The People's Police
Dennis Fischer <[email protected]> Wed, 3 Jan 2018 17:39:52 +0000
| Newsgroups | gmane.culture.sf.literature |
|---|---|
| Message-ID | <[email protected]> |
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THE PEOPLE'S POLICE EBOOK BACK FOR SALE ON AMAZON FOR $8.00and whyTakes som=
e explaining. Below you will see the latest review of a series of favorable=
reviews of THE PEOPLE'S POLICE published less than a year after the Tor ha=
rdcover, and I should have been able to tell you that the trade paperback w=
ill be out in early summer 2018. But right now I can't. Tor refused to publ=
ish a trade paperback at all because, I was told, the hard cover sales didn=
't warrant it even after a string of very favorable reviews. This because t=
heir self-fulfilling distribution goal was very small and their advertising=
and pr budget was zilch. This was because THE PEOPLE'S POLICE was an "orph=
an" novel, the last novel that David Hartwell edited and was going to champ=
ion through the machinery before his tragic death. No one else at Tor there=
fore cared about this book.But I certainly did. Without going into the deta=
ils, I got Tor to revert all rights to me, so that all they have now is the=
right to sell what hardcovers they have as remainders or otherwise, meanin=
g it would make it difficult to find a trade paperback publisher even with =
all the reviews until those hardcovers disappeared as well as their overpri=
ced ebook edition which was taken down and replaced by me with a special te=
mporary low price of $3.99 on Amazon for a month.That being over, here it i=
s for $8.00, a fair price for an ebook by my lights, about half of what Ama=
zon is selling the remaining Tor hardcover for, and about $4.00 less than T=
or had been charging for the same thing. And this will remain on sale until=
/if I secure a publisher for the trade paperback which would want to publis=
h their own ebook.I do like money, but while this may be a publisher's prim=
e directive, it isn't mine. I will do everything I can to keep THE PEOPLE'S=
POLICE alive.URL to THE PEOPLE'S POLICE on Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/P=
EOPLES-POLICE-Norman-=E2=80=A6/=E2=80=A6/ref=3Dsr_1_1=E2=80=A6ISAAC ASIMOV'=
S SF MAGAZINE Oct/Nov. 2017
by Peter HeckTHE PEOPLE'S POLICESpinrad is in top form with this near-futur=
e novel set in a New Orleans that has felt the brunt of global warming and =
sea level rise without abandoning the =E2=80=9Cgood times roll=E2=80=9D spi=
rit that defines the Crescent City.We see the story through three character=
s. J.B. Lafitte is a wheeler-dealer who has a finger in almost every sleazy=
deal that goes on in the city. Luke Martin came from gang territory out on=
the half-drowned fringes of the city; when he figured out that the cops ar=
e the ultimate street gang, he joined up. And then there=E2=80=99s MaryLou =
Boudreau, a.k.a. Mama Legba, who made the transition from street performer =
to TV stardom as the Voodoo Queen of Louisiana.The story=E2=80=99s key conf=
lict arises from super-deflation=E2=80=94to the point that prices of most c=
onsumer goods are ridiculously low. Great as this sounds, it has two unfort=
unate consequences. Most people=E2=80=99s salaries have been adjusted downw=
ard, so they=E2=80=99re getting equivalent purchasing power to what their o=
ld salary would have bought. But some things have not been adjusted=E2=80=
=94specifically, mortgages. Luke figures this out when he=E2=80=99s assigne=
d to foreclose on a house=E2=80=94his own. Outraged by the request, he goes=
to the police union, which backs him, declaring it will no longer serve fo=
reclosure notices on its members.But by putting himself forward, even on a =
selfish motive, Luke has made himself a symbol of the fight against the ult=
ra-rich who are the beneficiaries of the super-deflation crisis. This fight=
is bound to grow beyond the comparatively privileged ranks of the police f=
orce.Even wheeler-dealer J.B. Lafitte discovers that the proceeds of gambli=
ng and prostitution aren=E2=80=99t sufficient to pay the mortgages on his p=
roperties=E2=80=94and he=E2=80=99s got connections that reach far into Loui=
siana political circles.Meanwhile, MaryLou has been taking her role as a vo=
odoo queen seriously enough to actually do some research into it=E2=80=94an=
d connects with some real believers who let her take part in one of their c=
eremonies. Out of nowhere, she finds herself being taken over by Erzuli, on=
e of the loas or ruling spirits of the voodoo pantheon. Erzuli has her own =
ambitions, and she=E2=80=99s decided MaryLou is a convenient vehicle to get=
her where she wants to go.Luke and MaryLou have unwittingly put themselves=
on paths that will shake up the whole power structure of New Orleans and L=
ouisiana. Those paths inevitably intersect, as both become more powerful an=
d the stakes grow higher. The foreclosure crisis continues, and Luke=E2=80=
=99s stake in it continues to grow, particularly when it becomes a statewid=
e issue in a gubernatorial election. And of course, J.B.=E2=80=99s maneuver=
s=E2=80=94not all of which come out exactly as planned=E2=80=94have a good =
deal to do with the outcome.This is vintage Spinrad, with over-the-top char=
acters, underhanded politics, sex and drugs, and plenty of juicy New Orlean=
s local color, all presented in typical high-energy style. Totally recommen=
ded.
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<html><head></head><body><div style=3D"color:#000; background-color:#fff; f=
ont-family:Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif;font=
-size:13px"><div data-ft=3D"{"tn":"K"}" style=3D"font-s=
ize: 14px; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 6px; font-family: Helvetica, Aria=
l, sans-serif; color: rgb(29, 33, 41);" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_15149987809=
37_6758"><div style=3D"margin-bottom: 6px; font-family: inherit;" id=3D"yui=
_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514998780937_6759">THE PEOPLE'S POLICE EBOOK BACK FOR SALE =
ON AMAZON FOR $8.00</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 6px; margin-bottom: 6px;=
font-family: inherit;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514998780937_6760">and why=
</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 6px; margin-bottom: 6px; font-family: inher=
it;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514998780937_6761">Takes some explaining. Bel=
ow you will see the latest review of a series of favorable reviews of THE P=
EOPLE'S POLICE published less than a year after the Tor hardcover, and I sh=
ould have been able to tell you that the trade paperback will be out in ear=
ly summer 2018. But right now I can't. Tor refused to publish a trade paper=
back at all because, I was told, the hard cover sales didn't warrant it eve=
n after a string of very favorable reviews. This because their self-fulfill=
ing distribution goal was very small and their advertising and pr budget wa=
s zilch. This was because THE PEOPLE'S POLICE was an "orphan" novel, the la=
st novel that David Hartwell edited and was going to champion through the m=
achinery before his tragic death. No one else at Tor therefore cared about =
this book.</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 6px; margin-bottom: 6px; font-fam=
ily: inherit;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514998780937_6762">But I certainly =
did. Without going into the details, I got Tor to revert all rights to me, =
so that all they have now is the right to sell what hardcovers they have as=
remainders or otherwise, meaning it would make it difficult to find a trad=
e paperback publisher even with all the reviews until those hardcovers disa=
ppeared as well as their overpriced ebook edition which was taken down and =
replaced by me with a special temporary low price of $3.99 on Amazon for a =
month.</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 6px; margin-bottom: 6px; font-family:=
inherit;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514998780937_6763">That being over, her=
e it is for $8.00, a fair price for an ebook by my lights, about half of wh=
at Amazon is selling the remaining Tor hardcover for, and about $4.00 less =
than Tor had been charging for the same thing. And this will remain on sale=
until/if I secure a publisher for the trade paperback which would want to =
publish their own ebook.</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 6px; margin-bottom:=
6px; font-family: inherit;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514998780937_6764">I =
do like money, but while this may be a publisher's prime directive, it isn'=
t mine. I will do everything I can to keep THE PEOPLE'S POLICE alive.</div>=
<div style=3D"margin-top: 6px; margin-bottom: 6px; font-family: inherit;" i=
d=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514998780937_6765">URL to THE PEOPLE'S POLICE on Am=
azon:</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 6px; margin-bottom: 6px; font-family: =
inherit;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514998780937_6766"><a href=3D"https://l.=
facebook.com/l.php?u=3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FPEOPLES-POLICE-Norman=
-Spinrad-ebook%2Fdp%2FB076X4SHNX%2Fref%3Dsr_1_1%3Fs%3Dbooks%26ie%3DUTF8%26q=
id%3D1514989521%26sr%3D1-1%26keywords%3Dthe%2Bpeople%2527s%2Bpolice&h=
=3DATPRNaLVM8kHb3jC1Xt0tN_g4w8YqKpws1pqM_zs-WLMw0Yy4sgeRxsGlCwAxI4MniGvu9bX=
Y9TQEXZhRo6j4OMtHDYbNDoPXFSY1gjjilSH2p2NHTWwueChHMWrILs-DzGb5WYb8BrlBRsy_9F=
EZmB0RDiZLhVxmbuV6D2flLBcU_watRRI8klrJN7rtp7-a5rnoYfWtw1Ex_yNV-PPrxQ_tRNc2V=
DnDOEx7R5dh_jEPYZHmXy9M7S67I6jpPDLhH8sYDUFpP-cw0v8lZv9lLKP41L634c0ZCk" targ=
et=3D"_blank" data-ft=3D"{"tn":"-U"}" rel=3D"noopener n=
ofollow" data-lynx-mode=3D"async" style=3D"color: rgb(54, 88, 153); cursor:=
pointer; text-decoration-line: none; font-family: inherit;" id=3D"yui_3_16=
_0_ym19_1_1514998780937_6767">https://www.amazon.com/PEOPLES-POLICE-Norman-=
=E2=80=A6/=E2=80=A6/ref=3Dsr_1_1=E2=80=A6</a></div><div style=3D"margin-top=
: 6px; margin-bottom: 6px; font-family: inherit;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1=
514998780937_6768">ISAAC ASIMOV'S SF MAGAZINE Oct/Nov. 2017<br id=3D"yui_3_=
16_0_ym19_1_1514998780937_6769">by Peter Heck</div><div style=3D"margin-top=
: 6px; margin-bottom: 6px; font-family: inherit;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1=
514998780937_6770">THE PEOPLE'S POLICE</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 6px; =
margin-bottom: 6px; font-family: inherit;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_15149987=
80937_6771">Spinrad is in top form with this near-future novel set in a New=
Orleans that has felt the brunt of global warming and sea level rise witho=
ut abandoning the =E2=80=9Cgood times roll=E2=80=9D spirit that defines the=
Crescent City.</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 6px; margin-bottom: 6px; fon=
t-family: inherit;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514998780937_6772">We see the =
story through three characters. J.B. Lafitte is a wheeler-dealer who has a =
finger in almost every sleazy deal that goes on in the city. Luke Martin ca=
me from gang territory out on the half-drowned fringes of the city; when he=
figured out that the cops are the ultimate street gang, he joined up. And =
then there=E2=80=99s MaryLou Boudreau, a.k.a. Mama Legba, who made the tran=
sition from street performer to TV stardom as the Voodoo Queen of Louisiana=
.</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 6px; margin-bottom: 6px; font-family: inhe=
rit;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514998780937_6773">The story=E2=80=99s key c=
onflict arises from super-deflation=E2=80=94to the point that prices of mos=
t consumer goods are ridiculously low. Great as this sounds, it has two unf=
ortunate consequences. Most people=E2=80=99s salaries have been adjusted do=
wnward, so they=E2=80=99re getting equivalent purchasing power to what thei=
r old salary would have bought. But some things have not been adjusted=E2=
=80=94specifically, mortgages. Luke figures this out when he=E2=80=99s assi=
gned to foreclose on a house=E2=80=94his own. Outraged by the request, he g=
oes to the police union, which backs him, declaring it will no longer serve=
foreclosure notices on its members.</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 6px; ma=
rgin-bottom: 6px; font-family: inherit;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514998780=
937_6774">But by putting himself forward, even on a selfish motive, Luke ha=
s made himself a symbol of the fight against the ultra-rich who are the ben=
eficiaries of the super-deflation crisis. This fight is bound to grow beyon=
d the comparatively privileged ranks of the police force.</div><div style=
=3D"margin-top: 6px; margin-bottom: 6px; font-family: inherit;" id=3D"yui_3=
_16_0_ym19_1_1514998780937_6775">Even wheeler-dealer J.B. Lafitte discovers=
that the proceeds of gambling and prostitution aren=E2=80=99t sufficient t=
o pay the mortgages on his properties=E2=80=94and he=E2=80=99s got connecti=
ons that reach far into Louisiana political circles.</div><div style=3D"mar=
gin-top: 6px; margin-bottom: 6px; font-family: inherit;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_y=
m19_1_1514998780937_6776">Meanwhile, MaryLou has been taking her role as a =
voodoo queen seriously enough to actually do some research into it=E2=80=94=
and connects with some real believers who let her take part in one of their=
ceremonies. Out of nowhere, she finds herself being taken over by Erzuli, =
one of the loas or ruling spirits of the voodoo pantheon. Erzuli has her ow=
n ambitions, and she=E2=80=99s decided MaryLou is a convenient vehicle to g=
et her where she wants to go.</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 6px; margin-bo=
ttom: 6px; font-family: inherit;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514998780937_677=
7">Luke and MaryLou have unwittingly put themselves on paths that will shak=
e up the whole power structure of New Orleans and Louisiana. Those paths in=
evitably intersect, as both become more powerful and the stakes grow higher=
. The foreclosure crisis continues, and Luke=E2=80=99s stake in it continue=
s to grow, particularly when it becomes a statewide issue in a gubernatoria=
l election. And of course, J.B.=E2=80=99s maneuvers=E2=80=94not all of whic=
h come out exactly as planned=E2=80=94have a good deal to do with the outco=
me.</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 6px; display: inline; font-family: inher=
it;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514998780937_6778">This is vintage Spinrad, w=
ith over-the-top characters, underhanded politics, sex and drugs, and plent=
y of juicy New Orleans local color, all presented in typical high-energy st=
yle. Totally recommended.</div></div><div style=3D"font-family: Helvetica, =
Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 12px;" id=3D"yui_3_16=
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