classical science fiction author who sometimes dabbles in the arena
of fantasy fiction. Some of his best works are from his earlier
Known Space volumes, which include Neutron Star, Protector, the
Long ARM of Gil Hamilton, and many more, culminating in perhaps his
best known works, Ringworld, and the Ringworld Engineers. These
books began as unrelated science fiction stories, but later came to
represent different tales within the same sphere of space.
Ringworld is a major work of science fiction, and represents
Niven's break from traditional science fiction to modern writing.
The Ringworld Engineers attempts to solve a number of questions
left unresolved in the first book. These are all excellent science
fiction works, and well worth the effort to read.
Niven has also written some books which are not directly
connected with Known Space. In conjunction with Jerry Pournelle,
Niven has written Lucifer's Hammer, a tale set in the near future,
and the Mote in Gods Eye, which I consider his best work to date.
It is a fascinating tale of man's first contact with aliens, and is
an engrossing and captivating work. Niven has also written works
of pure fantasy, namely his 'Magic' series, which, as examples of
fantasy literature, are neither outstanding nor unworthy. His most
recent work, the Integral Trees, has just come out in paperback, as
has another new book, Limits.
Also of interest to Niven fans might be the Ringworld
roleplaying game, which was released recently by the Chaosium game
company. As a sourcebook for the Ringworld, it is excellent,
although it requires a very strong gamemaster, since the rules are
a little sketchy. The Ringworld Companion, a supplement to this
game, has also been put on the market.
-Orny (NMCS025 @ MAINE)
Close Encounter
"I think we should be heading back to the station now," grumbled
Seargent White,"it's getting mighty cold now." He slapped his
ungloved hands against his chest, trying vainly to keep them warm
in this sub zero night. His exhaled breath turned into a thick
white cloud and drifted away, as if to underline his statement.
"Yea. It's almost eleven now, anyway.", replied Officer Bennet.
He opened the door to the squad car and climbed into the drivers
seat. The other door opened as John White climbed in beside him.
With a reluctant grumble the engine turned over and the old car
started to move down the dark road.
After driving past several miles of uneventful pine forest, John
White cried "Stop! Stop the car!". With squeal of rubber against
tar the car slowed to a halt. "What the hell is that up there, by
the side of the road?" asked John.
Peering through the gloom Sam saw what appeared to be a man, on
the tall side standing by the side of the road about twenty yards
along the road staring at the woods in back of him. The strangest
thing it was he seemed to be naked.
"Either that guy is drunk, crazy, or an eskimo!" said Sam.
"All the same, we should bring him in to the station, at least
to get him warm."
"You stay here in the car, and I'll go get him."
"Maybe we should both get him, he could get rowdy." said John
"Come on."
The doors to the squad car creaked open, as Sam and John stepped
out of the car. The walked slowly toward the figure in the road.
When they were eight feet away from the man, they stopped. The
shadowy figure turned and silently faced them.
"Easy now, we don't want to panic him." whispered Sam.
John slowly took the flashlight from his belt and shone it at
the figure. The bright circle of light landed on the figures neck
and face, revealing a human head. Around the neck was a small black
box, with two small lights on it, silently winking.
"Greetings. I am Varrk, emissary from the planet Davron, of the
star Sirus 5" said the figure in slow measured tones.
"He's fucking dunk!" hissed Sam
"I have been sent here to establish peaceful relations between
our two cultures." said Varrk.
"Yea. You just come with us, we have a nice warm cell for you to
get all sobered up. Now come along." said Sam
"No I must let the mother ship know of my contact." replied
Varrk
"We'll let you do that later. Now come with us."
"No, I must message my mother ship."
"You'll not do that 'till tomorrow" said Sam.
Then he and John grabbed each of Varrk's arms and tried to drag
him towards the waiting squad car. With a surprising display of
strength, Varrk throws both John and Sam into the dirt along the
side of the road. He then swiftly walks toward the dark reaches of
the forest.
"Wing him in the leg, Sam!! He'll get away!" yelled John
With a quick explosion of fire Sam's gun spits a bullet strait
towards Varrk's right leg. There is no reaction and Varrk
disappears into the woods.
"You idiot! You missed him, at point blank, and he got away!"
screamed John.
"I could've sworn I hit him. I could've sworn I hit him in the
leg" Sam quietly said.
"We might as well go back to the car and report him, somebody's
bound to find him sooner or later." said John.
They both got up off of the cold ground and headed back toward
the squad car. About halfway there, John stopped.
"What was that?" asked John
"What was what?" said Sam
"That sound, a low humming."
"Probably a bullfrog, lets get back to the car, it's damn cold
out here"
"No, it isn't a frog, its getting louder. Do you hear it now?"
asked John.
Before Sam could reply a light bathed the top of the pine trees
to there north, and as slowly as a balloon, a long silver cylinder
rose above the tree tops. It hovered there for a moment and
streaked into the sky to the north with a loud whining. Within
several seconds a warm blew past John and Sam, standing stunned at
the side of the road.
"What in God's good name was that?" whispered Sam.
"I have no idea, but maybe Varrk was telling the truth."
-Alex Williams
