Larry Shone's brief comments on some genre works

Fellow novels' blogger talks of some authors first read during 2009, & some of their works.

Couple of comments:

1. Jack London: "never came across any of his books anywhere!"
   I've a feeling most of what he's written is now in public domain. Try places like Project Gutenberg.
   
   I've'nt read a lot by him, but he can be hard to read except perhaps for native English speakers. Uses a lot of colloquial words, if I recall correctly - probably North American slang.
2. Lensman series of "doc" Smith: I've read only the first 3 books. The real classic so far has been the first half of the 3rd book ("Galactic Patrol", I think). Also, the first book in the series, "Triplanetary", is online at Project Gutenberg.
3. Jack Vance: One of the best known novels of linguistic sf is his "The Languages of Pao". I've'nt read a lot of his novels, but what I've read of his short fiction is generally very cool.

Jack London's "A Relic of the Pliocene" (short story, adventure, free): One man with primitive weapons hunting a mammoth

While often listed among the sf stories, its sf connection is a bit tenuous. At least one mammoth has survived to our times, in very northern latitudes! I think in Alaska or Canada - I'm not sure. Author could very well have chosen another (& modern) dangerous animal to hunt.

I found first half of the story somewhat uninteresting; later part - of actual hunt - is a fast moving adventure.

Story summary.

Thomas Stevens is a loner & adventurer in far north (of Americas?) One night, his camp & his litter of dog-pups was wrecked by a mammoth who paid a surprise visit. That made Stevens mad, & he went after the mammoth - armed with a "hand axe"!!

Rest of the story is of man's wit against the mammoth. Idea is to trap the animal in a valley with a narrow entrance, closed with rocks after mammoth's entry. Then tiring him out in a multi-day hunt.

Fact sheet.

First published: Collier’s, 12 January 1901.
Rating: B
Download full text from The Wondersmith.