In preparing to review this John Joseph Adams anthology, I grappled with what it means to be a "mad scientist." The quintessential anthology was Stuart David Schiff's Mad Scientists. From these and from scientific ethics (at least that was why the subgenre originally arose), I distilled the quintessential elements of the sub-genre--that is, a scientist believes himself working for the greater good though he may not be. It seems that now, at least in reading the anthology under review, we have lost sight of the original point of the trope, which is both good and bad: good, in that we trust scientific endeavors (no questions asked); bad in that science, to be rigorous, requires that we ask questions, not just to challenge our assumptions bound to be behind any study but also to probe our own ethics.
I pointed to this story as the basis of the Mad Scientist trope. (I have other thoughts on the use of the trope here). Some stories just have a scientist doing something crazy, like Arthur C. Clarke's "Big Game Hunt" which has a scientist try to control a giant squid, but it lacks the dynamo that makes the sub-field fascinating.
Most famously, we have Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, the scientist who wanted to create life. What was his motivation: to bring back loved ones? to spawn new creatures? to play God? Whatever his motive, I think we can understand it at least to an extent, so long as we isolate his original motive from the outcome. Frankenstein's sin may be his lack of follow-through, or maybe just the attempt itself if you believe the movie versions. Whatever his motive and whatever his sin, it is their contrast that powers Shelley's famed novel. Otherwise, the mad-scientist tale comes off flat.
Some narratives contrast two ethical stances, one or both of which may be problematic (who is the mad or madder scientist?) Sometimes the mad one isn't even the ostensible mad scientist. While the narrator isn't always "mad" or a scientist, the ones who aren't problematic is some fundamental manner dull the narrative.
Many feature unreliable narrators, but that need not necessarily be as we witness in Frankenstein. As you can tell by the title of this anthology, the stories can run from humorous to the serious, but still a contrast between one's goal and ethical outcome make stronger stories. If it's just a gag, the story will fall flat.
- Professor Incognito Apologizes: An Itemized List • short story by Austin Grossman
This is an apology told in the mad scientist's voice, which is this story's primary strength. It feigns at the mad scientist trope to talk as a metaphor for the failure of relationships.
- Father of the Groom • short story by Harry Turtledove
This literalizes a common joke about bad brides.
- Laughter at the Academy: A Field Study in the Genesis of Schizotypal Creative Genius Personality Disorder (SCGPD) • short story by Seanan McGuire
Interesting thought-piece on the creation of mad scientists.
- Letter to the Editor • short story by David D. Levine
This is a kind of tour-de-force critique of Superman (or Ultimate man) with a call to action. What makes this succeed is the switch on whom we should root for. The ending doesn't carry the same weight, but as a letter-to-an-editor format, it's still impressive for those limitations.
- Instead of a Loving Heart • short story by Jeremiah Tolbert
A robot, who serves a mad scientist, has to contemplate his existence against the impending arrival of something more intelligent and more powerful than anything that has existed before.
- The Executor • short story by Daniel H. Wilson
A mad scientist has set up a legacy for his descendants, but in order to get it, someone has to answer the riddle within five seconds.
- The Angel of Death Has a Business Plan • short story by Heather Lindsley
The protagonist works with mad scientists on their monologue. Cute.
- Homo Perfectus • short story by Dave Farland
Damien uses pheromones to get in with Asia, but as he approaches what he thinks he wants, he recognizes a subtler and more accurate approach.
- Ancient Equations • short story by L. A. Banks
A mad scientist need not use science but call up Kali, for more than one reason.
- Rural Singularity • short story by Alan Dean Foster
A reporter finds a young girl capable of miracles--scientific ones--but he doesn't quite buy into what he's told. Interesting but ends still questing for significance.
- Captain Justice Saves the Day • short story by Genevieve Valentine
A good secretary is needed to keep these guys in line--not that they'll ever notice.
- The Mad Scientist's Daughter • novelette by Theodora Goss
This was a runner-up for the Locus award. It has inherent drama just from the scenario: a bunch of mad scientists' daughters gather to tell their stories. They are neglected and abused but from so great a remove that the narrative gears are absent. Interesting concept, though.
- The Space Between • novella by Diana Gabaldon
While this sounded interesting, it may require knowledge of the series, which I have yet to explore. It seems interesting, but probably not a good entry point into the series.
- Harry and Marlowe Meet the Founder of the Aetherian Revolution • short story by Carrie Vaughn
Carrie Vaughn gives a thrilling episode in her series with. Although the story can be appreciated alone, it would help the reader to be versed in the background of this dynamic duo. Their relationship seems to be developed elsewhere.
- Blood & Stardust • short story by Laird Barron
Laird Barron has an ugly henchwoman who was been raised as the mad scientist's child but steps out (see also Goss's work, albeit a bit more dynamic)
- A More Perfect Union • short story by L. E. Modesitt, Jr.
L. E. Modesitt, Jr., more than most of the writers here, really works on the trope in "A More Perfect Union" and takes it into an interesting direction: political science. Unfortunately, the writer must have had constraints for the tale isn't as engagingly told as it could be.
- Rocks Fall • short story by Naomi Novik
Naomi Novik's "Rock Fall is more of superhero comic-book villain, but the scenario is the setup is unique. The follow-through didn't fully click.
- We Interrupt This Broadcast • short story by Mary Robinette Kowal
Mary Robinette Kowal's place us empathetically in the mind of a true mad scientist who makes devastating miscalculation. Solid work.
- The Last Dignity of Man • novelette by Marjorie M. Liu
Marjory M Liu's "The Last Dignity of Man" has a similar slipstream which flips Ford's situation (opening and development are fascinating, the closing not so much).
- The Pittsburgh Technology • short story by Jeffrey Ford
A handful of works don't really engage the trope but still provoke thought. Jeffrey Ford's "The Pittsburgh Technology" tackles a familiar set-up: a loser looks for a better life and is given the opportunity (arguably slipstream--the opening isn't strong, but that ending zings).
- Mofongo Knows • short story by Grady Hendrix
Grady Hendrix's "Mofongo Knows" is really the highlight of the anthology. It takes you inside the decline and "fall" of a dynamic superhero Steve Savage and his foe, the "Gorilla of the Mind, Mofongo," who can influence people and things through the power of his mind. However, Mofongo has been captured by Savage and they've been a sideshow ever since. Mofongo seems to exist merely to have someone to taunt and be taunted by. When Savage passes, the course of Mofongo's life will change--for good or for ill. It starts humorous and becomes surprisingly moving.
- The Food Taster's Boy • short story by Ben H. Winters
The collection closes with strong work by Ben H Winters. A mad scientist conducts a cruel experiment just to witness cinematic results that don't quite pan out as he expected. Interesting (since it's intentionally problematic) thought piece.
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