Reflection's Edge

Book Review: More Giants of the Genre, by Michael McCarty

Reviewer: Romie Stott

More Giants of the Genre is a collection of interviews with some of the big names in genre fiction. It is a sequel to Giants of the Genre.

As an interviewer, Mike McCarty knows his stuff. His questions are well-researched and thoughtful, and they always keep the focus on his subject. (No showboating here.) Moreover, he has a genuine and enthusiastic love of genre that comes through in his approach to its luminaries. His interviews may be puff pieces devoid of criticism, but this does not make them uninformative. Instead, he's the geeky older brother you never had, trying to turn the uninformed on to the things he loves; at the same time, he knows enough to ask the in-depth and probing questions required by the already converted. As such, we can forgive and even enjoy his excited and almost worshipful introductions - and based on the content of many of the interviews, he should be thrilled.

More Giants of the Genre contains interviews with Whitley Strieber, Laurel K. Hamilton, Harry Turtledove, Boris Vallejo & Julie Bell, The Amazing Kreskin, Joe R. Lansdale, Connie Willis, Alan Dean Foster, Reggie Bannister, Graham Masterson, Max Collins, Stephen Jones, Charles Grant, Linnea Quigley, Michael Romkey, Lara Parker & Kathryn Leigh Scott, Terry Pratchett, Ingrid Pitt, Harlan Ellison, William F. Nolan, John Carpenter, Richard Matheson, and Terry Brooks.

Some of these names - like Harlan Ellison and Terry Pratchett - should be well-known to everyone. Others are more obscure cult figures - such as Reggie Bannister, star of the Phantasm movie series, and the ladies of Dark Shadows. Still others are people whose names you may not know, but whose work you probably recognize, such as the fantasy artists Boris Vallejo & Julie Bell. Among this diverse group, the best interview subject is Connie Willis, author of Doomsday Book; she is graceful and enthusiastic, freely discussing her work, her love of history, and her approach to genre.

There are no bad interviews in More Giants of the Genre, and although most, if not all, were previously published in various magazines, they have been expanded with new content for this reprint. The interviews are fun to read regardless of one's prior level of acquaintance with their subjects; they often offer interesting bits of history, philosophy, science, and advice for beginning writers. In the end, the greatest strength of this book is the diversity of its subjects; regardless of who you are, you'll find some names you know and love, some names you know and hate - and some new-to-you genre classics you'll want to check out.

To buy More Giants of the Genre, click here.

For a sample of Michael McCarty's work, check out this interview with Charles De Lint, from the April 2005 issue of Reflection's Edge: "Someplace to Be Flying"



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