Venus Remembered

#Bradbury, #scifi, #shortstories. A classic Bradbury with a twist. Jason Marchi does an incredible job writing a continuation as good as the Original

This is a short novelette.  Marchi is a friend of Bradbury and wrote this follow on to a Bradbury story.

Venus Remembered is an entertaining tribute to one of my favorite authors and an introduction to a new voice (for me) in the genre. A perfect read for those of us pining for a new Bradbury story.

Review of Advance Reader’s Copy --- eBook 

Margot was four when her family left their home on Earth and came to live on Venus. She remembers the sun from her days on Earth, but Venus is a place of perpetual rain and the sun only appears once every seven years . . . and only for two hours. 

“I think the sun is a flower,” she writes, “That blooms for just one hour.”

It’s time for the sun to appear but Margot won’t be able to see it for her mean-spirited classmates have locked her away in a closet, leaving her all alone. What will happen to Margot? 

* * * * *

Seven more years have passed; now Margot is preparing to leave Venus and return to Earth where she’ll attend a Boston university. She plans to become a geologist. Or a meteorologist. 

But it seems as if there’s a problem with the rocket . . . . 

Margot, a lonely child in the first story, a young adult in the second, is the focus of both stories. Venus, with its ever-present rainfall, is a difficult adjustment for the young girl. And the trauma of her classmates locking her in the closet only adds to her difficulties. It’s a treat to have the second story to speculate on what might have happened to Margot after her release from the locked cabinet. The two stories are a seamless fit, as if their relationship was the result of a perfect plan between the two authors. And the reader reaps the pleasure.

Appearing in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction in 1954, Ray Bradbury’s “All Summer in a Day” has enjoyed a lasting popularity. IN 2002, Verbicide published Jason Marchi’s “When the Rain Stops,” a sequel to the Bradbury story, a look at what might have happened to Margot.  

Published together for the first time, this special volume also includes a foreword by William F. Nolan, an introduction by Doctor Jonathan R. Eller, and discussion suggestions for creative writing students. 

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Fahrenheit Books and NetGalley 
#VenusRemembered #NetGalley

Some might say why does a perfect home need an extension.?
Oscar Wilde said “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery....” so that explains this sequel then, by a self-confessed Ray Bradbury fan. It is far more however. For those who love their quotes will know the full quotation which continues: “... that mediocrity can pay to greatness.”
Ray Bradbury is a mega author worthy of his accolades but what of his acolyte, Jason Marchi are we to consign him to mediocrity?

This is far more than a literary collaboration, this is genius having a mirror held up to it that elevates its greatness. 

The two stories meld well together not just as a homage to the master. The frustration of a reader not wanting to leave a character hanging. Often in fiction it is used to drive a series forward and good writers do this well and it is widely used in short stories. 

This is a wonderful treasure to own and read. 
The two stories sit well together and Marchi’s echo of the original work not only brings some closure to what ifs and did she recover? But his writing matches the poetic structure and intonation so Bradbury’s fine short story reaches a new audience and readers see new insights into Ray Bradbury’s craft.

I feel as history records this combined edition published as Venus Remembered is a wonderful book. Each story can be read many times over to reveal nuance and draw fresh appreciation. The notes are the end work well for book groups or an active mind once you get past the English Literature classroom approach. Nothing to fear here though, just scope to think and reflect. Space to find answers to why authors influence our thinking and elevate our minds.

I had read this short story by Bradbury years ago, but I never read the sequel by Marchi, so it was great to reread and discover the sequel in this small book. Amazing stories, both of them. Bradbury is a monument of English literature, not just in science-fiction, in literature!

I've always loved Ray Bradbury, and this is a story I missed. Another fantastic story from the master, along with a follow up story from someone I haven't read before, Jason Marchi. Both stories were fantastic, and this was a very enjoyable, quick, read.

This small little book is only roughly 40 pages and contains Ray Bradbury’s short story titled “All Summer in a Day”, and Jason J. Marchi’s sequel follow up story titled “When the Rain Stops”.

Ultimately the premise is that humanity has started a settlement on Venus where it rains every single day and only stops for 2 hours every 7 years which is also the only time the sun ever comes out. The main character in both stories, Margot, moved to Venus with her family when she was really young but still old enough to remember what the sun was like on Earth. Unfortunately, her classmates don’t believe her and right before she will finally get to see the sun after so many years, her classmates lock her in a closet. The follow-up story by Marchi answers what happened to Margot after that incident and how it affected her remaining childhood and into her adulthood.

I LOVE Bradbury. I’ve always enjoyed his style and how he can bring out so many emotions in such a short story. He was absolutely brilliant! I can’t say that Marchi’s story totally lived up to Bradbury’s long shadow, but it was still definitely good and a worthwhile sequel to “All Summer in a Day”. I would definitely recommend picking this up if you are a Bradbury fan.

Note that there were some formatting errors in the e-book version I received from Netgalley but hopefully that was just the Netgalley version and not the one you can currently get on Amazon for FREE! Even if the errors are still there, I wouldn’t say they are enough to take away the enjoyment of reading these stories. Highly recommended.

ARC received via Netgalley. All opinions are expressly my own.

Venus Remembered is a slight book with a thought-provoking effect. Many who read it will be drawn to the Ray Bradbury name on the cover. Various supplementary material, though,  (introductions, correspondence, explanations) leads the reader to view the famous Bradbury story “”All Summer in a Day” with new eyes. The story is joined by a sequel written by a contemporary author who was first a Bradbury fan. The stories taken together produce a fuller range of emotional response and appreciation.

A fan favorite Bradbury short story paired with an original story of the young girl in All in a Summer's Day was an excellent concept carried out by a skillful author in Jason J Marchis'  When the Rain Stops.  Both stories address Margot and her rainy life on Venus, one as a girl bullied by her classmates, the next as a young woman who learned from the experience.  If you have not read the Bradbury story, you have seriously missed out, but the Marchis story adds significantly to the young girl's history.  I've always wondered what happened to Margot....now I know.

Venus Remembered is a quick read as it contains two short stories. The first is Ray Bradbury's »All Summer in a Day« and a sequel to his story »When the Rain Stops« by Jason Marchi. It also contains an introduction to the stories and a discussion for both of the short stories.

»When the Rain Stops« is not a sequel I would imagine, or expect. And although I like Bradbury's writing more, the sequel was good too. But to continue the master's story is never an easy task.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this! All opinions are my own.