At Eastercon this year I was instructed to blog about Star Trek: The Next Generation by my friend Tom.
This was after a conversation in the bar, during which my thoughts about the series had Tom in stitches. Apparently I'm hilarious, and since that is exactly the kind of compliment that works on me, I'm now blogging about Next Gen.
My geekery doesn't come from a Trek background. I've barely seen 2
episodes of the original series. I remember Next Gen being on BBC2 at
teatime as a kid, I watched bits. I prefer Deep Space Nine, with it's
character development and politics I'm told it's the least Trek-like
Trek series.
This isn't technically a rewatch as there are quite a few episodes I haven't seen. It's me writing what I think as I watch the episodes, with the intention of taking a humorous view.
I'm still going to blog about books, and other stuff that takes my fancy -I'm currently working on a post about scary dolls. I don't intend for this to become a Star Trek blog, but I'll try to write up an episode once a week (depending on my supply of borrowed DVDs).
So stay tuned for my thoughts on 'Encounter at Farpoint'.
4 July 2012
30 June 2012
Recent Reading
Do the Creepy Thing by Graham Joyce
This is an excellent story, which defied my initial expectations in an interesting way. It felt very realistic and grounded to me, despite having definite supernatural content. Both the setting and characters felt authentic, like these were things happening to normal people, not characters from a book. This might be because it's a UK book, whereas quite a lot of the YA I read is set in the US, although I think it says more about the authors grasp on his characters and honesty about their lives. There were a few elements in the book that could be described as 'issues', especially involving Caz's mum and her friend Lucy, but they weren't written like that at all. They were dealt with in a present-but-mostly-unmentioned kind of way, which is realistic even if it's not ideal. I thought that part of the ending was a bit too neat, but was happy to be surprised by the direction the story went.
27 June 2012
Real Life Update
Various things have been going on.
Race for Life happened. 5km walk around a race course, along a river bank, up a hill and through a bus station in my hometown. I've raised over £70 for Cancer Research so far, and people can still donate online.
Here is a picture of me and my Mum beforehand (she found more pink clothes than me):
It was a good event, with over 5000 women entering (the highest race number I saw was 5011). There were all sorts of outfits and costumes, including a woman dressed as a banana, a family of giraffes and some fantastic hats. It was pleasant to walk around, seeing what had changed and what's still the same. I haven't been to my hometown properly in a few years, and it's become a University town since I moved away. It was also nice to do the walk with my Mum and chat a bit.
Work is... well things aren't easy at the moment. There have been changes that we're still getting used to. There are staffing issues we're having to cope with. There will be changes coming in autumn, which apparently will improve things, but I'll wait and see what happens.
I'm actually job hunting at the moment, because though I like the job itself I'm going nowhere at the moment. My employers can't offer me what I need anymore, so I'm being sensible and thinking about the future. Looking for a new job is difficult and confusing, especially as I'm still figuring out what I want to do.Then again I've found some promising vacancies that I'm interested in, so I'm hoping something comes from that.
I will reassure everyone that I am still reading as much as ever (because I'm sure you were so concerned about that), I've just been bad at posting about it. I'm thinking of doing shorter posts about specific books, then doing longer posts on various themes as they occur to me.
I'm planning on doing a blog series about a beloved SF TV show, mostly because a friend demanded that I do so back in April (there may have been wine, or gin). Given how long the show ran it is a project that could take some years, but I don't want it to dominate the blog, so I'll be keeping up with other content too.
Race for Life happened. 5km walk around a race course, along a river bank, up a hill and through a bus station in my hometown. I've raised over £70 for Cancer Research so far, and people can still donate online.
Here is a picture of me and my Mum beforehand (she found more pink clothes than me):
 |
| This picture is actually the one with the normalest expression. |
Work is... well things aren't easy at the moment. There have been changes that we're still getting used to. There are staffing issues we're having to cope with. There will be changes coming in autumn, which apparently will improve things, but I'll wait and see what happens.
I'm actually job hunting at the moment, because though I like the job itself I'm going nowhere at the moment. My employers can't offer me what I need anymore, so I'm being sensible and thinking about the future. Looking for a new job is difficult and confusing, especially as I'm still figuring out what I want to do.Then again I've found some promising vacancies that I'm interested in, so I'm hoping something comes from that.
I will reassure everyone that I am still reading as much as ever (because I'm sure you were so concerned about that), I've just been bad at posting about it. I'm thinking of doing shorter posts about specific books, then doing longer posts on various themes as they occur to me.
I'm planning on doing a blog series about a beloved SF TV show, mostly because a friend demanded that I do so back in April (there may have been wine, or gin). Given how long the show ran it is a project that could take some years, but I don't want it to dominate the blog, so I'll be keeping up with other content too.
11 June 2012
Race for Life
On 24th June I'm taking part in Race for Life to raise money for Cancer Research UK.
My mother is a breast cancer survivor. She was diagnosed in 2009 and had to undergo over a year of surgeries, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. These left her very ill and unable to work or enjoy her usual busy social life.
Now that the worst is behind her (though she's still on medication and has regular tests) we're going to walk 5km together through my hometown.
I'm still looking for sponsors and would be very grateful if you could donate just a little on my JustGiving page.
JustGiving donations are in GBP (£) so check conversion rates if you use another currency, and depending on your bank there may be a charge for an international transaction.
Thank you.
My mother is a breast cancer survivor. She was diagnosed in 2009 and had to undergo over a year of surgeries, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. These left her very ill and unable to work or enjoy her usual busy social life.
Now that the worst is behind her (though she's still on medication and has regular tests) we're going to walk 5km together through my hometown.
I'm still looking for sponsors and would be very grateful if you could donate just a little on my JustGiving page.
JustGiving donations are in GBP (£) so check conversion rates if you use another currency, and depending on your bank there may be a charge for an international transaction.
Thank you.
3 June 2012
Recent Reading
My Week with Marilyn by Colin Clark
I saw and enjoyed the film and intended to have a look at the book. Within two weeks it was in my hands as I was replacing non-fiction at work. I took this as a sign and issued it to myself that very day.
The book is in two parts, the first is the diary of Colin Clark, a 23 year-old wannabe filmmaker, and 3rd Assistant Director on The Prince and the Showgirl. This part was published in 1995 as The Prince, the Showgirl and Me and gives a lot of insight into the personalities and problems behind the making of the film. The second, eponymous part (first published in 2000) is about a week that he spent as friend and confidante to Marilyn Munroe, the most famous woman in the world.
The film cut quite a lot and swapped some parts around, but it was fairly faithful to the book. It is the diary of an upper class Englishman from a bohemian (for 1950s Britain) background getting his first glimpse of the film industry.
In his preface Clarke says he couldn't be further from the 'country set' that made up his school fellows. Initially I found this statement ridiculous, but I suppose that he probably was as far from that group as any white, wealthy, upper-class, Eaton-educated Englishman could be. I think the point is that Colin had a very different outlook on life than those who would be considered his peers. His father was friends with Sir Laurence Olivier and that was how Colin got his very humble position on the film.
What I did not expect, and therefore found interesting, was what I learned about the 1950s. Nowadays it is a decade much referred to (especially this long weekend in the UK), but often in terms of austerity and restraint. Being a personal diary there were various intimate details and it felt odd to be reading stuff like that (I'm pretty un-voyeuristic) recorded so frankly.
It was also a glimpse of the kind of things that were common enough behind closed doors, but don't represent the modern idea of the 1950s. Not only sexual stuff, though there was some of that, but also swearing, drug taking, and the commonness of marital infidelity. It was also interesting to see the culture clash between the American movie-makers and the British film industry, which had strong links to the theatre (especially this production which was based on a play and involved any stage actors). The world of film is obviously apart from everyday life and not anywhere near as glamorous as the industry would have us believe, then or now.
The differences in tone between the two parts was very striking. I suppose the first was meant as a behind-the-scenes view of the filming, whereas the second is very much a personal account. It does make you wonder how much editing Colin did before publication. The events of the second book were concealed in the first, dates were changed and Colin displays no difference in tone or sympathy towards Munroe despite the changes that must have taken place.
I'm now quite interested to see The Prince and the Showgirl. Having read how difficult it was to make I'm, curious about the finished product.
Servant of the Underworld by Aliette de Bodard
This fantasy murder mystery is set in the Aztec Empire. High Priest of the Dead Acatl is called to investigate the death of an ambitious priestess, the main suspect is his brother, an elite warrior. Acatl, an unambitious man who has been thrust into a high-profile role, investigates to prove his estranged brother's innocence, but uncovers other secrets that could tear his family apart.
I very much enjoyed this book. I've read some of the author's short fiction in Interzone and was very impressed by it. I knew it had an Aztec setting and wasn't sure quite what to expect, I did Aztecs in school when I was 10, but it's an area and a period I know little about, so it was interesting to read about. There are all sorts of little details throughout that gave a good idea of how life was lived. The short stories I've read were set in an alternate-future with Aztec and Chinese empires in space, so I think I was initially expecting something more science fictional. I soon got into the historical in setting, and was interested to read about the magic wielded by priests and gods. I don't know Aztec myths, so I can't comment on that side of things, but the rules and magic all seemed consistent and worked with the setting. There was a good bibliography at the back of the book, and I recently got a free book about Mesoamerican art I shall look through.
The book is told from first person point of view by Acatl, who is a dedicated, honest man, but not a go-getter and weighed down with familial regrets and some resentment towards his successful brother. I found him to be mostly sympathetic, though there were occasions when you could see why his sister and deputy were so fed up with him. I found various of his character flaws familiar, so I identified with him more than some of the more action-based characters that can be found in the genre.
The only part of the book I found difficult were the names, which I didn't always know how to pronounce. However this wasn't really a problem as I'm not talking about the book out loud. Although I was curious about the sounds I'm actually glad there wasn't anything like a pronunciation guide. When I've read those in books before (including The Dervish House) I've fond they can be more distracting than helpful.
The book is in two parts, the first is the diary of Colin Clark, a 23 year-old wannabe filmmaker, and 3rd Assistant Director on The Prince and the Showgirl. This part was published in 1995 as The Prince, the Showgirl and Me and gives a lot of insight into the personalities and problems behind the making of the film. The second, eponymous part (first published in 2000) is about a week that he spent as friend and confidante to Marilyn Munroe, the most famous woman in the world.
The film cut quite a lot and swapped some parts around, but it was fairly faithful to the book. It is the diary of an upper class Englishman from a bohemian (for 1950s Britain) background getting his first glimpse of the film industry.
In his preface Clarke says he couldn't be further from the 'country set' that made up his school fellows. Initially I found this statement ridiculous, but I suppose that he probably was as far from that group as any white, wealthy, upper-class, Eaton-educated Englishman could be. I think the point is that Colin had a very different outlook on life than those who would be considered his peers. His father was friends with Sir Laurence Olivier and that was how Colin got his very humble position on the film.
What I did not expect, and therefore found interesting, was what I learned about the 1950s. Nowadays it is a decade much referred to (especially this long weekend in the UK), but often in terms of austerity and restraint. Being a personal diary there were various intimate details and it felt odd to be reading stuff like that (I'm pretty un-voyeuristic) recorded so frankly.
It was also a glimpse of the kind of things that were common enough behind closed doors, but don't represent the modern idea of the 1950s. Not only sexual stuff, though there was some of that, but also swearing, drug taking, and the commonness of marital infidelity. It was also interesting to see the culture clash between the American movie-makers and the British film industry, which had strong links to the theatre (especially this production which was based on a play and involved any stage actors). The world of film is obviously apart from everyday life and not anywhere near as glamorous as the industry would have us believe, then or now.
The differences in tone between the two parts was very striking. I suppose the first was meant as a behind-the-scenes view of the filming, whereas the second is very much a personal account. It does make you wonder how much editing Colin did before publication. The events of the second book were concealed in the first, dates were changed and Colin displays no difference in tone or sympathy towards Munroe despite the changes that must have taken place.
I'm now quite interested to see The Prince and the Showgirl. Having read how difficult it was to make I'm, curious about the finished product.
Servant of the Underworld by Aliette de Bodard
This fantasy murder mystery is set in the Aztec Empire. High Priest of the Dead Acatl is called to investigate the death of an ambitious priestess, the main suspect is his brother, an elite warrior. Acatl, an unambitious man who has been thrust into a high-profile role, investigates to prove his estranged brother's innocence, but uncovers other secrets that could tear his family apart.
I very much enjoyed this book. I've read some of the author's short fiction in Interzone and was very impressed by it. I knew it had an Aztec setting and wasn't sure quite what to expect, I did Aztecs in school when I was 10, but it's an area and a period I know little about, so it was interesting to read about. There are all sorts of little details throughout that gave a good idea of how life was lived. The short stories I've read were set in an alternate-future with Aztec and Chinese empires in space, so I think I was initially expecting something more science fictional. I soon got into the historical in setting, and was interested to read about the magic wielded by priests and gods. I don't know Aztec myths, so I can't comment on that side of things, but the rules and magic all seemed consistent and worked with the setting. There was a good bibliography at the back of the book, and I recently got a free book about Mesoamerican art I shall look through.
The book is told from first person point of view by Acatl, who is a dedicated, honest man, but not a go-getter and weighed down with familial regrets and some resentment towards his successful brother. I found him to be mostly sympathetic, though there were occasions when you could see why his sister and deputy were so fed up with him. I found various of his character flaws familiar, so I identified with him more than some of the more action-based characters that can be found in the genre.
The only part of the book I found difficult were the names, which I didn't always know how to pronounce. However this wasn't really a problem as I'm not talking about the book out loud. Although I was curious about the sounds I'm actually glad there wasn't anything like a pronunciation guide. When I've read those in books before (including The Dervish House) I've fond they can be more distracting than helpful.
25 May 2012
Wings of Desire
Last week I went to the last event of the International Dance festival Birmingham, having been to nothing else that was going on.
Wings of Desire is a dance, acrobatic and projected performance based on the film of the same name. I have seen both the original 80s Berlin-set film (which was later adapted by Hollywood into City of Angels, I film that seems mundane and ineffective compared to the artistry of the original) and it's 90s sequel Faraway So Close. Both films were good and arty, though the second was less poetic and had more of a definite plot, including Peter Falk (playing himself) providing one of the best distractions I have ever seen on screen.
Anyway the free performance, which ran in Birmingham's Victoria square for 4 nights, was actually quite a reasonable adaption of the film, considering it was a different medium. The story was relocated to Birmingham and had Goldie (an artist and actor with strong links with the city) take on a similar role to the late Peter Falk. He acted as compere and provided explanation.
Some of the angels were actually stood on top of buildings around the square, which was pretty impressive, especially the person on the five storey building. There were also dancers who wove their way through the crowd holding glowing spheres in their hands. These bits were very effective, as it showed the mystical side of things both at a distance and within the audience. The dance and acrobatic sections mostly took place on a large stage. This was the one place where, for me, the performance broke down, mostly because I could barely see what was going on except for on those occasions when the acrobats were standing on top of each other - which happened a fair bit. However if you're using dance and acrobatics to tell a story it helps if the audience can see most of the moves, or the shape of the dance, rather glimpses and shadows.
The big screen behind the stage projected many faces, and different voices were played over the stereo system, to represent the angels' ability to see into the thoughts of the people in the city. A lot of the images were of local people and some of the situations and dialogue were tied with specific locations, which worked well. Obviously Birmingham does not have the historical significance of Berlin, but there are still a huge number of stories, and part of the beauty of both the films and this adaption are their ability to place personal, intimate stories within a busy metropolis.
The biggest spectacle was the architectural projection on the town hall. It was truly amazing. The building appeared to become a weird spectral river, then seemed to crumble and fall and blow away. There were times when it looked almost organic, and when it was full of fireworks and when it seemed to dance with light and spin with colour like a building made of rubiks cubes. There were times when you thought you were looking at the actual columns then they'd move and you'd realise with delight that the illusion had tricked you.
It's particularly fitting because for years the exterior of the town hall was only a drawing on gigantic sheeting that covered the building while it was being worked on, so the idea that it might be illusory and fleeting worked well.
I think this use of the town hall even beats that time it appeared in a webcomic
Wings of Desire is a dance, acrobatic and projected performance based on the film of the same name. I have seen both the original 80s Berlin-set film (which was later adapted by Hollywood into City of Angels, I film that seems mundane and ineffective compared to the artistry of the original) and it's 90s sequel Faraway So Close. Both films were good and arty, though the second was less poetic and had more of a definite plot, including Peter Falk (playing himself) providing one of the best distractions I have ever seen on screen.
Anyway the free performance, which ran in Birmingham's Victoria square for 4 nights, was actually quite a reasonable adaption of the film, considering it was a different medium. The story was relocated to Birmingham and had Goldie (an artist and actor with strong links with the city) take on a similar role to the late Peter Falk. He acted as compere and provided explanation.
Some of the angels were actually stood on top of buildings around the square, which was pretty impressive, especially the person on the five storey building. There were also dancers who wove their way through the crowd holding glowing spheres in their hands. These bits were very effective, as it showed the mystical side of things both at a distance and within the audience. The dance and acrobatic sections mostly took place on a large stage. This was the one place where, for me, the performance broke down, mostly because I could barely see what was going on except for on those occasions when the acrobats were standing on top of each other - which happened a fair bit. However if you're using dance and acrobatics to tell a story it helps if the audience can see most of the moves, or the shape of the dance, rather glimpses and shadows.
The big screen behind the stage projected many faces, and different voices were played over the stereo system, to represent the angels' ability to see into the thoughts of the people in the city. A lot of the images were of local people and some of the situations and dialogue were tied with specific locations, which worked well. Obviously Birmingham does not have the historical significance of Berlin, but there are still a huge number of stories, and part of the beauty of both the films and this adaption are their ability to place personal, intimate stories within a busy metropolis.
The biggest spectacle was the architectural projection on the town hall. It was truly amazing. The building appeared to become a weird spectral river, then seemed to crumble and fall and blow away. There were times when it looked almost organic, and when it was full of fireworks and when it seemed to dance with light and spin with colour like a building made of rubiks cubes. There were times when you thought you were looking at the actual columns then they'd move and you'd realise with delight that the illusion had tricked you.
It's particularly fitting because for years the exterior of the town hall was only a drawing on gigantic sheeting that covered the building while it was being worked on, so the idea that it might be illusory and fleeting worked well.
I think this use of the town hall even beats that time it appeared in a webcomic
20 May 2012
Recent Reading
The Dervish House by Ian McDonald
I very much enjoyed this book, and I can see why it won a BSFA award. My husband has also read it, although he didn't enjoy it as much as me.
Set in near future Istanbul, it covers a week in the lives of six characters who live/work in an old dervish house on the European side of the city. In many ways the main character is Istanbul itself, various parts and periods of the city are explored in detail, at times it is almost poetical. I have never been to Istanbul and my knowledge of its history is limited to back when it was Constantinople, but the sense of the city and it's history are so strong that I felt I had some understanding of it - this is almost certainly an illusion, but creating powerful illusions is a mark of good fiction.
The main characters are: a old Greek academic who is part of a shrinking community; a secluded 9 year old boy with a heart condition who fancies himself a detective; a religious art dealer from an aristocratic family and her ambitious stock-trader husband; a determined young woman from rural Turkey who wants to prove her worth to her large family by marketing her cousin's revolutionary nanotech company; a troubled man who is being cared for by his religious brother.
The SF elements are mostly nanotechnology and advances in robotics. These allow for swarms of tiny robotic components that can reassemble into a variety of shapes for different uses. Nanotechnology lets people increase the performance of their brains and bodies, and one of the plotlines is about visionary technology that could see humanity altered entirely. There is also a strong vein of history in the book too, which is probably one of the reasons I enjoyed it. There is the recent (from our viewpoint, future) history of Turkey joining the EU. There are bittersweet memories of the 80s, when young love existed against political upheaval. There is the legacy of the Ottoman Empire, its decline and Turkey's liberation. There is plenty of Islamic history and mythology as one character searches for a lost artifact and another has mystical creatures enter their life - this sense of the fantastic is probably another reason I enjoyed the book so much, I do like a bit of Science Fantasy.
An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
This is the third John Green book I've read and it's probably the most amusing. It's about a boy called Colin who has dated and been dumped by 19 girls called Katherine, at first it was a coincidence, then it became a very specific preference (apparently the way I spell the name would not be acceptable). Having been recently dumped by Katherine XIX Colin is taken on a trip by his best friend Hassan and they end up in Gutshot, Tennessee, helping with a local history project. While all this is going on child prodigy Colin (who is afraid that despite his potential hell never be classed a genius) is attempting to come up with a mathematical theorem to explain relationships and predict who will dump who and when.
The book has many things which seem to be John Green staples: a young male protagonist who is confused about his future; a part of the USA that you don't tend to see on TV; a larger-than-life, foul-mouthed best friend; and a lot of random facts that are part of the main character's quirks.
Despite having familiar elements the story was in no way predictable, I honestly wasn't sure how it would finish -especially as previous John Green books I've read have had darker themes than this one. One thing I enjoyed about the book was the footnotes (I read a lot of Pratchett as a teenager, so this is probably unsurprising, plus I can be a rather tangential person myself), which contained both facts that Colin knows and interesting narrative info. A major theme of the book was Colin realising that, despite his impressive brainpower and brilliant academic skills, most of his potential was not necessarily going to be of any help outside of education. This seems like a good message for young people (even those who aren't prodigies).
I very much enjoyed this book, and I can see why it won a BSFA award. My husband has also read it, although he didn't enjoy it as much as me.
Set in near future Istanbul, it covers a week in the lives of six characters who live/work in an old dervish house on the European side of the city. In many ways the main character is Istanbul itself, various parts and periods of the city are explored in detail, at times it is almost poetical. I have never been to Istanbul and my knowledge of its history is limited to back when it was Constantinople, but the sense of the city and it's history are so strong that I felt I had some understanding of it - this is almost certainly an illusion, but creating powerful illusions is a mark of good fiction.
The main characters are: a old Greek academic who is part of a shrinking community; a secluded 9 year old boy with a heart condition who fancies himself a detective; a religious art dealer from an aristocratic family and her ambitious stock-trader husband; a determined young woman from rural Turkey who wants to prove her worth to her large family by marketing her cousin's revolutionary nanotech company; a troubled man who is being cared for by his religious brother.
The SF elements are mostly nanotechnology and advances in robotics. These allow for swarms of tiny robotic components that can reassemble into a variety of shapes for different uses. Nanotechnology lets people increase the performance of their brains and bodies, and one of the plotlines is about visionary technology that could see humanity altered entirely. There is also a strong vein of history in the book too, which is probably one of the reasons I enjoyed it. There is the recent (from our viewpoint, future) history of Turkey joining the EU. There are bittersweet memories of the 80s, when young love existed against political upheaval. There is the legacy of the Ottoman Empire, its decline and Turkey's liberation. There is plenty of Islamic history and mythology as one character searches for a lost artifact and another has mystical creatures enter their life - this sense of the fantastic is probably another reason I enjoyed the book so much, I do like a bit of Science Fantasy.
An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
This is the third John Green book I've read and it's probably the most amusing. It's about a boy called Colin who has dated and been dumped by 19 girls called Katherine, at first it was a coincidence, then it became a very specific preference (apparently the way I spell the name would not be acceptable). Having been recently dumped by Katherine XIX Colin is taken on a trip by his best friend Hassan and they end up in Gutshot, Tennessee, helping with a local history project. While all this is going on child prodigy Colin (who is afraid that despite his potential hell never be classed a genius) is attempting to come up with a mathematical theorem to explain relationships and predict who will dump who and when.
The book has many things which seem to be John Green staples: a young male protagonist who is confused about his future; a part of the USA that you don't tend to see on TV; a larger-than-life, foul-mouthed best friend; and a lot of random facts that are part of the main character's quirks.
Despite having familiar elements the story was in no way predictable, I honestly wasn't sure how it would finish -especially as previous John Green books I've read have had darker themes than this one. One thing I enjoyed about the book was the footnotes (I read a lot of Pratchett as a teenager, so this is probably unsurprising, plus I can be a rather tangential person myself), which contained both facts that Colin knows and interesting narrative info. A major theme of the book was Colin realising that, despite his impressive brainpower and brilliant academic skills, most of his potential was not necessarily going to be of any help outside of education. This seems like a good message for young people (even those who aren't prodigies).
5 May 2012
Recent Reading
I have been a very bad blogger of late, I can only apologise. I have some modest plans for this blog, it's just taking me a while to get things sorted.
In the meantime here is a quick round up of stuff that I've read over the last month.
The 3rd book in the Tales of Einarinn sees us back with Livak as the first person narrator. The story takes us to the Forest, the Mountains and even into the eastern land of Solura, showing the reader different peoples and their societies. We see a lot of Mountain society as a faction of Mountain folk declare war against the lowlanders.
I think I prefer Livak as narrator to Ryshad - Livak feels a bit more fun to me. This book shows us more of the author's world building skills as we see how the different societies work within themselves and interact with others. This book has less focus on the elemental wizards and more on folklore and aetheric magic, and the hunt for answers that combine the two.
This collection of short stories (which I bought a while ago and only recently finished), is about a group of fannish folk who meet in a pub (the eponymous Fountain) once a week and swap stories - several of which take on a distinctly science fictional tone. With a variety of big names contributing you can be sure that the collection is high quality writing and very entertaining.
This is a book about the history of cosmology, entirely in rhyme, with amusing illustrations. It's genius!
I really liked the ancient bits (shocking, I know) and was interested in medieval and early modern sections, especially about the role that Islamic cultures played in preserving wisdom. The progress of human knowledge is fascinating. The modern sections had formulae in the verse, which I found a bit confusing. Then again towards the end there was a section that described how a star goes supernova to the same meter and rhyming scheme as The Lady of Shalott, which is weirdly brilliant.
In the meantime here is a quick round up of stuff that I've read over the last month.
The Gambler's Fortune - Juliet E. McKenna
I think I prefer Livak as narrator to Ryshad - Livak feels a bit more fun to me. This book shows us more of the author's world building skills as we see how the different societies work within themselves and interact with others. This book has less focus on the elemental wizards and more on folklore and aetheric magic, and the hunt for answers that combine the two.
Fables from the Fountain - Ian Whates (ed)
This collection of short stories (which I bought a while ago and only recently finished), is about a group of fannish folk who meet in a pub (the eponymous Fountain) once a week and swap stories - several of which take on a distinctly science fictional tone. With a variety of big names contributing you can be sure that the collection is high quality writing and very entertaining.
The Cosmic Verses - James Muirden Illustrated by David Eccles
This is a book about the history of cosmology, entirely in rhyme, with amusing illustrations. It's genius!
I really liked the ancient bits (shocking, I know) and was interested in medieval and early modern sections, especially about the role that Islamic cultures played in preserving wisdom. The progress of human knowledge is fascinating. The modern sections had formulae in the verse, which I found a bit confusing. Then again towards the end there was a section that described how a star goes supernova to the same meter and rhyming scheme as The Lady of Shalott, which is weirdly brilliant.
19 April 2012
Alt.Fiction 2012
Alt.Fiction is much smaller and more relaxed than Eastercon. It's held in an arts centre (in Leicester this year) and the selection of panels and workshops available cover various aspects of SF fandom and writing.
This was my 3rd Alt.Fiction, and the first time I've been for more than a single day. I go to Alt.Fiction by myself and always end up having some good chats with people. My first one was great as it was where I met my first con-going friends and therefore led to good things and great people.
This year I attended a steampunk/alternate history workshop run by Kim Lakin-Smith, which taught me that there are many more 'punks than I had realised. I also learned that sticking a giant squid into a writing exercise is a popular move.
There were various panels, that are sadly starting to blur together a bit (in fact the main way I'm able to definitely distinguish them from Eastercon ones is the size and decor of the rooms). The most interesting were the 'Not Another F*cking Elf' panel, which looked at Tolkienesque tropes and the use of elves in different forms. 'Extremely Dangerous Fairy Folk' saw a discussion about the forces that exist outside of our understanding and how they can be used, but must be respected. 'Diversity in Fantasy' was very interesting and provided much food for thought.
As with most cons it's the social time that really makes the weekend. I'm glad to say that I saw and spoke to many great people I know from the internet and other cons. I didn't socialise as much as I'd intended to, by the evening my cold was in full swing and I found that sitting in one place for long periods of time was the easiest option. Having said that, I did have some great and interesting conversations, so I don't have any regrets.
One moment of hilarity that sticks with me was seeing a member of the Unbound Video Editions team react with shock when a giant image of their face appeared on the big video screens in the bar.
I want to thank all those who provided great conversations and great programme items. With special thanks to those who were sympathetic and aided me during my sneezing and sniffling.
This was my 3rd Alt.Fiction, and the first time I've been for more than a single day. I go to Alt.Fiction by myself and always end up having some good chats with people. My first one was great as it was where I met my first con-going friends and therefore led to good things and great people.
This year I attended a steampunk/alternate history workshop run by Kim Lakin-Smith, which taught me that there are many more 'punks than I had realised. I also learned that sticking a giant squid into a writing exercise is a popular move.
There were various panels, that are sadly starting to blur together a bit (in fact the main way I'm able to definitely distinguish them from Eastercon ones is the size and decor of the rooms). The most interesting were the 'Not Another F*cking Elf' panel, which looked at Tolkienesque tropes and the use of elves in different forms. 'Extremely Dangerous Fairy Folk' saw a discussion about the forces that exist outside of our understanding and how they can be used, but must be respected. 'Diversity in Fantasy' was very interesting and provided much food for thought.
As with most cons it's the social time that really makes the weekend. I'm glad to say that I saw and spoke to many great people I know from the internet and other cons. I didn't socialise as much as I'd intended to, by the evening my cold was in full swing and I found that sitting in one place for long periods of time was the easiest option. Having said that, I did have some great and interesting conversations, so I don't have any regrets.
One moment of hilarity that sticks with me was seeing a member of the Unbound Video Editions team react with shock when a giant image of their face appeared on the big video screens in the bar.
I want to thank all those who provided great conversations and great programme items. With special thanks to those who were sympathetic and aided me during my sneezing and sniffling.
11 April 2012
Eastercon: Olympus 2012
This was my second Eastercon, and my first where I actually stayed nearby and went to bed late most nights. This means that I'm fairly tired now, and also that some of my recollections are a little hazy, especially post-Saturday.
My experience was of a fun, interesting time spent among friends. I was happy almost the entire time and was lucky enough to avoid the problems, issues and drama that involved others
I felt much more relaxed this time around. It helped that much of the weekend was spent with a group of convention friends, who I now consider to be good mates. In that respect the weekend was brilliant, because even when things got weird, or embarrassing or dull there were people there experiencing it with you.
I did talk to various other people I'd hoped to meet/catch up with (and may have babbled a bit at times, but those I babbled at nodded and smiled and seemed, at worst, bemused). I suppose I could have tracked down more people, but I didn't feel much urgency to do so. With 1,400 people in one place you aren't going to catch (or even see) everyone, and rushing about would probably have made the weekend less fun. I managed to have conversations with a couple of authors I really wanted to speak to, and comported myself in a coherent manner, so that's a plus.
I liked that there was much more emphasis on fantasy this year. The military SF theme worked last year, but it's not something I particularly seek out, whereas I love Fantasy.
I went to quite a lot of panels, covering diverse topics, here's a selection of the events that made up my Eastercon.
Mike Shevdon's archery demonstration was the first programme item I saw and it was entertaining and informative (us geeks do love a bit of knowledge with our fun). I know little of archery, but feel much more informed now. I'm also definitely going to see Pixar's Brave when it comes out in cinemas -I was already tempted, but now it's a must-see. The great thing about conventions is that you can go up to people in the bar later with follow-up questions and have a chat.
As a group we ate at the Pheasant, a pub and restaurant which was a short walk from the hotel. On our first visit we thought it looked a bit pricey, until we saw the portions. On our second visit some of us -me included- had starters instead of main courses, it was a wise move. Much enjoyable dinner conversation was had there.
Saturday morning saw three fascinating panels in a row.
-The Sufficiently Advanced Magic panel was so interesting. Great points were raised and the panelists were all involved in the debate and I came away with much to think on. I'm not too fussy when it comes to magic systems and like to see different ways of doing it, I think the discussion covered the range pretty well. There was also discussion about historical technology levels and how that will affect magic is secondary worlds. The only issue was that I couldn't see everyone who was speaking. I think this was one of the best panels of the whole con.
-The How pseudo do you like your Medieval panel was very interesting and it was good to hear about author's research methods and how they approached history. Juliet E. McKenna's point about historiography was brilliant! People often don't realise how history interacts with and is coloured by the present day.
-The Gender Parity panel was also good and brought up many things that did need to be said. It certainly gave me food for thought and again had rather excellent panellists who were all totally engaged in the debate they were having. Things have clearly improved (which is good) but more improvement is needed. It was good to see that there were plenty of men in the audience. It was also nice that the discussion did not become about blaming, it was more about recounting experiences and looking for improvements.
I was not impressed by the disco, it too long to get to the rock and metal, by which point I was so tired.
However special mention must go to Jaine Fenn for her dancing. We were so impressed by her that some of us made sure to go to a panel she was on next morning. She had dark glasses and much orange juice, but still made some good (if croaky) points.
Sunday saw more interesting panels, although there were a few I didn't manage to attend because I was too tired.
The Nature of Heroism panel was interesting and raised some good points. Of course an hour can only serve as an introduction to such a topic. I've heard people express a range of opinions that about the way this panel went, and typically for me I can see where people are coming from, even when their opinions vastly disagree.
I think Tricia Sullivan raised an excellent point that did need exploring, about women often being excluded from heroism because it is focused on the arena of combat. I think the way she did it lost her some audience support, especially in moments when it felt like she was targeting other panelists who were not in disagreement with her. For me it felt as though she was being negative and blaming certain works/subgenres, when a more positive approach (naming good examples, suggesting ways of increasing visibility) might have opened up the topic more. Having said that I was still impressed by various things that were said, especially Tricia's initial point that what makes a hero is context. I'm also planning to find out more about moderator David Anthony Durham who did a fine job and sounds like he has written interesting books.
I was at the BSFA awards, which were themselves fine. The intro caused much controversy, but for me I think it was overly long, embarrassing and only funny for those in the know. I suspect it was designed for a smaller, more specific audience, and I just had the feeling of being on the confused side of a generation gap. Also I started plaiting my hair out of boredom.
The last panel I attended on Monday was Dystopian YA, which was another panel where I couldn't really see who was saying what. I wish I had taken some notes, as various titles and authors were mentioned which I should mention to the Teenage Reading Group I co-run at work. Again all the panelists made good points and some great stuff was said about our own society (centred mostly around UK and US, but this was acknowledged and briefly discussed) and how dystopian and YA fiction represent that.
Over all a good time. I'm really, really hoping I can go to the next one.
My experience was of a fun, interesting time spent among friends. I was happy almost the entire time and was lucky enough to avoid the problems, issues and drama that involved others
I felt much more relaxed this time around. It helped that much of the weekend was spent with a group of convention friends, who I now consider to be good mates. In that respect the weekend was brilliant, because even when things got weird, or embarrassing or dull there were people there experiencing it with you.
I did talk to various other people I'd hoped to meet/catch up with (and may have babbled a bit at times, but those I babbled at nodded and smiled and seemed, at worst, bemused). I suppose I could have tracked down more people, but I didn't feel much urgency to do so. With 1,400 people in one place you aren't going to catch (or even see) everyone, and rushing about would probably have made the weekend less fun. I managed to have conversations with a couple of authors I really wanted to speak to, and comported myself in a coherent manner, so that's a plus.
I liked that there was much more emphasis on fantasy this year. The military SF theme worked last year, but it's not something I particularly seek out, whereas I love Fantasy.
I went to quite a lot of panels, covering diverse topics, here's a selection of the events that made up my Eastercon.
Mike Shevdon's archery demonstration was the first programme item I saw and it was entertaining and informative (us geeks do love a bit of knowledge with our fun). I know little of archery, but feel much more informed now. I'm also definitely going to see Pixar's Brave when it comes out in cinemas -I was already tempted, but now it's a must-see. The great thing about conventions is that you can go up to people in the bar later with follow-up questions and have a chat.
As a group we ate at the Pheasant, a pub and restaurant which was a short walk from the hotel. On our first visit we thought it looked a bit pricey, until we saw the portions. On our second visit some of us -me included- had starters instead of main courses, it was a wise move. Much enjoyable dinner conversation was had there.
Saturday morning saw three fascinating panels in a row.
-The Sufficiently Advanced Magic panel was so interesting. Great points were raised and the panelists were all involved in the debate and I came away with much to think on. I'm not too fussy when it comes to magic systems and like to see different ways of doing it, I think the discussion covered the range pretty well. There was also discussion about historical technology levels and how that will affect magic is secondary worlds. The only issue was that I couldn't see everyone who was speaking. I think this was one of the best panels of the whole con.
-The How pseudo do you like your Medieval panel was very interesting and it was good to hear about author's research methods and how they approached history. Juliet E. McKenna's point about historiography was brilliant! People often don't realise how history interacts with and is coloured by the present day.
-The Gender Parity panel was also good and brought up many things that did need to be said. It certainly gave me food for thought and again had rather excellent panellists who were all totally engaged in the debate they were having. Things have clearly improved (which is good) but more improvement is needed. It was good to see that there were plenty of men in the audience. It was also nice that the discussion did not become about blaming, it was more about recounting experiences and looking for improvements.
I was not impressed by the disco, it too long to get to the rock and metal, by which point I was so tired.
However special mention must go to Jaine Fenn for her dancing. We were so impressed by her that some of us made sure to go to a panel she was on next morning. She had dark glasses and much orange juice, but still made some good (if croaky) points.
Sunday saw more interesting panels, although there were a few I didn't manage to attend because I was too tired.
The Nature of Heroism panel was interesting and raised some good points. Of course an hour can only serve as an introduction to such a topic. I've heard people express a range of opinions that about the way this panel went, and typically for me I can see where people are coming from, even when their opinions vastly disagree.
I think Tricia Sullivan raised an excellent point that did need exploring, about women often being excluded from heroism because it is focused on the arena of combat. I think the way she did it lost her some audience support, especially in moments when it felt like she was targeting other panelists who were not in disagreement with her. For me it felt as though she was being negative and blaming certain works/subgenres, when a more positive approach (naming good examples, suggesting ways of increasing visibility) might have opened up the topic more. Having said that I was still impressed by various things that were said, especially Tricia's initial point that what makes a hero is context. I'm also planning to find out more about moderator David Anthony Durham who did a fine job and sounds like he has written interesting books.
I was at the BSFA awards, which were themselves fine. The intro caused much controversy, but for me I think it was overly long, embarrassing and only funny for those in the know. I suspect it was designed for a smaller, more specific audience, and I just had the feeling of being on the confused side of a generation gap. Also I started plaiting my hair out of boredom.
The last panel I attended on Monday was Dystopian YA, which was another panel where I couldn't really see who was saying what. I wish I had taken some notes, as various titles and authors were mentioned which I should mention to the Teenage Reading Group I co-run at work. Again all the panelists made good points and some great stuff was said about our own society (centred mostly around UK and US, but this was acknowledged and briefly discussed) and how dystopian and YA fiction represent that.
Over all a good time. I'm really, really hoping I can go to the next one.
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