Chuck Gregory writes about...

Observation Three

I just finished the parts of Observation Three that you’ve posted so far, and it’s no surprise that I’ve once again been sucked in to the action, as surely as that column of rock was sucked into the Mater’s SOG-E clutches. I anxiously await the rest.

I enjoy the byplay between Toni and Maelene the most, I think, but the whole thing is a great read. It’s disappointing that the lofty ideals of Observation One’s aliens have been so compromised since then, but that makes it far more believable. Perhaps Toni’s discovery that Janis Ian’s song depicted a place no longer in existence is a metaphor for his pending disappointment when he realizes Maelene is right to distrust the aliens. Or perhaps not. I look forward to finding out.

I’ll probably wait for a few installments before I read more. I tend to get frustrated by serial novels; I want to know what happen next, and I want to know it right now! Very American of me, I know, but still true. Still, I want to mention once again how much I value Bewildering Stories.

Thanks, Mike, for your excellent work on the Observations. And thank you, Don, for continuing to Bewilder us.

Copyright © 2008 by Chuck Gregory

And thank you, Chuck, for your kind and insightful letter. I’m sure you speak for all readers of Mike’s Observation series: the novels are a model of urbane wit and clever plotting — not to mention sheer observation.

I’ve been trying to reverse-engineer the formula for the Domans’ “Truth Delta Analysis.” It sounds like something Earthlings could use. So far, the best I’ve come up with is to multiply all official pronouncements by half the square root of negative pi. But that can’t be right: when I do that, the pronouncements begin to make sense... Further observation is required!

Always good to hear from you!

Don