| Article: 452
From: [email protected] (Dani Zweig)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.reviews,rec.arts.sf.written
Subject: Unnumbered Reviews #1: "Circus World", by Barry Longyear
Organization: Netcom Online Communications Services (408-241-9760 login: guest)
Date: 03 Dec 93 01:19:32 GMT
Unnumbered Reviews #1: "Circus World", by Barry Longyear
Barry B. Longyear's "Circus World" (***, on an uncalibrated four-point
scale) has the sort of premise that looks promising on paper, but
rarely lives up to that promise. This is one of those rare times.
The premise is that a circus starship -- City of Baraboo -- crashed on
an isolated planet, marooning the survivors. In the centuries that
followed, the passengers and their descendents maintained and improved
their circus traditions and skills. By the time the planet Momus is
rediscovered, it has fortune tellers who can really see the future (or
at least the patterns which are forming the future), it has magicians
who can really do magic (or, if it's not magic, it'll do until a
closer approximation comes along), it has clowns who can leave an
invading army rolling in the aisles with laughter (or, if not rolling
in the aisles, at least seriously amused).
This is a good thing because, as the book opens, there's an army on
the way. Two, in a sense, as the Tenth Quadrant means to occupy Momus
and the Ninth Quadrant means to defend it. Ashly Allenby is sent as a
special ambassador to persuade the government of Momus to accept NQ
defenders before the TQ attackers show up. Unfortunately, Momus
hasn't got a government, just a body of circus custom. And even if
there were one, it wouldn't be likely to pay much attention to an
ambassador who hasn't got a decent act.
The six stories that make up "Circus World" introduce us to this world
and, at the same time, introduce the encroaching galaxy to Momus.
This encroachment bring opportunity -- if nothing else, the
inhabitants will finally have an audience aside from each other -- but
only if Momus can survive the initial encounters. It's an enjoyable
enough book, with a quirky premise that isn't allowed to degenerate
into a running gag. "Circus World" was Longyear's first novel. It's a
fixup, in that it consists of stories which previously appeared in
magazines, but they were explicitly written to form a six-part novel.
There are two prequels, not quite as good as "Circus World". "City of
Baraboo" (**) tells how the last circus on Earth, O'Hara's Greater
Shows, is driven off Earth by bad times, and tours space until the
enmity of a competitor leads to the crash on Momus. It's weaker than
"Circus World", mostly because the story it has to tell has no center.
We read about the trials and tribulations of an interstellar circus,
and they're only moderately interesting.
"Elephant Song" (**+), which tells of the first years on Momus, has a
very powerful center -- the struggle to keep the circus's small herd
of elephants alive. This central metaphor is diluted somewhat by
Longyear's efforts to explain how the more unlikely customs and
talents in "Circus World" got their start.
I wouldn't read these books in chronological order: If you read and enjoy
"Circus World", pick up "Elephant Song" and possibly "City of Baraboo".
Badnews frowned. "I've never seen one before, Great
Warts, although I've read of them in the Books. Was
that a rube?"
Disclaimer: Don't think of this as a review series. It's just unnumbered
to help me keep track.
%A Longyear, Barry B.
%T Circus World
%D 1981
%O The stories appeared in Isaac Asimov's SF Magazine in 1978 and 1979
%T City of Baraboo
%D 1980
%T Elephant Song
%D 1982
%I The publication dates given are for the Berkley paperbacks
-----
Dani Zweig
[email protected]
The surface of the strange, forbidden planet was roughly textured and green,
much like cottage cheese gets way after the date on the lid says it is all
right to buy it.--Scott Jones
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