don’t ask
by uzwi
A reader will often ask: Mike, what are your greatest influences, in literature, pop music & elsewhere? Who are you a fan of? Readers, though I have lots of favourite authors I am not a fan of anyone. My greatest influence at present is the fiction of descent, ie any story in which it is slowly revealed (but not to the central character) that the central character is dead. I’m also quite interested in Anthony Powell, but mainly for his dry delivery.
the m john harrison blog 
Well, any good examples of descent fiction, then?
Have you written any?
“My greatest influence at present is the fiction of descent, ie any story in which it is slowly revealed (but not to the central character) that the central character is dead.”
There have been experiences within which I couldn’t truthfully know whether I was alive or dead. However, I subsequently ‘discovered’ is stating it too forcefully, but, suspected that I was perhaps, not dead. It is probably one of those questions to which the only obvious answer is, if you have to ask…
So, I have to ask, what is ‘dead’?
Gottit.
Ibrahim — impossible to answer without spoilers. ROT13 the following if you MUST know: Pynffvp rknzcyr vf Gur Guveq Cbyvprzna ol Synaa B’Oevra. Va svyz, gel Wnpbo’f Ynqqre naq Gur Bguref (gubhtu va gur svyzf V guvax gur cebgntbavfgf svther vg bhg va gur raq). Bu, naq Gur Fvkgu Frafr bs pbhefr. Gjryir Zbaxrlf nethnoyl pbagnvaf ryrzragf bs gur traer nf jryy.
Hope someone can post some more examples … I didn’t realise it was a recognised genre! Mike — loving Light at the moment, looking forward to reading the other two.
Good to see Synaa B’Oevra acquire yet another pseudonym.
Nf V erzrzore vg, va Gur Guveq Cbyvprzna gur aneengbe qbrf svther vg bhg ng gur raq (Qviarl gryyf uvz orsber ur qvrf uvzfrys), ohg ur sbetrgf vzzrqvngryl nf ur fgnegf gur arkg bs uvf raqyrff plpyrf bs gur fnzr riragf va uryy. Fb ur’f fhowrpg gb gur fnzr fhecevfrf naq greebef sbe rire.
The never-finding-out aspect is a pretty high bar. That novel happens to be on my current reread list, so we’ll see. Oh, and how could I have forgotten Na Bppheerapr ng Bjy Perrx Oevqtr? That one’s out of copyright and online — just google the title.
Does anyone else think that ROT13-ed English has a pleasingly Lovecraftian lilt?