THE LORDLY ONES

by Keith Roberts ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 1987

From the author of Kiteworld and Molly Zero: seven stories, of fairly recent vintage, speculative rather than outright science fictional, and with a strong British accent; some of them will be familiar to sf magazine readers. The best here is the title story, wherein a simple-minded municipal men's-room attendant watches uncomprehendingly as the social fabric of near-future Britain unravels into destruction and civil war; it is a small masterpiece by any standard. In another tale with disappointingly similar ingredients, a tongue-tied, voyeuristic men's-room attendant in like circumstances betrays his injured guest. Elsewhere, a photographer's earnest wish brings a classical nymph statue to life; events inevitably conspire to destroy him. Also on display: an enigmatic ghost story; another in Roberts' series of yarns about Anita, a modern-day witch; and a rather asinine comic piece about an opera singer's remarkable effects on her audience. A fairly typical Roberts spectrum, then: quiet, finely crafted, and often highly effective.

Pub Date: April 1, 1987

ISBN: 1587151324

Page Count: -

Publisher: Victor Gollancz--dist. by David & Charles

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 1987

Categories: FICTION