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Tales From Venus Town
Author: Dorothy Strangelove
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(Added on Apr 12, 2008)
(This month 54858 readers) (Total 58989 readers) |
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Three tales set on a future post war earth, where the passions and fates of three sisters are interwoven in ways they could not possibly envision... |
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Weighed
Average (?):  (7/10) |
Average
Rating:  (9/10) |
| Highest
Rating: (9/10) |
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Rating: (9/10) |
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| Reviewer:
JimmyJump
(Edit) |
Rating: |
Feb 9, 2009 |
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Three sisters who could have been called Bronte, a (possible Lord) Byron who sounds like a certain modernized creation of Mary Shelley.
Byron living in a place like Wuthering Heights (or Dr. Frankenstein's chateau).
Coincidental references, maybe, but the ingredients and setting make for a fascinating read.
The post apocalyptic timescape could mean Miss Strangelove learned to love the bomb after all. Of course, the latter statement holds no ground and is just a figment of my imagination thanks to my love for Stanley Kubrick and especially Peter Sellers.
Back to "Tales From Venustown". Paradise Lost meets Bi-Centennial Man with some H.G. Wells thrown in for good measure.
The writing isn't lush nor exhuberant. It's narrow, to the point. It grabs and holds your attention.
Not much details either. But the 'keep-em-in-the-dark' approach is the best one. A war, a revolution, point. No need to go explaining how and why. Most writers do, and get lost in the details or make complete fools of themselves. Dorothy Strangelove is smarter than that.
And when there's a scene that still makes your eyebrows jump up an inch, there's Billy literally dropping-in. Which doesn't lower the eyebrows again, but makes you go "mmmm" in wonderment where all this is going to lead.
Well, it leads to a fairly satisfying end. Fairly, because there's still some questions unanswered. But that doesn't matter, because, aren't there always? In reality I mean?
Readers often scream bloody murder because a story has loose ends, disregarding the fact that life is one big loose end.
Anyway, I'll have to wrap up this here review before it also gets novel proportions.
Didin't find inconsistencies, because I wasn't looking for 'em. Oh, just the one. Coral finding Sarah a slut for going to live with Byron, but turning out to be an even bigger slut when confronted with Zack. Of course, Coral's moral outburst towards her sisters could have been a healthy dose of sisterly high-and-mightyness.
Did I tell you I loved the story? No? Well, I did.
JJ (9/10)
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- Replied by:
dorothystrangelove
(Edit) (Feb 9, 2009)
- Thank you for such an indepth and appreciative review. Yes, there can be likenesses to the classics because of the characters within the setting, all are linked in various ways and while it is hard to get an origional idea for the sci fi format that isn't already done to death, I descovered I could weave in several themes I wanted to use to give the story substance and a heavy feel of being within a futuristic yet classic vein, the threads were all there and I very much wanted to make it the Strangelove brand yet at the same timetell a good tale that had solid elements in it like pillars to hold the plot together. It's one of those stories plot-wise where I have to start with the ending and work backwards before I start writing to make sure no stitches are dropped in the tapestry. And yes, Coral'smoral outburst did stem from wanting to see herself as the superior one, mainly to assure herself! This being the reason why only a super-human (cyborg) would make for a suitable partner for her.
Thanks for the brilliant review, its great when readers truly enjoy my fiction. Andthe writing is simple to the point because I feel alot of writers when writing sci fitend to get bogged down with techno-babble and historical background and this weights the story down in places to an uneven keel, I have tried to keep it fast-paced and with enough detail to hold the reader's interest while at the same time keeping the details at a level of light framework because there is so much in terms of content in this story, I think the rest is best left for the imaginaton to paint the picture.
And I have a new story coming soon, so my Strangelove alien hand is still writing, hope youcontinue to enjoy my fiction, and once again, thanks for the indepth appreciation.
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