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[Warning: May contain sarcasm.]
Not to take a side in the struggle between Merril et al.’s New Wave and more traditional science fiction and fantasy, but…
One may admire the artistry of the stories in anthologies like
England Swings SF, even if one eventually tires of the pessimistic tone taken by such young scamps as Ellison, Spinrad, and Ballard. Why can’t these authors be more like their venerable predecessors? Here are five instances of the sunnily optimistic science fiction that exemplified the genre in the days before the younger set decided to indulge in such gloomy literary prose.
Some genetically talented, culturally nurturing families produce writers across multiple generations, or multiple sibling iterations in the same clade. Famous literary lineages are almost too numerous to name. John le Carré and Nick Harkaway. Stephen King and progeny. Nathaniel and Julian Hawthorne. The McCaffreys. Peter and Emma Straub. The Powys clan; the LaFarge clan. And on and on.
Certainly the case of the Careys is a prime living example. Mike Carey has the highest profile, followed by his wife, Linda, and then by daughter Louise. As a unique triple byline, the trio are responsible for two novels:
The City of Silk and Steel and