Subject: The Compleat Traveller in Black--a review by David Goldfarb

From: [email-masked] (David Goldfarb)
Date: 3 Oct 89 11:03:24 GMT

Collier Nucleus, a new division of Macmillan Publishing, has brought
several books from the late lamented Bluejay Publishing back into print.
One of these is _The Compleat Traveller in Black_. It is the earlier book
_The Traveller in Black_ somewhat rewritten by the author, John Brunner,
plus a later story, "The Things that are Gods", which was published in
the short-lived _Asimov's SF Adventure Magazine_ despite being neither
science fiction nor an adventure story.
	The back cover copy describes the book as "a classic of existential
fantasy", and such it is. Briefly, the Traveller in Black lives in a world
newly formed out of chaos. As such, it is a world full of powerful elementals,
curious freaks, and magic of all description. The Traveller's job is to
promote rationality and subdue all things to one nature. 
	To this end he must periodically circuit the world dispensing poetic
justice. Express a desire to him, and he will reply "...as you wish, so
be it." and your desire is granted. But *he* chooses the nature of the 
granting. The nature of humanity being what it is, and the nature of the
Traveller being what it is, few are the happier for the fulfillment of
their wishes.
	_The Compleat Traveller in Black_ is an excellent book; I highly 
recommend it.

David Goldfarb    [email-masked]   (Insert standard disclaimer)
"You arrogate to yourself the right to laugh at human foolishness...Then tell
me this: are you yourself entirely wise?"
"Alas, yes," was the answer. "I have but one nature."