Gatehouse Gazette ISSUE 7 JUL ‘09

METROPOLIS ISSUE 7 Gatehouse Gazette JUL ‘09

CONTENTS

Gazette Columns ENTER THE METROPOLIS ETHNIC STEAM The Steampunk STYLISTIC DISSONANCE The Court of Editorial ..…………………….………...…... 3 Wardrobe ……………...……...…………… 6 the Air ……..………………………………… 7

THE NEW SPACE CAPTAIN SMITH A STORY OF BEER The Liquor RINTARO, ROBOTS AND Preview of Wrath of the Lemming Cabinet …….………………...…………… 14 REVOLUTION Metropolis …………..… 8 Men ………………………...…………….…... 9 PERSISTENCE OF MEMORY Outcry .…… …… ………….……….……… 16 Series A QUATERMASS EXPERIMENT DOOMED CITY Unhallowed Quatermass ……….……..……………… 21 Necropolis .…..… .…………………….… 15 Correspondents JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF TIME SHADOW SHOW OF MURDER Steam from the Old Smoke ………… 17 M…………………..… ………….…………… 21 Reviews TALE OF THE INDIAN PACIFIC The FUTURE LESSONS FROM THE PAST DEFENDING THE CASTLE Gentleman Traveler ………………… 10 Metropolis ..………………………………. 4 Gormenghast …….……..…….………… 23

EDITOR Nick Ottens COLUMNISTS Daniel B. Craig, Hilde Heyvaert, David Townsend , ‘Brigadier CARTOONIST ‘Col. Adrianna Hazard’ Sir Arthur Weirdy -Beardy (Retired)’ COVER ARTIST Yanick Dusseault CONTRIBUTORS Guy Dampier, Toby Frost, Sigurjón Njálsson, Marcius Rauchfuß, ‘Trubetskoy’

The Gatehouse Gazette is an online magazine in publication since July 2008, dedicated to the speculative fiction genres of s teampunk and dieselpunk.

Visit www. ottens.co.uk/gatehouse/gazette for past issues and further information. For letters and inquiries E-MAIL [email protected].

Every issue the Gatehouse Gazette selects one photograph submitted for feature. This edition’s winner is a 2008 picture of model Emmymau by Lex Machina Photography, www.lexmachinaphoto.com.

To nominate a photograph of your own, send it to the editor via [email protected]. The winner will see their picture featured here.

© 2009 Gatehouse Gazette . All rights reserved. Neither this publication nor any part of it may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocop ying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the Gatehouse Gazette . Published every two months by The Gatehouse , www.ottens.co.uk/gatehouse.

PAGE 2 ISSUE 7 Gatehouse Gazette JUL ‘09

EDITORIAL

Enter the NICK OTTENS

metropolis

IN OUR THIRD ISSUE (NOV. 2008), MR PIECRAFT Of course we have also the columns and features already discussed Fritz Lang’s Metropolis as one of the that you might have come to expect from us: Hilde’s notable precursors to the dieselpunk genre. He then “The Steampunk Wardrobe,” about ethnic steampunk described the film as “an excellent example of the this time; Mr Townsend’s “Gentleman Traveler” genre’s style and technology as prevalent in a future column; “The Liquor Cabinet,” by C raig B. Daniel; and a dystopian society ,” referring to the dazzling skyscrapers Quatermass review by Guy Dampier , along with further and big pumping machinery featured throughout the reviews by Trubetskoy , Sigurjón and one by Toby too. film. “Lang seeks to show us the dire consequences of a So, as usual, t here is plenty for you to read and war out of which a totalitarian regime emerges hopefully, to enjoy, in what is already the seventh issue victorious,” wrote Piecraft but the metropolis has not of our Gatehouse Gazette . F ull steam ahead, I say! (We always to be so dire of course. Rather it can be a certainly are!) ■ glorious testament to t he pride and accomplishment of a time and a people. Just imagine that zeppelin hovering over the Manhattan skyline or the fog over London or the Chrysler Building towering upward and you get what we’re talking about. In other words: the metropolis can be g rim as well as glamorous and in our speculative histories of steampunk and dieselpunk , we happily discover it in both ways. We open the issue that lies before you now with — how could we not?—a review of Metropolis by our Mr Rauchfuß. He authors a review of that other Fritz Lang classic, M, also, all near the end. For the latest about what is going on in another fine city, the Old Smoke called Londontown, we are proud to introduce Brigadier Sir Arthur Weirdy -Beardy of, among other things, thesteampunkclub.co m, a fine establishment soon to open its doors. Be sure to pay them a visit some time soon; I’ve been told that Gazette - readers can expect a free brandy when they first enter ! We are also extremely glad to present an exclusive preview of Mr Toby Frost’s up coming “Space Captain Smith” novel, Wrath of the Lemming Men . You should be able to purchase it in all the finer bookstores by the time this issue is released, but if you haven’t found it yet, be sure to read our preview—you’ll want to get your hands on a copy thereafter, I’m sure. www.bitstrips.com

PAGE 3 ISSUE 7 Gatehouse Gazette JUL ‘09

REVIEW METROPOLIS

Future lessons MARCIUS RAUCHFUß

from the past

Lang’s future – our present? industrialist of the city, Johannes This question only concerns the Fredersen, and later by his worker time frame. From a temporal caste companions. perspective alone, Metropolis could Also, Metropolis itself is, despite be set in our time, being almost 9 0 all its futuristic des ign, Art Deco and years into the future at the time of Modernist sky scrapers, a city in the its release . There are some elements industrial age, with its vast machine in Metropolis which are amazingly complexes underground and the acc urate depictions of our present. aforementioned labor force. We see Most of it, however, is not . vast halls filled with dangerous The society of Metropolis is machines , huge pipes and ant -like extremely strat ified, socially as well workers in uniforms, toiling along as spatially . A vast number of menial and in some cases, like the worker industrial workers toil and live in who trades places with Freder, underground compl exes while the operating a device that looks like elite dwells happily in towering the face of a clock. So the vision of metroplexes above ground. the future in Metropolis is positively The workers’ houses are rooted in the industrial age. It is also actually dee per underground than rooted in the class struggle between the factories , somewhat reminiscent workers and the bourgeoisie , which of the subt erranean habitats of the was rampant in the Weimar Morlocks in H.G. Well’ s The Time Republ ic of Lang’s time. Machine (1895). Life for the This vision seems to be a workers is hard and often short. political motivated one, although I Fatal accidents at work seem to be dare not speculate about Fritz fairly commonplace and are looked Lang’s political stance. Yet as so upon with indifference by the rulers. many futurist before him he did Social interaction between the envision the future based on his members of the elite and the present. The skyscrapers are workers is strongly discouraged and enormous, overg rown relatives of THE 1927 FILM METROPOLIS IS A frowned upon. During most of the the Empire State Building; the milestone in the cinematographic film, up until the very end, an machines look futuristic but can be genre of science fiction and many antagonistic relationship between recognized as industrial reviews have been written about it, both castes dominates all contraptions nonetheless. The so I shall concentrate on two interaction between the m, broken workshop of the mad inventor particular aspects and hope I am not initially only by Freder Fredersen, Rotwang is reminiscent of a strange plagiarizing someone else’s ideas. the son of the most powerful amalgam between Frankenstein’s

PAGE 4 ISSUE 7 Gatehouse Gazette JUL ‘09 laboratory and a metal worker’s are employed today. In this regard, have very advanced architecture, shop. And, just like Wells and Verne Lang’s vision of the future is zeppelins and even robots, mass before him, Lang imagines the social frighteningly accurate, down to the production, automation and situation of his time to extend far actual words. machine tools seem to be non- into the future. When we consider the bigger existent. Instead, all these missing In retrospect, all these factors picture, however, we can all be factors are compensated through make Metropolis so fascinating and happy that the future did once again the sheer number of downtrodden, haunting at the same time. We live turn out differently. Metropolis is exploited workers. We can speculate in Lang’s future and it turned out to therefore a place that can never be. that this is very much deliberately be vastly different. There are no Although it may have been likely in so. The living conditions of the longer masses of exploited workers Lang’s time to exist at some point in workers are kept as primitive and in the western world. Although we the future, too much and too many toilsome as possible to keep them are right now in a middle of a things have changed. By the time we from having the extra time and catastrophic economic crisis, the will have robots like the energy to plan revolts. vast majority of the people affected Maschinenmensch , there will very With Rotwang the insane, have to make do with less, but this is likely be no heavy machinery left to haunted inventor comes another still far more than any of the be operated by human workers, dark element of dieselpunk and a workers in Metropolis would have at because these machines are already classic antagonist of the genre, just the best of times. quite intelligent today. as his employer, the cold, plotting In fact, the type of menial Also, modern society is far less industrialist Johannes Fredersen. worker depicted in Metropolis has stratified than it was in Lang’s time In tow of the inventor enters largely disappeared in the West but and even less than it is envisioned in the creature of weird science: the is still a very accurate depiction of Metropolis . With the right skills and humanoid robot, powered by the traveling, unskilled workers of, a good education it is relatively easy strange electrical force and say, China. However, since to rise to a high-income position. transformed by the same into the Metropolis clearly is a western city, likeness of a living young woman. we can safely state that the The dieselpunk perspective The character of the robot is proletariat of Europe and America From a dieselpunk perspective, another factor adding to the dark had a better fate than the one Metropolis might be considered the dieselpunk aesthetics: the envisioned in the film. Rather they cinematographic mother of the automaton not only being near- have been largely replaced by genre. I am not aware of any earlier human, but near-woman adds a various service-providers, from film depicting so many elements of a darkly erotic aspect to its existence, hairdressers to computer dystopian dieselpunk society in which later is only amplified by the technicians. This broad swath of such detail but I am willing to be tremendous power it shows luring today’s society is completely absent corrected. and inciting both classes of from Metropolis , probably because As I wrote, the city is still in the Metropolis society. Lang could not imagine them to industrial age, while vast The caste-defying love story factor in the future. skyscrapers dominate above adds melodrama to the film. Freder, Also, there are no real human- ground. There are shuttle trains and son and heir to the most powerful like robots around and definitely highways connecting these hive-like industrialist, is in love with Maria, nothing remotely similar or as buildings. Bi- and monoplanes and the angel of the workers. This advanced as Rotwang’s the occasional zeppelin fly in the relationship is not only instrumental Maschinenmensch . Interestingly, chasms between these towers which in foiling the old Fredersen’s plot though, Rotwang explains to themselves come in a variety of but also in stopping the workers’ Fredersen Sen., his futuristic shapes and are far grander rebellion and witch hunt to unite the Maschinenmensch would be far than any building so far conceived in ruling class with the proles in the better than human workers, no the real world. final scene of the film. breaks, no mistakes, The level of industrialization in Altogether, Metropolis features twenty-four-hour shifts—which is contrast actually appears to be less all the elements a good dieselpunk more or less exactly the same advanced on some levels than it was film should. Truly a masterpiece, far reason why industrial automatons even in Lang’s time. Although we ahead of its time. ■

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COLUMN THE STEAMPUNK WARDROBE

Ethnic steam HILDE HEYVAERT

EVERYONE IS NO DOUBT FAMILIAR WITH THE TWO of the American Wild West. But that’s not all of it, nor is most common styles of ethnical-inspired steampunk: it all there is to it. Victoriental and Western Steam. The first one is, as the When portraying a persona in steampunk one does name suggest, a mixture of the traditional Victorian not necessarily be of a certain ethnicity to wear an steampunk and Oriental influences ; mostly Chinese, but outfit inspired by that ethnicity of choice. The daughter other Asian cultures are by far not unheard of and just of a wea lthy merchant trading with the O rient might be as suitable. Western Steam is particularly reminiscent European but choosing to integ rate a kimono in her ensemble. A steamy cowboy might wear his costume out of admiration for America’ s frontier fighters without being American himself. A steampunk dreaming of the great hunters in Africa might go for that imperial adventurer look. And let’s not forget all the marvellous steampunk belly dancing costumes, combining a fabulous sensual dance with snazzy steampunk style—what could we possibly want more? So ethnicity creeps into the costumes, making for new and exciting looks. Ethnicity in steampunk can be as clear or as subtle as the wearer chooses. It can be dead obvious, hardly noticeable, quirk y or even historically accurate —or simply inspired by times past in a certain country. Thus to reference to his heritage, a British steampunk enthusiast can wear the garments of an Edwardian gentleman as a full outfit, or simply add a bowler hat and walking cane to his more contemporary costume. Similarly, a French lady can go for a coquette skirt and beret as part of her wardrobe. And a steampunk of African heritage might want to incorporate traditional colourful robes in one way or another. And it doesn’t end there. S teampunks wanting to do something different might go for a print or incorporate something that their country is internationally known for to express their ethnic background. They can be subtle and incorporate an accessory like a simple tie or go for a far more obvious print. Thus a Belgian might go for a chocolate print garment while someone from the Netherlands could opt for a tul ip brooch and someone Parisian for an Eiffel Tower motif and so on. The list is endless, as are the possibilities of incorporating ethnicity in one’s steampunk wardrobe. ■

Photograph courtesy of Libby Bulloff of exoskeletoncabaret.com

PAGE 6 ISSUE 7 Gatehouse Gazette JUL ‘09

REVIEW THE COURT OF THE AIR

Stylistic TRUBETSKOY

dissonance

FOR THE MOST PART, STEAMPUNK principles, but there is no real is a versatile subgenre. The tropes rhyme or reason as to which and themes commonly associated operates in what circumstances.) with it, the trappings of era fiction The weakness of the setting is and the wonders of industry, can be only exacerbat ed by a rather applied and reimagined in any threadbare plot. The story itself uses number of settings. Today, literary a common advent ure template, steampunk can run the gamut from telling the story of two orphans who straightforward Neo-Victorian lose their adult guardians, flee from adventure to imaginative alternate assassins, meet new friends, learn history to the wildest flights of high the truth about their pasts, and fight fantasy. a postmodern Battle of Dorking. The However, there is always a risk characters do not really have much of carrying things too far. in the way of dynamic personalities, Stephen Hunt’s The Court of the and the two orphans generally Air (2007), the first book in his spend more time receiving Jackelian quadrology, starts out in a knowledge from others than reassuringly pseduo-Dickensian uncovering it for themselves. While style. The reader is introduced to armies under the control of an some political and philosophical Middlesteel, the capital of the ersatz Aztec god from a forgotten themes are discussed in the course Kingdom of Jackals, with its cobbled underground kingdom. While the of the adventure, there is very little streets, gas lamps, and rebellious world -building bears resemblance nuance: most d iscussions consist of orphans slaving away in the to the industrial fantasy of China characters shouting slogans at one laundry. The sense of familiarity is Miéville, The Court of the Air sadly another. As a result, the book quickly punctured, however, with a fails to presen t its world as a unified replicates the worst aspects of loving description of the ritual whole. Instead, the sheer wealth of Victorian adventure, particularly the mutilation the Jackelian kings increasingly bizarre details smug bigotry, narrow provincialism undergo during coronation in order combined with unsubtle allusions to of thought, and the view of outsiders to demonstrate their impotence various real wor ld-cultures makes as soulless cattle fit on ly for against Parliament. From here, the the setting of the novel seem totally destruction by shot and flame. reader is engulfed in a blizzard of arbitrary. To make matters worse, As a simple pseudo -Victorian fantastic ideas, including humanoid gaps in the explanation of certain adventure yarn with excessive crustaceans, sentient “steammen” aspects of the Jackelin world only bloodshed and some evocative with an interest in mechanical end up corroding the suspension of description, The Court of the Air mysticism, “pneumatic buildings,” disbelief . (As an example, the world succeeds admirably. As a “serious” secret societies of airborne spies of the novel operates a ccording to steampunk fantasy, much better can and quasi-socialist revolutionary, both magical and vaguely scientific be found elsewhere. ■

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REVIEW METROPOLIS

Rintaro, robots SIGURJÓN NJÁLSSON

and revolution

IT IS DIFFICULT TO DESCRIBE THE The resulting story is one tha t is exact relationship between the 2001 ultimately geared towards youth, anime Metropolis , directed by though it may be a little too scary Rintaro, and Fritz Lang’s 1927 silent and “over their heads” for younger film of the same name without children. Overall, the story provides longwinded explanations or vague enough levels to be enjoyed by older terms like “inspired by” or “loosely kids and adults alike. based upon.” As a matter of fact, the Visually, the animation style of anime is chiefly a filmic adaptation Metropolis remin ds one of a twenty- of a 1949 manga by Osamu Tezuka, first century Astro Boy , as one may best known as the creator of Astro guess about an adaption of a work Boy , which is purported to be by its creator. The architecture, “loosely inspired” by a few plentiful in the city scenes, certainly promotional images of the famous stems from Modernism and Art masterpiece of silent cinema. Deco, as they did in the original The result is a complex silent work, and the general creation. The story borrows from aesthetic will be welcomed by any many themes, concepts, and settings fans of that era. present in the German original, such In the end , the film presents as revolution, social stratification, succeed. It is its own thing, and we itself as rather hard to place. robot life, and of course the can appreciate it as such. Though set comfortably in the world “metropolis” that is its namesake. The plot of this Metropolis of dieselpunk, it oscillates between However, the characters and revolves around a young boy named Ottensian optimism and Piecraftian narrative are born of their own Kenichi, whose private detective of themes of revolt and dystopia. The world, and the setting varies in its an uncle is searching for a mad story is one that is certainly scope and particulars. scientist wanted for trafficking in interesting and exciting for adults, Perhaps this is a good thing. human organs. In the process of but handled with a younger Straight remakes of classics very their search, Kenichi saves and audience in mind. Its message is rarely live up to their originals. befriends a robot girl named Tima. sure to warm some hearts, though Perhaps this is in part due to the fact This entangles them in a struggle not without a few impressive that, as audiences, we have come to between the govern ment, headed by explos ions thr own in for good value these classics so highly that it Tima’s father Duke Red, and measure. A must -see for fans of becomes hard to accept revisions as revolutionaries struggling to earn Astro Boy and a welcomed friend of anything but imitations of the old equal rights for robots. Ultimately, Hayao Miyazaki’s films, Metropolis version we have come to love so their fates lead them to a recently will also provide plenty of sly nods dearly. In this way, I think that built skyscraper called the Ziggurat, and ovations to fans of Fritz Lang’s Rintaro’s Metropolis is able to which is in fact a powerful weapon. masterpiece. ■

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PREVIEW WRATH OF THE LEMMING MEN

The new Space TOBY FROST

Captain Smith

IT WAS AS THOUGH THEY HAD up with a scheme, we have a s cheme stepped into the workings of a and a wheeze to stop him.” gigantic clock. They were in a hall The armour slid back from the thirty yards wide, the ceiling front of the machines. Behind it they impossibly high. Vast cogs with saw gears, spinning wheels and teeth the size of doors broke the hammering pistons o f brass and, in floor, rotating slowly. The walls the centre of each machine where were Racing Green, the machinery the face of a clock would be —a polished brass. The air was full of human face with eyes and mouth, a the whirr and clank of distant belts, great grey smiling disc. the stink of oil and the rattle of “Ladies and gentlemen!” paper spooling from slots mounted Sheldon cried. “ I give you the finest in the wall. Above them, electricity computer in the galaxy—Thomas, crackled and pulsed. the Difference Engine!” Goggled engineers hurried “Hello, fat cogitator,” Thomas between banks of levers and dials, the Difference Engine said. white coats flapping. “Ruddy ‘ell, “And Alan, the Analytical Barry!” one woman called. Engine!” “Gearing’s all out on t’mechanical “Hello,” said Alan the Analytical brain!” Engine. “What is this?” Carveth “Hello,” said Smith and the whispered. against dials. Pistons hammered others. “Miss,” Harry Sheldon replied, back and forth, fans whirled, the “Hello, Space Captain Smith,” “this is science. ” whole room shuddered. the com puters said. “How are you?” A great chain clattered down With a grinding roar two Smith realised that he was from the distant roof and deposited colossal doors swung open at the far addressing the fines t minds in the a tray of bacon sandwiches on the end of the room. Steam blasted from known universe. “Not bad,” he said. ground. The workers snatched at vent s. Two great machines rumbled “And you?” them, munching as they studied the into the chamber on rails set into “Mustn’t grumble,” Alan said. machinery, racked levers back and the floor. They were bigger than “Pretty good, thanks,” Thomas forth and shouted into pneumatic juggernauts, armoured in black said. speaking-tubes. steel, shaped like loaves of bread. It went quiet. ■ Sheldon checked his pocket Sheldon turned to his audience. watch. “Prepare to consult!” he “Gentlemen, you are about to yelled into a tube, and the workers witness the brain of the Imper ial Our gratitude to Mr Frost for this preview became frantic, throwing switches, war machine: Psycho -futuro-neuro- of Wrath of the Lemming Men , released tuning knobs, flicking fingers history at its finest. If Gertie comes June 15 by Myrmidon Books Ltd.

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COLUMN THE GENTLEMAN TRA VELER

Tale of the DAVID TOWNSEND

Indian P acific

HAVING ARRIVED IN THE FEDERATED DOMINION OF at the list of stations before deciding to take an Australia, I arrived in the astonishingly pleasant small educated guess that the target for tonight was in fact city of Perth, noted as holding the world record for East P erth and so, dear reader, it turned out. being furthest distanced from the nearest alternate city. East Perth is the result of the modern love affair I had already planned to travel on the Indian Pacific with glass and angles but is redeeme d by a fine steam train across the southern part of the continent from locomotive at the end of the platform, an old carriage Perth in Western Australia to Sydney in New South within the concourse itself and a wall mural of many Wales but ha d had to somewhat rearrange my itinery as gears and levers, of the sort that might have Agatha and a change in timetable meant that I had to do the trip in Gil gently frothing in the background. It was hard to two stages with a break at Adelaide. In fact, the whole miss the 26 gleamin g metal carriages of the Indian booking process had been somewhat confused and Pacific complete with liveried engine and car transports nerve-wracking as a failure with the etherweb site at the rear. However I did make the ridiculous and mea nt that I had had to book my ticket on the foolish assumption that the fact that a sign pointed telephone. For myself, having paid somewhat over a down the platform for the Indian Pacific, that meant thousand pounds for the right to board the locomotive that such would be where the ticket office would be transport, I would have preferred some form of instead of in the exactly opposite direction. acknowledgement in the form of a ticket or perhaps a Nonetheless, I obtained my ticket and consigned my letter. Anything in fact beyond a list of numbers and a luggage to the hold for the duration and made my way casual if reiterated assurance that “ It wil l be bonzer, onto the train. A last minute rearrangement due to a mate.” lack of passengers meant that I was assigned a double The first consequences of my lack of ticket rapidly came to pass on the morning of my departure. With the train due to leave at shortly before no on, I decided to give myself a certain leeway and attended the neatly designed Perth railwa y station around 11 AM . There I was wandering around bemusedly as it slowly dawned upon me that there appeared to be no sign of a boarding location for the Indian Pa cific. Being a chap, I regard the reading of or asking for instructions to be the absolutely last resort of desperation but even I was driven to those straits. My instructions seemed a trifle garbled but I came away with the impression that I had to make m y way to platform 9 and from there make my way to Estprith. Hauling my worldly goods with me, I galloped down to the said platform where I could see an awaiting train. As the doors slammed shut, I deposited the bags on the floor and quizzically peered slig htly myopically

PAGE 10 ISSUE 7 Gatehouse Gazette JUL ‘09 berth nearer to the lounge and dining cars but, given tablecloths, it put on a fine spectacle and I was looking the pride with which it was announced, I must admit to forward to my lunch. Now, despite my noticeably ‘adult’ being slightly disappointed with the size. There were size, I do not actually tend to indulge in large lunches bunk beds but only on one side of the cabin giving it however there are limits. The first course was a mixture something of capsule lay-out. There was, to be fair, an of red froth (probably tomato based) and pink froth en-suite toilet and shower with the toilet having the (epicene in some manner or nature) on pita bread or disconcerting habit of disappearing into the wall when rock-hard crackers. When the menu came round, I was not in use. Adequate cupboards and storage space again a tad disappointed. Now, you may wish to call it allowed me to stow my worldly goods away and out of “Freshly baked Lepinja bread filled with Leg Ham, sight so I settled down having noted that tea and coffee Creamy Brie, Tomato Relish, Mizuna and finished with was available to be dispensed in the corridor. I like to Mesculin dressed with a French Vinaigrette” but where check on these necessities, donncha know; being I come from, it is called a Cheese and Ham sandwich. caffeine fuelled can be a burden at times. There was a choice of dessert, the choice being take it or As we exited through a fairly anonymous and leave it, and whilst the “Individual Lemon Gateau industrial suburb of Perth, the steward for the carriage served with Balsamic Strawberries and King Island came round to brief me individually on the meal times, Double Cream” was pleasant, it was also minute. safety procedures and all those other little touches to After lunch, the Gold Service passengers were show that they care. Rapidly the scene outside changed called together for an introduction, a glass of into farmland, then woodland then quickly into vines. I champagne and an initial briefing on the route from started musing that I could have had a fine wine-tasting Perth to Adelaide. One of the noticeable points of the holiday if I had not destroyed my palate a long time ago journey was the high quality of the informational with the over indulgence in port, mead and cider. By 1 briefings that are given out on the train, be they in the PM we had already the Bush, or possibly the Outback. form of recorded narratives, the in-train magazine or As I have failed to meet an Australian who can define the knowledgeable staff. Stealing directly from their when one ends and the other begins besides the ever work, I can inform my beloved readers that the train helpful “Well, you just know,” I decline to waste my time itself on our route was over two thirds of a kilometer endeavoring to discriminate. I can reliably report that it long consisting of 28 carriages and was traveling down is very flat, red and covered with scrub and possibly a 4,352 kilometer single track railway to Sydney sheep, at least for a while. Lunch was duly called so I passing through 86 townships. The track to Adelaide, traipsed into the pleasant dining car. Nicely laid out the nearest city, was 2,666 kilometers alone. I must with full cutlery and white linen napkins and regret that it is a failing within myself that the main piece of information that I assimilated from the briefing

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cider as an option and they had run out of honey beer still needs must when the de’il drives as the port bottle grew lighter unti l sleep beckoned. The bed was comfortable enough and the night went by smoothly. I would admit to being less than im pressed to be woken up at 7 AM for breakfast, which felt both uncivilized and unnecessary as there was hardly a rush to see the other sights . It seems that during the night we passed through some herds of wild camels. Unfortunately, I mean this in the most literal sense of the word as the camels have the habit of licking dew off the rails. I was informed by one of the engineers that cows tend to be bounced out of the way whilst the camels, being more frailly built, have a habit of exploding and spraying themselves across the landscape. After a lunch of lamb and pumpkin pie with was that there was a township that was called more random puree, we arrived at the thriving Koulyanobbin, which sounded like the description of an metropolis of Cook ( pop. 5). Once an important unusual ice-bucket. township with a hospital, school and sports ground It has to be accepted on a long train journey tha t serving the railway, it now exists solely as a watering there will be nothing to do except for read books, talk to spot and a place to change drivers. It is quite eerie to fellow travelers and gaze out of the window as the wander through the ghost town where people have just world goes past. At the start, besides the ubiquitous abandoned ca rs, houses and the detritus of everyday sheep, the air and waterways were filled with birds life. To ensure that no cliché was left unturned, a from ruddy ducks to black parrots. How ever, once we solitary dingo wandered amongst the buildings, sniffing had passed through the wheat belt and across the at the remains of civilization . Mind you, I cannot believe slightly unimaginatively named River Avon, we entered it was that great a wrench to leave a place so is olated the Nullabour plain. With only sixty-three days of rain a and blighted. year, the flat ble ak terrain truly lived up to it s name Back on the train, passing abandoned stations and with the appearance of a scrubby bush being a matter of piles of random fragments of rail track, it became comment. Cutting through this treeless, waterless and interesting to note the antecedents of the names. Some dashed near lifel ess land is the railway. Travel ing for were named after former Prime Ministers, some after 300 miles without a curve or bend, the track stretches local geographical features and one, Tarcoola, after the front and back like an arrow marking the route to the winning horse in the 1893 Melbourne Cup. As good a riches t square mile in the world, the massive open -cast reason as any for naming. Soon we approached Mara- Super Pit at Kalgoorlie. The train stopped for a whistle - stop tour of the mine and I must say that I was deeply impressed. Gazing down into the pit at midnight and seeing the tiny toy lorries flitting in an d out of the pools of light before realizing that these vehicles weighed over 160 ton was daunting. Regardless of personal opinions as to the effect of mining, it was a stunning example of raw industrial power. As the evening drew to a close, and after a l ate dinner of roasted rump of lamb with parsnip puree, I had a glass of port in the dining car. The staff were friendly and well informed, being willing to chat and pass on stories of their previous trips so, being an experienced traveler of a single previ ous trip, I indulged in some raconteur with some of the tales I told being almost true. It was disappointing that there was no

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linga and Woomera, the sight of the British and Commonwealth rocket testing range, from when the Empire still believed that we actually mattered in the world. It was placed within the Outback as being virtually the only place in the world where you could world. Of a sudden, the world turned into primary stretch a test site of 1100 miles with nothing of colors as the only life was wedge -tailed eagles and significance being under the route to be accidentally kangaroos racing alongside the train whilst the brown flattened by proto-space junk. earth leached into red with the horizon stark against Dinner of soup and salmon was followed by the the blue sky. A short break at the mining town of anticipation of after-dinner music in the saloon car. Broken Hills became not so much whistle -stop as light Humm, let us be polite and assume it was a misprint, a speed as the train got in an hour and a half late. There long and complex misprint. Still, it was no great blight was just time for a visit to the tourist sights of the town, on what had been a r elaxing and eye -opening trip the moving and bleak memorial to miners killed in the across some of the bleakest lands on earth. An early area and the famous brothel district. I suppose that they bed-time followed as we were due to arrive in Adelaide have the basics sorted o ut, assuming there is a tax office at 7:30 the next day so I got off the train looking as well. The final dinner of the trip was a seafood salad forward to the second part of the trip to Sydney. followed by fillet of kangaroo and the obligatory port. I have often lear nt that eager anticipation is Waking up the next day saw the train in a followed by sad disappointment but I have yet to completely different environment. The soaring Blue persuade myself of the necessity to downplay Mountains saw the train climb up into the eucalyptus expectations. The train to Sydney was full and it made covered ranges. Of a sudden, the train would emerge such a substantial difference to the whole trip. This time from a thicket of magnificent trees into a vista of stark I was in a single compartment; it would be fair to say cliffs and waterfalls before plunging into a tunnel hewn that it was not so much that there was no room to swing through the unclimbable rock faces. As we started to a cat, there was barely enough space to stretch the self - descend, it became a shock to suddenly cross a same. I was informed that I had to take the late sitting motorway as we touched the edges of the Sydney as the early sitting was full and the passengers who had conurbation. Farms became houses became offices and, been on all the way had priority, presumably as the in a rush, we pulled up at the Sydney terminus, rested, money they had spent was somehow different and impressed and ready to view the city. ■ better than mine. The lounge car was drab, too full and with inadequate seats, feeling t o be barely a step above a 1970s British Rail buffet car. In the bad mood that I was in, even the other passengers seemed a raucous mob, chuntering barely coherent complaints in increasingly loud and shrill voices. And yet, this too will pass. Returning to my cell after a light lunch of chicken, I relaxed back into the semi-somnambulant state induced by the rocking of the train. Outside was what I was starting to regard as typical Australian farm land; brown parched grass with dust-devils rising like smoke from the savannah. Abruptly this died out as we entered the ma rginal land in the driest state in the driest continent in the

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COLUMN THE LIQUOR CABINET

A story of beer CRAIG B. DANIEL

THIS MONTH, LET’S DEVIATE FROM THE LIQUOR dark as the porters o f the caramel -color days. This Cabinet’s usual to discuss the pieces relevant to “patent malt” has a distinctive flavor (it’ s been steampunk and d ieselpunk of the history of a drink we compared to dark chocolate, coffee, and cigarette ash), all know and love. I’m talking, of course, about beer. but luckily for the brewers people embraced the new The right beer can conjure up images of a bygone porter. Today’ s more familiar stouts are a variation on era as well as any cocktail—and certain styles are this exact style, although the aged taste has fallen out of especially suited to steampunk. In fact, in some cases fashion and is hard to come by —unless you happen to our cyberpunk roots are showing, as the history of live away from where Guinness is brewed or in a many more modern beer styles has more to do with comm unity with people from such places, in which case corporate brewers padding their pockets than anything you can likely buy their Foreign Extra Stout; noticeably else. Fortunately for modern drinkers, thei r path to different from today’ s regular Guinness, it captures the profit proved to involve some truly extraordinary historic porter flavor fairly accurately. drinks. On the other side of the Atlantic, the British bee r Before about 1850, most beer in England was sold tradition never really caught on; cider was the drink of to pubs, which aged it in casks before dispensing it to choice of most Americans until a nineteenth century the public. In the eighteenth century, commercial wave of German immigrants ushered in a fad for brewers discovered that they coul d approximate the German-style lagers, which are fermented at a lower flavor of aged beer by mixing a small amount of well - temperature with a different sort of yeast fro m ales and aged beer with a larger amount of the greener stuff, traditionally consumed cold. Easier to drink quickly (as which meant they could age their own product, blend it, distinct from the session beers of the British Isles), and sell it ready to drink, all without needing exorbitant these caught on as a summertime beverage even among amounts of storag e space. The style of beer with which non-Germans. this was popularized was a darker version of the When gold was discovered in California in 1848, traditional brown ales, known at leas t as early as 1721 brewers were among t he artisans who went west to sell as “porter.” their wares to the miners and live in the boom towns A trend toward darker and darker porters that sprang up around the gold rush that began the developed, and soon the brewers ran into a problem. following year. Limited in what they could carry, they The dar k color of many beers comes from the fact that naturally opted to bring only the yeasts used i n the era’s as the malted barley cooks, the sugars it contains break most popular beer: lager yeasts. Unfortunately down into flavorful colored compounds —which leaves conditions in the gold fields of the west were primitive, less sugar for the yeast to eat, so using darker malts and it was hard to keep the beer as cold while it requires more malt for the same amount of alco hol, and fermented as the brewers wanted, so they had to the same custom ers that wanted dark beers didn’ t want ferment it at higher temperatures usually used for ale. to pay much more for the privilege. The brewers took to The result was nicknamed “steam beer” by the miners, darkening their beer with caramel color, which allowed and while at first it was regarded as an inferior drink them to produce porter that looked completely black. the brewers were quickly able to develop a style that In 1816, this practice was ou tlawed, and the ma de it work. Sometimes known as “ California brewers had to turn back to malt for their coloring common” among today’ s craft brewers, the most needs. Luckily for them, a fellow named Daniel Wheeler readily-available brand of this gold rush tipple is patented a solution the following year: by cooking the Anchor Steam. barley till it burns, it develops enough pigmentation to These aren’t the onl y highly appropriate beers for it that a mere 5% of that combined with 95% of the steampunks, however, and I’ ll be sure to revisit th e high-sugar pale malt would produce a black beer, as matter in future installme nts! ■

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REVIEW UNHALLOWED NECROPOLIS

Doomed city HILDE HEYVAERT

IN MY REVIEW OF THE FIRST BOOK this book is build up extremely in this fantastic setting, Unhallowed logically with a cl ear overview and Metropolis (Gatehouse Gazette , issue written in a language that both suits #3, November 2008) I wrote that the setting and makes it easy to one of the good points about the understand for both native speakers game was that all the addendum and those that do not have English pieces were freely available on the as their mother tongue. website. And now there is the The new classes available for second book, Unhallowed Necropolis , playing are interesting and well which isn’t free. But I’m happy to presented, with an incredible array forgive that matter because the of powers to choose from on all book is just so fabulous. In many different levels, which allows you to settings extra books are filling, and make a varied and unique character contribute little to the game in with its own special personality and general. This is absolutely not the features. case with Unhallowed Necropolis . It’ s about the same page count This sourcebook explores a whole setting, written in a captive and as the first one, which is really quite new part of the post-apocalyptic interesting way with proper impres sive and shows the gasmask-chic Neo-Victorian game historical grounds mixed into the dedication the creators have put and its entire background and fictional setting, creating a into this work. It is extremely well history. fascinating read. The history is presented and finished off with Where the first book gives an prese nted in the same way as in amazing art work that contributes overview of the entire world, this Unhallowed Metropolis , but focuses perfectly to the setting. The twist one focuses on the supernormal of entirely on the paranormal and given to Victorian history which has the world haunted by ghosts, spirits, supernormal, where the first book been turned in a completely new zombies, vampires and other human discusses the general history of the fictional world is absolutely and inhuman menaces. It places the world. There are new powers for brilliant, and I’ m sure that those others of the realm in the centre: the new types of characters, clearly interested in history will thoroughly the detectives that try to find out described and with easy to use rules enjoy reading what the creators of more about the crimes that haunt which makes them appropriate for this world have come up with. the metropolis; psychosurgeons, the both new and seasoned role-players. Not only is this a brilliant book mediums that see beyond the veil of I’ve played a lot of role-playing for role-players looking to delve our own world and into that of the games and am familiar with a lot of further into the world of dead and those poor humans gifted, settings but I have to honestly say Unhallowed , or those looking for a or cursed (it’s but a matter of point that this one is definitely one of my new and inte resting setting to play; of view) with extraordinary powers favorites. The second book is it’ s also an invaluable resourc e for such as empathy, electrokinesis, another stroke of genius, building anyone looking for post -apocalyptic pyrokinesis, telekinesis or others, at further on the world of personal or Neo-Victorian inspirat ion for the high cost of their sanity and horror they created with the base their steampunk persona! ■ ultimately their lives. book (which you do need together The book offers a whole new with this one!) . history of the paranormal in this Just like Unhallowed Metropolis Both Unhallowed books are available at www.hallowsevedesigns.com.

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REVIEW OUTCRY

Persistence TRUBETSKOY

of memory

IN SOME WAYS, STEAMPUNK IS a cipher for the entire game. Yet this the ideal setting for the classic portrayal actually helps resolve adventure game. The imagery some of the game’s mysteries associated with the era of early towards the end of the story. industry can create awe-inspiring Artistically and musica lly, the worlds that sweep the player away, gam e is a masterpiece. In keeping while the industrial bric-a-brac of with the broader themes of memory, gears, wires, and valves provide the game is given a style t hat could ample opportunities for puzzle best be described as “melancholic solving. While Outcry (originally industry.” As you explore your titled Sublustrum ; 2008), the first brother’ s house, you slowly take in game by Russian developer an environment filled with Phantomery Interactive trades in neglected machinery, stai ned wood, both of the above, the real meat of tarnished brass, and a hint of rust. the game is provided by a surreal, As you progress, the environments dreamlike atmosphere that will grow increasingly abstract, from an linger long after the game has Escher-like ruined factory to a finished. forgotten desert town to a giant Perhaps appropriately, the plot brass air harp while that sense of of the game is rather illusive. Set in and follow your brother into loneliness and decay never leaves. an uncertain time and place in the whatever ethereal realms he may As another nice touch, each separate early twentieth century (though in- have wandered. stage of the game is given its own game artifacts suggest a location in In terms of gameplay, Outcry special full -screen filter, ranging the Caucasus before the First World plays like most adventure games. from negative scratches to a mirage - War), the player takes on the role of The player spends most of the time like shimmering to a soft an unnamed novelist summoned by finding components, reactivating omnip resent glow. These feelings his estranged brother “K,” a scholar machinery, and readi ng your absent are made all the more powerful by and amateur inventor. Upon brother’s diary. A sharp ear is the game's phenomenal soundtrack. entering his house, you find his required, as there are a number of Composed by the St. Petersburg - living room dominated by an puzzles that work according to based Anthesteria Project, the score immense diving bell surrounded by audio cues. The game plays in a is a haunting mix of piano and a nest of wires and transformers, first -person perspective, though the strings that effortlessly conveys the with the only sign of your brother adventure tradition of moving haunting nature of the game's being a recording asking you to between separate screens is worlds. destroy his invention. Naturally, this retained. Curiously , there is no real Still, even a work of great being an adventure game, your first interaction with other characters, beauty must have its flaws. The impulse is to reactive the machine and the protagonist himself remains game d oes not offer much in the

PAGE 16 ISSUE 7 Gatehouse Gazette JUL ‘09 way of help to the player; you're put unfortunately common in too many short, clocking in at between 3 to 5 down in the middle of the room and Russian games, receive a less -than hours for the ty pical playthrough. expected to work your way out. As stellar translation into English. Cosmetic flaws aside, the game a result, a number of puzzles, Additionally, the actual plot of the is truly a work of art. For anyone particularly the ones involving game may not make any sense after who enjoyed the Myst series, Outcry rewiring a circuit in the desert, may the first playthrough, though a quick is a chance to rekindle that love of be fiendishly hard to solve without a refresher on dream symbolism and clanking machinery and those walkthrough. Most of the game's David Lynch should be enough to feelings of bittersweet sadness for background is conveyed through concoct a working explanation. bygone ages. ■ journal entries, which, as is Finally, the game itself is incredibly

COLUMN STEAM FROM THE OLD SMOKE

Journey to the BRIGADIER SIR ARTHUR WEIRDY- BEARDY (RETIRED)

center of time

IT IS A QUEER THING, OR AT LEAST A JOLLY CURIOUS I was born on St. George’s Day in the year 1830 — one, that at my age—fifty-five last birthday —I should trademark beard in situe—in the spare bedroom of a find myself taking up a pen to try to write a column small tent in the jungles of Chittagong, Bengal, British - upon chrononautical matters for a publication read Controlled India, during the early days of the Raj. My largely in America ! Afte r my several adventures in the mother, Lady Susan Decidedly Weirdy -Beardy, was also New World : changing the outcome of The War of present. As were a number of servants, of course. Independence; fighting on both sides simultaneously My father, the eminent explorer Doctor Michael during your oxymoronically-named “Civil War” ; Hugh Francis Beresford Livingston Waldo (Wally) sparking off a couple of Gold Rushes ; &c . (see that Weirdy-Beardy III, was not: having been lost in the field volume of my memoirs entitled How One Won The West for some two years prior to that point. (I got los t in a for more details) and the lifetime ban subsequently field once. But that’s by-the-by.) placed upon me ever returning to those shores, I was I was educated at the a series of good missionary somewhat surprised to be invited to do so. Still, forgive schools dotted throughout the Empire, as I followed my and forget, and all that, what? parents around the world on their various expeditions. But why me, I ask myself… as, indeed, I expect you This not only left me fluent in no less than eighty-two are similarly asking yourself round about now. Who in languages and regional dialects by the time I was three, the name of Charles Darwin is this Brig adier Sir Arthur but also instilled in me the taste for frontier exploration Weirdy-Beardy (Retired) , and what qualifies him to act that was to remain with me throughout my as the London Correspondent for the Gatehouse extraordinary life. Indeed, I eagerly adopted the legacy Gazette ? Well, in answer to our mutual question, let me of my lineage, and mounted a series of expeditions of introduce myself to us, and tell us a little about my life. my own, as soon as I was able to walk without the aid of I have done a good many things in my life, which “Mr Wheelie.” Admittedly these were initially in search seems a long one to me… owing perhaps to my having of my ever-absent father, who was forever getting lost begun work so young. in the field, but in later years these became legitimate

PAGE 17 ISSUE 7 Gatehouse Gazette JUL ‘09 journeys of discovery in my own right. Most note- 1899-‘02 2nd Boer War: Campaign Medal, and a worthy of these, perhaps, would be my discovered of rather dull after-dinner story. the fables “Fountain of Youth,” whilst exploring 1900 Peking: Victoria Cross (Felt that my fighting Mesoamerica—a little keepsake that now takes pride of in two wars at the same time was “showing place as a rather splendid water-feature in the grounds off”). of the Weirdy-Beardy Manor. 1914-’18 The “Great War”: Tea and Biscuits at The The skills I learnt during these early forays into Palace with the new chap. foreign realms would prove to be of considerable 1919 Retirement: Gold Pocket Watch, and an benefit to the Empire, when, in 1853, I joined The Honourable, if enforced , Discharge. Queen’s Own Right Royal Roister-Doisters to fight in the Crimean War. The bloody battlefields of the Crimea Some of you, I know, will be wondering how, writing as River were the first of many I would brave for Queen I am in 1885 and at the age of fifty-five, I can recall and Country, in a sixty-five year military career that saw having received honors for battles that haven’t taken me eventually rise to the rank of Brigadier. I have seen place quite yet, over the course of sixty -five years in the action right across the globe—and, indeed, beyond— service of Queen, King and Country. and have been painted and decorated several times: Ah well, you see, when I first moved to England—to my ancestral home of Weirdy-Beardy Manor, in the 1853-6 Crimean War , mentioned in Dispatches. village of Nimby, near the town of Whatwhatford, in the 1854 Battle of Inkerman, mentioned in The Times county of Hurtforhire, just ask at the Postal Office—I 1854 Battle of Balaclava, mentioned in The Lady took to filling the days between wars with a little (along with my pattern for woolen hats) tinkering in the workshop here at The Club in London. 1857-8 The Indian Mutiny: Indian Order Of Merit, Since I retired, that’s pretty much all I do. Though and free poppadoms. I do get to “field test” my creations with the odd 1861-5 American “Civil” War: Congratulational expedition here and there. Keeps one out of trouble. Medal Of Honor ( their spelling). Certainly keeps one out of the wife’s hair. 1870-1 Franco-Prussian War: Campaign Medal, And Lady Sybil is particularly hairy—great silver- sovereignty of Grand Duchy of Fenwick. backed brute that she is. 1879 Zulu War : Campaign Medal, and a rather But I digress. fine collection of second-hand spears. Yes, I’ve invented all manner of things over the 1879 Battle of Isandlwana : Distinguished years. But the best, most useful thing I ever invented Conduct Medal and a house-point for good was my “Patented Hermetic Temporal Envelope manners. Generating Engine” (PHTEGE). At first, I’d intended to 1879 Battle of Rorke’s Drift: Military Cross (Don’t use it as a means of prolonging my life, by means of know why. Not like it was my fault) sleeping within the “envelope” thereby generated, 1880 Transvaal War : Campaign Medal, and the wherein time remains frozen. deeds to several diamond mines. However, coming into possession of the fabled 1881 Battle of Majuba: Sheik Yermani Makhir’s Fountain of Youth, as mentioned earlier, rendered this spare wife. something of a moot point. 1882 Battle of Tel El-Kebir: Distinguished Service Nevertheless, I decided it was too useful a device to Order, and a life-long fatwa. abandon, and used it as the basis for the greatest of all 1883 Mahdi Rebellion, Sudan: Conspicuous my inventions... my “Patented Pedal-Powered Temporal Gallantry Cross. Perambulator”! 1885 Fall of Khartoum: Discrete Gallantry Garter. I’d been experimenting with various time-traveling 1887 Her Britannic Majesty, Queen Victoria’s devices for some time (ironically), initially utilizing Golden Jubilee: Knighthood (Knight of the steam. However, my early experiments had uncovered British Empire). a basic flaw in this design, using steam , that is: when I 1898 Battle of Omdurman: Knighthood (Order of first visited the Jurassic Era, it suddenly occurred to me the Bath). that it might be unwise to rely upon a carboniferous fuel 1899 Muddy Rebellion, Sudan: Knighthood source that hasn’t actually died yet, at the point in time (Ordered to take a Bath). one is visiting. Hence, why my later experiments—once I’d caught up with myself and passed on the advice—

PAGE 18 ISSUE 7 Gatehouse Gazette JUL ‘09 tended to favor pedal-power, and a vehicle with which variety evenings it has ever been my pleasure to one can travel back and forth in time purely on one’s experience: White Mischief’s Journey to the Centre of the own steam, as it were. Earth , at The Scala, Pentonville Road, King’s Cross. More reliable. (Don’t know why—not like His Majesty wasn’t invited.) Jolly good exer cise, too. Good for the l egs. (One’s I myself traveled there upon my Patented Pedal thighs are nothing to be sniffed at.) So you see, to Powered Temporal Perambulator, of course. However - answer your question, I can recall having received owing to th e chain coming off when I narrowly avoided honors for battles that haven’t taken place quite yet, I a doodlebug explosion w hilst free -wheeling past can remember the future, as it were, because I’ve been 1939—I found myself coming to a stop several hours there, and for me, it’s the past. Do you follow? early, and on the very outskirts of the future metropolis. Yes, it now occurs to me that what I said earlier Undaunted, I parked my Time Machine, and instead about my life seeming a long one to me, owing per haps took t he opportunity to sample the highly sophisticated to my having begun work so young, seems now far more transport infrastructure which London of the early likely to be the result of actually having lived an twenty-first century will possess: catching a “Diesel” extremely long length of time… or at the very least, train into Paddington, followed by a short journey to having seen a considerable amount of it. King’s Cross on the “ Under -The-Ground” system. Time, that is. Seen a lot of it. Quite. Splendid stuff! Anyway, it was owing to my being the father of the From the off, us “early arrivals” were given heaps of Empire’s first working Time Machine, that I was given heady hedonistic pleasure, beginning with the door staff an audience with Her Britannic Majesty Queen Victoria. allowing us that singularly British pastime of queuing! (Gawd Bless ‘Er!) Yes, I had asked His Majesty Edward Marvelous! Though pleasant enough in and of itself, this VII for patronage, but he was reluctant, so I simply experience wa s added to by the amusing game of popped back a few years and asked his mum. She was observing the passing London population in their more keen on the idea, being something of a “fan” of outlandish futuristic fashions, and spotting those more yours truly through my thrilling accounts of visiting tastefully dressed chrononauts who were no doubt legendary lost lands; no-doubt helped by my efforts in joining us within for the revels to come. adding Mars to the list of Britis h Sovereign States; not to Once inside, I found mysel f faced with a bar serving mention the fact that my being the fi rst man to set foot alcoholic beve rages, and purchased a brandy. Though in Pangea—the prehistoric super continent —made the the barman made the faux pas of asking me if I wanted growth of the British Empire considerably easier from a ice in it ( Ice ! In a brandy !); of serving it to me in a sort of legal standpoint. However, Vicky did insist that I a glass thimble; and charging me more than the staff at relinquish my monopoly on temporal-tourism and set hom e would earn in a month, I nevertheless allowed up something of be nefit to the whole Empire. S o The myself a little indulgence for the sake of enjoying the Imperial Empyre anautical, Cryptogeographical & experience to the full. Chrononautical Society was born! Huzzah! First up—at least for me, as several things were And it is in this capacity, as the Chairman of “The going on at the same time in different rooms—was The Club,” and Editor-in-Chief of its official journal The Chrononautical Times , that I keep a watchful eye upon all things Empyreanautical, Cryptogeographical & Chrononautical taking place in London and the Home Counties, throughout all of Time, so as to be able to suggest suitable out ings for our esteamed membership. It is therefore no great a demand upon my not-inconsiderable skills to write a few words on the subject for the Gatehouse Gazette , and you, our Colonial Cousins, our Foreign Friends, now reading this.

White Mischief’s Journey to the Centre of the Earth Those of you who, like me, possess your own chrononautical devic es may wish to set the dial to “London, May 23rd, 2009” and visit one of the very best

PAGE 19 ISSUE 7 Gatehouse Gazette JUL ‘09

Fitzrovia Radio Company , who, hailing from the 1940s, With Mr Flay’s place upon the stage taken by a performed a live radio broadcast from that era, replete musical troop calling themselves The Correspondents , I with tips for the newlywed woman and a tale of terror was reminded that I was at this event as the London about a resurrected Egyptian Queen! Quite aside from Correspondent of the Gatehouse Gazette , and thought it the amusement of listening to this as if it were a radio about time I did some work. I caught up with Mr Flay, programme, the experience was heightened immensely who happened to come into the venue’s pipe-smoking by the benefit of sight: the attractiveness of the lady area, and had something of a chat with him upon the members of the cast and the fascinating way in which subject of adequate security procedures for the the show’s “folie” sound-effects were created making menstrually lycanthropic, amongst other things. On this well worth seeing, as well as merely hearing. mentioning in passing how I am often called upon in a Following this, I found my way into the main stage sort of consultancy capacity by Scotland Yard’s Finest to area, where a troop of equally as attractive young “assist them with their enquiries,” he was good enough women were performing for the distraction of the to give me a little insider knowledge on how to pick a Gentlemen Bachelors in the, it has to be said, sizable set of hand-cuffs. Good chap! audience: firstly, the tantalizing tease of the fan dance, By now, the evening was winding down, and the as performed by Circa Burlesque ; followed by a display effects of my 124-year cycle ride, and numerous of aesthetically beautiful aerial ballet performed by brandies, were beginning to make their presence felt. Illumi (their name no doubt a reference to the fact that Whilst various “Wax Disc Jockeys” played a selection of they performed in total darkness, but for the gentle intermixed “Swing,” “Rock & Roll” and “Jazz” numbers green-white glow emanating from their skin-tight to those more inclined to dancing, I bathed in the glow costumes in response to the ultraviolet lamplight cast of my pleasant evening’s entertainment, and puzzled upon them.) the quandary of how I was going to get from King’s During this time—and following an off-the-cuff Cross to the Airport at Heathrow (where I had parked remark I may have mumbled about not having a good my Time Machine) at four o’clock in the morning. enough view—my manservant had managed to “sort With the stations closed and shuttered, no out the little matter of confusion” regarding my not Handsome Cabs to be seen, and the foreign chaps being granted access to the VIP lounge, and I promptly offering a futuristic miniature alternative asking for no headed up there to get a much better view of the acts less than £50 for the journey (Why, that’s a Gentleman’s upon said main stage. income!), I was at something of a loss. However, I However, once I had got my breath back, with my chanced to notice that London has an excellent face pressed against the window I found that the girls nocturnal omnibus service, and I was able to make the had sadly exited, and I was instead gazing down upon a journey in a little over two hours, and at a cost of a mere young chap standing there in the altogether! (Or what £2. Splendid! I would also add, that for the visitor to would have been the altogether were it not for an London of the twenty-first century, this is a far better obviously padded pair of bright red briefs.) I was about method of getting about town than the aforementioned to voice my disgust at so shameful an exhibition, when “under-the-ground” train network, as the dawn-light the chap in question began juggling with, of all things, a views of London’s streets, architecture, and parks chainsaw! It is a queer thing, or at least a curious one, thereby presented is far more pleasing a vista than the but as The Covent Garden Chainsaw Juggler swung the gap-infested sweat-sewer that is “The Tube”.* lethal tool between his legs, I found myself staring at the Do be sure to check this column in future issues, for aforementioned padded pantaloons, and hoping said reviews of future events (or should that be “foreviews,” padding was adequate to the task! what?) and suggestions as to suitable events and sights This was followed by further acts of death-defying to visit, should you ever feel inclined to visit dear old daring-do, as The Irrepressible Mr Flay performed an act Blighty. of escapology, freeing himself from chains, handcuffs, and a straight-jacket, whilst suspended upside-down Until next Time, AWB ■ from the ceiling! Not an easy thing to achieve! At least for anyone lacking the biting strength of my good lady wife, who admittedly escapes from hers * Gap (n.) – hiatus lacuna (Lat.): a mutated hybrid of a bat and a rat, on a regular basis… once a month, as it happens… every found in the London Underground Network – hence the often heard cry full moon… of “Mind the gap!”

PAGE 20 ISSUE 7 Gatehouse Gazette JUL ‘09

SERIES QUATERMASS

A Quatermass GUY DAMPIER

experiment

SADLY IN THE EARLY DAYS OF In 1953 a Brit ish spaceship is but without the final four it is hard British television, when many launched from Australia, cont act is to say much. So much story is dramas were broadcast live and the lost and for more than fifty hours it missing that the first episodes are whole affair owed more to televised disappears. On the verge of giving only really to be watched by those theatre than what we would up a signal is det ected: the ship is who love Quatermass and really recognize today, recording was back! It crash lands and with a hiss ought to be seen in conjunction with viewed as unnecessary. Four of the the door opens. A single figure the 2005 remake so that the entire episodes of The Quatermass staggers out and collapses. But of story can be grasped. Nonetheless Experiment (1953) have been lost to the other two astronauts there is no there is something of interest for history; two remain. Therefore this trace and the survivor , Victor, is dieselpunks, notably the aesthetics review is short not from a desire to somehow slightly… different. of the space -suit design and the be pithy but due to necessity. These two episodes are classics treatment of space exploration. ■

REVIEW M

Shadow show MARCIUS RAUCHFUß

of murder

M (1931) IS OFTEN NAMED AS ONE first example is when we are he buys her a balloon , all the while of the classics of cinema. It is high introduced to the murderer. We do whistling “Hall of the Mountain up there with the few other not see his face, nor quite his figure. King,” his trademark tune which he masterpieces and this reputation is We only see his shadow cast on an whistles compulsively and well deserved as I hope to make that advertising colum n, falling right on ultimately proves to be his undoing. clear in this review. a notice that warns the public about This scene to m e is the key to For the whole length of the film, him and offers a reward, while he the whole film. The murderer, director Fritz Lang plays masterfully himse lf is talking to a little girl played brilliantly by Peter Lorre, is with light, sound and shadow. The named Elsie: his next victim. Later, seldom seen, but his presence

PAGE 21 ISSUE 7 Gatehouse Gazette JUL ‘09 haunts the city and the story alike another. The police and the law, but we never find out its ruling. like an ever-present shadow. Lorre criminals are depicted as equal Before it is to be announcement, the makes him always seem small and organizations, operating by scene cuts to the victim’s mothers haunted; so much that the viewer is remarkably similar rules and united with Elsie’s mother saying that left puzzled how so pitiable a person in their common hunt of the either sentence will not bring back who is terrified by voices in his murderer. the dead children. head, can exert such menacing These criminals are, in spite of Fritz Lang makes a point of influence. their status, portrayed as a civilized, having both the underworld as well Next, we see the girl’s mother organized and rather likable lot. In as the police, although on opposite waiting for the return of her child. In one scene, just after the ends of the law, doing exactly the the progress of this scene, Lang aforementioned police raid on a same thing: hunting the murderer. plays with sound and the lack of it. notorious gangster joint, the lady Interestingly, the underworld seems M was one of the first non-silent running it points out to the chief of far better able to tackle this task, as German movies but it still employs a police that none of “her boys” would they are well aware that their target lot of silence for effect. ever even touch a child. Even the is none of their own. They know For example, after the mother hardcore criminals would go all soft much better whom or what to look of the little girl starts looking for her when watching children play. for and, through the bums of the child we see various rooms, attics Finally, the crooks come up city, have the manpower to do so. and staircases. Initially we also hear with a plan which will become the The police, instead, although the calls of the mother, but then, the murderer’s undoing. They enlist the highly motivated, simply intensifies sound stops. We only see silent, beggars of the city to keep watch on its efforts to hunt down a “normal” empty rooms, which greatens the every street, every backyard, never criminal. Only at the very end do sense of helplessness and loneliness. loosing site of single child. they catch up with the murderer The following two scenes are again When the murderer again lures and only through a lucky arrest, filmed in haunting silence: the little a girl and buys her a balloon from caused by carelessness on the part girl’s balloon, caught in telephone the same blind beggar, again of the criminals. This portrayal of wires and her ball, rolling aimlessly whistling his tune, he is recognized, police and underworld is a thinly from behind some bushes. marked with an M for murderer on veiled depiction of the social reality With very little effort Lang his coat by another thug, and soon of the late Weimar Republic itself. manages to draw the picture of a driven into hiding in an office The state is almost on the brink of city descending into paranoid chaos. building, where the combined cream collapse and only the efforts of both There are people accusing one of the Berlin underworld follow to law enforcement and lawbreakers, another, a pick-pocket being catch him. In the course of this, the to whom a breach of the status quo mistaken for the murderer and the police is alerted and comes rushing is bad for business, can keep society like. All these scenes are intertwined to the building too. The criminals, from slipping into anarchy. with the spirited but futile attempts however, manage to get to the This precise social picture, of the police to find any clue. We murderer first and drag him away. summed up in this film is another also see the hands of the murderer In their hurried withdrawal they feature of what makes it so realistic. writing a letter to the newspaper, forget the chief safebreaker who in In the context of its own time, the again whistling his tune in stark and turn is duly arrested by the police. film tells a story that very well could penetrating quality. This safebreaker is portrayed have happened like this. After yet another futile police as a gentle soul, who breaks during The inherent reality of the plot, action, this time on a underground interrogation. He tells the police Peter Lorre’s masterful portrayal of joint, the gangsters of the city get about the intentions of his fellow the murderer and Fritz Lang’s play themselves organized to find the lawbreakers: they seek to put the with sound, silence, light and killer. Coincidentally the police have murderer on trial. The murderer shadow have seen to it, that even a meeting at the same time. We see there delivers an impressive, more than seventy-five years after the police force and the criminals haunting and disturbing monologue its release, M has not lost its terror making plans. First we watch the in his defense, but is subsequently and its appeal. It is one of the jewels one party, then the other, then back interrupted by the police. of early sound film, late German again, their actions mirroring one The film ends in a real court of expressionism and world cinema. ■

PAGE 22 ISSUE 7 Gatehouse Gazette JUL ‘09

REVIEW GORMENGHAST

Defending the TOBY FROST

castle

MERVYN PEAKE’S GORMENGHAST eccentric. There is Prunesquallor, trilogy consists of the novels Titus the arch and brainy castle medic, his Groan (1946), Gormenghast (1950) neurotic sister Irma, Flay the grim and Titus Alone (1959), and tells of manservant and his enemy the fat the birth and early life of Titus, chef Swelter, and most of all seventy-sixth Earl of Groan and heir Steerpike, a cunning ex -scullion who to the vast, rotting castle that is reads like a cross between Richard Gormenghast itself. Titus’ destiny is III and Edmund from King Lear, and to rule a world dominated by whose ambition, along with Titus’ bizarre, stifling rituals in which he growing rese ntment at his ordained will be little more than a cog— role, fuels the plot. assuming that his rival Steerpike The first two stories, Titus doesn’t kill him and take his place. Groan and Gormenghast , are long, ponderous and epic. They have What is Gormenghast? multiple narrative strands and are Simply put, it is the name of the written in a complex prose whose castle. Gormenghast castle itself is density reflects the weight of the certainly ancient: Titus is the castle stone. In switching between seventy-sixth earl of Groan, and it characters, the author ranges from has existed long enough not only for horror through to comedy and even, its own rituals to develop but for the language .) The castle seems to exist in Gormenghast , to an awkward and meaning behind them to be in a bubble of its own, untouched by ultimately rather touching romance. forgotten. It is also huge, probably the world yet somehow part of it. Peake was a talented artist and the size of a small town, and Leaving aside magic, the only poet and his drawing s and poems contains wings, follies and halls that answer would seem to be that the appear in the text. Sadly, his health have long been abandoned. The trilogy is set in an alternate history impression is of immense age and, or far in th e future, after an in the first two books, isolation. The apocalypse —but this is probably * I mention this because Peake’s short Gormenghast books are set in the best not considered too much. * It story Boy in Darkness (1997), which is set real world but no date or location is doesn’t matter, because the three near a huge castle that appears to be given. (Alan Moore suggests Cologne books are powerful enough to c arve Gormenghast, includes animal -human in the League of Extraordinary out a world of their own without the hybrids that do not occur in the three Gentlemen volume II. At any rate the need for explanation. novels. It is probably reading too much surrounding countryside suggests Much like Paul Atreides in into the stor y to suggest that they are Britain: there are also no mythical Frank Herbert’s Dune , Titus is post-apocalyptic mutants, like some of creatures and the castle school guarded and advised by a number of the monsters in Moorcock’s Count Brass teaches French as a foreign retainers, all of them highly (1998).

PAGE 23 ISSUE 7 Gatehouse Gazette JUL ‘09 and perhaps his mind were failing sort of integrity (neither Peake’s nor styles, genres and historical eras to when he wrote the last volume, Dickens’ characters are there solely produce a new, original whole. The Titus Alone , in which Titus ventures to be laughed at) seems to me a very castle appears to be loosely gothic in into the world beyond the castle. It British concept, and places them in style, like a Victorian image of the is a shorter but more nightmarish that golden era of eccentricity: the Middle Ages, and its world feels book, and shows us glimpses of a Victorian age. For all their Victorian also, with horses and sinister, industrialized world quirkiness, the books are not light: firearms, elaborate courtships and beyond the castle, either in the not only is there poetry in the series, high tea. Yet the rituals of twentieth century or the future. but also violence and murder that Gormenghast are medieval, perhaps demands to be taken seriously, oriental, even. (Peake grew up in a A steampunk angle? however bizarre the people missionary environment in China. So why should the Gormenghast committing it. Steampunk, with its The BBC adaption of Titus Groan books be of interest to steampunks? emphasis on individualism in both and Gormenghast draws on this, They are not steampunk in an character and technology, draws in depicting the castle as part gothic obvious way, at least not in its more part from the same source. It would fortress, part Imperial court.) stereotypical, gadgets-and-airships not be surprising to meet Laurence In Titus Alone we see a world of form, in the same way that they are Oliphant from The Difference Engine technology and science outside the not fantasy of the elves-and-dragons (1980) or perhaps even Langdon St. castle, which in Mr Veil and the variety. However China Mieville, Ives from James Blaylock’s helmeted police reflect perhaps the often seen as an important influence Homunculus (1986) wandering the horrors that Peake recorded as a on steampunk, listed them as part of grounds of Gormenghast. war artist during World War II. In his recommended books for the There are some who consider this final book, Peake even Guardian , correctly remarking that that to be steampunk, a novel must introduces science fiction, with the the BBC adaptation had greatly include some subversive or anti- machines that spy on the characters softened the novels. I feel that both authoritarian “punk” element. Tim and destroy Muzzlehatch’s zoo. He is the strangeness and the robust Powers’ description of the origins of doing what steampunks do: taking solidity of Mieville’s worlds may the term “steampunk” suggests that disparate elements and welding well be influenced by Peake. Michael this is not right, but at any rate it is them together to make something Moorcock, whose Oswald Bastable hard to imagine anything more coherent and new. stories contain many steampunk rebellious than Steerpike’s climb The books are anachronistic as elements, even dedicated his novel through the ranks of the castle— well as antiquated, set in a strange Gloriana (2004) to Peake and it is at although he seems more of a world that samples elements from a least in part a homage. potential dictator than an anarchist. wide range of times and yet retains Peake’s eccentric characters But the real influence of the its internal logic. We could argue resemble those of Dickens, books on steampunk seems subtler forever whether they are “proper” especially in their peculiar names than that. It is the anachronism of steampunk, but the trilogy is a close and unexpected seriousness. This the stories, the feeling of reading and influential cousin that deserves idea of eccentricity together with a something that mixes different to be more widely read. ■

IN OUR NEXT ISSUE HOW TO REACH US

We celebrate Halloween with “Forbidden Tales of Do you want to be published in the Gatehouse Fervor and Fright”. Expect things dark, esoteric, Gazette ? Comment upon one of our stories or submit perverse and horrifying, with H.P. Lovecraft, a one of your own! Please include your name (or Victorian Halloween party, Simon R. Green’s nickname) as well as your location. Letters may be Nightside series and maybe even some recipes for edited for purposes of space and clarity. how to make your own Halloween-appropriate evil- green-colored liquors! E-MAIL ……………………………………..…… [email protected]

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