Vellitt Boe is a professor at a woman’s College. The wrinkle is this College is located in H. Pl Lovecraft’s Dream Lands. When one of Vellitt Boe’s students runs away with a Dreamer from our world, Vellitt Boe volunteers to bring her back. The other wrinkle is that the runaway girl’s “grandfather” is one of Lovecraft’s mad, sleeping gods. If he awakens and finds his granddaughter missing, he may just destroy the College and the neighboring lands…literally. Kij Johnson’s descriptions of the Dream Lands Vellitt Boe must travel are colorful and deadly. Boe must find a “key” to the Gate that will bring her to our world where her search will continue for the runaway girl. I enjoyed the oddness and surprises in The Dream-Quest of Fellitt Boe. I’m hoping Kij Johnson writes more adventures of Vellitt Boe. I’ll be first in line to buy them! GRADE: A-
For the informative podcast Steve recommended, you can listen to it here. Thanks Steve!
There is a podcast interview with Johnson on Jonathan Strahans site-Notes from Goode Street. I liked this a lot. Another fine novella/short novel from Tor.com
Steve, I’ll have to check out that podcast! Like you, I really enjoyed THE DREAM-QUEST OF VELLITT BOE. TOR Books have published a number of very good short novels in the past year.
Wow. This sounds complicated.
Patti, the plot is a bit complicated because of surreal setting. I found THE DREAM-QUEST OF VELLITT BOE a lot of fun.
That sounds really different. I like that it’s short too.
Jeff, THE DREAM-QUEST OF VELLITT BOE is very different. But really good, too! I really like this TOR Books series of novellas!
I clicked off when I got to “H. P. Lovecraft”. I do like the cover, though.
Rick, the Lovecraft references are kept to a minimum. You would like the story and the characters.
Oh, and by the way, I thought you’d post something about National Women’s Day (which is today). I hope Diane is taking the day off – no cooking, housework, etc.
Rick, Diane is meeting with an old colleague that she used to teach with Back In the Day. I have a book for FFB this week to celebrate women.
Oops, make that International Women’s Day. I tried to get Barbara to wear red to 24 Hour Fitness this morning, but she said “No.”.
Kij is on my always read list. Very thoughtful work
Scot, I’m hoping Kij continues this story.
Check out her novella The Man Who Bridged the Mist . It is included in her story collection At the River of Bees.
Steve, I just found my copy of ALL THE RIVER OF BEES. I’ll read it and post a review in a week or two. Thanks again for the heads up on the Kij Johnson podcast. Very insightful!
Escapist literature at its best?
I almost feel sorry, find it boring …
Re Women’s Day:
It’s really all over the world, very good!
So I did the “cooking today”, made some Schwab Sausage salad which my wife likes very much …
And totally OT:
At the Lidl supermarket where we did our shopping today, after paying every woman got a rose by the staff – ain’t that nice?
I read somewhere that Lidl will open its first 20 stores in the USA this summer – competition for Aldi.
There is an Aldi down here near us. I haven’t seen one in New York.
Jeff, we have several Aldis in our area. They’re spreading as fast as Tim Horton’s!
Wolf, we have “invented” holidays almost every month. We still have St. Patrick’s Day to look forward to next week.
St. Patrick’s Day is great, I was in Manhattan once and saw the parade. I also like the Irish – but not their beer (Guinness e g) though it’s very popular now in Germany.
Wolf, everybody in American is “Irish” on St. Patrick’s Day. Many of the local bars serve “green” beer!
How in the heck do you pronounce Kij?
Bob, listen to the pod-cast and you’ll find out!