Volume 15, Issue 4 August/September ConNotations 2005 The Bi-Monthly Science Fiction, Fantasy & Convention Newszine of the Central Arizona Speculative Fiction Society
A Conversation with Featured Inside
Jacqueline Carey SF Tube Talk A Conversation with By Catherine Book All the latest news about Jacqueline Carey Scienc Fiction TV shows by Catherine Book by Lee Whiteside Jacqueline Carey was a guest of the Legend.” The book isn’t hers but Videos ex Gamea: Central Arizona Speculative Fiction essentially she got paid to do the re- ConClusion Video from the Game Society (CASFS) at the Arizona Book search. And much of that research went News and Reviews By Shane Shellenbarger Festival in April of 2005. She was a lovely into the world-building of “…Dart.” of SF/F conventions guest and a pleasure to interview. Jacqueline enjoyed the job at the college Jacqueline has been writing since high since it was creatively stimulating but An American in England Videophile Part 6 school. She spent didn’t drain her by Jeffrey Lu years contemplating own creative Reviews of genre releases what eventually drive; she stayed on DVD and VHS became “Kushiel’s with that job England Bound Dart.” I asked her through the Gamers Corner by Jeffrey Lu what she was doing writing of all three New and Reviews from when she first Kushiel books, the gaming world ComicCon Line published her first her last day was Ron Book book. She was Halloween of working for a small 2002. I com- In Our Book liberal-arts college mented that it Reviews of New SF/F Books Plus our Regular Features: (she was the entire must have been an staff of the Visual incredibly Musty Tomes CASFS Business Report Arts dept) when a liberating feeling Reviews of Classic Genre books friend called her one to know one could FYI day and asked if she make a living by News and tidbits of had anything she writing. interest to fans could pitch to a book Jacqueline agreed packager. but noted that it’s Jacqueline’s mother also incredibly Club Listings had recently asked scary to make that her a question about leap. If one isn’t a Convention List & the role of angels so that was the line she ‘blockbuster-level’ writer, then one Generic Registration Form presented. She had a lot of fun doing loads knows that you can’t stop. She was still of research and eventually produced a thrilled by how wonderful it is to have coffee-table, non-fiction book titled the luxury of writing full-time and not be “Angels: Celestial Spirits in Art and ( Continued on page 4 )
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Volume 15 Issue 4 ConNotations Page 1 Pick up your copy of ConNotations at the following locations In This Issue Who’s Who This Issue BOOK STORES Ash Avenue Comics & Books News & Reviews Managing Editor: Stephanie Bannon Editor’s Assistant: Gary Swaty Book Adventure 810 S. Ash, Tempe, AZ (480) 858-9447 CASFS Business Report 2 660 N. Gilbert Rd, Suite B, Gilbert AZ Graphics Editor: Craig L. Dyer Atomic Comics SF Tube Talk 3 Film & Video Editor: Barry Bard 85234 --- (480) 892-2120 1120 S. Country Club, Ste. 105, Mesa, AZ ConClusion 5 Proof Readers: Catherine Book & Bob Book Connection 85210 --- (480) 649-0807 Gamers Corner 7 LaPierre & Gary Swaty 6434 S. McClintock, Tempe AZ 4537 E. Cactus, Phoenix AZ 85032 FYI 7 Calendar Editor: Open (480) 820-2953 (602) 923-0733 Reporters: Barry Bard, Craig L Dyer, Videophile 10 Frank Summer, Jeff Woody Book Exchange 3029 W. Peoria, Suite CC, Phoenix, AZ In Our Book (Book Reviews) 11 Staff Writers: Pam Allen, Barry Bard 4320 N. Miller Road #F, Scottsdale, AZ 85021 -- (602)395-1066 Musty Tomes 14 Catherine Book, Craig L. Dyer, Michael 85251 ---(480)990-8380 3155 W. Chandler Blvd #5, Chandler AZ Griffin, Brandon Huigens,Jeffrey Lu, Sean Book Gallery 85226 --(480)940-6061 Special Features Martin, Shane Shellenbarger, Gary Swaty, 3643 E. Indian School Rd, Phoenix AZ Retro Rocket Tom Tuerff, Lee Whiteside, Randall A Conversation with Jacqueline Carey Whitlock 85018 ---(602)468-0400 1917 N. Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale, AZ by Catherine Book 1 Layout & Design: Stephanie L. Bannon Book Rack (480) 970-0706 ComicCon Line Advertising: Catherine Book 3539 W. Bell Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85053 Stalking Moon Comics & Collectibles Ron Book 5 Keeper of the Mailing List: Craig L. Dyer (602) 843-3026 5775 W. Bell Rd #B-6, Glendale, Arizona Contributors: Ron Book An American in England Labeling Crew for Volume 15 Issue 3: Bookmans (602) 896-9992 by Jeffrey Lu 6 1056 S. 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Cactus Rd., Phoenix, AZ Publication: Publications dates are AZ (480)844-0470 * Nominations for various positions (see February, April, June, August, October & (602) 953-9699 Game Depot June entry below) were held. December. Publication date of this issue is 7320 W. Bell Rd., Glendale, AZ 3136 S. McClintock #11, Tempe, AZ 85282 07/27/2005; mailing date is 08/01/2005 Advertising: ConNotations reaches (623) 487-9110 (480) 966-4727 June 699 S. Mill Ave, Tempe, AZ approx. 7,000 science fiction, fantasy, Game Master Games 1120 S. Gilbert Rd, —— gaming and horror fans throughout the (480 ) 921-8631 #114, Gilbert, AZ 85296 --- (480) 558-0750 * The hotel contract for HexaCon 16 has Phoenix metro area, the Southwest and Discount Book www.gamemastergames.com been approved and signed. nationwide. Our ad rates are: $175/Back 3650 W. 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Grant St, Phoenix, AZ 85004 its contributors can be contacted by mail at Thrifty Joe’s Books 707 S. Forest Ave #A, Tempe, AZ 85281 PO Box 62613, Phoenix, AZ 85082-2613 6020 W. Bell Road, Glendale AZ 85308 (480)557-6640 or via email at [email protected] (602)547-2540 Pop, The Soda Shop 2015 N. Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale AZ ConNotations (480) 994-4505 ISSN: 1082-7765 COMIC STORES PUBLISHED: Six times a year Root Seller Gallery All About Comics BY: Central Arizona Speculative 1605 N. 7th Ave, Phoenix AZ (602)712-9338 5060 N. Central, Phoenix, AZ Fiction Society, PO Box 62613, Toy Anxiety (602) 277-0757 Phoenix, AZ 85082 10210 N. 32nd St, Suite B3, Phoenix AZ 85028 --- (602)308-0292 ISSUE NUMBER: Volume 15 Issue 4 SUBSCRIPTION: $15 for 6 ISSUES Page 2 ConNotations Volume 15 Issue 4 ending the summer season of SG-1 will be Commander Adama to find a new flight SF Tube Talk the first part of The Fourth Horseman, leader for the Galactica. In Flight of the 24 Frames TV News & Previews where the Ori unleash a deadly plague on Phoenix, Chief Tyrol throws himself into Earth, prompting a powerful ally from the impossible task of building a Viper Movie News By Lee Whiteside SG-1’s past to come to their aide. As from scratch, while Helo faces disdain forces from Stargate Command, from his shipmates because of his By Lee Whiteside We’re in the full swing of summer USAMRIID, the C.D.C., the W.H.O., and relationship with a Cylon. In the summer with the cable genre shows on SciFi and concerned governments try to head off a season finale Pegasus, the crew is stunned global pandemic, SG-1 race the clock in to learn that the Battlestar Pegasus also Due to computer problems there is no 24 USA, and we’ve got several new shows Frames column. It will return next issue debuting this fall on the broadcast an effort to find a cure. survived the attack on the Colonies, but networks, although several of them seem Out in the Pegasus Galaxy on Stargate tensions run high when the Pegasus’s Atlantis, they resolved the season ending Admiral Nelena Cain (Michelle Forbes) to have similar alien invasion themes. passengers — including his estranged but cliffhanger with the addition of the assumes command of the fleet. During the SciFi Friday got off to a good start in still beloved wife — from an alien that’s Deadalus, commanded by Colonel Steven opening episodes of the season, Richard mid-July and SciFi’s new Wednesday on a rampage in the unstoppable high- Caldwell (Mitch Pileggi). Lt. Ford has Hatch will reprise his role as Tom Zarek block just debuted as well. We’ll be speed locomotive.. August 27th brings been majorly affected by the Wraith and and will be challenging Commander seeing new episodes on SciFi Friday until Pterodactyl to our screens. A dormant will be a recurring character and new cast Tigh’s authority, especially when he mid-September before SciFi breaks until volcano deep with the Turkish forest member Jason Momoa as the Wraith declares Martial Law. We’ll also see a January. Leading off SciFi Friday, holds within it a deadly secret. Perfectly runner Ronon Dex is introduced. Kicking new clone of Six, named Gina, that will Stargate SG-1 kicked off their ninth preserved, a nest of pterodactyl eggs are off August on Atlantis is the comedic be studied by Baltar. season by introducing their new charac- ready to hatch... It stars Coolio and episode, Duet, where a run-in with Wraith SciFi will also now be running ters (Ben Browder’s Cameron Mitchell, Cameron Daddo. technology leaves the consciousness of a episodes of Joss Whedon’s Firefly at the Beau Bridges’ Jack Landry), bringing Rumors are that Bruce Campbell’s precocious Atlantis security officer, Lt. start of SciFi Friday, giving fans a chance back Claudia Black’s Vala for a few The Man with the Screaming Brain will Laura Cadman, in Dr. McKay’s mind. to reacquaint themselves with the series episodes, and placing Amanda Tapping’s turn up on SciFi in September at some Hilarity unsues as the two try to work before the theatrical movie hits the Sgt. Carter off-screen for a while due to a point, soon followed by an uncut DVD together with Atlantis doctors to figure screens in September. This should include real-life birth. Richard Dean Anderson release. out a way to reverse it. In Trinity, McKay the three episodes that FOX didn’t air, that was relegated mainly to a cameo role and Over on the USA Network, both The puts the team at risk when he tries to were included on the DVD release. SciFi likely won’t be appearing much, if at all, Dead Zone and The 4400 will continue perfect unfinished Ancient technology will also be running new episodes of in the new season. SG-1 will develop over through the month of August. New that wiped out a civilization and Ronon Ghost Hunters, Master Blasters and the season the Arthurian links as well as episodes of The Dead Zone will resume Dex discovers that his former military Tripping the Rift on Wednesday nights at the new threat, the Ori, ascended beings sometime next year while the future of trainer survived the Wraith attack. In least into September. There’s not much like the Ancients, but not with our best The 4400 beyond it’s summer run of 13 Condemned, the Atlantis team finds a advance info on the Wednesday night interests in mind.. Coming up on SG-1 is episodes has not yet been announced. The culture that lives in relative safety from shows, but expect more of what we’ve The Ties That Bind where Jackson and ratings have been good so there will likely the Wraith, because they hand over their seen so far from the sophomore series and Mitchell must go on an interplanetary be more some time next year. In the criminals to them. When they crash-land lots of things blowing up on Master scavenger hunt when Daniel discovers meantime, there isn’t much advance info in the volatile penal colony, things get a Blasters. that he and Vala have been bound together on either series for the remaining episodes bit dicey. In Instinct, Jewel Staite It wouldn’t be SciFi without a new by an alien energy field. They also deal airing in August. (Firefly) appears as a female Wraith who batch of Saturday movies to turn your with some government politics concerning Across the pond in the UK, Doctor may actually be one of the few Wraiths brain off for. Coming up on August 13 is the continued operations of Stargate Who completed a very successful first that are nice. In Aurora, the Atlantis team Alien Express where Lou Diamond Command. In Powers That Be, SG-1 series of new episodes setting things up finds a ship called the Aurora and it is Phillips, must overcome his haunted past visits a world whose people once wor- for the next series with David Tennant shipped Vala as a god -- and demand that populated with Ancients. And in the likely to board a bullet train and save its she stand trial when she confesses to summer finale, The Lost Boys, the team ( Continued on page 4 ) manipulating them. A mysterious plague locates the missing sweeps the village and puts the proceed- Lieutenant Ford, who is ings on hold while they also deal with the leading a group of influence of the Ori on the people. In young men altered by Beach Head, Samantha Carter returns to Wraith enzyme. Ford SG-1 to join the team on a mission to free wants the team’s help in a distant planet from the Ori’s control. a suicide attack against a The team is distressed to learn that the Ori Wraith hive ship. have set up a force field on a planet Rounding out SciFi inhabited by free Jaffa. Jaffa leader Gerak Friday, Battlestar (Louis Gossett, Jr) steps in and threatens Galactica is slowly to resort to violence if SG-1 is unable to resolving the various save the planet from complete destruction. plot threads left hanging In Ex-Dues Machina, SG-1 must investi- with the first season gate when evidence suggests that there are finale. In Resistance, still Goa’uld hiding on Earth -- including Kara and Helo fall in the former System Lord Baal. Tensions with a group of humans between Earth and the Free Jaffa continue who have survived on to mount. Babylon sees Colonel Mitchell Caprica and started a injured in a skirmish with a warrior from a resistance movement. In mythic tribe of rebel Jaffa, The Sodan, The Farm, Kara is shot and he is trained in their fighting tech- and wakes up in a niques only so that he may engage in a remote hospital facility ritual battle to the death. Tony Todd guest on Caprica, and learns stars as the Sodan leader Lord Halkon, that her friendly doctor and will appear in several episodes as has his own plans for these newly discovered Jaffa warriors join her future. In Home/The in with the fight against the Ori. In Raid, Lee joins Presi- Prototype, SG-1 finds a genetically dent Roslin and Tom advanced Goa’uld-human hybrid -- the Zarek in a separatist first of an elite warrior race conceived by fleet determined to Anubis -- and must decide his fate. Likely explore Kobol, forcing
Volume 15 Issue 4 ConNotations Page 3 SF Tube Talk ( Cont’d from page 3 ) some patience. Thursdays at 9 pm ET/PT, hand-picked team of eclectic specialists Conversation ( Continued from page 1 ) 8 pm CT/MT on ABC will be the new get to work deciphering the intention of bound by schedules. She laughed when taking over as The Doctor. The BBC has version of The Night Stalker. Produced the craft and preparing for the possibility she told me that for eighteen months, she confirmed that Billie Piper will be in all by Phoenix native Frank Spotnitz (The of a crisis situation -- an alien invasion. X-Files), it stars Stuart Townshend as David Goyer, David Heyman and was tickled at the thought that she could of the second series as companion Rose grocery shop anytime she wanted! Tyler The network has also commissioned reporter Carl Kolchak, Gabrielle Union Brannon Braga are producing with a cast as his partner Perri Reed, and Cotter that includes Brent Spiner, Charles S. I noted that obviously her well wasn’t a third series and another Christmas running dry – she has a second series special. Among the monsters confirmed to Smith as Vincenzo. It will attempt to Dutton, William Mapother, and Robert evoke the X-Files (including music by Patrick Benedict. published – “The Sundering.” I asked be featured in the new season will be the where that concept came from. She Cybermen and rumors are that we may Mark Snow) but may not have the charm NBC also gets into the possible alien that the original series with Darrin invasion arena with Surface (originally explained that it was a high-concept idea. see Elisabeth Sladen return as Sarah Jane She was after a deliberately Tolkien-esque McGavin did. titled Fathom) on Mondays at 8 pm ET/ Smith (and possibly K9 as well). epic, good vs. evil fantasy/tragedy from a CBS will have The Ghost Whisperer PT, 7 pm CT/MT. “Ever wonder what life In the animated arena, The DC point of view sympathetic to the losing on Friday nights at 8 pm ET/PT, 7 pm CT/ would be like if a new form of sea life universe shows on Cartoon Network are side. She was interested in questioning MT attempting to cash in on the psychic began to appear in locales all over the at a break point right now. When they the blind acceptance of dualism that wave of interest. Jennifer Love Hewitt is earth? In this expansive drama, those who resume, expect the Justice League to permeates the genre. She had become feature an ongoing plot with Luthor and Melinda Gordon, a newlywed who are about to find out include some naval interested in a concept presented in a book the Legion of Doom. We will also see discovers she can talk to the dead. Aisha officers in the South Antarctic Sea, a she’d recently read by a war-correspon- Carter Hall show up as Hawkman. Tylor is her best friend, Andrea Moreno, family in San Diego, scientists from the dent. He had been examining the effect of Coming up in the direct to DVD arena who helps her out while David Conrad is Oceanographic Institute in Monterey, and war on the society at war. One of the will be The Batman versus Dracula as Jim Clancy, her new husband. The series fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico. The things he observed was that the society well as a Superman movie featuring is inspired by the work of medium James seemingly innocent creatures they find are glorifies its soldiers into heroes. A small elements from both Superman: The Van Praagh. This takes over the timeslot beautiful and kids may even want to play percentage of the society and the soldiers Animated Series as well as Justice previously occupied by Joan of Arcadia, with them -- but is there something more themselves know it isn’t true but it’s what League Unlimited. who talked to God instead of the dead. to them?” Will viewers stick around long the society does to justify their actions. Starting in September and into Following on CBS Friday night at 9 pm enough to find out? The writers/executive This was something she tried to use in The October we will see the debut of the ET/PT, 8 pm CT/MT will be Threshold. It producers are Josh and Jonas Pate, most Sundering. She also went on to observe various new genre series on the broadcast deals with a team of experts who are recently known for L.A. Dragnet. Cast that war gives life a vibrancy and urgency networks. ABC will have Invasion assembled when the U.S. Navy makes a includes Lake Bell, Rade Serbedzija, that isn’t present during peace. (debuting Sept 21) on Wednesdays at 10 chilling discovery: an extra terrestrial Leighton Meester, Jay Ferguson, and When I asked her how long it gener- pm ET/PT, 9 pm CT/MT. Shaun Cassidy craft has landed in the mid-Atlantic Carter Jenkins. Of the three alien ally took her to write a book, she an- (American Gothic, Roar) is the producer Ocean. Dr. Molly Anne Caffrey (Carla invasion series debuting this fall, this swered that it took about a year but that and it will follow the goings on in a small Gugino) is a government contingency looks to be the least of them. Who knows, she often spent months thinking about a Florida town following a hurricane which analyst whose job is to devise response with lower expectations may come better new project before she actually began any seems to be a cover for an alien invasion. plans for worst-case scenarios. When her results... writing. She also noted that she didn’t Initial reports have indicated that it moves plan called THRESHOLD is activated The WB will have its new genre work on two big projects at the same time slower than Lost, so viewers may need upon the news of the UFO, she and her series, Supernatural, on Tuesdays at 9 pm but that she could handle smaller ones – ET/PT, 8 pm CT/MT. Sam Winchester like an essay for Benbella’s “Anthology at (Jared Padalecki) has done his best to the End of the Universe” – which exam- escape his family’s eerie history, but, ined the effect of “Hitchhiker’s Guide…” along with his older brother Dean (Jensen on our society and technology. The Ackles,), Sam is bound by tragedy and anthology was published in April 2005. blood to a dangerous, other-worldly She likened it to a palate cleanser that was mission. Cris-crossing the mysterious just fun to write. She’ll also be contribut- back roads of the country in their ’67 ing to a “Narnia revisited” themed book. Chevy Impala, the Winchester brothers Curiously, Jacqueline’s technique is to search for their missing father and hunt start with an outline in her head only. She down every evil supernatural force they spends a lot of time considering what the encounter along the way. The WB major plot points are and what the promises a weekly thrill ride evoking the ‘structure’ of the story feels like. It’s terror of The Ring and The Grudge. The something difficult to explain, she says, pilot shows promise and it may be a new but she knows when the story is essen- genre series hit for the WB. tially complete in her head. She says it’s In the returning shows to the net- like having invisible builders moving works, there’s a few tidbits on the new furniture into an empty house at night. seasons. Charmed will see Kelly Cuoco She just knows when she has enough to join the cast as a young witch who will be make a complete home. I was astonished guided by the Charmed ones. Also, Mark at the idea of how much she keeps in her McGrath will appear on the series in a head. I’m lucky if I know what I did last multi-episode arc. Lost will see the week. She agreed that it is kind of a discovery of another group of survivors weird feeling. She describes her style as from the tail section of the plane. an ‘edit as you go’ thing. She finds that Smallville will get off to a rousing start she cannot move forward until everything with Arrival when a couple of is as polished as it can be. Jacqueline Kryptonians show up, Nam-Ek and isn’t a morning person. She generally begins work after lunch; morning is all Aethyr, who are disciples of Zod and are about mundane chores. She writes only in looking for Kal-El. Expect lots of super her study, none of that taking the laptop to powered mayhem to kick things off for the local coffee shop. She puts in about the fifth season. Next up is Mortal, that three to four hours a day but no more than features a villain who draws power from six before she starts to hear the neurons electricity and a pair of “Wonder Twins” sizzling, as she puts it. that have other powers. I always marvel at the glamour of For more schedule information, news being a published writer. I mentioned it to and links, visit the Magrathea/SFTV her and asked how it felt to be invited to Pages at www.sftv.org Contact Lee Book Festivals and feted at a nice hotel. Whiteside at [email protected] ( Continued on page 5 ) Page 4 ConNotations Volume 15 Issue 4 forbidding Conversation ( Continued from page 4 ) ConClusion me to enter And people asking for interviews… It’s with the darn ROOMMATE WANTED still a little surreal to her. She tries to ’d been to a couple of Westercons and thing. maintain a perspective and remember how DragonCon but it’s not like I really Tomorrow, Roommate wanted to share house: it was before she could make a living at it. thought I was well-traveled in con circles. for sure. We It did take her a good ten years of strug- I’d been looking forward to this for over a left early to Master bedroom suite (wired for cable gling without success to get to this point. year when I’d decided it was what we do a little already), huge walk-in closet, big bathroom We fell to discussing the evolution of were going to do for vacation in 2005. I’d mundane sight-seeing strong female characters in fantasy. She been told over and over about how big it with door to outside (backyard). No garage, at the zoo. had recently read a thesis that compared was and I’d checked out their but there is some storage space. Swimming website…but there really is no substitute Besides…my female characters from M.Z. Bradley’s bad leg hurt. pool. Washer and Dryer. --- There are Darkover stores to Carey’s trilogy. for actually seeing the real thing. It was sorta like going to Las Vegas for the first Running Jacqueline found it somewhat amusing, I three cats, one dog, four birds, an time. shoes for think, that her cheerfully masochistic We arrived in the afternoon on tomorrow… aquarium, a hermit crab and a small green heroine was the end-point of the compari- Thursday and my first mission was to Our hotel turtle. One 13 and a half year-old girl. --- son. Rather, she believes that Kushiel is a score on a Press Pass. That went well and was in El point on an evolving spectrum. She is I went off in search of the freebie table to Cajon, more $750—includes utilities, cable, etc. sure the genre will continue to see strong drop off a stack of ConNotations. There than ten miles Available by October, possibly earlier. female characters, not enough to balance are dozens of red-shirted Elites within from the she says, but certainly more. I brought view at any given time and it still took convention In Glendale near Northern and 51st Ave. out the cliché of ‘how much of you is in three of them before I found one to point center. Home phone: (623) 939-7815 your character?’ Her laughing answer me in the right direction. After a couple Parking was was “a little…enough…not that much.” of false paths, I finally found the freebie an …interest- Work phone: (602) 955-8373 She said the same was true of Kushiel’s table. By this time, I wasn’t even sure ing experi- ask for Sue Martin antagonist. what direction we’d come from. From ence. I But, I pressed, if writers write what there, my next mission was to find the fan wasn’t they know… then where did the masoch- tables where our friends from Conzilla surprised at istic sex come from? Jacqueline did a lot would have a table and allow me to leave $10.00 per day, but $20.00 per day….?! From there I finally made my way into of research into the BDSM (bondage- some flyers for CopperCon. Back to the So between the cost of parking and the the Exhibitors Hall. Whoa…! Thank dominance-sadism-masochism) commu- red-shirts…and another…and another… hassle of driving, we decided to try the goodness there’s a map or I’d never been trolley system on Friday. We’ll see how nity. She felt that a lot of the usage in the “No,” I had to explain, “the fan tables are able to find the artists I wanted to see. It not the autograph tables”, and then “no, Friday works out. was an incredible sight. Since this is genre is simply titillating. She wanted to The trolley stop was only a couple present the material responsibly. She the fan tables are not the freebie tables.” Comic-Con it’s understandable that the When I did explain what a fan table was, blocks away and the trip went well. I sat really wanted to ‘get it right’ and not let it majority of booths were about comics or all I got in return were blank looks. I’m across from a young teenager who was Manga or media. But the booths – become exploitative or just plain icky. I not sure who all these helpful red-shirted going to her fifth Comic-Con with her ohmigosh! It’s obvious that many wondered if she thought her readers Elites are, but they aren’t fans. I’ll have family. She was very friendly and helpful consider the con to be an industry enjoyed the literature or if many of them to ask someone who knows… We walked with advice. My first stop was the ‘hat showplace. The Disney “Narnia” booth were just after that titillating affect. She the length of the convention center and check’ area where I could conveniently was amazing, and they gave out goodies answered firmly – the literature. But, she back again ending up back in the freebie leave my 500lb, wheeled luggage full of every hour. The Todd McFarlane toys acknowledged, many of them did seek the table area when to my amazement, we ran books. We arrived a bit later than I’d was always packed with people. Free sexual aspects of the story. Someone told into a fellow Arizona fan who works the hoped. I was late for the first panel I Manga everywhere you looked. There her that since she hadn’t understood this con. He knew exactly where Conzilla wanted to see – with Forrest Ackerman. I were Star Wars booths that I couldn’t get side of the sexual experience, she thanked was. It’s good to know somebody. followed Forry to the autographing area near so I never did see what the crowd Jacqueline for making her understand it. With that accomplished, my next task after his panel and was able to chat with was so excited about. I could’ve cheer- And from those in the BDSM community, was to score on a couple of masquerade him for a few minutes. He agreed to an fully spent another 4 hours wandering she was thanked for ‘putting a good face tickets; I’d heard they’d be giving them interview later in the day. {Watch for his around inside. But my intent was to on it.” away on Thursday and I wanted to be sure interview in an upcoming issue of locate the booths for Kinuko and Donato. I had to ask about the tattoos. There we could get in. Again, I relied on a red- ConNotations.} Then I had to run to the I found them and left two bags of books has been so much interest from her fans shirted Elite…hmmm… this one was next panel I wanted to see: the wondrous for the sweet and very friendly Kinuko to that she has made a webpage on her site distance-impaired. “Right above us” she Kinuko (pronounced Kee-nu-ko) Craft sign. Then off to find Donato, just around just for the tattoo pictures they send her. pointed. “Just take the escalator up and and the amazing Donato Giancola the corner, to ask for his signature on a (fabulous artists!). They were giving a Jacqueline confesses that she has no turn right.” Right above us really meant couple of my books. On the way, I walk the length of two halls… As it slide show presentation of their art to noticed a sign on an empty booth for tattoos. She thought about it for a while show how they do what they do. That was but decided against it. The fans already turned out, the tickets would not be given away until a few hours before the mas- a lot of fun. over-identify her with her character too (Continued on page 6 ) much, she says; that would just make it querade. But my handy-dandy worse. press pass and Good news for fans of Terre d’Ange – name-recognition there will be a fourth book in the Kushiel of ConNotations series. One that will focus on a different nailed me two character though; a second trilogy that passes for myself will be about the next generation. The and husband tentative title is “Kushiel’s Scion.” She from one of the hasn’t yet begun work on it. She feels the con organizers. scope of these stories will be a bit smaller Whoo-hoo…this and more intimate. is working out Again, I want to stress what a pleasure just fine. it was to speak with Jacqueline and what a I kept peeking lovely person she is. Listen up fans – into the she’s Not Kushiel… Exhibitor’s room each pass we’d made but we didn’t go in. For one thing, I was dragging a 300lb. piece of wheeled luggage and there was a sign Volume 15 Issue 4 ConNotations Page 5 ConClusion ( Cont’d from page 5 ) and ended up leaving my card with his PR favored entry from last year. This year’s An American in England person. With any luck… show had 60 entries. The first one was a Mike Mignola! Cool…I was toting Now I had to haul a.., I mean books, darling little girl as Wonder Woman, nice Part Six: The Globe around one of his Hellboy books that I down to the Autograph Area for the long- costume, nice presentation. I also by Jeffrey Lu was reading. I’ll be back…. By now, awaited Ray Bradbury signing. I was particularly liked another small person as there wasn’t much time left to grab a there more than an hour before his time Spawn, he was so cute and aggressive. $3.00 muffin for my lunch and wander and the line was already full! The first The General Grevious (from Star Wars, The wooden seat had no cushion. I sat over to the Autograph Area to stand in guy in line was there at 9am and the line Episode 6) was an astonishing costume. there wondering if I should have rented line for Robert Jordan. Unfortunately, so was closed off at 230 p.m., an hour before The person was hidden under a cloak and one before the performance. Unexpectedly many folks showed up to see Jordan, that I even showed up. One of the Con staff he moved the arms with sticks and the feet rain pours down on the groundlings. Men he restricted the line to two books per informed us late-hopefuls that we were were attached to his own feet. It looked and women who purchased the stand only person. Out came the cell phone with a welcome to stand behind the line but we like the General was moving on his own, cry to husband to come stand in line with were really rolling the dice. Ray would it was really quite entertaining. There cheap seats were getting soaked. I then me. He was sweet enough to come do sign for a single hour and there were 100 were a couple of other costumes with the counted myself lucky at the Globe being at so…but it cost me later… people in the line ahead of us. I looked at same gimmick but I thought this was the the lower gallery… We left to find some dinner. The the possibility of getting a single book best. My favorite was an exciting and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre is the problem became those darn wheeled signed by Ray (if I was very lucky) or sexy Nightcrawler and Lara Croft. They third one of that name on the Bankside, luggage that carried my 600lbs of books. abandoning the crapshoot and taking up a were quite athletic, spinning and tumbling London. The other two were destroyed in The hat check area closed at 7pm and I place in the line for Orson Scott Card and across the stage. There was also an the 17th century. This theatre project was was pretty sure we wouldn’t make it back Vernor Vinge. The odds seemed better for extremely impressive Alien costume near in time so I had to drag the durned fool the latter so I regretfully gave up my the end. There was a 20-minute intermis- headed by an American, Sam Wanamaker things with us to dinner. I really, really space in Ray’s line. The return on time sion for the judges to confer. It was who died in 1993. This open air Globe wanted to make it back by 8pm – they investment was much better – I got all my almost midnight, I think, and I decided to opened in June 1997. were showing the new SG1 and SG: Card books signed (10 of ‘em) and had take pity on my poor, suffering husband Being in this theatre three times, I saw Atlantis shows and I’d forgotten to set the some time to chat with Vernor Vinge and return to the hotel. We got back about each unique performance with live actors. machine at home to tape them. The whom I talked to only on email. I also 12:30. All of them were performing one of restaurant was packed (all the restaurants had the chance to say hello to Kevin J. I wouldn’t’ve minded going back on Shakespeare’s plays. The cast of all within walking distance were packed) and Anderson, who is becoming a familiar Sunday, if only to wander around the we didn’t get back to the Convention face to me. This was our third encounter Exhibitor’s Hall for a few more hours but women was in Much Ado about Nothing. Center until 8:30pm. I was just too – and no new books for his signature. I’d there were no more books to have Second, The Tempest was done by three pooped and husband was less than missed the Serenity panel which I truly autographed, so instead, we left for home men actors Performing multiple roles, and enthusiastic about watching TV in a regretted but had fun anyway. early. Actually, early isn’t exactly right, three female dancers helping and packed hall so I reluctantly agreed to The Masquerade was only a couple we were late checking out and I’m hindering each actor. Last, the entire return to the hotel. The trolley took about hours away and I had to quickly figure out grateful for a friend calling and rousing production of male and female cast did an hour but it was very easy to use. If what to do with my 700 lbs of wheeled me about 10am or we’d probably slept The Winter’s Tale. only the hotel had carried the Sci-Fi luggage. I figured they’d frown on me through the afternoon. I can’t really say I channel…alas. I learned my lesson and did grab a taking it in with me, even with my was “happy” to come home, it had been a nd Saturday brought new opportunities Reserved ticket. Time to hit up a fellow great week. Plus, we came back to a cushion for the 2 play. Foolishly, I for autographs in my books. (You’re Arizona fan… I just happened to know monsoon storm and no power the whole decided to be a groundling for The starting to see my addiction, aren’t you?) someone working in Programming, a nice evening. Sitting in a dark house with no Winter’s Tale. I had to stand for most of But first I wanted to see the SG1 and large room with lots of space under tables air conditioning or computer access was the play. Next time, I will just sit in either SG:Atlantis panels. The room was HUGE that was open all night… Score! I owe not how I thought we’d spend the one of the three galleries. I love this place. and the actors at the table were mere ants Mike one and the nice woman, Eva, who evening. I’m already looking forward to For more information, on the horizon. I could’ve walked to the helped me find space under a table. Off to returning to San Diego next year for front of the room but the closest I dinner with a light heart and empty hands. Conzilla, Westercon 59. I’ll probably www.shakespeare-globe.org. could’ve gotten wasn’t exactly close. I I was told the Masquerade hall held only take 2 or 3 hundred pounds of books settled for seating myself comfortably on 5000 people. You really have to see it to to that one… Next: Oxford- Where the library and the the carpet against a wall and watching the believe it. But everyone gets a chance to dining room meet in English history and huge screens placed around the room. watch: they project the show on big Harry Potter. Amanda Tapping is a charming, funny screens in a couple different places in the person and Ben Browder was acting the Convention Center. I thought that was clown. The SG: Atlantis crowd was less pretty cool. They showed movie trailers exciting to me. Rachel Luttrell was on huge screens as a pre-show. We saw personable and dynamic, Joe Flanigan the new Harry was less so. The new guy, Jason Momoa, Potter & Goblet, was understandably a bit nervous. David AeonFlux, Hewlett was funny as hell and taking most Corpse Bride of his shots at Jason. (which is just I remembered to bring snacks with me too, too cool) for my lunch so avoided the heinous and an awesome $3.00 muffin. I wish I’d known then that Narnia trailer. there was a sandwich place inside the Phil Foglio was Exhibitor’s Hall. Mrs. Fields (Cookies) the MC. (If I’d must have been making a killing at this only known con, there were wheeled concession before I left stands everywhere in the convention home that he center. I hurried down to the Exhibitor’s would be there – Hall to grab a couple of signatures from I have lots of Margaret Weis. And, I had one more bag books with his of books for Kinuko to sign. Bless her, artwork…) He she was actually happy to see me again. A was a great MC, lot of authors start turning away when very funny and they see me coming… I had a few skilled at precious minutes chatting with her before handling that other fans needed her attention. I made it rowdy crowd. to Todd McFarlane’s panel for the last half Richard Hatch hour; and then followed him back to his (BSG) was one booth. I’d hoped for a few moments to of the judges. introduce myself and pitch a local There were convention to him (he’s a local boy, in loads of loud Tempe). I couldn’t even get near him. I cries for tapped one of his crew for a few questions “Beastboy”, a Page 6 ConNotations Volume 15 Issue 4 using weapon Y and Gamer’s Corner doing Z afterward” when you can say after 1239 E McKellips Rd 480-844-0470 ***** Ashes of Middenheim the first set of attacks Game Den “Gee, that seemed ***** Old World Bestiary futile.” ***1/2 Game Master’s Pack The minor section is Games & Gifts the three appendixes 2 Minutes from the loop 202 & 101 in Mesa Ashes of Middenheim with mounts, small Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay animals, and optional hit $24.99, Black Industries, 95pp location tables. The mounts are well situated Chris Pramas and Green Ronin for both characters and cleaned up and rewrote the Warhammer enemy combatants. Fantasy Roleplay game. First let me state Small animals include that it hasn’t been d20’d. Second let me game animals and small state this new adventure rocks. It should raptors as well as be played after the introductory module in snakes. However the the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay book optional hit location “Through the Drakwald” but it has a tables make it much Role Playing Games - More than could possibly be listed here we have variant summary to use if you haven’t easier to determine more than 1200 different RPG items / in print and out of print, Board played it. where a non-humanoid “Ashes of Middenheim” is the first in was hit and saves spur games - from the popular to the obscure, card games like a new trilogy “Paths of the Damned”. It of the moment game looks to do for Warhammer Fantasy slowing calculations on Yu-Gi-Oh and magic the gathering in packs and singles, Minatures from Roleplay what the “Temple of Elemental what was hit on that Battletech to Reaper and heroclix, Pirates of the spainish main, decorative Evil” did for D&D, that is, offer them a ogre-dragon. There is chance to advance from struggling also a critical hit table swords, T-Shirts, Dragon - fairy - Unicorn statuettes, neophytes to mid-powered characters for wings, giving pewter and enamel jewelry, novels & books, miniature paints and while offering chances to role-play both penalties for flying common and complex situations. The over assuming they survived modeling supplies & so much more all role-playing experience potential is the damage. equal, if not greater, than the experience This is well thought for defeating antagonists. out and should be among the best books We are located at the SW corner of Rural This was my introduction to the most potent in the game and they have the of the year. Five stars out of five. - Bob drawbacks (side effects) to prove it. The and Guadalupe in Tempe. system and I was so pumped that I am LaPierre www.planetneoanime.com 480-838-1818 looking for a regular game. Other players table on side effects is appallingly simple and yet so very right. I can see the I talked to said this is a great system and Game Master’s Pack Kaiju Fest they are pleased to “not have it changed to character who pursues this career path and Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay ending up scaring children and animals. I make it just another D20 variant.” I’ve $14.99, Black Industries, 32pp Atomic Comics presents Kaiju Fest- grown to expect higher quality and better like the product but can’t give it top marks for the reasons discussed earlier, Three 40 years of Gamera & Ultraman on role-playing from Chris Pramas and This package contains a black & white Sunday August 14th. On the big screen: Green Ronin and this shows why. Five and a half Stars out of five. - Bob map of the known world, a beautiful full LaPierre Gamera: Guardian of the Universe, stars out of five. - Bob LaPierre color GM’s screen, and an introductory Gamera 2: Legion Attacks, Ultraman adventure with an equipment emporium 1966 Episodes 1 & 2, Ultraman Nexus Old World Bestiary and maps of common buildings in the Episodes 1 & 2, Godzilla vs. Megaguirus, Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay empire. The map is detailed enough for FYI Animal Icons: It Came From Japan, $29.99, Black Industries, 127pp traveling but open enough for devising Godzilla Documentary and more special your own adventures and locating them CASFS Book Discussions presentations. Kids Kaiju Art Contest- This is one of the best-written guide- wherever wanted. The screen has many cool prizes. New on Gamera 4 Ultraman books to creatures perilous I have ever charts and graphs that will be very useful The CASFS Book Discussion is held Next and more. 10am-7pm at Mesa seen. The style is such that you have but without the new charts from the “Old monthly at the Barnes & Noble bookstore Superstore address: 1120 S. Country Club Dr. #105 (480) 649-0807 and at Phoenix multiple responses to successful “Com- World Bestiary”. Pity. With both of them at Metrocenter, 10235 N. Metro Parkway address: 10215 N. 28th Dr #A1 (602) 395- mon Knowledge Tests” and also for being released at the same time you would East. We will be meeting on the third successful “Academic Knowledge Tests”. Wednesday of each month at 7PM 1066. The website is think they would include them. Guess it’s www.atomiccomics.com The volume contains two major and a marketing tool. Books scheduled for discussion are: one minor sections. First there is a section The adventure is pretty typical intro fare, August 17: Newton’s Cannon by Greg with common, scholarly, and (for the however it also has advice for the neo- Keyes. “England Bound” September 21: Out of Their Minds by sentient races) our own views. The phyte GM to avoid lopsided combats and Clifford Simak.October 19: Kushiel’s by Jeffrey Lu common is full of such quotes and challenges. There are multiple path anecdotes that a character would hear Dart by Jacqueline Carey. possibilities and, you might not succeed at November 16: The DaVinci Code by Four days after our own independence, growing up and may or may not be useful all the tasks but still succeed in the basic Dan Brown. December 14: (moved up a England flew in hopes or even true. The scholarly view has more mission. week to keep it away from Christmas) From yesterday’s great news reliable sources but is of course harder to The equipment emporium has most of the Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey. In hosting 2012 Olympics. possess the skills to use. The section titled stuff an adventurer would want and the Please join us. “Our own words” has quotes obtained chances of finding it based on frequency For more information contact Four explosions blew- from the creatures themselves and are not and city/town size. The common building Catherine
Videos: Books: Red Vs. Blue Machinima Halo 2 videos By Dave Morris, Matt Kelland, Dave Lloyd SORCERESS SEEKS http://rvb.roosterteeth.com/archive/ http://www.muskalipman.com/ The StrangerHood ptr_detail.cfm?group=Animation&isbn=1%2D59200%2D650%2D7 APPRENTICES Sims 2 videos 3D Game-Based Filmmaking: The Art of Those of you who have caught my act at Pagan Pride Day, http://sh.roosterteeth.com/archive/ Machinima- Creating Animated Films with Splinter Cell Co-Op TheatreSpecial Agent 3D Game Technology or the Witches’ Ball, or various local ceremonies, take Bob and Secret Agent Steve are back to not By Paul Marino note: I will teach all my knowledge of Bardic Magick - save the world again. http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/1932111859/ music, poetry, psionics, and the relationships between http://www.g4tv.com/videos/ The Art of Machinima review index.html?video_key=9073 http://www.machinima.com/ them - to any qualified person willing to rent a room in Quake done Quick article.php?article=437 my house in west Phoenix. The house is in a quiet resi- http://www.machinima.com/ th article.php?article=78 Documentary: dential neighborhood near 59 Avenue and Thomas Road, Artery:Machinima within walking distance of a shopping center and within Articles: Article: http://www.boingboing.net/2003/07/ easy bus-ride of two community colleges. $360 per month Popular Science, July 2005, page 82, “Move 17/machinima_documentar.html Over, Pixar” by Ethan Todras-Whitehill Streaming Video: http://www.machinima.com/ plus a share of the housework covers rent and utilities, http://www.popsci.com/popsci/how2/article/ films.php?id=292 including phone, cable TV and cable Internet connection. 0,20967,1069886,00.html Yes, I’m willing to teach complete beginners. Applicants Wired News, July 23, 2005, “Machinima: Software: Games Act Like Films” by Brad King Machinima production kit must tolerate cats, smokers, and musicians who keep odd http://www.wired.com/news/games/ http://www.strangecompany.org/ hours. It interested, phone me at 623-247-7809 evenings. 0,2101,53929,00.html?tw=wn_story_related page.php?id=50 Wired News, July 09, 2003, “Games Invade Machinimation 1 & 2 Hollywood’s Turf” by Leander Kahney http://www.fountainheadent.com/n.x/fe/Home/ Leslie the Bard http://www.wired.com/news/technology/ Productions/Machinimation 0,1282,59566,00.html Volume 15 Issue 4 ConNotations Page 9 Spear of Destiny the blood of Christ dried Hide And Seek may be after him and believes that they on the blade will allow him to be born to 20th Century Fox 2005 have come into his apartment while he is Videophile earth. color/101 minutes not there. One evening he finds an **** Constantine Angela subsequently is possessed by Rated R incomplete game of hangman on a post-it ** Hide and Seek Mammon. Constantine attempts to Robert DeNiro – Dakota Fanning note stuck on his refrigerator. This only **** The Machinist exorcize her but is unsuccessful. He increases Trevor’s paranoia. forces the unknown entity that is thwart- The movie opens with Psychologist He begins to speak with a new man, Ivan SPOILER ALERT ing his attempts to reveal itself. This turns David Calloway (Robert DeNiro) discov- at the machine shop. One day he is out to be the Angel Gabriel who jealous of ering the body of his wife, dead of an helping another man level a lathe when he The following reviews ontain spoliers - Man’s ability to obtain God’s forgiveness apparent suicide. His daughter Emily is distracted by Ivan. As a result of the you have been warned and has decided to help Mammon so that (Dakota Fanning) also witnesses this grim distraction the other machinist is severely humans can truly earn God’s forgiveness discovery. injured losing most of his arm. After this Constantine 2- disk deluxe edition in its eyes. Against the advice of his daughter’s incident no one seems to know who Ivan Warner Brothers 2005 As Gabriel begins to stab Angela and therapist, David takes her from the is and blame Trevor for the injury. Color/121 minutes release Mammon Constantine suicides a psychiatric hospital to a house in the Deciding Ivan is the one who has been in Rated R second time stopping Gabriel mid thrust country where he feels that she will his apartment Trevor sets out to find him and summoning Satan who is coming to recover better from the trauma of her and find out what is going on. After one Constantine is a movie based on the personally collect Constantine’s soul. mother’s death. encounter he steals a picture from Ivan’s Hellblazer comic/graphic novel series After speaking with Constantine and Emily soon has a mysterious friend wallet that shows Ivan with another from DC/Vertigo. It stars Keanu Reeves discovering his son’s plot, Satan stops named Charlie. At first David is not machinist from the shop. Trevor is now as John Constantine and Rachel Weiz as Gabriel leaving Mammon in hell. When concerned with this new playmate sure he has is proof. Angela/Isobel. asked for what he wants as a reward believing Charlie to be imaginary. Trevor himself gets caught in another The movie opens with the discovery of Constantine asks that Angela’s sister be Increasingly violent and disturbing lathe and barely escapes injury. Trevor the Spear of Destiny (the spear that killed released from hell and in the processes incidents occur in the Calloway household lashes out and blames the mysterious Ivan Christ) by a homeless man in Mexico redeems himself to God much to Satan’s with Emily blaming Charlie. David along with other machine shop employees rooting through an abandoned mining site. annoyance. becomes more and more concerned with and ends up being fired. Acting as if possessed he begins heading Extras Emily’s behavior but still refuses the Meanwhile while still seeing Stevie, northward. There are many extras on this two disk therapists advice to bring Emily back to Trevor gets into a conversation with the John Constantine (Keanu Reeves) is a set. The first disk contains the movie as New York for treatment. waitress at the café and agrees to go out suicide condemned to hell that has come well commentary by the director and After the violent death of Charlie’s with her and her young son on Mother’s back to earth to exorcize demons in his writer of the movie. Also as extras on disk new girl friend we discover the not so day. The outing ends badly when the boy fight against evil to gain redemption and one are the teaser and theatrical trailers surprising real identity of Charlie and that has a seizure after Trevor takes him on an acceptance into heaven. Newly diagnosed and a music video, Passive – by A Perfect Emily didn’t witness her Mother’s suicide amusement park ride. with lung cancer he knows that his second Circle. Commentary is commentary and but her homicide. In a tender moment Stevie tells Trevor she time on earth is limited. everyone has seen the trailers at some David finally figuring out that Emily will give up prostitution and be with him After being diagnosed with cancer point already. The music video is worth a is not Charlie but rather himself he seeks exclusively if he would want that. Trevor Constantine encounters Angela Dodson watch. For you NIN fans Trent Reznor help from Emily’s therapist. She is able to agrees. (Rachel Weisz), a police officer, in a has a writing credit for the song along rescue Emily by killing David/Charlie Trevor continues to try to track down hospital where her mentally ill twin sister with James Keenan from A Perfect Circle/ almost being killed herself in the process. Ivan. Unemployed he soon finds himself Isobel has just committed suicide, in the Tool. The video features many action Emily is brought back for treatment without power in his apartment. He goes hospital where she died. They encounter sequences from the movie. where we find that maybe Charlie isn’t back to Stevie and when she points out each other a second time in a church as Disk two is all extras. Conjuring quite gone yet. that it is him in the photograph stolen Angela argues unsuccessfully for a Constantine is a feature that traces the The most promoted extra on this DVD from Ivan’s wallet they fight and she tells Catholic burial for her sister. origins of the John Constantine character is the four alternate endings. Three of the him to leave and not come back. Angela refuses to believe her sister from his first appearance in Swamp Thing four leave little hope for Emily’s recovery Trevor finally realizes he is Ivan and committed suicide and while studying through his incarnation in the movie from the traumas she has suffered and are that the waitress from the café is really the security tapes of her sister’s death hears Constantine. similar to the released ending with the mother of a young boy he killed in a hit her speak Constantine’s name. She seeks The Production from Hell contains fourth alternate ending being a and they and run accident the year before. After out Constantine believing that he can help several making of featurettes the most lived happily ever after variant. While any confessing to the mother and then the prove her sister did not kill herself. notable of which is Collision With Evil of the first three alternates make for police, Trevor is locked in a cell and lays After a visit to hell Constantine shows which details the production of the acceptable endings the fourth would have down to sleep. Angela that her sister did kill herself. opening scene. ruined what little value this movie has. The DVD has the usual commentary Angela wants to know why and with Imagining The Underworld are The extras also contain the standard and deleted scenes as well as theatrical Constantine’s help begins to investigate featurettes on the development of various making of features and the standard trailers. the death. After a demonic encounter sets and props in the movie. I found them commentary along with deleted scenes I give this movie 4 out of 5 stars. It is Angela begins to believe Constantine to be fairly interesting. and storyboards. an excellent depiction of one man’s version of the world and after her own trip Constantine Cosmology is a feature This movie gets 2 ½ stars out of 5. Too decent into paranoia and insanity. Chris- to hell realizes that she like her sister sees that discusses the myth and story telling. predictable to be really scary. - Rick tian Bale plays the part Trevor quite things just like Constantine does. The disk also contains the requisite Andrews convincingly. For an interesting contrast They discover that God and Satan deleted scenes which as with most movies compare Christian’s physical appearance have a bet over control of human’s souls were left out for good reason but are still The Machinist and manner as the character Trevor in the but can only influence and not directly fun to watch. They can be viewed with or Paramount Classics 2004 machinist with his physical appearance affect the outcome. Beeman, one of without commentary. Color/101 minutes and manner as Bruce Wayne/Batman in Constantine’s associates, discovers that The best of the extras is the comic Rated R Batman Begins. - Rick Andrews Mammon, son of Satan, is planning on book which comes with the 2-disk deluxe Christian Bale – Jennifer Jason Leigh physically coming to earth and through addition. This contains two re-print this negation of the bet between God and comics and a short story. Trevor Reznik (Christian Bale) hasn’t Satan start his own kingdom on earth. I give the movie four out of five and slept for a year and the strain is starting to Beeman reading the Bible from Hell the extras three out of five. Defiantly a show. He keeps mostly to himself. He discovers that certain conditions must be movie worth watching for both the goes to his job as a machinist in a ma- met in order for Mammon to cross over to Hellblazer Fans and horror aficionados. If chine shop and stops for coffee and pie at earth. The first condition, possession of a you’re into DVD extras they are worth a café near the airport. His only real powerful psychic (Angela’s sister), has watching and if not you still have the relationship is with a prostitute named been met. The second requires divine Hellblazer comic as a bonus. - Rick Stevie (Jennifer Jason Leigh). intervention – the help of God. If Mam- Andrews Trevor begins to suspect that someone mon possessing a human is pierced by the Page 10 ConNotations Volume 15 Issue 4 The Bright and the Dark differently to make the story more king, his unusual second wife (who might In Our Book by Michelle M. Welch enjoyable. I think I can honestly say that be a mystic) and the king’s daughter and Bantam Spectra, 390 pp, $6.50, although I recognize this novel to be well- heir who has been rarely seen since she CUSP written and plotted, it simply wasn’t to my was a child. by Robert A. Metzger Again Ms. Welch has provided us taste. I will, though, check back to see Senneth and friends discover that the The Penguin Group, 517 pp, $24.95, with a very complex story. (see review of how her writing matures, as it is sure to. I political situation has gotten fairly Confidence Game, Issue 14.5). We are have a curiosity in seeing where she goes unstable and that mystic bashing is fast It is always rare and always nice to see back in the realm of the Five Countries next. - Catherine Book becoming a national sport. hard science fiction done right. CUSP but with different players. The story The adventures these six are involved does it right. (Mike Resnick). He wasn centers around two characters, one of Mystic and Rider: A Novel of the in before they bring their report to the kidding about hard science fiction when it which was introduced as a child in her Twelve Houses king are wonderful and bring out the best comes to CUSP. This book has physics in earlier novel. The child Aron, son of a by Sharon Shinn in all the characters, binding them closer it that Stephen Hawking would be hard- powerful Justice (those who constitute the Ace Hardcover; 440 pp.; $24.95 together. pressed to put calculations to. And yet government), is now grown to a man but Even love begins to bloom between Robert Metzger does an extraordinary job is just as disturbed and troubled. And the Fun, fun, fun. two of them. of combining science, character other is Julian, an exile from a country I love Sharon Shinn’s books, This is a wonderful story, just the first development, and storyline into one once revered for its scientific learning but especially her “Archangel” trilogy, and volume in more to come. And a great streamlined work of art. The ideas put now reverting to barbarism. Together they the book before this, “Angel Seeker.” addition to Shinn’s oeuvre. - Sue Martin forth illustrate a future for humanity journey through self-discovery for both. This novel is a different genre, more where the majority of human beings are Aron has bound himself to unhappiness pure fantasy than the previous ones. The Family Trade [Book One of the equipped with electronic enhancements by his obsession with gaining his father’s “Mystics” are people who control Merchant Princes] and a perpetual link to the Void: what we attention. Julian seems to want to simply magic: shape-shift, read minds, By Charles Stross would call the internet but much grander. float through life like a leaf on the stream, manipulate fire, heal. Of course there are Tom Doherty, New York 2004 With large jets of energy having sprouted taking whatever is easy and pleasant. people who find mystics too Paper back, 312 Pages, $6.99 from within both Earth and the Sun, People around Julian take comfort and uncomfortably strange, and goes as far as thrusting the celestial bodies through satisfaction from his mere presence; as if, naming them an abomination upon the This novel is a new wrinkle on the space, humanity is pushed to the limits of by simply knowing this relic of a fabled face of Gillengaria (the land this novel doorway into another alternate earth. its evolution and beyond in order to race, they will gain some knowledge or takes place in) and they need to be Ingredients are a tech writer of unknown survive. From such a calamitous renown. Julian cannot understand this nor eradicated. parentage, a money laundering scheme beginning, it would be safe to assume that help them. Eventually, he comes to Senneth, who has a delightfully she investigates, a locket left by her dead many people would be panicking, and recognize that people don’t see him; they mysterious past (that is slowly revealed) is mother and a sudden firing from her they probably are; but Metzger focuses on see only what they want him to be. The the strongest mystic of the group we meet magazine job. These things turn out to be the key players in this new celestial game character development was the most in this novel. She has very strong mind unexpectedly related. The locket opens a where the pieces are moving by unseen interesting part to me. This book has the powers and is able to control fire and heat, door to another version of earth with the hands, for surely both Earth and Sun same political machinations and intrigue as well as having decent healing skills. same geography. Her unknown relatives moving in concert is anything but natural. as her first novel. This was the least Her closet friend Kierra is a shape- run an import export business between the Metzger develops the characters quite interesting part. The conflicts in the story shifter as well as an exceptional healer. two and are nobles in the other earth. It is fast, starting in the middle and replaying are a plague that threatens everyone, one These two are accompanied by two of them she was investigating. They come parts of their past where relevant, but country attempting a revolution, and the the “King’s Rider’s,” soldiers who are looking for her. From there things begin efficiently. He brings in many concepts of in-fighting and intrigue among the exemplary fighters and utterly loyal to the to get complicated. machines that don exist, giving them Justices. These conflicts were quite King. The older one is Tayse, the younger The world of the story is well crafted. names that mean nothing to the first-time secondary to the characters. one is Justin. (Neither of them are The characters are well drawn. Their reader, reminiscent of Orson Scott Card The story is elaborately plotted, the mystics---at least not so far). motives are complex and believable. The Ender’s Game, but the functions of these characters’ motivations are equally With them is Donal, a young man who novel is not predictable. It does not any of machines are not so far-fetched that they detailed; however, I found the style is also a shape-shifter and very attached to the tried and true paths it could have couldn exist within the reader lifetime. ponderous and dull. I have an idea that Ms Kierra as the two were raised together, taken. I loved it. Read and enjoy. Wait Everyone who picks up this book should Welch was actually trying to give the though Kierra is a lady of one of the high- eagerly for the next book, The Hidden be aware that knowledge of science would reader a sense of the country and people born Twelve Houses and Donal is not. Family – Gary Swaty be a big plus in understanding every little in her story with her particular style. I As this group travels about Gillengaria nuance, the sum of which lead to a could not be sympathetic to any of her trying to determine if the several different Nebula Awards Showcase 2005 surprise ending where the survival of the central characters. Nor could I generate provinces making up the country are edited by Jack Dann planet itself is at stake. Jon Graves much interest in the conflicts. It is fomenting war or not, they add another Roc Books, 328 pp., $15.95 difficult to point to any particular thing to person to their number, Cammon whom say she could have done this or that they discover working as a drudge in a As per the subtitle: ‘The Year’s Best SF and Fantasy Selected by the Science tavern. His talent, unformed and Fiction Writers of America.’ See what the unnamed at the outset seems to be professional writers consider the best, ability to read thoughts and whether winners or nominees. The stories emotions. Appalled that he is are by Richard Bowes, James Van Pelt, working in the tavern as a virtual Carol Emshwiller, Robert Silverberg, slave, Senneth and the others Molly Gloss, Cory Doctorow, Eleanor “relieve” the tavern owner of Arnason, Neil Gaiman (excerpt from Cammon’s presence and so take ‘Coraline’), Karen Joy Fowler, Barry N. him with them. Malzberg (two essays, one on Robert In the process of their fact- Silverberg), Charles L. Harness (and an finding mission, these six people essay by George Zebrowski about him), discover there is a religious Adam-Troy Castro (his 9/11 story), movement gaining strength Harlan Ellison, Elizabeth Moon (excerpt throughout the land devoted to the and essay), Jeffrey Ford (a synesthesia moon goddess, or “Pale Mother” as story), and poems by Ruth Berman, Sonya she is known by. The Pale Taaffe, Charles Saplak and Mike Allen. Mother’s acolytes and a fanatical Lucius Shepard reviews the year’s films, army supporting them want to and a symposium on ‘Movements in destroy all the mystics. And they Science Fiction and Fantasy’ includes are not happy with the current ( Continued on page 12 ) Volume 15 Issue 4 ConNotations Page 11 In Our Book ( Continued from page 11 ) his Grail but it was on the mantle of an kingship to the ambitious bastard first- March, Flees to Castle Bresse learning elderly widowed woman who found it in a born son of the king. The Queen seals all from Lady Morgan and flees again to the Bruce Sterling, China Melville, Paul thrift shop. Galaad had to work very hard of the legalities to assure her daughter’s Deserts of Arad Khajir’i’id where she McAuley, Ellen Kushner, and Jeff to find something as an acceptable trade right to the throne. The young queen, truly learns to handle her powers under ai Vandermeer. Plus sections on the awards, for her – but I didn’t agree with her Anghara is spirited away to be fostered Jihaar She gathers friends and develops the 2004 ballot, past winners since 1965, choice. Another one very high on my under the name of Brynna Kelen. Her half the strength and discipline she will need about the SFFWA organization, and approval list was “Invisible Bars” by brother holds a public funeral for her and as ruler. All this time her half brother Sif editor’s introduction. Not everyone can Dean Wesley Smith. Very well-written takes the throne. Thus begins the saga of seeks her with lethal intent using the attend the Nebula Awards, but we do have and plotted. And the end was affecting… The Hidden Queen. sighted ones he controls. As she flees to this. - Mike Griffin it made me put the book down to think This novel is story of her education in the desert he unleashes a pogrom about it. three widely separated places. She begins attempting to wipe all of the sighted in Platero and I, A Dual-Language Book But the best of these were from Janny at her Aunt’s home under the Sighted by Juan Ramon Jimenez Wurts and Kristine Kathryn Rusch. ( Continued on page 13 ) edited and translated by Stanley Janny’s “That Way Lies Applebaum Camelot” is a tear-jerker, Dover Books, 167 pp., $9.95 of a most tender and loving bent. Kristine’s A modernista classic, part of the was just downright Spanish revival which blended moving. Probably the best romanticism and symbolism in the early ‘journey’ story in the lot. th 20 century. If you were counting, The author won the Nobel Prize for you’ll see that I only Literature in 1956, and this series of prose mentioned ten that I poems is from 1914-1916. It is his most liked… out of twenty- popular work, a tale of a writer and his five. Truly, this collection donkey wandering in Andalusia. If you was mediocre and with a prefer, you can forget it’s prose poetry couple of notable and read it as a short novel with 138 exceptions disappointed chapters. The left-hand pages are in me. - Catherine Book Spanish, the right-hand in English. Includes an introduction and explanatory Gosta Berling’s Saga notes. - Mike Griffin by Selma Lagerlof translated by Lillie Grails: Quests of the Dawn Tudeer Edited by Richard Gilliam, Martin Dover Books, 353 pp., Greenberg, Edward E. Kramer $13.95. Roc Fantasy Anthology, 388 pp, $6.99 A first novel from This is a collection of 25 short stories Sweden in 1891, it with a unifying theme of the Holy Grail. blended romanticism, The stories are all about searching for the symbolism, and Grail; although with these stories, the supernatural lore. The Grail can come in any form and be at the author became the first end of any path. female winner of the The Mercedes Lackey story seemed Nobel Prize for more like the first chapter of a novel. I Literature, and this very much wanted to know what remains her most popular happened next. However, the Marion work. Greta Garbo made Zimmer Bradley was luke-warm at best. stardom for the 1924 Diana Paxson gave us an encounter silent movie version. The between Perceval and the Fisher King in tales concern a defrocked verse that I very much admired. Lee country pastor, a rich Hoffman wrote a story that put the Grail woman, and various in the most improbable place – the rogues. Part of the American old west. I really enjoyed this Swedish Romantic one – the American cowboy saves the revival, it remains day…again. Alan Dean Foster offers up eminently readable today: the idea that if everything has a “… but how they are to complement – what would the Holy enter the beehives of Grail’s complement be? One unfortunate Reality is surely their own snake oil salesman finds out the hard way. affair!” - Mike Griffin Orson Scott Card gave me the most satisfying story of the collection although The Hidden Queen I felt the end was not as clever as the By Alma Alexander story. He has a very different idea of Eos [Harper Collins] where Atlantis was and his story ties New York 2005 together an ancient inhabitant of that city Paperback 389 Pages and one watching through the microscope $6.99 of time. “The Awful Truth in Arthur’s The kingdom is in Barrow” by Lionel Fenn made me laugh. I peril. The king is slain hope the puns were deliberate and I just and his heir is a nine year- loved the irony. Neil Gaiman made me old girl. A desperate smile also. His poor Galaad finally found general promises the
Page 12 ConNotations Volume 15 Issue 4 In Our Book ( Continued from page 12 ) Test of the Twins sacrifice and prevent his brother’ success elite warriors assigned to protect a child realm. Now that she is 17, she is ready to by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman and despite his friends and allies, take the from Earth who’s genetically programed return and right the wrongs. She sets out. TSR, 312 pp, $24.95 last step alone.. discanting [ Children are no longer born] Find out what happens in volume two, With better than average world allows her to manipulate time. And Changer of Days. Test of the Twins is volume III of building, and fleshed out characters, it change the future. From the world of The backdrop of the novel is vividly Legends. makes an enjoyable read. Three stars - Nightshade, a realm that poises on the drawn. The cultural descriptions are Defying the fate that claimed his evil Pam Allan edge of the solar system comes Yskatarina detailed, the geography interesting, the predecessor, Raistlin and Crysania engage lye, another genetic programed being that people interesting. You care about them the Queen of Darkness in a battle for a Banner of Souls is supposed to find the child and kill her. and their world. I recommend the book as seat among the Gods. by Liz Williams It is a race that pits savior and nemesis to an interesting variant of the coming of age Simultaneously Caramon and Bantam Spectra, 426 pp,$6.99 prevent the last vestige of humanity from novel. I look forward to reading the next Tasslehoff are transported to the future being destroyed. book – Gary Swaty and understand the cost of Raistlin’s Banner of Souls is a dark fantasy set in Set in a world where bodies and souls success. Caramon must make a painful an imaginative and evocative world. have been split apart, the strange creatures Dreams-of-War is one of Mars most and coplex characters make this a gotta have it book. Liz Williams just gets better and better. 5 Stars. - Pam Allan
Black Juice by Margo Lanagan Harper Collins Children’s Books, 160 pp, $15.95
Black Juice is a short story collection by Australian novelist and poet Lanagan. As part of a public execution, a young boy helps to sing his sister down.. A servant learns about grace and loyalty from a mistress who would rather dance with gypsies than live with a lord.. An encounter with a demonic angel gives a young man strength to face his oppressor. A shooting spree kills a clown unable to escape his fate and more stories, haunting juxtapositions of light and dark, figures on the edge of the familiar. These haunting short stories are designated young adult, but no reader is to old to marvel. This is good collection from an extraordinary writer. - Pam Allan
Century Rain by Alastair Reynolds Ace, 503 pp, $24.95
Century Rain is hard science fiction and stands alone. Verity Auger is an archeologist trying to retrieve the earth’s history from an Earth destroyed by nano-virus and ice. Working for the Department of Antiquities, she takes a risk in retrieval and a child dies. Caliskan is the head of Antiquities and a covert department called Contingencies that can cause Verity to stand trial or take on a mission with plenty of risk, but may be a walk in the park picking up some papers from the apartment of a murdered agent. Wendell Floyd is a detective in a Paris that did not have a second world war, and did not develop space ships , computers and high technology. He is hired to find out what happened to the agent by her landlord, when the police decide it was an accident. By the time the reader gets into alternate time lines, whole worlds created as snapshots, and quantum mechanics, things are moving so fast you can’t put it down. Reynolds seems to get better and better with every book. plotting , characters, action, and thoughtful positing screams awards. This is a must have. A potential grand master lurks between the lines. - Pam Allan Volume 15 Issue 4 ConNotations Page 13 and injects his pregnant wife. The heart and motives to decide how best to resultant baby, Hugo, is incredibly, serve mankind with his unique gift. inhumanely strong and his skin is nearly This is a truly great story of how awful invulnerable. Because Hugo cannot be it is to be the superior man in a world of restrained physically or punished physi- ordinary people. The futility of trying to cally, his parents are forced to imbue him change mankind is brilliantly illustrated. with the highest principles and morals. He To us, the only evolution left is a social grows up to be a physical and intellectual one. But we change so slowly and we giant. He discovers that no one appreci- must be brought kicking and screaming to ates his differences; rather, he tends to a better place; that it sometimes appears foster fear and, of course, hatred. He that we may destroy ourselves or our learns to hide his differences. And that’s environment before we can mature.On where it gets interesting. another note – I was thrilled to discover Hugo searches for a meaning for his that this story was also the inspiration for life. He feels that since he is unique, another great character: Valentine Michael created by his father, that he has a Smith of Robert Heinlein’s “Stranger in a responsibility to use his strength for a Strange Land” fame. I was first struck by greater good. He tries and tries but he the similarity of conditions and personal- can’t find a way to benefit mankind. The ity. Hugo’s effect on women is echoed by best he can do is to better himself materi- Heinlein when he introduces Michael to ally. He is a great force for destruction – sex. That was the big eye-opener. Hugo’s he runs corrupt politicians out of town experiences working in a carnival-like only to see them replaced by similar men. atmosphere probably contributed to He can disrupt enemy supply lines and Michael’s exploration of the human decimate a machine gun nest during WWI condition while working in a carnival. but cannot bring about an end to the war And, even more blatant, Michael’s itself. He can save the individuals he namesake is Valentine Mitchel, a starving meets but he cannot change the human artist that Hugo befriends. I can only condition. He becomes weary and heart- assume (without the benefit of extensive sore until he meets a scientist who looks research…) that if Robert and Philip at him with interest and curiosity instead weren’t friends; then at least, Robert was of fear and loathing. A scientist who offers interested in their common viewpoints him a solution to his search, a purpose for and probably read Wylie. I think Valentine living and a method to ultimately improve Michael Smith is a wonderful tribute to the human race. But the answer isn’t Philip Wylie’s Hugo and this book will simple; and Hugo must examine his own remain one of my favorites. - Catherine Book
Gladiator Musty Tomes by Philip Wylie Philip Wylie was born in 1902 and Neuromancer Gladiator was his second book, published by William Gibson in 1930. Philip was a pretty radical Ace Books, 371 pp., $25.00 thinker for his times. He and Robert Heinlein shared many of the same ideals. Philip had a lot to say about the human This hardback is the twentieth condition and lectured us repeatedly in his anniversary edition of the novel that novels about how to better ourselves. I championed the cyberpunk movement. It present a single book here from Philip seems to have been a movement that died Wylie but I strongly urge you to find more of partial success. Many of its innovations of his stuff. The man was prescient…I have become cliches in science fiction swear. His views of sexuality and his now: plug-in jacks in heads to connect vision of an atomic age were brains to computers, punk rock fashions in astonishingly…prescient. He was prob- clothing, body enhancements like razor ably best known for “When Worlds fingernails, free agents using the latest Collide”, “Generation of Vipers” and “The computer technology for self-empower- Murderer Invisible” (the invisible man ment, out-of-control corporations that story.) threaten everything ... wait, that last one is I picked up a used copy of Gladiator a much older cliché. For this edition, we at a local used bookstore because, get a new five-page introduction by the although I remembered Wylie from my author, a retrospective on the book’s high school days, I wasn’t familiar with creation and sins of omission. He notes the title. The back of the book told me that that he kept the USSR but disappeared the this story was the inspiration for the USA, and never mentioned cellular Superman comic strip. I opened it at telephones. Even the most progressive random and was instantly sucked into it science fiction is doomed to obsolescence. for a couple of chapters. This one should still be read for its hip, All the basic elements of Superman cynical style, and the bright yet bleak are here. As Wylie is more of a social scientist, there is no alien element. A future it shows, one still unfolding for us professor develops a formula that en- now. – Mike Griffin hances human strength (as in, how does an ant lift several times its own weight?)
Page 14 ConNotations Volume 15 Issue 4 *****C.R.O.F.T. Celtic Reenactment of about 5 miles north of Disney-land. For AZ 85609 or Randall Whitlock at Fellowship and Trades is Phoenix based more details ph. Greg at [949] 552-4925 or [email protected] or Club Reenactment group specializing in the send a message to our listserve www.southwestcostumersguild.org western European renaissance. We research [email protected] lifestyles and trades concurrent with the SPACE ACCESS SOCIETY Space Access Listings Celtic Peoples from 400 BC until 1746 AD. PAReX is a non-profit, just for fun organiza- Society’s sole purpose is to promote radically ADRIAN EMPIRE A medieval and renais- We emphasize Scots, Irish or Welsh crafts and tion dedicated to the proliferation of robotics cheaper access to space, ASAP. We think it’s sance recreationist club. Sword-fighting, arts, do Celtic re-enactment. We open participation as a hobby. Monthly meetings will be held possible within ten years, with a little luck banquets, masquerades, dances. meets every to anyone with an interest in period crafting and will be announced under the Meeting and a lot of hard work. Join us and help us Wednesday night from 7-10pm at Encanto and entertainment. Demonstrations occur at Information page, http://www.parex.org/ make it happen! SAS membership is $30 for Park. All are welcome. Free. the Highland Games, Scarborough Fair, and meetinfo.htm. All interest-ed persons are one year, which gets you emailed Space the Arizona Renaissance Festival. Web page invited to participate. We are currently in the Access Updates the instant they pass final AERIAL MIRAGE JUGGLERS. Meets http://www.crofters.org We meet in Tempe at process of getting organized and becoming an edit, plus discounts on our annual conference Wednesday 7-10pm in Encanto Park, 15th the Pyle Adult Center SW corner of Rural and official organization with tax status. Web on the technology, politics, and business of Avenue, south of Encanto. No dues, everyone Southern on the 2nd Saturday of every month, page: http://www.parex.org/ E-mail Contact: radically cheaper space transportation, welcome. All levels skill exchange in many phone number (480)350-5211. The Board John Kittelsrud, [email protected] featuring leading players in the field. Email areas of object manipulation Dave Davis meeting will be at 2:00 pm with the General us at: [email protected]