A Specter Is Haunting Texas by Fritz Leiber (1969)
First edition cover art by the inimitable Jack Gaughan
A riotous and comical satire of Texas written in 1969, Fritz Leiber’s ‘A Specter Is Haunting Texas’ depicts an insane, futuristic evolution of the state of Texas and its inhabitants. Christopher Crokett La Cruz (later nicknamed Skully) is an actor who has lived his entire life 1000 miles from the moon in zero gravity, he and the other ‘Longhairs’ living in a hive of dura plastic bubble homes pendant on Circumluna and known as the Sack. His father sends him to Earth to settle a 100 year old mining claim in Canada, but instead he accidentally lands in Texas…and what an interesting Texas it is!
“Longhairs have less brains than Longhorns, and less ability to stand on their own hind legs. Most Longhairs perished in the Atomic War, or were exiled to that sick-cow-corral, Circumluna, and her unspeakable udder, the Sack. Praise the Lord and puff the marijuana!”
Cover Art by H. R. Van Dongen
The former state now encompasses everything from Nicaragua to the North Pole and is referred to as Texas, Texas as opposed to Texas, U.S.A. Texans in this future are gun toting, racist, weed smoking patriots. They proudly run their government by way of lawful takeovers and assassinations claiming, “We like things loose as the reins by which we herd our second-class citizenry”. They carry animosity towards inhabitants of Circumluna and have cut them off from all trade because they refused to let World War III carry into space. Texans have taken growth hormones over time and now stand 8 feet tall or more and Mexicans are now basically dwarf slaves referred to as ‘Mexes’. Some of the slaves have even been ‘cyborged’ with metal yokes around their necks. These future Texans are hellbent on a monopoly of atomic power, land accumulation and slavery.
Cover Art by Richard Clifton-Dey
Due to Scully’s upbringing in zero gravity, he relies on a metal exoskeleton to hold up his 8’ 8” 147 pound frame, complete with a metal helmet partially covering his face and dawning a hooded black robe. The local Mexican population starts to refer to him as a skeleton, a ghost, death, a dark figure who could possibly lead them to independence. He also considers himself somewhat of a lady’s man, lusting after two extravagant women central to the revolution. He ultimately gets ‘enlisted’ as a figurehead or leader of the “Bent-Back Underground”, an organization fighting for the rights of the indentured Mexican servants. He is far from shy when it comes to lauding his own skills as an orator, and he treats his new found leadership partially as an acting gig.
“Death is not the ideal figure for a hypnotist, though he eventually summons each of us offstage with a mesmeric command. Few find his presence sympathetic or reassuring.”
Cover Art by Fred Pfeiffer
Leiber’s skill in crafting the new Texan dialogue is hilarious, you can hear the stereotypical racist/rancher/good ol’ boy accent as you process the words. The whole premise is wildly imaginative, and Leiber’s creation of Scully’s physical appearance captured my imagination. His writing was at times reminiscent of Vonnegut, which doesn’t hurt!
