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Two Great Novels: Up the Walls of the World & Brightness Falls From the Air
Alice Hastings Bradley Sheldon - better known to the world as science fiction writer James Tiptree, Jr - produced just two novels, in a glittering but tragically short career. Gollancz is delighted to present them together in this omnibus THE WALLS OF THE WORLDA secret US navy research project is founded to investigate the existence of paranormal powers, bringing together a variety of men and women who have shown indications of telepathic ability. As a result of the experiment they make mental contact with the Tyrenni, strange alien beings resembling winged squids who dwell in the upper atmosphere of their tempestuous world.The aliens' world, Tyree, is being threatened by a huge being, the Destroyer, which is moving inexorably towards them, obliterating whole solar systems in its path. When the Tyrenni realise that it threatens to exterminate life on Tyree, they are forced into the decision - contrary to all their moral beliefs - to take over the bodies of their human contacts in order to preserve their race.BRIGHTNESS FALLS FROM THE AIRSixteen humans have come together on Damien, a distant world where once, dreams were stolen and atrocities took place. They have gathered to view the last rising of a manmade nova, the testament to a war none can forget.Soon, time will warp and masks will fall. Soon, violence will erupt anew - along with treachery, horror, murder, release and love.Soon, some will find justice . . . and others, judgement. Soon.Now, sixteen humans have gathered - to await the light of the Murdered Star.
- GenresScience Fiction
755 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 25, 2016
6 people are currently reading
57 people want to read
About the author
James Tiptree Jr.
243 books589 followers"James Tiptree Jr." was born Alice Bradley in Chicago in 1915. Her mother was the writer Mary Hastings Bradley; her father, Herbert, was a lawyer and explorer. Throughout her childhood she traveled with her parents, mostly to Africa, but also to India and Southeast Asia. Her early work was as an artist and art critic. During World War II she enlisted in the Army and became the first American female photointelligence officer. In Germany after the war, she met and married her commanding officer, Huntington D. Sheldon. In the early 1950s, both Sheldons joined the then-new CIA; he made it his career, but she resigned in 1955, went back to college, and earned a Ph.D. in experimental psychology.
At about this same time, Alli Sheldon started writing science fiction. She wrote four stories and sent them off to four different science fiction magazines. She did not want to publish under her real name, because of her CIA and academic ties, and she intended to use a new pseudonym for each group of stories until some sold. They started selling immediately, and only the first pseudonym—"Tiptree" from a jar of jelly, "James" because she felt editors would be more receptive to a male writer, and "Jr." for fun—was needed. (A second pseudonym, "Raccoona Sheldon," came along later, so she could have a female persona.)
Tiptree quickly became one of the most respected writers in the field, winning the Hugo Award for The Girl Who was Plugged In and Houston, Houston, Do You Read?, and the Nebula Award for "Love is the Plan, the Plan is Death" and Houston, Houston. Raccoona won the Nebula for "The Screwfly Solution," and Tiptree won the World Fantasy Award for the collection Tales from the Quintana Roo.
The Tiptree fiction reflects Alli Sheldon's interests and concerns throughout her life: the alien among us (a role she portrayed in her childhood travels), the health of the planet, the quality of perception, the role of women, love, death, and humanity's place in a vast, cold universe. The Otherwise Award (formerly the Tiptree Award) has celebrated science fiction that "expands and explores gender roles" since 1991.
Alice Sheldon died in 1987 by her own hand. Writing in her first book about the suicide of Hart Crane, she said succinctly: "Poets extrapolate."
Julie Phillips wrote her biography, James Tiptree, Jr.: The Double Life of Alice B. Sheldon
At about this same time, Alli Sheldon started writing science fiction. She wrote four stories and sent them off to four different science fiction magazines. She did not want to publish under her real name, because of her CIA and academic ties, and she intended to use a new pseudonym for each group of stories until some sold. They started selling immediately, and only the first pseudonym—"Tiptree" from a jar of jelly, "James" because she felt editors would be more receptive to a male writer, and "Jr." for fun—was needed. (A second pseudonym, "Raccoona Sheldon," came along later, so she could have a female persona.)
Tiptree quickly became one of the most respected writers in the field, winning the Hugo Award for The Girl Who was Plugged In and Houston, Houston, Do You Read?, and the Nebula Award for "Love is the Plan, the Plan is Death" and Houston, Houston. Raccoona won the Nebula for "The Screwfly Solution," and Tiptree won the World Fantasy Award for the collection Tales from the Quintana Roo.
The Tiptree fiction reflects Alli Sheldon's interests and concerns throughout her life: the alien among us (a role she portrayed in her childhood travels), the health of the planet, the quality of perception, the role of women, love, death, and humanity's place in a vast, cold universe. The Otherwise Award (formerly the Tiptree Award) has celebrated science fiction that "expands and explores gender roles" since 1991.
Alice Sheldon died in 1987 by her own hand. Writing in her first book about the suicide of Hart Crane, she said succinctly: "Poets extrapolate."
Julie Phillips wrote her biography, James Tiptree, Jr.: The Double Life of Alice B. Sheldon
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
December 30, 2018
Mad and genius. Reading Tiptree's only two novels it does become apparent that her magnificently dark imagination might express itself better in her short fiction, but these are still two fantastically interesting novels.
Whilst this is a sweeping generalisation, I can see why she was successful at pretending to be a man in the 70s- almost every time a female character appears there is some variation of "cor, she's fit" in the thoughts of the male characters, to the point where it's a little uncomfortable, even if you're aware of the satirical nature. Otherwise there's not a lot to link these two, so separate reviews below:
Up the Walls of the World
This is the absolute best kind of bonkers sci-fi. It has three parallel narratives; one of some American army scientists trying to prove psychic phenomenon; one of a species of manta-ray like creatures who dwell in the upper region of a gas giant which appears to be dying; and one of an UNIMAGINABLE VAST PSEUDO-CREATURE coasting the void between stars in search of first its goal, and later its meaning. And yes the last one is in all caps to get across how vast and unimaginable it is.
The three threads all contain thoughtfulness, social commentary and sympathetic characters- truly an impressive feat given the really, really alien characters involved.
Once the plots start to coalesce things really start to fly off the rails, with psychic flight through interdimensional space and all sorts of craziness. The plot drifts off and becomes looser, but the vivid imagination makes it worth continuing, even if it is far less gripping as it continues.
Brightness Falls From the Air
Almost as opposite in setting as possible from the other, this is a sort of bottle-episode of a plot. It feels a bit like an Agatha Christie story in space, with a group of mysterious individuals cramped together in a hostel on a far-flung planet, to witness the last crescendo of light from a dying star. Said far-flung planet is also home to a race of adorable pixie-like aliens who are now protected after previous exploitation by human explorers.
It appears- and here I was going to say it soon appears but honestly there are over a hundred pages of just the characters getting to know each other so it's not exactly snappy- that not everyone here is exactly what they seem. So who can be trusted, and what mischief are they up to?
When the powder keg ignites it really does go off and there's a lot of engaging back-and forth with who holds the power. Unfortunately the plot continues for another 80 odd pages after the confrontation wraps up, so definitely overstays its welcome.
Summary
So despite the problems present in both stories (mostly the loose plots that seem to go on too long), these are great reads thanks to Tiptree's magnificent vision, social awareness, and utter destruction of gender stereotypes.
Whilst this is a sweeping generalisation, I can see why she was successful at pretending to be a man in the 70s- almost every time a female character appears there is some variation of "cor, she's fit" in the thoughts of the male characters, to the point where it's a little uncomfortable, even if you're aware of the satirical nature. Otherwise there's not a lot to link these two, so separate reviews below:
Up the Walls of the World
This is the absolute best kind of bonkers sci-fi. It has three parallel narratives; one of some American army scientists trying to prove psychic phenomenon; one of a species of manta-ray like creatures who dwell in the upper region of a gas giant which appears to be dying; and one of an UNIMAGINABLE VAST PSEUDO-CREATURE coasting the void between stars in search of first its goal, and later its meaning. And yes the last one is in all caps to get across how vast and unimaginable it is.
The three threads all contain thoughtfulness, social commentary and sympathetic characters- truly an impressive feat given the really, really alien characters involved.
Once the plots start to coalesce things really start to fly off the rails, with psychic flight through interdimensional space and all sorts of craziness. The plot drifts off and becomes looser, but the vivid imagination makes it worth continuing, even if it is far less gripping as it continues.
Brightness Falls From the Air
Almost as opposite in setting as possible from the other, this is a sort of bottle-episode of a plot. It feels a bit like an Agatha Christie story in space, with a group of mysterious individuals cramped together in a hostel on a far-flung planet, to witness the last crescendo of light from a dying star. Said far-flung planet is also home to a race of adorable pixie-like aliens who are now protected after previous exploitation by human explorers.
It appears- and here I was going to say it soon appears but honestly there are over a hundred pages of just the characters getting to know each other so it's not exactly snappy- that not everyone here is exactly what they seem. So who can be trusted, and what mischief are they up to?
When the powder keg ignites it really does go off and there's a lot of engaging back-and forth with who holds the power. Unfortunately the plot continues for another 80 odd pages after the confrontation wraps up, so definitely overstays its welcome.
Summary
So despite the problems present in both stories (mostly the loose plots that seem to go on too long), these are great reads thanks to Tiptree's magnificent vision, social awareness, and utter destruction of gender stereotypes.
Displaying 1 of 1 review