Gillian Bradshaw's <The Wrong Reflection>
Joe Bernstein
this book yet, so here goes.
<The Wrong Reflection> is a science fiction novel by Gillian Bradshaw,
whose previous six novels for adults had been historical books set in
the ancient world (between the third century BC and the sixth AD and
between Uzbekistan and Britain). She has a web page at
<http://www.tcm.phy.cam.ac.uk/~rcb1/family/gillian.html>
which is some years old now (it refers to <Island of Ghosts>, published
in 1998, as forthcoming) but which appears still to be current in
essentials, and which explains why she has switched genres.
<The Wrong Reflection> has as protagonist an amnesiac man who, from
early in the book, is obviously not in fact human, but either an alien
or a computer intelligence; the book concentrates on his efforts to
make sense of himself. (The title refers to his reaction on looking in
a mirror; he doesn't remember much but *is* quite certain that the face
he sees isn't his.) It is an excellent novel, as one would expect from
Ms. Bradshaw, and I think it's good specifically as science fiction
too. (I don't *think* it's hard sf; the central premise strikes me as
involving some hand-waving; but I hesitate because Ms. Bradshaw's
husband is a physicist and she may know things she doesn't mention.).
I will note that it's easy to read it as a thriller, and it is *not* as
good as a thriller as it is as science fiction - it takes the
protagonist forever to ascertain that he in fact is not human, and if
you treat that as a moment to await with suspense (thriller), you are
likely to get bored waiting for it, but if you treat his uncertainty as
an indication of what sort of non-human person he is (science fiction),
and as characterisation (novel), you're following the right track.
All of that said. While I'm grateful that she has done so, as should
other rasfw readers be, *why on earth is Gillian Bradshaw writing
science fiction?*
On the web page, she comments that she is looking for a new agent
because her "previous agent" holds the opinion that historical fiction
can only be sold as a) bodice-rippers or b) Serious Literature, neither
of which she wants to write; and she says that she's therefore writing
science fiction instead. She had two books appear from Tor, under its
non-sf imprint Forge, after that web page went up - <Island of Ghosts>
and <The Sand-Reckoner>; both are historical fiction, to which Tor
Forge has been consistently friendly (it is, for example, the publisher
for Sharan Newman's Catherine LeVendeur books, some of which have been
reprinted recently). I would assume, but do not know, that both books
were negotiated prior to the web page's posting, by the "previous
agent"; Tor's head, Patrick Nielsen Hayden, has been known to post on
rasfw and may, if it's not confidential, be able to shed some light on
this?
Regardless, <The Wrong Reflection> appeared from Severn House, in
Sutton, Surrey, and New York; the copy I got from the library says it
is a "first world edition".
I am some years away from my work at The Stars Our Destination [1], the
sf bookshop, so I should maybe not comment; but at least up til 1998 I
was not hearing of Severn House as a major publisher of sf in the UK.
I am quite comfortable saying that it is *still* not a major publisher
of sf in the US, either, and that I think it passing odd for an sf
book's UK publisher to hold US rights as well, even in hard covers,
particularly when the author has previously been published by a US
publisher which specialises in sf. I also think it at least a little
odd that I never saw this book in a bookstore - I usually do check for
books by Bradshaw in bookstores, and usually do check the sf sections
in general - but only, the year after publication, in a library.
In sum, my impression, *NOT* backed by actual knowledge, is that <The
Wrong Reflection> was sold either without an agent or with a very poor
one, and Gillian Bradshaw is (or should be) still looking for an agent.
I'm posting this on rasfw for several reasons: to alert rasfw readers
to a good science fiction novel that is unusually obscure in the US
market; to see if anyone there knows more than I do about what's going
on; on the minuscule chance that someone reading rasfw could bid for
movie rights to <The Wrong Reflection>, which would make a fine sf
thriller onscreen although it isn't quite a thriller in print; trolling
for reactions from Tor, who ought at least to be bidding for paperback
rights to the book in *my* humble opinion. I'm posting this on rabh-f
for a couple of reasons: to let Bradshaw's fans know what she's now
doing (alas); to beg rabh-f readers who *are* selling historical novels
(and it's perfectly clear some of you are) to let Bradshaw in on the
secret, or recommend an agent. (The website doesn't give an e-mail
address, but her husband's site, which is more extensive, might provide
clues as to how to reach her; or one could, I suppose, write Severn
House.)
I hope none of y'all mind, and hope some good comes of this.
Joe Bernstein
(planning, by the way, a more extensive return to rasfw in the first
week of August, the week before *I* give up on my soon-to-be-previous
ISP...)
[1] - The Stars Our Destination is also possibly looking at changes,
like me (see just above and .sig) and like Gillian Bradshaw, and I
would encourage rasfw readers who have an interest in the existence of
an sf bookshop near Chicago to consider investing dollars in that
interest in the next month or so. Website, <http://www.sfbooks.com/>.
--
Joe Bernstein, writer and accounting clerk, but hoping soon to return to
bookselling cri...@these-survive.net
http://www.these-survive.net/
Elaine Thompson
<cri...@these-survive.net> wrote:
snipped all around
>On the web page, she comments that she is looking for a new agent
>because her "previous agent" holds the opinion that historical fiction
>can only be sold as a) bodice-rippers or b) Serious Literature, neither
>of which she wants to write; and she says that she's therefore writing
>science fiction instead. She had two books appear from Tor, under its
>non-sf imprint Forge, after that web page went up - <Island of Ghosts>
>and <The Sand-Reckoner>; both are historical fiction, to which Tor
>Forge has been consistently friendly
She has something else coming from Forge in August: THE WOLF HUNT. I
wonder if it's the English of that werewolf story she mentions on her
web page as published in Germany.
Thank you for reviewing her SF - I'd been looking at it, wondering if
it really was by the Gillian Bradshaw who wrote excellent historical
fiction.
--
Elaine Thompson <Ela...@KEThompson.org>
Joe Bernstein
news:<fsk0mto8r0unvgq8i...@4ax.com>...
> She has something else coming from Forge in August: THE WOLF HUNT.
then. Yay. Reading two new Gillian Bradshaw books in one summer is
not something I'd expected I could ever do again.
(That's a hint to all y'all out there for whom all her books are new,
by the way...)
> I wonder if it's the English of that werewolf story she mentions on her
> web page as published in Germany.
there are *two* more historical books by her out there...
Meanwhile I will optimistically conclude that the collective silence
of everyone else is because they're all out reading <The Wrong
Reflection>, as well as all the historical books. Except for the Tor
people, who are (in my optimistic imagination) out negotiating for the
paperback rights, and the agents, who are falling all over each other
trying to sell the movie rights and trying to get her a new contract
for historicals...
(Thinking this way is much more appealing than thinking that there is
really more interest in my complaints about Barry Malzberg typos than
there is in Gillian Bradshaw's doings.)
Joe Bernstein
--
Joe Bernstein, writer and sometime clerk cri...@these-survive.net
http://www.these-survive.net
Lois Tilton
>
> Meanwhile I will optimistically conclude that the collective silence
> of everyone else is because they're all out reading <The Wrong
> Reflection>, as well as all the historical books. Except for the Tor
> people, who are (in my optimistic imagination) out negotiating for the
> paperback rights, and the agents, who are falling all over each other
> trying to sell the movie rights and trying to get her a new contract
> for historicals...
While I can't ever share anyone's optimism, I will second your
anticipation.
--
LT
DARKSPAWN: Get it now before it's pulped!
Richard Lee
Just to confirm that Gillian Bradshaw's new book, The Wolf Hunt, is being
published by Forge this August.
I just read a proof of it on holiday. Based on on of the Lais of Marie de
France, it's set at the time of the First Crusade in Brittany and Normandy. As
ever, the historical side is beautifully done. This is also a lycanthrope tale,
which interested me less - but it is still well done.
Not, to my mind, her best book - but certainly one of my favourite authors, and
thoroughly recommended.
Richard Lee
Publisher/Founder, The Historical Novel Society
website: www.historicalnovelsociety.com
Marine Cottage, The Strand, Starcross, Devon, EX6 8NY. UK.
Micole Iris Sudberg
> Elaine Thompson <Ela...@KEThompson.org> wrote in message
> news:<fsk0mto8r0unvgq8i...@4ax.com>...
>
> > She has something else coming from Forge in August: THE WOLF HUNT.
> > web page as published in Germany.
>
> One presumes, although presuming otherwise would sustain the hope that
> there are *two* more historical books by her out there...
There's a review from :Kirkus: on the Barnes & Noble Web site that
indicates yes, this is the werewolf book. (I wouldn't advise people
to check the review; as usual with Kirkus, it contains spoilers and
its critical evaluation is untrustworthy.)
> Meanwhile I will optimistically conclude that the collective silence
> of everyone else is because they're all out reading <The Wrong
> Reflection>, as well as all the historical books.
Well, in my case, the silence is because the book is now out of stock
at Amazon and apparently unavailable through the usual online sources.
And I haven't seen it anywhere offline at all.
I'm glad you posted your review, though; I'd been wondering if it the
book were worth seeking out.
--m.
cupha...@webtv.net
it came to me. I have an Arthurian trilogy by her that I've not read
for years.
HAWK OF MAY (1980), KINGDOM OF SUMMER (1981), and IN WINTER'S SHADOW
(1982) are the titles and I just have a vague memory of not caring for
them -- ? Perhaps I should read them again and see what I think!
Have others read these books? What have you thought of them?
Nina
Lois Tilton
> HAWK OF MAY (1980), KINGDOM OF SUMMER (1981), and IN WINTER'S SHADOW
> (1982) are the titles and I just have a vague memory of not caring for
> them -- ? Perhaps I should read them again and see what I think!
They are favorites of mine.
LT
--
LT
M.E. Tonkin
I liked them a lot too, though not quite as much as
Mary Stewart's Merlin books.
MET
Joe Bernstein
news:<26501-3B6...@storefull-137.iap.bryant.webtv.net>...
Bradshaw because, although I love most of her books, and love
Arthurian fiction in general, I didn't come anywhere near loving
these; in fact, I didn't even finish the second or third (although not
finishing books is something I've done a lot of in the last few years,
and doesn't mean I thought them *that* bad). I'm not actually sure
what exactly put me off, though I remember being very uninterested in
the narrator of book two. I'll try 'em again someday, but since my
first attempt was just a couple of years ago, it won't be soon.
As witness the other responses here and the fact that these books did
establish her as a writer, this is a minority response.
I will mention, though, that the books are definitely fantasy, as they
were first marketed. There is a certain amount of the "historical
Arthur" schtick, but there is no effort to rationalise everything.
The reason I cross-posted about Ms. Bradshaw to this newsgroup is that
her *subsequent* books for adults have consistently been historical
fiction, straight, until the book I posted a review of.
Joe Bernstein
--
Joe Bernstein cri...@these-survive.net
http://www.these-survive.net/ will soon, actually, contain something
about Gillian Bradshaw, although not about the Arthurian trilogy.