The Ant King: and Other Stories

243 Pages·2008·1.11 MB·English

by  Benjamin Rosenbaum

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Praise for Benjamin Rosenbaum’s work:
“Rosenbaum’s imagery will surely embed itself in the invisible architec-
ture of your own memory banks for days after you’ve read it.”
— New York Times Book Review
“A terrific range of tales, showcasing an active, playful mind and a glee-
ful genre-blender.”
—Aimee Bender (Willful Creatures)
“Benjamin Rosenbaum is one of the best new science fiction writers
working in the field today.”
—Cory Doctorow, Boing Boing
“Remember when opening a book was like opening a door to the
beyond which resides within? Have you been looking for that door for
a long time? Benjamin Rosenbaum has the key.”
—Mary Rickert (Map of Dreams)
“Rosenbaum’s fertile sense of invention and his sly humor (“Ponge, as
its inhabitants will tell you, is a thoroughly unattractive city. ‘Well,’ they
always say at the mention of any horrible news, ‘we do live in Ponge.’”)
make these parables a real treat.”
—Asimov’s
“An emerging prodigy of short fiction.”
— Locus
“Beyond being a fantastic fabulist and futurist, Ben has a unique gift for
exposing less-explored aspects of human nature and modern culture in
his stories in ways that are touching and funny and cause you to think.
His stories are exciting and fun, and they keep you engaged long after
you put the book down.”
—Jason Olim
“Ben Rosenbaum is one of the freshest and finest voices to appear in
science fiction in many years. The stories collected in The Ant King
demonstrate his astonishing versatility, his marvelous imagination, and
his ready wit. Start reading him now, because there’ll clearly be much
more to come, and it will be good, extremely good.” i
—Jack Womack (Let’s Put the Future Behind Us)
ii
The
Ant
King
and other stories
iii
iv
The
Ant
King
and other stories
Benjamin
Rosenbaum
Small Beer Press
Easthampton, MA
v
This is a work of fiction. All characters and events portrayed
in this book are either fictitious or used fictitiously.
Copyright © 8 by Benjamin Rosenbaum. All rights reserved.
www.benjaminrosenbaum.com
Small Beer Press
5 Pleasant St., #36
Easthampton, MA 7
www.smallbeerpress.com
[email protected]
Distributed to the trade by Consortium.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Rosenbaum, Benjamin, 1969-
The ant king and other stories / Benjamin Rosenbaum.
p. cm.
ISBN 978-1-931520-52-2 (trade cloth : alk. paper) -- ISBN 978-1-931520-53-9 (trade paper : alk.
paper)
1. Fantasy fiction, American. 2. Science fiction, American. I. Title.
PS3618.O8316A85 2008
813’.6--dc22
2008013685
First edition   3  5 6 7 8  
Printed on 5# Natures Book Natural FSC Mixed 3% PCR by Thomson-Shore in Dexter, MI.
Text set in Centaur MT .
Cover art © Brad Holland.
www.bradholland.com
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Contents
The Ant King: A California Fairy Tale 1
The Valley of Giants 27
The Orange 33
Biographical Notes to “A Discourse on the
Nature of Causality, with Air-Planes,”
by Benjamin Rosenbaum 34
Start the Clock 61
The Blow 81
Embracing-The-New 83
Falling 95
Orphans 99
On the Cliff by the River 105
Fig 111
The Book of Jashar 113
The House Beyond Your Sky 125
Red Leather Tassels 139
Other Cities 145
Sense and Sensibility 173
A Siege of Cranes 197
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For Esther:
my beloved
my foundation
and my lucky break
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