Gingaeru's Reviews > Alchemy and Academe: A Collection of Original Stories Concerning Themselves with Transmutations, Mental and Elemental, Alchemical and Academic

I find McCaffrey's explanation of her thought process for the theme lacking. Three of these stories contain metaphorical usage of the word "finger." George R. R. Martin would be drooling!

"A Mess of Porridge" by Sonya Dorman
7/10
It was refreshing to read something decent. It left me wanting more, yet satisfied. The girl seemed a little too mature for a six-year-old, but perhaps this was because she was an "empress" (whatever that entails).
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Use of "finger" in simile: "... shadows like fingers were moving up the side of the tower."
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"The institute" by Carol Emshwiller
4/10
Nope! What is it with authors doing disturbing things with the elderly? Why would you even conceive this?! I wouldn't call it a story, either.
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"Oh, my dear grandmother, if you were here I'd bring you up as my own dear child, feed you steak and liver and wheat germ oil, start you off on push-ups and squats, buy you a book by Freud (to begin with)."
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"Condillac's Statue" or "Wrens in His Head" by R.A. Lafferty
5/10
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"The Sorcerers" (poem) by L. Sprague De Camp
4/10
His prose is so much better.
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"The Weed of Time" by Norman Spinrad
6/10
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Grammar:
"The Temp travels to my stomach, is digested, passes into my bloodstream, reached my brain." (reaches)
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"Night and the Loves of Joe Dicostanzo" by Samuel R. Delany
8/10
This one was ambiguous but very good, and it has stayed with me.
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Use(s) of "here and there": 1 (+1 "here [this], there [that]")
Uses of "for all the world like": 2
Characters "whirl": 1 time
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"Come Up and See Me" by Daphne Castell
3/10
Gibberish!
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She used "languid" twice on p. 77!
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"Shut the Last Door" by Joe Hensley
5/10
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He used "dim" two sentences in a row (p. 95).
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"Big Sam" by Avram Davidson
4/10
I don't get it. What is the implication here? That Sam hibernates like a bear? Just what is the significance of this story?
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Use of "wanted to know" after a question is asked: "'Like what?' the tall and husky one wanted to know."
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"More Light" by James Blish
6/10
It's weird when an author inserts themself into a work of fiction. Where do you draw the line?
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Use of "here and there": 1
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Typo:
(This is from what is supposed to be a letter from Lovecraft): "Yr persistence is flattering indeed..." (Your)
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"The Man Who Could Not See Devils" by Joanna Russ
5/10
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"The Key to Out" by Betsy Curtis
5/10
The concept is interesting.
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"Ringing the Changes" by Robert Silverberg
4/10
For a story about body-swapping, it sure is boring.
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"In a Quart of Water" by David Telfair
5/10
Possessed, time-traveling, alchemical plumbing.
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"Morning-Glory" by Gene Wolfe
4/10
I don't get this one either; the ending, specifically. I don't know what's going on in this guy's head.
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Typo(s):
"A Smythe closed the door Black added, 'Good-bye, Schmidt.'" (As) (I can't tell if "Schmidt" is intentional; I don't understand the way these characters think.)
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Metaphorical use of "finger": "The green fingers of Smythe's mind reached toward that light..."
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"Ascension: A Workday Arabesque" (poem) by Virginia Kidd
1/10
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Use of "loom": 1
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"The Devil You Don't" by Keith Laumer
4/10
Irresponsibly disrespectful.
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Characters "whirl": 1 time
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Typos:
"... somewhat tarnished pocket patch..." (watch, how can a patch be tarnished?)
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"He was blushing from neat white collar to window's peak now." (widow's!)
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"It was bad enough dealing with one star-spite." (-sprite)
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"The Triumphant Head" by Josephine Saxton
5/10
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"Mainchance" by Peter Tate
5/10
This one was initially hard to follow, but it settled down. Religion was handled decently for once.
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Metaphorical use of "finger": "Along the sides of hills which ran olive fingers down to the sea..."
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Typo:
"And there we saw the Mephilim... " (Nephilim)
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