Swamp Gas Journal - 1983 Volume 2 Number 10

Magazine Overview

Title: THE SWAMP GAS JOURNAL
Issue: Volume 2, Number 10 (Last Number of this volume)
Date: May, 1983
ISSN: 0707-77106
Price: $2.00
Cover Headline: Special Review Issue

This issue of The Swamp Gas Journal is dedicated to reviewing a selection of recently acquired books and zines, offering insights into the reviewer's reading habits in the realms of science fiction and forteana.

Book Reviews

Fiction and General Interest

• John Gardner, *For Special Services*: A James Bond novel, which the reviewer finds to be a taut thriller with more of Fleming's style than Gardner's previous effort. The plot involves Bond in Texas, dealing with the apparent return of SPECTRE and Blafeld.
• Victoria Brandon, *Understanding Ghosts*: The reviewer finds the premise that ghosts are scientifically unaccepted phenomena related to the human psyche interesting but notes a lack of reflection on implications and occasional philosophical tangents.
• Donald Goldsmith and Tobias Owen, *The Search for Life in the Universe*: Hailed as a companion to the ETI book, this textbook provides a readable background for considering extraterrestrial intelligence, with excellent astronomy and a predictable UFO section that finds little to comment on. It is recommended for ufologists and general readers interested in life in the universe.
• Daniel Cohen, *Creatures From UFO's*: A children's book about UFO entities and BEMs, described as of average quality and interchangeable with Cohen's other similar books.
• Darko Suvin (ed.), *Other Worlds, Other Stars*: A collection of European science fiction, including stories by Stanisław Lem, which the reviewer had been searching for.
• Andrew Green, *Ghost Hunting: A Practical Guide*: A book that provides step-by-step instructions for searching for ghosts, deemed useful.
• Irving Wallace, et al., *The Book of Lists #2*: A brief, uncritical mention.
• Bill Wisner, *Vanished-Without a Trace* and Charles Berlitz, *Without a Trace*: Described as interchangeable, hack jobs with errant details.

Science Fiction and Speculative Works

• Rudy Rucker, *Spacetime Donuts* and *White Light*: The reviewer discovered Rucker as a new writer worth reading. *White Light* is considered superior to *Spacetime Donuts*. *Spacetime Donuts* depicts a future society run by a master computer, while *White Light* explores infinity with surreal elements, including encounters with an eccentric spirit of Einstein and a mathematician's nightmare filled with visualizations of paradoxes and mysticism. Both are highly recommended.
• James P. Hogan, *Inherit the Stars*, *The Gentle Giants of Ganymede*, *Giants' Star*: This "hard-science" trilogy is recommended for its scientific approach to an extraterrestrial contact scenario, dealing with discoveries on the Moon and the fate of dinosaurs. The plot unfolds logically and is interesting.
• Raymond Chandler, *The Big Sleep*, *Trouble is My Business*, *The Little Sister*, *The Long Goodbye*, *Playback*: The reviewer praises Chandler's writing style, Philip Marlowe's hard-boiled detective persona, and his cynical eye, describing the stories as weaving genius through culture.
• Ken Lawless, *Real Extra-Terrestrials Don't Phone Home*: This book is seen as a clone of the "Real Men" series, with jokes and gags of average quality. The reviewer questions the premise, suggesting a real extraterrestrial would behave differently.
• James Gunn (ed.), *The Road to Science Fiction* (Volumes 1-4): This extensive four-volume set is praised for outlining the development of science fiction through reprints of short stories and excerpts, biographies, and bibliographies. It is considered an excellent textbook for teaching SF and a valuable resource for enthusiasts.

UFO Literature and Analysis

• Nigel Brundell and Roger Boar, *The World's Greatest UFO Mysteries*: A book of poor quality, despite its interesting format, consisting of unrelated UFO case accounts with inconsistent accuracy. It might serve as a passable, sensationalist introduction to the subject.
• Jenny Randles and Peter Warrington, 'The Neglected Science of UFO's' (New Scientist, Feb 10, 1983): This paper is highlighted for its scientific approach to ufology, suggesting it is a "remarkable system of belief" and that UFOs might be natural phenomena. The authors' points are considered interesting, though the reviewer questions the two-year 'crisis point' for ufologists and notes that while Randles and Warrington suggest natural phenomena, other cited works (like Rutledge's) suggest extraterrestrial craft. The paper is seen as a significant contribution to the study of UFOs.
• Michael Persinger's studies of UFOs as a piezo-electric phenomenon and Brian Brady's work on quartz ionization are mentioned in relation to UFO sightings and active fault zones.
• Lawson's studies on hypnosis of UFO abductees: These studies show a correlation between abduction imagery and the subject's birth method (natural birth vs. caesarean section), which the reviewer finds fascinating and potentially important for research into sleep, dreams, and self-concept.
• Thiery Sagnier, *The UFO Report, 1983*: A new SF/mystery novel about government cover-ups of extraterrestrial encounters. The reviewer finds the style contrived and annoying, with dull routines and excessive name-dropping, but acknowledges the interesting premise that contact with extraterrestrials could destroy the world's economy and societies, necessitating prevention.
• Stan Seers, *UFO's: The Case for Scientific Myopia*: The reviewer has mixed feelings about this book, written by an Australian ufologist. While it provides anecdotes and reflections, the reviewer is puzzled by Seers' praise for George Adamski, whom Seers describes as a 'kindly older man' despite Adamski's earlier publication on spiritual well-being and meeting 'masters'. The reviewer notes Seers' errors, such as misidentifying the location of the Trindad photographs and consistently misgendering Aime Michel. Seers' criticism of the Condon Report is also discussed, particularly his dismissal of case '22' as 'rubbish'. The reviewer concludes that while Seers advocates for a rational approach to UFOs, his poor research and uncritical nature undermine his purpose.

Fanzine Review

• GAG #1: A new, free comics fanzine from Winnipeg, described as having a remarkable epistemological viewpoint, exploring existential and spiritual limits within the comic fandom milieu. It includes reviews of five comics and an article on the Church of the Subgenius.

Manitoba UFO Cases Data Analysis

• The issue presents computer-assisted analyses of Manitoba UFO cases. This includes:
• A map of Manitoba showing locations with two or more Close Encounters (CE).
• A bar graph tabulating the number of CE cases per month, noted as not being symmetric and differing from the monthly distribution of all cases.
• A sketch of the Carman area, indicating Charlie Redstar's domain.
• An SPSS analysis cross-tabulating case type with object color for cases in Carman, showing red as a predominant color for nocturnal lights.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The Swamp Gas Journal, originating from the Winnipeg Science Fiction Society, maintains an interest in the scientific study of UFOs while acknowledging its fanzine heritage. The inclusion of science fiction book reviews reflects this origin. The editorial stance appears to favor critical analysis of UFO literature, distinguishing between serious research and sensationalism, while also engaging with speculative fiction. The reviewer emphasizes the need for scientific study of the UFO phenomenon and criticizes approaches that lack rigor or are overly biased. The issue concludes with an invitation for reader comments and article submissions, encouraging members of Project UFO Canada to contribute.