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2013 Book Review #128: Dreamsongs Vol. I
Title: Dreamsongs Vol. I
Author: George R. R. Martin
Genre: SF/F/Horror short story collection
Thingummies: 3
Synopsis: First of two volume collection of Martin's short stories.
Thoughts: This is the sort of collection that only gets made if an author is wildly, wildly successful.
I haven't read the second volume, which presumably contains a lot of Martin's more recent, mature work. The first half of this one is juvenilia--these are some of the first stories Martin got published, or in some cases, "published", as some of it only appeared in fanzines before this. And there's a reason. Honestly, most of the first third of this book is terrible. "Only Kids Are Afraid of the Dark" is purple pulp. He freely confesses that "The Fortress" was a somewhat ill-considered history assignment and that the politics of "And Death His Legacy" are ill-conceived.
The later stories get better, and the last few are genuinely excellent. "Sandkings" and "Nightflyers" both combine science fiction and horror effectively and have been well celebrated for good reason. I also rather liked "In the Lost Lands", for all that the structure is kind of unwieldy.
Martin is an excellent author and has been for decades. But only a true obsessive really will enjoy reading all of his work, no matter how immature.
Author: George R. R. Martin
Genre: SF/F/Horror short story collection
Thingummies: 3
Synopsis: First of two volume collection of Martin's short stories.
Thoughts: This is the sort of collection that only gets made if an author is wildly, wildly successful.
I haven't read the second volume, which presumably contains a lot of Martin's more recent, mature work. The first half of this one is juvenilia--these are some of the first stories Martin got published, or in some cases, "published", as some of it only appeared in fanzines before this. And there's a reason. Honestly, most of the first third of this book is terrible. "Only Kids Are Afraid of the Dark" is purple pulp. He freely confesses that "The Fortress" was a somewhat ill-considered history assignment and that the politics of "And Death His Legacy" are ill-conceived.
The later stories get better, and the last few are genuinely excellent. "Sandkings" and "Nightflyers" both combine science fiction and horror effectively and have been well celebrated for good reason. I also rather liked "In the Lost Lands", for all that the structure is kind of unwieldy.
Martin is an excellent author and has been for decades. But only a true obsessive really will enjoy reading all of his work, no matter how immature.
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