Speculative Poetry Book Reviews

Reviews in Star*Line itself are now limited to short excerpts; however, those reviews in their entirety will appear on this site. Further reviews, especially those expressing a different opinion, are welcome and will be posted or linked to. Send reviews, links, cover images, and corrections to starlineeditor@gmail.com.

SFPA members’ books are listed on the Books page. Here, reviews for any speculative poetry book, regardless of membership status or year of publication, are welcome. Star*Line welcomes books for possible review; see the Star*Line page for our editorial address. Reviews are listed by year of publication and alphabetically by title.

Star*Line>Reviews>2008

For books published in 2008:

Much Slower Than Light by Carolyn Clink
2008, Who’s That Coeurl? Press, 100 City Centre Dr., P.O. Box 2065, Mississauga Ontario, Canada L5B 3C6. Sixth edition, saddle-stitched, unpaginated.

I met the delightful author of this chapbook in Orlando and discovered that she gives them away free at conventions. Perhaps if you send a SASE with Canadian postage.…

This chapbook consists of previously published poems, which were originally published as early as 1984. It appears that Clink has been around the genre poetry scene for quite a while. Two first appeared in Analog magazine; the rest appeared in various genre books and periodicals.

You might wonder why I am reviewing a four-year-old chapbook. For one thing, I have never read or reviewed it before. For another, I don’t think Carolyn makes any effort to publicize the chapbook. I suspect it would be new to most of the readers of this magazine. Finally, it’s really good!

From “Skylab 1973-1979”:

I start to tumble
from orbit, slowly slitting
open the envelope of night.

Arresting imagery appears to be a trademark. From “Cave of the Winds”:

rainbow caught, suspended by the sound of potential energy, hurricane

The title, Much Slower Than Light, might well refer to the speed of dissemination of poetry through the poetry reading populace. Perhaps it refers to the rate of propagation of creative thought. Almost everything you can think of is much slower than light, so the title might refer to the pace of life itself. Then again, it may simply be a reference to the title poem. Which, in turn, is a commentary on modern physics.

In any case, if you’re ever in the vicinity of Rob Sawyer, look for Caroline Clink, and ask for Much Slower Than Light.

—David C. Kopaska-Merkel


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