Slippage: Previously Uncollected, Precariously Poised Stories: Amazon.ca: Harlan Ellison: Books

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From Amazon

Harlan Ellison is undoubtedly one of the most audacious, infuriating, brazen characters on the planet. Which may help explain why he is also one of the most brilliant, innovative, and eloquent writers on earth. Slippage simply presents recent, typical Ellison. In a word, masterful. The 21 stories in this 1997 collection, which is encased in black boxes, show Ellison at the height of his powers, with several of the stories (no surprise here) major award-winners. Highlights include a black mind reader who pays a visit to a white serial killer, a husband who falls prey to a vampiric personal computer, and a love affair between a young man and a woman who may be more undead than alive. Perhaps even more fascinating are the painfully candid snapshots of autobiography running throughout the volume. Even if Ellison's unsettling fictions are not enough to dazzle you, his often bizarre life experiences as an author will still keep you compulsively turning the page like a polite voyeur. --Stanley Wiater --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Ellison writes contemporary, absorbing, literate sf and fantasy that often go beyond the genres' boundaries. The Nebula and Hugo award-winning author of I Have No Mouth & I Must Scream (1967) and Deathbird Stories (1975) has compiled here 18 short stories, two essays, and one teleplay previously published in genre periodicals and anthologies but never before collected in one volume. Included is his award-winning novella, "Mephisto in Onyx," a powerful story of a black psychic whose friend convinces him to look into the mind of a white Alabama serial killer. Essential for both general short story and sf collections.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Customer Reviews

14 Reviews

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3.9 out of 5 stars (14 customer reviews)

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5.0 out of 5 stars A masterpiece, Dec 21 2002

By

Branden Poole (Washington, D.C.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Slippage: Previously Uncollected, Precariously Poised Stories (Paperback)

I've been a fan of Harlan ever since first learning of him back in the early 90s. I picked up one of his story collections....and then another, and another, until now I've read just about all of them. I truly believe that when it's all said and done, Ellison will be remembered as being one of the absolute best writers of speculative fiction that have ever lived.

Note those key words: "speculative fiction". Harlan himself has mentioned before that he doesn't want to be pigeonholed into one genre (i.e. stuck with the constraining label of "science fiction writer", although much of his work would fall into the sci-fi field). And he doesn't limit himself to one genre. So I would tell you, whomever you are reading this review, to take some of the opinions of my fellow reviewers ("This book isn't sci-fi enough!!!") with a grain of salt.

"Slippage" is another masterpiece by Harlan. It's one of my favorites, and I feel that some of the work here rivals some of his best. It's a beautiful work, one that touches the soul in places, particularly in "The Man Who Rowed Columbus Ashore", as well as the award-winning "Mefisto in Onyx".

I strongly urge any fan of speculative fiction to pick up this book, and be welcomed into the wonderland of Ellison.

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5.0 out of 5 stars A strong collection of stories by one of our best authors, May 3 2002

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"morpheus611" (Dalton, GA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Slippage: Previously Uncollected, Precariously Poised Stories (Paperback)

This is perhaps Ellison's best collection. It easily rivals Angry Candy (1988), which is widely considered to be his best work. The centerpiece of Slippage is the novella "Mefisto in Onyx." It is not only a well crafted story with too many twists to count, but it is a great commentary on race, gender, and human relations in general. Another jem in this collection is "The Man Who Rowed Christopher Columbus Ashore," which is a great tale of an unlimited man living in a limited world. This story is touching, contemplative, and horrifying at times. It was included in the 1993 Best American Short Stories. Many other stories are included as well as three essays: The introduction is worth the cost of the book, An essay on Ellison's writing process, and an essay about the dangers of television for writers. You also have to admire a man who puts someone else's short story in his collection and praises it. Included is Donald Westlake's striking "Nackles". A tale about hate, more or less. Many other stories are included and all are well polished. This is among my favorite Ellison collections.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Nearly the Best of Ellison, Sep 20 2001

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doomsdayer520 (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Slippage: Previously Uncollected, Precariously Poised Stories (Paperback)

This great collection gives you a representative sampling of Ellison's best short stories, and prove that he is far from a science fiction writer, which is what most people think. Sure, some of his stories definitely are sci-fi, like "Chatting with Anubis" and "Midnight in the Sunken Cathedral". However, most of Ellison's tales are better described as speculative fiction, and mostly consist of biting social observation. The best example is the classic "Mefisto in Onyx" which adds the supernatural to a treatise on racial tension, and the "Nackles" stories which deal with the uncomfortable realities of child abuse in the guise of a Christmas fairy tale. Ellison even veers into fantasy ("The Dragon on the Bookshelf") and bizarre character sketches ("The Man Who Rowed Christopher Columbus Ashore") while keeping his offbeat but perceptive worldview intact.

Here you can see that Ellison as a writer is impossible to categorize, and also impossible to ignore. (Note: For an even better collection, see the similarly-packaged volume "Angry Candy".)

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Most recent customer reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Ellison: The Loud, Cranky Windmill Tilter
I keep a copy of Slippage in my house and I take another copy on the road. "The Man Who Rowed Christopher Columbus Ashore" is, perhaps, one of the most brilliant bits... Read more

Published on May 26 2001 by Jay Smith

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic
It doesn't pack the emotional whallop of Angry Candy, but Slippage is one book you'll take off the shelf over and over again to reread an old favorite. Read more

Published on May 9 2001 by Jamie Jeffords