Frankensteins & Foreign Devils

by Walter Jon Williams, Gardner Dozois (Introduction)

Contents
9 • Introduction (Frankensteins and Foreign Devils) • essay by Gardner Dozois
15 • Solip: System • [Hardwired] • (1989) • novelette by Walter Jon Williams
51 • Broadway Johnny • (1995) • novella by Walter Jon Williams
109 • Woundhealer • [Earth's End] • (1995) • novelette by Walter Jon Williams
135 • The Bad Twin • novelette by Walter Jon Williams
167 • Red Elvis • (1994) • novelette by Walter Jon Williams
185 • Prayers on the Wind • (1991) • novella by Walter Jon Williams
225 • Erogenoscape • (1991) • novelette by Walter Jon Williams
263 • Foreign Devils • [War of the Worlds] • (1996) • novelette by Walter Jon Williams
289 • Bag Lady • novelette by Walter Jon Williams
311 • Wall, Stone, Craft • (1993) • novella by Walter Jon Williams

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Walter Jon Williams has published twenty novels and short fiction collections. Most are science fiction or fantasy -Hardwired, Voice of the Whirlwind, Aristoi, Metropolitan, City on Fire to name just a few - a few are historical adventures, and the most recent, The Rift, is a disaster novel in which "I just basically pound a part of the planet down to bedrock." And that's just the opening chapters. Walter holds a fourth-degree black belt in Kenpo Karate, and also enjoys sailing and scuba diving. He lives in New Mexico with his wife, Kathy Hedges.

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very enjoyable collection of Williams' excellent short fiction. Solip:System is set in the same world as his novel Hardwired and is a very challenging story involving mind-uploads, child abuse, and other difficult subjects. In his post-story comments, Williams mentions that the story was first published as a limited-edition chapbook "with what is perhaps the ugliest cover ever seen on a professional publication." I think the current volume gives it a close run for the money... Anyway, Broadway Johnny is one of the delightful caper stories that Williams writes so well, and Woundhealer is a good straight fantasy set in Fred Saberhagen's Swords universe. The Bad Twin is a terrific time travel paradox tale infused with mythology, and Red Elvis is an interesting look at The King from one of Mike Resnick's Alternate anthologies. It's followed by Prayers on the Wind, which many people cite as one of his best stories, but I never cared for it; maybe it's just over my head. Erogenoscape is a somewhat clinical science fiction and sex horror story, and Foreign Devils is another alternate story, set in China with Wells' Martians invading during The Boxer Rebellion from an excellent Kevin Anderson anthology. Bag Lady, which had never before been printed, was a Wild Cards story written before Martin's series of books began and is sort of a dry run for them. It's a terrific story and I viewed it as an alternate W.C. Much fun! The book concludes with Wall, Stone, Craft, his excellent novella that takes an alternate look at Shelley and company. There's a nice introduction by Gardner Dozois, a table of contents that's out of whack with the actual story order, and insightful comments by Williams on each story. It's a really enjoyable volume.

[Peter Tillman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This excellent collection features "Prayers on the Wind", WJW's best story to date, and lots more Good Stuff. As always, NESFA books are a pleasure to read & hold: smooth, creamy paper, solid, full-cloth bindings and exceptional cover & interior art, here by Omar Rayyan. Highly recommended. Essential reading for WJW fans. 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5 for the A+ "Prayers."
If you like short SF, you owe it to yourself to try this one!

Contents:
Introduction by Gardner Dozois. Excellent.

Solip:System (direct sequel to Hardwired). Kinda grim. My rating: B+; yours may be higher, if you like gritty.

Broadway Johnny: a "deeply unserious" story of magic and mayhem in an alternate 1930s China. "A-"

Woundhealer: sword-and-sorcery in Saberhagen's "Swords"
universe -- not for me.

The Bad Twin (never before published). A rousing time-travel tale with "as many paradoxes as I could devise" -- "A".

Red Elvis: like it says, from the "Alternate Rebels" anthology. "A-" or "B+" -- I didn't reread it. So sue me.

Prayers on the Wind (Nebula Award nominee): A+ -- featuring the Big Library, Buddhism & Bad aliens -- not to be missed.

Bag Lady (never before published). The prototype Wild Cards story and Modular Man's ('New Prometheus, my ass') debut, later reworked into "Unto the Sixth Generation." Silly & fun, "A-".

Erogenoscape: Babette's new body -- sex, surgery, prurience & paranoia. "A/A-"

Foreign Devils (Sidewise Award winner). Wells' Martians invade China, encounter Righteous Harmony Fists. "A-"; or "A" for alt-hist buffs. Hmm, you couldn't really call this alternate-history -- maybe 'shared-world with a dead author'?

Wall, Stone, Craft (Nebula, Hugo, and World Fantasy Award nominee). Mary Shelley meets Lord Byron; they *don't* go to bed together. "A-" for me; perhaps "A" for most readers.

The author's afterwords are interesting and entertaining. Forex, here's WJW on a panel, discussing virtual surgery in graphic detail: "I became aware that the audience was staring at me in horror. I looked to my left, and saw Vernor Vinge scribbling in his notebook. I looked to my right, and there was Bruce Sterling likewise taking notes.... I better write this story [Erogenoscape] *fast*, I said to myself."

[Midu Hadi · Rating 2 out of 5]

According to GRRM, this book is the first ever short story written in the Wild Cards series. However, it wast published as a part of the series, which had already changed and evolved.

I loved this nod towards Asimov:

“What are your orders?”

“To obey my creator, Dr. Maxim Travineck. To guard his identity and well-being. To test myself and my equipment under combat conditions, by fighting enemies of society. To gain maximum publicity for the future Modular Men Enterprises in so doing. To preserve my existence and well-being.”

“Take that, Asimov”, Travineck said.

and Frankenstein:

He uncorked the bottle of vodka and raised the bottle on high in a toast.

“New Prometheus,” he said, “my ass.”

and this witty repartee:

“I am beginning to realize, said the android, raising a hot buttered rum to his lips, that creator is a hopeless sociopath.”

Black Shadow cnsidered this, “I suspect, if you don’t mind a touch of theology, this just puts you in the boat with the rest of us,” he said.

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great collection of stories showing Walter's amazing range and versatility.

Has everything from fantasy to a sequel to Hardwired via super heroes (the first Wild Cards story ever), alternate histories of "Elvis", Lord Byron, and Well's Martians interrupting the Boxer rebellion.

[Mary Guerra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good book of short sci-fi stories. Stumbled across this book and enjoyed it more than I thought.

[Matevž · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting foray into the wild card world. A nod to Asimov and basically an intro to several characters.