Books received

A pile of reading material from Night Shade Books arrived in the mail today. First up will be Infidel by Kameron Hurley. I enjoyed her first novel, God's War, which came out earlier this year.

12 kinds of Death and the Dead

"Of the nature of Death and the Dead we may enumerate twelve kinds. First there are those who become new gods, for whom new universes are born. Second those who praise. Third those who fight as soldiers in the unending war with evil. Fourth those who amuse themselves among flowers and sweet springs with sports. Fifth those who dwell in gardens of bliss, or are tortured. Sixth those who continue as in life. Seventh those who turn the wheel of the Universe. Eighth those who find in their graves their mothers' wombs and in one life circle forever. Ninth ghosts. Tenth those born again as men in their grandsons' time. Eleventh those who return as beasts or trees. And last those who sleep."

From "Forlesen" by Gene Wolfe, originally published in Orbit 14 (1974), edited by Damon Knight

This quote was brought to my attention by the newly revised and updated Gene Wolfe page at Wikiquote, edited by a friend of the blog.

"Forlesen" is chilling and Kafkaesque. I highly recommend it. Gene Wolfe is one of the great treasures of science fiction and fantasy. His substantial body of first-rate work puts him at or near the top of the list of best authors in the genre.

Related link:

Gene Wolfe page at Wikiquote

Anne McCaffrey (1926-2011)

One of the stars of science fiction, SFWA Grand Master Anne McCaffrey, died yesterday, age 85. Other websites will have thorough obituaries. Here I can point to a letter that I transcribed to this website a few months back.

In the letter the literary agent Virginia Kidd provides a deft critique of McCaffrey's writing at a crucial early point in McCaffrey's career. Read the letter.

On a personal note: I encountered the first two books in the Dragonriders of Pern series (the next books were years away from being published) at an impressionable age. The 14-year-old in me loves those books.

Related links:
Locus Online: Anne McCaffrey (1926-2011)
SF Encyclopedia: Anne McCaffrey

Contagious Ides are Driving

Three interesting 2011 movies.

Drive
(Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn. Starring Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, and Albert Brooks.)

Style over substance. The movie has wonderful visuals and music. It has a sense of place (a gritty Los Angeles). Albert Brooks is splendid. Unfortunately, the crime drama doesn’t go anywhere unexpected or interesting. I am tired -- so very tired -- of violence used as a crutch for lack of storytelling.

The Ides of March
(Directed by George Clooney. Starring Ryan Gosling, Philip Seymour Hoffman, George Clooney, Paul Giamatti, Evan Rachel Wood, and Marisa Tomei.)

A fabulous cast is mostly wasted in a movie that combines two kinds of story that don’t work well together. Part of the movie is smart political drama, with interesting observations regarding candidates and policy questions. Here the dialog is sharp and compelling. The other part of the movie is trashy melodrama. Trashy melodrama is fine on its own. Alas, it undercuts any attempt to be smart.

Contagion
(Directed by Steven Soderbergh. Starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne, Jude Law, Marion Cotillard, Jennifer Ehle, and Kate Winslet.)

Rather chilly and emotionally distant most of the time. Yet, that works quite well for this movie about a lethal infection that spreads across the world. Another amazing cast, yet no star turns as everyone serves the story, which rolls out gradually and skillfully, building tension as it proceeds. Perhaps because the film does not emotionally pander to the audience, we steadily grow to sympathize with the characters, even as they make mistakes or become infected. One odd character: Jude Law plays an ethically challenged opportunist who sees conspiracies everywhere. Through his website he sows fear and confusion while promoting for his own gain an unproven herbal remedy. The film is convincing, disturbing, and cautionary. Recommended.

SF Encyclopedia on Thomas M. Disch

"Because of his intellectual audacity, the chillingly distanced mannerism of his narrative art, the austerity of the pleasures he affords, and the fine cruelty of his wit, Disch was perhaps the most respected, least trusted, most envied and least read of all modern sf writers of the first rank. "

From the Science Fiction Encyclopedia, Third Edition, on Thomas M. Disch, as pointed out by Scott Edelman on Twitter.

Link:
SFE: entry on Thomas M. Disch

SF Encyclopedia 3rd Edition goes live

The much-anticipated (by science fiction nerds like me) and newly expanded online edition of the Encyclopedia of Science Fiction is now available in its "beta" version. The scope of the project is enormous. The Second Edition, which appeared in print in 1995, was approximately 1.3 million words. The beta version of the Third Edition is about 3 million words, with the "completed" version expected to total 4 million words. Completed is a relative term for online editions. Monthly updates are planned for some time after completion. Nor are these padded entries, providing endless trivia about minor authors. They tend to be brief, sometimes overly so to this reader, with longer entries for longer and more significant careers. This is not a Wikipedia-style project. It is edited by John Clute, David Langford, Peter Nicholls, and Graham Sleight, with several knowledgeable contributors. It is a scholarly and critical guide, packed with information and enlivened with well-informed critical judgments.

I listened this morning to Cheryl Morgan's Salon Futura podcast where she interviews Graham Sleight about the SF Encyclopedia and it provides an excellent overview of the scope and goals of the several-years-long project. Sleight compares the project, in part, with the wonderfully opinionated Biographical Dictionary of Film by David Thomson, whose book I admire.

In browsing the new online edition I've already found it to be addictive and fascinating. The subdued star-map background is pleasant and not distracting. Toward the end of the text describing Gene Wolfe's career I came across the phrase "he wears the fictional worlds of sf like a coat of many colours", which is beautifully stated. Elsewhere in the Encyclopedia I've found gaps that I hope will be filled soon. Congratulations to all involved for reaching this beta release milestone.

Related links:
SFE: The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, Third Edition
Cheryl Morgan's Salon Futura podcast on The Encyclopedia of SF
SFE: entry for Gene Wolfe

Reno Worldcon photos

More photos from Renovation, the 69th World Science Fiction Convention, held in Reno, Nevada, August 17-21, 2011.

Tim Powers
Guest of Honor Speech

Liza Groen Trombi and Gary K. Wolfe
on "The Best Reviews and Reviewers of 2010" Day One.

Atlantis Casino Resort

Sunset over the convention center (lower left)
at the end of Day One, view from the Atlantis.

Howard V. Hendrix and Louise Marley
on "Far Future SF, Then and Now" Day Two.

Poster proclaiming Atlantis
the official party hotel.

Connections in fan history, Hall 2,
with Dave Kyle (red jacket).

Gardner Dozois and Pat Cadigan
on "Science Fiction in the Seventies" Day Three.

Robert Silverberg
signing books in Hall 2.

Jo Walton
reading from "Among Others" on Day Three.

Robert Silverberg and Connie Willis
on "Three Conversations about Charles N. Brown"

An inexpensive nearby alternative
to smokey casino restaurants, open until 3:30 a.m.

Kathleen Ann Goonan
reading from "This Shared Dream" on Day Four

Ian McDonald
signing autographs in Hall 2 on Day Four 

Saladin Ahmed and Lev Grossman
on "Meet the Campbell Award Nominees."

Seanan McGuire, moderator and last year's winner,
with Lauren Beukes,
on "Meet the Campbell Award Nominees."

Saladin Ahmed
on "Meet the Campbell Award Nominees."

Lauren Beukes and Sloth
on "Meet the Campbell Award Nominees."

Larry Correia
on "Meet the Campbell Award Nominees."

Dan Wells
on "Meet the Campbell Award Nominees."

Eileen Gunn and Jo Walton
on "Ursula K. Le Guin at 80"

Kim Stanley Robinson
on "Ursula K. Le Guin at 80"

Jo Walton and Kim Stanley Robinson
on "Ursula K. Le Guin at 80"

Michael Swanwick
reading on Day Five

Michael Swanwick holding the artwork
he used as inpiration for his short story.

George R.R. Martin
sitting on the Iron Throne on Day Five.

George R.R. Martin
signing books on Day Five.

Click on an image to enlarge it. 

Related links:

2011 Hugo Awards ceremony photos

Renovation, the 69th World Science Fiction Convention

2011 Hugo Awards ceremony photos

A selection of my photos from the 2011 Hugo Awards ceremony held at the Peppermill Resort and Casino in Reno, Nevada, on August 20. Congratulations to the recipients and the nominees.

Connie Willis,
Best Novel
"Blackout/All Clear"

Presenter Robert Silverberg, Connie Willis, and
Sheila Williams, Best Editor, Short Form.

Allen M. Steele,
Best Novelette
"The Emperor of Mars"

Mary Robinette Kowal,
Best Short Story
"For Want of a Nail"

Clarkesworld, Best SemiProzine,
Neil Clarke, Kate Baker, Sean Wallace,
and (not pictured) Cheryl Morgan

The Drink Tank, Best Fanzine,
Christopher J Garcia and James Bacon

Christopher J Garcia

Claire Brialey,
Best Fan Writer

Lynne M. Thomas and Tara O'Shea
Best Related Work,
"Chicks Dig Time Lords"

Lev Grossman,
John W. Campbell Award
for Best New Writer

Marina Gelineau, stained-glass artist,
designer of the 2011 Hugo Award trophy base.

Marina Gelineau's 2011 Hugo Award trophy base,
each unique and made of five layers of decorated glass
fused together in a kiln.

Lou Anders,
Best Editor, Long Form

Presenter Dave Kyle with Gay Haldeman,
recipient of the Forrest J Ackerman
Big Heart Award

Phil and Kaja Foglio, and Cheyenne Wright,
Best Graphic Story

Presenters Betsy Tinney, Alexander James Adams,
S.J. Tucker, who together comprise Tricky Pixie.

Jay Lake, along with Ken Scholes (not pictured),
served as master of ceremonies.

Sharon Sbarsky, Hugo Awards ceremony organizer,
and presenter George R.R. Martin.

Click on an image to enlarge it.

Related link:
Renovation, the 69th World Science Fiction Convention