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Chanticleer, v. 1, issue 3, December 1945
Page 20
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But, be that as it may, there are more serious flaws. The lovers simply do not act like human beings. The hero is bad enough, being a very thick-skulled and sentimental boob who professes to be madly in love with the Scientist Daughter about five minutes after he meets her. He shows no curiosity about the doom, which is convenient since there is no indication that the author has any idea of its nature. The lady in question is even worse, however; her combination of vast learning and intellectuality with childish naivete is very hard to swallow; moreover, her efforts to submerge her love in mimicking the opposite sex are an insult not only to manhood but to womanhood as well. (Pardon me if I seem to take this too much to heart, but "World D" could have been so good!) Throughout the book the characters act like anything but human beings; I suspect the author of being a hermit who has seen humans only at a distance, if at all. The second flaw is the cloyingly sweet religiosity. The author (whose name is probably not Trevarthen) obviously is a person of considerable learning and splendid imagination; and it is almost unbelievable that he should accept the most reactionary orthodox religious views and mine them with science as though the two were made for each other. It is with no little surprise, for example, that one learns that evolution is guided by angels. Contraception, (which is accepted even by most Catholics) is given a thorough lambasting on the completely unscientific bases of what the author considers God's intentions, and of the mythical "safe period." As a case of the whole being greater than t he sum of its parts, the example (besides a more scientific one) is given of the Church, which we are told is not merely a union of Christians, but Christ Himself. (I suspect the Church would be surprised to know this.) Well, there it is, a magnificent story told with spectacular incompetence. I recommend that you secure and read a copy, for it would not do for you to miss the tremendous tale of Helioxenon--just don't expect undiluted pleasure. --Pfc. Paul Spencer THE CIRCUS OF D. LAO--Charles G. Finney. Viking Press, 1935. Do you enjoy Unknown Worlds? You do? Then don't miss "Circus of Dr. Lao"! For this is just the sort of utterly wacky, yet subtly logical fantasy that Unk specializes in--though, it must be confessed, it would have to be considerably expurgated for magazine publication. If the word "Circus" calls to your mind clowns, brass bands, lions, elephants, trapeze artists, and such, forget all that right now. Dr. Lao's show is different. In fact, "different" is too mild a term. You see, he has a satyr, and a sphinx, and a werewolf, and a mermaid--and they're real! Have you ever attended the Witches' Sabbath? You haven't? Well, you'll meet up with all those things, and more, in the pages of this truly extraordinary book. The story has no plot, no main characters, and--as far as I can see--very little sense. But it is delightful. It describes what various ordinary people saw and experienced at the mysterious Dr. Lao's very out-of-the-ordinary circus; and that's all it does. That task it accomplishes to perfection: in its disconnected, cynical, often obscure manner, it is top-notch entertainment. The author includes at the end a "catalogue", which he subtitles "An explanation of the obvious, which must be read to be appreciated". It contains, mainly, definitions of the things mentioned in the story. Samples: clowns--pantaloons with bursting hearts; city clerk--a voice over the telephone; and so on. The book finishes with a list of some of "the questions and contradictions and obscurities". It's a strange story,a funny story,at times a beautiful story. Look it up. Even if the story should happen to bore you,which is not likely,the glorious pictures by Artzybasheff,supreme artist of the grotesque,will surely delight you. --Paul H. Spencer ((Thanks to Harry Warner for allowing me to reprint the foregoing review, which originally appeared in Spaceways. Incidentally, notice the remarkable improvement in Spencer's reviewing. "Lao" was reviewed in 42, "World D" in 44.))
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But, be that as it may, there are more serious flaws. The lovers simply do not act like human beings. The hero is bad enough, being a very thick-skulled and sentimental boob who professes to be madly in love with the Scientist Daughter about five minutes after he meets her. He shows no curiosity about the doom, which is convenient since there is no indication that the author has any idea of its nature. The lady in question is even worse, however; her combination of vast learning and intellectuality with childish naivete is very hard to swallow; moreover, her efforts to submerge her love in mimicking the opposite sex are an insult not only to manhood but to womanhood as well. (Pardon me if I seem to take this too much to heart, but "World D" could have been so good!) Throughout the book the characters act like anything but human beings; I suspect the author of being a hermit who has seen humans only at a distance, if at all. The second flaw is the cloyingly sweet religiosity. The author (whose name is probably not Trevarthen) obviously is a person of considerable learning and splendid imagination; and it is almost unbelievable that he should accept the most reactionary orthodox religious views and mine them with science as though the two were made for each other. It is with no little surprise, for example, that one learns that evolution is guided by angels. Contraception, (which is accepted even by most Catholics) is given a thorough lambasting on the completely unscientific bases of what the author considers God's intentions, and of the mythical "safe period." As a case of the whole being greater than t he sum of its parts, the example (besides a more scientific one) is given of the Church, which we are told is not merely a union of Christians, but Christ Himself. (I suspect the Church would be surprised to know this.) Well, there it is, a magnificent story told with spectacular incompetence. I recommend that you secure and read a copy, for it would not do for you to miss the tremendous tale of Helioxenon--just don't expect undiluted pleasure. --Pfc. Paul Spencer THE CIRCUS OF D. LAO--Charles G. Finney. Viking Press, 1935. Do you enjoy Unknown Worlds? You do? Then don't miss "Circus of Dr. Lao"! For this is just the sort of utterly wacky, yet subtly logical fantasy that Unk specializes in--though, it must be confessed, it would have to be considerably expurgated for magazine publication. If the word "Circus" calls to your mind clowns, brass bands, lions, elephants, trapeze artists, and such, forget all that right now. Dr. Lao's show is different. In fact, "different" is too mild a term. You see, he has a satyr, and a sphinx, and a werewolf, and a mermaid--and they're real! Have you ever attended the Witches' Sabbath? You haven't? Well, you'll meet up with all those things, and more, in the pages of this truly extraordinary book. The story has no plot, no main characters, and--as far as I can see--very little sense. But it is delightful. It describes what various ordinary people saw and experienced at the mysterious Dr. Lao's very out-of-the-ordinary circus; and that's all it does. That task it accomplishes to perfection: in its disconnected, cynical, often obscure manner, it is top-notch entertainment. The author includes at the end a "catalogue", which he subtitles "An explanation of the obvious, which must be read to be appreciated". It contains, mainly, definitions of the things mentioned in the story. Samples: clowns--pantaloons with bursting hearts; city clerk--a voice over the telephone; and so on. The book finishes with a list of some of "the questions and contradictions and obscurities". It's a strange story,a funny story,at times a beautiful story. Look it up. Even if the story should happen to bore you,which is not likely,the glorious pictures by Artzybasheff,supreme artist of the grotesque,will surely delight you. --Paul H. Spencer ((Thanks to Harry Warner for allowing me to reprint the foregoing review, which originally appeared in Spaceways. Incidentally, notice the remarkable improvement in Spencer's reviewing. "Lao" was reviewed in 42, "World D" in 44.))
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