And Now for a Word
When something tragic happens on a large scale, my first instinct is to shut up. A lot of people like to go on social media to wish the victims and their families well, or to spread information, but I just … Continue reading →
Tag Archives: SF
What Could Follow Epic Fantasy?
Epic fantasy rules the entertainment world these days. Kicked off by the Lord of the Rings films, epic fantasy has spread from the pages of novels to the big and small screens. George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice … Continue reading →
Guest Post — Terry Persun Talks About Writing and Shamanism
Today I have the pleasure of presenting you a guest blog post from author Terry Persun, talking about shamanism in his work. Take it away, Terry! ——————— Writing About Shamans by Terry Persun After years of studying Native American cultures, … Continue reading →
Thank Which God Again?
There are people in this world who have elevated their understanding of the philosophies of Star Wars’ Jedi Knights to a religion that they themselves practice. A real-world religion born of a practice from a space opera. The Church of … Continue reading →
The Jump from Book to Film
I saw the movie Jumper in the theaters. I loved the idea of teleportation enough to brave my doubts about the acting of Hayden Christensen. Besides, it had Samuel L. Jackson in it. How bad could it be? Pretty bad, … Continue reading →
Why Are Sports So Hard to Get Right in SF/F?
Since moving to Portland, I have gotten back into NBA basketball. I haven’t watched basketball regularly since Michael Jordan retired, but Portland has no pro baseball or football teams. One trip to the Rose Center was all I needed to … Continue reading →
“All Alone in the Night”
Almost exactly twenty years ago Babylon 5’s pilot episode, “The Gathering,” premiered, and I … had no idea. Seriously. I distinctly remember when Babylon 5 premiered on my local channel (KBHK Channel 44 as I recall), and when it did … Continue reading →
Waiting for Redshirts
Between a plane flight and before-bed reading, I finally got to read Redshirts last weekend, thanks to DunDraCon. If you haven’t read the novel yet, it’s John Scalzi’s marvelous take on the expendable extra in fiction, especially science fiction. Warning: … Continue reading →
Taking the “Space” Out of “Space Marines”
Games Workshop recently decided that because 1) it has an established trademark on Space Marines in a game context and 2) it has recently begun publishing science fiction, it automatically has a “common law trademark” on space marines in science … Continue reading →
Nine Printouts from Amber?
A few weeks ago I had the distinct pleasure of getting to hear Vonda N. McIntyre read her flash fiction story, “Misprint.” If you don’t want to take a minute to read it (though I suggest you do, it’s a … Continue reading →