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When murder strikes at the reunion of a Science Fiction fan club, it falls to writer Jay Omega to turn sleuth--and separate science fiction from fact to catch the killer.Tags
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Zombies took me a while to warm to. It's not the romp that its predecessor was, and if the reader is expecting Bimbos II, he isn't going to get it. However, on its own terms Zombies is satisfying—a rather darker, more gothic view of fandom and its idols, and what that can do to the idols when their "family" skeletons are brought out and made to dance. The book's somber tone is consonant with McCrumb's "Ballad" series, and almost feels like a crossover. Which isn't to say that there aren't funny moments in the book; there are. It's just not candy reading, and I for one applaud McCrumb for digging deeper into fandom and what it means. (I wish she'd write one or two more like this.)
A group of science fiction fans who lived and wrote together for a brief period in the 1950s reunites to dig up a time capsule that's been buried underwater for decades. Since some of them have since become big name writers, the unpublished manuscripts inside the capsule are expected to be worth a lot of money. But then someone unexpected shows up at the reunion, and a murder soon follows.
Years ago I read McCrumb's Bimbos of the Death Sun, a light-hearted murder mystery set at a science fiction convention, and was less than thrilled with it, as I found her treatment of fans a bit mean-spirited. Others seemed to find it funny rather than offensive, though, leading me to think that perhaps I was being a bit oversensitive. So when a free show more copy of her follow-up novel fell into my lap, I figured I'd give her another chance.
Well, this one did bug me somewhat less on that score. She definitely shows something of a dark side to fandom, but it's not an entirely unbalanced one, and if the characters are all a bit loser-ish, they are at least loser-ish in varied and reasonably realistic ways. And her depiction of 1950s SF fandom seems really pretty clueful. (Or at least, it does to me; admittedly, that was a fair bit before my time.) Unfortunately, though, the story itself was dull. It takes half the book for anything at all to happen, and the murder doesn't even take place until three quarters of the way through. It's not terribly compelling once it does, either, and it's wrapped up ridiculously quickly with some ridiculously implausible revelations. I was at least surprised by who dunnit, but that's about all I can say for the plot.
The title really doesn't do the book any favors, either, as it seems to promise a deliberately cheesy comic romp when, despite a few moments of variably successful humor, it's really not any of those things. show less
Years ago I read McCrumb's Bimbos of the Death Sun, a light-hearted murder mystery set at a science fiction convention, and was less than thrilled with it, as I found her treatment of fans a bit mean-spirited. Others seemed to find it funny rather than offensive, though, leading me to think that perhaps I was being a bit oversensitive. So when a free show more copy of her follow-up novel fell into my lap, I figured I'd give her another chance.
Well, this one did bug me somewhat less on that score. She definitely shows something of a dark side to fandom, but it's not an entirely unbalanced one, and if the characters are all a bit loser-ish, they are at least loser-ish in varied and reasonably realistic ways. And her depiction of 1950s SF fandom seems really pretty clueful. (Or at least, it does to me; admittedly, that was a fair bit before my time.) Unfortunately, though, the story itself was dull. It takes half the book for anything at all to happen, and the murder doesn't even take place until three quarters of the way through. It's not terribly compelling once it does, either, and it's wrapped up ridiculously quickly with some ridiculously implausible revelations. I was at least surprised by who dunnit, but that's about all I can say for the plot.
The title really doesn't do the book any favors, either, as it seems to promise a deliberately cheesy comic romp when, despite a few moments of variably successful humor, it's really not any of those things. show less
I read this after Bimbos of the Death Sun; unfortunately, this shows many of the flaws of Bimbos and few of the good traits. The mystery aspect of the story is if anything weaker; from the discovery of the murder to the end of the book is 26 pages, and they're 26 pages from a novelist, not a short story writer. There's an aspect of forensics that's a bit absurd; if the autopsy would have revealed what it did (and that's a big "if" provided they weren't looking for it), they certainly wouldn't have found it in twelve hours. Judging this story by other elements, the setting is less dynamic and interesting than the science fiction convention, and instead the honest if obnoxious fans of Bimbos, you get a lot of vitriol tossed at science show more fiction, and a cast full of nasty and sometimes self-loathing characters.
I was looking for a nice fun read combined with a decent mystery, and I didn't find either here. If the darker characters are more to your taste, and you aren't worried about the mystery, then you may enjoy it more. show less
I was looking for a nice fun read combined with a decent mystery, and I didn't find either here. If the darker characters are more to your taste, and you aren't worried about the mystery, then you may enjoy it more. show less
This mystery novel is not about the mystery, really.
Sure, there's a murder. Off-screen. The edition I read is 274 pages long; the body is found on page 181 and it's only know to be a murder on page 242. But don't get me wrong, there IS a mystery, but it's really all about the protagonist(s) exploring and exposing the deep past of fantasy/sci fi fandom and exposing the truths.
Yep, this is another great book, if you might enjoy reading about a one-time science fiction writer who would rather be an engineering prof, and the love of his life, the English prof who grew up a fangirl, but has (mostly) matured.
The first book in this series took place at a science fiction convention, as they existed in the 80s/early90s. And it also focused show more more around the environment and characters you'd get in such a setting. This book has a group of Industry pros/pro-fans from the 50s who get together to open a time capsule they'd buried way back when. Then a supposedly-dead member of their group turns up and hints at his intent to dig up long-buried secrets, alongside the capsule.
A fun read. McCrumb has, both times, transported me to a situation I'll never be able to participate in. Fun, relaxing... a get-away read, for me. show less
Sure, there's a murder. Off-screen. The edition I read is 274 pages long; the body is found on page 181 and it's only know to be a murder on page 242. But don't get me wrong, there IS a mystery, but it's really all about the protagonist(s) exploring and exposing the deep past of fantasy/sci fi fandom and exposing the truths.
Yep, this is another great book, if you might enjoy reading about a one-time science fiction writer who would rather be an engineering prof, and the love of his life, the English prof who grew up a fangirl, but has (mostly) matured.
The first book in this series took place at a science fiction convention, as they existed in the 80s/early90s. And it also focused show more more around the environment and characters you'd get in such a setting. This book has a group of Industry pros/pro-fans from the 50s who get together to open a time capsule they'd buried way back when. Then a supposedly-dead member of their group turns up and hints at his intent to dig up long-buried secrets, alongside the capsule.
A fun read. McCrumb has, both times, transported me to a situation I'll never be able to participate in. Fun, relaxing... a get-away read, for me. show less
Just as enjoyable as Bimbos of the Death Sun. McCrumb has a great sense of humor, and the interweaving of fandom, nostalgia, sci-fi is pretty impressive. It never really took off for me, but I think I wasn't paying attention properly to each individual character. If anything, I wanted the book to be longer which is always a good sign!
I liked this book better that the first in the series. It still dealt with the fandom around science fiction and its weirdness in its early history. A group of early fans and wannabe writers formed a secret club and lived on a farm in TN, sort of a writer's colony. Plans to reunite 30 years after their break-up fell apart when the area was flooded. The waters have been halted as work is done on the dam and the reunion and retrieval of a time capsule has to happen now. All of the still living members arrive and Jay and Marion attend as guests of one of the members. But a particularly nasty member who was believed dead returns and then is killed. Jay and Marion try to sort out the murderer and the secrets of all the members. This fell show more much more into the traditional murder mystery genre. show less
A group of 1950’s era science fiction writers and fans gather for a reunion. The farm they lived on years ago was covered over by a lake and the lake is being drained. They have buried a time capsule there containing short stories that could make them a fortune. A mysterious man from their past shows up to ruin the festivities and is promptly murdered. Who is the murderer? Which one has a secret that they are willing to kill to protect?
This book is not as good as its predecessor. The first book “Bimbos of The Death Sun” is a hilarious look at fans and science fiction conventions. This book is less humorous and more of a look at the other side of fandom, the lives of the authors that fans idolize
This book is not as good as its predecessor. The first book “Bimbos of The Death Sun” is a hilarious look at fans and science fiction conventions. This book is less humorous and more of a look at the other side of fandom, the lives of the authors that fans idolize
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Author Information
86+ Works 15,059 Members
Sharyn McCrumb was born in Wilmington, North Carolina on February 26, 1948. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and received an M.A. in English from Virginia Tech. Her novels include the Elizabeth MacPherson series and the Ballad series. St. Dale won a 2006 Library of Virginia Award and the Appalachian Writers show more Association Book of the Year Award. Ghost Riders won the Wilma Dykeman Award for Literature and the Audie Award for Best Recorded Book. She has received numerous awards for her work including the Sherwood Anderson Short Story Award, the Perry F. Kendig Award for Achievement in Literary Arts, the Chaffin Award for Southern Literature, and the Plattner Award for Short Story. In 2014, she received the Mary Frances Hobson Prize for Southern Literature by North Carolina's Chowan University. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Zombies of the Gene Pool
- Original title
- Zombies of the Gene Pool
- Original publication date
- 1992
- People/Characters
- James Owens Mega; Dr. Marion Farley; Dr. Erik Giles; Jim Conyers; George Woodard; Brendan Surn (show all 13); Lorien Williams; Ruben "Bunzie" Mistral; Angela Arbroath; Pat Malone; Geoff Duke; Sarah Ashley; Barbara Conyers
- Important places
- Wall Hollow, Tennessee, USA
- Important events
- Lanthanide Reunion
- Epigraph
- (Chapter 1) Even death will not release you.
An expression of the Los Angeles Science Fiction Society, ca. 1949
(Chapter 2) Just like a Daugherty project, except that it will actually happen . . .
--Francis Towner Laney
An expression of anticipation in Fifth Fandom
(Chapter 3) For three months gravity feeds the main sluice pulled nightly at the dam. The reservoir drains. Each afternoon he stops on the bluff to watch the valley fill with air, light wrapping the fine branches of tree... (show all)s rising from the surface full-grown but leafless, though no wind has blown for thirty-seven years.
--Don Johnson
Watauga Drawdown
(Chapter 4) Fans are always at their best in letters, and I took them at their self-stated value.
--Francis Towner Laney
"Ah, Sweet Idiocy"
(Chapter 5) Real Soon Now -- When the MSFS/DSFL was going to have: a convention, a decent fanzine, an active membership, a properly run meeting, and many other fine things that didn't quite happen.
--Fancyclopedia I... (show all)I
(Chapter 6) In the town's open grave he lies under star spillage, bone cold and sore, thinking his way home.
--Don Johnson
Watauga Drawdown
(Chapter 7) . . . One family returns every year on Memorial Day to row out and sink a wreath on what they think is the ancestral burial plot. But one of the older boys admits that he thinks an aging uncle confused the spo... (show all)t with his favorite fishing hole and they have for years been honoring a living channel cat.
--Don Johnson
"The Mayor of Butler"
(Chapter 8) Pseuicide -- The fannish term for faking someone's death. Since most of fandom is conducted by mail, hoaxes are relatively easy to perpetrate.
(Chapter 9) Why have you come here
to this place you say
you never liked, where
mockingbirds read your mind . . .
--Don Johnson
"The House in the Woods"
from Watauga Drawdown... (show all)i>
(Chapter 10) Where fuggheadedness is the norm, no one can be blamed for falling into occasional fuggheaded lapses. But constant association with fuggheads inures us. Our threshold of receptivity for fuggheadedness become... (show all)s dangerously high. It takes a titanic and overwhelming piece of asininity to rise above the background and strike us. . . . I'd been away from fans too long, I guess. My fuggheadedness threshold was extremely low -- too low to protect me.
--Francis Towner Laney
Fan-Dango 21
(Chapter 11) Ever a Stormy Petrel Unto Us
--Francis Towner Laney's epitaph in fandom.
(The term is used figuratively for one whose coming always portends trouble.)
(Chapter 12) He wanted to pound on their doors, call them out in their housecoats and frowsy pajamas, and tell them in clear words that time buries itself like a river under a lake that river feeds, that though the past is... (show all) irretrievable, nothing left down there is gone.
--Don Johnson
Watauga Drawdown
(Chapter 13) The chief reason I am writing these memoirs is to try to get you, and you, and you to face your own personal problems like men instead of like fans, get you out of the drugging microcosm, and triumph over what... (show all)ever is keeping you in fandom.
--Francis Towner Laney
"Ah, Sweet Idiocy"
(Chapter 14) He could see himself in six months, afloat on the refilled Watauga, where the drowned swim forever. . . .
--Don Johnson
Watauga Drawdown - Dedication
- To Michael Dobson, the State of Franklin Science Fiction Society, and Francis Towner Laney.
With thanks to Don Johnson, for the use of Watauga Drawdown. - First words
- Jay Omega decided to wait until the shouting stopped before he knocked.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)"Fuggheads."
- Disambiguation notice
- ISBN 0345364279 belongs to The Windsor Knot.
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