Subject: 2 reviews: "Streetlethal" & "Gorgon Child" by Steven Barnes

From: [email-masked] (p-m agapow)
Date: 25 Sep 1996 23:58:24 -0400

"Streetlethal"and "Gorgon Child" by Steven Barnes
	A Postview, copyright 1996 p-m agapow

In a Los Angeles ruined by earthquake and disease, Aubry Knight is an
enforcer for one of the gangs that rules the decaying city.  But now he
wants out ... and later has to confront an (inevitably) fanatical religious
demagogue and his monstrous army.

Ever think that you have just too much time on your hands?

After reading these two, head to head, the thought flashes through my brain.
Which is perhaps being too harsh on "Streetlethal," a small, unambitious and
straightforward story that would offend few people.  Indeed it's perhaps too
unambitious and straightforward - it is likely to thrill few people as well.

But "Gorgon Child" caves into histrionics and vapid action, as it
frantically trys to whip some sort of tension into the story.  Aubry becomes
demoralised.  He becomes glum and weak.  He suffers.  He gets motivated.  He
works out and gets more muscles.  He beats the snot out of a token enemy.  I
lost count of how many times this basic loop of events was repeated, with
endless descriptions of Aubry's skin "hardening and swelling" with exercise.
By the end he must have been as large as a truck.  I had this image of the
Michelin Man leaping out at his opponents, shouting "Hee-yah!" and then
falling upon them and crushing them to death.  ("Wow Aubry - there's nothing
left of them but a red smear!" "Yes, that's because my skin is HARD!")

A model example to all authors that you shouldn't write a sequel if you have
nothing to say.  And there's been another sequel ("Firedance") released
recently.  As a pair, [*/misfire] and "American Ninja 3" on the Sid and
Nancy scale.

%A Steven Barnes
%T Streetlethal
%D 1983

%T Gorgon Child
%D 1989

paul-michael agapow ([email-masked]), La Trobe Uni, Infocalypse
[archived at http://www.cs.latrobe.edu.au/~agapow/Postviews/]