Fragments of a commentary

Prometheus unbound

Despite rumors of an untimely demise, the Libertarian Futurist Society is alive and well and taking medication, working out, pumping Promethean iron. It is a tremendous accomplishment for a voluntary organization that recognizes libertarian science fiction to consistently have accomplished that mission for more than a decade.

Basketball players often talk about individuals stepping up when star players experience their occasional bad game. This is not a noble gesture, but a chance to do something for the team and themselves. In this case, I am the person stepping up, hoping to make a difference as editor. However, as the Genie in Aladdin mentions, there are certain provisos, addendas, and quid pro quos.

A newsletter such as Prometheus derives its life-blood from reviews and referrals of works of libertarian fiction. Write and send in your reviews either to me via monopoly mail or e-mail, or the same way to Victoria Varga, who’ll send them on to me. I have included her e-mail address in this issue and from now on for all inquiries.

Aside from reviews, the newsletter needs articles, fiction, interviews, and convention reports. This is just part of the deal. LFS needs more supporting members, especially at the basic level. Encourage subscriptions and memberships. At $10 a year, the rewards of the revival of Prometheus along with a Hall of Fame vote and the ability to nominate novels for the Prometheus Award, a Basic Membership is a steal.

The death of libertarian science fiction?

“Those readers who have been hoping that Hogan would someday return from his libertarian sermons to the kind of old-fashioned hard sf that he used to do so well are going to get more than they bargained for here.”

Gary K. Wolfe, in a review of James P. Hogan’s 1993 novella Out of Time (Bantam Spectra, 1993, $3.99) in Locus, December 1993.

Alongside guns

J. Neil Schulman, winner of the Prometheus and Hall of Fame awards for his novels Alongside Night and The Rainbow Cadenza recently published a new book. That’s right, book, not novel. Stopping Power: Why 70 Million Americans Own Guns is available from LFB, 1-800-326-0996 at $19.95), was featured in the June, 1994 Laissez Faire Books catalog as resulting from Schulman’s personal crusade for gun ownership rights.” And I thought Neil Smith was the libertarian fiction writers’ voice on the right to own guns…

We are beggars all

Nancy Kress’ latest novel, Beggars and Choosers, is set for publication in October 1994 as a Tor hardcover. This is the novel quoted by Kress in Victoria Varga’s review in the previous issue as being much more libertarian than the Prometheus Award finalist Beggars in Spain. Look for reviews of Beggars and Choosers in the next issue.