Fundamental Disch

Disch takes the science out of science-fiction. I can't really explain why my favorite short stories are written by a semi-obscure sci-fi author, because as I rule I can't stand science fiction. Maybe it is because Disch avoids cliches and typical sci-fi jargon (no Clingons or dreamy eutopias on far-away worlds here), or maybe it is the utter unpredictablility of his short stories. This collection is no different. While the "Double Timer" and "Et in Arcadia Ego" serve as above-average sci-fi pieces, the "Double Timer" reads like an average crime story that happens to be set in the futre. The inward paranoia fantasie of "Descending" (about a daydreaming man realizing his escalator never stops) and the World War II setting of "Casablanca" show Disch's versatility. "Casablanca" is an excellent work applicable to any epoch about the hypocrisy of ethnocentricity. I'd be remiss not to also mention the extreme gross-out factor of "Roaches" and the twisted, self-aware, O.Henry-esque "Squirrel Cage." Although not as good as the extremely hard to find "Fun With Your New Head," this now out-of-print collection is a must for all those who enjoy diverse, adventurous reading. From sci-fi to world war two to surreal to horror, this book delivers it all.