Still more Loncon 3 photos

More photos from Loncon 3, the 72nd World Science Fiction Convention, held August 14-18, 2014, in London.

Nina Allan, writer,

"The Darkening Garden"

Lisa Tuttle, writer,

"The Darkening Garden"

Paul Kincaid, critic,

"The Darkening Garden"

 Helen Marshall, writer,

"The Darkening Garden"

 Paul March-Russell, critic,

"The Darkening Garden"

 Anne Lyle, writer,

"Fantasy vs. SF: Is the Universe Looking Out for You?"

Ian R. MacLeod, writer, 

"Fantasy vs. SF: Is the Universe Looking Out for You?"

Stephen Hunt, writer,

"Fantasy vs. SF: Is the Universe Looking Out for You?"

Robert Reed, writer,

"Fantasy vs. SF: Is the Universe Looking Out for You?"

Rebecca Levene, writer,

"Fantasy vs. SF: Is the Universe Looking Out for You?"

Related links on this blog:
Hugo Award winners 2014
John Clute kaffeeklatsch
Loncon 3 panel photos
More Loncon 3 panel photos
Yes, more Loncon 3 photos
Loncon 3 notes and quotes

The House Left Empty by Robert Reed

In a future of Self-Governing Districts where central government has withered away to powerlessness, two old friends deceive a delivery man into leaving a package at an empty house. The relationship and dialog between the old friends is well observed and it’s the best part of the story. The contents of the package turn out to be meaningful, symbolic of interstellar space program that no longer exists.

Telling science fiction readers to get misty-eyed about the lost opportunity of a government space program is preaching to the choir. The story is well done, sure, but it’s a little too obvious, a bit too on the nose.

“The House Left Empty” by Robert Reed first appeared in Asimov’s, April/May 2008
Link: Year’s Best SF 14 summation and table of contents