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Prose Links
This page is devoted to links to fiction, especially mythopoeic
fiction, written by Robert G. Brown. It includes both book websites
and short stories that can be read for free online.
- The Book of Lilith
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The Book of Lilith is a mythopoeic work, a fantasy, a
rewriting of the book of Genesis the way it ought to have been -- with
women on top! It begins with bitterly sharp black humor in the framing
"preface", in which the author recounts in a stuffy and academic tone a
bizarre and outrageous story about the discovery of "lost scrolls" in
war-torn Iraq. In spite of its obviously fictional character, it is
nevertheless well enough told to have provoked many readers to enquire
of the author: "So, do you have the real scrolls?"
The story itself recounts the autobiography of Lilith, the first
person given a soul by God, as she embarks on a quest to pass on God's
Soul to a soulless world while seeking to understand the mystery of
suffering and death. Told with a light-hearted, often funny touch,
The Book of Lilith is a work that will both entertain you and
yet make you think hard about the nature of God, about sexual equality,
about the fragility and yet endurance of love.
- Lulea
Queen Xixi of Ix was one of Frank L. Baum's (well-known author
of The Wizard of Oz and the other Oz books) most interesting
stories. In it, a Fairy named Lulea grants a magic cloak to mortals.
The cloak was a standard one-wish device, no fair wishing for more
wishes, with the usual ability to ruin the lives of its users who never
manage to wish for the "right thing". A Moral Tale.
However, the real moral of the tale was, I think, missed. The
following short story can be thought of a "missing chapter", or
epilogue, that I think takes the story to an interesting conclusion.
It can almost stand on its own, although it is better if you've read
the original.
This is one of several stories I've written about the dangers of total
wish fullfillment and its near-equivalence to Hell. One day I might get
some of the others organized and posted on this site.
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to help spread the word so others can find it as well.
Note, Robert G. Brown is generally either rgb or rgbatduke on many external
sites crosslinked here.