John Brunner by Jad Smith

[james_davis_nicoll]

John Brunner by Jad Smith

A brief examination of speculative fiction author John Brunner's life and career.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

Delighted to hear of a Brunner review project.

"As well, Brunner found himself the target of negative reviews and unpleasant behavior from jealous peers of considerable reputation, as well as Charles Platt."

Wow.

[james_davis_nicoll]

Platt is, as far as I know, the only person to have had fictional stand-ins killed off by both David Drake and Spider Robinson. Not sure what Robinson has against him but Drake was kind enough to provide an explanation.

[(Anonymous)]

Where was the Robinson appearance? It's been many years since I last read a Spider Robinson book. And I've always been bad at remembering names, anyway.

[james_davis_nicoll]

Variable Star. To quote:

"A machinist named C. Platt got careless with a torch and became our first death. He was not widely mourned."

[(Anonymous)]

And that Robinson book, I started and quickly decided I really didn't want to read, so.

I suspect that Platt said something hurtful relating to Robert Heinlein.

[(Anonymous)]

As I mentioned on rasfw, Platt wrote a hit piece on "Stranger in a Strange Land" for New Worlds Quarterly.

I thought it dishonest and sophomoric. I imagine that a Real Heinlein Fan would have considered burning the book.

William Hyde

[(Anonymous)]

My first significant exposure to Platt was about a decade ago when he wrote on Bng Bng about how he loved his part time job at Walmart, and how Walmart was the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful corporation he'd known in his whole life.

[ba_munronoe]

He sounds kinda...special.

[agharta75]

That was a zing.