The Long Haul: Observations Three
by Michael E. Lloyd
The Observation trilogy was over five years in the making — from February 2003 to May 2008 — although the Domans were actually “here and trying to talk with us” for only ten weeks in the fateful Spring of 2003.
The text runs to 300,000 words in total, and the action takes place across ten European countries, eighteen American states, Mexico, Canada, one orbiting star-craft, and the highest debating chamber of a distant other world.
My thanks to Agnes Blom for an enormous amount of proofreading and critiquing, to Jerry Wright for print-publishing Observation One and — yes folks, it’s actually coming out any day now! — Observation Two, and to Don Webb for getting 136 web pages, and much more, just right, every time.
In Don’s official Welcome to me, back in late 2004, he said “We’re glad to have you for the long haul.” Well, he was right, as always ... and of course!!
And finally, my sincere thanks to all who have read the whole trilogy and put a little thought into what I was trying to say. That's what I wrote it for!
Copyright © 2008 by Michael E. Lloyd
Our thanks to you, Mike, for favouring us with the thought-provoking work that is the Observation trilogy.
We sometimes hear calls for something new in science fiction. Okay, here it is: three novels that illustrate a quality often lacking in today’s literature: gentility and the spirit of civilisation. Challenge 310 sums it up: “How might the Domans’ visit help make Earth a better place to live?”
In that light, the Observation trilogy follows in the wake of Bewildering Stories’ original flagship work, Cyrano de Bergerac’s The Other World. When the Domans bring their “other world” to Earth, the Observation trilogy unfolds a story that is both in our time and ahead of it.
The “long haul” that the title of this page cites from Mike’s letter refers to more than the Observation trilogy; it also refers to Mike’s work over the years as one of Bewildering Stories’ Review Editors. Not only has Mike’s kind vigilance behind the scenes improved our presentation, countless — indeed, almost all — contributors owe him a debt of gratitude for his proofreading. Michael E. Lloyd has played an indispensable part in making Bewildering Stories the professionally styled publication we have always wanted it to be.
I’m going to miss Toni and Maelene... and especially the Domans. But let’s remember that all of Bewildering Stories is on line all the time; we’ll have them to return to here.
Thank you, Mike.
Don Webb
Managing Editor
Bewildering Stories
