Two by Scalzi

Over the long weekend, I finished two new books from John Scalzi.

Judge Sn Goes Golfing is really a short story, although his publisher Subterranean Press calls it a "chapbook." In the old days, it might have been a lead single issue short for Analog or Asimov, but Scalzi and Subterranean decided to make it available as a limited edition softcover. The story takes a minor character from Scalzi's novel The Android's Dream, puts him on a golf course, salts the text with a slew of Carlin's seven words, and churns out a witty and entertaining story. It's reminiscent of P.G. Wodehouse's The Golf Omnibus, in that you don't need to be a golfer to enjoy the comedic stylings of a great storyteller.

Judge Sn served as an amuse bouche for Scalzi's much more serious new novella The God Engines. It's a major departure for Scalzi. It's a fantasy noir--albeit with hints of an untold science fiction backstory--that gets darker as it progresses.

Modern fantasy basically sucks. It consists either of endless vampire supernatural romance erotica or bloated series of doorstoppers whose authors have or will drop dead before they finish them.

Scalzi has carved out something very refreshing: A concise, exciting, and highly original story. As Robert Thompson explains:

In “The God Engines”, John Scalzi introduces readers to a dark and chilling world where gods not only exist, but can also be tortured, enslaved, or even killed. A world where science has been replaced by faith, where Defiled gods are used as ‘engines’ to power spaceships, where followers may be blessed with Talents—“a thing gods give followers to channel their grace, so the followers may use that grace to their own ends”—and where faith is a tangible power. A world of rooks, Bishop’s Men, and commentaries. A world that is highly imaginative, mostly original (parts of the novella reminded me of James Clemens’ Godslayer Chronicles), immersive despite having only 136 pages to bring the concept to life, and utterly captivating.

In this grim, yet fascinating world, readers will meet a small and well-drawn cast of characters—Captain Ean Tephe of the ship Righteous, Priest Andso, Commander Neal Forn, rook Shalle, the Defiled of the Righteous—who play a pivotal role in the events recorded in “The God Engines”. Events that are straightforward for the most part, but culminate in an explosive and mind-blowing finish full of dark twists and shocking revelations…

And then there's Paul Stott's take on it:

The God Engines is unlike anything he’s done before, shockingly different, both new and completely unexpected. It’s the book Scalzi needed to write in order to mature as a writer and to take his considerable talents to the next level. It’s the book that shows he’s more than just a writer of humorous space operas; he’s also one of the best science fiction writers currently working.

A vastly rich tale set in a theocratic universe, The God Engines is a modern sci-fi classic, an intriguing examination of faith and worship and godhood. Intelligent and provocative, the narrative reminds me of a classic Twilight Zone episode, well-written, multi-leveled and rich with ideas. The God Engines is the best thing yet from John Scalzi and worthy of award consideration.

As you might expect from my opening comments, I disagree somewhat with Stott's take that The God Engines is science fiction. It's a hybrid of fantasy and science fiction, with the latter elements peeking through from time to time from a largely concealed backstory. It establishes Scalzi as someone capable of writing successfully in both genres.

In sum, highly recommended.