Now and Forever: Somewhere a Band Is Playing & Leviathan '99

Somewhere a Band is Playing wasn't really my thing. Bradbury's prose is too saccharine and the ending is a muddle, a poor attempt at some sort of dramatic tension.

Surprisingly I preferred Leviathan 99. The prose is a little less sweet this time around, there's more of an edge and Bradbury does a good job of transposing Moby Dick to space. It still has its weak moments but overall it was a fun yarn.

If the first tale was two stars, I think the second is probably worth three; so 2.5 overall. ( )

In 2007, his novella collection "Now and Forever" was released, offering two new tales from the master writer. The first story -- "Somewhere a Band Is Playing" -- revolves around James Cardiff, an adventurer, if you will, who while sleeping one night hears a strange music when his eyes close. The words of a poem fitting the music etch themselves in his inner vision, and he's drawn to the middle of nowhere in Arizona. There he discovers the town of Summerton, population uncertain, but the residents harbor a great secret, one to which forces James to make a life-changing decision.

The story is an effective fantasy spin on what it means to be a writer. Not simply the process of writing, but how it affects the writer and what writing means to the writer.

The second novella -- "Leviathan '99" -- is Bradbury's re-telling of the classic Melville novel Moby Dick. He moves the action from the seas of Earth to the more vast sea of stars and space. Ishmael spins his tale of a ship's captain, determined to find the bright white comet that blinded him, no matter the cost to himself or to his crew.

I can't think of a better writer to transpose the tale into the expanse of outer space. That sense of wonder and adventure remains intact while still managing to have the spirit of Melville attached to it with how the characters speak and act. (It doesn't hurt that he co-wrote the script for the 1958 film version or re-counted his time spent with the writing in his novel "Green Shadows, White Whale".)

"Now and Forever" offers two prime examples of why Bradbury is considered one of the foremost writers. If you've yet to read anything from him, I suggest checking out this one. ( )

If the whole book was the nouvella SOMEWHERE THE BAND WAS PLAYING, it would be a five year. I kept saying to myself as I read alooooooowly "this, now, is truly a writer." Bradbury makes me salivate with his prose paintings.. And I do not care if neither story is terribly original (the first modelled after BRIGADOON and the second, of course, Melville's MOBY DICK, they shone with Ray's originality. ( )

Two novellas in one volume: a format that has, recently, driven me to cynical mutterings about publishers letting under-par or under-length pieces do the financial legwork of a decent novel. I’m pleased to say that not only are both these offerings perfect for the novella format, they are easily of the expected standard of the author, and both have short introductions which make interesting additional reading.

I have read perhaps only a third of Bradbury's stories, but I have read enough to know to expect intriguing and quirky sci-fi. What I wasn’t expecting was the almost indescribably sweet sadness of Somewhere a Band is Playing. Told in brief, visually strong chapters, it describes the discovery by a young journalist of a town where nobody ages or dies, and the affinity he feels for the place and the people. In the introduction, Bradbury tells us all the elements that came together to form, if not the plot, then the atmosphere of Somewhere a Band…; elements that combine to provoke just the right sense of yearning and jeopardy. In comparison Leviathan ‘99 is almost predictable Bradbury; that’s not to say it isn’t clever, moving, interesting or well-written sci-fi – just that those things could have been predicted before I began reading it. I say ‘almost’… a science-fiction retelling of Moby Dick isn’t precisely something I would have foretold (but it does answer the expectation of ‘quirk’). Bradbury’s introduction, wherein he tells us that he’d tried the story – repeatedly – as a radio-play script, speaks to his delight with the idea of relocating and revisiting the epic, obsessive battle. Oddly enough, while Moby Dick is a hefty tome even in its abridged-all-to-hell state, Leviathan ‘99 carries off the same feel in a comparative nutshell. It’s my favourite of the two, and one of my favourite Bradbury tales, although I felt the climax could have been stronger.

So, a couple of must-read stories for Bradbury fans, pieces that work well together for their equally emotive poetry. Would I prefer to see them in a longer collection? Of course – but I’m going to make the rare condescension and say that this volume is a worthy addition in itself… I’m not even biased by the nice rough-guillotined edges, one of those nice tactile touches that nearly always push me over the edge of any prevaricating when it comes to book purchases. While I might buy on a whim, I only recommend what I love… and I loved these two tales. ( )

Overall I wasn't impressed. Each story has high points and very nice prose, but there's better Bradbury out there. ( )