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Of a generation that turned from Hard-Science SF to sociological and stories of "ideas," such as the works in Harlan Ellison's "Dangerous Visions," it's surprising that John Varley became a writer of Gadget SF. Critics claim he has assumed the mantle of Robert Heinlein. While his fiction, does indeed, have a Heinleinian flavor, it doesn't have that Libertarian-like undertone of individualism that went though Heinlein's works. That isn't to say Varley's fiction isn't excellent. In fact, he's probably a better storyteller than Heinlein. He also has grander visions and wider panoramas in his works than Heinlein did. His latest published work, as of early 2005, "Red Thunder" is a blatent re-telling of Heinlein's "Rocket Ship Galileo." Frankly, Varley's take is a better-written novel than Heinlein's. Yes, I speak heresy, but Varley knows how to breathe dimension into his characters that eluded Heinlein until his much later works, and then abondoned him in his last novels. Spider Robinson, a friend of Varley's and probably the biggest Heinlein supporter on Earth, would probably happily eviserate me for placing Varley's writing style above The Master's, that is if he decided to take notice of a someone writing a piss-ant website like this. Most of Varley's works are set in the Eight World mileau: Aliens of godlike dimensions discovered Earth and considered humans a termite-like infestation – they built things, but were destructive of their environment – and wipe us out with less trouble than we get rid of termites. The Aliens considered cetaceans the natural inhabitants of the Earth and kindred spirits. Earth, and the gas giant planets are forbidden to the humans that remained in the Solar System's fledgling off-world colonies. Since the invasion, several hundred years ago, humans have trived on the wastelands of the system: the moon, Mercury, the Asteriod Belt, and even as highly-modified beings living in the rings of Saturn. From information on his web site, Varley is completing another novel to complete the "Metals" trilogy that now includes Steel Beach and The Golden Globe. He is also working on a sequel to Red Thunder that may be entitled Red Lightening. |
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© 1977 Synopsis
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© 1979 Synopsis
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© 1980 Synopsis
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© 1983 Synopsis
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© 1984 Synopsis
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© 1992 Synopsis
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© 1998 Synopsis
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© 2003 Synopsis
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© 2005 Synopsis
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Collections |
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© 1978 Introduction by Algis Budrys The Phantom of Kansas Air Raid Retrograde Summer The Black Hole Passes In the Hall of the Martian Kings In the Bowl Gotta Sing, Gotta Dance Overdrawn at the Memory Bank The Persistence of Vision
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also released as "The Barbie Murders" © 1980 Bagatelle The Funhouse Effect The Barbie Murders Equinoctial Manikins Beatnik Bayou Good-bye Robinson Caruso Lollipop and the Tar Baby Picnic on Nearside
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© 1986 The Pusher Blue Champagne Tango Charlie and Foxtrot Romeo Options Lollipop and the Tar Baby The Manhattan Phone Book (Abridged) The Unprocessed Word Press Enter ■
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© 1995 An anthology edited with Ricia Mainhardt Authors in this collection: Steve Antczak PJ Beese Jerry Bingham Richard Lee Byers Brenda W Clough John DeCancie Dwight R Decker Alan Dean Foster Roland J Green Laurell K Hamilton Todd Cameron Hamilton Gerald Hausman Richard A Knaak Paul Kupperberg Brad Linaweaver William Marden Frieda A Murray Jody Lynn Nye Dennis O'Neil Mickey Zucker Reichert Mike Resnick and Lawrence Schimel Josepha Sherman Michael A Stackpole Brian M Thomsen John Varley Truth, Justice and the Politically Correct Socialist Path Lawrence Watt-Evans Roger Zelazny |
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© 2004 Picnic on Nearside Overdrawn at the Memory Bank In the Hall of the Martian Kings Gotta Sing, Gotta Dance The Barbie Murders The Phantom of Kansas Beatnik Bayou Air Raid The Persistence of Vision Press Enter ■ The Pusher Tango Charlie and Foxtrot Romeo Options Just Another Perfect Day In Fading Suns and Dying Moons The Flying Dutchman Good Intentions The Bellman
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The
Ophiuchi Hotline
Titan
Wizard
Millennium
Demon
Steel
Beach
The
Golden Globe
Red
Thunder
Mammoth
The
Persistance of Vision
Picnic
on Nearside
Blue
Champagne
Superheroes
The
John Varley Reader