What's speculative and what's just inevitable?

I finished a book a couple weeks ago that I received from Quirk. Every book I've read by them has been speculative. I've read a couple of their mash-ups and started a third (see post on July 18th re: William Shakespeare's Star Wars). The Last Policeman by Ben H. Winters (I reviewed his mash-up, Android Karenina), aside from the fact that an asteroid is headed for the earth, is not speculative. The earth could one day be in the path of an asteroid that size. So, is that really speculative? Yes, and no. This is how Wikipedia defines speculative fiction:

Speculative fiction is an umbrella term encompassing the more fantastical fiction genres, specifically science fiction, fantasy, horror, weird fiction, supernatural fiction, superhero fiction, utopian and dystopian fiction, and alternate history in literature as well as related static, motion, and virtual arts.[1]

The footnote goes to an explanation and brief history by Margaret Atwood. An asteroid that size colliding with the earth is not something that's happened in human history. None of us can really know how we would deal with the knowledge of the end of the earth if we haven't lived through it, so I guess, in that sense, it's speculative, dystopian even. And it's a great "what if".

Soft Apocalypse, which I read and reviewed a couple years ago had the same focus, although the apocalypse was slow and the world wouldn't be entirely wiped out. I did enjoy reading The Last Policeman. It was refreshing to read a book that only had one POV. So many authors cram anywhere from three to even twelve into one novel. I think Dan Simmons' The Terror (review here) must have had a dozen. It has advantages and disadvantages. Certainly, when you only have time to read a book in snatches, the single POV is more manageable and an easier read. The Terror, btw, is slated to be an AMC mini-series or TV movie (depending on who you ask) next year. 

I enjoyed the Detective Hank Palace's reactions and personality enough to read more in Countdown City: The Last Policeman II (as soon as I can figure out what I did with it). I have to say, though, they are more detective novels than speculative fiction, which is why I'm not reviewing either of them here. I reviewed Rob Sawyer's Red Planet Blues, which was also a detective novel, but that one was set on, well, Mars, and involved a lot of not-yet science, so it more than qualified.

***

For those of you who live in or near San Francisco, a local landmark tourist attraction, Wax Museum at Fisherman's Wharf, is shutting its doors after today. Better hurry! Too bad it isn't next Thursday. Then Kevin and I could visit during our honeymoon. Ah, well, that will leave more time for dancing!

***

Here's the Phoenix Picks free ebook for August. Coupon code, 9991670 is good through August 31.

Carolyn Ives Gilman’s Hugo and Nebula nominated novella, The Ice Owl.

Set in the same universe as Arkfall (although a totally independent
story), The Ice Owl tells a tale capturing that moment when we start to
lose our childhood…when we start to realize that our parents and the
“grown-ups” are just as flawed as we are…everyone struggling to deal with
their own demons.

*** 

With all the wedding plans, this little gem got buried. It's still available on demand, so I'm still posting it. Maybe we'll watch it next week - when we're not dancing. ;) It's got Russell Tovey, the werewolf from Being Human. The original, Brit series, not the rubbish Americanized version. He's great!

Contests and Indie Films

Today is the last day for your flash stories about mirror balls. Micah Joel awaits your lovely, concise prose. Read the details again here. It's a blind contest and he's the judge.

SyFy has gone all social media and is running a contest via the 'net for you to get a premiere showing of Defiance in your city before it airs on April 15th. The contest started on the 19th of March and runs to 5pm PT, April 4th. Three US cities will win. The advanced screenings will include giveaways and prizes. Vote for your town now.

Defiance takes place in a frontier town in a transformed, near-future Earth where humans and aliens must unite against a mutual threat. Sounds intriguing. We need more shows where humans co-exist with aliens. It might teach us a thing or two about getting along with our neighbors.







Finally, word is spreading about my love of Indie films. This is really a love story with a sci-fi element. I liked the idea, though. You might, too. Maybe even enough to help them fund production. The perks for contributing are especially great if you live in Dublin...

DIY Time Machine, Nostalgia and Comedy Relief

I surfed YouTube, so you don't have to. :)

Have you always wanted your own DeLorean Time Machine? Why not build one? Personally, I think some people have too much time on their hands. I'm waiting for the working version. I can think of a lot of cool things I could do with a time machine. History beware!



And here's a bit of nostalgia for those who remember, and a funny look into the past for those who don't.



Finally, a little comedy relief from the original Star Trek.

STNG celebrates a birthday - at the movies

This just in from Pure on behalf of Fathom:

“Boldly go where no one has gone before” and don’t miss the only opportunity to see two of the most popular Next Generation episodes, Ep. 106 “Where No One Has Gone Before” and Ep. 114 “Datalore” on the big screen.

NCM Fathom and CBS TV are coming together to present a special one night event to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

This special event will include exclusive looks at the massive restoration of season one, never-before-seen interviews with the original cast members and behind-the-scenes looks at the artists who created the original FX elements and photography during the making of the show. Audiences will also be privy to an unseen sneak-peak of “Measure of a Man.”

Set in the 24th century, The Next Generation was created by Gene Roddenberry over 20 years after the original Star Trek series. The Next Generation became the longest running series of the Star Trek franchise, consisting of 178 episodes over 7 seasons.

Star Trek: The Next Generation 25th Anniversary Event is the first opportunity to see this transcendent digital presentation like no man before, in movie theaters, on Monday, July 23rd at 7:00 PM (local time) with additional late night showings at select movie theater locations.

If you have any questions, please let me know. For more details and ticket information, visit www.fathomevents.com

We’ll see you at the movies!

The July Free Phoenix Pick is here! 

Joan Slonczewski’s Daughter of Elysium

The coupon code is 9991545 and will be good from July 2 through July 31.
Links for downloading the book (as usual) from our online catalogue,
www.PPickings.com

Brief description of the book:

The pristine city of Elysium floats on the water world of Shora, inhabited
by 'immortals' who have succeeded in unlocking the secrets of life.

Outsider Blackbear Windclan wants to share the secret of immortality with
his own people, but can he, and the City of Elysium, survive the
corruption and decadence that immortality has bred into the ageless
society?

And what of the consciousness of self-aware nano-sentient servitors and
their quest for vengeance?

"An enormously impressive achievement...A marvelous array of cultures
presented in astonishing depth"—Kirkus Review

And this is just too fun.

Heros + Numb3rs - math lecture = Alphas

Better late than never, is my take on Alphas, the new SyFy show. In a nutshell: Heroes + Numb3rs - math lectures = Alphas. I especially liked Gary's ability to see, organize and understand all wavelengths. He can surf the web, radio channels, cell traffic, TV, etc. without the benefit of any device. He uses his hands to pull what he's interested to the fore or rearrange the information he's analyzing. Each gifted individual also has a curse. For Gary, he's a bit special needs with poor impulse control.

Unlike Heroes, these people with abilities work for and help the government rather than getting chased down and locked up. The somewhat motley crew includes a married man who can spike his adrenaline on demand for super strength, a single woman who has super senses, and another single woman with expensive tastes who can manipulate the will of others (glad she's on our side). In the first episode, the gain a fifth member who exhibits an extraordinary sense of balance and sense of space and timing.

The banter between team members was pretty good. I just hope it doesn't become just another detective show with superheros. I'd like to see the down-side of their abilities cause problems for them more and see how they struggle to adjust. I especially want to see how it is that they're all willing to play nice and catch bad guys.

I agreed to promote ebook giveaways for a publisher with a very unique and potentially exciting model. They pair pros with up-and-comers. Find out more at Phoenix Pick . Meantime, Phoenix Pick's free ebook for August is one of my favorite books. An oldie but a goodie. If you haven't read James P. Hogan's The Multiplex Man, I highly recommend it. And now you have nothing to lose! Get it free with this coupon code: 99922991 through August 31st at www.PPickings.com.

Here's the synopsis in case you still don't trust me that it's a great book:

The Multiplex Man is an intriguing thriller set in a future where every
aspect of life on Earth is micromanaged by authorities who consider any
deviation from the prescribed path as dangerous.

Off-world colonies are considered dangerous enemies threatening to take
Earth’s precious resources .

And who is Richard Jarrow?

Is he the unassuming, mild-mannered teacher he thinks himself to be or
something much more?

And how does the brilliant scientist named Ashling fit into the picture.

Jarrow must find Ashling, who holds the key not only to Jarrow’s own
identity but to freedom itself.

News from Rowling and Gaiman

Just a quickie this time. I'm having too much fun in the finally-summer-sun. :)




Neil Gaiman's American Gods comes to HBO in 2013.

And my news is that No Man's Land is no available on Kindle. Woo hoo! Kick-butt sci-fi stories written entirely by women (including Ann Wilkes) and many of them "Broads" (Broad Universe members).

That's all! Have a great Sunday. I'm heading to the beach!

FALLING SKIES - Aliens invade Sunday, June 19th

TNT's new show Falling Skies airs Sunday June 19th at 9pm. I watched the two-hour pilot and the second episode, so I can give you the scoop. A dirty job… ☺ The opening explains that "they", meaning the aliens, came and blew up Earth's major cities, our ships and defenses. Now their clean-up crews have landed and are killing humans on sight – except for the teenagers. They are fitted with an organic "harness" that turns them into mindless drones for the aliens.

The aliens look like large (twice the size of a human), multi-legged bugs. Their head look like a cross between that of the predator and the alien from the movies of those names.

A very poignant scene has Tom Mason's son Hal, played by Drew Roy, telling his Dad that just seven or eight months ago he wouldn't let him ride his bike at night because his bike didn't have a light. Now he's sending him orders to fight invading aliens. Tom, played by Noah Wyle, is a history professor forced into the role of soldier because most of the military has been annihilated. His wife died while gathering food and his middle son, Ben was at a friend's house when their neighborhood was under attack. He and his other sons suspect that Ben has been harnessed by the "skitters".

Tom often gives impromptu history lessons as he makes connections with their situation and historic battles against human invaders or conquerors. He befriends a pediatrician, Dr. Anne Glass, who lost her own child. Dr. Glass (Moon Bloodgood) buries her grief and, instead, helps Tom's youngest child, Matt, and others deal with theirs. One of the most heartbreaking lines is when someone asks Matt if his Dad and brother are ok. He replies, "They were OK this morning. I don't know about now- they're fighting."

I had no complaints about the acting, and the script was excellent. At first I thought it highly improbable that the whole group of several hundred civilians and soldiers would watch while Matt plays with the birthday present his brother scavenged, but then I realized that if I were there, that's what I would do: Look, there's a kid enjoying a birthday present, riding around having fun. Enjoying an oasis of quazi-normality. I'm sure many would. The interplay between family members also rang true for me.

There were many night scenes in which they encounter the aliens and naturally don't want to alert them to their presence with light. But, my imagination can take it. Let me see what's going on! I can pretend that it's actually darker than that.

Any alien apocalypse is not complete without human bad guys, too. Hal and his girlfriend encounter a man named Pope with his gang of thugs to complicate their lives a whole lot more. Pope added needed flavor to the plot. My favorite line so far is his, "Being the leader of a post-apocalyptic gang of outlaws has been exhausting."

I'm looking forward to watching more. TNT says it knows drama. What's more dramatic than alien invasion? And I'm not just saying this because of the way-cool, olive-drab shoulder bag that will double as awesome Firefly gear. ;)

Firefly, Wonder Woman and live sci-fi

The Star Trek franchise aside, Firefly is THE best ever science fiction series. Argue with me if you want, but not before you've seen it. You have another chance to do just that without the help of your local video store (Do you still have one?) or Netflix. Firefly is returning to the TV on the Science Channel beginning this Sunday, March 6th, at 8PM ET. The show will air on Sundays at 10PM ET thereafter and will follow an encore from the week before. And because it’s the Science Channel, renowned astrophysicist and co-founder of string field theory Dr. Michio Kaku will scrutinize the science of each episode.

In Firefly, Earth has colonized planets outside its solar system. The Alliance had asserted too much authority over the central worlds and rebels (or Browncoats) like Malcolm Reynolds fought back. They didn't win, but the outer worlds are still relatively safe, if rustic. The new frontier.

The crew of the Serenity roam the galaxy looking for any work they can find, staying out of the way of the alliance. The adventures and banter remind me of the Wild Wild West only these guys don't work as government intelligence agents. Mostly, they're smugglers. Mal's Serenity crew includes Wash, a talented pilot and his wife, Zoe (who fought with Mal in the war), innocent Kaylee, their engineer who can fix an engine with bubble gum and toothpicks and Jayne, an opportunistic, uneducated criminal, who doesn't mind risking his life so long as there's something in it for him.

The script is outstanding and the quazi-Southern, military, frontier dialect is infectious.

Here's some examples from Firefly WIki. (And you Browncoats best get over there and add some more!)

"Wash, we got some local color happening. A grand entrance would not go amiss."
"Shouldn't you be off bringing religiousity to the fuzzy wuzzies or some such?"
"Still a little whimsical in the brain pan." [to Shepherd Book about River]

Most women will fall for Nathan Fillian in his role as Malcolm Reynolds the same way they do for Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones. Confident, strong, fallible and slightly oblivious. And those crooked smiles that say "oops, my bad".

The ship's complement also includes a preacher who mysteriously knows a lot about alliance tactics and how to fight, a doctor and his crazy, vulnerable (but sometimes deadly - as in a weapon) genius sister River (Summer Glau) and Inara (Morena Baccarin), the government-sanctioned and licensed "companion" who rents one of the ship's two shuttles.

Firefly is space opera at its best in the all new "out west". ;)

If I haven't convinced you to check it out yet, maybe something from the Science Channel press release below will. No, I'm not getting paid for this. ;) But I AM a Browncoat.


The Wait Is Over!
“FIREFLY” Premieres Sunday, March 6 with Two Episodes Beginning @ 8pm ET

New episodes air every Sunday @ 10pm ET only on Science Channel

Renowned Astrophysicist Dr. Michio Kaku also reveals the “Science behind Firefly”

From the creator of the hit TV series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” sci-fi savant Joss Whedon delves into the final frontier with “Firefly,” which lands exclusively on the Science Channel on Sunday, March 6 @8pm ET with the airing of the original 2-hour pilot. Immediately following, episode one of the 15-part series will air at 10pm ET.

“Firefly” will dominate the airwaves every Sunday with an encore episode of the previous week airing 9pm ET to be followed by the network premiere of the next episode in the series airing at 10pm ET.

As a special treat for “Firefly” fans, star of Science Channel’s “Sci-Fi Science,” and the co-founder of string field theory, Dr. Michio Kaku, will be commentating on the science behind “Firefly” for each episode. From terraforming, to anti-matter, Kaku will be explaining why the science fiction featured in the show really isn't that far from science fact.

When “Firefly” first aired in 2002, Whedon’s sci-fi western quickly became a cult favorite. Set 500 years in the future, in the aftermath of a universal civil war, the story centers on the renegade crew of a small transport spaceship led by “Castle’s” Nathan Fillion, who directs the ragtag team through adventures into unknown parts of the galaxy, as they try to evade warring factions as well as authority agents out to get them.
Pilot- "Serenity" Premieres Sunday, March 6 @ 8pm ET
Set 500 years in the future, we are introduced to the of the spaceship Serenity led by the former soldier Sergeant Mal Reynolds. Part transport ship, part scavenger vessel, the second-in-command is the loyal Zoe who served beside Mal in the war and owes him her life; Wash the ship's easygoing pilot and Zoe's husband; and Kaylee the ship's young and effervescent engineer.

The crew picks up some precious cargo from the hull on an abandoned spaceship. Soon, they realize they are being pursued by the Alliance, the totalitarian army which was formed to hunt down outlaws against the unification of the planets. In order to avoid detection, the Serenity takes on a group of ‘tourists’ to appear to be a passenger transport ship. The passengers include: Inara, a prostitute; Book, a shepherd; Simon, a doctor who has with him a mysterious dark blue box

The story continues as the Serenity tries to outrun double-dealers and savages, ditch the precious cargo all the while trying to hide their newest passenger, River, who’s power the group has yet to realize.


Episode 1- "The Train Job" Premieres Sunday, March 6 @ 10pm ET
Mal and his crew are hired to pull off a train heist…but the cargo turns out to be badly needed medication intended for sufferers of a deadly disease. Meanwhile men are on the hunt for River and won’t stop till they find her.

*****
If comic book characters are your thing, there's a new Wonder Woman TV series in the works. The series is still filling in the cast. Meanwhile, Geekscape lassos in a review of the new Wonder Woman pilot by avid fan, Eric Diaz.

******
How about live science fiction? If you live in the North Bay (that's the San Francisco Bay), you're in luck. The Imaginists are performing plays based on the short stories of sci-fi author Eliot Fintushel.

March 10*, 11, 12 | 17*, 18, 19 | 24*, 25, 26
All Shows at 8 p.m.

*Pay-What-You-Wish Nights: March 10, 17 & 24
Tickets for these shows will only be available at the door.

(Poster art by comic book artist Brent Anderson.)

The Imaginists Theatre Collective
461 Sebastopol Avenue
Santa Rosa, CA. 95401
(707) 528-7554

Talk back with the actors and writer, Eliot Fintushel: Saturday, March 12, 19, 26 immediately following the performance.


Below are Eliot Fintushel's production notes.

WE FROM AFAR: PRODUCTION NOTES
(from, such as he is, the author)

Science Fiction is all about extrapolation. and, oh, honey, are we gonna extrapolate tonight. To the shivering penumbral dimensions I limned in these stories, Brent Lindsay, the god of the theatre of now, of passion, pulse, and power, has added infinitely more. Not to mention my fellow Imaginists, actors, techies--groupies all--who have set sail for these unimagined lands, and are gonna drag you along in steerage, whether you like it or not.

Here at the Imaginists Theatre Collective, everything proceeds by opposites. If Lindsay cocks his head and squints and says, "That's REALLY awful," we know that he means it's a keeper. That's how we keep things hopping, and how we keep our audiences from yawning, clearing their throats, and riffling their damn programs.

Inspirations: "Kukla Boogie" was the result of (1) my learning of actual plans by a major soft drink company to use laser technology to advertise on the lunar surface, and (2) my disgust with anti-Darwinism and other sectarian mishugoss. "Afar" came, of course, out of the years of despair accompanying and following my divorce. (Thanks--I'm better now.) "Santacide" was a response to the annual flood of packaged religiosity--I used to use this story, in 6-point typeface on a folded half-sheet of 20# pink paper, as my Christmas card. "No, Really" is an actual standup routine from the future; I was actually there, via a top-secret time machine that I found during a fly-over of the Bermuda Triangle, and I recorded it word for word, before a squad of Butlers burst in and hosed us.

I was very nearly extrapolated myself.

*****

Nebulas Noms, Antho TOC and blu-ray DVDs giveaway

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America released the final ballot as follows for the 2010 Nebula Awards:

Novel

The Native Star, M.K. Hobson (Spectra)
 Interview herein
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, N.K. Jemisin (Orbit UK; Orbit US)

Shades of Milk and Honey, Mary Robinette Kowal (Tor)
 Interview and review herein
Echo, Jack McDevitt (Ace)
 Review herein
Who Fears Death, Nnedi Okorafor (DAW)
 Interview herein and my review at Mostly Fiction
Blackout/All Clear, Connie Willis (Spectra)

Hmmmm. Better get interviewed here if you want to get nominated, eh? I'm just sayin'. ;)

Novella


"The Alchemist", Paolo Bacigalupi (Audible; Subterranean)

‘‘Iron Shoes’’, J. Kathleen Cheney (Alembical 2)


‘‘The Lifecycle of Software Objects’’, Ted Chiang (Subterranean)

‘‘The Sultan of the Clouds’’, Geoffrey A. Landis (Asimov’s 9/10)

‘‘Ghosts Doing the Orange Dance’’, Paul Park (F&SF 1-2/10)

‘‘The Lady Who Plucked Red Flowers beneath the Queen’s Window’’, Rachel Swirsky (Subterranean Summer ’10)



Novelette


‘‘Map of Seventeen’’, Christopher Barzak (The Beastly Bride)

‘‘The Jaguar House, in Shadow’’, Aliette de Bodard (Asimov’s 7/10)

‘‘The Fortuitous Meeting of Gerard van Oost and Oludara’’, Christopher Kastensmidt (Realms of Fantasy 4/10)

‘‘Plus or Minus’’, James Patrick Kelly (Asimov’s 12/10)

‘‘Pishaach’’, Shweta Narayan (The Beastly Bride)

‘‘That Leviathan, Whom Thou Hast Made’’, Eric James Stone (Analog 9/10)

‘‘Stone Wall Truth’’, Caroline M. Yoachim (Asimov’s 2/10)

Short Story


‘‘Arvies’’, Adam-Troy Castro (Lightspeed 8/10)

‘‘How Interesting: A Tiny Man’’, Harlan Ellison® (Realms of Fantasy 2/10)

‘‘Ponies’’, Kij Johnson (Tor.com 1/17/10) Interview herein

‘‘I’m Alive, I Love You, I’ll See You in Reno’’, Vylar Kaftan (Lightspeed 6/10)

‘‘The Green Book’’, Amal El-Mohtar (Apex 11/1/10)

‘‘Ghosts of New York’’, Jennifer Pelland (Dark Faith)

‘‘Conditional Love’’, Felicity Shoulders (Asimov’s 1/10)



Ray Bradbury Award


Despicable Me

Doctor Who: ‘‘Vincent and the Doctor’’
 (Loved that episode!)
How to Train Your Dragon

Inception
 (Christopher Nolan won the Writers Guild Award for original movie screenplay, btw)
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

Toy Story 3

Andre Norton Award


Ship Breaker, Paolo Bacigalupi (Little, Brown)

White Cat, Holly Black (McElderry)

Mockingjay, Suzanne Collins (Scholastic Press; Scholastic UK)

Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword, Barry Deutsch (Amulet)

The Boy from Ilysies, Pearl North (Tor Teen)

I Shall Wear Midnight, Terry Pratchett (Gollancz; Harper)

A Conspiracy of Kings, Megan Whalen Turner (Greenwillow)

Behemoth, Scott Westerfeld (Simon Pulse; Simon & Schuster UK)

Final ballots are due March 30, 2011 (only active SFWA members are eligible to vote). Winners will be announced at the Nebula Awards Banquet on May 21, 2011, during the Nebula Awards Weekend (May 19-22, 2011) at the Washington Hilton, Washington DC.

****

If you don't know that I'm in two Dark Quest Books anthos already this year, I've not been tooting my horn nearly as much as I've been trying to. ;) Beauty Has her Way, edited by Jennifer Brozek, was released last month. We have two reviews already. The latter mentions "Trapped Star" specifically. The first one doesn't, which, under the circumstances, might be a good thing. You'll see what I mean when you read it.
Rise Reviews
Innsmouth Free Press

Defending the Future: No Man's Land is scheduled for launch on May 28th with a big launch party at Balticon and at least one more here on the West coast.

The table of contents has been released as follows. One story is pending.


David Weber - Introduction

Brenda Cooper - Cracking the Sky

Nancy Jane Moore - Gambit

Maria V. Snyder - Godzilla Warfare

Danielle Ackley-McPhail - Ghosts on the Battlefield

Kimberly Long-Ewing - Come Like A Tailor

Ann Wilkes - Immunity Project

Laurie Gailunas - In The Middle of Nowhere

S.A. Bolich - Fallling to Eternity

Lee C. Hillman - Under Pressure

Deborah Teramis Christian - Live Fire

(story pending)

Judi Fleming - Endings

Jennifer Brozek - M.O.V.E.

Phoebe Wray - Trashing



A&E Home Video’s Sci-Fi and Culture Classics Blu-ray prize pack giveaway
Now, for the winner of the blu-ray DVDs.

Les Baptiste answered the Space 1999 trivia question and (eventually) the Prisoner photo question correctly and had the luck of the draw. Congrats, Les! He wins the A&E Home Video’s Sci-Fi and Culture Classics Blu-ray prize pack which includes The Prisoner: The Complete Series [Blu-ray] (1968) and Space: 1999: The Complete Season One [Blu-ray] (1975).



The trivia question was: In Space 1999, Catherine Schell played a character in the first season, before being cast as Maya in the second season (or series as the Brits calculate). Name the episode and describe the character she portrayed.

The answer was: The robotic servant of the guardian.

And what was wrong with the picture of the penny farthing bicycle? The back supports for the canopy were missing.

In addition, DE Helbling asked for favorite episode anecdotes for a chance to win one of three copies of The Official Prisoner Companion. Nobody played that game, but Doug wants to reward effort, so Ed and John will receive the used, good condition copy of The Official Prisoner Companion”for having correct answers. And Tom will receive the third copy for participating. Congratulations one and all. We'll contact you for your snail mail addies.

Retro sci-fi on Blu-ray - win The Prisoner and Space 1999 here!

The Prisoner is released! A Blu-ray disk set of the complete original series The Prisoner has been released, anyway. This may not be news to some of you. Indeed, why would anyone not know that the most brilliant television science fiction series, perhaps the most brilliant TV show ever made, is now on Blu-ray?

The short answer is that some of us Luddites (me among them) are just now finding our way to Blu-ray. (Yes, I do still have functioning, connected VHS audio cassette players connected to my media center.) The good news for you readers of Science Fiction and Other ODDysseys is that we are giving away a copy of this Blu-ray DVD set, AND a Blu-ray DVD set of the complete first season of Space 1999 as part of A&E Home Video’s Sci-Fi and Culture Classics Blu-ray prize pack giveaway.

This release has apparently carried over much the same “extra materials” content from MPI Home Video that was in the earlier DVD releases. It also includes a nifty map of The Village and a nicely produced 60 page episode guide. Another feature: the episodes of the series appear in the order that many agree is the originally intended order. This has been a subject of considerable debate among diehard Prisoner fans since the original UK and US airings of the show, both of which had their own unique ordering.

If you are among those who have never seen The Prisoner, who have never seen the remake series, or even heard about them, it would seem reasonable to offer you a description of what this show is about. But it is not as easy as it sounds. In short, a spy tries to resign his position, and ends up a “guest” among many others in a sort of resort for those who know too much.

But that is only the beginning. This is no shoe phone and microfilm spy show. Lots of action and intrigue, yes, but here we get layers, illusions, and lots to think about.

Patrick McGoohan liked to use the word allegory to describe the story lines and the essence of the show. Many of the episodes are still being interpreted in new ways today, years after their original airing. Some of the content was deemed too controversial for airing when it was originally released.

McGoohan’s portrayal of Number Six, the central figure of the show, is as captivating as his direction and writing. While some controversy lingers over who originated the idea for the series, no one can argue that the show and most of the scripts are the product of McGoohan’s vision, dedication, and genius.

Some retro shows are fun to watch again now, in the light of “modern” standards of production and current political reality simply because they are campy fun. While there is a certain small element of that here, The Prisoner still stands up strong. Even the music choices for many of the episodes feel timeless.

Serious fans should check out the official Prisoner Appreciation Society Six of One. There are several other active clubs still out there on the net as well.

There are also some great interviews of Patrick McGoohan available for free viewing out in YouTube country and elsewhere. Here is one of my favorites, in two parts (but don’t watch it until after you have seen the series at least once):

• Patrick McGoohan Interview Part 1


• Patrick McGoohan Interview Part 2

I could go on and on, but instead I suggest that those of you who are interested in learning more about The Prisoner should go to the experts: pick up one of the many excellent books on the show that have come out over the years. One of my favorites is “The Official Prisoner Companion”, by Matthew White and Jaffer Ali. (Yes, even this book is retro.)

Now … about the contest!

Here are the simple rules. The grand prize is a new copy of the Blu-ray The Prisoner disk set and Space 1999: The Complete Season 1 delivered to your door. To win, examine the picture below, showing the penny farthing bicycle that is a regular feature of the series, and identify what is “off” about this picture by commenting on it here on the Science Fiction and Other ODDysseys blog.

Too hard? You can also qualify by answering this Space 1999 trivia question.
In Space 1999, Catherine Schell played a character in the first season, before being cast as Maya in the second season (or series as the Brits calculate). Name the episode and describe the character she portrayed.

Among those who comment with the correct observation or answer (or both, if you want to show off) before February 25th, one randomly selected person will win the prize, which will be shipped directly to you courtesy A&E Home Videos.

And because you are not numbers, you are human beings, I will send a used but readable copy of “The Official Prisoner Companion” to the three persons who post the best “my favorite episode” anecdotes here in the comments where “best” is determined by me. (Again the deadline is February 25).

- D. E. Helbling

Some mid-week science fiction treats

2011 is the year that I turn out more stories than ever before. Watch my smoke! Doug had a great post last week about NY resolutions and writing. It mad a lot of sense. My friend, Brenda Cooper posted a link to this most excellent post on writing discipline that applies to everything really. It's a blog entry by Johanna Harness about time vs. energy and how doing the things you love gives you energy and putting those things on your hate-to-do list by adding unreasonable restrictions and schedules and musts turns them into energy suckers and makes them less likely to get done. I thought it was great and think you'll benefit too.

I'm working on a science fiction/horror piece that should be finished by end of week. There be monsters! Oh, wait, they're intelligent.

This will also be the year of flash fiction. It's all about instant gratification, my friend. I love ticking things off a list and finishing things. Flash is easier to finish without getting bogged down.

For those who live here in Wine Country, I'll be discussing writing style at the Sebastopol library as part of a Redwood Writers panel on Feb. 7th from 6-8pm.

I'm looking into adding another staff member to Science Fiction and Other ODDysseys to cover movies from press screenings in LA. They're almost never in San Francisco, or I'd be doing a lot more of them. Expect great things!

I can't wait for the new season of Being Human - the original one. Why does the SyFy channel have to redo it with the same exact characters and script? They even dress the same! Here's an about video by the U.S. cast.

i09 has an article interviewing the cast comparing the US and UK versions.

I also found this disturbing bit of Dicktopia there. A robotic head of Philip K Dick speaks. The original went AWOL in 2006. This one was built by Hanson Robotics.

I watched the first episode of the new Primeval series (that's season on this side of the pond). I'm really not sure I'm all that thrilled. It's really more of the same: Prehistoric creatures landing in modern day England, military high-handedness, an unbelievable romance and a mysterious individual watching and conspiring. And a mole. The only truly exciting characters are the dinosaurs. I think I need to more developed characters, tension and drama. Otherwise the plot just gets stale.

And even in Dr. Who, Londoners eventually get that we're not alone. So how can they be so daft when it comes to all these dinosaurs popping up all over the place? Only the ARC (Anomaly Research Centre) changes, not society. And there are never any cops. Of course, I could say the same for Sanctuary. At least where police are concerned.

Here's another new webseries, Overturn.

You can read the synopsis at overturnseries.com.

I was recently reminded of this hilarious video. Someone I know (I'm not naming names) bought a new toilet for his wife for Christmas. Really.

Fantastical coastal scenes, fantastical shows coming

We've just returned from a lovely vacation in Pt. Arena. It rained off and on the whole time we were there, but it's so much more dramatic and scenic at the ocean when it storms: the crashing waves, the waving cedars, the circling gulls. Some of the things we witness were a bit fantastic. Don't these things look alien? They reminded us of Kolob & Sylvia from Star Trek's "Cat's Paw" episode.

Photo by Patrick Wilkes

Watch this video and see what you think.

On the way home I wasn't able to get my camera out fast enough for the bird cloud. They actually made three different shapes while we watched. One looked like shmoo. And then shmoo lost his head, then it went back into an ovoid. It was the biggest, most fantastically orchestrated one I've seen. I just wish I could have shared it with you all. But fear not, I found an even more impressive one to share with you.

Don't know what I mean by Shmoo? Here you go:

I'm excited about the new U.S. Being Human. I love the UK one and don't think this one will be better, but at least I can double my pleasure.

TNT is getting into the whole spec fic scene with a new Steven Spielberg series premiering in June of 2011. From the description of the show, Falling Skies sounds like fans of Jericho and Invasion got together and collaborated. I miss them both. The only problem here is the commercials. My nickname for TNT is Too Nany Tommercials. But for Stephen Spielberg, I can make an exception, especially since I can record it on the DVR and zap through them. For now they're building a web comic and have a journal written by one of the characters.

FALLING SKIES opens in the chaotic aftermath of an alien attack that has left most of the world completely incapacitated. In the six months since the initial invasion, the few survivors have banded together outside major cities to begin the difficult task of fighting back. Each day is a test of survival as citizen soldiers work to protect the people in their care while also engaging in an insurgency campaign called 2nd Mass against the occupying alien force.

Written by Paul Tobin and illustrated by Juan Ferreyra, the Falling Skies Web Comic will bridge the gap between the 12-page Falling Skies comic released at New York Comic Con. Be sure to check back every two weeks for a new chapter.

Paul Tobin is a writer from Portland, Oregon, who works on Marvel Comics titles such as Spider-Girl and Marvel Adventures: Spider-Man, among many others. In addition, Paul works for Dark Horse (Predators movie adaptation, Conan) and DC Comics, and has an upcoming graphic novel (Gingerbread Girl) from Top Shelf, created in collaboration with his wife, artist Colleen Coover. Paul is also very bald and works on novels.



Juan Ferreyra began drawing comics with Small Gods for Image, and then Emissary and Lazarus for Image's imprint Shadowline. He worked on Dark Horse's Rex Mundi while at the same time coloring Conan and the Midnight God and Solomon Kane: Death's Black Riders. Now he's working on a creator-owned book called La 6ème heure for French publisher Soleil. He lives in Argentina.



Andrew Dalhouse made his first appearance coloring comics with The Texas Chainsaw Massacre for Avatar Press. Andrew followed this macabre masterpiece with such books as Marvel Zombies: Evil Evolution, Lady Death, and Hack/Slash, to name but a few. Mr. Dalhouse's work currently can also be found in Disney's Darkwing Duck, Boom's The Incredibles, and Dark Horse Comics' The Occultist.



Nate Piekos, AKA Blambot, graduated with a BA in design from Rhode Island College. Since founding blambot.com, he has lettered comic books for Marvel, DC, Oni Press, and Dark Horse. Nate's designs have also been featured worldwide in print, on television, and in feature films.



For more information visit www.TNT.tv

New RPG, antho cover art and other assorted goodies

Jennifer Brozek may have helped write the RPG you're playing. The latest to release is Savage Mojo's Shanghai Vampocalypse. "If one vampire is a monster, eight million is an apocalypse."

She's also editor of the anthology, Beauty Has Her Way. My story, "Trapped Star", is included. ;) The antho hasn't release yet, but check out the cool cover art. (UPDATE!) Forgot to mention who the artist is. How dare I? It's Alina Pete, artist, writer and creator of the Webcomic Weregeek.



She also edits The Edge of Propinquity ezine, which has updated its guidelines.

In other media news, Jim premieres on Oct. 8th in NY and Oct. 15 in LA.

Jim is convinced by a vision of his deceased wife to create rather than destroy (He'd been contemplating an act of unspeakable violence.) He wants more for the child he creates with his wife's frozen eggs and the help of a biotech firm.

Jim is connected via dreams to a worker clone with reason and empathy (traits not endowed by its creator) in a super-industrialized, post-human Earth, which causes problems for the evil emperor.

Here's a preview of the movie Jim.

Meanwhile, in the present, designer babies are a reality in Thailand. Check out this clip on CNN.

If you like sophomoric humor, and zombies, vampires and ghosts, Comedy Central's Ugly Americans is starting its new season October 6 at 10:30 PM.


Personally, I prefer BBC America's Being Human.






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Indie film Friday

Big things are happenin' with Browncoat Big Damn Fan Films' Browncoats: Redemption, a fan-made flick. The producers gained the sponsorship of Ustream for its premiere Sept. 4 at 7PM EDT at www.ustream.tv/browncoatsmovie and at the film's facebook page.

You can view a trailer and two more trailers and my interview with director Michael Dougherty and lead actress Heather Fagan in the meantime. Proceeds from the DVD go to the charities set up by Joss Whedon, creator of the Firefly, Buffy the Vampire and Dollhouse series. Browncoats: Redemption picks up where Joss Whedon's Serenity left off. Never heard of Serenity and don't know what a Browncoat is? >gasp< Well, if you don't have plans tonight, now you do. Run out and rent Serenity and Firefly. Most folks in the 'verse come out Browncoats on the other side. ;)

Next month, we have JIM premiering in New York (Oct. 8) and Los Angeles (Oct. 15). Here's the synopsis from the press release:

"Being steadily crushed under the weight of debt, unemployment, and increasing isolation, Jim reaches a breaking point. Over a game of solitary Russian roulette he contemplates an unspeakable act of violence as a way of leaving his mark. He is stopped short by a vision of his deceased wife who convinces him that he should instead focus his remaining resources into an act of creation. Armed with his wife's frozen eggs and a new resolve, Jim secures the services of a large biotech firm to help him create an heir who will be engineered to overcome the obstacles of common men.

"Meanwhile in the distant future Niskaa, the leader of a group of genetically modified beings, controls a race of worker clones in a super-industrialized, post-human Earth. As he tries to restore his decrepit empire he comes face to face with a young clone that shows an unprecedented capacity for reason and empathy. Somehow connected to Jim via dreams, the clone manifests secrets of nature that Niskaa has not accounted for…"



Find out more at www.jimthefilm.com.

Still Films' Rogue Moon is in the funding stage over at kickstarter. The science fiction film is based on the classic 1960 novel by Algis Budrys. I hear there are goodies to be had for your micro-investments.


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Building momentum - keeping the sf train rolling

Well, I finally revamped the blog a bit. If you scroll down - way down - on the right, you'll see my new blog roll of sf authors. What's really handy is it includes the title of their latest entry. Hey, I'm using it to see what they're up to. You can, too. I tried to add more, but Blogger no longer wanted to play. I'll try again another day. Meantime, there's about 25 excellent author blogs to choose from and 11 other science fiction blogs higher up. Don't forget that all the author interviews (nearly 40 of them!) are listed by name in alphabetical order as well. Still can't find what you're lookin' for? There's a Google search box on my page, too.

I noticed that my 42 Blips button is missing from my blog directory buttons. I googled 42 Blips. When I clicked on their site I got this message: Thank you for your interest, but the website you are trying to visit is no longer being supported. Hmmmm. Poof. Gone. Lock, stock and barrel. Just like that. Anybody know why? Wish I could offer the scoop on this, but I can only speculate. And I had climbed to 33 in their ranking. Oh, well. It was nice while it lasted. At least I finished near the top of another list. :) While deleting the code I realized there was yet another button missing. The blog directory "um yeah" vanished without a trace.

I'm almost caught up on book reviews. I was IMing with a friend on facebook earlier and I lamented the fact, yet again, that there are so many older books that I don't have time to read. I read the latest books to deliver timely reviews. I have an embarassing number of classic science fiction novels sitting on my shelves that I have yet to read. I'm thinking I should devote a few months a year to reading oldies, but goodies. I'm not going to review them. Those reviews would be superfluous. But I could review sci-fi TV and movies those months while I'm indulging myself and filling in those embarassing gaps.

Right now I'm devouring Peter F. Hamilton's The Evolutionary Void.

And when do I find time to write? Yeah. About that. It's pretty much been relegated to a couple days a week. On the plus side, I have a contract writing job and can quit chasing freelance work, which will give me more time for my own writing. How appropriate that as school is back in session, I have to return to a more structured schedule. You know how they say if you need something done, give it to a busy person? I seem to get more accomplished when I'm busy and have to budget my time carefully.

I'm wrestling with what I think will be one of my better stories, but it has been nothing but trouble to get just right. I'm back to rewriting again and putting back some things that I too hastily deleted. And I'm going to throw in some dangerous fauna. If I can't whip this thing into shape and send it off by the end of this year I'm going to scream. It's resisting my attempts at shaping it into a short story when it really only wants to be a novel. Why can't I have both? First the short, then the novel. I can do this!

I must get poor Horace (Awesome Lavratt sequel) through his next hurdle as well. He really is too fun to torture.

And in my inbox this morning is the panelist questionnaire from Conjecture programming. Conjecture is a little con that can in San Diego. This year's GOH is Rob Sawyer. My friend and fellow Broad (Broad Universe), Trisha J. Wooldridge made GOH for


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Science fiction and fantasy TV - old and new

After nearly a week of the creeping crud (AKA summer cold), I'm starting to return to the land of the living. And I couldn't even catch up on my reading! My head hurt too bad. I hate that. So I watched some science fiction. Would you believe I saw Buffy the Vampire Slayer (the movie) for the first time? It was great. I love Donald Sutherland. Next time I have that much TV viewing time on my hands, I'm going to watch the series. I AM a Browncoat after all. Joss Whedon rocks.

And the new season of Being Human started Saturday. That was a plus! It's on BBC America and it's must-see TV. And then last week, we had the lovely crossover between Warehouse 13 and Eureka.

Here's a clip from a ComicCon panel with the Warehouse 13 cast.


Allison Scagliotti's character, Claudia Donovan, on Warehouse 13 reminds me of Percy Montana from Starhunter. Any Starhunter diehards out there? I keep looking for Tanya Allen. What happened to her? What did we do before Google? I just looked her up. Apparently, she was on Silent Hill. I would have known this if I'd watched it on Sunday when it came on. And she's in a movie called Magic due out some time this year.

Here's a great look at Percy.



I just begged for a review copy of The Evolutionary Void by Peter F. Hamilton. The literary mash-ups with vampires, werewolves and robots have been fun, but now I need some meat.

I'm revamping my blog lists. So far, I've eliminated "author buddies" (sorry guys). My buddies who write science fiction and have updated blogs will reappear in the new SF Author Blogs list which will happen later this week. My blog seems to be growing out of its bounds. I might even add another page for submission guidelines and author resources. How many people scroll to the bottom of this monstrosity?

Brian Gilmore over at Ranker loves lists as much as I do. Today, he sent me this one: Top 8 Geekiest Things Ever Sent Into Space .



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Hasselhoff roast and regrettable music video

Comedy Central is going to roast David Hasselhoff on Sunday, August 15th. Why am I telling you this? Well, there's Knight Rider, I guess. My hubby said this deserves a mention. He's the Knight Rider fan in the house. These videos are rather amusing. And Comedy Central keeps sending them. OK, yeah, that means I'm a sell-out, right? Going commercial. Well, I gotta pay the bills somehow, so here's your commercial.

The Roast of David Hasselhoff	Sunday, August 15
Tease - What to Make Fun Of?
www.comedycentral.com
Roast of David Hasselhoff It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Russell Simmons Presents Stand-Up Comedy

The Roast of David Hasselhoff	Sunday, August 15
Tease - The Hoff's Sexy Carwash
www.comedycentral.com
Roast of David Hasselhoff It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Russell Simmons Presents Stand-Up Comedy

This is just down-right painful. Could no one talk him out of this? There can't be anything more embarassing in the roast than this music video.

The Roast of David Hasselhoff	Sunday, August 15
Tease - Do You Really Want to Hurt Hoff?
www.comedycentral.com
Roast of David Hasselhoff It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Russell Simmons Presents Stand-Up Comedy

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Happy Town on ABC 4/28

Premiering Wednesday, April 28, 2010, on ABC – Happy Town



The quiet, rural town of Haplin, MN has enjoyed a respite from the annual disappearances that have plagued the town, also known as Happy Town, for years. Year after year one person would go missing – some old, some young, some affluent, some not. Local legend has it that the Magic Man is responsible. But no one knows who or what this Magic Man is.

Young Henley Boone moves to town, so viewers get the grand tour as given to her by her real estate agent. On the drive to the boarding house with the realtor, Henley notices a question mark with a halo depicted in graffiti all over town. The boarding house is also home to Mr. Merritt Grieves and four widows. Grieves is played by Sam Neil who does a very convincing impression of Vincent Price's trademark creepy serial killer character. He even owns a memorabilia shop called The House of Usher.

The landlady tells Henley that the third floor is off-limits. You know she's gonna risk eviction and go up there to investigate.

Happy Town's happiness is shattered when a man is murdered in an ice-fishing shack on the frozen pond. Murder, in that rural town is unheard of, let alone the bizarre method used in this case. I don't want to give too much away, here. Many people, you'll find out, have a hidden side, deliciously pregnant with secrets or mayhem.

Adding color to the whole small town atmosphere are the quaint little sayings. Things like, "Chin to the moon, son," and "Like she'd been eatin' hornets for breakfast."

The most intriguing element in the pilot is the sheriff's lapses in which he speaks of Chloe. His son, the Deputy, asks him who Chloe is, and he says he doesn't know a Chloe. He is unaware that he's been speaking about her.

The show promises a complex plot, so far. But don't take my word for it. And who's missing this time? Maybe it's me. www.annwilkesismissing.com



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The "season" part II

Just after posting the list for all those award winners and nominees, I read on Robert Sawyer's Facebook page that FlashForward was up for a Constellation Award. Doh! Those most certainly should have been included in my list.

The Constellation Awards honors Science Fiction works on the silver screen and the plasma (or HD or whatever kind of tele you have) screen. Nominees in the various categories are voted on by the Canadian public using either a paper or online ballot.

The TCON Promotional Society, the not-for-profit corporation who organizes the annual Polaris science fiction event (formerly known as Toronto Trek) organizes the awards program and have been doing so now for four years. Winners will be honored at a ceremony at Polaris 24 in July. For more information, and especially if you're Canadian and haven't voted, visit the Constellation Awards website.

And let's not forget the Science Fiction Writers of America's Nebulas coming up next month. You can see the nominees in all categories on the SFWA site. And last month SFWA announced the winners of the 2010 Solstice Award: Tom Doherty, Terri Windling and the late Donald A. Wollheim. Solstice Awards recipients will be honored during the Nebula Award Weekend in Cocoa Beach, Fla. (May 14-16).

You can read the full press release here.

I have interviews lined up with Greg Bear, Steve Hockensmith and Laurel Ann Hill and many more. Stay tuned.

Oh, and I almost forgot. You SOOOOO have to see this show! I stumbled upon this show on IFC while channel surfing. Have you seen The IT Crowd? It's not SF, but it's a quirky British sitcom.



And of course three episodes later, it poofed. There are three seasons on DVD. It's so on my Amazon wishlist.

I'm also expecting a press package from ABC on the new horror series, Happy Town. I'll tell you all about it as soon as I get it.

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Published again! and media magnetism

I've obviously managed to get on a sci-fi media database. I received two emails in one day this week from TV station marketing people. TLC and Comedy Central both have new shows they'd like me to tell you about.

The Comedy Central show, Ugly Americans, may appeal to the young male audience. It's on the Comedy Central station after 10:30 PM for a reason. Ugly Americans is an animated show featuring various, somewhat less than human (or more than human?) creatures like zombies, devil women and vampires who all invade New York City. Well, invade is not really the right word. They act like freakily dysfunctional New Yorkers who can't last 60 seconds without alluding to sex. It premieres on St. Patrick's Day, believe it or not. It's very much like an animated, but smutty, Men in Black. Trailers can be viewed here.

TLC sent me a press release about Paranormal Court, their one-hour program in which psychic medium, Robert Hansen, helps families who have lost a loved one gain justice and closure. Hmmm. Sounds like Judge Spooky. March 27, 10 PM on TLC.

Now to MY news! A short memoir that I wrote about finding my sister, entitled "The Rosary" has gained new life. After a very long wait, the second anthology to pick it up is now available. The volume is called The Mystery of Fate: Common Coincidence or Divine Intervention? Read more about it and purchase it from Amazon or on the publisher's website. Can't wait to get my copy!

Finally, I learned of this article on writing, Writing a story - 12 important elements of dialog, by A. J. Barnet, on a LinkedIn group and thought it worth sharing. Barnet encourages the use of dialog and gives many basic tips on writing and dialog. I'm a dialogaholic. I still think I need to try screenwriting...



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