Starplex: A blast from the past!
by Rob - July 13th, 2024.Filed under: Uncategorized. Tagged as: Canadian SF.
Ahmed A. Khan sent me a scan of a reader’s letter published in the May 1997 issue of Analog Science Fiction & Fact magazine about my novel Starplex, which was serialized in four parts in that magazine before being published by Ace; I don’t believe I’d ever seen this letter before:
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Dear Analog:
I suppose it is appropriate to establish my credentials before launching into my dissertation: I have been an avid reader of science fiction literature for 45 years. I have attempted writing for the genre and never succeeded, but have never become less of a fan. My comments, following, are directed not only to you, but also to author Robert J. Sawyer. I have never been inspired to submit comments of this sort before.
Starplex is, without conditions, the most exciting, spellbinding, informative and entertaining work of science fiction I have ever had the pleasure to read! There is, simply, no comparison I can make to any of the thousands of short-short, short, serialized or novel-length works that have passed before my eyes.
I have learned more about astrophysics than I ever intended or wanted to know. I have been introduced to three “alien” species, and one home-grown species that man knows so little about as to be considered “alien.” But, all are believable, and leave me yearning to know more about them and their relationships with one another and the human species.
For four months I have read and reread each of the episodes. Instead of being gratified when the final episode was concluded I was, as I have stated, yearning for more.
Congratulations on choosing to print Starplex. And sincerest thanks to author Robert J. Sawyer for creating this work. It should be, and probably will be, chosen to emulate science fiction literature for generations of up-and-coming authors.
Keep up the outstanding work of publishing interesting and entertaining literature found in the pages of Analog.
NORMAN E. CHURCHILL
Tehachapi, CA 93561
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STARPLEX was the only novel of its year to be nominated for both the Hugo and the Nebula Awards. It won Canada’s Aurora Award and the CompuServe Science Fiction Literature Forum’s Homer Award, both for best novel of the year. It was also a finalist for the Japanese Seiun Award for best foreign SF novel.
Buying links: https://sfwriter.com/buylinks.htm#sx
July 13th, 2024 at 8:13 pm
What a great commendation!
Speaking of astrophysics, I just finished Downloaded. I loved all the scenarios and plot twists; memorable. And I enjoy how you make it all so relatable. Congratulations!