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Great Science-Fiction & Fantasy Works
Science-fiction & fantasy literature: a critical list with discussions.
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This is a brief discussion of G. A. Kathryns and, of course, of some speculative-fiction books by Kathryns.
This discussion and list does not necessarily include every book by Kathryns: it includes only those books that I both know and like. Just as with the author list itself, omission of a particular item may mean I didn’t think highly enough of the omitted item, or it may simply mean that I have not yet sufficient familiarity with it. (In a very few cases, I have listed some books merely on the strength of my opinion of the author: all such books are clearly marked below, as throughout these lists, with a hash mark (#) before the title so you know what’s what.)
I don’t pretend that this discussion is a deep analysis. My intent is no more than to give you a rough idea of what kinds of tales Kathryns tells, how those tales are usually told, and what makes them and Kathryns worthy; in sum, to help you rank G. A. Kathryns (and the works by Kathryns listed here) on your personal literary “to do” list.
A Few Words About G. A. Kathryns
Regrettably, I have not yet had an opportunity to write an essay on this author, but the “Other Resources” section below will lead you to some information about the “Notable Books” listed farther down this page.
“G. A. Kathryns” is a pen name for Gael Baudino, but is treated individually here because I believe firmly that authors who use pen names should normally be treated as a different author for each pen name. Regrettably, no one else seems to concur, so finding “Kathryns” resources is virtually impossible, saving a few one-off reviews of her two books under that name.
Though The Borders of Life turns up on numerous lists of recommended books, there is actually not even much in the way of review, the main item being this Suite 101 review [archived copy], which is more like a synopsis than an analysis. I try manfully to avoid referring to reader reviews on Amazon, which are typically worth what you pay for them, but a glance at this book’s collection suggests why there is so little about this book: most readers “just don’t get it.”
Even if we give up on “Kathryns” and look for material on Gael Baudino, who has well over a dozen other books to her credit, there is still not an awful lot to be found; the Encyclopedia of Fantasy entry for Gael Baudino is about the best there is. (Her work under names other than Kathryns does not seem, from the published descriptions and reviews, as anything that would appear on this site.)
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