"C. L. Moore - The Best of C. L. Moore" - читать интересную книгу автора (Moore C. L)

intellectual in their development. Only the power of the writing remains unchanged from the preceding
“Tryst in Time.”
Moore’s next story also must have been written before her marriage, though it appeared afterward, in the
October, 1940 issue of Un-known. “Fruit of Knowledge” is straight fantasy with ‘none of the trappings
of science fiction. And here it is difficult to determine whether emotion or intellect is the stronger element.
The basic idea
—the ancient myth of Lilith—is one that almost forces a writer to fall back on the emotionalism usually
associated with this strangely un-dying bit of folklore. Moore’s refusal to accept the obvious in telling of
this conflict of love and Divine Power indicates clearly the deeper insight she was gaining in the handling
of the elements of fiction.

Unfortunately, the years of marriage resulted in very few stories that can be credited with any certainty to
C. L. Moore alone. As time went on, her stories became increasingly more rare in the magazines. Yet
when one did appear, it was generally so outstanding that the quality of this later work almost makes up
for the lack in number.
Of these later stories, my favorite is “No Woman Born,” which ap-peared in the December issue of
Astounding Science Fiction. This is a nearly perfect blend of emotion and intellect. The conflict of the
story lies in the problem of discovering what the basis of true human-ity may really be—a problem that
has baffled philosophers for cen-turies. Quite rightly, Moore sees the problem also as encompassing the
need to know the basis and nature of human emotions. The
resulting portrait of a great artist and marvelously feminine woman struggling to be true to her inner self is
unforgettable.
Perhaps the least typical Moore story included here is “Daemon,” which appeared in the October, 1946
issue of Famous Fantastic Fic-tion. This is a straight fantasy about a “simpleton” with a strange gift.
The idea seems slight, and it could easily lead to an excess of senti-mentality. Yet the story is told simply
and calmly—but very effec-tively. It’s an excellent example of Moore’s developed craftsmanship as a
writer.
At about the same time, in the September, 1946 issue of Astound-ing Science Fiction, “Vintage Season”
appeared. This is the story which most seem to consider Moore’s masterpiece. Certainly it has been
included in more of the great anthologies than her other stories. C. L. Moore seems to have posed a
problem for most anthologists; her stories are never less than io,ooo words in length, and most are much
longer. The editor of an anthology is usually compelled to include as many stories as possible, which
means that novelettes tend to be passed up in favor of shorter stories. But “Vintage Season” proved to
be so good that it could hardly be left out!
Certainly the story is a showpiece for all the talents of C. L. Moore. It blends the disparate elements of
horror and beauty, alien culture and human feelings, and progress and decadence. And it has the sense of
inevitability needed for great fiction, skillfully combined with the uncertainty of a fine suspense story. I
refuse to describe the story fur-ther, since it must be read to be truly appreciated.
During the following years, C. L. Moore wrote a few stories and a novel, Doomsday Morning. But most
of her time seems to have been spent in collaborating with her husband and in finishing her college
education, which was interrupted by financial difficulties during the Depression.
After the tragic death of Henry Kuttner, she remained in Califor-nia, where she turned to the lucrative
field of television writing. She has married again, this time to Thomas Reggie, who is not a writer.
There have been no new science-fiction or fantasy stories from C. L. Moore for almost twenty years
now. But her reputation among readers and editors has never diminished. She remains preeminent in the
field. And recently she has begun to talk about trying her hand again at science fiction. ‘Tis a
consummation devoutly to be wished!


—Lester del Rey