Particle Theory

by Edward Bryant

Contents:
Particle Theory (1977)
The Thermals of August (1981)
Hayes and the Heterogyne (1974)
Teeth Marks (1979)
Winslow Crater (1978)
Shark (1973)
Precession (1980)
Stone (1978)
Strata (1980)
The Hibakusha Gallery (1977)
giANTS (1979)
To See (1980)

Genres: Fiction, Short Stories, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Collections

252 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published September 1, 1981

About the author

Edward Winslow Bryant, Jr. was born August 27, 1945 in White Plains NY and was raised on a cattle ranch in Wyoming. He attended the University of Wyoming, where he earned a Master’s in English in 1968 and ’69. He went to the Clarion Writers’ Workshop in 1968. In 1972 he moved to Denver CO, where he founded the Northern Colorado Writers Workshop. He helped found and run many other workshops and classes as well, including the Colorado Springs Writers Workshop.

Bryant was an accomplished science-fiction writer, mostly of short stories. He began publishing SF work with “They Come Only in Dreams” and “Sending the Very Best”, both in January 1970. For the next two decades he was a frequent contributor to magazines and anthologies, and though his fictional output slowed in the ’90s, he was still active as a critic. He was a familiar figure at conventions, especially in Colorado fandom. He was a frequent guest at the World Horror Convention, and chaired the 2000 convention in Denver.

With Harlan Ellison he wrote Phoenix without Ashes (1978), and solo short novel Fetish appeared in 1991. He also edited 2076: The American Tricentennial (1977), and was an editor for Wormhole Books. He wrote screenplays and occasionally appeared in films.

--excerpted from Locus Publications

Reviews

[Lord Humungus · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first read Edward Bryant in a collection of OMNI short stories in 1983. Though that collection is still one of my favorites of all time, the Bryant story was definitely not memorable. I think what really turned me into a fan were his contributions to R R Martin's Wild Cards series. Thus began a search for more of his material that lasted years; for being such a celebrated author his stories proved hard to find.

Eventually I found _Cinnabar_, a collection of stories placed in a world so distant in the future that much of its technology was indistinguishable from magic, whose residents were free to live their lives however they imagined; and a 1981 collection of his best work, _Particle Theory_. I read _Cinnabar_ many decades ago and I can only surmise now I must have been so confused and/or disappointed by its tales, I left _Particle Theory_ on the shelf forgotten for at least 20 years.

Only recently did I read his entry in the 1980 horror collection _Dark Forces_, and the story's foreword mentioned _Particle Theory_. The book's blazing cover immediately conjured itself up from memory. Impossibly I found the book wedged in the bookshelf. I flipped through the table of contents and realized I had never read the book and for reasons unknown had held onto it anyway. That turned out to be a lovely stroke of good fortune, or maybe the result of some subconscious wisdom or desire to give Bryant another chance.

I don't know if I would have drawn as much from the stories or even understood them properly when I first read _Cinnabar_, so it's actually a good thing I waited so long to read this collection. All the stories in this collection are well written and powerfully evocative. My favorites also have a romantic core to them. Many times after finishing a story, I thought to myself there was no doubt it would have appeared in Dozois' Year's Best SF had it had been published in the same era.

The book's foreword also provided some fascinating insights into the story inspirations and connections.

Hopefully I can find more reprints of his work that aren't as crumbling and yellow and rife with the smell of libraries, not because I don't find those characteristics endearing but because it means the books are old and delicate and have to be handled with care. Highly recommended.

[Noah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read the title story because it was recommended by Ted Chiang. It was good. The rest are hopelessly dated: pulpy, portentous, pretentious.

[Charles Korb · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd been lead to understand that Edward Bryant was one of the pioneers of the idea that sci-fi should be characters first and ideas second but there are just so many writers now that can do both that these 40 year old stories are less impressive.

[Chris Duval · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had read two of the stories ('Stone' and 'giANTS' long ago). Of the rest they're interestingly diverse in direction, somewhat united by a loose set of emotions that includes melancholy, and fully united by writing style. An example of that style is in 'Strata,' whose geologic background is echoed in the sentence: 'Paul's hair, black as coal, was streaked with firn lines of glacial white.'

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ed was an amazing writer and this book shows off all his strengths. His loss is unfortunate, not only because he was such a good writer but that because he worked almost exclusively in short story form, he likely does not have the audience he deserves.

[Bruno Silva · Rating 4 out of 5]

A relatividade do Universo quando comparada com as tragédias da vida humana e o que as experiências na teoria das partículas podem provocar

[Jake · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice variety.