News: August 2008 Archives
The awesome Dr. Horrible universe may have some new stories told soon, although they may involve the other members of the Evil League Of Evil. I vote for Dead Bowie.
Oh, and when can anyone in the UK actually legally download it? We want to give you money, Joss.
Locus have posted an excerpt of their interview with Hugo and Nebula winning Michael Chabon. The more I read of his interviews, the more I like him, even though I haven't read a word of his books yet (this will change soon!).
eg.
eg.
"I remember reading things which blended genres that way. Isaac Asimov's Lucky Starr novels -- those are detective stories. (I liked them at the time.) And Larry Niven did 'Gil the Arm'. Blade Runner was noir and SF at the same time. So it was far from the case that I thought, 'Oh nobody's ever done this.' There was a tradition and I was fully aware I was drawing on it. I guess for me the new wrinkle (if there was one) was going to be the Jewish subject matter, bringing that in as a kind of key third element.
It's very interesting to see Nick Harkaway's analysis of the first chapter of The Gone Away World.
What I wanted my first pages to tell you was: this is going to be a wild ride! Fasten your seat belt, put on your life jacket, and put your earplugs in. Stick with me, I'm going to show you some great stuff. So starting with Gonzo Lubitsch as a five year old... that just seemed like an awfully big ask. I think that opening says: this here is a serious generational novel, and it's going to take you a while, but you'll be a better person for reading it.
No Heroics is a new sitcom to be shown on ITV2 about superheroes. Sounds like a disaster? Watch the trailer, it made me laugh a lot. Plus it has loads of comedy actors that I recognise (but can't remember the names of).Â
The official ITV2 site is here and it looks like it starts on 10th September, although I can't find it in the ITV schedules..
The PR blurb says:
No Heroics is a six-part series that sees a group of British off-duty superheroes living their day-to-day life - which for supposed saviours of the world is actually rather normal, as they just can't be arsed. Instead, this group of B-listers would rather get drunk and commiserate their lack of superiority in their local superheroes-only pub, The Fortress, reading New Power Express and bitching about everyone who's more successful than them.
It's no longer fresh news who won the Hugo's in 2008, but I think I should at least put down my reaction.
Best Novel : The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon (HarperCollins; Fourth Estate)
I'd hoped that Brasyl would win, because I love it, but I'd only read that and Halting State so that isn't a very objective decision. However, many people have said good things about The Yiddish Policemen's Union and it's the sort of winner which gets press and opens eyes and makes people realise what Science Fiction can be. So that's good. To be added to my reading list.
Best Novelette: "The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate" by Ted Chiang (Subterranean Press; F&SF Sept. 2007)
I thought the Chiang story was okay, but not spectacular. Everyone else seems to like it more than me. I don't think it's close to his best stories. Again, I didn't read any of the other nominees.
Best Related Book: Brave New Words: The Oxford Dictionary of Science Fiction by Jeff Prucher (Oxford University Press)
Yes, like that book, still one I dip into now again. Although it's the only one I've read.
Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form: Doctor Who "Blink" Written by Steven Moffat Directed by Hettie Macdonald (BBC)
Hurrah! Best Nu Who so far, more of the same please (but different).
Everything else I don't really have an opinion on:
Best Novella: "All Seated on the Ground" by Connie Willis (Asimov's Dec. 2007; Subterranean Press)
Best Short Story: "Tideline" by Elizabeth Bear (Asimov's June 2007)
...didn't get around to reading any of them. Again.
Best Fan Writer: John Scalzi
Blogging tops monthly static web pages for the first time (I think?).
So, you know, it's the Hugos. I can't help feeling that they should be more spectacular and exciting, somehow. Perhaps they are if you're there?Â
Star Wars creator George Lucas and Clone Wars director Dave Filoni discuss the new CGI Clone Wars film on the official Star Wars site:How would you describe the look of The Clone Wars?
GL: In The Clone Wars, all of the characters and the environments look almost like they're painted, which gives the movie a very distinctive look. We also drew some influences from manga and anime in our filmmaking style, which have very dramatic lighting and very aggressive framing.
Meanwhile io9 tells us Ten Reasons Why the Clone Wars TV Series is Going to Rule (of course it had to be a top ten list) and Simon Pegg is hoping that his publicly aired views on The Phantom Menace won't stop him being able to get a job writing for the new live action Star Wars TV series, in this interview.
Illustrator Tom Hodges will be hosting his You Can Draw Star Wars The Clone Wars workshop for children at the Bath Festival of Children's Literature on 27th September. Where children will learn how to draw their favourite Star Wars characters from the film Star Wars The Clone Wars.Cost £6. ages 6+, booking details on the website.
Wow, what I would have given at six years old to do a workshop like that!
Pablo Defendini is reviewing the covers of the 2008 Hugo nominees on Tor.com, and comparing the UK and US cover versions, a subject I find fascinating (I usually always prefer the UK versions).
Part one is here, and part two is here. Part three is looking at the covers for Brasyl by Ian McDonald, including using my pictures of the shiny, shiny UK cover.
Shiny.
The August edition of IROSF is online now with the following table of contents
Editorial:
* Shiny New Stuff! by Stacey Janssen
Feature:
* Future Tense by Daniel M. Kimmel
* Life After Power: The Brief But Pantiwadulous Life Of A Public Rejection
Letter
by Nick Mamatas
Essay:
* Childhood's End Revisited by Ryder W. Miller
Criticism:
* A New Springtime: Robert Silverberg's Post-Retirement Career by Alvaro Zinos-Amaro
* "Two Dooms" and the Memory of World War II in Alternate History by Nader Elhefnawy
Review:
* DIY Tinkerers, the Steampunk Subculture, and a New Anthology by Robert Bee
* Nested Horror: Demon Theory by Stephen Graham Jones by J. G. Stinson
* Satoshi Kon's Paprika by Michael Andre-Driussi
* July 2008 Short Fiction by Lois Tilton
Jonathan has an alternative Hugo shortlist for films:
Sunshine (Boyle/Garland)
Sunshine (Boyle/Garland)
Beowulf (Zemeckis/Gaiman and Avary)
The Host (Joon-ho/Chul-hyun and Joon-ho)
30 Days of Night (Slade/Niles, Beattie and Nelson)
[Rec] (Balaguero and Plaza/Balaguero, Pedejo and Plaza)
I don't see enough films to have an opinion on the complete list, but I thought Beowulf was not great and really liked Sunshine.
TTA Press has launched a new podcast, Transmissions From Beyond here's what their site says:Â
Welcome to Transmissions From Beyond, the brand new podcast from TTA Press. We feature stories selected from the pages of the TTA Press magazines Interzone (science fiction & fantasy), Black Static (horror), and Crimewave (crime & mystery). New stories appear every other Monday. The premiere of our podcast on Monday, 4 August 2008, offers three Transmissions. There's one from each of our magazines. We lead off with a story from Interzone. Â
They also have some cool artwork on the blog for each story.
Via Gareth L. Powell, who mentions that The Last Reef and Ack-Ack Macaque will be on the podcast eventually.
The DK site has some cool artwork from their new Star Wars books, including Top secret, technological plans of R2-D2 and C-3PO, which are very groovy.
I have a review of The Clone Wars Visual Guide coming soon.
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, the blog.
Bit of a mouthful, but it has posts, shock!
Well, invasion might be too string a word for Simon Pegg and Steven Moffat, but you get what I mean.
Interesting that Doctor Who panels at Comic-Con has increased it's UK coverage.
