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Lonelygirl15
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marlasinger
Devoted Fan
Joined: 27 Feb 2007
Posts: 736
Location: The 8th Dimension
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 Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 7:46 pm Post subject: Spencer: Cliff Sawyer |
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for future reference, because I know someone else is wondering other than me:
http://www.amazon.com/Well-Worlds-Ace-F-344/dp/B0007EH73C
| Amazon wrote: |
Henry Kuttner and C.L. Moore's final science fiction novel, "Mutant," was released in 1953. There would be sporadic short stories from the famous husband-and-wife writing team throughout the '50s, as well as a mystery series from Kuttner featuring psychoanalyst/detective Dr. Michael Gray, not to mention a superior sci-fi novel from Moore herself, "Doomsday Morning," in 1957, but "Mutant" was, essentially, the last word, sci-fiwise, from the team. But "Mutant" is what's known as a "fix-up" novel, comprised of five short stories (in this case, mainly dating back to 1945) cobbled together to make a whole, so I suppose that we must call the team's "The Well of the Worlds" their last true sci-fi novel as a writing couple. "Well" was first issued as the feature cover story of "Startling Stories" in March 1952, and in book form the following year. (Those fortunate enough to lay hands on the cute little 1965 Ace paperback pictured above should prepare themselves, incidentally, for a LOT of typos!) It is as way out and imaginative a piece of speculative fiction as anything the pair ever wrote, including their mind-blowing "The Fairy Chessmen" (1946) and "The Time Axis" (1949). At this point in their careers, Kuttner and Moore were attending classes at the University of Southern California, and easing back a bit from their prodigious output of the '40s. The reader of "Well," however, would never imagine that writing sci-fi was secondary to the couple at this point in their lives. It is another superb meld of fantasy and science fiction, with a typically pyrotechnic conclusion. The plot of the book is so way out, in fact, that I almost despair of describing it. Let's just say that it concerns Cliff Sawyer, an agent for the Canadian Royal Atomic Energy Commission, who investigates some very strange goings-on at a uranium mine near the North Pole. He, a mysterious woman named Klai, and a power-obsessed madman named Alper are somehow whisked to the other-dimensional world of Khom'ad, where three life-forms seem to be in a state of imminent warfare. There are the Isier, the demigodlike lords of the planet; the Sselli, a snakelike people; and the Firebirds, strange, winged energy creatures whose sudden appearance at the polar uranium mine seemed to touch off the whole mess. Not to mention the poor Khom, the humanlike underdogs of the planet. As if these elements weren't enough, Kuttner & Moore show us that Khom'ad is a hollow world, with floating, pancakelike island worlds floating under its surface! And as if THAT weren't enough, they have Alper slap a sort of torture-inducing transceiver on Sawyer's skull that can instantly step up the vibrations of the human body to murderous volume and intensity. Still not enough, reader? Howzabout a finale with battling goddesses, a threeway between the Isier, Sselli and Firebirds, and a close-up look at the titular Well, a sort of microcosmic cyclotron that makes possible an interdimensional energy transference between Khom'ad and Earth? I don't know where or how authors are able to come up with books like this (I doubt that drugs, liquor or too much chili con carne before bedtime had anything to do with it!), but the net result is one of ceaseless wonder and bedazzlement for the reader. And I haven't even mentioned the Ice Tunnel between the dimensions, or the telepathic masks, or the wall-dissolving robes, but you get the idea, I trust. The book is mind expanding in the best sense of the term, and still another wonderfully written, tightly plotted novel from this amazing team. "The Well of the Worlds" may have been Kuttner & Moore's last true science fiction novel, but at least they went out with a doozy! All's well that ends well, I guess you'd say!
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Absynth
Devoted Fan
Joined: 14 Oct 2006
Posts: 523
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| Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 7:57 pm Post subject: |
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thanks Marla, I was looking through the cast list of sliders on IMDB trying to find Cliff Sawyer to no avail. That certainly helped me out!
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SivartAlappes
Lonely Fan
Joined: 02 Oct 2006
Posts: 209
Location: Virginia but moving to Cali soon
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| Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 8:04 pm Post subject: |
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| Absynth wrote: | | thanks Marla, I was looking through the cast list of sliders on IMDB trying to find Cliff Sawyer to no avail. That certainly helped me out! |
Yeah, Sliders is based on this story... cliff sawyer is NOT from Sliders... |
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suze900
Casual Observer
Joined: 15 Mar 2007
Posts: 111
Location: Out and about
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| Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 9:28 pm Post subject: |
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We gave my husband's old copy of The Well of the Worlds away when we moved in April 
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suze aka healingdreams
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krmurr87
Devoted Fan
Joined: 13 Nov 2006
Posts: 917
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| Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 10:09 pm Post subject: |
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Marla...the reseracher of all things nerd 
<3 |
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Skunkwaffle
Enthusiastic Fan
Joined: 23 Oct 2006
Posts: 460
Location: New York
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| Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 10:52 pm Post subject: |
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That's why we loves her so.
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
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nowherepixie
Owen's Helper
Joined: 16 Apr 2007
Posts: 1633
Location: Birmingham, England
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| Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 6:17 am Post subject: |
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Aw I loved sliders!
Well done Marla! |
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SivartAlappes
Lonely Fan
Joined: 02 Oct 2006
Posts: 209
Location: Virginia but moving to Cali soon
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| Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 1:44 pm Post subject: |
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| Skunkwaffle wrote: | That's why we loves her so.
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ |
See, I love marla so becuase she's SO FRIGGIN' CUTE!!!! |
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