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Artwork: Wolf von Witting. ”Play for Pegasus” Background: Alien world 1981, acrylic painting, Violinist aquarelle, mar1993, acrylic Pegasus on wooden tile 2015, photoshop-assembly Aug2018. ------TABLE F CONTENT INTRODUCTIN...... page 02 Hero, War Hero, Super Hero, Heroine by Wolf von Witting...... page 03 Comments on SweCon...... page 06 by Thomas Recktenwald & Wolf von Witting EuroCon 2018 Amiens report...... page 10 Hello there! I'm back! by Jörg Ritter & Martin Stricker I never saw myself as a rolling stone even though I changed location 6-7 times before I turned 15. SCI FI SHORT PIECES...... page 27 So, it happened that I lived in Stockholm for 32 David Weingart for TAFF!!! years after that. It wasn't all the same. Life at Film reviews school was different from life at college. And life at FuturiCon, EuroCon 2020, in Rijeka...31 college, again, was different from military service. Even 25 years at the railroad were not the same Honey, Where's My Pants? for long. A few years as freshling and train The smoking fresh chapter of a TAFF-report conductor, a few years as train traffic controller by John Purcell...... page 32 (dispatcher), administrator, instructor and later also railroad bridge warden. Many different tasks LoCol...... page 39 and many different experiences. All in the same THE FINAL WRD...... page 42 place. Until it grew weary. ------After 11 years in Italy, I feel I have exhausted all CounterClock attempts to accomodate the short variations there are to experience in a small attention span of the next generation. Pretend to village. It was already growing weary a year ago. read and just look at the pictures... This has led me to consider another relocation. ------YOU HAVE NO POWER The main two candidates on my list have been 1. Zagreb, Croatia and The power you claim, you'd like me to fear 2. Timisoara, Romania You can level a mountain in hunt for a deer I feel it is necessary to move somewhere, where Will you be content after killing your prey we already have a strong sf-fan-community. Or forever hungry, til the end of your day Sorry, but Italy is a lost cause. After 11 years here, Iota TC has not grown one iota. I choose not to bow, I choose not to kneel And snigger at lackeys who conk at your heel Now, through Darius Hupov, on Eurosmof, I find The treasures I find are all left behind out that Timisoara is bidding for a EuroCon 2021. Cos value, like power are fiction of mind. (See last page of this issue) And I would expect my next relocation to take place some time late in A stone tablet, once carved with a name 2019, or early in 2020. Yes, a EuroCon bid may Eroded by sun, by wind and by rain slightly tilt my preference in favour of Romania. No living memory, lurking around Also because my Swedish pension for sure will be Of someone resting deep in the ground sufficient for living there. Most certainly better than And as the sun finally sets on this day, it will be in Italy. Here, the vultures are ready to I pray tomorrow will come and it may drop down on me as soon as I have a cent too I can open the shutters, let in the light much in income. [Editorial rant continues page 42] But making the sun rise is not in my might ------When you're older, you want to learn from other [Wolf in mid August 2018] people. Ray Bradbury

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Hero WORLD WAR II – Dogfights 1. A person who is admired for their courage, Now, here's a topic where reality makes up the outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. most boring reading possible. Allow me to ‘a war hero’ mention this once only, and then never to speak of it again. 1.1 The chief male character in a book, play, or film, The top 3 flying aces of WWII: Erich Hartmann who is typically identified with good qualities, and (19 Apr 1922 – 20 Sep 1993) 352 aerial victories, with whom the reader is expected to sympathize. Gerhard Barkhorn (20 Mar 1919 – 8 Jan 1983) 1.2 (in mythology and folklore) a person of 301 a.v. and Günther Rall (10 Mar 1918 – 4 Oct superhuman qualities and often semi-divine origin, in 2009) 275 a.v. particular one whose exploits were the subject of No good any of them, since they all survived not ancient Greek myths. only the war itself, but 2 of them even survived the Etymology Berlin Wall. The reading gets more depressing, if we continue. late 14c., "man of superhuman strength or physical The best fighter pilot of WWII who wasn't German, courage," from Old French heroe (14c., Modern comes way down the list, placed 121 – and he French héros), from Latin heros (plural heroes) "hero, was from Finland, Ilmari Juutilainen, 94 aerial demi-god, illustrious man," from Greek heros (plural victories (again on the wrong side of the war). heroes) "demi-god," a variant singular of which was The list (wikipedia) continues with Nazi's until we heroe. This is of uncertain origin; perhaps originally spot a Japanese, 152nd placed, Tetsuzo Iwamoto. "defender, protector" and from PIE root *ser- (1) "to 169th – another Finn, Hans Wind. protect." 184th a Japanese, Shigeo Fukumoto Meaning "man who exhibits great bravery" in any 193th Shoichi Sogita, Japan course of action is from 1660s in English. Sense of 203rd a Romanian, Constantin Cantacuzino (still "chief male character in a play, story, etc." first not on the winning side of the war) recorded 1690s. Hero-worship is from 1713 in But at 230th place, we find Ivan Kozhedub with 66 reference to ancient cults and mysteries; of living men a.v. and 259th Alexandr Pokryshkin 59 aerial by 1830s. In Homer, of the Greeks before Troy, then a victories. There are 2 more Russians and one comprehensive term used of warriors generally, also of more Finn mixed among the 300 best aerial all free men in the Heroic Age. In classical mythology fighters of WWII. - I guess this is a good from at least the time of Hesiod (8c. B.C.E.) "man born explanation as any, why dying appears to be a from a god and a mortal," especially one who had safer way of becoming a war hero. And of course, done service to mankind; with the exception of you have to be on the winning side. So much for Heracles limited to local deities and patrons of cities. Germans not being able to shoot straight. War hero But one the bright side, they did create a lot of in modern times, a dead man who gave his life in war heroes in the winning countries. Not that a the service of his country (a country is a political war hero ever was given much more credit than unit, a war hero is i.e. a political hero). perhaps, at best, having his name engraved on The war hero rarely volunteered for service and some memorial site in their home town. Few rise did not intend to achieve this honorary title. to immortal glory, like Aleksander Nevsky. Since the war hero is dead, his courage can not The every day hero doesn't fare much better. be disputed or tested. And dying is an important There was this guy in France, who saved a boy part in becoming a modern time hero. falling from a balcony. Mamoudou Gassama, aka Who hasn't heard of Manfred von Richthofen, the as the spiderman of Paris. He now has his own flying ace of World War I? But then, the story had wikipedia-entry in English, Spanish and Arabic. an happy end and he was shot down by a beagle Curiously enough, not in French. But perhaps the riding on a doghouse the dog feigned to be a French have less of an inferiority complex and are Sopwith Camel biplane. in less need of heroes. Constant claiming; ”of being the best”, really induces more of the That's the story most of us are familiar with. The opposite effect on any intelligent observer. honour of killing the Red Baron didn't go to anyone, since he was likely to have been shot Who needs heroes? And what kind of heroes are from the ground, while in pursuit of a Canadian in really needed? Do we need super-heroes? Or is it a Sopwith Camel. not the pinnacle of puerile fantasy?

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The Modern Heroine A strong female character. Behaves frequently as stupidly as her male counterpart. Not that I would begrudge a woman's right (or ability) to kick some ass. Few have done it convincingly since Ripley in Aliens. Where do all these fake testosterone- driven women come from? Bad screenwriters?

Peter Parker (Marvel) and Barry Allen (DC). I juvenile literature, being super-stupid appears to come with the territory of being super-powerful. What always irritated me about Superman, was his incessant forgetfulness of his own abilities and their practical application. The bottom of the barrel was jettisoned when he (and the Flash) was given the ability to time travel, using speed. Never once, was this ability used merely to go back in time, think over the problem calmly over a pint of beer, and then return to solve the issue in super speed, before the problem could arise. Wonder woman has Greek mythology confused. Forget Newton's and Einstein's laws of physics. She also has WWI and WWII scenographically Superheores do not experience any time dilation. and factually confused. On a level with Xena, the And of course - no matter what, they can't die. Warrior Princess (but with far less charme), she battles Ares, the God of disorganized War. At least, Peter Parker, the Spiderman (while I was A bit of an insult to Athena and all womankind. reading it) demonstrated, that he can lose. But hey, it's fantasy and it's entertainment. Following the new THE FLASH tv-series, I'd like The kind of women I admire, don't throw punches to say that 1) I liked the 1990's run better and at all. If they ever did, I wouldn't mind. 2) please, do not confuse any of this with sf. Some idiots deserve a punch in their misplaced self-confidence. But I guess it is male thinking, to The first season ends with the opening of a vortex hand out those punches. The women I admire phenomenon which they in the series call both a hardly get noticed at all, in the grand scheme of black hole and/or a singularity. The Flash helps things. Like most real heroes, they (will) die annulling the vortex by running counterclockwise unnoticed and unheard of. to the spin up in the air, like Legolas, stepping on nothing, and thereby weakening it. And, as always What is this insanity that we measure quality in these vortexes are neither singularities, nor black the ability and application of brute force? If it is not holes, but gateways to other realities. a puerile notion, then what is?

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Role Models – Another Kind of Hero I really do not feel sorry, for those lost in stunts. They don't have to be dead. Their courage is not I do not feel sorry for those who get themselves in question. Here comes again the great question, killed in over-appreciation of their own ability, or in what do you strive for in life? underestimating commonplace risk. A) wealth B) power C) fame Not taking such risk does not make a coward. D) wisdom E) knowledge F) happiness G) immortality H) health or none of the above? Being aware of risk, doing something dangerous A very brief guide to what is right for YOU: with healthy fear, is courage. Fire-fighters must - What can you be sure to have enough of? have it, policemen and a few other professions - What do you respect? must have it. Me, myself – I made a fundamental mistake. A Weapon I decided to go for wisdom. Sorry, one can never grants an illusion of safety. It also makes the have enough of it, and the more of it you find, the wearer a priority target. Armed guards anywhere less of it you can appreciate. Because you begin are probably the first to be shot, in case of not so to understand how much you do NOT have. It is stupid evil doers coming along. really just the same as with money. It is smarter to Meanwhile, the most deadly animal on this planet go for money, boys. is the human being itself..With or without a gun. My role models have been writers and thinkers. And he always passes airport security checks. The most sportive of them, Miyamoto Musashi, A weapon is merely an extension for him who has was a master swordsman who decided never to no real self-confidence. kill again. The most heroic act I've seen in any Death film, was the one portraid by James Cagney in the the further away we believe us to be, the less it 1938 film Angels With Dirty Faces. And he didn't concerns us. The reality is, that we are all on the act a hero until it was time for his execution. same distance from it. The significant difference appears when awareness solidifies, that we have less days ahead than behind us. Life is rehashed and quickly, quickly, for some, we have to do all that we didn't do and put some band aid over our regrets. What would we have done, had we followed our heart instead of working so much and so hard? Why did we live the life we lived, and not the one we wanted to live? Because strangely enough, we always regret the path not chosen. A Hero, person who is admired for their courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. Did you ever endeavour to become your own hero? I know, it is a precarious question to ask someone of doubtful and immature honour or ethics, but I just naïvely presume there are none among my readers. I will rephrase it. Can you respect yourself in everything you do? I feel ashamed when I feel jealousy or envy. I feel ashamed when I presumed. When I took something for granted, which wasn't. I feel ashamed when I have to omit relevant fact. COURAGE Deyr fé, deyja frændur, deyr sjálfur ið sama. Has nothing to do with the performance of stunts. Eg veit einn, að aldrei deyr, dómur um dauðan Risking ones life, health or limb in a stunt is stupid hvern. Havamal 77 (Cattle die; kindred die; you and irresponsible. Doing it for the adrenaline kick yourself die; one thing I know which never dies: is stupid and irresponsible. Ponder upon it, when the judgment on each dead) you sit in a wheelchair for the rest of your life. - WOLF -

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and this convention he was unable to attend. But it was also sad not to find John-Henri Holmberg or Mats D Linder at the convention (both still alive). And my memory began flicker images across my inner retina, like an old silent movie reel. Fuzzy pictures of Kjell Borgström, Lars-Olov's best friend through so many years, B.O. Ringberg, who used Comments on SWECON to lurk around silently in the back of the crowd. Bo Stenfors, Carl Hällström, Sam J Lundwall and Text: Wolf von Witting, Anders Palm. Some alive, some dead. Some we Photo: Thomas Recktenwald don't know and can't say. I had to go and shake Comments on SweCon, June 15-17th Not a report. hands with Bjarne Dahlgren, who never ever gets A few things coming to mind about this years noticed. But I remember him lurking in the back edition of Fantastika. For me, it was more of a since the days of Nasacon, in the early 80's. We reminder of where I am in life, with much fewer have both grown old. And looking at Bjarne, I saw days ahead than behind. myself suddenly from this point of view. This happy man, holding a giant peanut, is a like- (the awareness of it is not always present) ness of Lars-Olov Strandberg (1929 - 3 Mar 2018) Oh, my Gods! We have really grown old....

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Releasing the spirit of the previous SWECON from Gunnar Gällmo was there and he is one I always the bottle at the opening ceremony, has become a been happy to see at conventions. Now, Gunnar fun and appreciated symbolical act. The spirit is then is 72, which means he was in his mid-30's when caught again, at the closing ceremony and passed we first met. He was perhaps the most commonly on for next year's SweCon. Here Carolina Gomez named translator, as I read Swedish translations opening the bottle, monitored by Tomas Cronholm of science fiction (until early 80's). Strange, to see and Anders Reuterswärd. that he had grown old. But that meant, that I had Do I still belong here? Or anywhere? grown old too. When did that happen? I had a conversation about the swift passage of ------time with (at least I think it was) Anders Wahlbom, Footballs one redeeming quality, is that she is who emerged in the the late 90's. His mind dressed in leather and chased by 11 men on each boggled, when he considered that many of us, side. - Anonymous ------who he got acquainted with then already then, Some 20-40 years have swished by without me some twenty years ago, were past the point noticing it very much. I'd like to set a turning point where he was now. How could these 20 years at 2011, the Stockholm Eurocon. pass faster than the previous 20 years? In what The face of Swedish fandom may have changed felt like half the time? If life is time travel, then many times, and perhaps Scancon'76 was a every period of 20 years in retrospect seem similar major turning point. From 76 Sverifandom exactly half as long as the previous 20 years. I'm went into a boom which ended in a crash (1994). just into finishing my third set. That was when all fanac hit rock-bottom. I've been away from Sweden for 11 years. The return was remarkable and the recovery total. It appears I don't know my own country any more. Now Sverifandom has a new face. And while Ylva So much has changed. And just I can't go back. Spångberg, Bellis, Lennart Uhlin, Maths Claesson Life itself forces me to go forward, into my fourth and many other may belong to an old and past and (probably) final set. I feel I have to close this generation, we're far from dead and gone. chapter in my life. I am not going back. I may feel The somewhat younger and energetic fans of the welcome, but I do not feel that I belong there. I am 80's (including Johan Anglemark, Hans Persson definitely not needed, other than for décor. and Carolina Gomez) are now spearheading the developments. The remnants of those who were And guess what! Everyone likes to be needed for before us, John-Henri, Mats Linder, etc have not something somewhere. It is likely that my next passed into gafia and complete inactivity, but they step will take me somewhere, where I can feel are most definitely taking it easy. useful. In Hyperborea, I'm not. They're doing fine. ------And why am I rehashing all of this? Looking back is for the birds. - Elbow -

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This paragraph is dedicated to Joakim Persson, who happened to engage Bellis and me into a discussion in the bar. We pointed out that fandom always has been welcoming new fans into our midst and many newcomers have come without any particular foreknowledge. Of course, fandom today is in another paradigm shift and old values of fandom are being obfuscated and to some extent forgotten. Bellis and I remember the time when the life of an sf-fan was lonely and outcast. Also the time when sf-fandom had something in common with freemasons. Encountering another sf-fan was such a rare event, that we first declared another close friend found and then went about to get to know this new friend. Providing sofa or floorspace in connection with conventions was a completely natural thing. This closeness is disappearing. Probably because sf-fans no longer are such a rare occurrence. The other thing we talked about, was equality of sf-fans and -pros. Mainly, what the new generation may want to avoid, is the distance between lecturer or panel and audience. It's an unhealthy distance which never was in any danger before. Now it may be. Don't go there. Swecon keeps attracting a decent number of international attendance. Norwegian have been coming for as long as I can recall, and now also Finns are more numerous than before. Thomas Recktenwald keeps coming from Gerfany. There has always been a number of attending UK Not sure, but I believe the light-bulb-round-bench fans. This time I had the pleasure of making the to be a coincidental but fannishly decorative sight acquaintance of Ian Sales. He was reading a at SweCons in Sickla/Stockholm. book by the British-Japanese nobel prize winning Jerry Määtä wrote Raketsommar: science fiction i author Kazuo Ishiguro – The Buried Giant. Sverige 1950–1968 (Rocketsummer sf in Sweden And I had only recently come to discover Ishiguro, 1950-1968, an academic study of Swedish sf- since I was impressed by the film based on his literature) Before Jerry began his program item dystopian novel Never Let Me Go. I have always about time travel, he inquired if there was any considered myself something of a cross between non-swedish-speaking person in the audience. It a British gentleman and a Japanese samurai. was not, so the item was held in Swedish, but Ishiguro is even more so all I ever aspired to be. neither for Jerry, nor for anyone attending the Except of course, the nobel prize. Of course, now program item did it make any difference. And it I also have to add Ian Sales to my must-read-list. was impressive how Jerry motivated the present At least the first two books of his Apollo Quartet; sf-fans to participate in the discussion. A pleasure, Adrift on the Sea of Rains and The Eye With to find an educated man heading the debate. Which The Universe Beholds Itself, since these There was zero distance between Jerry and the volumes already are on their way to Italy. audience, because we all sat in a circle. This was Thomas Recktenwald held a program-item about one of the three program-items I attended. German space opera, mainly Perry Rhodan, his Perhaps something of a record this side of the competitors and precursor. He had some problem millennium. with the projector for his program item and so, it ------You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. came a moment for improvisation. Which I am all Just get people to stop reading them. too familiar with, but not sure if I should or should not jump in to fill the awkward void. – Ray Bradbury -

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Panel on 2001 – A Space Odyssey, from left to right: A.R.Yngve, Wolf, Dave Laly, Bellis, moderated by I a calm moment I also had a longer conversation Britt-Louise Viklund. with Watson's better half Cristina Macia. About the Barcelona Eurocon and about Spanish sf-fandom I didn't expect us to have as much to say on the not grabbing the opportunity to join the world. As I 50 year old film by Stanley Kubrick as we had, said to Cristina, and this I feel is worth repeating. between the four of us. Considering what we had Nobody knows what seed Ian and Cristina were to go on, I felt we did rather well. But then again, sowing with the Eurocon. Maybe there were some none of us was new at this. neos among the attending sf-fans who for the rest I was looking for Jonny Berg, who I met at the of their lives will dream of doing this again. previous Swecon on this location, but couldn't find In their own hometown. him throughout the entire con. Where were you? I don't know if this was my last SweCon. Probably Ian Watson was one of the GoH's and I did miss not. I have promised Patrik Centerwall going to the interview with him. Though I had my own one in Gothenburg, if I am asked to participate in interview to conduct with him. the program and provided floorspace. It doesn't About things allegedly said between Kubrick and even necessarily have to be a SweCon (national). Brian W Aldiss, causing a discord between Aldiss Just to see my old hometown (1966-69) again. and Watson. Since both Kubrick and Aldiss have And because Gothenburg itself is worth the trip. passed beyond the rim of the galaxy, there is very little of our conversation, that I can or would quote Below: Panel with Hanna Hakkarainen, Britt-Louise except that Kubrick was unlikely to have used the Viklund, Flemming Rasch and Nahal Ghanbari, the word “shit”. latest Swedish Alvar-winner.

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FUN ASTRONOMICAL FACTS: If you google oldest observed galaxy and youngest observed galaxy, then you will find that they both are basically the same age. And both of them are younger than the Milky Way. - Wolf ------NEM 2018, EuroCon in Amiens in the final resting place of Jules Verne by Joerg Ritter & Martin Stricker Getting there All roads lead to Rome. But there are also many possibilities to reach Amiens, home of this year’s Eurocon. As Pierre Gévart put it succinctly, some Europeans travelled from Africa, Argentina and Australia by plane. Others connected through Paris by train (perhaps sharing a delicious meal during their stopover). Yet others lazily drove through the scenic North of France by car and enjoyed the landscape. If you arrived early, there were plenty of sights to see in Amiens; the cathedral (a World Heritage Site), „Les Hortillonages“ (the floating gardens) and Jules Verne’s home to name but three. And in the vicinity, interesting cities (e.g. Lille), breath- taking cathedrals (Noyon or Laon) and museums (the „Historial de la Grande Guerre“ in Peronne) beckoned. These are the experiences of Martin Stricker [MSS] and Joerg Ritter [JR]. Their one-week mission was to explore Amiens and the Eurocon, to seek out friendships new and old. To boldly seek information and wonder in a location they hadn’t seen before. Additional Preliminary Remark (Important: Do not continue further before having fully read and understood this paragraph): No pun-itive measures have been taken in this

10 COUNTERCLCK # 33 report. We were not able to concoct any fantastic Presumably this is why the friendly staff at the info fables in this representation, even though we had desk wasn't fully bilingual at first (the message a fantastic and fabulous time in Amiens. Having "please get your badge at the desk to the right said this, we request and require that you refrain first" came through, nonetheless). Later that day, from perusing this presentment, should you not be they gained top support: Translation coordinator in the proper mood to digest this earnest Thomas Bauduret himself had come to the reproduction – or regurgitation – of recollections. rescue. Permissive mood-altering measures include and incorporate a pitcher of beer, a large glass of whiskey or – especially should you follow current events in Gaming like "We Happy Few" – ingestion of a capsule of Joy™.

Pierre Gevart in the red tie. JR: „This Con was a lot about trust. Nobody controlled whether you were entitled to take a specific badge. And there wasn’t a "Code of Conduct" to be found anywhere. It seems it was simply expected that you - as an adult - would know how to behave decently. Of course the Day 1 – July 19th reason why conventions these days publish CoC's Finally, after 28 years, France was again hosting a is clear (how to evict a miscreant otherwise), but I European Science Fiction Convention. And what a somehow felt valued and trusted.“ site they chose: Amiens, home of one of the After getting your badge, you had to queue at the greatest of them all: Jules Verne. Naming the Con info desk again, and they would hand you your "Nemo 2018" after the daring captain of the Eurocon Handbook (plus the meal vouchers, if Nautilus was only fitting. The location was quite you had chosen to partake in that tradition we’ll close to the cathedral, in an unobtrusive building adress later in more detail). It’s title "The Perfect of the Jules Verne University. The cinema (where Eurocon Handbook" surely was meant to be some shorts as well as „2001 – A Space Odyssey“ humorous ;-) While it contained quite some were shown during the event) and the Eurocon information and allowed for identification of the Restaurant (the University cafeteria) were located organizers, the GoH and some other guests, right across the street. A few meters into the numerous participants in the program were building we could feel right at home, with the missing, several events on the schedule had no Eurocon Flag on display directly behind the info names attached to them, and at times it wasn't desk. entirely clear where an event would take place. Thursday had originally been thought of as a pure But these were details, and we made do. As a French affair, with the Ouverture Convention photographer, you could zoom in on the Française taking place that day and the participants badge and get your info from there, Inauguration of the Eurocon on Friday. and we even learned on our own that - in order to

11 COUNTERCLCK # 33 get something at the bar - you had to go back to At least I made sure to communicate this idea to the front desk and buy a voucher :-P the organizers of the WorldCon bid for 2023 in Of course it would have been easier on the poor Nizza (Nice).“ guys at the info desk to just give a FAQ to visitors, The subterranean area was were most of the to have the order of "badge desk" and "info desk" events took place; and where future con bidders reversed to avoid double queueing ... to name but had their stalls. René Walling (high-profile fan and two thoughts that come to mind. But - with ~ 400 co-chair of the 2009 Worldcon) was – as a people attending - you can allow for some Quebecois – optimistic about language issues at informality and slack. After all, everybody got a possible 2023 French WorldCon. With regard to inside, entertained and fed. international (read: English) books at a French Directly behind entrance and info desk on the Convention, he sets his hopes on Ireland, with its ground floor, the trader’s hall beckoned, where direct ferry connection to France: Dealers could several authors and artists had set up shop as hopefully be enticed to put all their stuff into a van, well. At the back, the organizers were hawking T- brave the waves + French highway tolls, and Shirts, Caps, and brochures with Pierre Gévarts finally set up shop in Nice. play "Goodbye, Mr. Verne" in the English And on the first floor lay the Grand Amphi, were translation by the unfathomable Ian Watson. And special events were staged. by day three, most had learned that the "Service ------des Sports" notice-board in one dark corner was The French WorldCon Bid for August 2023 was on site in Amiens, but the French are not the ones who need con- French for "here we present you with the updated vincing. Considering the time and place when and where schedule of Eurocon events" :-) For attendants the EuroCon was held, it may have scored points to invite that didn’t speak French, the available selection of the 2018 TAFF-winner (European fandom-Ambassador) to books proved to be a boon for their budget, as Amiens, showing that the French not only have their eyes only about 150 English-languages books and 10 on the prize, but also on the international exchange. I'm sure Johan Anglemark would have had only good things in German were spotted. MSS: „I had hoped that, to say about the French on his North-American tour. as it has become a tradition for EuroCons, there But so far, the open arm receiving (understanding) and would be an anthology of newer French science welcoming of TAFF-delegates appears still limited to UK, fiction short stories translated into English. Ireland and North-America. (Wolf von Witting)

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Thankfully, the organizers had allowed for a few had to do marketing myself. I had to give out a lot foreigners to arrive early and had ensured that of complimentary copies, to say: some events would be held in English. The first - Look, I’m a writer. such event was an intro to "African SF" (which Impatience (with SFF, with African fiction, with was to play a major role at NEMO 2018), talked Western fiction, with everything). Chikodili about by GoH Geoff Ryman. A few minutes into Emelumado: "I'm through feeling guilty that my the presentation, Thomas Bauduret appeared to version of African is so different from everybody do the translation into French. It shows that he's a else's" is a powerful statement. professional that cares about the genre. And by day two, the Con organizers had learned to liaise Roots in tradition (Preserving, repurposing, with the presenter beforehand when planning for exploiting, finding the self). Dilman Dila: "When a translation, so that he could slim down his talk you talk about an Abiba they are always accordingly. considered evil; it's considered witchcraft. But people will gladly watch Harry Potter". Aubrey Chinguwo: "We have written a lot ... about the past and our traditions, and I think it's time for technology to come up". We have always written SF. Ezeiyoke Chukwunonso: "It was about a boy who can turn into a leopard at night. I can't forget it. It sticks to my memory even now after 20 years ago". Ife Oluwa Nihinlola: "We read a lot ... in the original Yoruba. We would read them like bedtime stories. They were for adults, but they were full of magic". Dare Segun Falowo: "You have stuff like trees talking".

GoH Geoff Ryman & Thomas Bauduret Here’s an important link that might come in handy: www.africansfs.com is the home of the African Speculative Fiction Society, comprising (mainly English-writing) authors of Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, traditional mythology and related genres, and holds (under Resources / List of published African SFF) a database with currently 768 entries, where individual links often point to the work itself. It should be noted that only about one third of the publications are Science Fiction. The main part of the presentation was given to interviews that Geoff did with African Writers of Science Fiction and Fantasy. Those interviews can be found at http://strangehorizons.com/100- african-writers-of-sff/. They are structured and e.g. contain "What was it like (to be a writer, to try to publish, to love fantasy or SF)". Odafe Atogun answered that one: "By twenty-five, I was studying for accountaincy. I wrote a collection of short stories, five short stories which I self-published. But it had no impact. That was about 1992 or 1993. I have the soft copy; I have it on computer. I Fleur Hopkins lecture on "merveilleux scientifique"

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Inspirations from outside (Star Wars, to anime, to had proposed as potential subjects for a Harry Potter). Ashiru Muheez Afolabi: "So many presentation) when arriving at the convention, Enid Blyton Books" :-D approached the organizers to congratulate them Language(s): English? Their English or your on their choice and to ask about the presenter (as Englishes? In your local language first? Who buys no name was given in the Handbook or stories in local languages? Moses Kilolo: "English programme), only to hear: "You". Well, instead of is limiting your expression" and "I am rusty in sitting in the audience, he winged it, without notes reading and writing my own language. The only and all. Congrats for rising to the challenge! things in it to read are the bible and HIV leaflets." The last panel in English was to be held by Fleur And at this point, Geoff had to break off, since Hopkins and had the title "When Mankind meets translation had taken its toll. But - all in all - a Monkees" (sic!). Turns out that was not the case. great start into the convention. Fleur Hopkins indeed turned up, but her topic was "merveilleux scientifique" (what Google translates as "wonderful scientist"), which not only encompasses Science Fiction, but also a wider and earlier range of books in French literature. What she presented to us was a precis of her masters thesis, aaand she had to rush through it due to time constraints. But she certainly captured the audience with her vitality, and she endeared herself to all of us when she did these little jumps when she wanted to point something out on the screen (which was located way high in one corner oft he room) but didn't have a pointer at her disposal. Thank you for an interesting and engaging presentation, Fleur!!

“What happened to Verne's dream?” program-item Gabi Behrend, Eckard D Marwitz, Matthew Kunkel held by Radosław Kot (yes, his surname means cat) Day 2 – July 20th Another talk in English was held by Radosław Kot, As Friday was the „official“ beginning of the Polish translator, journalist and avid Con visitor. Eurocon, many of the usual suspects had arrived The official topic was "What happened to Jules only today. Eckhard D. Marwitz and Matthew Verne's dream". Which was why it was a little Kunkel set up their ConFact machine; they surprising when the talk centered on ethics in managed to publish two editions of their zine science, names like Wernher von Braun were during the convention (171+172 for the collectors dropped and the Manhattan Project was brought among you). Gabi and Arno Behrend (Co-Chairs front and middle. Only on day four it emerged that of the 2017 Eurocon in Dortmund) were happy to Radoslaw had recognized two topics (which he visit a convention as relaxing members.

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FUN ASTRONOMICAL FACTS: Wrong! ...we assembled downstairs in Amphi A. Pierre welcomed us all to NEMO 2018 and told a bit about how it all came to be. Most gripping was (of course) the tale of the venue ... which had been non-existent as per March 2018!! You see, when preparations and negotiations started, a new university building was readily offered: Yes, it was still under construction in the Amiens Citadel, but would be easily finished by 2016. That date came and went, and Pierre was now assured that it would be completed by the end of 2017 (don't you worry). But in March 2018 "they" came - hat in hand - and admitted that there would be no completed building in August. Luckily, the Université de Picardie Jules Verne (where Pierre had connections), offered an alternative. Yes, the rooms were dated and, worse with the hot weather, without air conditioning, but the closeness of Con Venue, Cinema and Saturn moon Mimas looks like the Death Star of our solar Restaurant otherwise proved to be a boon. system. It is the smallest spherical moon with only 396 km The only people who somewhat drew the short in diameter. A person standing on its surface (in space straw were those of us who used the low cost suit) who would weigh 100 kg on Earth here only puts 648 rooms. What would have been a perfect location gram on the scale. - Wolf ------for a Con held in the Citadel now turned out to Since "Inauguration Eurocon" was shown right require a 20 minute walk. In addition, the room across the schedule (and not under a specific rate unexpectedly had gone up from €28 to column), many of us had expected that it would €33/night; the organizers promised to make good take place in the "Grand Amphi" on the first floor. on the difference, though. But most of the users

15 COUNTERCLCK # 33 likely accepted the cost themselves, as the but Magdalena Hai (who had a story published in organizers had also pointed out that they are a the book) was a more than adequate choice to small club without much financial backing. complete the trio. As a finale, the three read a paragraph from the book, identical but in 3 different languages.

Arno Behrend, Ian Watson, Cristina Macia After the inauguration, the Bar was open. It was frequented well throughout the convention ;-) Friday’s first English-language event was „Steampunk International“, with Pedro Cipriano, Jenni Meresmaa and Magdalena Hai. That project came to be at a small press symposion during Eurocon 2016 in Barcelona, where Pedro had voiced his desire to publish an anthology as a cross-national project.

Same room, next presentation: Shweta Taneja (http://shwetawrites.com/) and The rise of indian Fantasy. An engaging talk. The audience was thoroughly captivated. How could you not if the author freely admits that she writes delightfully evil stories. There's 150 languages in India (and that's a cautious assessment), but 10% of Indians speak English. About 130 million people should be a large enough audience, right? Alas, only a part of them are interested in SF&F. And yet, there's a WEALTH of novels coming out on the Pedro Cipriano, Jenni Meresmaa and Magdalena Hai market, from authors that we have never heard of, The genre was subsequently suggested by Jenni, because the Indian market, not just for books, is who (with a twinkle in her eyes) gave away her pretty much closed to the outside world. Plus thought: "Well, I'm the Finnish editor, so I'll just there‘s plenty of Indian literature that doesn't even use one of my stories". By the way - for some make it to the subcontinent. It's written by the reason or another - Pedro did exactly the same Indian Diaspora FOR the Indian Diaspora. with regard to the Portuguese section. Ian Whates Writing anything that has to do with gods is the English editor, wasn't attending NEMO 2018, difficult these days in India, Shweta tells us. She

16 COUNTERCLCK # 33 remembers when these were just stories, but now, hour was over :-) Gillian is an amazing person, the old myths have been swallowed by politics who is very open and outspoken about her and religion, and if you write against the grain, religious and political ideas. It was great fun to you run the real risk of being murdered by interview her and listen to a very detailed analysis fanatics. Her mother really worries. But she also of political and ethical issues in Australia and mentions how liberating it was to write about a globally.“ female hero protecting a male for a change – in a country where a women's life doesn't count for much and where rape (and worse) is a constant threat. When leaving the room, we learned that „Amphi D“ had somehow been changed to „Sauna D“ . Indeed, somebody must've mislaid the ventilation. There was quite a problem to stay alert during the talks; the O2 molecules surely had taken to their heels in droves.

Gillian Pollack and Martin Stricker at Nemo 2018 It should also be mentioned that Gillian, who devotes herself to both the medieval period and Science Fiction literature, had brought Australian chocolate, which was circulated in the audience with the words: "I don't want to take anything home of that, dears." By the way, according to The round table Looking on Africa from abroad certain sources, the interviewer bought all three was a very improvised panel, but turned out to be books she had brought to the Convention. MSS: quite interesting and entertaining, with Gillian „Autographed, of course!“ Polack and Geoff Ryman playing ping-pong explaining the different views (or lack thereof) on Africa in Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom. A person from Belgium added his country’s negligence of any colonial past (because Congo was the private property of the king), and a person from the United States added the US view on slavery. It was also pointed out that in Europe slavery was invisible, because it only happened in the colonies, while in the US it was everyday life experienced in the southern part of the country, and the mechanism succeeded the Civil War into the 1960’s. MSS: „Directly afterwards I was volunteered into interviewing Australian writer Gillian Polack, because she said she needed someone asking her questions to structure her talk. Well, I got to MSS: „Next panel was Volodymyr Arenev and his ask her exactly 4 questions, followed by two from illustrator Lina Kwitka. They were unsure what to the audience with very short answers, then the talk about, so I volunteered again as moderator

17 COUNTERCLCK # 33 and it turned out that again I only had to ask a few buy the book. questions to get them to fill the hour with interesting information about their books and the current situation in Ukraine that is reflected in one of the books“.

The next book – targeted at young adults – has a more chilling background. It deals with a country that has a hidden war going on. It's about dragons and hoards and a heroine, and names/places have been changed enough that any similarity Stricker holding up some excellent Kwitka-artwork for with current events in Ukraine are surely mere Ritter to shoot. coincidence. One of the aspects is how to deal Volodymir is an editor / author from Kiev, and Lina with the fact that a father has gone away to work is an illustrator from – well – Kiev (small wonder, (to war) and doesn't come back (fell in the war, it's rumoured that they're newlyweds). They were but this must not be acknowledged as officially talking first about a children's book with SF there is no war). The truly remarkable thing is that elements, which might be best translated as the book was first published in Russia and then – "Brave Coward". All illustrations were done by with encouragement by Ukrainian authorities – in Lina. Several pictures had to be redrawn the Ukraine. Looks like Volodymyr did a very good repeatedly to make them more "fit for children". job of tackling the issue and not taking sides at While children – who were shown both first and the same time. approved version – vastly preferred the original ------(yes, it's scary, but we like it), the publisher Too scary for parents, but the kids love it! thought more of the parents who would have to Lina Kwitka artwork.

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The theatre play in the evening ("Goodbye, Mr What if Jules Verne and HG Wells, who lived only Verne" by Pierre Gévart; translated by Ian a few hundred kilometer apart, but never met, Watson) was a success, even though it was more would have encountered each other in Jules a scenic reading than an actual play. Verne’s house in Amiens for some serendipitous The story? reason?

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Excursion: Taking dinner and lunch together is a very interesting idea and tradition of the French conventions. And a practical one, when you take into account how much time a French meal can demand. You could partake in this tradition for the reasonable price of € 110, which included 6 meals plus the banquet (or you could opt for part of that). About 130 people opted for the whole package. Meals were taken in the University cafeteria right across the street. The quality was decent and well worth the price (for the banquet, see Excursion 2). And the time saved/the conversations held – with old and new friends resp. acquaintances – were added bonuses.

The food alone was worth the trip... for some... Day 3 – July 21st JR: „Interesting tidbit: The German Translation Early on Saturday, Radosław Kot held his second "Die Drei Sonnen" won the Kurd-Laßwitz Award, (improvised; see above, but you really couldn't partially because the jury (who didn't speak tell) talk about "Translating Science Fiction as a Chinese had to compare with the English version) case of an intercultural communication". Here’s a liked the German version way better. The German choice citation: "A translator works best when he translation was done directly from Chinese.“ stays invisible, if everything flows in the translated Next up (same place): Patrik Centerwall, Swedish version". You know the Sector General series by writer, philosopher and Communications/PR James White? When he got the task to translate expert, talking about "Journeys in Fantasy and them, he was offered another editor; a doctor, to Science Fiction". He starts out with reciting Bilbo's get the medical facts right. He gladly accepted, walking song. Patrik was infected by the SF&F but wanted a veterinarian, not a human doctor ... virus as a kid via Lord of the Rings (LOTR) because vets deal with many species. It worked cartoons and the 1978 Bakshi animated LOTR out well. movie, which sadly ended in the midst of "The As the Chinese novel "The Three-Body Problem" Two Towers". Eager to know how the story was to be translated to Polish, the author progressed, but not yet an avid reader, he dared requested a translation from the English version. approach the three books at age 12, and was Why? Because the author had already extensively forever changed. worked with the English translator to include the ------necessary cultural information in the translated The difference between writing a diary and writing- version and did not want to start over. diarrhea can be as small as it sounds. - WOLF -

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the Finnish library system is a reliable customer. Jérôme mentions that the small French press is not exactly printing money, but that they try to make the books as beautiful as possible. While there's government grants to be had, they're meant for great literature and not for something like SF that's read only by retarded children. He tells the tale of a colleague who had been doing SF. When he switched to poetry (and bad poetry at that) he suddenly got grants. If understood correctly, nowadays the bad poetry business subsidizes his Science Fiction line.

Patrik Centerwall in Amiens 2018 "The first thing you see in the LOTR: The MAP! Today, maps in a Fantasy book are more than a nod to Tolkien. The map is part of a contract between the reader and the book, because we want to believe what we read when we read it." Talking about other methods of travel, Patrick mentions "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" where times passes differently (and even comparatively erratically) in the two universes. He also gives a nod to Jules Verne, whose novel "From the Earth to the Moon (De la Terre à la Lune)" he sees as the first SF novel involving space travel (works dating back to 150 B.C. dealt with similar topics, but were meant as satire). And Pedro Cipriano in Amiens 2018. of course he mentions generational ships, Pedro: Government grants, what's that? And cryosleep, wormholes, and teleportation, not besides, I once sold 30 books to a library … and without quoting Bones McCoy: "Is this still the had to wait a year until they paid. same person?" Well, the "Steampunk International" project "Small Press as an European Cooperation certainly opened them up to a wider audience. Project" is next up. And small wonder that Jenni Translation proved to be tricky, but not Meresmaa and Pedro Cipriano show up. After all, unsurmountable (e.g. Finnish has no gender they have just completed such a project. They're [„how do you gender dragons, they're just joined by Jérôme Baud, a French publisher who something big“]). Each edition is different, showed quite the variety of books up in the hall. adapted to the respective markets (e.g. no And by Thomas Bauduret for the translation of pictures of the authors in the English edition). course. While the front is practically identical, size and Jenni reports that Finns are avid readers, but that back differ, as do the font and the positioning of speculative fiction and magic are relegated to the the index. margins = to the small press. What keeps them MSS: „After lunch, Ian Watson’s talk about Mary going is that they get government grants, but they Shelley’s Frankenstein and its potential influence have to work their asses off (believing in the on Karl Marx was both interesting and funny (as is importance of what they do) and still can't pay expected of him). The good thing: Ian now owes decent wages, because the potential readership me a signed copy of his still-to-be-written short (with just 5 million Finns) is so small. It helps that story „The Monster, the Mermaid, and Mengele“,

21 COUNTERCLCK # 33 so now he has the utterly needed psychological reduced temperature, we lost to traffic noise ... pressure to actually write it. I’m very much looking couldn't be helped, survival comes first. forward to it“.

JR: „Ian Watson. 'nuff said, right O? The follow-up presentation of the Dublin Worldcon Four basis tasks were defined by roleplaying had to be taken outside for emergency reasons. expert Sarah Newton: Gameplay, Character Irish coffee while standing next to a water canal archetypes, Setting and Themes. The workshop turned out to be way nicer than anything that was again ably translated by Thomas Bauduret. could have been done in the steamy hell of the While this took - of course - time, Geoff Ryman subterranean rooms. didn't seem to mind; he took plenty of notes. The participants were introduced to the „Marvel universe of Africa“, created by publisher „Comic Republic“ with – as of yet – 12 superheroes. GoH Sofia Samatar told about storytelling in African culture, where a story isn't fixed, where it's told and retold and changes with every retelling. It was thought of listing the archetypes of different cultures, who would have to interact, but transferred from their mythological origin into a SF setting. The discussion was over all too soon. We had only scratched the surface. But it was a beginning; the facial expressions of the main participants certainly indicated that.

Sergii Paltsun, Ukraine and Kirill Pleshkov, Russia How to find Dave Lally at a convention: Look for a The newly announced workshop "Creating a role- clustering of women Dave is likely to be found in front of playing game for Africans to play" was held them. If it isn't Dave Lally, then you have probably found outside as well. What we gained in air and Roberto Quaglia instead. Here a typical Lally-cluster.

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FUN ASTRONOMICAL FACTS: The one-hour presentation could scratch but the surface of a very complex and ever-changing philosophy, whose name was coined in 1994 by Mark Dery. Look it up on Wikipedia; that’s where Yann started three months before the talk, and where he noticed that – while he didn’t know the term then – his three novels were apparantly part of it. The talk ended with a worry about US companies taking over the term and trying to make money out of it, using Afrofuturism for their own advantage. Especially as time was constrained, there was no conclusion to the topic.

When the Methuselah Star aka HD140283 first was discovered, it was estimated to an age of 16 billion years. That was NOT okay, because we do insist on the universe only being 13.8 billion years old. This metal-poor subgiant star is about 200 lightyears away from us in the constellation of Libra. To satisfy the scientific community, which insists on a Big Bang (we don't want to rewrite all the schoolbooks and redo all the exhibits in museums, folks), the star is now estimated at 14.46 billion, plus- minus 800 million years. So, let me get this right. First this sun took form, then there was a Big Bang and the Milky Way began to shape, so this star had something to orbit? - WOLF ------Afrofuturism started out in the dank cellar rooms, with Yann-Cédric Agbodan-Aolio (call me Yann) and three attendants: No wonder, when everybody else had fled outside. But he couldn't flee, since he needed to use the screen, so we got up and rounded up a wider audience.

Yann-Cédric Agbodan-Aolio talked about Afrofuturism in Amiens 2018. Nnedi Okorafor was GoH at Eastercon 2018

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Excursion 2: On Saturday evening, the Cafeteria Some talks remained. Firstly, "Russian and looked different. If not to say: More festive! Every Ukrainian Scifi". Since the scheduled speaker had nook and cranny was filled with tables, since way somehow vanished (at least this was the official more people than usual were to attend the line as per Pierre Gévart), they had rounded up banquet (> 200 were expected). And they came, Sviatoslav Loguinov (who was scheduled to queueing first for the appetizers :-) With these speak an hour later anyway). Translation was soon gone (some folks might have thought that managed in a peculiar way: Sviatoslav's wife was all they'd get and had thus loaded their plates would translate to French, and a Swiss member of to the brim), the buffet was eagerly awaited. It was the audience (who also understood quite a bit of (a) delicious and (b) sufficient to satiate even Russian) then translated to English. Sviatoslav THIS crowd. The „Plateau de fromage“, followed told us that he would take advantage of Pierre’s by „Café gourmand“ (coffee plus a plentitude of absence, and would say a terrible thing. You could sweets), found connoisseurs, as did the auction clearly see that his wife wasn't completely that was to be held thereafter. agreeing with his point of view, but she translated it without hesitation. Day 4 – July 22nd Main item on Sunday‘s morning schedule was "SF has died 50 years ago. What is currently "Découverte d'Amiens" ... which we all did in called Science Fiction in France is only loosely various ways. Then it was time for a last hurrah. connected to SCIENCE. There are a few But not before registering for the 2020 Eurocon in exceptions, like Asimovs Robot Stories or Hal Rijeka, Croatia (elected the day before)! At €10 Clements "Mission of Gravity" or "Cycle of Fire" super early bird price, that was a no-brainer, even (what we call real or hard SF these days). And though many had no idea whether they would be even these are not entirely scientifically correct. able to attend. Current count is 75 members from What will work in a laboratory will not work planet- 22 countries. wide, we'll never see those ideas become reality."

Sviatoslav Loguinov on Russian & Ukrainian SF, The translation from French to English was done by translated to French by Mrs Loguinov. Pascal Ducommun, Switzerland (to the right)

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After delivering this philippic, Sviatoslav launched Now for the "Clôture Eurocon". Which – as we another topic: Global warming. He delivered an found out – was to happen in the Grand Amphi. In analysis of what we could expect when the earth a few words, Pierre Gévart retold what we had all would further heat up unchecked, with the Gulf done in the past few days. Then it was time to stream weakened and diverted, with Europe pass on the flag to the Belfast guys. As usual, cooling off, with river deltas / coastal areas being Carolina Gómez Lagerlöf, Chairman of the submerged and billions of people having to European Science Fiction Society, received the search for a new home. flag from the head of the current Eurocon, in order He told us that – 50 years ago – Abe Kōbō had to hand it over to a representative of the already adressed this in his novel "Inter Ice Age 4 Convention-to-be. There was no acceptance (第四間氷期, Daiyon kampyōki)", but that none of speech, though. the current batch of authors would even know And with a feeling of great relief, but surely also of him. Other topics covered included proper immense pride regarding what his team had research (which is why work done by other wrought, Pierre removed his tie and thus authors in hours would cost him days), and his relinquished the burden he had borne. work of 12 novels and ~ 200 short stories. He Before the remaining revelers attended the Dead argued that he likes short stories best, because Dog party (which would last unto midnight), small "you can't shock someone in a horror setting groups formed and people ventured out to grab a constantly for an hour, and you can't keep bite, better to withstand the Con Blues (and the someone in a sense of wonder for the same time multitude of beers on offer). frame“. Conclusion. Would we have done things different? Something to remember from "Darker side of the As Germans, perhaps (clarity for the participants / Finnish SFF" is a tidbit regarding translation: "In reduced workload for staff / panel and lecture Finnish (or Hungarian) language, you know at organization well in advance). As Frenchmen, once when someone is bullshitting. It's plainly likely not (it all worked out for a Convention of this visible for all to see. English, however, is size, and the members stepped in themselves DESIGNED for bullshitting". where needed).

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Thus, what remains to be said is: Thank you, Pierre, thank you, NEMO 2018 team, thank you, Amiens, for a wonderful time. May we all meet again next year in Belfast and be merry together.

Imants Belogrïvs in conversation with Aliette de Bodard. THANK YOU Words of thanks to Jörg and Martin for this very thorough Eurocon report, which also will appear in a German translation in an SFCD-publication, AN Nachrichten or Andromeda. Though perhaps with a different selection of Jörg's photos. Thanks also to friends in Poland and Croatia for assistance in identification of individuals in some photos. Only one mystery remains as of 9/10: ESFS Chair Carolina Gomez-Lagerlöf, Sweden in Amiens. ------Facebook members can find a pictorial report in four parts on this Convention at https://www.facebook.com/joerg.ritter/photos_albums This is an account by two people who each speak 100 words in French – tops. Which is why we visited a Convention quite different from what a native speaker would have experienced. An article describing just that can be found at https://www.phenixweb.info/NEMO-2018 (we recommend Google translate or Chrome if you’re not fluent in French).

Who is the French guy on the left, at the table with the Recktenwald brothers and Nina Horvath? ------FUN ASTRONOMICAL FACTS As of 1 September 2018 it has been discovered 3,823 confirmed exoplanets. Do not worry about Nibiru. It is also estimated that the Milky Way alone may have billions of rogue planets like PSO J318.5-22. It can come dropping into the solar system at any time, with any velocity and from Matthew Kunkel, Arno Behrend and Nina Horvath any direction. So, do party at every convention as enjoying the outdoors in Amiens, 2018. if it was your last. It may well be. - WOLF -

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He was CounterClocks first transatlantic Agent, right from the start, back in 1999 when the fanzine still appeared on paper and until we went out of print in the spring of 2000. Which means I have known him for more than 20 years. I don't know, but something tells me a lot Who goes there? ...to Dublin. more than 20 years. If memory serves, then we go back to the 80's. Before the internet. I am not sure, but I believe (something in the back of my head, could be a malfunction though) connects him with Joachim Henke and EURAPA. I seem to recall an exchange of letters on paper, written by ballpoint pen or electrical type-writer. That was mid 80's. I dare say, he is one of the best known American sf-fans on the European continent. He connects several fandoms. He also has one foot in filk- fandom, which I suspect would make him a hard- hitter in TAFF-context, hard hitting like Anna Raftery who beat me. The trick is to make him stand for TAFF. Well, that is basically the same trick with all of them. CounterClock is likely to get an in-depth interview with Dave, IF he decides to go for it. According to the TAFF-administrators the nomination period will Dave Weingart for TAFF! run from October 1st to November 22nd of 2018. No, I am not just blurting this out without thinking. I did give it a lot of thought, yesterday night, in Dave Weingart is not a pod-person from outer bed. I closed my eyes and thought... Now... who space. He is not a shapeshifter, cyborg, andoid or would I like to see on this side of the Atlantic for xenomorph. He is neither illegal, nor alien. TAFF? And, of course, I would love to see a He's just this guy from New York! Canadian coming forward and winning for once. I sure hope he will stand for TAFF this time! ------But the first NAME to drop into my mind was: Never Let Me Go (2010) 7.2 on IMDb 126k votes,  Directed by Mark Romanek, 103 min based on the novel by Kazuo Ishiguro This is probably the best film I have seen in this past half year. It takes some time before one has a full picture of what is going on. I don't want to ruin this experience for you with spoilers. It is a dystopian story in an alternate reality. This is the only thing I want to reveal. The awful truth of what goes on should come creeping over your skin, as it came over mine. I feel this film is underrated on IMDb, I'll give it 8 Clocks. To me it represents one of the best dystopian stories since 1984 and I conclude that Ishiguro was a good choice for the nobel prize. Went on to see the other Ishiguro based film. The Remains of the Day (1993) even though it has nothing to do with SF. None of these being films for the younger action-hungry audience. And Copyright by Cat Trzaskowski Photography, 2017 Remains is even slower than Never Let Me Go.

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Another Earth 2011, 7.0 IMDb, 88k votes, 7 Clocks:  Directed by Mike Cahill, 092 minutes I would find it deeply disturbing to observe a celestial body growing visually larger in the sky. By the time it surpasses the moon in apparent size, I would already be in full panic and under a blanket with someone. I was watching this film with two regular people who were not touched at all by the horrifying astrophysical aspect of it. They didn't expect any tidal waves and vulcano eruptions, or flipping continental plates and hence focused on the story itself. Which wasn't as bad as the ridiculous premises themselves. If you can Absolutely Anything 2015 ignore that it looks like the approaching planet is 6.0 IMDb, 32k votes, 8 Clocks:  crashing into us, you get a story on a different Directed by Terry Jones, 85 min level. What if you could...? - WOW - This is a science fiction comedy which I like to rank up there with the others; Men in Black, Paul and Galaxy Quest. There are simply not enough good sf-comedies. But this is one of them. I loved it. Absolutely Anything also happened to be Robin Williams last film. He made the voice of the dog. - WOW ------The Zero Theorem 2013 6.1 IMDb, 40k votes, 7 clocks:  Directed by Terry Gilliam, 107 min Okay, some may have difficulty wrapping their heads around a Terry Gilliam-film. Perhaps because there isn't much head to wrap. Not sure, you should see this one for yourself. I think it has potential to become a classic, if enough heads manage to wrap themselves.

------Britt Marling in Another Earth doesn't act half as blonde as she appears. Science fiction? Nah, it is Coherence 2013, 89 min not a scientificly plausible movie. 7.2 IMDb, 82k votes, 6 clocks:  Consider it fantasy. Written and directed by: James Ward Byrkit ------Dvd cover reads: This is one of the best sf movies My favorite writers have been those who've in years. Ahm, no, it is not. Documentary style. said things well. Halfway into the film I said; “They better just go to Ray Bradbury bed and sleep it out...” Nobody listens to me.

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If an idea isn't exciting, you shouldn't do it. Ray Bradbury ------

Gulliver's Travels 1996 7.0 IMDb, 6k votes, 8 Clocks:  Directed by Charles Sturridge, 2 x 93 min Based on the novel by: Jonathan Swift Screenplay by: Simon Moore With Ted Danson, Mary Steenburgen, Omar Sharif, Peter O'Toole, Isabelle Huppert, Geraldine Chaplin, Edward Woodward, Alfre Woodard, Warwick Davis This is the one version of Gulliver's Travels, that I What Happened to Monday 2017 dare to recommend. The DVD sat in my shelf for 6.9 IMDb, 7 Clocks:  years unviewed, until somebody asked about the Directed by: Tommy Wirkola, 123 min story. When I at last looked at the film, turned out that the soundtrack was barely audible on my dvd. A UK / France / Belgium production, shot by a Unacceptable, of course. I immediately ordered Norwegian director with a Swedish moviestar. No, the German version, with English and German this is not a remake of Groundhog Day. Rapace is audio and English subtitles. It was worth it! playing seven twin sisters named Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday (my favourite), Thursday, The first thing which interested me was Simon etc. Some get killed... I think you get it. Definitely Moore's screenwriting. I have previously quoted science fiction. Action, entertainment. him in CounterClock: “You have to write a million Not all bad. - WOW - words of crap before you get it right.” ------I was curious, if this was a script he delivered Frequencies 2013, 105 min after writing those million words. I'd say, it was. 6.8 IMDb, 12k votes, 6 Clocks:  Considering what Moore had to work with, he did Written and directed by: Darren Paul Fisher a fantastic job. Lemuel Gulliver returns home and Boy meets girl, basically. Well, okay, it gets a little tells the tale of his adventures. Of course he is more complicated to prevent you from being assumed to be insane. The story is set in its bored out of your skull. An alternate reality story in authentic early 17-hundred's environment, which which peoples frequencies matter. contributes to its charm. Jonathan Swift would Bit of a yawn. - WOW - have been proud of this interpretation. ------It also shows us what has changed and what has Hard to be God 2013 not changed in the past 300 years. I'm afraid, 6.7 IMDb, 3k votes, 4 Clocks:  most of us are still Yahoo's. And some are even Directed by Aleksey German, 177 min proud to be it. Based on a novel by: Arkady & Boris Strugatsky I'd call this 3 hours Hallmark Entertainment! Okay, I usually like to watch Russian film. I do not ------mind if it is all in black and white. I also like the You pay a certain penalty for going your Strugatsky brothers. But I had a hard time trying own way. A lot of people think you're nuts, to watch this film the first time around. It was very, and you're not as popular with girls as you very confusing. Maybe I will change my mind should be. about this film. But not this year. - WOW - Ray Bradbury

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Lost in Space 7.2 IMDb, 42k votes or Star Trek Discovery? 7.4 IMDb, 53k votes

It is already five years ago, that Frank G Gerigk edited the volume in honour to Klaus N Frick's 50th birthday. It's an old fannish tradition in Gerfany, to make birthday-fanzines for good friends. While in Sweden I had the opportunity to watch Or birthday books, such as this. both Lost in Space and Star Trek Discovery. My Klaus N Frick is “He Who Edits the Immortals”. As bias convinced me to save the best for last and so the title translates. For those who still are I struggled through Lost In Space first. The pilot unaware what it means, he is the current chief already had me preparing for a wrecking-ball editor of the Perry Rhodan-series. review of the series, but within a few episodes, The book is a celebration of his life and career, the story began to intrigue, and then grab me in a starting in sf-fandom. The contributors are both way that a good family-series ought to. Not bad at pro's, semi-pro's and fans. Frick is a popular and all. Thumbs up! Seven clocks, at least! easy-to-like man. At least half of the book is highly I look forward to see the second season. fandom-related, but what I noticed, is that it spans This wasn't merely a remake. It was an update! a time that I remember in detail. And with a heavy Then I started watching Star Trek Discovery on an sigh I have to admit; “Those who do not speak eager and positive note, curious to see what they German, will never be able to understand, nor to had come up with. Okay, the first episode was not appreciate what we had.” I said it before, and I am so great there either. Pilots are difficult to make. still of the same opinion. German fans may have But already on the second episode I fell asleep. I had a lot of quarrels. Fandom-life was always tried to watch 3 or 4 more, but ST Discovery did intense and competitive. But nowhere have I had not manage to keep me awake and interested. as many laughs as in German sf-fandom. Gerfany I kept falling asleep. I may have awoken in the always had a will and a life of its own. Most of its middle of an episode and they were still throwing wonders will forever stay within the language punches at each other. This is Star Trek? zone. The magic of Frick, for sure. Perhaps it is as No, I am sorry, but it is complete and utter shite! It it should be. On December 9th this year, Klaus will may be that the youth of today prefers this shite, be 55. I may not have contributed to this volume, but it is not going to prevent me from saying so. but at least here's an entire column dedicated to Flies eat shit – I do not. him. Bottoms up, Klaus! Wolf von Witting Wolf von Witting

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Photo: Jörg Ritter EuroCon 2020, October 2-4th in Rijeka, Croatia, https://futuricon.eu/

Petra Bulic, Croatia with Carolina Gomez from Sweden and Jan van't Ent, Netherlands in Amiens. Cosplay, as I already said, is huge in Croatia. Some literature- and fanzine-fans may frown upon this, but look at it from another point of view. Because it is a big thing, you'll find that they put an enormous amount of work in their costumes and so produce rather amazing results. And, as we already have learned from Bojana in CounterClock, cosplayers are not shallow types.They are having fun, that's all. In their own way.

In Amiens it was already possible to sign up for the EuroCon 2020 in Rijeka. Vladivoj Lisica registered. Croatia has a strong and growing sf-fandom. Viewed from the outside, it seem to lack history and tradition. Because it only goes back to 1983. Before that, there may well have been fanactivity in former Yugoslavia centered around Belgrade and Serbia, because there we have also an older generation of sf-fans. But what the Croatians have accomplished in these years, is astonishing. Bear in mind that the total population of Croatia is 4.2 million, and their Davor Šišovic, Croatia in a conversation with Kinga Gata Kowalewska, Poland. Behind her, Imants capital, Zagreb has a population of 800,000. Yet, Belogrïvs, Latvia. they have at least 3-4 conventions annually. In my experience, the Croatians are a cheerful Croatians mingle well with the rest of the bunch who can be seen at many conventions European sf-fan-community. They too, can be across continental Europe. expected to do things their way. But I do not feel Their English proficiency is excellent. And cosplay there is any cause for alarm or concern. We had a is a huge thing, both in Croatia, Serbia and great time in Zagreb 2012 and I believe we can Slovenia. There are many who do like to pick up look forward to a similar great time in Rijeka. the guitar and sing a song, so filking is something Some of the people behind FuturiCon have been I believe is going to catch on in Croatia. doing it for 20 years, some less. But in routine Of course they are excited about running the there should be no shortage. We can assume Eurocon in Rijeka 2020. The town has won the they know exactly what they need to do. What prestigious title of European Capital of Culture YOU have to do is equally clear. Sign up for 2020! 2020. It creates a bit of a hype for them. – Wolf von Witting -

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Europeans are stunned when they see America for the first time: the sheer size of the country is over-whelming. In contrast, Valerie and I experienced the opposite effect. We were gobsmacked by the compactness of Europe, how close countries, cultures, and languages were to each other. Without a doubt, it was an eye- opening experience. As expected, Kees was waiting for us underneath this massive television screen displaying train schedules and all sorts of other information. As in England at the London fan meet-up, I had never personally met Kees van Toorn before, but we knew of each other through the fanzine grapevine for thirty years, possibly longer. Even so, warm greetings were exchanged and Kees led us out of this spacious modern building and off to his car. Honey, Where’s My Pants? Kees and his wife Angelique live outside of the city of Rotterdam, so the drive to their home by John Purcell was a great chance for us to see the blending of old and new buildings. While driving, Kees gave us a brief history of this city, noting that Rotterdam In our last episode, our decrepit – er, I mean, on one side of the Nieuwe Maas canal was intrepid – heroes, John and Valerie Purcell made leveled by the Nazis, while the city on the other good their escape from the wonders of Paris as side of the canal was left intact. The Pilgrim they boarded a Thalys train and began their Fathers Church, where pilgrims worshipped journey northward to the Netherlands. Much before sailing off to America, fortunately is still wondrous beauty and still more history awaited standing, and the Post-War modern architecture them in the land of windmills, tulips, and laundry stands in stark contrast to the history and heritage machines. of Rotterdam. We crossed over a beautiful suspension bridge that captures the maritime Well, some things in life are necessary. legacy of Rotterdam because the cables stretch out like a massive sail on a 17th or 18th century Valerie and I left from the Gare du Nord Dutch seafaring ship. I gladly would have stopped station in Paris via a Thalys train on the evening and strolled through Rotterdam, but Kees and of 2 August 2017, barely evading the clutches of Angelique would give us a meandering, relaxing swarming tourists and street vendors. We had walking tour of Dordrecht the next day, which definitely enjoyed the sights, sounds, tastes, and easily made up for our just-passing-through-tour smells of the City of Lights – well, maybe not so of Rotterdam. much the smells of the Metro nor its sewers, but the food definitely was delightful – and reflected As mentioned, the Van Toorns live in a lovely on our Parisian adventures once we had settled house on the outskirts of Rotterdam, and naturally into our seats, all of our luggage safely stowed in the cat who frequented their home (named the storage compartment behind us. Coupra, meaning “camping cat” because he was their neighbor’s cat but stayed with the Van Our next stop was Rotterdam, Netherlands, where Toorns most of the time) became an instant friend Kees van Toorn was to greet and collect us at the (more hands! more petting!) while we relaxed. city’s central train station. The total trip time was The four of us chatted away the evening by roughly two and three-quarter hours, but the funny sharing tales of our travels thus far, and learning thing about that is in Texas, that is roughly how about Kees and Angelique. Kees, who is long it takes to drive from College Station to multilingual – heck, I think everybody in Europe is! Dallas; on this train trip we would go through a - has translated hundreds of Perry Rhodan books nice chunk of Northern France, all of Belgium, and into English, and copies of these books and a short distance into the Netherlands before “pamphlets” practically fill the walls of one room, alighting at Rotterdam Centraal. No wonder or so it seemed. It is an impressive sight, even

32 COUNTERCLCK # 33 though I have never read a single Perry Rhodan story in my entire life. Maybe some year I will give one a try, but there is no way in any of Ghu’s Green Hills of Earth I will attempt to collect this entire series of books; they must number in the thousands by now. Before I go any further, I must compliment Angelique’s culinary abilities. She is an incredible cook! She prepared feasts for every meal. I don’t know how she does it, but whether it was breakfast, lunch or dinner, it was all delicious and attractively presented. Valerie and I were more than well fed during our travels by all of our gracious hosts, but if I were to rate the feeding of the Purcells, the Van Toorns would win the Valerie and I in Netherlands Culinary Gold Medal. The Benninks on our next stop (Balkbrug) would barely beat out the The following morning, Valerie and I saw a Fishlifters for culinary Silver Medal honours, but plethora of iconic windmills, Heck, you can’t travel Claire Brialey and Mark Plummer were the clear anywhere in the Netherlands without seeing winners of the Most Helpful Hosts category, while these, but Kees knew of one location that boasted the Benninks hands-down claimed the Most- something like 32 windmills within a three square Horses-on-their-Property Medal. But I digress. mile area (I am guessing). Whichever direction One of the meals Angelique prepared was this you turned there were a bunch more windmills to monstrous affair called rijsttafel. see. It was a sunny but windy morning, which was great because then you could watch their arms circling – at least, of those windmills that were still functioning, which were many. It was a beautiful sight, and I was pleasantly surprised by how well the photos turned out. We wandered about for a couple hours, eventually returning to their home for lunch.

Rijsttafel spread The word means “rice table,” and this was a meal consisting of many little dishes to share, and yes, rice was part of it all. I cannot remember everything served, but some of the courses I remember were stew, meats, vegetables, fruits, potatoes (probably), noodles…. Good gravy, but it Me and Kees and windmills never seemed to end. I think the four of us ate for two hours solid. It was an amazing meal, and just Later that day they took us over to the thinking about it over a year later still makes my nearby city of Dordrecht, which was nothing short stomach bloat. If I thought their bookshelves rated of incredible. This city dates back over a thousand a 9 on the TAFF Trip Impressive Scale, this meal years and, like many cities and towns in the exceeded registered a 12. Egad, but Angelique Netherlands, is criss-crossed by numerous canals and Kees sure knew how to feed a TAFF that provide access from various parts of the city Delegate! We definitely slept well that night. to the North Sea. At one point during our walk we

33 COUNTERCLCK # 33 watched a man swimming in one canal against embedded into the outside walls of leaning the current! He looked to be fifty years old and buildings. The purpose of these rods and bars is moved along quite well thanks to powerful to shore up the walls by increasing and/or strokes. dispersing the load-bearing, thus stabilizing the structures. Damned ingenious and the knowledge made this part of our trip even more amazing.

Along a canal in Dordrecht Once again we marveled at the architecture. The cathedral, situated on a point overlooking the harbour, was gorgeous, and the four of us spent a good amount of time there. After gazing at the massive array of organ pipes that climbed thirty feet over our heads, I really wanted to try playing that organ, but the opening Cathedral facade riff to ”Inna-Gadda-Da-Vida” would have been in All in all, our stay with Kees and Angelique bad taste – although it would have echoed Van Toorn was extremely pleasant and filling. The beautifully through the nave. Leaving the only downside was Valerie’s new iPhone 7+, cathedral, we wandered along streets lining the which we had purchased the day before leaving canals and just generally gawked and took Houston. Our three adult children had all pictures. Lots and lots of pictures. encouraged us to get this cell phone because it was top of the line quality with lots of storage Without question, the most remarkable space available. Since we would be taking tons of think about Dordrecht is not only the architecture photographs with them, this made sense, so we and the city’s age and history – which is each acquired one because our Sprint plan had fascinating, to be sure – but its unique visualness. notified us we qualified for an upgrade. At first, Let me explain. Due to the city’s location near the both phones worked like a charm, but by our third North Sea, the walls of hundreds of buildings lean day in Paris, Valerie’s phone began having and tilt in all sorts of directions. The underground problems downloading images to the iCloud, water table and the general substructure of the resulting in her getting messages stating “Storage landscape cause this, and the end result makes it full,” or words to that effect. Try as she might, look like Dordrecht’s original builders and nothing worked. Now, I am not that knowledge- architects were either drunk or early surrealists able about the inner workings and such of when they built the city. Salvador Dali would have cellphones and computers, even though I use probably loved it. At any rate, Kees took this as a them a lot, so I was no help in solving Valerie’s teachable moment to point out numerous metal iPhone problem. Kees gamely gave it a go to rods and bars of various lengths and thicknesses figure out what was going wrong, and came up

34 COUNTERCLCK # 33 empty. All she could do was delete unused apps time I could easily perform this conversion in my and duplicate photos as she went along to free up head without spraining brain cells.) We were space. This was very frustrating for her, and I felt there in less than twenty minutes. rather ineffectual in resolving this issue. His wife Marjike welcomed us with open arms, showed us our upstairs room, and we then spent We muddled through it, though, and by the time a few hours chatting and getting a proper tour of Saturday morning of August 5th rolled around, their property. Valerie and I were ready for the next part of the journey, visiting with someone whom Valerie knew The Bennink residence was easily the most from high school, Eric Bennink and his wife, who distinctive home we would stay in over the entire lived in Balkbrug, Netherlands. Naturally, a brief trip. Eric, you see, is a professional photographer, explanation is needed here. and very successful, too. Years earlier, he and Marjike had bought this farm, and he converted Shortly after learning I had won the TAFF election, the barn to his photo-studio, and they modified the she said, “We must go to the Netherlands and see attached house as needed. There was a separate Eric!” There was absolutely no discussion horse stable on their property, which was about involved. This was a definite stop on our trip. In seven acres of pasture lined by trees and truth, I did not mind one bit: I have always wanted flowering hedges. I counted nine horses browsing to see the Netherlands, windmills and all. So about, nibbling grass, two of which were very since they had reestablished contact via young. Eric informed us they were only four Facebook a couple years earlier, she contacted weeks old, and sensing we were talking about Eric and told him of our travel plans, whereupon them, these two fillies started galloping around the he said, “Of course! Marjike and I would love to pasture like a couple of idiots. Yup. Just like have you visit!” They had first met back in the late human children. 70s when Eric was a foreign exchange program student at Marshalltown, Iowa, High School, and That Saturday afternoon we spent a few hours they had become friends, corresponding via browsing the biggest danged garage/rummage letters for a number of years before life intervened sale I have ever seen in my life. It turns out that and they each traveled separate paths. But once a month in Balkbrug, one street in the center wouldn’t you know it? My forty-plus years of of town transforms into essentially a mile-long flea science fiction fan activity made it possible for market. Pretty much anything and everything a these two friends to see each other again. To be person wishes to put out on display to sell can do honest, I looked forward to meeting Eric and his so on that day, but I am sure that there is a fee wife. paid to the city to reserve your place along the route. This street sale literally bisects the entire Thus, on August 5th, Valerie and I spent our last town: it starts on one side (the eastern edge of morning with Kees and Angelique, who once Balkbrug, if I remember correctly) and continues again served up a breakfast feast to properly fuel practically the full length of the street until it up the bellies of world travelers. We bade reaches the western edge of town. We didn’t walk farewell, thanking them for their generous the entire street, but even so, it was an hospitality, and Kees drove us back to Rotterdam astonishing display of wares. Valerie bought a Centraal station, where we said so long to him sturdy walking cane and some clothing for the again, then boarded our train to Zwolle, the remainder of our trip, and I found Donald Duck nearest town to Balkbrug with a train station. We comic books published in the Dutch language, detrained with our pile of luggage, then were plus another Dutch language comic called Rode approached by a tall, slender, middle-aged Oren (“Red Ears”), published for “mature gentleman whose face positively was alight with a audiences” due to nudity and language, to auction huge smile. Valerie squeed and gave this man a off in Helsinki for the Fan Funds. It was a beautiful hug. sunny day for the flea market, and we enjoyed it “You must be Eric,” I said, and shook his hand. immensely. We spent the rest of that Saturday “Yah, I am Eric. It is so nice to meet you,” he afternoon being driven around the area sight- replied, and I fell in love with the Dutch lilt as he seeing before returning to the Bennink homestead spoke. Gadzooks, but I love traveling! to enjoy another delicious home-cooked meal. It was a short drive to the Bennink spread – and After that we relaxed outside, watching the horses yes, it definitely deserves that description – being cavort in the pasture. 25 kilometers away, or just over 15 miles. (By this

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While this brunch was going on, Eric and Marjike’s son Daniel had accepted the challenge of fixing Valerie’s iPhone. It turned out that he had the exact same phone as us, and even knew some tricks of the trade that we did not, so he got that doggoned troublesome cellphone set up to reset and started downloading the thousand or so pictures that Valerie had already taken to the iCloud.. That process took practically the rest of the day, and wonder of wonders, IT WORKED! Valerie’s phone began functioning normally! Daniel took her aside and trained her in how to Long shot of street sale download and transfer data, and man, she was so It was no surprise to Valerie and I how relaxed we relieved. She was ecstatic, but even so, Valerie were, so that evening ended relatively early understood that she had to daily upload her shortly after dinner and conversation. We slept photos to the Cloud. But, yay! One major soundly and awoke on Sunday quite refreshed. headache of our trip had been solved. Valerie took advantage of Marjike’s offer to use their laundry machines to replenish our clothing stock for the next week or so (the apartment we had rented for our three days in Prague had a small clothes washer, but no dryer, bur that story is forthcoming later). While our clothes cycled through the machines, Valerie went off on a Sunday morning hike with Marjike’s exercise group. While that group was gone, Eric and I, helped by their son Daniel, got the patio area set up for the brunch upon the group’s return. This is a weekly rotating event that each member family of this group hosts, and it just so happened that our stay coincided with the Bennink’s hosting the group brunch. It was delicious, I must stay, with juice, coffee, tea, flavored waters, and a lot of fresh fruit (I had picked a half-pound of raspberries from bushes growing in their yard, then a lot of ripe plums from trees in front of the house, plus assorted pastries, granola, yogurt, and so on. It was extraordinarily healthy fare and very filling. Their friends were so nice to us, and it was lovely time.

Valerie Marjike and Eric at sale Another problem was taken care of that day: I regained the use of my second pair of short pants. See, on our last day in Paris, the button on my blue pair of shorts broke off and needed to be sewed back on. I was fine in Rotterdam thanks to having another pair of gray shorts and jeans, but it would really help to get the blue shorts fixed. Marjike’s sewing supplies took care of that problem toot suite. TAFF Trip Headache #2 Bennink yard for brunch solved.

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natural beauty. If we ever had the chance to That afternoon Eric drove the four of us over to return to visit Eric and Marjike, we would love to Giethoorn, which is called “the Venice of the spend a full day in Giethoorn. This is an North.” And rightfully so. The only way you can get enchanting island village. into this village is by boat. The entire community is honeycombed with canals. Those are the streets Along our return trip we stopped at a posh country of this village. Canals. Roads? We don’t need resort hotel for late afternoon coffee, the De roads where we’re going. Naturally, vehicles are Havixhorst. If we weren’t relaxed enough already, prohibited. Your boat is your family car, and each this put us into a suitably languorous state best home’s garage is an inlet off a canal with a dock. suited for desultory conversations and bird

Along a canal in the Netherlands... watching. Yup. There were huge pelican nests perched at the tops of some of the chimneys on As a result, Giethoorn is incredibly beautiful and the De Havixhorst. I imagined we were in some peaceful. Eric assumed the helm and piloted our kind of Doctor Doolittle state of mind by this point. boat around the canals for about an hour, then we After walking the resort hotel’s sculpture garden docked by this restaurant for a delicious lunch, we finally returned to the Bennink’s home. after which we boarded the boat (after walking around, crossing bridges, sight-shopping in small Before falling asleep that night I remarked to stores) and wended our way back out to the lake. Valerie, “Is the Netherlands always this serene Giethoorn is absolutely stunning in its peaceful, and beautiful?”

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I could not quite make out what she mumbled, but to catch our train to the airport for our outgoing I think it was something like, “Get a teaching job flight – we stepped outside the terminal. The smell here.” Indeed. I would not mind that at all. of marijuana wafted in the air, mingling with the smells of food and coffee vendors. Yes, indeed, The next day was Monday, August 7th, and our we were in Amsterdam: Decadence Central of scheduled flight from Amsterdam to Riga, Latvia, Europe. was scheduled to leave at 1850 hours (which I had to translate for Valerie as 6:50 PM, local We purchased round trip tram fare to the time), so as much as we didn’t want to leave the Rijksmuseum, and were not disappointed. We Benninks, we had to. Since we had bought two pushed the bubble of how long we could marvel at tickets to enter the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the paintings of Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Vermeer, we really wanted to spend a lot of time in the Jacob de Gheyn, and numerous others. The presence of the Dutch Masters - the artists, that building itself was a work of art itself: formerly a is, not the cigars. So we packed up yet again, and royal palace, it was transformed into a world our gracious hosts both sent us on our way at the famous art museum. It was a damned shame we Zwolle train station. It was a tearful goodbye for had to cut our stay short to get out to the airport. Valerie, and I admit to getting a bit verklempt Fortunately, the trolleys run smack on time in myself. I love making new friends, and the Amsterdam – you can set your watch to them, Benninks definitely are permanent additions to my they are that accurate to their timetable – so we heart. They are wonderful people, and I will easily got back to the train station, retrieved our always be grateful for their agreeing to put us up. luggage from storage, and trundled on off to the Or is that putting up with us? Either way, they are airport in plenty of time to board our Air Baltic awesome people, and we can’t wait to see them flight to Riga, Latvia. We had a 22-hour layover again. there before our final short flight to Helsinki and the 75th World Science Fiction Convention.

Three weeks into my TAFF Trip and finally – FINALLY! – the end-goal was in sight. All that stood in our way was Riga. Oh, boy… You can read about that overnight stay in my Worldcon 75 report, Piss on it! Another Worldcon 75 Report, which is available on efanzines.com.

------

Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

------There are only some 40+ places in Europe nicknamed “Venice of the North.” Among them Amiens, Amsterdam, Birmingham, Copenhagen, Dordrecht, Gdansk, Giethoorn, Hamburg, Leeds, Lübeck, St Petersburg, Schwerin, Stockholm, Svolvӕr, Tromsø and Trondheim. It would be nice if the Germans and Norwegians could decide which one of their 7-8 cities most deserves the title. Classic windmill Perhaps take a trip to Venice and compare. Getting off the train in Amsterdam was easy, and Germans would see, that Hamburg is nothing after stowing our baggage at the station for the six like it. Not anywhere near. It's more like “Mestre”. hours we would be in the city – we had to be back All Italians giggle now. - Wolf -

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of good conduct, but really Big Ian was always much more 'independent' than that, both as regards small press and as regards his august person. True, we did conspire quite a lot, you might say. Fannish customs and traditions have been WolfEd: It would be a mistake to claim that it all introduced with less prompting. Henceforth shall looks like Greek to Bellis, because he would know the endeavor to circumvent a structure the difference. But we take your word for it, that it counterclockwise in sf-fandom be known as the is more likely to be Chinese. "Ritter Maneuver". It is not as spectacular as the 'Immelmann' in execution, but groundbreakingly safer in comparison. - Wolf ------R-Laurraine Tutihasi PO Box 5323, AZ 85623-5323, USA 10 April 2018 On CounterClock # 25 - Normally I wouldn’t write a LoC to such a dated zine. I apologize. I’m really backed up with my reading. I enjoyed seeing your list of TV sf and fantasy shows. I just have one question about Being Human. I think you’re talking about the British series, which started out really well but deteriorated badly after Aidan Turner and then Russell Tovey left. Artwork: Arthur Thomson, Atom, 1927-1990 There was another American series that started three years later. This series in my opinion was Lloyd Penney better overall but for some reason is not rated as 1706-24 Eva Rd, Etobicoke, ON high on IMDB. CANADA M9C, 2B2 th WolfEd: I am glad you did write a LoC on a dated 21 April 2018 issue, such as #25. No need to apologize. To answer your question first. Yes, it was the UK I see a winged young lady trying to solve a pocket version I had in mind. I didn't even know that a US- watch, and failing, so while she attempts to put version had been made. the cogs back in the right places, I will carry on The reason why a question on an old issue makes with my response to this issue. me just as happy as on a new one, is that I don't feel the contents should get much outdated. At least not, Well, the fan funds are awarded for another year. I for as long as one hasn't read it. hope they will enjoy their time in San Jose. Ivan Illich’s book is something I might like to read. I Ian Watson would, however, like to have the right to useful Gijón, Asturias, Spain employment. Once again, I am looking for a job, 18 April 2018 but at least, I’ve done something I liked. I want to do it again, but it may be that what I do, editorial Thanks for CoClock 32! I think the info screen at work and proofreading, has become an old- Helsinki airport intends to display Chinese, not fashioned job, like wheel wrighting and barrel- Japanese. A Japanese person will probably read coopering. I hope I am wrong, but I suspect I am the message easily, but there are no kana signs, right. I still have six years before I can retire, so I only characters, which suggests Chinese. Though wish I had the right to be employed usefully until admittedly there needn't be any kana if the then. message is in Japanese. But my thinking is that Fantasy truly is a work of imagination, while Chinese is the economically important language science fact seems to be catching up with science nowadays, Japanese less so. fiction in many ways. We want factual science in I'm honoured by Robert Day's assumption that I our SF, but it is tough to make sure you get it all guided Ian Whates of NewCon Press in the ways right, as your readers won’t hesitate to point out

39 COUNTERCLCK # 33 your mistakes. We admire the imagination from the fantasy writers, and the more imaginative, the more likely the book will be a success. SF writers have to get everything right, a much tougher job. I think you need an SF writer to defend his part of the profession, and I would recommend Rob Sawyer. Is Icelandic fandom a thing? I expect it is! It would be great to visit with them some time. Icelandair flies out of Toronto regularly, and fares are cheap. Iceland, on the other hand, is not, far from it. I hope to find out more about them, and if they are regularly flying into the rest of Europe to lay out some Icelandic fannishness and writing skill. There are so many Star Trek fan films, I think that John Purcell if I am going to spend some time trying to catch 3744 Marielene Circle up with them, I need a list of them all. If George College Station, TX 77845, USA and Walter are involved, I would think there’s some quality involved. The afore-mentioned Rob 22 April 2018 Sawyer wrote the screenplay for the latest ST I trust you are doing well despite being tired of Continues. I haven’t seen any of them yet, and producing six solid years of fanzines. You have more and more, I would like to. done very well during that time, and you should My loc…it is now past the middle of April, and we be proud of your achievement. Heck, are still cold, and still have snow on the ground. CounterClock even received a Best Fanzine Today was the first day of relative warmth we’ve award at Eurocon last year, and deservedly so. had so far this calendar year. Early heat was an The zine serves as a focal point of science fiction idle wish on my part. We have interesting events fan activity in Europe, and while I would love to to go to soon. see more sf fanzines from other countries, I am very glad you have been producing this zine. Well Six years of this issue, hm? I hope you have had done, sir, and you deserve to take a break. some fun. But, we do need a respite from even the things we enjoy doing, to make sure we can If anything, this six-month gap will give me the take a break and still enjoy those things. Take a chance to write up part of my European travels on break, definitely, but please do come back my 2017 TAFF trip and send it to you. After all, I refreshed. And, tell us what you’ve done with your did promise to do so, and you should receive the summer. We will see you then, okay? tales of our travels in Netherlands and Czechia in a few months, along with photographs, of course. WolfEd: What I have done with my summer exactly, Speaking of reports, Anders Bellis did a grand job apart from a trip to Sweden, is something I need to keep secret for a little while longer, I'm afraid. I recall of recounting some of the events of Worldcon 75 having given hints, but as always, they have in Helsinki. I had the chance to talk with John- probably been so subtle, that only I myself may have Henri Holmberg a couple times during the noticed them. However, this issue does contain a big convention, but never met Anders, which bummed and clear hint in the editorial. One which in Gerfany me out. I was really looking forward to chatting would be called being the size of a fence post with him. Well, when over 7000 people are (Zaunpfahl). Another major change in life is pending. running about, that would make chance It has indeed been refreshing to throw in a couple of encounters hard to come by. Maybe in Dublin next months extra. This issue came about with far less year. Thank you, Anders, for a rousing recap of resistance than I recall in connection with #30, one your weekend. I was pretty busy, too: in addition year ago. Perhaps, instead of looking at regular to the Fan Fund Auction - come to think of it, intervals, I should look at the convenience of Anders was at the auction, but I'm not completely pubbing an ish. sure since my memory banks were frequently ------overloaded during that trip - I was on five panels You fail only if you stop writing. and in Opening Ceremonies. I was scheduled to Ray Bradbury be involved with Closing Ceremonies, too, but I

40 COUNTERCLCK # 33 ran into Liam Proven in the foyer of the convention center, and the two of us ran up to my hotel room because my wife Valerie had a gift for him, which led to a couple hours of chatting and wandering about together. So it goes at conventions. We enjoyed it. Sure wish you could have been there, Wolf. And mentioning conventions, I see you have cancelled Friulicon due to disinterest in venue. That's too bad. A European relaxacon is a great idea, especially considering all the other conventions you list in this issue. Europe is definitely a good place to be a science fiction fan. If I decide - and I'm seriously considering this - to teach ESL in, say, Prague or Rome or Stockholm in the near future, I know there would be a lot of opportunities to mingle with like-minded science fictional souls. One can dream, right? Robert Day Flat 2, Heatherlea, Station Road Hey, congratulations are in order for Johan Anglemark winning the 2018 TAFF race! Any of Kirby Muxloe the candidates would have made great delegates, Leicestershire4 LE9 2EN, UK but the cool thing about this is that Johan might 10th June 018 be coming to Texas to stay with Valerie and I for a couple days, and then (if he comes here during I had heard of Ivan Illich, though in my mind I the first week of August) we will bring him to often confuse him with Theodore Roszak. These ArmadilloCon 40 in Austin, Texas (August 3-5, were the sort of people who were being talked 2018). He sounds serious about doing this, and I about in my distant student days, and I gather hope he does. I am looking forward to seeing Roszak and Illitch had similar views on the malign Johan again. influence of technology. Finally I have a couple brief thoughts about the I read your piece on "Why fantasy is more popular popularity of fantasy over science fiction, My than SF" with a degree of recognition. Certainly, I feeling is that fantasy is more free-wheeling in looked to a technological future giving me more scope and theme, so anything goes, but even a freedom than I had in my youth. The reality is fantasy story still needs to be told well. If it doesn't rather different, though I'm not convinced that any hold my interest, then forget it. Much like science of the worlds of fantasy offer anything better. Most fiction, the world-building must be thorough and of the fantasy I read seems to be based either on consistent; the characters and beasties inhabiting exceptionalism (the protagonist has or is given this world likewise must be consistent and act access to special powers) or brute force (the accordingly. I am a big believer in character protagonist has a big sword). Neither apply to me, motivations and actions that match the setting: a alas. I suppose that the sort of disillusionment you writer can't simply yank a sword or spell out of are talking about is the reason why Iain Banks' their ass and swish obstacles or problems away. 'Culture' novels were so popular; they depicted a There must be conflict that requires post-scarcity technological utopia that was the protagonists/antagonists to interact and create sort of thing we all dreamed about in the 1960s. seemingly insurmountable tasks that need to be And as for the question over which time period overcome. No matter what, it has to be a well-told would I want to live in, my answer is just two story. Now to see what other readers are going to words: "painless dentistry". say about this. I was very sorry not to get to Helsinki, so I read Well, that does it for now. Thank you for Anders' conrep with a sense of envy; and I'd publishing and posting the fanzine, and I hope heard good things about IceCon from Ian Sales, you have a good rest to rejuvenate and recharge so that looked interesting, too. I'm currently your fannish batteries. See your next ish later this plotting how to save money to get to Dublin next year. year. It's not so much the travel, it's scraping

41 COUNTERCLCK # 33 together the registration fee. (And I know about local hospital and they confirmed the diagnosis the instalment plans.) Right now, my sights are but were far more positive about the impact of my set on Novacon and I'm not looking too much moderate hearing loss on my life. That is, they beyond that. Still, I've been offered some didn't overstate the amount of impairment I could consultancy work on top of the Day Job, so that expect in the next few years. They did, however, might bring in some money a bit further down the offer me hearing aids if I wanted them - the same line. hearing aids the private practitioner would have given me, but this time completely free of charge. Otherwise, not a lot of news from me on the Thus the benefits of our own National Health science fictional front; I've not seen many new Service! films since January, and I've mainly concentrated on getting my reading up to date - I've been I hope you enjoy your break from fanac, and I working through the novels of Ken Macleod and shall look forward to the next CC - in the Autumn, I'm also part-way through Jeff Vandermeer's perhaps? 'Southern Reach', which seems very Kafka-esque to me. 'Annihilation' seems a most unlikely vehicle WAHF: Michael Haitel (Gerfany, Ivan Kranjcevic for a film, though I gather it translated well into the (Croatia), Patric Fors (Sweden) visual medium but (here in the UK at least) i went ------straight to Netflix after only a couple of weeks on THE FINAL WRD general release. (I've not seen it yet.) I don't see Not often, but this time, I write the final rant first. It 'Authority' being a likely film subject. I also read is a little bit frustrating, when you have arrived at Lavie Tidhar's 'Central Station' and enjoyed it very page 42 and the entire word-file keeps crashing much. That book, possibly 'Annihilation' and the every time you press ENTER in the document. 'Imperial Radch' novels of Ann Leckie all gave me Tell me about it! I found that the last page, the the sense of otherness that I started reading sf for Romanian EuroCon bid better be pasted in last. back in the late 1960s/early 1970s, even though No fault of the Romanians, I am grateful you did they are a mix of different sorts of stories and the this lovely dystopian poster to plaster everywhere. Tidhar in particular doesn't stint on the way that It saved me some work. technology can affect our lives for the worse Now I can only hope, the readers will take note of rather than the better (but it still comes out very it. And this is one other convention I want to see optimistic in the end). happen. I believe Jonathan Cowie is with me on You'll note that a lot of these books aren't the this. He spoke affectionately of Timisoara in absolutely latest thing out in the shelves. My Dortmund 1999. I hope nothing much else has periods of unemployment rather restricted my changed, we're only some 20 years down the book-buying; our library system has been so road from there. decimated by spending cuts that it stopped being I also dug up an old polish magazine (ALFA 2) able to supply up-to-date but minority interest from 1976, which I intend to take with me if I go to literature like sf quite some time ago; and in any Poland one day. These kind of old things belong case, I like to think that my buying books is in a country where people can read, and keeping some of my favourite authors in beer appreciate them. money. I am slowly catching up, though. I do not always answer directly on a LoC. The only other noteworthy thing lately is that I In particularly, when I know the LoC-writer is one went to an IT tester's conference in March (in of those fans who read the entire issue. I do read Brighton, a place which I more usually associate their LoC's, of course – I have to as I edit. with sf conventions and trade union conferences) Sometimes no immediate answer comes to mind, and ended up being immortalised in cartoon form! but sometimes I ponder upon what has been said (https://www.ministryoftesting.com/dojo/lessons/the- for several issues ahead. artful-tester-episode-two-trip-to-testbash-brighton) I remember Walt Willis once wrote a piece about And indeed, I've not blogged much recently, all the unanswered letters he was thinking about. I either, though I have a couple of blog posts in am one of those fans who could completely embryonic form right now. I had my hearing tested sympathize with Walt on this issue. It has earlier in the year at my optician's, and they tried happened that I carried some words with me for to sell me hearing aids - two, at £450 or more a the rest of my life and those who spoke, or wrote time! - but I went to get a second opinion from the them never knew which impact they had.

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Tom Ölander (Finland), Sam J Lundwall (Sweden) Other rare pieces and Christian Worch (Germany), Carla Mötteli It has happened, now and then, that I discovered (Switzerland), Hermann Ellingsen (Norway) being a piece of art in rubbish. I believe the first time some of those, who never were personally told. was in the mid 80's. I accidentally broke a mirror At least Hermann, if reading old CounterClock and discovered this butterfly among the broken issues very carefully, may find what I am referring pieces. to. I am deeply grateful to John Purcell, Jörg Ritter and Martin Stricker for their contributions to this issue. Jörg and Martin gave me the necessary push to haul me out of my rock-steady calm and helped me overcome the inertia after 6 months rest. The Garden Angler In August I recovered a unique sculpture I made a couple of years ago (probably 2012). It is called a Garden Angler (Trädgårdsmarulk in Swedish). For those of you, who do not know what an Angler is; it may both in English and German language refer to a kind of fisherman, but also to a species of deep sea fish. Marulk in Swedish refers only to Broken mirror butterfly the fish itself. All I had to do, was to glue the pieces onto a black background and put it in a frame (so viewers who can't keep their fingers away won't cut themselves on it). If anyone else has a rare piece, which I may have forgotten, please do send me a pic of it, if you still have it. I do recall doing some aquarels (water colour paintings) I recall as rather nifty. And some oil. There's an alien in oil I'd wish I'd get to see again. Didn't use to take snapshots of my artwork in the past. Now everything is being documented.

Garden Angler (Trädgårdsmarulk) 2012 The idea for the sculpture came when I held the dry squash (pumpkin) in my hand. The fins are made of toothpicks and painted hygienic paper. The eyes are flat round glass pieces (2 of them). Not much work done on it, but to astonishing effect. When I saw it again, I was at first speech- less myself. I did this? At first I didn't even remember how I did the fins. Now, six years later with the dust settled on them, they look remarkably organic. I'm not letting this piece go White Bedlington Terrier again unless anyone offers me at least 200 Euros Here's the Bedlington Terrier, carved late in 2016, for it. There is no way you find a second pumpkin posing in front of the Mallard previously featured quite like this one. in CounterClock #29, page 32. ------The Internet is a big distraction. Wow, end of page, end of this issue! Enjoy! Ray Bradbury Bee seeing you, Wolf

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COUNTERCLCK # 33 Croatia / Serbia branch reporter Bojana Nariel Lubina, Zagreb Wolf von Witting Via Dei Banduzzi 6/4 Greece / Sweden branch reporter Anders Bellis, Stockholm / Athens 33050 Bagnaria Arsa (Ud) - Italia Email: wolfram1764 - at - yahoo - dot – se Photographers: Joerg Ritter (Gerfany) and Sergii Paltsun (Ukraine)

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