Steve Davidson (Crotchety Old Fan) has acquired the trademark to Amazing Stories. He is looking at relaunching the magazine online with containing new and reprint stories with a strong social networking component. You can read his press release here. There are further updates here and here. The website for the magazine is up and is http://amazingstoriesmag.com/ There's not much there yet, but check back frequently. I used to pick up Amazing Stories regularly and am thrilled it will be coming back. Thanks, Steve, and best of luck.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Report on Fencon
Fencon VII/Deep South Con 49 was held in Dallas (well really, Addison), TX on September 23-25. While I can't say that a good time was had by all, a good time was certainly had by me. Everything had a steampunk theme, with many of the guests being steampunk authors.
As usual, there was much more on the programming than I had time to attend. I didn't make it to either slide show by the artist guests, Vincent DiFate or Stephan Martiniere. Not because I don't like those artists. I do. It was just that there were other things conflicting with their slideshows.
Rather than try to sum up the whole convention, I'll hit some of the high points of the events I attended, then post some pictures.
As usual, there was much more on the programming than I had time to attend. I didn't make it to either slide show by the artist guests, Vincent DiFate or Stephan Martiniere. Not because I don't like those artists. I do. It was just that there were other things conflicting with their slideshows.
Rather than try to sum up the whole convention, I'll hit some of the high points of the events I attended, then post some pictures.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
A Roiling Adventure
Trent Jamieson
Angry Robot Books
$7.99, 432 p. mass market paperback
$5.99 ebook
The publisher's website classifies this one as fantasy, but I'm going to pick nits and call it science fiction (which is why I'm reviewing it here rather than over on Adventures Fantastic), or as a compromise, science fantasy. Unless I misread something, this one takes place on another planet thousands of years in the future, after at least one civilization's global collapse. In other words, Roil is science fiction that reads like fantasy.
I've never read William Hope Hodgson's The Night Land, but from what I've read about it, I suspect there are similarities between that work and this one. The subtitle of the book, or rather the title of the series, is The Nightbound Land, after all. In addition, Roil has elements of steam punk with a dash of pulp adventure thrown in. There are airships, but they're organic, living things. There are examples of advanced technology in a milieu of Victorian era science. There's a man who is at least one thousand years old. There are strange races that are only partly human. And a cast of Dickensian characters. If any of these appeal to you, then you should check this book out.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Long Looks at Short Fiction: "D.O.C.S." by Neal Barrett, Jr.
Asimov's Science Fiction
September 2011
I know, I know, this is the previous issue, not the current one. It's still available at Fictionwise. I'm behind on my reading, so sue me. Most of you have a stack of things to be read just like I do. Are you caught up? I didn't think so.
Before you read further, be aware this post contains spoilers.
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