Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Warner Books (1987), 221 pages
Description
An apocalyptic visionary convicted of murdering over 1500 innocent people, can project images of her vision of the future onto a screen. Her vision hides a secret and a mystery vital to the lives of everyone.
User reviews
LibraryThing member ncgraham
The Magician sat alone on a stage in the Constellation Club, playing Bach to the robots whirling a grave minuet around him as they sucked cigarette butts off the floor.
Who could resist a first chapter that starts with such a sentence? Not I!
Patricia McKillip wrote Fool’s Run in 1987, at the end
The plot is quite complicated, and the web of characters that holds it together is even more so, but I’ll do my best to provide a basic run-down. Seven years before the story begins, Terra Viridian killed 1,500 innocent people and was sentenced to lifelong incarceration in a space prison known as the Underworld. Now a research group is requesting Underworld chief Jason Kylos’ permission to monitor Terra’s brain; at the same time, he is also negotiating with scholar and club owner Sidney Halleck to send a band to the Underworld as part of a prisoner rehabilitation program. Back on earth, the Musician, a pianist for Sidney’s house band, Nova, begins having vague premonitions while playing Bach. Meanwhile, his friend Aaron Fischer continues his search for a woman out of the past who he thinks will be able to answer all his questions. When Nova falls upon hard times, another mysterious woman—a former band member, the gold-masked Queen of Hearts—appears to help them.
The characters I have named are the most important to the plot, but even the most trivial members of this extensive cast are well-drawn. The settings are both rich and unfamiliar, awash in McKillip’s luscious, dreamy prose.
There are fewer supernatural happenings here than in most of the author’s fantasy novels, mostly because the only departures from accepted reality occur (or seem to occur) in Terra’s mind. This is fitting, I think, because in typical McKillip the fantastic elements are almost always reflections of her characters’ emotional struggles. Indeed, these books could as easily be termed novels of psychological and relational development as sci-fi/fantasy. Fool’s Run in particular is about the demands of time, the vain pursuits humans chase after in order to bring meaning to their lives, and the danger of shutting other people out.
I love this quote:
We are born surrounded by mysteries, he though. We make our compromises with terror, with wonder, so that we can go about the business of simply surviving from one day to another … We achieve a balance on the high wire, take one slow step after another, while the wire shakes and the wind blows, and nobody wants the unknown, the unexpected, with wings like some alien insect out of a gaudy, gargantuan jungle to sail by and sweep us off balance …
There are a few things I don’t like about this novel. For one, the content is more mature than in most of the author’s books, comprising strong swearing and one very sensual bedroom scene. Eventually we do learn why Terra killed all those people, but we never learn why she in particular was chosen. And the Magician, despite being fascinating initially, receives almost no character development: things happen to him, but he never changes. The epilogue is generally disappointing, and I couldn’t make any sense of the last line at all.
Regardless, this is a book that I will be thinking about for some time to come. In recent years McKillip has proclaimed that she is not really a sci-fi writer, and I certainly never considered myself a sci-fi reader, but unless I am mistaken, Fool’s Run is a science fiction novel, and in spite of some quibbles, I enjoyed it.
Who could resist a first chapter that starts with such a sentence? Not I!
Patricia McKillip wrote Fool’s Run in 1987, at the end
Show More
of a three-book run of science fiction works, after which she returned to her accustomed genre of medieval fantasy in novels such as The Book of Atrix Wolfe, Winter Rose, and Song for the Basilisk. Those are more my usual cup of tea as well, but when I found the long-out-of-print Fool’s Run at a used bookstore, saw McKillips name on the spine, and then read that wonderful first chapter, I couldn’t do anything but buy and read it.The plot is quite complicated, and the web of characters that holds it together is even more so, but I’ll do my best to provide a basic run-down. Seven years before the story begins, Terra Viridian killed 1,500 innocent people and was sentenced to lifelong incarceration in a space prison known as the Underworld. Now a research group is requesting Underworld chief Jason Kylos’ permission to monitor Terra’s brain; at the same time, he is also negotiating with scholar and club owner Sidney Halleck to send a band to the Underworld as part of a prisoner rehabilitation program. Back on earth, the Musician, a pianist for Sidney’s house band, Nova, begins having vague premonitions while playing Bach. Meanwhile, his friend Aaron Fischer continues his search for a woman out of the past who he thinks will be able to answer all his questions. When Nova falls upon hard times, another mysterious woman—a former band member, the gold-masked Queen of Hearts—appears to help them.
The characters I have named are the most important to the plot, but even the most trivial members of this extensive cast are well-drawn. The settings are both rich and unfamiliar, awash in McKillip’s luscious, dreamy prose.
There are fewer supernatural happenings here than in most of the author’s fantasy novels, mostly because the only departures from accepted reality occur (or seem to occur) in Terra’s mind. This is fitting, I think, because in typical McKillip the fantastic elements are almost always reflections of her characters’ emotional struggles. Indeed, these books could as easily be termed novels of psychological and relational development as sci-fi/fantasy. Fool’s Run in particular is about the demands of time, the vain pursuits humans chase after in order to bring meaning to their lives, and the danger of shutting other people out.
I love this quote:
We are born surrounded by mysteries, he though. We make our compromises with terror, with wonder, so that we can go about the business of simply surviving from one day to another … We achieve a balance on the high wire, take one slow step after another, while the wire shakes and the wind blows, and nobody wants the unknown, the unexpected, with wings like some alien insect out of a gaudy, gargantuan jungle to sail by and sweep us off balance …
There are a few things I don’t like about this novel. For one, the content is more mature than in most of the author’s books, comprising strong swearing and one very sensual bedroom scene. Eventually we do learn why Terra killed all those people, but we never learn why she in particular was chosen. And the Magician, despite being fascinating initially, receives almost no character development: things happen to him, but he never changes. The epilogue is generally disappointing, and I couldn’t make any sense of the last line at all.
Regardless, this is a book that I will be thinking about for some time to come. In recent years McKillip has proclaimed that she is not really a sci-fi writer, and I certainly never considered myself a sci-fi reader, but unless I am mistaken, Fool’s Run is a science fiction novel, and in spite of some quibbles, I enjoyed it.
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LibraryThing member Herenya
Fool's Run is science-fiction and therefore immediately different from Patricia A. McKillip's other books (since to my knowledge, all her others are are fantasy). And unlike some science-fiction which sits in a murky mid-ground between fantasy and sci-fi, Fool's Run undeniably the latter.
But
Then again, I have a thing about Bach.
Fool's Run is set seven years after 21 year old Terra Viridian was sentenced live out her days in the orbital prison, Underworld, for following a vision which prompted her to take her laser rifle and turn fifteen hundred innocents into light. As part of their rehabilitation program, Underworld invites the band Nova to come and give a concert. Nova hope for a subsequent tour which would take them fame beyond the Constellation Club, but instead find themselves caught up in Terra's visions when she tries to escape.
I loved the Magician, Nova's pianist, who can play Bach in the middle of a riot and read people's silences; The Queen of Hearts, a cubist with a cool alias and deeply personal reasons for hiding behind a mask; and Sidney, the owner of the Constellation Club, who finds obscure instruments in attics when most people would struggle to find an attic.
It is a strange story of music, madness, grief, family, secrets, coincidences and connections between people. It has laugh-out-loud-funny dialogue, an interesting idea about the future of nationalism, a lot of Bach, some twists I expected and some twists I most certainly did not, something evocative and moving about it, and characters I cared about - and it is nearly worth reading on the grounds of its writing alone. The ending is odd - but I don't know that it could have ended more satisfactorily had it been different.
'It's dawn,' Sidney said, and the Magician stopped breathing. He gazed at Sidney expressionlessly over the piano. 'I stayed to listen to you. How often do I get a free Bach concert? I had to stay after hours anyway. One of the bands nearly went Full Primal at closing time.' The Magician made a garbled noise that Sidney took to be a question. 'You were playing, then. You didn't notice the patrollers and the ambulances.'
'What - who - '
Sidney waved a hand vaguely towards a distant stage. 'A new band called Desperate Sun [...] They were planning to electrocute themeslves with their intruments as a gesture of support for the National Regression Coalaition of the Sundown Sector. One of my bouncers cut off their electricity before they hurt themselves too badly. They kept making speeches to the patrollers about the Sundown Sector's right to bear arms, tax itself and call itself Australia again. Though why they wanted to die for Australia in my club eluded me.'
But
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despite being a different genre, just as in the novel 'breakwaters in front of the sea-factories and purifying plants had calmed the tides, but the ocean could still braid a whip of wind and spume', McKillip's way with words, her gorgeous (often lyrical and metaphorical) prose still stands. I was hooked by the opening of chapter one: 'The Magician sat alone on a stage in the Constellation Club, playing Bach to the robots whirling a grave minuet around him as they sucked cigarette butts off the floor.' Then again, I have a thing about Bach.
Fool's Run is set seven years after 21 year old Terra Viridian was sentenced live out her days in the orbital prison, Underworld, for following a vision which prompted her to take her laser rifle and turn fifteen hundred innocents into light. As part of their rehabilitation program, Underworld invites the band Nova to come and give a concert. Nova hope for a subsequent tour which would take them fame beyond the Constellation Club, but instead find themselves caught up in Terra's visions when she tries to escape.
I loved the Magician, Nova's pianist, who can play Bach in the middle of a riot and read people's silences; The Queen of Hearts, a cubist with a cool alias and deeply personal reasons for hiding behind a mask; and Sidney, the owner of the Constellation Club, who finds obscure instruments in attics when most people would struggle to find an attic.
It is a strange story of music, madness, grief, family, secrets, coincidences and connections between people. It has laugh-out-loud-funny dialogue, an interesting idea about the future of nationalism, a lot of Bach, some twists I expected and some twists I most certainly did not, something evocative and moving about it, and characters I cared about - and it is nearly worth reading on the grounds of its writing alone. The ending is odd - but I don't know that it could have ended more satisfactorily had it been different.
'It's dawn,' Sidney said, and the Magician stopped breathing. He gazed at Sidney expressionlessly over the piano. 'I stayed to listen to you. How often do I get a free Bach concert? I had to stay after hours anyway. One of the bands nearly went Full Primal at closing time.' The Magician made a garbled noise that Sidney took to be a question. 'You were playing, then. You didn't notice the patrollers and the ambulances.'
'What - who - '
Sidney waved a hand vaguely towards a distant stage. 'A new band called Desperate Sun [...] They were planning to electrocute themeslves with their intruments as a gesture of support for the National Regression Coalaition of the Sundown Sector. One of my bouncers cut off their electricity before they hurt themselves too badly. They kept making speeches to the patrollers about the Sundown Sector's right to bear arms, tax itself and call itself Australia again. Though why they wanted to die for Australia in my club eluded me.'
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LibraryThing member Jim53
This is a departure for McKillip; while she typically writes fantasy, this is a science fiction novel. Some of her strengths carry over well from her fantasy writing: many of the characters are well drawn--she appears to like them quite a bit, and so do I--and she does very well with the
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"sensawunda" theme that dominates the second half of the novel. The book's greatest strength is the intertwining connections among the characters, some obvious, others unexpected but crucial (I'd say that's actually a major theme of the novel). An excellent read, and one that I've re-read a couple of times. I'd be delighted to see her tackle something like this again. Show Less
LibraryThing member macha
this is McKillip's only sf work, and the publisher hedges all bets by describing it as "science fantasy". and it does in some odd way belong in a genre category all by itself - though possibly Samuel Delany's early sf works, of which this book reminded me, might scootch in there beside it. the book
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doesn't entirely work, i think, but it's full of marvellous ideas, and often beautiful language to describe the indescribable. a poet's work, really. or a musician's. and it's worth the ride, to see where it chooses to go, all the way through mystery and dream to an eerie and disquieting last line that could have inaugurated a whole series. her fantasy works are brilliant, but i could wish McKillip had written more to this side of the genre too. Show Less
LibraryThing member AltheaAnn
A re-read - but I'm fairly sure I read this way back, around when it came out, before I was actually a huge fan of Patricia McKillip specifically. I'd just grab all the sci-fi that turned up at the public library.
I was delighted that I liked it this time around as much as I'd hoped. While, in a
The story enmeshes a convicted mass-murderer with the travails of a group of musicians.
The mass-murder is an insane woman, convicted and held in the highest security in a bleak space-prison.
The futuristic bar band is full of talent - but haven't been going much of anywhere. Suddenly, events come together, and they're offered an amazing opportunity for a multi-world tour: the only catch is that they have to give a charity show on board the space prison first.
Meanwhile, the administrator of the prison (who'd rather be elsewhere) is dealing with a psychologist who's got some new ideas about therapy; and wants to conduct mind experiments on the terrorist(?), Terra Viridian.
Like in many of McKillip's novels, a complex plot spins ever tighter, based on the concept that people have secrets and fail to communicate openly with each other, and that people seem to be on opposing 'sides' mainly because of misunderstandings.
There's a mystical element to the sci-fi here; which ends somewhat ambiguously. I can see that some hard sci-fi fans might not love that ambiguity, but I thought it was quite lovely.
I was delighted that I liked it this time around as much as I'd hoped. While, in a
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way, 'Fool's Run' is quite different from most of McKillip's books, being sci-fi, not fantasy, it shares many of the themes that run though a great deal of her work.The story enmeshes a convicted mass-murderer with the travails of a group of musicians.
The mass-murder is an insane woman, convicted and held in the highest security in a bleak space-prison.
The futuristic bar band is full of talent - but haven't been going much of anywhere. Suddenly, events come together, and they're offered an amazing opportunity for a multi-world tour: the only catch is that they have to give a charity show on board the space prison first.
Meanwhile, the administrator of the prison (who'd rather be elsewhere) is dealing with a psychologist who's got some new ideas about therapy; and wants to conduct mind experiments on the terrorist(?), Terra Viridian.
Like in many of McKillip's novels, a complex plot spins ever tighter, based on the concept that people have secrets and fail to communicate openly with each other, and that people seem to be on opposing 'sides' mainly because of misunderstandings.
There's a mystical element to the sci-fi here; which ends somewhat ambiguously. I can see that some hard sci-fi fans might not love that ambiguity, but I thought it was quite lovely.
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LibraryThing member reading_fox
Slightly strange, it's not at all apparent to start with where it's going. But about a third of the way through you suddenly realise this is an Oedipus retelling, with extra aliens. Works surprisingly well.
Cerberus (of course this is everyone's favourite character) is replaced by the head of the
It's not clear how benevolent the FWG is. But bars and musicians are ubiquitous, and this far down the timeline bach is as contemporary as anything else. And unlikely quintet get asked to provide a musical background for the longterm prisoners in person, and - well you can see where it all goes from there.
Surprisingly it all just works, there are almost dreamscape like visions which I wasn't keen on but hte rest is good. There's chemistry between the characters, the world is believable, and the consequences startling. Even though i think this is one of her earlier works, and it was first published in the era of pulp SF, it's still something to watch out for.
Cerberus (of course this is everyone's favourite character) is replaced by the head of the
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guards in a remote prison installation. He's slightly physics (or neurotic) and follow's his hunches when it comes to unexplained coincidences, and deviations from normal routine. He's in charge of looking after some of the most dangerous people in the solar system, and the Free World Government (the acronym doesn't get expanded until quite late), is not going to understand any lapses. It's not clear how benevolent the FWG is. But bars and musicians are ubiquitous, and this far down the timeline bach is as contemporary as anything else. And unlikely quintet get asked to provide a musical background for the longterm prisoners in person, and - well you can see where it all goes from there.
Surprisingly it all just works, there are almost dreamscape like visions which I wasn't keen on but hte rest is good. There's chemistry between the characters, the world is believable, and the consequences startling. Even though i think this is one of her earlier works, and it was first published in the era of pulp SF, it's still something to watch out for.
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Awards
Best Fiction for Young Adults (Selection — 1987)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1987
Physical description
221 p.; 9.1 inches
ISBN
0446512788 / 9780446512787