"Touring with the Alien", by Carolyn Ives Gilman is about an alien invasion and a woman who drives for a living.
As soon as I finished this story, I felt the same as I did after reading Meteor Men - a sort of melancholy and wistfulness. The stories are not the same, but I definitely got the same vibe - an alien we truly do not and cannot understand, but must meet halfway (or more). And an ending in which nothing can ever be the same, but perhaps it won't be as bad as we're afraid it will be.
The good: Avery is likable, and it's interesting how she meets with three different type of men during the story - her brother, the agent, and the alien translator. While most of the interaction is with the translator, the other two tell us a lot about her character.
The bad: There are a few plot holes. We never learn how the aliens arrived, how they abducted and taught the translators, nor what their long-term goal actually is. While Avery is temporarily shocked at the notion that she's helped an alien invasion, if she'd thought about it at all she would know it didn't matter - they were already there. What exactly she's expecting from the end, I can't tell. Does she really think the government is going to let her just do that? For that matter, what happens to the translator? Is he stuck, or can he go back, or what? The amount of insanity the two are in for is glossed over. Then there is the alien invasion itself... why only a dozen spots over North America? Why not India, or China, or anywhere else in the world? I'm left with a lot more questions than answers, and not in a good thought-inspiring way.
Conclusion: While it's not a bad story, I really can't get over the bits that just don't make sense to me.
So, my ballot will most likely have "The Tomato Thief" at the top, followed by "The Art of Space Travel". I'm not sure about the final three, but at the moment I've got them listed as "The Jewel and Her Lapidary", "You'll Surely Drown Here If You Stay" and "Touring with the Alien" last... but I think that may change. As with the short stories, none of these are bad and I won't be disappointed if any of them win.
Best Novelette: I've read all the entries in this category I intend to read. Check them out in my Reviews of 2017 Hugo Finalists
Showing posts with label Novelette. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Novelette. Show all posts
Friday, May 26, 2017
A Hugo Review: Best Novelette - "Touring with the Alien", by Carolyn Ives Gilman
Thursday, May 25, 2017
A Hugo Review: Best Novelette - "The Jewel and Her Lapidary", by Fran Wilde
"The Jewel and Her Lapidary", by Fran Wilde is about the end of a reign of rulers.
When I finished this story, I thought it should have been shorter, which is always a bad sign. There were a lot of good ideas, including a powerful ending that might have hit me hard - but I was a little tired by the time I reached the ending. It felt like there could have been a lot trimmed, and the story would have been stronger. Or, if not trimmed, condensed. It felt like a much shorter story taking up a lot of space.
The good: There are some clever twists and turns leading up to the finale, including the finale itself. The two main characters both are portrayed as brave and strong despite being raised and trained to be passive. There is some decent world-building as well, with both the "guidebook" chapter headings along with the reality the characters live through painting a full image of the location.
The bad: A lot of information seemed to be repeated over and over, like the fact that the gems talk to people and the oaths that the lapidaries make to the Jewels. Over and over again, until I wanted to say, "Yes I know, get on with it!"
Conclusion: An interesting story, with neat ideas and good twists, but the writing apparently didn't agree with me. This will take the third spot on my ballot for the moment.
Best Novelette: I've read "The Art of Space Travel", "You'll Surely Drown Here If You Stay", "The Tomato Thief", and "The Jewel and Her Lapidary". I need to read "Touring with the Alien". I do not plan on reading the sixth finalist.
Wednesday, May 24, 2017
A Hugo Review: Best Novelette - "The Tomato Thief", by Ursula Vernon
"The Tomato Thief", by Ursula Vernon is about a woman determined to help others in the desert.
Ah, Ursula Vernon. One of my favorite writers now. This story revisits a character from Jackalope Wives, a great story if you haven't read it. However, it stands completely on its own with references to the events of the former story lending a little flavor. Quite a few of Vernon's stories are like folk tales you might tell around a fire late at night - you aren't expected to take it too seriously or believe every word, but on the other hand, you know the events happened because the story is being told. It feels very real and American to me. The Grandma Harken stories are set in a desert which hasn't quite left the Old West behind, and a world in which the environment plays a much bigger part of life than in ours.
The good: This story is tightly plotted, with Grandma just wanting a ripe tomato fresh from the vine, only to fall into an adventure when the ripe ones disappear. The train-gods were just... wow. Amazing history and oddly fun. Or course a universe that has jackalopes would have trains that are more than trains. I love the way they are capricious gods, but very good about delivering letters, which they consider to be prayers. As usual, Grandma herself is a fantastic character who knows a lot about a lot of different things, and the introduction of Anna was more perfect than I expected. I also liked the big bad and was amused how Grandma finally dealt with the problem - it always pays to follow the rules of the desert.
The bad: I suppose, if I'm really reaching for a nit to pick, then I'd ask why the big bad wanted the tomatoes. However, that's a seriously silly nit.
Conclusion: An excellent story, as is usual from Vernon, and definitely at the top of my ballot now. We'll have to see if either of the other two I'm going to read can knock it out of first place.
Best Novelette: I've read "The Art of Space Travel", "You'll Surely Drown Here If You Stay", and "The Tomato Thief". I need to read "The Jewel and Her Lapidary" and "Touring with the Alien". I do not plan on reading the sixth finalist.
Thursday, May 11, 2017
A Hugo Review: Best Novelette - "You'll Surely Drown Here If You Stay", by Alyssa Wong
"You'll Surely Drown Here If You Stay", by Alyssa Wong is about a massive injustice done to a man who is more than a man, and the consequences of that injustice to his son, the local town, and the people in it.
This is one of the few finalists I'd read before the finalists were announced. I hadn't really enjoyed it the first time I read it, but it improved on the reread. The second-person narrative is hard to pull off, and on my first reading of this story it didn't work for me at all.
The good: Lots of strong world-building in this story, with a mythic level of importance. The sense of the universe and what exists in it is developed nicely throughout, without too much shoving. The ending reminds me of old fables of dancing with the dead, although I'm not entirely sure that the fate of the townsfolk is the same as the fate in the old fables. Ellis and Marisol are both strong characters, and the whole thing is tragic in a classic way.
The bad: The language and the point-of-view are a bit hard to take in, and it took a reread before I feel like I "got" the story. The narrative has to be pieced together, which isn't a bad thing, but it didn't quite gel for me the first time.
Conclusion: I liked it better on the second read-through, but it's still not my favorite in this category. Yes, it's elegant and interesting, but it didn't pull together fast enough for me. It's still in the second-place spot on my ballot.
Best Novelette: I've read "The Art of Space Travel" and "You'll Surely Drown Here If You Stay". I need to read "The Jewel and Her Lapidary", "The Tomato Thief", and "Touring with the Alien". I do not plan on reading the sixth finalist.
Tuesday, May 09, 2017
A Hugo Review: Best Novelette - "The Art of Space Travel", by Nina Allan
"The Art of Space Travel", by Nina Allan is about a woman tangentially involved in big events. She's not the hero, she doesn't have powers or anything - she's just a woman with a sick mother and a giant mystery. The story keeps you guessing, although it isn't really hard to figure it out - as long as you can see past the fictions.
The good: Lovely prose, lovely build-up. There's a lot of "future history" dropped in the story that makes it into a nicely woven science fiction tale, and not just a tale of relationships. The focus stays on the relationships, though, which gives it a solid foundation on which to build everything else. I like the main character - a strong woman with responsibilities in a difficult job. I like her mother and what we learn about her throughout the story. I like how the demetia makes it hard to figure out what it true and what is fantasy.
The bad: The conclusion becomes clear a little too early in the story, although I tried to convince myself I got it wrong. The story itself has very little action, very little happening - although a ton happens in the background. I don't really know if that's a bad thing, but from one perspective it could be argued that it's a story about nothing. However, I'm grasping at straws to find a flaw - this really was a very good story.
Conclusion: I really enjoyed this. It's a good story that leaves plenty to the reader's imagination while supplying enough framework to build on. It is sweet and touching without being too much of either.
I've read one of the other finalists in this category, and at the moment, this is my top pick. That may change as I read and reread.
Best Novelette: I've read "The Art of Space Travel" and "You'll Surely Drown Here If You Stay". I need to read "The Jewel and Her Lapidary", "The Tomato Thief", and "Touring with the Alien". I do not plan on reading the sixth finalist.
Sunday, May 15, 2016
A Sunday Review
TV this week:
- Gotham: "Unleashed" - The key moment in this one, the absolute best bit of television from this show in a long time, was the Penguin appearing at just the right moment with Butch to deal with a certain problem. I mean, there were some truly fantastic moments in this episode, from Bullock's queasiness at retrieving the sword to the most badass manservant ever in a fight for life, but that one moment took the prize. I also enjoyed the meetup of Catwoman and Nygma, as well as the glimpse of another future villain while Selina is on the prowl. This was a surprisingly good episode, with the right balance of humor to offset the usual grim tone of the show. I love Butch's comment about his security. Ha! Brutal, but good.
- The Flash: "The Runaway Dinosaur" - Ah, a trip into the speed force to explore what's holding Barry back. This is a trope of science fiction, where the aliens/power/whatever take familiar forms to talk to people. This time it was mostly well done. I enjoyed Cisco using his powers to find Barry, and how Barry eventually finished his journey. The scene that explains the title of the episode, with Barry quoting it, was touching. What I found even more funny, though, was that Joe suspects Wally of having gotten powers and how Joe tested his theory. Between Wally and Jesse, I'm dying to know if it happens. Throw in a zombie version of an old foe, and this was a solid episode. I didn't much like the cliffhanger or the preview of next week, but everything else was strong.
- Arrow: "Monument Point" - Ok, if I understood this episode correctly, a town with thousands of people was nuked by Russia. So... how exactly is there not some serious and scary retaliation happening very quickly? Not to mention fallout and other problems. There doesn't seem to be a superhero there soaking up the radiation, so this cannot be good for the environment. I get that they are trying to give Darhk some serious power with the deaths, and I get that they have to make the stakes really high. But this seems a bit much to swallow unless there is massive and major repercussions that we hear/see in both the Flash and Arrow in the future.
- Legends of Tomorrow: "Destiny" - NOOOOO! He's my favorite character on the show!!! You can't kill him off! NO!!!! With everything horrible and falling apart, people imprisoned and Rip learning that he was manipulated all the way through his adventures, the team manages to pull together and succeed in a single goal. But the big one, Savage, still remains. And we have one more episode to go. And I can't imagine it without him. *sniff* No, no no no... my favorite character... no... no... why?
- Battlebots Preview: The Gears Awaken - A play-in episode featured four rumbles between three robots each to fill the final four spots on the tournament roster. In the episode, Son of Whyachi pounds out a win against Creepy Crawlies and Ultraviolent, throwing the crawlies around the battlebox and knocking violent out for the count. Blacksmith was an anvil against Basilisk and Gemini, with Basilisk and its flying companion getting knocked down, while Gemini's split bots were out of their weight class. Then Mohawk won a fight by luck because Lycan was far too aggressive and continued to attack Invader after it was immobilized... but still spinning. I think if Lycan had gone after Mohawk instead, it would have won the day. Then the astronaut-designed Black Ice surprised the crowd by jamming Skorpios into a hazard and knocking Bad Kitty off its feet. I really, really love this show. I feel uninhibited yelling and cheering for robots, and I am so thrilled by all the teams and the work they put into it that I can't help but be proud of all of them. Plus, lots of massive destruction, including sparks and flames and moments of sheer horror (no, the remote stopped working!). Add in the incredibly silly commentary and introductions, and it's just one of the best shows on television for me.
- Apr 13th
- Earth 2 Society #11 - Well, that went south fast. I was a little shocked by the Amazons and how they came to exist on this world, but it only makes sense for them. As for the rest... couldn't they have found a better earth? For that matter, can't GL wander off and find a better one now, or is he linked to this one?
- Green Lantern Corps: The Edge of Oblivion #4 - And the truth isn't what it appeared to be, of course. I'm still not that interested in the space lanterns, but at least there appears to be a nice plot twist and hope for a solution. With the
rebootrebirth coming soon, I figure we've got only a couple more issues of each of the DCU storylines to go before we're into something new entirely. - Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #5 - The clock is ticking on the turtles, who have a limited time in the DCU before they mutate back into ordinary turtles. But Shredder has no intention of just sitting around waiting to be taken down. So Batman is up against the Foot clan and their newest allies... alone. Ha. I'll bet he's alone. I can't wait to see how this one gets resolved, as it sure looks like a no-win for Batman.
- Wonder Woman '77 Special #3 - Four short stories, a couple pretty good and others not quite as good. It was amusing seeing Clayface show up, and I'd like to see more about that clinic he visited. The anti-ivory story was predictable, but nicely drawn. If only the people who ought to read it would have a chance to read it. The Reverend Mike story was... um... well, I really don't have much to say about it. I'm not keen on aliens showing up, it just seems hokey, and the solution was a little too pat. As was the declaration of love. It was fairly bleah all around. The final story was ok, with a bit of amusing action combined with plot holes you could steer a ship through. Not a bad package, overall.
- DC Comics Bombshells #11 - Wait... Mera was Wonder Woman's first kiss? Wow, this messes with the DCU timeline in all sorts of ways. Ahem. Anyway, this was a mess of an issue, with all kinds of action leading up to the gathering of the entire Bombshells crew in London for one beautiful splash page. This, of course, will not happen again, I'm sure. But it was fun for a moment. Mera had a few good bits in this one, but with the King of Atlantis still on the rampage, I suspect the next issue is going to be her moment.
- Baker Street Peculiars #2 - Well now, if they'd followed directions and returned to report... maybe they wouldn't have been in trouble. Maybe they would. As for the rest... the concept is an old one that's nicely explained within the story, giving the origin of the bad guy along with all his methods. I find it hard to believe that more people wouldn't have spotted them in action and done *something*, but that's one of the amusements of a comic like this. All-in-all, fun stuff. Nice appearance by Miss Hudson as well.
- Doctor Who 9th #1 - At first I thought this was going to be an alternate universe tale, but it turned into something much more crazy funny very quickly. Getting further into the tale, it's definitely going to be a wild ride. I like seeing the Doctor with Rose and Captain Jack, and the hint about Jack's lost time was very intriguing. I'd love to have some of that mystery cleared up, but I'm not sure it's going to happen in the comics. Still, using it as a way to convince them to walk into what appears to be a trap? Lovely. I can hardly wait for the next issue.
- Spongebob Comics #55 - So in this issue we have a pastiche of Popeye the Sailor Man, along with Mermaid Man. It's all a bit confusingly awesome. As a child I was a huge fan of the Popeye cartoons, and could even distinguish between the "good" ones and the "ok" ones by the opening credits. It wasn't until I was an adult that I learned his real origins in the comics pages and found out more about him. Anyway, this means that this comic was a combination of SpongeBob's versions of a couple of entertainment properties I love, so in that sense, I enjoyed it. One aspect of SpongeBob I appreciate is that the creators do not slavishly imitate stuff they are riffing on, so Barnacle Bill is not Popeye, but has lots of familiar aspects. This sailor's gal is a mermaid, and his Bluto is named Gus and drives a speedboat. The Sea Hag is a witch and Sweetpea is... Barnacle Boy? Which leads into a case of mistake identity and utter insanity. The back-up strips are fun, with Patrick getting tattoos (drawing on himself) and Mermaid Man trying to wash his own underwear. I'm curious how this will pan out in the next issue.
- Xena Warrior Princess #1 - I really cannot figure out what's going on in this issue. Ok, well, this issue #1 has a "Previously" text, which says Xena and Gabrielle slept for 25 years, and now half the gods are dead. I think there's a whole lot of context missing because this is a volume 2, and I clearly didn't pick up the first volume. Anyway, the rapport between the pair is still there, if buried by the format. The kids they rescue are a nice way to introduce their abilities and attitudes. It's not a terrible start, but I need a bit more context to understand why things are happening.
Short story reviews:
- "We've Lied" by Bob McHugh. A very short, very simple story. The neat thing about it is the gut-punch ending lines. The idea that a normal life is more interesting is a fun one to explore, and this story allows folks to do that exploring on their own. And it makes me that much more paranoid.
- "The Blood That Pulses in the Veins of One" by JY Yang. This is a really creepy tale of aliens and ritual cannibalism that's more than ritual. Told from the point of view of one of the aliens, the story focuses on the pain of having been caught doing what came natural in a form that looks human. I wouldn't want to say more for fear of spoilers, so I'll leave it there. It's a haunting and disturbing story
Novelette review:
- "You'll Surely Drown Here If You Stay" by Alyssa Wong. I'm not really sure what to think of this story. It doles out the details slowly, drip by drip, until you get a rough idea of the situation. But it's never quite crystal clear. The main character, a second-person narrative, is named Ellis, and you are a bit wild. You live in a whorehouse in a mining town, doing odd jobs to get by. And it goes on like that. It almost works, but I felt like I needed just a little more certainty to really like the story. As it was, I suspect I understand what happened, but I'm not really sure I know. Decent... strange, but interesting.
Another feature article looks at the belief that a murder victim's eye would hold an image of the last thing the victim saw... presumably the murderer. It's a concept that worked much better in fiction than fact. Yet another feature article is about Chaneques, mischievious little people who cause problems for humans in Veracruz State, Mexico.
The Editorial page starts with the story of Sophie Lancaster, who was murdered by a gang of teens because she looked "different". A book called Dare to Shine will be published with proceeds going to a foundation set up in Sophie's honor to combat prejudice and intolerance. The editorial continues with a bit about a soccer player and his supposed curse, but that's all pretty silly.
Strange Days starts off with a penguin love story: I'm a sucker for that sort of goofiness. The Conspirasphere has an actual interesting tale... more because of the medical facts than the conspiracy itself, which is pretty thin. There's a piece on boring guys, something on alien sex, and some unexplicable footprints in the snow on the side of a mountain. There's a really terrifying piece on Thai dolls that are supposed to hold the souls of dead children. The terrifying bit comes in when the older origins of the tradition are explained... *shudder*. There's also a piece on pets that sniff out illnesses in their human companions.
Science has a 14th Century Computer, sort of. Archaeology tackles folklore origins and finds some stories are much older than thought. Classical Corner goes sailing with a bunch of boats that didn't quite manage to be boats. Ghostwatch covers a couple of topics, including deathbed visions and ghosts that have appeared thanks to the 2004 tsunami in Thailand. Alien Zoo looks at a ghost octopus, black fox and black coyote. Mythconceptions demolishes the old canard about why there is no Nobel for mathematics.
Strange Statesmen goes back to American politics and finds a couple of really odd folks. I'm sure there's plenty more where those came from. Building a Fortean Library is... well... about forteana in classical times. With a rather odd image of a statue that kind of ties in with the evil eye story along with the fortean classic and isn't something I'd be showing to any child.
The forum revisits a strange sighting from 1967 in one article, then has an article I can only describe as really freaking odd in support of an upcoming book. I don't intend to get the book.
Speaking of books, the reviews are awsome as usual, starting with one about why people believe in conspiracy theories. The second review is about giants reported in America, and in an act of synchronicity I recently sent a "clipping" of one of the local newspaper's articles from 1906 about skeletons of giants being found in Maryland, originally from the Baltimore American.
It can be said I found the letters in this issue extremely entertaining, as this issue contains my second printed letter to the magazine. That letter is probably the worst of the lot, with many other great letters from FT readers, including a nicely informed reader who writes that there hasn't been a death attributed to a black widow spider since 1983... a fact that reassures me a bit, since I grew up in an area with no native poisonous spiders and have since moved to a place with plenty of the nasty little critters.
All-in-all, another excellent issue of my favorite magazine.
My book this week was Breaking Cat News: Cats Reporting on the News that Matters to Cats by Georgia Dunn. The instant I heard that there was going to be a collection of this online comic, I pre-ordered it.
The book concerns the activities of three cats who live in a house and report on their daily activities. They have microphones and a newsdesk. Puck is a black cat with only three legs. Elvis is a grumpy siamese. Lupin is white and more adventurous than the other two. In this book they experience their home, moving home, a guest and the woman growing bigger then bringing home a larval human.
The strip that got me addicted to the comic is on Page 27... you'll have to purchase the book to figure out which one that is. In the meantime, if you've never read this, you can read the current storyline at Breaking Cat News, or start from the top. The comic is also available at Go Comics, which is a bit behind the main site. This book collects all the strips from the beginning until The People Won't Let Us Up On The Counter. I wish it had gone one more, since The Man lost his tail is hysterical.
The book is great, and a great way to support an excellent comic. Incidentally, when the package arrived from Amazon, I set it down on a chair and when I came back, Inkwell was attempting to open it. I thought it was pretty cute. As usual, as soon as I tried to get a photo of him doing it, he reverted to cleaning himself.
Sunday, September 20, 2015
A Sunday Review
This is yet another book I jumped into without reading anything more than "it's good!" from a bunch of people. Seriously, this is very unlike me, and I have expected to be disappointed, but mostly I've been extremely impressed by the quality of the works.
First up: the completely non-spoiler review. The story is set in a small valley threatened by an evil Wood, and it starts out with the most perfect opening:
Our Dragon doesn't eat the girls he takes, no matter what stories they tell outside our valley.If that doesn't draw you in, nothing will. The plot from there seems a bit obvious, until it isn't any more. The main character's name is Agnieszka, pronounced ag-NYESH-kah, as pointed out in the acknowledgments in the back of the book. I would have liked to have read that bit at the beginning... but that may be the biggest flaw I found in the whole thing.
Ok, Spoilers ahead (use rot13 to read). Gur angher bs gur Jbbq vf gbyq ragveryl, ohg va gubfr synfuonpxf-bs-Gehgu gung V jbhyq svaq vaperqvoyl qvfgheovat gb qrny jvgu, crefbanyyl. V jbaqrerq rneyl ba jul gur Qentba qvqa'g vafvfg ba qbvat gur Fhzzbavat ba gur dhrra, rkprcg sbe gur snpg gung ur jnf gbgnyyl rkunhfgrq naq arneyl qrnq. Lrnu, vg jnfa'g rknpgyl n zlfgrel ubj gung fgrc va gur chetvat tbg zvffrq, ohg vg jnf fbzrguvat gung jbhyq unir ceriragrq nyy gur erfg... juvpu vf, bs pbhefr, jul vg qvqa'g unccra.
V unir unq n erpheevat qernz va juvpu n zntvpvna gnxrf n jbzna/tvey (nyjnlf cynlrq ol zr va gur qernz, ohg arire npghnyyl zr) naq gryrcbegf ure gb n pnfgyr jvgu n zneoyr sybbe, yrnivat ure va gur unyy ba ure unaqf naq xarrf fvpx sebz gur cnffntr. V jnf fghaarq gb ernq cerggl zhpu gung rknpg fprar va gur bcravat cnentencu. V nqzvg gung znqr zr rira zber phevbhf guna V zvtug unir nyernql orra nobhg gur obbx, naq cerggl zhpu przragrq vg nf "zvar" va zl zvaq.
Znerx vf obgu cngurgvp naq njrfbzr, ohg zbfgyl cngurgvp. V ybir gur fprar jurer Ntavrfmxn orngf uvz hc. Dhvgr fngvfslvat. V nyfb rawblrq gur snpg gung fur svanyyl ernyvmrf jung fur vf qhevat gung fprar.
Gur bcravat puncgre nyfb gryyf lbh n ybg gung vf yngre hapbirerq... yvxr jul gur tveyf yrnir gur inyyrl. Va fubeg, gurl ybfr gurve qrrc pbaarpgvba gb gur cynpr naq ernyvmr whfg ubj greevslvat naq qnatrebhf vg vf gb yvir gurer. Nal abezny crbcyr jbhyq or vapyvarq gb yrnir gur inyyrl jura zbafgref uhag gurz, cbyyra snyyf ba gurve svryqf naq cbvfbaf gurz naq na ragver ivyyntr vf fjnyybjrq hc va yvivat zrzbel ol gur rivy bs gur Jbbq. Lrnu, abezny crbcyr... ohg cneg bs orvat hcebbgrq ol gur Qentba vagb uvf pnfgyr vf n fybj ybff bs pbaarpgvba gb gur ynaq. V sbhaq vg obgu gentvp naq jbaqreshy jura V svanyyl haqrefgbbq.
Gur jbeyqohvyqvat vf vagrerfgvat. Gur jvgpurf naq jvmneqf nccneragyl unir irel ybat yvirf anghenyyl, nf gur bar punenpgre jnf qvfpbirerq orpnhfr ur'q fcrag 40 lrnef vyyhzvangvat znahfpevcgf naq unqa'g ntrq. Gurer ner nyfb aba-uhzna enprf ba gur jbeyq, nf jr riraghnyyl frr gunaxf gb gur gevcf vagb gur jbbqf. Abg whfg zbafgref, ohg bgure glcrf bs perngherf. Gur guvat gung vagrerfgf zr zbfg, naq znxrf gur raqvat fngvfslvat qrfcvgr n lrneavat gb yrnea zber, vf ubj Ntavrfmxn jvyy yvxryl fhpprrq va ure svany dhrfg orpnhfr bs ure ybat yvsr. Senaxyl, sebz fgneg gb svavfu V ernyyl rawblrq guvf obbx.
In conclusion, if you enjoy fantasy at all, this is a great book to check out. It drew me in quite unexpectedly and held my interest as well as any book I've read in the past year. I loved the main character and found the plot to have just enough small twists to keep me turning pages. I very much enjoyed it.
Short story reviews:
- "Blue Ribbon" by Marissa Lingen is about 4-H in space. I don't know how much more I can say without giving far too much away, but this is really a great little story about children dealing with extreme adversity that is definitely worth a read if you can get a copy.
- "Madeleine" by Amal El-Mohtar is about a woman who accepts an experimental drug to help her handle severe grief. It starts out seeming normal enough, but veers off into the strange and different... and then into the hopeful. I enjoyed it a lot. I'm not sure how long it will stay with me, but it's a good tale.
- "The Extraordinary Extraterrestrial Togo Mouse from Ghana" by Ryan W. Norris is a very silly story about an "alien" creature discovered living deep in Ghana. The first part of the story is basically a conversation between a reporter and a biologist about the possible origins of the creature. It gets silly when the tale goes into a flashback that describes just how the aliens arrived in Ghana and why they are running loose there. Not something I would consider particularly Hugo-Worthy, but a fun story nonetheless.
- "Not My Circus, Not My Monkeys: The Elephant's Tale" by Damien Angelica Walters is not a science fiction or fantasy tale, to the best of my reading ability. It's an extended metaphor with some aspect of fantasy, but I wouldn't call it flat-out fantasy. It won't be on my list.
- "God Mode" by Daniel H. Wilson is about the memories of a man meeting his lover, while the stars are disappearing in the sky. It's a touching and bittersweet story, but I'm not knocked out by it.
Novelette reviews:
- "Karma Among the Cloud Kings" by Brian Trent is about what happens when different human cultures and beliefs end up having differing goals and priorities. In this particular case, I can't see a good result happening for the humans, because they rely on what's outside to survive. I sympathize with them, of course, but at the end I'm worried for them. As for storytelling, this was nicely done, including a clever flashback method. Fascinating story that sticks with me.
- "Entanglements" by David Gerrold is about alternate universes, although it takes its dear sweet time getting to the point. Still, I suppose the set up is important to the notion of looking at the works of alternate "you" in a cell-phone-like device. I think the trick with this one is the final paragraph that at first doesn't seem to be part of the story itself. Ha. I get it. There's a lot going on here, but your mileage will vary. I liked it, but I'm not really sure if it'll stick with me.
New television review:
- Doctor Who: "The Magician's Apprentice" - Well. Wow. Ok, this one requires spoilers all the way through (use rot13 to read). Vg'f byq ubzr jrrx ng Qbpgbe Jub, jvgu HAVG, Zvffl, gur Fvfgreubbq bs Xnea, naq Qnyrxf. Naq na harkcrpgrq nccrnenapr ol n irel lbhat Qniebf. Ubyl synzvat pbjf. Gur unaqf jrer rkgerzryl perrcl, rfcrpvnyyl ubj dhvpxyl gurl znqr gur thl inavfu. Jul qvq Pynen srry vg arprffnel gb qenj n pvepyr ba ure jvaqbj? Gung jnf... bqq. Univat n fvfgre bs Xnea gnyx nobhg Qniebf orvat byq vf n ovg ulcbpevgvpny, vfa'g vg? V jnf nyzbfg jvyyvat gb oryvrir gung Zvffl qvrq, ohg V jnfa'g jvyyvat gb oryvrir Pynen qvrq, abg rira jvgu gur fcbvyref bhg gung fur'f yrnivat gur frevrf. Naq V'z pregnvayl abg jvyyvat gb oryvrir gur GNEQVF jnf qrfgeblrq, fb gung raqvat ybfg n ybg bs vgf vzcnpg sbe zr. V thrff V'z n plavpny byq sna. Birenyy, V gubhtug vg jnf n qrprag rcvfbqr, ohg vg ernyyl sryg yvxr vg jnf ernpuvat gb chyy bhg nyy gur fgbcf - naq V'z abg fher jul. Episode 1 of the ninth series, originally aired Sep 19, 2015.
Older television reviews (these are only the ones that I thought might be good enough to give an award to):
- Gotham: "Red Hood": A pivotal episode in some ways, this one had two points to it that lifted it above the average episode of Gotham, a show that's been very uneven. The first is Fish Mooney removing her own eye to prevent it being used as a spare part for somebody else. It's gross and powerful, but develops the character more than just about any other point in the show. The second point is Alfred's past coming back to haunt him. The bits of his old war buddy talking about the old days was good stuff. The inclusion of the red hood in a storyline is cute, but not necessarily compelling to anyone who doesn't know Batman history, so I don't have much to say about it. Episode 17 of the first season, originally aired Feb 23, 2015.
- Gotham: "Everyone Has A Cobblepot": This one is only good due to the level of corruption it reveals in the Gotham police. The underlying theme of the show is that every single police officer is corrupt, which is a neat trick, really. So this episode shows how that's accomplished, while giving Gordon a chance to use the corruption in the system to his advantage. Is it enough to nominate it for a Hugo? Probably not, but it is an interesting episode with a strange stand-alone concept. Episode 18 of the first season, originally aired March 1, 2015.
- The Flash: "Out of Time": Probably the best episode so far in 2015 of a fantastic series, this one has Barry travel in time... but not until a whole bunch of dramatic and terrible things happen first. The shocker in this episode is the death of Cisco, which had fans screaming and clutching their heads. The next episode looks at the consequences of the time travel, but in this episode the writers cut loose, which made it an incredible piece of television. Episode 15 of the first season, originally aired March 17, 2015.
- The Flash: "Fast Enough": The season finale of The Flash did not disappoint, but I'd be afraid to nominate it because it might not make sense to a new viewer. There is more of that pesky time travel, and some incredible hints of the future to come. The cliffhanger is truly magnificent: a black hole developing that will destroy the earth? Very superheroey. Episode 23 of the first season, originally aired May 19, 2015.
My Hugo Suggestions were likely recommended in the comment sections on File 770, Renay's Hugo Spreadsheet of Doom, or the Hugo 2016 Wikia. For my current list of Hugo 2016 readings, check out my Hugo 2016 Posts page.
The next story is about Linda S. Godfrey, who kind of stumbled into the role of chronicling werewolf sightings while working at a small newspaper. After writing about the fact that the county animal control officer actually had a file folder marked "werewolf" to put frequent sightings of such animals in, she started to get tips on other sightings and started a bit of a fever for werewolves in the town. It turned in to a career of sorts for Godfrey, who wrote books about the phenomenom.
The last main article is about Etienne Bottineau, who claimed he could tell if ships were coming from hundreds of miles away in 1782. He called the science nauscopie, and said it was the result of years of study and trial and error. The article dissects what we know of the man and his science.
Strangedays starts out with mysterious noises heard by many people, mal de debarquement syndrom (a neurological disorder triggered by travel), genetically stinky people, a sleeping sickness in Kazakhstan, another visit to Loch Ness, crows in Seattle who bring gifts to humans and snakes... it just had to have an article on snakes. The Conspirasphere talks about monological theories: in which everything fits into a single far-reaching conspiracy. Archaeology looks at evidence for more types of early humans, ancient runes, and children noticing things in plain sight that other people have missed.
Classical Corner covers the dangers of being a baby, particularly a royal baby, in the ancient world. Ghostwatch looks at a theory that some types of mold within old houses might cause people to see ghosts. Alien Zoo looks at an awesomely colored crayfish and tackles an internet "hoax" - a video posted in May that shows how simple it is to make a believable UFO video using CGI.
Speaking of UFOs, the UFO Files looks at yet more failures to prove the existence of alien bodies from a media event that turned out to be based on slides of a mummy from a museum. Blast from the Past looks at the history of chloroform in crime and stories about crime. Strange Statesmen has become a regular feature, this time looking at fairies, folklore and fascism in 20th century Irish politicians.
Fortean Traveller goes to Portland, Maine, and visits the International Cryptozoology Museum. Illustrated Police News recounts the tale of the Countess of Derwentwater, and the fact that no one knows who she really was... or even if she was who she claimed she was. Phenomenomix has part three of the biography of Dion Fortune.
The Forum has a review of a recent dramatization of the Enfield Poltergeist story from one of the people involved in the original event, who also talks about his character in the tv show. Another forum article is about the Queensland tiger what what it might actually be.
The Reviews start with a book about how Victorians tried to teach science with fairy tales, which sounds utterly zany but was one way people tried to deal with the changing times. Most of the books reviewed didn't catch my interest, but there's a couple that might make my list if I keep rereading the reviews. The movie reviews were fun, as usual. The letters page has a response to the article about radio interference in FT327, talking about modern radio interference caused by cheap power supplies. There's also a page of simulacra: trees that look like faces. It happened to me has a letter from a person who suffered from amnesia and forgot who his was, in answer to a mythconception that claimed amnesiacs never forget who they are.
Sunday, September 13, 2015
A Sunday Review
Another recommended book I jumped into reading without checking too much about it first. I was able to figure out that this was the first of a series before I started, so I wasn't going to end up shocked by the end. Well, at least not shocked because it's the first of a series...
First up: the completely non-spoiler review. Take a group of philosophers from all throughout time who have read Plato's Republic and want to make it a reality. How are they going to do it? How closely must they stick to Plato's original concept? And how can that concept survive the harsh realities of life that Plato didn't have a clue about? To say the ideas in this book are amazing is to praise it too faintly. The execution of those ideas? Well, I found the descriptions of sex to be unsettling, although understandable in the context of the story. Beyond that, almost everything odd in the tale is attributable to the situation.
Ok, Spoilers ahead (use rot13 to read). Nal fgbel gung pyvznkrf jvgu n qrongr orgjrra Nguran naq Fbpengrf unf gb unir fbzrguvat tbvat sbe vg, evtug? Bx, V ernyyl jnfa'g rkcrpgvat gur qrongr gb raq gung jnl, ohg V fhccbfr V sbetbg fbzr bs zl qrgnvyf nobhg ubj Nguran naq gur Terrx tbqf graqrq gb npg jura gurl ner hcfrg.
Univat abg ernq Cyngb erpragyl, V jnf hapregnva ubj pybfr gur znfgref jrer fgvpxvat gb gur grkg rkprcg jura gur obbx vgfrys zragvbaf vg. V pbafgnagyl sryg yvxr V fubhyq or erernqvat zl napvrag grkgf gb xrrc hc jvgu gur fgbel, ohg gurer jrer rabhtu pyhrf vg jnfa'g erdhverq... vg whfg frrzrq yvxr vg zvtug unir znqr zber frafr vs V qvq.
Fvzzrn vf n vqrny yvggyr punenpgre, nyzbfg n Znel Fhr va znal jnlf. Fur unf ure unat-hcf, ohg V fhfcrpg gung zbfg bs gur tveyf jbhyq gnxr gb gur pvgl orggre guna gur oblf, naljnl. Sebz gur svefg cntrf Fvzzrn znxrf vg pyrne gung vg'f gur npgvbaf bs gur znfgref bs gur pvgl gung pnhfrq ure snzvyl gb or xvyyrq naq ure gb orpbzr n fynir, juvpu vf bar bs gur ovttrfg synjf bs gur pvgl vgfrys. Gur znfgref qvqa'g ernyvmr gung gurl'q frg gurzfryirf hc sbe snvyher jvgu gurve pubvpr gb erghea rnpu lrne sbe zber fynirf, frggvat hc n qrznaq. Ohg va Fvzzrn'f pnfr, fur sbetvirf gurz sbe vg, juvpu znxrf ure n yvggyr vqrnyvfgvp. Jura nyy vf fnvq naq qbar, fur qbrf frrz gbb tbbq gb or gehr.
V jvyy abgr gung Fvzzrn'f qrfpevcgvba bs ure cbfgcneghz qrcerffvba fgehpx ubzr sbe zr. Ab, V'ir arire unq n onol, ohg V xabj qrcerffvba, naq V erpbtavmr gung srryvat bs abguvat orvat erny. Juvyr V jnf qryvtugrq gung fur jnf pherq, V fbeg bs jvfurq rirelbar jub fhssref sebz qrcerffvba pbhyq or fb rnfvyl pherq.
Ncbyyb'f cynpr va gur fgbel vf zhpu orggre ernyvmrq. Uvf jvyyvatarff gb orpbzr uhzna naq rkcrevrapr rirelguvat sbe uvzfrys vf terng. Nf gur fgbel cebterffrf, ur tebjf nf jryy, va jnlf gung ner ernyvfgvp rabhtu gb znxr uvf cneg bs gur gnyr haqrefgnaqnoyr naq pbzcryyvat.
Birenyy, V jnf zvyqyl qvfnccbvagrq va fbzr nfcrpgf bs gur fgbel ohg zbfgyl vagevthrq ol gur vqrnf, juvpu vf jung gur fgbel vf nyy nobhg naljnl: vqrnf naq ubj gurl genafyngr vagb ernyvgl. Vg'f nyy nobhg gur vqrnf. Guvf vf abg gur orfg obbx V'ir ernq guvf lrne, ohg vg'f sne sebz gur jbefg.
In conclusion, this is on my maybe list. I might read the sequel, already out, "The Philosopher Kings" to find out what happens next. If it's better than this one, I might nominate it instead.
Hugo 2016 short story reviews:
- "Sea Change" by Kimberly Unger is about adaptation in the face of drastic change. In this case, it's a bit of technology meant for a particular purpose that has to decide what sort of adaptations it is allowed. I found the setting mildly confusing at first, then the clues filtered in and I began to understand the world and its people. A very nice little story, worth checking out. Note: the direct link may be active for a limited time.
- "Robot Boss" by Erick Melton is about the limitations and screw-ups of modern technology. It's a fun little story about a guy troubleshooting through a nasty little problem to get both a decent answer and more. I enjoyed it a lot, but I'm afraid I wouldn't put it on the top of my list of short stories of the year.
- "Mightier Than The Sword" by Arlene F. Marks is a powerful little superhero tale, told quickly and completely in the form of an interview with a hero called Ultraman. The story is about how all superpowers aren't obvious, and how that could be very dangerous if a child seems normal among other children who have outward signs of power. An interesting tale, but there's a plot hole or two, and a tiny bit of cliche as well. This one is good, but not likely to be on my ballot.
- "Endgame" by Barry Charman is about artificial intelligence, and how it might be measured. Or not. It's a little sneaky, this story. There's an undertow in it ready to pull you along if you think about it. Quite enjoyable for an extremely short story.
Hugo 2016 novelette reviews:
- "Brigas Nunca Mais" by Martin L. Shoemaker is about duty and its conflict with young romance. The story is set at a wedding, with the happy groom telling a tale about his superior officer to his bride. The ending was almost predictable, but the final words were the bit that break the heart and make you want to cry a little. A powerful little tale. Definitely worth reading.
- "Sacred Cows: Death and Squalor on the Rio Grande" by A.S. Diev. I really feel for Maria, and part of me wished she'd walked away a bit faster. As for the rest... whew. Yeah, a horrible future, showing what genetic manipulation in the hands of people who have too much money and too little concern for human life can lead to. Overall, a nicely plotted story, if depressing in its implications and slightly stereotyped. I can't even say the ending is sad... tragic, of course, but I'm not sure about sad.
Hugo 2016 novella review:
- Entrepreneurs by Robert Grossbach. Is the story of a man whose had a few failures in life and a few problems, but accidentally runs across an opportunity of a lifetime. Which, of course, doesn't work out exactly as planned. It works out, eventually, and that's the fun of the story. It's not a story about failure, but there's a lot in there about how much it takes to succeed. Plus, aliens. Awesome little aliens. And even a sort of homage to Douglas Adams. Overall, a very fun little tale.
My Hugo Suggestions were likely recommended in the comment sections on File 770, Renay's Hugo Spreadsheet of Doom, or the Hugo 2016 Wikia. For my current list of Hugo 2016 readings, check out my Hugo 2016 Posts page.
- Aug 5th
- Green Lantern #43 - Wow, Hal is really annoying. As is his ship and his guests.
- Batman Beyond #3 - So Batman gets out of a jam, only to land himself in a bigger jam? That sounds like the BB I know. Too bad it's not actually Terry.
- Flash: Season Zero #11 - Basically a history of Captain Cold and Heatwave, not a lot to recommend it, really. Not heavy on story, not heavy on plot. It's kind of meh, all in all.
- Big Game Hunters #2 - I wish the art was a little less... um... decorative. It is too busy for me. Otherwise, I'm enjoying the story. I just feel like there are too many bits where the art detracts instead of sustains it.
- Big Game Hunters #3 - And in the same week, the final issue also arrives. Again, the art is a problem. It just needs some minor tweaking here and there to make things more clear, and it wouldn't be a problem. As it is, this isn't a great series, but I enjoyed the characters.
- Mage Inc. #2 - Good artwork mixed with an amusing if slightly incomprehensible story, told from the point of view of a character who is nearly as clueless as the reader, and it comes out to be a pretty good book overall! I'm definitely enjoying this one.
- UFOlogy #4 - And we're getting close to finding out just what's going on here. The whole situation is difficult, but the kids are handling it very nicely compared to the adults. This is one I'm going to have to reread once it's done to figure it out, but I'm actually looking forward to that.
- This Damned Band #1 - So, a 1970's band that has the evil persona of having sold their souls to the devil... doesn't realize they've actually sold their souls. The idea is sound enough, but I'm curious to see how far this goes. Not my favorite book of the year, and definitely not for children.
Sunday, September 06, 2015
A Sunday Review
This is another recommended book that I'd heard about a long time ago and considered reading. Until I decided to try nominating for the Hugos, I really wasn't sure if I would read it, but the instant I got my membership for Sasquan I put it on hold at the library. I finally got it, and it took me a solid week to read.
First up: the completely non-spoiler review. This is one of those books that makes you think hard about what is important in life and in the world. It's a very bleak story at the start, with plenty of descriptions of technology and ingenuity. There are heroes and villains, unexpected moments of this and that, and multiple scenarios played out along the way. It's a big book, and it's very interesting, but it has flaws.
Ok, Spoilers ahead (use rot13 to read). Guvf vf n obbx bs gjb znva cnegf. Gur svefg gjb guveqf bs gur obbx vf n qvfnfgre fgbel bs gur tevzzrfg glcr. Bs pbhefr, gur svefg cneg vf qvivqrq vagb gjb cnegf: gur qvfnfgre vgfrys naq gur cbyvgvpny znarhiref nsgre nzbat jung'f yrsg bs gur uhzna enpr. Gur svany cneg bs gur obbx gnxrf cynpr 5000 lrnef yngre naq srryf yvxr n pbzcyrgryl qvssrerag fgbel... naq lrg gur svefg cneg jbhyqa'g or pbzcyrgr jvgubhg gur frpbaq naq gur frpbaq jbhyq oneryl fgnaq nybar jvgubhg gur svefg.
V'z ernyyl tynq Qbbo tbg gb frg sbbg ba Pyrsg. Orlbaq gung, gubhtu... jbj, jung n qrcerffvat "raq" gb gur uhzna enpr. V shyyl rkcrpgrq zber crbcyr gb znxr vg gb gurve arj ubzr. Jura gur fgbel mvccrq guebhtu gubfr guerr lrnef naq gurer jrer bayl 20-fbzr crbcyr yrsg, V jnf fubpxrq. Ohg ng yrnfg V svanyyl tbg gur zrnavat bs gur gvgyr bs gur obbx jura gurl tbg qbja gb frira. V ungrq gung Whyvn jnf bar bs gurz. Juvyr V unq n ivfpreny ernpgvba gb gur arj ivyynva, V qvqa'g svaq ure nf zranpvat nf Whyvn.
Jvgubhg Whyvn, n ybg zber crbcyr jbhyq unir fheivirq. Gur obyvqr fgevxr gung xvyyrq fb znal jbhyq unir orra hayvxryl gb uvg, orpnhfr gur flfgrz jbhyq abg unir orra pbashfrq ol gur snxr obyvqr, naq gur fjnez jbhyq abg unir tbar bss ol vgfrys gb qvr fybjyl. Sbe gung znggre, gur Znegvnaf? Gurl jbhyq unir yvirq nf jryy, nffhzvat gurl qvqa'g znxr vg gb Znef, n snpg gung vf arire ernyyl nqqerffrq, nygubhtu vg vf rkgerzryl hayvxryl.
V sbhaq zlfrys trggvat n yvggyr oberq ol nyy gur grpuavpny vasb-qhzcf. Lrf, gurl ner snfpvangvat naq vg'f avpr gur nhgube fcrag gvzr guvaxvat nobhg ubj guvatf jbhyq npghnyyl jbex, ohg nsgre gur svsgu be fvkgu gvzr gur fgbel vf vagreehcgrq ol na vasb-qhzc ba gur grpu, V whfg jnagrq gb fnl, "Trg ba jvgu gur sernxva' fgbel, nyernql!" Fbzr bs gubfr grpuavpny ovgf jbhyq unir orra terng nf na nccraqvk sbe crbcyr jub ernyyl jnag gb ernq gurz. Fbzr jbexrq va cynpr. Ohg birenyy, gurl qenttrq gur fgbel gb n unyg, ercrngrqyl. Ol guvf gbxra, guvf obbx naablrq zr nf zhpu nf gur Guerr-Obql Ceboyrz, juvpu nyfb xrcg orvat qenttrq gb n unyg ol bire-rkcynangvba. Ybbx, V ybirq Gur Znegvna, naq vg'f nyy grpuab fghss, ohg gurer unf gb or n onynapr, naq V guvax Frirarirf sryy ba gur "gbb zhpu vasbezngvba" fvqr bs gur fpnyr n srj gbb znal gvzrf.
Gur bgure fheivibef jrer n ovg bs n fhecevfr gb zr. V sryg, fgbel-jvfr, gung Qvanu'f snzvyl unq gb fheivir gur qvfnfgre, ohg znlor abg gur ragver 5000 lrnef. V jnf yrff fher bs gur fhoznevar perj. Ohg vg jnf cerggl pyrne gb zr gung jura Xngu Gjb fnj gur fgenatre, gung jnf Qvanu'f eryngvirf, ubcrshyyl abg vaoerq. Gur sbyx bs gur frn jrer n uhtr fhecevfr, ohg gur rkcynangvba sebz gur cubgbf jbexrq sbe zr.
Gur obbx qrcerffrq zr. V ernyyl sryg gur cbjre bs gur qvfnfgre fgbel, naq V'z abg fher ubj ybat vg'yy gnxr zr gb trg bire vg. Jung jbhyq V qb vs V unq gjb lrnef gb yvir? Uneq gb fnl. Uneq gb pbzceruraq. Vg qvqa'g dhvgr tvir zr avtugznerf, ohg V qvq guvax nobhg vg n yvggyr gbb zhpu.
In conclusion, this is a thought-provoking and powerful work, dragged down a bit by too much technical information. Like the Three-Body Problem, I'm sure many people loved it much more than me, but, like TBP, I probably won't nominate it for a Hugo or vote for it if it makes the ballot: because reading it sometimes felt like a chore of plowing through too much techno-speak to find the story underneath.
I also read a novelette:
- "Tasha's Fail-Safe" by Adam Troy-Castro is a solid little stand-alone story about a terrifying method of protecting a person's secrets. I wasn't aware until after reading the story that one of the characters has appeared before, although that little factoid cleared up a couple of lines in the novelette that hadn't made much sense. I enjoyed the story enough I might just look up more of the character in the future. As for the Hugo nominations, I don't know. It's good and it sticks with me, so it has a chance.
I've also read short stories:
- "Find a Way Home" by Paul Cornell is a story I couldn't resist reading for personal reasons. Many years ago I was in an online discussion group with Paul, and he ended up Tuckerizing me in a Doctor Who novel. That said, I've followed his career with much interest ever since, especially enjoying his connections to Fortean society. This is a very Fortean story. A young man sees a UFO... then events continue from there, including na ENS enqne bcrengbe qbvat jung znal crbcyr wbxr nobhg gur zvyvgnel qbvat ertneqvat HSBf. This is a fun and somewhat happy story, and manages some character growth in just a few pages, which is impressive. Not bad at all. Hugo-worthy? I'll see if it sticks with me before I decide.
- "Hic Sunt Monstra" by Brian Trent is a story about echoes, and echoes of echoes. Reading it, you may take awhile to figure out exactly what is going on, but eventually you find the sense of it. Only, have you taken that sense to its logical conclusion? I found it surprisingly chilling once I got to the final line and was hit on the head by the obvious. This is a strong contender for my Hugo nomination ballot. note: the link directly to the story may be for a limited time.
Here are some items for consideration for Related Work:
- Where's the Beef? by George R.R. Martin is a piece that demolishes the idea that a cabal of "social justice warriors" has been controlling the Hugo Awards and blocking conservative writers from having a chance at honors. While I still think the related works award should go to works directly about science fiction or fantasy, this is definitely worthy of a look for its mentions of great and deserving works along with its analysis of Hugo voting over "recent" years. I don't know if I'll nominate it, but I think people ought to read it. And it's blessedly short.
- The Future’s Been Here Since 1939: Female Fans, Cosplay, and Conventions by Erica McGillivray makes me want to get my costume ready even more. This piece covers the history of Cosplay, which started at the first Worldcon in 1939 and finally got dubbed as "cosplay" in 1983, and the more recent backlash against it. There's also a strong argument made for how the female side of fandom has embraced masquerades even more than men, which has also resulted in a backlash. There are some great links in here that give more background, but the piece itself is enough to get a person started on looking at cosplay and its history. Definitely worth a read.
My Hugo Suggestions were most likely recommended in the comment sections on File 770, Renay's Hugo Spreadsheet of Doom, or the Hugo 2016 Wikia. I've also been getting various magazines and/or visiting their websites to look for good short fiction. For my current list of Hugo 2016 readings, check out my Hugo 2016 Posts page.
- Jul 29th
- Hoax Hunters 2015 #5 - I really hope when I gather these all together and read them all at once that they'll make more sense. As it is, this issue is nearly incomprehensible. The colorist is still making everything too dark and murky, as well. I love the concept and enjoyed the first few issues, so I'm continuing to read... but if this doesn't improve I'm not sure I want to keep up with it.
- Doctor Who 9th #3 - Lucky Rose will have to continue to be lucky to get out of that cliff-hanger... I have confidence in Captain Jack and the Doctor, though. I'm still waiting to find out exactly what's going on in this, but at least we got one reveal in here.
- Doctor Who 10th #13 - I'm still curious about Cleo, but I really like some of the other characters. Dorothy's change is interesting, and I hope it's not nearly as tragic as it feels like it's going to be. This will read much better all at once in a collection, but that's been the case with most of the Doctor Who comics.
- Doctor Who 12th #10 - More of the thinly disguised Rat Pack and Clara, just hanging around together. I like the Doctor's not-at-all subtle discussion with Sonny about his life. The whole thing wrapped up ok, if a little cheesily. Not a bad issue.
Sunday, August 30, 2015
A Sunday Review
Another recommended book, another hit. I am running a pretty good record following the advice of various folks. This is another book that is the first in a series, but it didn't feel like it ended as abruptly as Beasts of Tabat, which I reviewed last week. This one felt like it came to some conclusions before it ended, which means I feel satisfied.
First up: the completely non-spoiler review. This is a solid book with an interesting scientific premise that, once you catch on makes such perfect sense it's hard not to read the whole thing in one sitting. At least, that was the situation for me. The fifth seasons were fascinating to read about, seeing as I live near a volcano and was around when it blew up in 1980, and vividly remember quite a bit about it - including the faces wrapped in whatever fabric handy to keep out the ash. The book is the first of a series, but doesn't quite end on a cliffhanger. There's a beginning, middle and end to this telling - but also an opening for the next phase. There are quests unfulfilled, events yet to meet - but there's also a sense of ending. Definitely a contender for my Hugo ballot.
Ok, Spoilers ahead (use rot13 to read). V erpbtavmrq evtug njnl gung gur guerr punenpgref jrer nyy gur fnzr crefba ng qvssrerag cbvagf va ure yvsr, nygubhtu gur aneengbe jnfa'g pyrne gb zr ng nyy. Gur frpbaq-crefba zrgubq bs gryyvat Rffha'f fgbel znqr vg qenzngvp naq vzzrqvngr, juvpu urvtugrarq gur grafvba. V jbaqre vs fur'yy rire svaq ure qnhtugre, be vs gur birenyy nep jvyy or zber vzcbegnag. Guvf vf n jbzna jub unf orra guebhtu n ybg, V trg jul fur sryy ncneg jura ure fba jnf zheqrerq.
Nynonfgre vf bar urpx bs n anfgl cvrpr bs jbex. Ohg pbafvqrevat uvf bevtva naq jung ur'q orra chg guebhtu ol uvf inevbhf znfgref, vg jnf nznmvat ur unq gur jvyy gb yvir ng nyy. V ernyyl jnagrq gb ernq zber bs gur frperg uvfgbel bs Fnamr nf gbyq ol Nynonfgre, ohg jr qvqa'g trg arneyl rabhtu.
V ybirq gur zvk bs arj naq byq grpuabybtl. Guvf vf n jbeyq gbea ncneg ol trbybtvpny sbeprf, univat vafgehpgvbaf sbe fheiviny jevggra va fgbar vf n terng vqrn. Gur snpg gung zrgny qbrfa'g ynfg jbhyq arire unir bppheerq gb zr, fb V'z ybivat gur jnl vg vf cbegenlrq nf n sbbyvfu guvat. Gur bofvqvna xavirf ner nyfb arng gb ernq nobhg. Gur jubyr jbeyq bs guvf obbx vf whfg nznmvat.
Gur fgbar rngref ner rkgerzryl perrcl. Cneg bs zr xrrcf frrvat gurz nf jrrcvat natryf. Cneg bs zr nf Terrx tbqf. Va nal pnfr, gurl ner n phevbfvgl. Jurer qvq gurl pbzr sebz? Jrer gurl znqr? Sbe gung znggre, ubj qvq gur bebtrar qrirybc? Gurer'f n ybg bs hanafjrerq dhrfgvbaf va guvf obbx, bayl znqr rnfl gb orne orpnhfr gurer'f zber pbzvat riraghnyyl. V'z ernyyl phevbhf nobhg gur boryvfxf naq gurve bevtva, nybat jvgu gurve ebyr va gur qrfgehpgvba bs gur zbba. Naq lrg V'z irel cyrnfrq jvgu gur fgbel fb sne, naq vs V arire trg n punapr gb ernq gur frdhry, V'z unccl rabhtu jvgu gur obbx. Gung'f n ernyyl tbbq guvat. Guvf obbx jbjrq zr, juvpu qbrfa'g unccra arneyl bsgra rabhtu.
In summary, this is one that is definitely in contention to be on my Hugo ballot, though I have to see what else I can read in the next few months before the nominating starts. I can recommend it without hesitation, with the warning that it is the first in a series and you will want to find out what happens next.
I also read a novelette this week:
- "Ether" by Zhang Ran, translated by Carmen Yiling Yan and Ken Liu, this week. I had already figured out most of the twist long before it was explained in the story. Unfortunately, the way it was finally explained was a bit of a clumsy info-dump, not as good as the previous plot. This one is kind of an "eh" for me - the ideas were good but the execution could have been better. Probably not on my Hugo ballot.
I've also read short stories:
- "Headwater LLC" by Sequoia Nagamatsu takes an ancient myth and brings it into the modern world. It's also a good story about youth and the mistakes made in it. I liked it a lot, but I was fairly depressed at the ending. I need more happy stories in my life! Despite how depressing it is, I enjoyed the use of folklore and the modern twists, and this one has a decent chance at my Hugo nomination ballot.
- "Bucket List Found in the Locker of Maddie Price, Age 14, Written Two Weeks Before the Great Uplifting of All Mankind" by Erica L. Satifka is a frivolous story on the surface, but there's a lot of hints and terror in there. In fact, reading between the lines, I think this might be one of the scariest stories I've read in quite some time. There's also some interesting questions raised by it. Who found the list? What really happened to all mankind? I don't hate the story and maybe it'll go on my Hugo list... but it's not a happy story, and I'm beginning to get a little desperate for a happy story of some sort.
My Hugo Suggestions were likely recommended in the comment sections on File 770, Renay's Hugo Spreadsheet of Doom, or the Hugo 2016 Wikia. For my current list of Hugo 2016 readings, check out my Hugo 2016 Posts page.
- Jul 22nd
- Aquaman #42 - I hate to say it, but the book is moving too slowly. We should have already gotten the full backstory by now and be moving on into possible resolutions. Instead, this gave us a tiny piece we already could have gotten from context in the last issue, then introduced a handful of characters. Not a sterling start. I'm also less than impressed with the new design of Aquaman and his now perpetual five-o'clock shadow. It doesn't make him look tough, sorry.
- Harley Quinn & Power Girl #2 - I never thought I'd be agreeing with Harley, but yeah, who NAMES those places?!? Anyhow, this is a hilarious and not at all serious book that twists from moment to moment to make something that's somehow incredible and odd. I love it.
- Sinestro #13 - If you do something good for the wrong reasons... well, Sinestro is still a nasty villain and Soranik is not in a good place at all. But I'll keep reading just for Soranik, the only character worth reading about in this book. She's enough to make the rest of it just barely tolerable.
- Batman '66 #25 - Um. Wow. Ok, so we start with the official intro of Harlequin, who is considerably better in many ways than the Joker. I was happy to see an appearance of Matches Malone in there. Then we get a story with Barbara Gordon, who gives us the reason supervillain team-ups often don't work. Overall a fun issue, with the Harlequin story a significant bit better.
- Fables TP #150/Vol 22 - The final issue of the series is its own trade paperback, and most of the pages were definitely needed to get all the stories packed into this. There are a lot of characters in the series and many of them finally get their "final" tales related in this book. Personally, I enjoyed it. It was a nice final issue, and yes, I'm going to consider it for the Hugo. Is fantasy allowed in the Hugo Awards? Should I nominate the series as a whole, or just the final volume?
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