R.A. Lafferty

[Richard Romeo]

I know the weird sci-fi of R.A. Lafferty has been mentioned here before, but 
I'm presently enjoying Fourth Mansions after reading Past Master and The 
Reefs of Earth.

Fourth Mansions is a quest novel like Lot 49 and even stranger;  The Reefs 
of Earth is very gorey-ian:  a group of alien children (one of which is a 
ghost) plot the destruction of the human race among other things.
Past Master involves Thomas Moore's (yup, that Mr Moore of Utopia fame) 
adventures in the 26th century.

Lafferty's is not a stylist by any means--his plots wander and his 
characters are pretty cardboardish (but w/ wonderful names) but for sheer 
oddness, ideas,  and imagination, his books pack quite a wallop. there's 
some pynchonian echoes I'm sure (his empathy for losers, and the preterite, 
indians, pirates, etc.), but quite a delight to read, in any case.

His short stories collections are considered even better, 900 Grandmothers 
to name just a one.

Is it sci-fi:  yes.  is it macabre: you bet.  is it silly:  heck, yeah; is 
it strange: yup, in a good way.  is it funny: sure.

fwiw...

Rich

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