The Black Flame by Stanley G. Weinbaum (book review).
The information on the back of this book, ‘The Black Flame’ by Stanley G. Weinbaum, is inaccurate for the most part. There are no twins, and those in power aren’t the centre of the story. Stanley G. Weinbaum (1902-1935) died far too young at 33 but left some seasoned books like ‘A Martian Odyssey’ with the alien Tweel and a lot of short stories in his short life. Four years after his death, this book also went into print.
Tom Connor is sent to the electric chair after killing a rival to his girlfriend in a fistfight and wakes up in his grave one thousand years later in the age of enlightenment and manages to get to the surface. Very skeletal, he is restored by the excellent care of two people in the local village. He receives care from Evanie the Sorc’ess and her father, Martin Sair. Despite not being a scientist, Connor can provide valuable insights into the state of modern-day science. There are other immortals, but these two are running the city, and he becomes involved in a revolution against them and fails.
Connor and Evanie flee but are eventually captured by the two immortal leaders with the intent to kill him, confident that Evanie can be controlled. The Black Flame of the book title is the alternative name of the lady leader, Margaret of Urbs. We refer to the male leader as the Master. In many ways, the narrative transforms into a contest of cunning, and I remain uncertain as to how Connor emerged victorious.
Despite being crucial to the story, the immortality aspect often goes unnoticed. I think Weinbaum needed someone from our time with our sensibilities, although a convicted man for manslaughter seems an odd choice. He definitely squeezed a lot of storytelling into 94 pages. While it may not be as impressive as ‘A Martian Odyssey,’ I believe Weinbaum was experimenting with his storytelling.
GF Willmetts
January 2025
(pub: c-arrow, 2019. 94 page small enlarged paperback. Price: varies. ISBN: 978-8-02733-338-7)