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Vol. 17 No. 4 August 2018 ALEXIAD (!7+=3!G) $2.00 September will be International month at the library. Each branch draws a country Alexis A. Gilliland...... 8, 9, 10, 11 which it will feature in its displays. This year ours is India. And so I have begun studying Trinlay Khadro ...... 2 India and requesting books on it for our displays. I will continue to do so until September 20. Any later than that and the books will not get there in time. Labor Day is Worldfest [Marc Schirmeister sent more art. I put it somewhere where I knew it would be safe here and I will seek out the India booth and buy something, perhaps some jewelry, until I could scan it. I think you know the next line. I’m still looking, Schirm.] perhaps some pottery, depending on what the budget allows. The 93rd Running of the Hambletonian (1st leg of theTrotting Triple Crown) was August — Lisa 4, 2018 at Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, New Jersey. won, the fourteenth filly to do so. Table of Contents The 64th Running of the Yonkers Trot (2nd leg of the Trotting Triple Crown) is Editorial...... 1 September 1, 2018 at Yonkers Raceway in Yonkers, New York. Reviewer’s Notes ...... 1 The 126th Running of the Kentucky Futurity (3rd leg of the Trotting Triple Crown) is October 7, 2018 at the Red Mile in Lexington, Kentucky. Awards Nominees...... 5 Eclipse News...... 2 The 64th Running of the Cane Pace (1st leg of the Pacing Triple Crown) was August 4, Hugo Short Fiction ...... 5 2018 at Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Stay Hungry won. Sidewise Awards Nominees ...... 5 The 63rd Running of the Messenger Stakes (2nd leg of the Pacing Triple Crown) is On Jewelry...... 5 September 1, 2018 at Yonkers Raceway in Yonkers, New York. Vision Report ...... 2 The 73rd Running of the Little Brown Jug (3rd leg of the Pacing Triple Crown) is Weight Report ...... 2 September 20, 2018 at the Delaware County Fair in Delaware, Ohio. ...... 6 The Dormition of the Theotokos is August 15, 2018. Book Reviews JTM Benson, Space Odyssey ...... 4 Printed on September 6, 2018 JTM van den Boom, Kaiserkrieger 4: Der Aufstand ...... 3 Deadline is October 1, 2018 JTM Heller, Decision at Antietam ...... 4 JTM Campbell, Ascendant: The Genesis Fleet ...... 3 Reviewer’s Notes JTM Hynes, The Red Führer ...... 4 JTM Larson, To the Edges of the Earth ...... 4 I was wondering if something was wrong. We got acknowledgements but then . . . for a JTM Palter/Rohde, The Fall of Malta ...... 3 whole month . . . no locs. Did people not get the zine? JTM Rogan, On to Chicago ...... 4 JTM Turtledove, Hail! Hail!...... 3 Alternatehistory.com has some unusual trends. Now they have a separate section on alternate media works. This is dominated by alternate timelines, most even Random Jottings ...... 2 worse than the series. And it proliferates. One contributor did a story where Westeros somehow got attached to Middle-earth. Letters ...... 8 This promptly turned The Lord of the Rings into another Game of Thrones, with massacres Sue Burke, Robert S. Kennedy, AL du Pisani, George W. Price, Taras Wolansky (particularly at every wedding), pointless intrigue, and the natives being shoved well into the background. The show touches on some deeply held feeling in our culture. I don’t like the Comments are by JTM or LTM idea of going there. [“Of course I’m out of my mind! It’s dark and scary in there!” – Mr. J.] Trivia: ...... 12 I am still writing, though as I lack the desire to write of time-traveling Nazi zombies being fought by leather-clad lesbian vampires no one seems to want to buy my books. Art: My problem with being blocked on one project now seems to be to start yet another. I’m not Sheryl Birkhead ...... 8 sure how that’s going to work out in the long run. Paul Gadzikowski ...... 12 — Joe Page 2 August 2018 Alexiad

would have but to ask Christopher Priest, disregarding them, continued to fight until the RANDOM JOTTINGS Charles Platt, or Connie Willis. And four of company was withdrawn. He held the position I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW by Joe his five marriages broke up. during this withdrawal. The commendation by Joe says: “I hear, I balance, I assess, but When last we left my eye surgery, the judge I do not, who claim no such His great gallantry and utter doctors had found out, much to their dismay, power. Let the Spirit who sent him contempt for his own personal safety that the new lens in my right eye had tipped forth, to whom he is returned again, were an inspiration to all his comrades. over a little. Naturally I would have to pay to pass judgment on his spirit. This dead He was, by his heroic actions, get this fixed. one has sinned deeply, yet has he been personally responsible for causing By now the procedure was getting all too more deeply sinned against. Nor enormous losses to the enemy, familiar; get on the van, go over to Indiana, against that man can be reckoned the assisting his Company to maintain their dish out $$$, get wrapped up and doped up, account of his deeds of madness. Cast position for some four hours and and let them do their arcane things. him then to his grave feet first that his saving the lives of many of his The adjustment didn’t seem to be quite as name may be whitened in the ears of comrades when they were forced to much an assault on my seeing as before, but those unborn, and that thence he may withdraw from their position. then it only required one procedure instead of return again at the time appointed. It is Private Speakman’s heroism under two; they didn’t have to fire the phaser banks spoken.” intense fire throughout the operation into the old lens. Buy my books. (All available on Now the Accuser lifted the book of and when painfully wounded was And the next day I went to Dr. L., who Amazon.com for quite reasonable prices, his accusations from the ground and, beyond praise and is deserving of observed that things seemed to be going well except the Hugo-nominated Heinlein’s advancing, hurled it into the gulf in supreme recogntion. and I should come back in two weeks. They Children, which can be bought from NESFA token that it was blotted out. Then he — Supplement to the London Gazette, 25th are getting to know me there. for a reasonable price.) turned and vanished from the chamber; December, 1951 The swelling of the cornea in my left eye — Advt. while the Advocate, taking up his had pretty much gone down by then, which book, gave it into the keeping of the Speakman later served with the Special Air was the other thing he was checking. It The guys behind The Joker Blogs have priest Oros, that it might be preserved Service, rising to the rank of Sergeant before wouldn’t do to have the yellowish haze (from announced that the final three episodes will be in the archives of the temple for ever. retiring in 1968. In 2015 he became a Chelsea the lens) replaced by a whitish one (from the released soon. They’re putting a smile on our This done, the priests began a funeral Pensioner. cornea). So my eyes seemed to be in good face. chant and a solemn invocation to the shape. (As for the rest of the afternoon, the great Lord of the Under-world that he YOU’RE SO VAIN less said the better; I had a bad time for a http://thejokerblogs.com would receive this spirit and acquit it by Joe different reason.) there as here it had been acquitted by It is interesting seeing colors so brightly the Hesea, his minister. There was a solar eclipse on August 11, a and cleanly. My original lenses seemed to OBITS — Sir H. Rider Haggard, Ayesha: The Return partial eclipse visible in Newfoundland, have deterioriated, not only in acuity, but in of She Greenland, and Siberia. The greatest extent clarity, gaining a yellowish haze. The contrast The tumult of has died. was at 70E 24' N, 174E 30' E, off the coast of is quite striking. Harlan Ellison passed away on the morning Russia near Wrangel Island. The eclipse was My final appointment with Dr. L. was of June 28, 1934 at his home in Los Angeles. MONARCHICAL NEWS part of Saros 155, which began June 17, 1928 delayed because we had to go to a funeral. He Born May 27, 1934 in Cleveland, Ohio, and will end July 24, 3190. surveyed the situation and said that recovery Ellison began his life of creativity and turmoil We regret to report the death of William The next total solar eclipse will be on June seemed to be going well and I didn’t need to at a surprisingly young age, running away Speakman-Pitt, known as Bill Speakman, 2, 2019, visible across the South Pacific and in see him again for a while. from home to do various itinerant jobs. V.C. on June 20, 2018, at the Royal Hospital, Chile and Argentina. The longest totality will In , he leaped to notice as most Chelsea in London. Born September 21, 1927 be 4 minutes 33 seconds, at sea at 17E 24' S, WEIGHT noticeable member of Seventh Fandom — or in Altrincham, Cheshire, Speakman joined the 109E W. The eclipse is part of Saros 127, by Lisa as some called it, the Phony Seventh. And he Black Watch when he entered the army. He which began on October 10, 991 and will end continued his career of turnoil, from the door was attached to the King’s Own Scottish on March 21, 2452. This morning I stepped on the scales for incident at MidWestCon through the dramatic Borderers when that battalion was sent to my weekly weighing. 162.4. I am within semi-boycott of IguanaCon. Korea. NASA Eclipse website: thirteen pounds of the goal I somewhat He began writing for publication in 1949, On November 4, 1951, when the left flank https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse.html jokingly set for myself seven years ago. This producing a stream of fiction with edges so of his company’s position north of the Imjin has been a mental journey as much as a sharp they made the reader bleed. As well, he River began to collapse, Private Speakman Other useful eclipse websites: physical one. I have gone from being a couch edited the famous (or at the last, infamous) gathered up all the grenades he could find, potato to someone who thinks nothing of Dangerous Visions anthologies of trend- took six men, and on his own initiative moved http://www.hermit.org/Eclipse walking a mile to work. It has been a journey breaking science fiction. to bolster the position. He conducted ten from size 20 down to size 14. It has meant He did offend many in personal ways; one charges before being severely wounded, but http://www.eclipse.org.uk/ having to replace all my pants. Sometimes I Alexiad August 2018 Page 3 find myself looking at the new pants and Rob Geary and Mele Darcy must be used problems of Gothic Italy, and the Paratimer found him.” thinking there is no way I can squeeze into to being discarded. The government of thought of throwing fruit at Justinian as “And you’re saying this time-line them. I have earned this. Size 18 was not that Glenlyon has gotten along just fine without he was stuck in an improvised pillory split is another such case?” Vall asked. hard to achieve. Size 16 took a bit longer. Size them. did not give him the reassurance it “Ah, there we had a man on them 14 required a lot of miles logged on my shoes. Nevertheless, there is a “Ms. Darcy, we’re might have. immediately! But they struck him as I did not expect my stomach to shrink but it needed” moment when the planet is — Not by L. Sprague de Camp too funny to be of any effect. . .” has. I can no longer eat nearly as much as I threatened, again. Because of threats, the — Not by H. Beam Piper used to. At a certain point my stomach will government has resigned itself to recalling Arthur, Julius, Leonard, and sometimes refuse to accept any more food. Rob, even giving him the rank of Commander Herbert are on a train to New York when they IN A FLASH and command of a ship, while Mele is made get diverted into the past, and no British Police Review by Joseph T Major of ZERSTÖRERMÄNNER BAND IV Commandant of the Glenlyon Marine Corps (a call boxes for them to take back home, they THE FALL OF MALTA: Review by Joseph T Major of whole twenty jarheads). are somewhat beyond their bounds. And in The Reich without Hitler: Volume 1 KAISERKRIEGER 4: DER AUFSTAND The result befits the legendary plaint, “We Fredonia, not to be confused with Freedonia, by Scott Palter with Mike Rohde (The Emperor’s Men 4: Uprising) the unwilling, led by the unknowing, are doing though there is hail. (2018; Amazon Digital Services; $0.99) by Dirk van den Boom the impossible, for the ungrateful. We have It is 1826, and Levy Schönberg is a boy in (2018; Atlantis Verlag Guido Latz; done so much, for so long, with so little, we Dornum, while Simon Marrix is yet to be born. This is a book by a couple of wargamers. ISBN 978-3864026102; $12.00; are now qualified to do anything with Nacogodoches is full of roaches, and also Hitler dies in a plane crash after crushing Amazon Digital Services; $5.99) nothing.” Some things never change. Norteamericanos. France, and his Indomitable Will is obeyed, http://www.atlantis-verlag.de It would seem that Zeppo (Herbert) would bringing his Comrade of the Struggle There are more links. The story never be the most worthwhile, what with his Reichsmarshal Göring to the Leadership. ARIES IAM MURO TETIGAT, the new really ends, you know. In his search for crew, technical skills, but it turns out that Groucho Which involves a little bloodshed, as Himmler Emperor and his men might say. Rob finds an engineer qualified enough to be (Julius) takes the lead. Particularly when he and most of his circle are found surplus to „Das Rammen hat die Mauer berührt,” the XO. Her name? “Vicki Shen”. A relative of gets called out, and somehow manages to current needs and disposed of. Except for one. new Magister Militum and his fellow crewmen Jen Shen of the Paul Sinclair novels? Or just shoot dead a notorious norteamericano. In our But the Fat One is more interested in his might say. a coincidence of names? It’s nice to think the time-line the man had a big part in the failure model trains and planes and such, so he The rebellion of Magnus Maximus and his former even though that way lies Wold of the Fredonian revolution. This isn’t going presides, while others lead. Namely Generals Kaiserliche collaborator has surged out of Newtonism. to happen now. Halder (?) and Beck (??), and the new chief of Britain, and indeed into the Italian Peninsula. But then, it can be perhaps deliberate. The Indeed it’s “Hail, Hail, Fredonia!” and no the SS, Heydrich (!!??). The Hangman did At the beginning of the Empire, some four council member who summoned Rob back to Mrs. Teasdale to lend them money. The some very quick talking on that day, you see. centuries agone, the Senate and Pompeius service later goes on a covert mission for aid. Marxes realize they don’t fit. There’s no place The new regime immediately lays off that Magnus were faced with a like crisis, as Julius To pass through the enemy’s surveillance, she like home. talk about killing Jews, and indeed enlists Caesar had crossed the Rubicon and was uses a pseudonym. They look at this meek Only . . . timelines can have their own them, along with surplus SS, SA, and any coming to get them. little librarian and figure she isn’t overdue and shifts. The unsuited outsiders find themselves other laybys, even Jews, into something called Faced with this problem, Magister Militum doesn’t need to be checked out. Even if she is in an environment where the response to smart the Niblelungenlegion, yet another Rheinsburg has at least the ability to evacuate. named Alice Mary Norton. (If you still don’t gags won’t be laughs, or even boos, but hot paramilitary force, which proceeds to clean up. („Dunkirk? Vas ist ‚Dunkirk’?”) get this, write and let us know.) lead. Fortunately those clever jokes are That done, the Reich decides on the Let us hope that there is not a dismal scene backed up by clever thoughts, but still . . . Mediterranean option, and a parachute drop on similar to the one at Atia’s party, where the LAND OF THE BRAVE AND FREE (Why all the commentary about Yiddish? the Island of Malta is in order. Including a guests argued over who should kill whom, and Review by Joseph T Major of The Marxes were Yekkes, they spoke German; unit of the Nibelungenlegion. who would have to take her own life as last HAIL! HAIL! see “Chico’s Bank Account” in Memoirs of a Somehow, using an armed mob doesn’t survivor. One would think they were By Harry Turtledove Mangy Lover where an Italian crime boss in an sound like the best idea. And how Zionist superstitious Judeans, stuck in a breached (2018; Swallow’s End Publishing (Kindle); unnamed Southern city offers Chico Marx five groups like Betar (as you know, Bob, the Betar hilltop fortress. $2.99) brothels if he will only stay there, and breaks was Revisionist, the ancestors of the Likud, into Italian to indicate his affection for a and founded the ZZW [Jewish Military Union] WE THE UNWILLING The soup had a familiar taste. paisano. Chico almost replied in German. which undertook the Warsaw Rising) suddenly Review by Joseph T Major of Padway looked down into the bowl Ach du scheiss.) become active German auxiliaries is left as an ASCENDANT: after his first spoonful and sighed. exercise to the reader. The Genesis Fleet “What’s the matter, Martinus?” Urias “We are investigating other cases It makes an interesting wargame. See by “Jack Campbell” [John G. Hemry] said. “The cook went to a lot of similar to the Hartley one,” said under “Murphy’s Rules” for how interesting (2018; Ace; trouble to make good duck soup.” Associate Commissioner Kapar Grann. (which had other interesting wargame bits like ISBN 978-1101988374; $27.00; “It’s the memory,” Padway said. “The initial case appears to have been how setting yourself on fire was the best way (Kindle); $13.99) He had seen that movie before . . . some fifteen hundred years ago, here, to fight in a dungeon if you didn’t have a Sequel to Vanguard before the transition, and the memory where a man known as ‘Mysterious torch, why it was impossible to commit suicide (2017; reviewed in Alexiad V. 17 #1) lingered. Rufus T. would have Martinus’ imported what appeared to by shooting yourself, and other such been even harder put to resolve the be technology. He died before a interesting variations on reality). Page 4 August 2018 Alexiad

(2018; Andrew J. Heller; before. What if Adolf Hitler were a wouldn’t have known what a green screen was RECURSION TO THE MEAN ISBN 978-1983286995; $13.27; Communist? if you had thrown him into one headfirst. Review by Joseph T Major of Amazon Digital Services; $4.95) The beginning is plausible enough; the When he recovered, he might have used it, ON TO CHICAGO: impoverished artist in Vienna encounters a though. Rediscovering Rober F. Kennedy and the The author of Gray Tide in the East (2012; member of an artistic movement more Benson brings up to date the story first Lost Campaign of 1968 reviewed in Alexiad V. 12 #4) and its sequel sympathetic to his style. In the discussions, expounded in Jerome Agel’s The Making of by James Rogan Gray Tide 2: Tidal Effects (2017) this time politics creep in, and Adolf becomes devoted Kubrick’s 2001 (1970). Kubrick began his (2018; WND Books; decides to stand Turtledove (How Few Remain to the liberation of the proletariat from the idea with some intense research. Clarke, on ISBN 978-1944229986; $29.95; (1997)) on his head. More specifically, he has oppression of the bourgeoisie. the other hand, began the work with a Amazon Digital Services; $9.99) General McClellan not take counsel of Alan From there, his wartime experiences desperate need for money; between taxes, his Pinkerton, the desire to become the next diverge slightly, and he flocks to the Bavarian failed marriage, and Mike Wilson’s bottomless RFK going on to the election has been a President, and his fears, and attack the Rebs Soviet, instead of running into the Deutsche money pit of movie making work, not to common bit of ever since, oh, decisively at Antietam, with their battle Arbeiterpartie. From there, he becomes a mention the unwillingness of Sinhalese Russell Baker’s Our Next President (1968), dispositions to hand. rising star in the KPD, and when the time merchants to take Mogul silver rupees in when Bobby cleverly outmaneuvered everyone The result is catastrophic for the comes . . . payment, money was extremely tight for him else to become Acting President, thanks to Confederacy, with just about the entire Army There are a few stretchers here. Thus, then. (Incidentally, Mike Wilson’s movies are some really inept bargaining by Johnson, of Northern Virginia taken captive. Yet the when Hitler goes to Moscow to meet the lost; no prints are known to exist.) Wallace, and John Lindsay. Mitchell Young Napoleon does not proceed to burn people currently running the Soviet Union, The shooting had many unknown features. Freedman wrote a BobbyWank, A Disturbance down Moscow, er Richmond, but pauses to they all speak the same language. Stalin didn’t Kubrick hired a key aide literally off the of Fate (2002, 2003; reviewed in Alexiad V. 2 reorganize, demand more troops, and lay in speak German, and I would think that streets; and the man was useful in that he could #5). Jeff Greenfield had a more nuanced view supplies. Kamenev and Zinoviev would be more likely get around British union rules. Several in the middle story of his collection Then The next part of the war is marked by to speak Yiddish. astronomical scenes were filmed using a Everything Changed (2011; reviewed in desperate maneuverings by the Confederacy to Also, the book is a little too full of the little vegetable substance known as “banana oil”, Alexiad V. 10 #3). form up some sort of defense, and desperate people doing little things. As Part One of a which started rotting under the heat and light. After surviving a shooting in the aftermath maneuverings by the Union high command as longer series that would be one thing, but at it The model making was intricate. There are of his California victory, RFK plunges on to it shuffles and reshuffles. The Army of the stands it breaks the focus. certain similarities between the models of the convention, Which turns out to be Potomac runs through commanders while the As well, it skims over what one would 2001 and of the epos, the unsurprising, except for some behind-the- new Confederate Army of Virginia has to think would be crucial elements in the triumph complexity and the detail. Han Solo would not scenes issues, such as the sudden shipment of gather up whatever it can in the way of boots of the Revolution. The KPD really wasn’t that do as Heywood Floyd’s pilot, sorry to say. Johnson For President banners, posters, and (or, given the circumstances, bare feet) on the popular, and a coup by the Rotfront would The interior sets were equally complex. signs, which never get used as LBJ has to ground. The campaign is marked by extreme likely lead to a civil war. The rotating set of the Discovery crew respond to the winding-up of the Prague friction in the Clauswitzian sense. Still, it’s not your usual German AH, and is compartment, well, rotated, and the nearly Spring. The convention goes on to nominate Nevertheless, finally, finally, the Army of worth reading for that reason. In our history, fatal intersection of a pipe wrench and him, and in response Nixon passes over the the Potomac takes Richmond. The struggling so many lower-level German communists computer theorist Marvin Minsky, come to alliterative governor of Maryland as his Confederacy doesn’t so much surrender as it seamlessly transitioned to the Nazi party; why admire the setup, had its own problems. running mate, choosing instead the host of disintegrates. And then? not the Großkerl? But Kubrick was persuasive. Keir Dullea Death Valley Days. Kennedy is plagued with Gray Tide in the East was, in spite of [David Bowman] does not get along with migraines throughout the campaign, and things, somewhat better than the OTL war in JOURNEY BEYOND THE STARS heights, and yet Kubrick persuaded him to do manages to lose the election. that it did not develop the agonizing Review by Joseph T Major of the air lock escape scene, which required him And indeed, everying gets reset to our time disllusionment at society that was the fertile SPACE ODYSSEY: to be hung by wires over a vertical tube. [Look line. Reagan steps down after one term as environment for totalitarianisms, even though Stanley Kubrick, Arthur C. Clarke, and the up the YouTube video “If HAL-9000 were Nixon’s VP, and Nixon is disgraced at it left Germany dominating the continent. Will Making of a Masterpiece Amazon.com’s Alexa” to see how it could Watergate. RFK dies of a brain aneurysm this sudden victory break the formation of the by Michael Benson have been worse for Dave.] caused by a fragment of one of Sirhan’s Klan, and the grand pressure of Reconstruction (2018; Simon & Schuster; Amid all the problems, such as Clarke’s bullets. It’s not quite as bad as the total reset and its lapse? Like that book this is an ISBN 978-1501163937; $30.00; coming on to Kubrick that he wouldn’t be of The Plot Against America (2004; reviewed interesting provoker of thought. Simon & Schuster Digital Sales; $14.99) coming on to Kubrick (he was very close to in Alexiad V 3 #6). Hector Ekanayake) to the madcap sessions (Note: WND Books is associated with UNSER KAMPF The four years from the conception of with the Kubrick family, the movie was WND.com so be warned.) Review by Joseph T Major of Journey Beyond the Stars to the release of completed. And then released, to acclaim and THE RED FÜHRER 2001: A Space Odyssey were fraught with incomprehension. After which Kubrick retired HOW MANY REMAIN by Paul Hynes many hazards. Fifty years later, there is now to study Napoleon, and when that didn’t work Review by Joseph T Major of (2018; Sea Lion Press; $5.37) a certain perspective on them. out, to do A Clockwork Orange (or twenty out DECISION AT ANTIETAM: One can imagine the jaded fans of today of twenty-one chapters thereof). A Counterfactual History of the Civil War This is one of those things which seems to wondering how the CGI was handled. Kiddies by Andrew J. Heller have been so obvious, and yet never done . . . there was no CGI then. Stanley Kubrick WE SHALL NOT CEASE FROM Alexiad August 2018 Page 5

EXPLORATION of a dead lion, but his efforts in the final stages Long Form Michael Anderle Review by Joseph T Major of of the trip prefigured the rescue of the Imperial Legend by Christopher Woods TO THE EDGES OF THE EARTH: Trans-Antarctic Expedition. Gregory Benford, The Berlin Project, A Call to Vengeance by , 1909, the Race for the Three Poles, and the Finally, the seemingly privileged Prince Press, 2017 , and Thomas Pope Climax of the Age of Exploration Luigi Amadeo di Savoia, Duca degli Abruzzi, Brent Harris, A Time of Need, Insomnia by Edward J. Larson having been maimed once heading for the Publishing, 2017 Best Alternate History Novel (2018; William Morrow; North Pole, decided instead to climb the Elan Mastai, All Our Wrong Todays, ISBN 978-0062564474; $29.99; highest accessible mountain. K2 is a Dutton, 2017 Dark State by Charles Stross HarperCollins Publishers; $12.99) surveyor’s name, the way Chomolungma was Alan Smale, The Clash of Eagles trilogy The Sea Peoples by S.M. Stirling known as Peak XV. But Chomolungma was (Clash of Eagles, Eagle in Exile, Eagle Witchy Winter by D.J. Butler Being a “Three Poler” — Everest and the called after the former Surveyor-General of and Empire), Del Rey, 2015-2017 Uncharted by Kevin J. Anderson and North and South Poles, is not common even India, Sir George Everest. Prince Luigi was Bryce Zabel, Once There Was a Way, Sarah A. Hoyt today but there are several people who have following in the footsteps of Aleister Crowley Diversion Books, 2017 Dream of the Iron Dragon by Robert that accomplishment, beginning with Sir Ran (fortunately in that alone) and his expedition Kroese Fiennes. It may interest you to know that strove mightily, pioneering the most common DRAGON AWARDS 2018 Minds of Men by Kacey Ezell while there are “Seven Summiters”, people route up the mountain. Strangely for a climb who have climbed the highest mountain on of K2, the expedition did not have anyone Best Science Fiction Novel Best Media Tie-In Novel each continent, and because of differing killed. definitions there are several variations of So. None of our explorers succeeded at his It Takes Death to Reach a Star by Gareth Leia: Princess of Alderaan by Claudia climbing the nine mountains that are the goal, though one claimed to. What have we Worthington and Stu Jones Gray highest peaks on the seven contients, some learned? Sometimes failure is as great an Persepolis Rising by James S.A. Corey Before the Storm by Christie Golden climbers argue that climbing the second accomplishment as success. Just ask Gene The Mutineer’s Daughter by Chris Phasma by Delilah S. Dawson highest mountain on each continent is more of Kranz. Kennedy and Thomas A. Mays Fear Itself by James Swallow an accomplishment, since they are usually Win by Vera Nazarian Legacy of Onyx by Matt Forbeck more difficult to climb. K2 for example is far A friend at church gave me a nice little Sins of Her Father by Mike Kupari Desperate Hours by David Mack more difficult to climb than Everest and has a pendant. That little pendant has woken in me Artemis by much higher casualty rate. Then there is the a liking for jewelry. I have begun building up Best Horror Novel True Explorers Grand Slam, which involves a collection. Librarian K has put out a Best Novel (Including Paranormal) reaching both poles and climbing the Seven selection of beads and wire for patrons to Beneath the Lighthouse by Julieanne Summits (Sir Ran Fiennes was first to do this), make wire jewelry with. I have made several Shoot the Messenger by Pippa DaCosta Lynch or perhaps even also all 14 8000-meter peaks such. Other library staff seem to like them War Hammer by Shayne Silvers Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero . . . though they may just be being polite. At any Oathbringer by A Time to Run by Mark Wandrey In 1909, Chomolungma was out of bounds, rate I have fun putting together combinations The Land: Predators by Aleron Kong The Cabin at the End of the World by so Mount Godwin-Austen, now known as K2, of beads I think attractive and interesting, The Traitor God by Cameron Johnston Paul Tremblay the second highest mountain in the world, had whether they really are or not. A Tempered Warrior by Jon R. Osborne Sleeping Beauties by and to stand in for it, And in that year people tried — Lisa Owen King for all three of the poles. Three different Best Young Adult / Middle Grade Novel Glimpse by Jonathan Maberry expeditions, however. SIDEWISE AWARDS 2017 In the frozen North, Robert E. Peary, his Cold Bath Street by A.J. Hartley Best Comic Book loyal servant Matthew Henson, and several Short Form A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. other expeditioneers and Inuit set out for the Maas Mighty by and James Big Nail. It was Peary’s last possible effort, Tom Anderson & Bruno Lombardi, When Tinker Met Bell by Alethea Kontis Harren, and apparently his will was stronger than his “N’oublions Jamais,” Altered Europa, Brightly Burning by Alexa Donne Doomsday Clock by Geoff Johns and Gary body. Larson agrees with Sir Wally Herbert, edited by Martin T. Ingham, Martinus Warcross by Marie Lu Frank, DC Comics not the National Geographic Society, on the Publishing, 2017 Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Aliens: Dead Orbit by James Stokoe, Dark accomplishment matter. Dave D’Alessio, “The Twenty Year Adeyemi Horse Comics In the frigid south, Ernest H, Shackleton Reich,” Altered Europa, edited by Mister Miracle by Tom King and Mitch set out to outdo his now-disdainful former Martin T. Ingham, Martinus Best or Fantasy Gerads, DC Comics superior and his own questionable health alike. Publishing, 2017 Novel Saga by Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona In spite of his lackadaisical attitude towards Nisi Shawl, “Sun River,” Clockwork Staples, finance, the problems with animal transport, Cairo: Steampunk Tales from Egypt, Communications Failure by Joe Zieja Star Wars: Darth Vader by Charles D. and the hazards of the area, he showed what edited by Matthew Bright, Twopenny Points of Impact by Marko Kloos Soule and Giuseppe Camuncoli, improvisation, leadership, and sheer bloody Books, 2017 Ghost Marines: Integration by Jonathan Marvel Comics hard-headedness can do. He did not get there, Harry Turtledove, “Zigeuner,” Asimov’s, P. Brazee saying he preferred to be a live donkey instead 9-10/17 Price of Freedom by Craig Martelle and Best Graphic Novel Page 6 August 2018 Alexiad

Chicago Typewriter: The Red Ribbon by Studios 6. Binti: Home, by Nnedi Okorafor Sturgeon Awards. B r a n d o n F i a d i n o , D j i b r i l Nocked! by Andrew Schneider (Tor.com) This is #2 in the Binti series. A 1. All Systems Red, by Martha Wells Morissette-Phan, and James Greatorex, Lineage 2: Revolution by Netmarble young woman named Binti, who in novella #1 (Tor.com) A has killed in the past, is Dark Legion Comics Final Fantasy XV: Pocket Edition by had gone off to study at a university and in the sure everyone hates it because of that, and Brandon Sanderson’s White Sand Square Enix process ended a war and became a , must hates itself, too. This story won the ALA Alex Volume 1 by Brandon Sanderson, Rik : Hogwarts Mystery by Jam now return home. As in the first novella, there Award and the Nebula, and it was also my Hoskin, and Julius M. Gopez, City are complications with her family, with her vote for the Nebula. culture, and with the larger galaxy – and she Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Board must also find out more about her identity. It’s Novelette Monstress Vol. 2: The Blood by Marjorie Game a coming-of-age story with interesting details, M. Liu, Sana Takeda, Image Comics but the narration rambles and the plot twists 6. “Extracurricular Activities,” by Yoon Vision (The Vision) by Tom King, Gabriel Rising Sun by CMON Games are few and not always surprising. The novella Ha Lee (Tor.com, 2/15/17) A special ops Hernandez Walta, Marvel Comics When I Dream by Asmodee is also clearly part of a series and doesn’t quite agent gets sent on a secret mission to rescue a Paper Girls Volume 4 by Brian K. Vaughn Mysterium: Secrets and Lies Expansion stand alone. Although Binti is charming, the fellow agent. The rescuing agent is supremely and Cliff Chiang, Image Comics by Asmodee storytelling about her is a bit less so. Binti #1 confident, and the story tries to be both tense Azul by Plan B Games won the Hugo and Nebula Awards. and humorous. It felt like a caper, and Best Science Fiction or Fantasy TV Series Red Dragon Inn 6: Villains by Slugfest 5. The Black Tides of Heaven, by JY obviously some people liked it more than I did. Games Yang (Tor.com) In an Asian-like culture with Apparently it’s part of a larger series, and it The Expanse, Syfy Photosynthesis by Blue Orange two moons and fluid genders, twins are driven might have helped to know that setting. Still, Game of Thrones, HBO apart by their tyrannical mother, the country’s to me the jokes seemed tired and the violence Lucifer, Fox Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Miniatures dictator, who rules with a bloodstained iron was not funny. I also don’t see what’s Supernatural, CW / Collectible Card / Role-Playing Game hand. entertaining about sexual harassment just Star Trek: Discovery, CBS All Access 4. River of Teeth, by Sarah Gailey because it’s between two men. #MeToo Altered Carbon, Warhammer 40,000 8th Edition by (Tor.com) The Wild, Wild West with hippos. A 5. “Small Changes Over Long Periods of , Netflix Games Workshop fun farce of an old-fashioned Western, but I Time,” by K.M. Szpara (Uncanny 5-6/17) A Force and Destiny Role-playing Game: was hoping for something more solid and man in the process of transitioning from Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Movie Knights of Fate by Fantasy Flight original. female to male gets turned into a vampire. Games 3. Down Among the Sticks and Bones, by 4. “The Secret Life of Bots,” by Suzanne Incredibles 2 directed by Brad Bird Bubblegumshoe – RPG by Evil Hat Seanan McGuire (Tor.com) At age 12, twin Palmer (Clarkesworld, 9/17) A brave little Thor: Ragnorok directed by Taika Waititi Cooking with Dice: The Acid Test by sisters, Jacqueline and Jillian, or Jack and Jill, robot, Bot 9, must exterminate a sort of rat Blade Runner 2049 directed by Denis Oddfish Games find a portal in the attic that leads to a through the bowels of a spaceship. As it Villeneuve D100 Dungeon by Martin Knight fantasyland. They’re glad to go. Their parents happens, the future of humanity depends on : Infinity War directed by Magic: The Gathering Unstable by aren’t abusive, just self-centered and clueless the success of Bot 9, which in turn needs the Anthony Russo and Joe Russo in a way that makes both girls miserable and help of other to catch the ratbug, and a Black Panther directed by emotionally stunted, one a tomboy and the few protocols are broken in the making of that Ready Player One directed by Steven The 2018 Hugo Awards: my thoughts on other a princess. In fantasyland, their roles are improvised rescue. This story is very cute. I’m Spielberg the short fiction reversed, and they change. After a few years, not a big fan of cute, but I will give Deadpool 2 directed by Dave Leitch by Sue Burke they have to escape back to reality, which is recognition to a job well done. If you like cute, where the story ends. I wish it had gone on just read this story. You’ll be glad you did. Best Science Fiction or Fantasy PC / In the April issue, I wrote about the Nebula a bit longer. I would have loved to see how the 3. “Children of Thorns,” by Aliette de Console Game short fiction nominees, and I was reasonably parents reacted to their now older, wiser, and Bodard (Uncanny 7-8/17) In disguise, a pair satisfied by the winners when they were different daughters, one of them blood- of spies from the dragon kingdom located Fortnite by Epic Games announced in May. spattered upon her arrival (not her own blood, under the Seine try to infiltrate the House of Cuphead by Studio MDHR There’s a lot of overlap between the either). Although the story was in some ways the Fallen Angels. The setting is a magically Middle-earth: Shadow of War by Nebula and Hugo nominees, which made predictable, the plot twists sometimes felt dystopic Paris, and the House is about to have Monolith Productions reading for the Hugos easier. I’ve ranked all more like knife twists and kept the story its own magical crisis. It meets Bodard’s usual Destiny 2 by Bungie my preferences for the Hugo ballot above “No surprising. A worthy contender for a Hugo, standards of tight writing, characterization, and Battletech by Harebrained Schemes Award”: while I’m a little harsh because I had and it’s already won the 2018 ALA Alex plotting, with wonderful details slipped in. My Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus by to make choices, they’re all good stories and Award. only problem is that it feels like an opening MachineGames well worth reading, no matter what else I say. 2. “And Then There Were (N-One),” by chapter to a novel – a fine opening chapter, but (I’ve summarized my comments for the stories Sarah Pinsker (Uncanny 3-4/17) Sarah there should be more. For me, that diminishes Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Mobile I wrote about in April.) Pinsker (not the author) gets an invitation to a what is in every other way an excellent work. Game Sarah Pinsker convention in an alternate 2. “Wind Will Rove,” by Sarah Pinsker Novella reality; the story captures that weirdness. This (Asimov’s 9-10/17) On a multi-generational Planescape: Torment by Black Isle novella was also nominated for the Locus and ship, the older generations cling to what they Alexiad August 2018 Page 7 recall from Earth or have learned about it. For sentient robot discovers an anime series about they retreat into their own circle. The Castalia the narrator, this means music. another sentient robot, Hyperwarp, and House blog has almost stopped updating. Vox 1. “A Series of Steaks,” by Vina Jie-Min becomes a “hyper-big fan.” It was a Locus Day is no longer so vocal. The current loud— Prasad (Clarkesworld 1/17) A woman in Award nominee and got my vote for the spokesbeing seems to be Jon Del Arroz, who China agrees to make counterfeit beefsteaks . is more infantile than persuasive. for a client, then the deal starts to go sour. This Not that their opponents are all that good, also won the Clarkesworld Reader’s Poll and WORLDCON BIDS either. got my vote for the Nebula. 2020 Short story New Zealand http://nzin2020.org/ 6. “Clearly Lettered in a Mostly Steady Hand,” by Fran Wilde (Uncanny 9-10/17) A 2021 visitor is led through an exhibition of what Washington, D.C. might have once cruelly been called a freak http://dcin2021.org/ show, and the visitor is tortured. 5. “Carnival Nine,” Caroline M. 2022 Yoachim (Beneath Ceaseless Skies 5/11/17) Chicago A wind-up toy robot mother makes great sacrifices to care for her robot son who has 2023 mechanical problems. Also a Paris nominee. https://sites.google.com/site/parisin2019/ 4. “Moon, Sun, Dust,” by Ursula Vernon (Uncanny 5-6/17) A farmer is bequeathed a New Orleans magic sword by his grandmother on her deathbed. He has no use for a sword, magic or 2024 otherwise, however, and is quite content to go United Kingdom on growing potatoes. His humble candor http://www.ukin2024.org/ carries the story, which is gently and delightfully charming. I rank it fourth only due 2025 to stiff competition. It’s well worth reading. Pacific Northwest 3. “The Martian Obelisk,” by Linda Perth, Australia Nagata (Tor.com 7/19/17) As Earth is dying from a long series of natural and human-made NASFiC BIDS disasters, an old woman is directing robots on Mars to create a monument to outlast 2019 humanity. It may be a futile gesture, but Utah there’s not much else to do – then something http://www.utahfor2019.com/ seems to be stirring on Mars. This quiet story depends on largely unstated emotions to carry The programming problem of WorldCon it, and those emotions lurk like leviathans: has got even weirder. Mike Resnick got his sorrow, defeat, anger, pain, despair … and program schedule. Which he thought was a defiance. Despite its brevity, it made a long little odd since he wasn’t even a member. journey across my heart to do battle with As you know, Bob, there was an initial dystopia. It won the 2018 Locus Award for protest because some of the Hugo nominees Short Story. (who were members) weren’t even on the 2. “Welcome to Your Authentic Indian program. This got very bad. Experience™,” by Rebecca Roanhorse Meanwhile, the Rabid Puppies are gloating (Apex 8/17) An Indian guide for cyberspace over the whole mess. Damon Knight knew tourists offers Native American “Vision them, even if he was before their time: “[The] Quests.” It’s already won an Apex Reader’s test of the Organizer and Wrecker in fandom is Choice Award, Nebula Award, and a Locus that when power wanes and wrecking palls, he Award nomination. Well deserved. drops out.” [In Search of Wonder, Chapter 14 1. “Fandom for Robots,” by Vina “Microcosmic Moskowitz”] Jie-Min Prasad (Uncanny 9-10/17) A Which is happening with that group, as Page 8 August 2018 Alexiad

hard for me to see the yellow line — so it is other that the regular diplomats could not. That Letters, we get letters better to quit now before I cause an accident. is, our leader’s intelligence, personal From: Robert S. Kennedy July 28, 2018 Fortunately, Chicago has a good transit magnetism, and charisma are so overwhelming 1779 Ciprian Avenue, Camarillo, CA system, and I live half a block from a bus stop. that the other guy’s normal judgment will be 93010-2451 USA And my stepchildren are happy to chauffeur suspended and he will make spur-of-the- [email protected] me when needed. moment decisions favorable to us that he wouldn’t have made if everything had been Thank you for Vol. 17, No. 3 (Whole * * * * * mediated through diplomats and advisers. Number 99). (And of course, the other guy is making the When I previously commented on my Lloyd Daub makes some observations on same insulting assumptions about medical problems I should have mentioned my conspiracy theories, notably that the theorists overwhelming our man’s better judgment.) In niece, her husband, their son, my nephew, and assume that scientists lie, so “the scientific short, the parties to a summit meeting are both his son. When I was about to be released from facts used to refute the conspiracy are not flattering themselves that they can play the the care facility my niece, Sheilah, and her believed, either.” Richard Dengrove also other guy for a sucker. One of them may be husband, Brad, showed up, took me home, and mentions some of the traditional targets of right, and I don’t want to take the chance that took care of me. Brad had to go back to work. conspiracy theorizing, such as Jewish bankers. it is our man who will turn out to be the But Sheilah (who is a teacher) stayed for From: George W. Price July 27, 2018 (Hey, what about gentile bankers? Don’t they sucker. several weeks. I was then on my own for a 4418 N. Monitor Avenue, Chicago, IL ever conspire?) I will stick with the traditional style of week at which point their son, Jacob, took time 60630-3333 USA When someone asks me to believe in some negotiations, where each point is passed off from work and was here for some weeks. [email protected] vast conspiracy, I like to pose two questions: through negotiators who are continually Then I was on my own for a week when First: If this is such a secret, how did you getting analysis and feedback from experts, Sheilah showed up again and was here for June Alexiad: find out about it? Do you have some special and instructions from their principals. This about six weeks. My nephew, David, and his Joe recounts his recent eye operation at source of information? precisely aims to prevent those son Arron then arrived and there were four of some length (in “I Can See Clearly Now”). He Second: For the conspiracy to work, how spur-of-the-moment decisions that will come us here in my house. Oh, and Scott Kennedy, says, “They wrapped me in sterile gown, many people would have to be in on it, and is back to bite us. who is a surviving son of my brother’s son hair-covering, and booties.” this a small enough number to keep the secret? This also has the virtue of not humiliating Larry, came up from Hemet for a visit for an That’s very much how my cataract When I am asked to believe in conspiracies the leaders by forcing them to backtrack on afternoon and evening. Even though I’ve lived operation went last November. When I asked involving thousands of hidden operators, none proposals when hidden pitfalls are discovered. by myself for 30+ years, it did not seem why I had to strip even though they wouldn’t of whom ever get pissed off and rat out the Anything like that can be blamed on the crowded. Now I’m on my own and seem to be working on my body, I was told that it was others — well, I just smile politely and dismiss low-level negotiators, not the leaders. The be doing ok. Sheilah and David’s father (my because my clothing was not sterile — all the whole notion. leaders stay above the fray until everything is brother John) died in 2006 at the young age of those precautions were not to protect me. No To be sure, most conspiraphiles don’t solidly nailed down. 68. I still miss him. I am truly blessed that his sir! They were to protect the operating staff really depend on evidence. They deduce the The leaders should never meet until all the children and their families think so much of against my germs. Now that induces a proper existence of a conspiracy to explain particular messy details are settled and the treaty is ready me. humility. events, simply because to them no other for signing. Then they can have a big public So, the last person born in the 19th century explanation “makes sense.” No evidence is celebration with handshakes, hugs, and has died. Thank you for reporting it. Well, I didn’t have to take off needed. parades as appropriate. You have my very sincere condolences on my clothes. But there should never be actual the loss of Slim. The photo of Slim and Lisa is You could always add, “How substantive negotiations between the leaders in incredibly depressing. Robert Kennedy says his cataract surgery come they haven’t taken care of person. There’s too much chance of something several years ago was highly successful. you yet?” going wrong, of fateful decisions being made They take a piece of our Richard Dengrove says he expects to need the —JTM without adequate thought and analysis. hearts with them when they go. operation fairly soon. I hope his turns out We can’t afford the pain of better than mine. * * * * * having any more. Well, strictly speaking, my cataract operations (both eyes, separately) were In this issue nobody said anything political Your cataract surgery and recovery seems successful, but my vision continues to to boil my bile, so all shall escape unscathed. to be exceedingly lengthy. I do not need deteriorate because I also have glaucoma. The And I will manfully refrain from commenting glasses to work on my computer. I have upshot is that my reading speed has slowed on the president’s recent summit meetings trifocals that are used for watching TV and drastically, and three weeks ago I gave up my with the North Korean and Russian leaders. driving at night when it is harder to see. I also driver’s license. When I flunked the annual Instead, I will assert that summit meetings in have a pair of reading glasses that are almost license renewal test, the DMV people said I general are a bad idea. always used even though I can read most could take the test twice more, but I decided to An unspoken assumption for the value of things without them. They just make it easier. hang it up. I really have become a dangerous face-to-face meetings between national leaders Good luck on your full recovery. Being able driver — among other things, it’s now very is that our man can get concessions out of the to see clearly is wonderful. Alexiad August 2018 Page 9

They did one eye, then the Thank you, Taras Wolansky, for getting School class organized a 45th reunion dinner. or less coincidentally, listening to an audio other, then they had to fix the my book. You also said you objected to Out of a class of 453 (we were baby boomers), recording of Paul Malmont’s The Astounding, first one. I remember what anachronistic elements in “River of Teeth.” about 50 came. I’ve heard you can only really the Amazing, and the Unknown. It’s fun to be happened to my cousin U L and Had you continued, you would have found a know 100 people. If that’s true, many of my a sort of fly on the wall as John W. Campbell took care. lot more of them – it is a very alternative 100 closest acquaintances didn’t attend, but tries to persuade his star, Robert Heinlein, to —JTM alternate history. Personally, I was more everyone was friendly anyway. write some stories. troubled by the extreme violence. As for the Also in July, the descendants of my Nic Farey: “Of the 20 or so contributors Dale Speirs: Thanks for the mention of the real possibility of hippopotami in the New maternal grandmother’s parents, Frank and and correspondents to thish, a mere three voted new Factsheet Five. World, I recently learned that Pablo Escobar, Elizabeth Fabry, organized a Cousins Reunion in this year‘s FAAn awards, and I wonder Richard A. Dengrove: I am a fanatic the Columbian drug lord and narcoterrorist, picnic in Milwaukee. More than 80 people whether those that didn’t would be willing to concerning what you call the Oxford Comma had his own little zoo, and after his death in came, from babies to nonagenarians, and I say why.” My answer is, I wouldn’t know and I call the Serial Comma. Joe’s response 1993, some hippos escaped to a nearby river. knew pretty many of them. The ones who had how to vote for those awards, and if I did I clearly indicates why it should be used. Here They are thriving, and Columbia now has a been talkative children are now talkative don’t think I should. I simply don’t read are a couple of books that I have found wild hippo problem. adults. I enjoyed hearing the long story of how enough fanzines (except at Hugo and interesting and useful even if I don’t always Yes, Lloyd Daub, there will be a sequel to my punctual great-Aunt Blanche was late to retro-Hugo nomination time). I intend to get it right. Eats, Shoots & Leaves – The Zero Semiosis – the manuscript has been delivered her own funeral, which would have mortified broaden my horizons, but so far haven’t gotten Tolerance Approach to Punctuation by Lynne and accepted, and the book should come out in her. around to it. Truss (Gotham Books, 2003/2004). fall 2019. The novel even has a name, selected More importantly, I learned that the Fabry Sue Burke: Another excellent con report. Incredibly, it was a best seller in Great Britain by my editor since I didn’t have any good family was not French, as I had always I think, in the long run, you’ll be glad you and I think that it did just as well here. The ideas: Interference. To explain why would believed. They did indeed speak French and wrote these reports. Because, as I have found, other is The Well-Tempered Sentence – A involve spoilers. I can say that we will learn came from the village of Saint-Denis, which I otherwise you’ll find it difficult to remember Punctuation Handbook for the Innocent, the more about the Glassmakers. presumed was the one near Paris. No, they what happened at which convention. Eager, and the Doomed by Karen Elizabeth I’ve been preparing for Worldcon 76 and came from the village in what is now southern I’ve never been to Wiscon. Generally Gordon (A Mariner Book – Houghton Mifflin volunteered for the Publications Division. You Belgium. At times it belonged, successively, to speaking, I will travel that far only for a Company, 1993). can see some of my work in the Souvenir the Spanish Empire, Austrian Empire, Holy Worldcon or NASFic. It also gives off a Well, that’s enough of that. Book, and I’ll be helping to edit the daily Roman Empire, Napoleonic Empire – then narrow-minded vibe, even by the newsletter. Before anyone asks, yes, there was that dust-up in Waterloo in 1815, the narrow-minded standards of today’s science From: Sue Burke July 30, 2018 programming plans went seriously wrong, and retreat from which included a battle in Saint- fiction fandom. 5620 N. Winthrop Ave., #1R, Chicago, a lot of us are perplexed and troubled. Denis – and subsequently it belonged to the I have to admit, though, there’s one panel IL 60660-4422, USA Kingdom of the Netherlands, and – after I think I would have liked to see: “‘You Are [email protected] another dust-up – eventually to the Kingdom (Probably) Not As Progressive As You Think’ mount-oregano.livejournal.com of Belgium. discouraged would-be allies from getting sueburke.site A cousin working on our genealogy angry or confrontational on behalf of semiosispax.com showed me a copy of a birth certificate for our marginalized groups because that makes the great-great-great-great grandfather as a marginalized group members seem angry and Congratulations, Lisa and Joe, for Alexiad newborn citizen of the French First Republic. confrontational, even if they aren’t.” Virtue Whole Number 100. (We briefly were French.) During that whole Signaling Gone Wild! I do feel a bit sorry for Additional congratulations, Joe, for your time, however, the region has been Wallonia. those “allies”, who have internalized false successful cataract surgery. I have cataracts, I am a Walloon-American! I must explore my narratives that make them hate themselves. too, the cloudy kind. Lights have a haze newly discovered heritage. Get ready for some There was a pretty funny example of this, around them, especially at night, and waffles. not long ago. This white guy who was leading everything is a touch yellowish, but I’m a long a campaign to force the Cleveland Indians way from needing surgery. It’s good to know Will this mean you give up baseball team to change its name discovered it worked out well for you. voting has closed, and in this reading Ian Fleming? that actual Native Americans had no problem issue, editors willing, I have an article about — JTM with the name, and don’t mind being called Yes, I am astounded by the my votes for the short fiction. I haven’t had Indians. (This may be because they don’t have brightness and clarity of colors in time to read, watch, or listen to much of the From: Taras Wolansky August 1, 2018 the inferiority complex that some other groups the world. avalanche of other works on the ballot, Post Office Box 698, Kerhonkson, NY have.) although many seem outstanding. 12446-0698 USA Just a couple days ago, The Nation And my condolences for the loss of your Meanwhile, it’s been an unseasonably [email protected] magazine was put to groveling apologies for cats. warm and damp summer here in Chicago. I’ve publishing a poem defending the homeless. Nic Farey asks why some of us attended a few neighborhood events and So sorry you lost your pal, Slim. Why? The white poet was accused of writing contributors didn’t vote for the FAAn awards. church festivals; my church picnic was driven Alexiad June 2018: in an African American dialect. I didn’t because I don’t read enough fanzines indoors by rain. It’s an interesting experience to read Lloyd Penney: “All of our history is now to cast an informed vote. In July, my South Milwaukee (Wis.) High retro-Hugo nominees from 1942 while, more in doubt, especially if that history conflicts Page 10 August 2018 Alexiad with someone’s political agenda. It is a terrible Robert S. Kennedy: I’ve learned that, joining. And health issues with a couple of disgrace that we may re-write our history to when you input a range of dates into a hotel club stalwarts have already caused disruption suit some old white man who wants millions in website, it checks the availability of all the this year. Just as we have stabilized at a new funds off his taxes.” What am I missing here? dates. It doesn’t tell you if, say, six of the venue. That was our other disruptor – Losing It’s white men who are the butts of our seven nights are available. So I shorten my venues after a long time of stability. Each time rewritten history. request, either to arrive a day later or depart a we lost a venue, and had a period of instability A funny example of this I ran into recently day earlier, and get most of my reservation in. as to where we will meet this month, and is the attempt by certain historians to blame In theory I might have to stay in another hotel people stopped coming. the Indian caste system on the British. nearby for one night; in practice, I’m always I managed to read some interesting books (Similarly, a recent Anglo-Indian movie able to add the missing night, eventually. during the past couple of months. The one I blamed the partition of India between Hindus think is definitely fascinating is the and Muslims on Winston Churchill.) But From: AL du Pisani August 2, 2018 “Annotated Old Four Legs”, where JLB DNA studies done in the last couple of years 9 4 5 G r a n d P r i x S t r e e t , Smith’s 1957 book where he recounts his part have proved that caste divisions go back Weltevredenpark 1709, REPUBLIC in the discovery of the modern Coelacanth has thousands of years. You must have picked up that Adam Smith OF SOUTH AFRICA been annotated with all sorts of interesting The obvious conclusion is, DNA studies quote about businessmen oppressing the public [email protected] things discovered since. must be banned! somewhere out of context, so you couldn’t tell I also read Christian Davenport’s The what it was actually about. Here’s the missing I did not plan to fall off the face of the Space Barons and Tim Fernholz’s Rocket The latest news on my DNA first half of the quotation: “The proposal of Earth, it just happened. Billionaires, and as a result finally read Ashlee study is that I am in the same any new law or regulation which comes from Mostly caused by sleep apnea, resulting in Vance’s Elon Musk biography. I found each of DNA subclade as Duke Rollo of [businessmen], ought always to be listened to a me with no energy left for anything. It is a the books to be worthwhile reading, with each Normandy. A point in favor of an with great precaution, and ought never to be terrible thing to drive to work and wonder if book complementing the others, even though old family story (about the adopted till after having been long and today will be the day where you finally lose there were some overlap here and there. Archbishop and his mistress). carefully examined, not only with the most focus long enough to have a crash. And I found the Vance book to be interesting scrupulous, but with the most suspicious unfortunately I have a Medical Aid that in an for a view of the early years at SpaceX, even John Purcell: A conspiracy theory is how attention. It comes from an order of men ...” effort to protect me have managed to prevent though there were often places where I found people deal with a reality that is unpalatable. (Emphasis mine.) In other words, me from getting the treatment I need. that there were jumps in the narrative, where I I see I’ve given two examples relating to India, businessman may oppress the public through Hopefully I can get this sorted out soon. would have liked to find out more. above. In the case of the JFK assassination, to government coercion, not business activity. I had a holiday at the beginning of July, For instance, during the events leading up this day a lot of people don’t want to admit A classic example is how CBS, heavily and went down to the family beach house. It to their first launch, an experienced senior that he (as befits one who accused Eisenhower invested in AM radio technology, bamboozled was in the middle of Winter, and we had a space official criticized the SpaceX launch and Nixon of being soft on the Reds) was or bribed the FCC into strangling FM radio in couple of very cold days. And some days that team as having a lot of characteristics that was murdered by a devout Communist. the cradle. could have been in Summer. (My experience going to lead them into failure. Yet I can find Sue Burke: “Corporations can act in ways George W. Price: You may want to check have been of a milder Winter than normal, no indication of what those characteristics fully equal to the most oppressive out the 1972 film, Ulzana’s Raid. This is a especially at night, where it did not gat as cold were, nor what SpaceX did to overcome them. government.” Naïve American! When the film that couldn’t have been made earlier, as last year, which was also a mild Winter.) (A similar story is mentioned in one of the Communists took over Cambodia, they because of its explicit depiction of Apache I managed to have the interesting other two books, once again without any ordered all educated people to come to atrocities; and it couldn’t have been made experience of buying shoes by phoning the indication that the team or any form of stadiums to begin rebuilding the country; then later, because of, well, its explicit depiction of salesman and describing what I want, and him management got involved in changing things they locked the doors and killed them all Apache atrocities. Torture is presented as driving up the next day with the shoes. around.) (because, like the Sorbonne-educated Marxists simply part of their culture, rather than as any Finishing up with me paying him via my Davenport’s book concentrates a lot more they were, they believed that’s what it would kind of retaliation or revenge. A particularly cellphone. on the really big boys in space – Musk, Jeff take to fulfill Marx’s promise of a magical realistic touch: an Apache scout helps the U.S. The rest of the holiday was restful. I had an Bezos, Paul Allen & Richard Branson, with change in human nature under socialism). cavalry hunt the Apaches that left the interesting experience listening to my mother very occasional mentions of some of the 1960s China: millions die. 1950s China: reservation to go on their murder raid. The and her youngest sister gossip about people smaller niche players. His is also much more millions die. 1940s Germany: millions die. dirty little secret of the Indian Wars is that they know, while making a set of curtains for of a straight up competition between SpaceX 1930s USSR: millions die. there were Indians on both sides of nearly my kitchen window. As I crocheted together and Blue Origin, and contains some every battle. hexagons into a blanket. information about Blue Origin I have never Locally we are suffering from the graying heard of before. Also, strangely enough, in his Crazy Horse was trying to join of fandom. I have been reflecting a bit, and book there are odd connections to South Africa the Indian Scouts when he was think that the turning point in our club’s life more often than expected. In addition, it was killed (that due to a malicious was 1994. After that year more and more surprising how often the players in commercial translator). people went overseas, and we our supply of space have known each other since their — JTM younger people dried up. Not immediately, but student days. slowly we had less and less young people Fernholz tells a story much more focused Alexiad August 2018 Page 11 on SpaceX and some of the smaller players In South Africa the main kerfuffle of the International Scientific Association.” around in the early 2000’s. I also learned moment is EWC – Expropriation Without WAHF: things I never knew before, like that each of Compensation, i.e. stealing land from white Martin Morse Wooster, with various the three NASA Administrators appointed by owners to give to the People, usually the items of interest. the two Presidents Bush came into NASA as politically connected. I do not know how much Lloyd G. Daub, the same. reformers, unfortunately not always able to of the noise about it all is because the ANC got Charles Lipsig, Cathy Palmer-Lister, reform as much of NASA as they desired. driven into a corner by the EFF (Economic Patrick McCray, James D. Nicoll, Lacy From Vance I got a bit of an idea about Freedom Fighters), and even more radical and Thomas, with thanks. Elon Musk – A man who seemed to have economically illiterate bunch than the ANC. invented himself a bit. Maybe not a good man, How much is because the ANC leader, Cyril maybe a Great Man. Ramaphosa, does not in fact have a good grip I still think there is a couple of books still on the ANC and it’s various factions, i.e. that to be written about the bit players in he is in a very weak leadership position. Or commercial space – The people who tried and how much of things are just general economic often failed to make a go of it in the mid 1990 illiteracy of the “Communism will make us all to mid 2010 era, usually failing because they rich” variety. themselves were not millionaires. But who As part of the process leading to EWC managed to prove that some things could be there were a bunch of meetings organized – done, albeit on a shoestring budget, that the Most of them devolving into two camps where big boys could use to later. And I wonder how your own guy’s speech is cheered, and the much of commercial space is there because other guy’s speech is booed. Except for the Henry Spencer argued on Usenet for a decade one big trap that was sprung – Tribal land. that we do not have to repeat the past, different Because some chiefs who are in de facto ways of doing things is possible. ownership of very large areas of tribal lands asked if the tribal lands are also going to be The problem was that a lot of expropriated? And that if the constitution was the startups in the early days changes to allow for the stealing of white were things like Rotary Rocket, owned land, what will prevent the stealing of “cool” ideas that didn’t work. See tribally owned land? Elizabeth Weil’s They All Laughed The immediate ANC response was that at Columbus (2002; reviewed in tribally owned land is not up for expropriation. Alexiad V. 1 #6) for that story. Which caused anger from activists who want to break up the power of tribal chiefs, who When I read Sue Burke’s review of the think that taking the land away from the Nebula Award fiction nominees, I had the chiefs’ control is a good thing. unfortunate response on almost all of the Somehow we have muddled through. I stories that I would cross the street to avoid have been promised blood and death since I reading them. Which is an indication that can remember. And somehow it never was either I am way outside the target market for quite as bad overall as all that. Terrible for the modern SF, that the Nebula Awards are people who was killed and maimed and their rewarding stories that are outside of the families, but somehow survivable. I just do not There is another passage from The mainstream of SF readers, or any other know if it will hold. Immortal Storm that seems so relevant. combination of factors indicating the I and the My problem is that I have Africa in my Nebula Award are not a good match for each blood. And that is a terrible thing to have. “The second meeting of the reorganized other. New York chapter was in progress, with “For Africa bites like a tsetse fly, Hornig presiding, in a New York school room. Join the club. I told Lloyd and once the drug is in the blood it can Suddenly the clumping of many shoes was Penney that instead of us never be wholly exorcised.” heard, and in burst Sykora and Wollheim at the gafiating from fandom, fandom — Frederick Forsyth, The Dogs of War head of eight other youths (not all science had gafiated from us — the Words of Wisdom from The fiction fans) recruited from the streets for dominant trends were no longer Outsider. rough action if necessary. Sykora ... with the the sort of thing we did or liked. —JTM aid of his comrades ... chased Hornig from the And it seems that science fiction platform. Producing a gavel of his own ... [he] itself is going on a similar path. I hope for better days, more good books to proceeded to call the meeting to order in the read, and friends to meet. name of the New York branch of the Page 12 August 2018 Alexiad

. . . Bond took his blaster rifle and stood watch Captain Solo finally awoke to his peril. He FROM A JEDI TO A KILL as the masked man came out of the darkness. ducked, drew his pistol, and began firing at Co-Editors: Lisa & Joseph Major The captain stepped forward, trusting. Too point-blank range. Somehow it didn’t seem to Co-Publishers: Joseph & Lisa Major . . . Rey was angry and terrified and disgusted trusting, perhaps. Bond longed for a smoke. affect the First Order leader, but he was Writers, Staff: Major, Joseph, Major, Lisa all in one. She had been dragged into this He targeted the helmet. He could shoot distracted fighting them all off. affair by fate or by the Force, and now it through the viewing slot, perhaps a shot there “Bond, get them out of here!!” Rey This is issue Whole Number One looked as if it would end in a First Order would penetrate. The man was taking it off! shouted. Hundred (100). “questioning device”. Fool! But a helpful fool! Bond looked down Bond wasn’t used to taking orders from But wait. There was only one storm the sights and targeted the man’s left eye. women but he could see the point. He said, Art: What we are mainly looking for is trooper watching her. She focused these The two of them talked. Bond now “Keep on covering for us, I’ll get Solo, and small fillos. Your fillo will probably be powers that she had felt rising in her . . . recognised the man, Commander Ren. How we’ll get back to the Falcon.” scanned in and may be reused, unless you He took off his helmet. A cold-eyed, did they know each other? The other held out object to its reuse. piercing gaze fell on her. This was no a tube, one of those light-sabres as Rey had All the way Captain Solo was saying, over ordinary storm trooper; he was dangerous, a been carrying. They both took it in their and over, “Ben, Ben.” He had known the Contributions: This is not a fictionzine. It killer. He would hit what he shot at. hands. man! Bond had to support him, keep an eye is intended to be our fanzine, so be interesting. “Who are you?” she said, pointlessly. Then Kylo Ren jerked the light-sabre and out, and make tracks. The base was supposed There was his identification number: Bond pulled the trigger, all in a single motion. to explode, and if Rey and that trooper Finn Material in Alexiad is copyright © 2018. The shot suddenly flicked away, but the man didn’t make it back they would have to be All rights reserved. Upon publication, all FN-1824 was distracted. written off. rights revert to the original contributor, but we Captain Solo stood there for a moment, reserve the right to use any item more than One of an endless number, ground up and dazed, about to be killed. Bond fired again, so — Not from Lucasfilms or Goldeneye once, unless otherwise specified by the pushed out by the First Order. But he spoke: did that Chewbacca, the big hairy copilot. Productions contributor. All letters sent to Alexiad become “My name is Bond. James Bond.” Now Kylo Ren was trying to bat shots out of the property of the publishers. Any material the air. by the editors is available to other fanzines if they provide proper credit and send a copy. Available for The Usual (letter of comment, trade, contribution). Sample issue available upon request. Back issues $1; subscription $10/year. Alexiad is also available by email in Adobe Acrobat .pdf format. ALEXIAD c/o Lisa & Joseph Major 1409 Christy Avenue Louisville, KY 40204-2040 USA [email protected] http:/efanzines.com/Alexiad/index.htm