The Drink Tank 265

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Iris D (http://wolkenpanther.deviantart.com) Editorial by James Bacon

I love Worldcons. I loved them from afar a lot of the time, and in the last couple of years have been lucky enough to get along to them. I will be at Reno, and as is my wont, I have volunteered to help. I am helping to run the Fan Programme and also the Comic Programme and mentoring new people who are running the youth programme aspects. It’s fun and I have a good boss. I sometimes wonder, do the fans who see me, or decide to pass money over to a convention I am involved with, realise that I also have this Fanzine hobby, and if Fans who read and respond with letters, come along to cons I run or more likely help with. I expect they do, or some do and some don’t. So, I wanted to join these two aspects of my hobby within the community together, and by looking forward to Reno, and back at HUGO contenders from this year, I think I can do that with Chris. I hope that some personal reflections and considerations about what is ahead will excite you as it does me. I also hope that, with the holiday season upon us, our writers who look back at this year, also give you pause for thought, and that you may have time to prime yourself, for when it comes to Vote in the Hugo’s. A Hugo and Worldcon primer. I also was pleased to have Jim Mann give us a piece about Science Fiction. I often worry (for no reason obviously) about what the key people running Worldcons read and like. I do not mind the conrunners who enjoy the conrunning side, and perhaps do not read or watch as much SF as they would like, but continue to enjoy the hobby of conrunning, BUT, I do expect that people who want to run programme, know and enjoy Science Fiction, and tapping into what such a senior person likes, is fascinating to me. Also I am very excited about being at a convention where Tim Powers is the GOH. Now, Chris and I will want to look at the other GOH’s in a later issue, but we were super lucky to have some articles about Tim for this issue. As always, a big thank you to ALL the contributors, I do hope something here makes you think, or read, or especially write. Are we wrong about the comics, or books or covers or stories or films that have been mentioned – what did we miss – what is plainly a mistake a travesty. Also, we welcome hearing what YOU want to do and see in Reno. Finally, a merry Christmas to you all, I have just celebrated Chunkha here in London, but the festive season is just that, and I hope you enjoy it. Editorial can sit, chat, perhaps read a little, maybe work ballot again so that I can attend the pre-Hugos on a project, perhaps bust out a game of Jenga. party! That’s always great fun and it’s just about the by Chris Garcia You know, all those things that us fans do. We’ve only time I get to see folks like Bob Eggleton and also got a great set-up planned for the place, and Mike Resnick. It’s always good to hang around with Reno. I love Reno, not only because it’s got we’re going to be close to the bar! What’s better those folks. The price of admission is a nomination, all the gambling and cheap buffets that a guy like than that? and that’s always the hard part, isn’t it? me enjoys, but because it’s a beautiful part of the Plus, for me, a WorldCon is all about the And, of course, this is only the beginning. world, set in Sierra mountains with lovely water people. I’ve been lucky enough to meet some There are plans afoot for another Hugo for Best and so much goodness. great people. It’ spretty much only at WorldCon Novel issue, and I’m hoping we can do one for And then there’s WorldCon. Y’all know that I get to hang with James Bacon, Warren Best DramPres. What would it be without the how I feel about WorldCon. It’s like home, a Buff, Tim Miller, Chris Barkley, Guy Lillian, Handicapping the Hugos issue? I’m planning on home that travels around the world. Reno with a Steven H Silver and so on, plus M, SaBean, Jay doing that a bit differently this year, so there’s that. WorldCon will be amazing. and probaboy Judith are planning on coming, so Plus there’ll be a lot of talk just about Reno leading And that’s what led to this issue. it’ll be something of a family reunion! up to the con. This is the year of the West Coast We’ve set this issue up into two sections: And there’s always the Hugos. Con, so we’ll have all sorts of coverage! the first being articles about Reno and the I love them, have been fortunate enough So, this issue I’d like to dedicate to the WorldCon and the people who will be running to get nominated the last four years and am memory of len Moffatt. We lost another legend them. The biggest section is a look at 2010 which hoping that something I did ends up on the of First Fandom, one of the founders of Mystery we hope will inform your Hugo and other award fandom and a former TAFF winner. I always nominating. We’re really lucky to have some great enjoyed chatting with him at LosCon and will folks writing for us, including Guy Lillian, who I miss him when I’m back next year. He and June don’t think has ever appeared in The Drink Tank had shirts made out of the same fabric as the old before. Plus, Jon Vaughn (whose short films are Empire Strikes Back sheets I had as a kid. That was really good!) and several other folks debuting, just about perfect for a shirt. Every year, we lose including Lynda Rucker, who is just a delight! another few members of First Fandom, another What am I doing at Reno? I’ll be running touchstone to those days when WorldCons would The Fan Lounge. It’ll be a good time and I’m fit into a single hotel, fanzines were the tap-and- working on some great events, including what trade of Fandom and everybody wrote letters. I feel will hopefully be a great reading of Pros reading truly blessed that I got to chat with so many of the the writing of Fans and vice-versa. I think that old-timers over the years, even if only briefly. I just would be a great project. It’s always good to do wish I’d gotten to meet Harry Warner. Or Morojo. something new. I’m also excited about Art Night, Or Bill Rotsler. Or Claude Degler. Well, maybe not and I’m hoping we can do a community art project Degler... in the Lounge, perhaps with the results being And, of course, I want to say thank you to auctioned off for the Fan Funds or perhaps scan everyone out there who has been so helpful over it and use it as a cover for something. We’re also the six years that I’ve been doing The Drink Tank. thinking about Music night, and there’s a special There’s been, and will continue to be, something Randy Smith evening planned since he’s got a very of a slow-down, but if James and I can keep doing special birthday to think about and we’re excited to issues like this one, I hope you won’t mind too have him around! much! The most important thing to me about the Lounge is that it’s a place where folks can go and be. I love have a sort of soft space where you What I’m Going to Do on my the north and south sides of the lake, maybe even former theater major’s heart. (www.laketahoeshak a dip further south into Yosemite. Exploring one espeare.com) Summer Vacation or two of the many hiking trails in the Sierras and Spa! Both of Renovation’s main hotels, by Helen Montgomery around Lake Tahoe (I just have to find the easy the Atlantis and the Peppermill, have world-class ones!) Now I just need to decide if this will be the spas. I’ll be visiting both, no question about it. pre- or post-convention side trip… I envision myself dashing back and forth every Cars! As a Detroit native and a child of a other day to try some new relaxing and delicious “So Helen, will you write an article for us “Big 3” family, I was completely geeked out to see item on the spa menus. The “Cleopatra Milk about what you’re looking forward to about how many cool car-related things there are in Reno. and Honey Cocoon” at the Atlantis Spa? The Renovation?” I’m seriously considering coming into Reno a few Rosemary Vichy Scrub at the Spa Toscana at the days early so I can attend “Hot August Nights” – the Peppermill? The Bali Paradise Rasul Ceremony at Easy enough assignment, right? That’s Reno classic car festival held August 9-14, 2011 in the Atlantis Spa? Relaxing in the Caldarium at Spa what I thought, until I started to sit down and Reno-Sparks (www.hotaugustnights.net). Whether Toscana? Oh yeah, baby. I’m so there! list all the things I am looking forward to about I do or don’t make that, I definitely plan to spend I’m going to count trips to Carson City and Renovation as well as visiting the city of Reno. some time at the National Automobile Museum Virginia City as one item on the list. Because Then I realized that my challenge was going to be (www.automuseum.org) in downtown Reno. The I can’t pick just one. Two towns that represent eliminating enough items that my article wouldn’t cool looking “Quirky Rides” masterpiece exhibit “ooooh – shiny!” with their histories of gold and take up the entire issue! will still be showing in August 2011, along with silver mining. What girl can resist? Virginia City I’ve culled it down to two sections – what the 1907 Thomas Flyer am I looking forward to about coming to Reno, that won the New York a brand new city for me, and what am I looking to Paris automobile race forward to about Renovation, the Worldcon. So in 1908, Elvis Presley’s without further ado, and in no particular order… 1973 Cadillac El Dorado my top five things I’m going to do in and around Custom Coupe, and a list Reno! of historic cars in their Lake Tahoe – I can’t wait to zip out of the permanent collection that city and go spend a day (or two, or three) at Lake is jaw-droppingly fabulous! Tahoe. The photos of it are amazing, and I’m sure Vroom! Vroom! the reality will be even better. Voted the most The Lake Tahoe popular destination in the United States, a visit Shakespeare Festival – Oh. here is a must. A stop in Crystal Bay, where you My. God. Any Shakespeare can hop (literally!) the state line from California Festival that has you sitting to Nevada – always a fun party trick! Relaxing in a natural amphitheatre on the beaches of Incline Village, splashing in on a beach chair or blanket, the crystal clear water along the shore. If I have toes in the sand, a gourmet the time, taking a few days to drive all the way meal, all with Lake Tahoe around, stopping at all the various towns on both as the backdrop for the stage is a total win in this (www.virginiacity-nv.com) is a national historic is the academic program, offering a venue for work that fans do in terms of fan writing and fan landmark, was once home to Mark Twain, and students and academics to present professional art? What’s a fanzine lounge? What are fans in has a bluegrass music festival every August. It’s a papers about science fiction and fantasy literature other countries, or even in other regions of the real taste of the Old West, complete with saloons! and art and fandom and science, this year all United States doing? I am unbelievably excited Carson City (www.visitcarsoncity.com) has the focused on the overall Renovation theme of “New about this aspect of the Renovation, as these Kit Carson Trail, and is also home to the Nevada Frontiers”. Not only do we have a call out for topics are all about my favorite parts of being in State Railroad Museum (I know some of you papers, but we’re also looking at doing a student fandom! Drink Tank readers and writers are big train fans, poster session! It seriously makes my inner nerd The Hugo Awards. Okay, I know I said so this one’s for you! I’ll probably be over at the jump up and down with glee! I was going to focus on the less known, smaller, Automobile Museum while y’all go here…) The Film Festival. As part of the more innovative things Renovation is going to All this plus Worldcon? Squee! Art Project, Renovation is going to have an be doing. But how can I not mention the Hugo And what a Worldcon it’s going to be…. Independent / Fan Film Festival. Short films, Awards Ceremony? Other than the parties, it is my We all know the type of things that are coming, short feature films, and trailers, all from the absolute favorite thing to go see at the Worldcon. but here I’m going to focus on some of the science fiction, fantasy, horror, and comics I love looking at the exhibits of past Hugos, and smaller, perhaps more innovative things that Reno genres. Yes, watching the Hugo nominated films getting to see the current Hugo Award unveiled is doing that I’m excited to see. Again, in no is cool, but having the opportunity to see short at the ceremony is always a “Sensawondah” particular order - films that aren’t available elsewhere is going to be moment for me. (I’m kind of hoping that since The Art Project. Art is such a huge part amazing! It’s a project near and dear to my heart, I’m Chairman’s staff at Renovation, maybe I’ll of science fiction and fantasy. I don’t know about as we’ve had similar film fests at my local Chicago get a sneak peek this year! But maybe that would you, but I don’t have enough wall space to display convention for several years, and I know how spoil the moment. Oh, I can’t decide what I all of the SF / F art that I own. Renovation is awesome the submissions can be. Be sure to circle want!) Watching the ceremony and feeling the creating a tremendous amount of programming the film festival events on your pocket program sense of anticipation as each award is introduced to celebrate the visual arts. As always there will grid! and the nominees are listed, and then seeing how be a world class art show and art auction. Some The Fan Program. Yes, a Worldcon is excited and happy the winners are, and how happy great exhibits, including one featuring our Artist about celebrating science fiction and fantasy everyone watching is for them. Truly, the Hugo Guest of Honor, Boris Vallejo. The winners and related speculative fiction and art and all of Awards are the highlight of any Worldcon for of the Chesley Awards will be announced and that. But really it’s an opportunity for our Annual me! honored at the annual ceremony. What’s going Fannish Family Reunion. Worldcon is all about to be really, really cool though is that on Day us – the fans! We have a rich and varied fannish So there you have it. All the things I’m Two of the con there will be Art Night, featuring culture, and the fan program at Renovation aims planning to do on my 2011 Summer Vacation live demonstrations and interactive workshops, to explore all the different facets, and perhaps to Renovation, the 69th World Science Fiction opportunities to meet and greet the artists, and so introduce you to an aspect of fannish culture that Convention in Reno, Nevada, USA. What are you much more! you had not explored before. We’ll be looking at planning to do on your summer vacation? The Academic Program. True confessions how we as fans connect and communicate – from time. If I could, I would be a perpetual student, fanzines to social media to conventions. How do Helen Montgomery is Co-Chair of the Boston forever working on degrees in various subjects. I those conventions happen, and how can new fans Christmas WorldCon Bid for 2020. She’s also think one of the coolest things about Worldcon be involved? What awards out there honor the Awesome Beyond Belief! point my view of what I was Getting Involved In Art @ to do for Art Night resembled Renovation being a stage manager for a performance -- I was to become by Anne Gray familiar with what events were planned, and who was doing In 2007, Brian and I attended Smofcon them, make sure the tech was in Boston. At a round-robin discussion of how all lined up, and sufficient crew, to recruit people, I explained my no-nonsense then call the cues the night of direct approach. “I’ll just go up to someone who and orchestrate a successful looks a little bored and say something like, ‘how execution of the plan. When I would you like to haul around heavy objects for an actually met with Colin, I found hour?’” Across the circle from me, a woman’s head out The Plan, which was still snapped up with an expression of recognition and under development, was much delight. “That sounds like something I would say!” larger than just a night of Art at she declared. That was my introduction to Patty the convention. Wells. Colin and I sat down When I found out Patty and others I liked and respected had put together a Worldcon bid, for two extended, high-energy discussions that Sales I was instantly interested in getting involved. But revealed an agenda that was broader than art Professional Contacts for a long time I was sans portfolio. At the first night and even reached beyond the program, Comradery Reno in 2011 group meeting at Anticipation, when though it was eventually decided this effort would By sales we mean not just sales at the everyone gave their title or role, I said I was waiting be organizationally located in the programming convention, but the opportunity to connect with to find out what Patty decided to do with me. Late division. The idea was simple, the goal fans and collectors and facilitate sales through in the Fall of 2009 she came up with something extremely attractive: we were going to revitalize their web sites or other shows as well, and to sell and dropped me an email. Patty’s vision was for the involvement of the SF art community in work to Art Directors. By Professional Contacts each night of Renovation to feature a particular Worldcon, and we were going to do outreach with therefore we mean not just collectors and other creative aspect of SF fandom - Music, Art, artists to find out exactly what they would want us artists but also Art Directors themselves -- Costumes, and Literature, with the Music Night to do at Renovation to draw them to it and make like authors would like to meet with editors at featuring a big concert and other music events, it a rewarding experience. Simple, right? But big. conventions, so artists would like to meet with Art Night featuring the Chesley Awards and other To assist with this project, Colin was recruiting people who might hire them for future projects. visual arts, then the Masquerade for costuming, a braintrust. The earliest members of that trust, In the book industry, and in comics, yes, but and the Hugo Awards, which recognize many who helped inject excitement as well as direction also for concept work and images for films and things but primarily literature, paired with other into the project, were artist John Picacio, Pyr art games, for instance. And as for Comradery, well programming on each event’s night. She asked me director and editor Lou Anders, and Jannie Shea, hey, artists also --fancy that-- want to meet each to help make Art Night a reality. former Secretary of The Association of Science other (and other SF creative types) and hang out! In order to do this, I was to link up with Fiction & Fantasy Artists (ASFA), who has been We are hoping to produce an event that provides Colin Harris, a British fan I did not know who involved in running the Chesley awards for years. and facilitates all of these opportunities while also had been providing many ideas for Art Night The message we got was that three key offering a great experience for those who admire and Art Programming in general, I was told. things are important to artists for them to be and enjoy art but do not create it or participate in Conveniently, Brian and I won TAFF, so I was interested and able to attend conventions (not the industry. going to be able to meet with Colin in person necessarily in this order): Through a series of skype phone calls, at Eastercon and hear about all his ideas. At that long email, presentations and other documents, I started to feel like I understood what Colin had up being born on August 18, 2010, exactly one put it, “People always think the only thing they can in mind, and we also touched base with the heads year before Art Night is scheduled to occur in ask artists about is paint, but there is a reason the of the various Renovation divisions that will be 2011. She’ll have a pretty big birthday party, I tell artists in our industry work in our industry, and collaborating to make it so. Honestly, we’re still you. I have high hopes that it’ll be great. that’s the same love of SF&F that brings the rest working on expressing to others working on the Recently, Colin has asked me to take over of us in.” Art has always been an important part convention what-all we’d like to do, and we’re still heading the project, and with a little trepidation of SF; we aim to make our SF artists feel like an figuring out what’s actually going to be possible. I have agreed. I say trepidation because I’m still appreciated and included part of SF fandom at A lot is going to depend on who we convince to adjusting to managing a baby; it sometimes seems next year’s worldcon. And we are hoping future come and participate. (Interested? Write to us at such a huge challenge to get other things done, and Worldcons will build on whatever momentum we [email protected] [sorry, I just had to stick there are so many things we want to do for this con are able to start in that direction. Online sales and that in].) A number of our plans, such as a print and so little time! But on the flip side I also have economic downturns have made straight sales at and online Artist Showcase of artists in the art a lot of enthusiasm for the project. I’m an art fan convention Art Shows insufficient cause alone show, spun off of ideas gleaned from IlluXCon, and have been the “gardener” of a slow-growing for artists to attend them. Conventions need to an energetic young SF Illustrator’s convention SF artist wiki (http://www.sfartistwatch.com) for take a broader approach to integrate art into the that just finished its third year. Colin had attended a few years now. I have friends who have gotten convention landscape. Art @ Renovation will be IlluXCon and was thrilled with the congenial involved in the Maker community and I feel like our attempt to do that. atmosphere, amazing conglomeration of artists, there’s currently a surge of interest in creating and opportunities for those artists to interact with things -- paintings, comics, costumes, props, Anne Gray, along with her husband Brian, are fans in the context of their own art. If we can jewelry, gadgets, games, videos, film, puppets, the current TAFF Administrators for North bring just a fraction of that energy to Renovation quilts, ceramics, etc., and I’d like to both tap into America. She’s also all sorts of Awesome. it will be awesome. and feed into that surge. In the middle of the ramping up process, The braintrust has reminded those of us I took a break to give birth to Brian’s and my first putting together the program to keep in mind child, Rosalind (“Rosie”), and adjust to being a crossover programming options. As Lou so aptly mom. While I was busiest with that, Colin took the helm of the project we had come to call Art @ Renovation and made sure we got a start to our web presence, http: //www.renovationsf.org/art.php, and an article in Progress Report 3 that outlined some of what we hope to do, as well as mention of it in the artist mailing that went out to announce the release of the Art Show rules and entry forms on the website. In the meantime our braintrust expanded to include Bob Eggleton, local Reno artist Richard Hescox, and fan artists Frank and Brianna Wu. Interestingly, Rosie ended Looking forward to Reno. DJ Comic Kingdom & Collectibles 1300 E Thirty Two miles away, south of Reno is Plumb Lane Carson City, by James Bacon Comic Connection in the Costco Shopping Dreamwell Comics 4250 Cochise Street I was lucky at the Nasfic in Raleigh, Center at plumb lane and Harvard. Juggernaut’s Comics & Collectibles 1801 US that I managed to find time to swan around the Alex D’s Comics: 638 W 5th St Highway 50 E # J bookshops, in that city, I spun around town in a Book Gallery: 1203 Rock Blvd., Sparks Collectors Den 1958 US Hwy. 50 E., grand car, stopping at coffee and book shops in Sundance Books: 1155 W. 4th Street DK’s Sierra Mountain Comics; 1801 U.S. Hwy. good company and in fine weather, soaking up Dharma Books: 11 N. Sierra Street 50 E. #J, the low buildings and nice atmospheres. Zephyr Books 1501 S. Virginia Street Comstock Books 106 South Curry Street Am I allowed to admit, that as well as Paperback Exchange 131 Vesta Street Magic Carpet Books 777 Silver Oak Dr 225E the dealers room, I absolutely adore spending Five Dog Books 906 Holcomb Avenue Dog-Eared Books 361 Fairview Drive a day, driving or walking around the book and Subject Matter Books 105 Hubbard Way Bookcellar 328 Fairview Drive comic shops that a city has to offer. America is so ASUN Bookstore, on the University of Nevada, wonderfully different and of course at the same Reno campus Then a little further afield, The Mark time, familiar without any contempt. There’s also Secondhand Prose, a used Twain Bookstore is in Virginia City, Keynotes Already, local fans have been compiling bookstore owned by the Friends of Washoe Books is in South Lake Tahoe, as well as Comic places of interest, and I understand these will be County Library, inside the Northwest Library, Relief, Truckee Book and Beab is in Truckee and online shortly, but here is a list of book shops 2325 Robb Dr. there is Redbeard’s Book Den Incline Village. and comic shops, that I now have on my agenda. I write them here, because many have websites, There is also a Borders, Deseret and A lot to look forward to. and nearly all can be found on google maps, and Barnes and Noble, and I am hoping that W&D I am the type of person, who looks at a shop and wonders, what’s therein. This is especially Books who are based in funny when I can’t find them, or I have a view Reno but are an online of six lanes of highway or try and figure out if store, come to the dealers in a House that looks like something from the room. I love the Dealers Waltons, is actually a book store. I have noted Room, always books that a number of shops are not far from South I hadn’t expected, and Virginia St., where the convention centre and editions and new finds. hotels are located. I am also aware that Reno, will be more spread out than a European city, so a Its especially good in car is crucial. I just need to find some local with a America, where I find muscle or pony car. books that I didn’t know existed and best of all I So Reno and Sparks, which seem to be a can ask dealers to point conurbation, but distinct. me at obscure alternate history works, which is Grassroots Books 660 E Grove St always worthwhile. Joe’s Comics in Sparks 1845 Prater Way Disney Ahoy! Repellent Boarders?

An Article on Tim Powers by John Berlyne

Artwork by Dirk Berger t’s nearly a quarter of a century since Ace published ON STRANGER Yet the roots of ON STRANGER TIDES — as with virtually all Powers’ novels — ITIDES, Tim Powers’ piratical fantasy, and longer still since he first sat down are far more tightly wrapped around historical truth than are the films, as well as to write it. But next summer Powers is set to become an overnight success just owing much to Rafael Sabatini. However, as his notes below reveal, when Powers in time to coincide with his appearance as Guest of Honour at Renovation, the sat down to write his next novel after the Philip K. Dick award winning DINNER 69th World Science Fiction Convention in Reno Nevada. AT DEVIANT’S PALACE, he wasn’t at all sure what it would turn out to be… Quite how much Disney’s forthcoming PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES film will resemble the original Powers novel is Okay, dead brother (older?) shows up w. dream, & there's maybe an anyone’s guess — mine is ‘not very much at all’! But in a funny way that incident of prot. waking up out back or in the living room or what- doesn’t really matter. In fact, it’s very likely indeed that the ‘Disneyfication’ and ever, & then prot. begins to notice bruised memories, LTM. Evidence ‘Deppifying’ of the novel will be such that readers will barely recognise it out- that he doesn't sleep, but walks around. Eventually both aware of the side the presence of Blackbeard and the search for the Fountain of Youth. With other. Brother wants to evict Protagonist. Likes his girl? Say, how can such a blockbusting franchise on their hands, I gather Disney are in no way P. get rid of B? Well, some eviction procedure, I guess. Whatever it is. obliged to be faithful to the source material. Indeed once you’ve sat through the What about one tailored for Del Rey? Consisting of: movie, you might want to go up to the author in the dealer’s room in Reno and Linear, one-viewpoint plot say ‘Sheesh! Look what they did to your novel, Powers! Can you believe it?’ But Competent & roughly-admirable protag. with a wave of his hand indicating the stacked copies of ON STRANGER Historical setting w. fantastical stuff TIDES that will be on sale there, he’ll reply “What are you talking about? ey 100,000 words didn’t do anything! My novel is right there, the same as it ever was!” and use of whatever he means by ‘melodrama’ Regardless of the movie’s content, the optioning of the book and the adoption of its title is a clear acknowledgement of where the original inspiration Well, what period? Old enough for swords, I spose. After DD. Big for the franchise must have come from. It’s this recognition, rather than a faith- Freeze in 1684? Hell. Secret societies in what pursuit? Or France in ful adaptation that will (one hopes) satisfy we Powers fans. For the author there’s Richelieu's time? Pirates... yes, pirates. One pirate who's a baddie, after the money, of course, and the fact that he and his wife got to visit the set and sompn besides mere gold, protag. is a Cpt Blood type who's in the trade hang out with Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz! against his will. Wrongly accused, etc. Yes... But the roots of the Disney films naturally do go much deeper than the Powers novel — pirate stories and pirate films didn’t start in the eighties, after I’m particularly fond of this excerpt as it captures the essence of an idea, the very all. eir enormous success comes from the way they tap in to our fascination moment the author settles upon the notion of a book about pirates (‘…yes, pirates’) with high adventure and salty sea dogs and owes much to the addition of some and the rest, as they say, is history. very appealing contemporary spin. Add magic to the mix and the technology to One of the other main significant aspects to ON STRANGER TIDES is the fact render whatever the imagination can conceive and you have a heady brew that that it was the first true and comprehensive ‘Secret History’ Powers wrote. ought to be guaranteed to make money. Let’s not mention CUTTHROAT Certainly THE DRAWING OF THE DARK and THE ANUBIS GATES touched ISLAND at this point — one does need a great script and fantastic performances too! upon historical figures and took our own real history as their background, but ON STRANGER TIDES was the first time Powers took characters from the past and constructed his entire novel around the events of their lives. In doing so, he engenders in his readers the certain experience that they will at some point during the proceedings suspect — even if only for a moment — that this ‘fictional’ version of events is actually what really happened. Take Blackbeard for example — it is a matter of record that this larger-than- life character was one seriously crazy mother. Yes, he wore lit fuses braided into his beard; yes, he blockaded the port of Charlestown in order to secure a chest of medical supplies; yes, he ran the Queen Ann’s Revenge aground shortly there- after; yes, he was prone to erratic behaviour and random murderous acts of barbarity and yes, he took a seriously long time to bring down in the final battle that took his life. All these events Powers weaves into ON STRANGER TIDES so deftly that we end up thinking, ‘Well, of course he did that — he wore those braids as a token to the voodoo ‘loa’ Baron Samedi, with whom he was magically embroiled! What other reason could there be?’ is fusing of fact to his fiction has become the defining motif of Powers’ work. He repeats the process time and again, offering us alternative explanations for key moments in the lives of the Romantic Poets in THE STRESS OF HER REGARD, of Bugsy Segal in LAST CALL, of Thomas Edison and Harry Houdini in EXPIRATION DATE, of Kim Philby in DECLARE, of Charlie Chaplin and Albert Einstein in THREE DAYS TO NEVER and in a new novel due to be published in late 2011 or early 2012, of the Rossetti family. It’s perhaps unlikely that any of these other examples of Tim Powers’ considerable talent will find their way to becoming Disney movies — but stranger things have no doubt occurred in Hollywood. Meantime we can look forward to Jack Sparrow rather than to Jack Shandy, but that’s damn well near enough to a Powers movie to have me queuing up for a ticket. See you there!

John Berlyne lives in the UK where he works as a literary agent. He is the author of POWERS: SECRET HISTORIES, a bibliography of the works of Tim Powers, published by PS Publishing (http://www.pspublishing.co.uk/). novels by Powers and Blaylock featuring Ashbless Tim Powers: Big Fish in a as a character. The only superscience in it is in the Small Pond contemporary science fiction element at the start of the book. The magic though is very appropriate to the character of the setting. by Peter Harrow So is The Anubis Gates Steampunk? It Tim Powers is one of the originators of isn’t if you take the rather narrow view of the sub- the term steampunk and is considered a major genre established in William Gibson’s and Bruce steampunk author but is Tim Powers work Sterling’s The Difference Engine which is often Steampunk? Is he a steampunk author at all? cited as the epitome of steampunk, which is set These are questions I have heard on a number of in an alternate Victorian era extrapolating from occasions from a number of people. realisable technology which actually existed in that The novels The Anubis Gates, The Stress period. Of Her Regard and On Stranger Tides are labelled The world did not change drastically when as Tim Powers Steampunk novels although all three Victoria ascended to the throne in 1837 nor did it novels are set in the historical period immediately change drastically upon her death in 1901. before the Victorian era and involve magic rather There is no sharp division in the character of the than technology, both elements which a lot of Victorian period from that of the subsequent people consider to be essential to the steampunk Edwardian period, such sharp division only sub-genre. arose from the changes to society wrought by the Indeed it can be argued that the Fault First World War. The character of 1810 London Lines book Expiration Date set in a relatively would have been remarkably similar to that of the contemporary setting appears at first glance to London of 1837. have more Steampunk elements, than these novels However the world of The Difference involving as it does eminent Victorians Houdini Engine has no truck with either magic or its and Edison as well as superscience bordering cipher, superscience (taking into account Clarke’s upon (and intermingling) with magic. Law) which are a large part of later significant and So is The Anubis Gates Tim Powers most widely accepted steampunk novels, such as renowned novel actually steampunk?. Well yes Christopher Priest’s the Prestige, China Meiville’s and no. The story starts off as a conventional Perdido Street Station and Stephen Hunt’s Science fiction premise, time travel, with the Jackelian Book’s. protagonist Doyle travelling back to 1810 to track become Ashbless, facing the end of Ashbless’ As a consequence these later steampunk the (fictional) poet Ashbless. known life in Victorian England at the point of a books are capable of engaging a greater sense of The story then seeks to apply known sword. Instead of dying Doyle/Ashbless kills his wonder in their execution, but remain true to their historical fact and real people such as Lord Byron magical homunculous duplicate instead leaving ‘Victorian’ setting. The Victorians were obsessed in a historical novel context comparable to, say ‘his’ murdered self in the correct place and correct with magic and mysticism as much as they were Patrick O’Brien’s Aubrey books, with Doyle being time as recorded by (fictional) history and moves with science and pseudoscience and often tried to an observer of that part of history. However, the on to a new life in California. marry the two together. Egyptology, phrenology, story then mutates into a battle between magicians, This final sequence of The Anubis Gates is mesmerism, seances are all examples of the fine a standard trope of fantasy, with Doyle caught in the only part of the novel which is set in Victorian line trod at the time between putative magic and the middle. England, the default steampunk setting and even science. The story ends with Doyle, (spoiler) having then it is merely a linking device between two All of these later steampunk books have a Victorian feel to character to their setting, although only The Prestige is set partly in that period, but all feature magic and/or superscience which is appropriate within that setting and not arbitrarily grafted on.

Steampunk can therefore go beyond a strictly Victorian setting to consider instead a near, faux or pseudo Victorian character to its setting, and as well as extrapolated realizable Victorian level technologies, the inclusion of magic or superscience as an extension to or complement to such technologies. On this basis The Anubis Gates, The Stress of Her Regard and On Stranger Tides ARE steampunk. Using this argument the other principal novels of Tim Powers can be shown to be definitely are NOT steampunk. The Drawing of The Dark does have a historical setting, but it is the much earlier 15th Century, not even remotely Victorian in character. The Fault lines books themselves, Expiration Date, Earthquake Weather and the aforementioned Last Call have an urban contemporary setting, and though there are steampunk elements in the technology/magic/superscience of Expiration Date, with for example Edison’s spirit telephone, the character of the setting is quite different to the ‘steampunk’ books. Three Days To Nowhere and Declare are historical, but late 20th century, although they also have the familiar elements of magic/ superscience of the preceding novels, but again lack a setting with a ‘Victorian’ character to be steampunk. Dinner at Deviants Place and The Skies Discrowned are science fiction, post apocalyptic and action adventure respectively, but they sit well apart from Tim’s other major novels, as they are neither secret histories nor demonstrably steampunk on the above basis. Tim Powers is an author of Steampunk novels, and has helped define the sub-genre, but this output comprises only part ofhis literary legacy and not necessarily the major or most significant part of his output. The Drawing of the Dark, Declare and Last Call all have claims of being more significant in the genre of fantasy than any of Tim’s steampunk novels are in that genre, but the sheer size of the genre means even these acheivements will look minor when set alongside everything else within the fantasy genre. In steampunk however Tim Powers is a big fish in a small pond, which is why he is considered to be so much a steampunk author rather than a fantasy author. Its a matter of perspective, not definition.

Peter Harrow is one amazing chap. Tim Powers – An Honoured Guest by Peter Harrow As Co-Chair of LX (the 2009 Eastercon) the absolute high light was meeting Tim Powers. I had read The Anubis Gates, Earthquake Weather and Expiration Date as a student, and independent to this I had a burgeoning interest in Steampunk, a sub-genre to which Tim is an elder statesman, so when James (Bacon) suggested Tim as a Guest of Honour I jumped at it. Tim was a first rate Guest of Honour, from the “oooh!” of pleasure we got announcing him at Contemplation, he was clearly an author fans wanted to meet. At the Con he contributed mightily to a large number of panels, and in the bar at the hotel was gracious, approachable and good fun. Running a Con means you don’t really get to enjoy it, you don’t always get to go to the items you want to or spend as much time with the people you want to, I bumped into Tim on a number of occasions whilst either or both of us were rushing on to other things, but of the limited time I had with Tim at LX, and a couple of episodes stand out in my memory. The first was on the principle Steampunk Panel, a GoH Headliner, featuring Tim, myself as moderator, the steampunk academic Venetta Uye from the Manchester Metropolitan University, and the writers Kim Lakin- Smith and Toby (Space Captain Smith) Frost. The panel was on the appeal of steampunk, and Tim related the tale of his new car and the jump start on a frosty day. All the jump start accomplished was to fry the computer on the car and render it completely useless. There was nothing to be done but to yank the amortised hardware out and send out for a replacement. For Tim this was a revelation, he had previously been able to fix any car he had previously owned with his own hands, but now never would, frustrated by a anonymous ‘black box’, he didn’t understand, couldn’t fix and whose absence rendered the car unusable, which gave no apparent improvement in performance over his earlier cars. For him the appeal of steampunk was for a technology one could see physically working, understandable on a gross physical scale, and the knowledge that with the manual and the right tools a capable man (or woman) could fix it if it broke down. I fully agreed with this view, and at this point I was able to illustrate Tim’s tale by holding up my skeleton pocket watch and showing off the intricate workings, visible and understandable, to counterpoint the tale of the car. I have subsequently heard this point repeated almost verbatim in the steampunk community ‘a technology one can see working’, and I believe Tim made the earliest, clearest statement of it. This goes much deeper than the mere appreciation of the aesthetic of steampunk. The second episode was towards the end of the Con where I finally got to have an informal chat with Tim. I was sitting with him and John Berlyne, and had the chance to get a couple of books signed, (including a copy of John Berlyne’s book Powers Secret Histories A Bibliography which was justly nominated for a World Fantasy Award) and I got to chatting about the First UK Steampunk Convention, The Asylum which I was helping to organise that following September. Whilst doing this Tim did a lovely little sketch, a self-portrait of himself as a steampunk on the flyleaf of John’s book. The ease and grace with which Tim executed his little illustration was nothing short of impressive. I work in sculpture and I am always deeply envious of someone who can casually do this type of portraiture. To be able to write AND draw to that standard, well it just isn’t fair. Tim pulls it off though by being a thoroughly nice chap. Sometime at this point I joked about ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ ripping of “On Stranger Tides” which I had just read, however Tim was silent on this point and I thought nothing of it, it was a minor aside. The subsequent announcement of the tie up some months later, made me remember this, if it was pending even then, Tim was the soul of discretion. My last view of Tim was striding across the hotel reception off to explore Bronte Country. He was unselfconsciously waving goodbye with the compass and drinkers system cane he had been presented with the previous day at the Closing Ceremony by myself and the Committee. I waved my goodbyes but this was struck by the fact that this was a man intensely comfortable with both the meme and the paraphernalia of steampunk, thanking all and sundry despite four days in a very, very crowded hotel in Bradford. So that is the Tim Powers I met, teller of tales, artist, steampunk and gentleman. A genuine pleasure to know and a first rate Guest of Honour, he was our honoured guest, and now he is to be Renovation’s Guest of Honour. I well deserved triumph for Mr Tim Powers.

Peter Harrow was Co-Chair of the Eastercon LX 2009 SF club meeting in 1975, I had a copy of Norstrilia “Baby Is Three” by Theodore Sturgeon Ten Short Science Fiction in my pocket and discovered that the local SF Works club included several big Cordwainer Smith fans. I’d read a few other Ted Sturgeon stories before Smith’s blending of SF and myth and history, his “Baby Is Three” (“Microcosmic God” comes to Jim Mann unique way of telling stories (often telling you up mind). But “Baby Is Three” was a revelation: front “you already know this story,” giving it a feel an SF story where characterization was at the of real history and real legend), were memorable, forefront. The story’s emotional impact also made and had a strong impact on my reading thereafter. it stand out. Sturgeon starts with this characters, Before I launch into my list of ten short and then builds his story around them, rather than SF works, I want to say what this list is and what “The Dead Lady of Clown Town” is, among other things, Smith’s version of the story of Joan the reverse, which was so common with SF writers it isn’t. These are ten short SF works that had a of the time. marked influence on my SF reading, that are ones or Arc, but full of the rich background of his Instrumentality series. I remember very strongly, and are ones I go back “A Work of Art” by James Blish to from time to time. They are not necessarily my favorite ten stories (though there’d be a lot Blish’s “A Work of Art,” like Sturgeon’s “Baby Is of overlap with that list), nor are they they stories Three,” made a strong impression on me because it that I consider the ten best SF short works (a showed me yet another kind of science fiction. I’d couple of the works here might make that list, but read other Blish -- his great Cities in Flight series manywould not). as well as several of his classic short works -- but this was different. Richard Strauss is revived in I also limited myself to one work per the future (sort of) to create a new musical work. author. In some cases, the work is representative The story not only explores the characters but of the author’s work, and I could have picked looks into the question of what art is and how it another just as easily. For example, I thought quite functions. a bit about which of about five or six Cordwainer Smith stories I’d include on the list, and I could “Desertion” by Clifford Simak just as easily have chosen “Mother Hittun’s Luttul “The Dragon Masters” by Jack Vance Kittons,” “The Ballad of Lost C’Mell,” “The Several works I mention above made an impact Game of Rat and Dragon,” “Along Alpha Ralpha The first book I got from the SF Book Club was on me because of their strangeness, which in Boulevard,” or others. The Hugo Winners. I read through it and enjoyed some ways also can be expressed as a sense of story after story, but the one that really hit me wonder. Simak’s best works combine a pastoral Finally, if I had to do this again in a month, hardest -- perhaps because it was so very different landscape with middle American characters, but I’m sure one or two of the stories would change. from the stories around it -- was Jack Vance’s with an element of strange thrown in. In City, this “The Dragon Masters.” Vance’s colorful use of strange is very profound: stories told by the future Anyway, in no particular order, here is my language, his characters and their speech patterns, civilization of dogs, the ants creating some strange, list. his incredible backgrounds and cultures, the way incomprehensible civilization of their own, and he took things that one one level felt like fantasy humanity gone off into space. “Desertion” is “The Dead Lady of Clown Town” by perhaps the most memorable of the City stories, Cordwainer Smith but were also SF, were unique. Since then, I’ve read almost all of Jack Vance, and he’s written a in which a man and his dog are transformed to Smith’s writing is like no other’s, and I first number of things that were even better than “The live on the surface of Jupiter (only Simak would encountered his works when Del Rey books Dragon Masters” (including several great short include the dog). It’s a good companion piece to released Norstrilia and The Best of Cordwainer works), but this is where it all started for me. read alongside Poul Anderson’s “Call Me Joe” and Smith in the mid-1970s. When I attended my first James Blish’s “Bridge.” “Who Goes There” by What Just Missed the John W. Campbell List Much of the SF that I read Picking the last few on the in the sixties and seventies list was really hard. I sat involved wide-open vistas in my library, staring at the and big landscapes. “Who shelves, and thinking of short Goes There,” in comparison, works that had an impact on is claustrophobic: a small me. A few just missed the group of men, in a closed- cut: William Tenn’s “Child’s in Antarctic habitat, trying Play” (Kornbluth’s “The to outwit a shape-changing Little Black Bag” is a classic, alien. It’s intense and scary, but Tenn did it first, and did it and still holds up very well. just as well), Clarke’s “Rescue Party,” Bear’s “Blood Music,” “The Proud Robot” by Martin’s “Sandkings,” Kuttner Henry Kuttner and Moore’s “Vintage Season.” If it were just a bit “The Proud Robot” was shorter (a novella rather than perhaps my first experience a short novel, by Hugo rules), with humorous SF, something The Big Time by Fritz Leiber Kuttner (often with C.L. would have made the list. I Moore) was a master of. In gave serious thought to all. fact, this is one of several other Kuttner stories “Fire Watch” by Connie Willis that I considered (“The Twonky” and “Mimsy Who’s Missing Were the Borogoves” were others). Many short stories combine SF with history, but few have done it with quite the impact of Connie As I look back on the list, I notice that I didn’t “Neutron Star” by Larry Niven Willis’s best works in this area. “Fire Watch,” the include works by several of my very favorite story of a time traveller during the London blitz, writers of short fiction. In many cases, this is One of my favorite types of SF is the new space is a great example of this type of SF. because, while I value the body of their work quite opera, especially by the writers who effectively a bit, no single work sticks out to me in quite the combine hard SF with space opera. Modern “All Your Zombies” by Robert Heinlein same way as the ones above do. Prime examples writers such as Alastair Reynolds, Vernor Vinge, of this are Robert Silverberg, Poul Anderson, Phil and Stephen Baxter are great examples of When I first started reading SF, Robert Heinlein’s Dick, Fritz Leiber, James Patrick Kelly, Michael this. But from the mid-sixties and through the future history stories were very important to Swanwick, and a few others. Some of my other seventies, when I was first experiencing SF of this me. They were an attempt to do a near future favorite writers -- Tim Powers, Ursula LeGuin, type, Larry Niven was leading the way. Niven was chronology, with good stories and attention to Vernor Vinge, Iain Banks, Alastair Reynolds -- are at his best at this time, producing a series of great detail. But I didn’t pick a future history story for ones I mostly think of at novel length (though short works and several memorable novels. I this list, in part because it’s hard to pick just one, most have also written some very good short could have chosen almost any of the stories in the but mostly because “All You Zombies” is one of stories). Neutron Star collection for this list, but the title the most memorable of all time travel stories. It’s story makes a fine selection. certainly the most memorable story based around Jim Mann is a SMoF and all-around Awesome a massive paradox, and it’s a fun puzzle to watch guy! unroll. Women Writing Horror in 2010 of ten or twenty excellent novels that are firmly power—for Rook has survived his own hanging rooted in the genre, but the sustained atmosphere and transformed from devout preacher to hex, or by Lynda E. Rucker I like in a horror novel is difficult to pull off. magician, using the words of his former holy book So that’s my reading quirks and prejudices to weave horrific and devastating spells. But the There’s a notion out there—one I always out of the way. And having just stated I like bloodthirsty Mayan goddess Ixchel wants Rook naively imagine has been dispelled until it rears my dark fiction rooted firmly in reality, my first as well as a means to restoring her own power. up and bites me again—that women don’t write recommendation flies right in the face of that. Tongues is a brutal novel, suffused with violence, horror, and don’t like reading horror fiction. Gemma Files’s A Book of Tongues is set in a sex, and wildly imaginative imagery; in fact, it’s It’s true that women horror writers are less world where sorcerers and demons walk the so gruesomely visual I kept thinking this would visible—in part because the genres in which many American Old West and Mayan and Aztec gods make a great comic, only that would mean losing have found success, particularly those of urban are real. Ex-Confederate soldiers, outlaws, and Files’s dense, gorgeous, evocative prose, which I fantasy, paranormal romance, and YA fiction, lovers Ash Rook and Chess Pargeter are under suspect may put some readers off but will be what are off the radar of many male horror fans, or scrutiny by Allan Pinkerton himself (yes, of that others (myself included) like best about it. One aren’t considered a part of the genre at all. It Pinkerton Agency), who’s sent Agent Ed Morrow warning: this is the first of a series, and ends on doesn’t help that the horror genre itself, in its undercover to discover the truth of Rook’s a cliffhanger, so if that sort of thing makes you novel-length form, remains pretty much dead in the water, at least as far as mainstream publishing goes. But plenty of dark fiction is still appearing each year, albeit under different guises, and plenty of it is written by women. What follows are some horror/dark fantasy novel and short fiction recommendations by women writers that readers of science fiction might enjoy as well, despite this being the wrong genre for Hugo recs. First off, I’ll confess I don’t read paranormal romance or urban fantasy myself, and almost no YA. I’m not making a value judgment about any of those subgenres or their writers or readers; this is just my own personal taste. My horror preferences run along two veins—the old- fashioned ghost story or supernatural tale, and the very dark and brutal. If there must be vampires and werewolves (and I’d rather not, please), they should rip out people’s throats, not go to bed with them. Or solve crimes. Or whatever. (Nor should they do those things in addition to ripping out people’s throats.) I tend to like my horror fiction rooted in gritty realism and tweaked just enough to let the supernatural darkness leak in, versus that set in more fantastical version of our world. My other caveat is that I don’t think horror is a genre that generally works best in the novel form. It can work brilliantly, and I could happily reel off a list by Jennis Dark http://jennisdark.deviantart.com/ want to throw a book across the room, you may effort in part to encourage fiction from women want to hold off ‘til ChiZine Publications releases and other less-represented populations in the the sequel, at least. genre, Maura McHugh and Christopher Fowler My other novel-length recommendation elicited a number of strong contributions from hails from the opposite end of the spectrum, Helen new or lesser-known writers as well as some more Grant’s YA murder mystery The Glass Demon. established ones. This was particularly revelatory It’s not a supernatural novel, but this dark book for me because I don’t normally like flash fiction is rich with Gothic elements and atmosphere—a very much. I especially enjoyed Australian horror family full of secrets and resentments, living amid writer Kaaron Warren’s “The Rude Little Girl,” the ruins of a German castle, headed by a father “Shades of Blue” by Catherine MacLeod, and reckless to solve a medieval mystery about a lost “Sanctuary” by Katherine Hughes. series of stained glass windows at all costs; all who There’s been a lot of promising-sounding seek them are said to be haunted and eventually short fiction by women writers I haven’t gotten to killed by the demon Bonschariant, and indeed, the yet this year. Allyson Bird won the British Fantasy mounting bodies, all found dead amid shattered, http://rustyfur.deviantart.com/gallery/ Award last year for her debut collection of horror bloody glass seem to support the legend. Grant ?q=horror+eggs#/d2jebwa stories, Bull Riding for Girls, and Dark Regions was in fact partly inspired to write the novel after Press released her second collection Wine and reading a short story by the great 19th century Contrary, in my opinion, to the novel scene, Rank Poison earlier this year. Canadian Michael ghost story writer and medieval scholar M. a lot of terrific short fiction is published each year Kelly has just published the first of a planned yearly R. James, “The Treasure of Abbot Thomas.” in the field of dark fantasy/horror—as anyone journal Shadows and Tall Trees, and I’m anxious Lin, the seventeen-year-old narrator, confesses can see from perusing the year’s best volumes by to read the first published prose by Sandra Kasturi. herself near the end that she’s told “a tale which Stephen Jones, Ellen Datlow, and Paula Guran— Back to Britain, David Longhorn’s magazine sounded as though it had come straight out of but much of the best is published in small press Supernatural Tales reliably includes strong fiction Grimm’s,” and she’s right. Like all my favorite collections and anthologies, the price of which by women in its table of contents and is always dark fiction, the action of the novel is tangled up can add up quickly. So those of us aficionados not worth a look. The anthology Haunted Legends, in its psychological underpinnings, in this case an in possession of a fortune are left to make our edited by Ellen Datlow and Nick Mamatas, has examination of the very real failings of parents purchases very selectively, dream of a lottery win a great lineup as well (and actually more women toward their children and the unspeakable and that lets us buy all the expensive books we want, writers than men included—imagine!). irreparable wounds that families can inflict on and wait for the aforementioned anthologists to The collection I’m most excited about one another—and that only they are capable of pass on a sample of the best stuff. I also think the isn’t actually new fiction. In September Ash-Tree inflicting precisely because they are family. This consistently strongest horror fiction is coming out Press released the first volume of a planned series builds slowly and subtly—which I love—to a of Britain, which adds an extra level of expense of the complete short supernatural works of Lisa horrifying climax. As I said above, I don’t read and difficulty for readers on my side of the pond. Tuttle. Stranger in the House reprints the fiction much YA, but I picked this up after Grant’s Black Static is the best of the horror from 1972 to 1985, which includes the stories previous novel came strongly recommended from magazines and can be consistently counted on from her now hard-to-find collection A Nest of a couple of people whose tastes run similar to to publish a wide variety of fiction by women Nightmares—a collection I read as a teenager that mine, and I wasn’t disappointed. US readers note writers. My favorite this year was probably Sarah was very influential for me. Tuttle writes with that that this is only out in the UK at the moment; Singleton’s “Death by Water,” a beautifully blend of realism and the supernatural that I like you’ll have to wait till next year or order it from written, low-key tale of a bereaved husband on best. overseas. (Grant’s debut novel, The Vanishing of a seemingly endless quest to find a medium who There’s not much left of the year, but Katharina Linden, was released this year in the can help him contact his dead wife. In their flash before the end of 2010, the graphic novel Roisin US.) fiction contest The Campaign for Real Fear, an Dubh is due to debut, scripted by Maura McHugh (who collaborated with Rob Curley on the story), with lettering by Stephen Daly, and published by Atomic Diner Comics out of Dublin. It’s set in turn-of-the-twentieth-century Ireland and tells the story of an 18-year-old woman who’s seeking vengeance against the neamh-mairbh—a sort of walking dead, I think—that killed her parents. The preview pages look fantastic. Finally, here are a couple of links dealing with short horror fiction by women in 2010. The women contributors to Never Again, the Allyson Bird and Joel Lane edited anthology in support of the Sophie Lancaster Foundation were recently interviewed over at Fangirltastic (formerly Pretty Scary), a site that focuses on women in horror literature and film:http://www.fangirltastic.com/content/ never-again-anthology. And over at TTA Press, Peter Tennant looked at the distribution of women among a number of 2010 horror anthologies: http://ttapress.com/942/women-in-horror- anthologies/0/5/. This is a really useful breakdown for anyone seeking more horror fiction by women from the past year. I’m interested in seeing what people will recommend for the actual Hugo, and what will make the final nominations. And what am I looking forward to in Reno? I’ve never been to a Worldcon before! I don’t know quite what to expect but I’m sure it will be chaotic and overwhelming and wonderful. I always thought a Worldcon would be too big and intimidating for me—I have only ever been to cons with attendances under 1000, which seemed about the right size for me—and as a horror girl first and foremost, I never made attending a Worldcon a priority. But I just started going back to cons again this year after several years off, and now I feel like making up for lost time. I am looking forward to seeing Tim Powers as a guest, because I like his fiction a lot and he’s always a good guest at cons. But really, I’m excited about everything—the writers and the fans and the old friends and the new friends and the great conversations and the panels and the parties and the drink and the late nights and the not sleeping and, of course, the books (oh yes, always the books). See you there?

Lynda E. Rucker writes Awesome Horror, and her story ‘The Moon Will Look Strange’ in Black Sta�c is one of my faves for the year.

byIris http://mei-angelz.deviantart.com/gallery/?q=horror#/d1s9hjz Top the graphic novels you but like all celluloid dreams the reality may not be unfold you quickly become aware that this is an as stable as the fantasy. Milligan is well know for entire reshaping of the Marvel universe. Brubaker may have missed in 2010 his crazy scripts and artist Camuncoli’s style really uses characters that most readers would know little adds fuel to the fire here giving us one of the best about and possibly care about even less, but being By Rob Curley Constantine stories in years. such a skilled craftsman he manages to make us care. The narrator of the story is Dr. Thomas Calloway, the original Angel who was inspired to Each year sees the graphic novel market Marvels Project don his costume after seeing the original Human getting bigger and bigger with a constant flow of Written by Ed Brubaker Torch in action. Aware of his place in the larger new trades hitting the shelves of comic stores and Art by Steve Epting scheme of things, Calloway takes a back seat in the book stores alike. It can be hard to keep track of hero arena and watches a new age of hero dawn every new release and easy to miss a few gems that At first glance the Marvels Project may on America in the form of Captain America, may slip through the thunderous paper fall, into seem like just another retelling of old stories but Namor and the aforementioned Human Torch. the constantly flowing river of new releases. once you look beneath the cover and let the action Although to the reader both he and other lesser So that’s where this article comes in. known characters like the Ferret and John Steele The following books are my own personal are just as important as the big hitters and this recommendations of the top ten trades you may is what separates this book from other similar have missed during 2010. affairs like Marvels and Kingdom Come giving us a more rounded look at the Marvel universe. Steve Hellblazer India Epting is on art duties, his style suited to both the Writer Peter Milligan shadow and the light giving every panel a realistic Artist Giuseppe Camuncoli feel which few artists can achieve and creating a world which feels as real as the one we inhabit Hellblazer is by far Vertigo’s longest ourselves. running series and with good reason. Over the years John Constantine has been lucky enough to be in the company of some of comics best talent Wilson from Alan Moore, who created the cynical old By Daniel Clowes mage, to Garth Ennis, Warren Ellis, Mike Carey, Paul Jenkins but to name a few. Unfortunately by This is Daniel Clowes’ [ Ghost World ] the time Denise Mina came around the title was first non serialized straight to trade novel and is becoming a bit stale and in desperate need of a possibly his best work to date. Wilson is a deeply new identity. Which it now has in the guise of lonely man whose life comes crashing down Peter Milligan one of Britain’s best but not well around him when his father dies. After some known writers. deep soul searching he sets out on a journey to In his first storyline Milligan sets Constantine on find his ex-wife in the hope of bringing them the run after he is wanted for a murder he didn’t back together only to discover he has a teenage commit. A quick trip to India leads to all sorts daughter that he knew noting about. The girl was of trouble for our beloved rogue as he tries to born just after his marriage ended and was given resurrect an old flame finding instead a trail of very up for adoption by her mother. Believing he can beautiful but very dead young women. Cultures reconnect them as a family albeit forcibly, Wilson clash as Constantine falls for the Bollywood dream brings all three together only to find some things are possibly better left as they are. Clowes has a knack for creating sad but beautiful situations, and fascination in equal measure and this read a life of revenge and blood lust. Luckily for our his characters always feel like outsiders in a world starts off no different as we are introduced to our hero a new father figure enters his life in the form that rarely acknowledges them but would be very antihero. Waiting on a kill that just won’t turn up, of Tonto, a native American with strong views of empty without them. His work is always thought his thoughts turn to how he got into the killing his own and determined to keep his new partner provoking and this new addition is no exception. game and why he feels no remorse for what he on the straight and narrow. The story unfolds at a does “Even God himself I wouldn’t listen to. Not slow pace giving the reader a sense of how time with his record.” Money is his only motive and moved in the wild west before technology took a death doesn’t come cheap. Only after he botches a hold of our every waking hour. Over the next three job and finds himself on the run does he begin to collections the Ranger and Tonto eventually track realize just how alone he is. Childhood memories down his father’s murderer, their final showdown start to fill his waking moments and a sense of in the upcoming issue 25 will either be the making regret begins to unfold. This is a story about the or the downfall of arguably America’s first and human condition and the ease at which death can greatest hero. come to us all but more importantly about how hard the act of day to day living can be. The art is supplied by Luc Jacamon and lends a heavy sense Green Hornet Year One of reality to the book in the traditional French Written by Matt Wagner style. My only surprise about this graphic novel is Art by Aaron Campbell that it still hasn’t been turned into a movie or TV show. As the man behind this golden age version of the Green Hornet, Matt Wagner shares at least one thing in common with his jade clad hero, both Lone Ranger vol 1 -3 men have been greatly overlooked in the comics Written by Brett Matthews, medium for far to long. Wagner’s complete run Art director by John Cassaday on Sandman Mystery Theater still stands as one Interior art by Sergio Cariello of the best graphic novel series in the history of comic publishing and the Green Hornet has been The Lone Ranger is one of those confined to the memory of those who remember characters that most people are familiar the almost good TV show most famous for Bruce with but chances are don’t have a single issue Lee’s role as the Hornet’s side kick Kato. of this run in their collection. Which, knowing In this particular collection Wagner shows how brilliant and innovative this title has been is us just how good he is at creating a believable a damn shame. Taking us back to the character’s world of pulp heroes and villains. Set in 1930’s origin, writer Brett Matthews and artist Sergio Chicago, Year One explores the origins of both The Killer vol 1-3 Cariello add a depth and richness that has arguably the Green Hornet and Kato and how two men Written by Matz been missing from the Ranger’s world up until from very different backgrounds came to fight Art by Luc Jacamon this point. In the first chapter, John’s father and side by side against a criminal underworld that not brother are killed and he is left for dead after only controls the city’s lowlifes but who hold sway Originally published in France over ten they are ambushed out on patrol with a routine over its very protectors from the lowly beat cop to years ago but new to this side of the comic pond, search. Left without a family John’s life could go the very highly placed politicians. Helping create the Killer is one of those rare books that catches either way, his fathers moralistic and fair teaching this world is artist Aaron Campbell [Sherlock you by total surprise. We are all familiar with the form a strong part of his character but seeing him Holmes] whose style is perfectly suited to the story of the cool sociopath who instills both fear murdered in cold blood could easily lead him to Hornet’s exploits into the belly of the shadowy underworld. Aaron’s pencil work is a nice mixture when he avenges the death of his The Unwritten -Ongoing of clean lines and just the right amount of shading brother. Unfortunately for Tracey Writer Mike Carey giving us the desired pulp affect you would expect that debt doesn’t end there. His Artist Peter Gross from a period piece like Year One. brother’s previous employer, and one the the city’s most vicious For those of you who Captain America: Patriot criminals, Sebastian Hyde intends either like or dislike Harry Written by KARL KESEL to cash in on Tracey’s obligation Potter this comic is for you. Pencils & Cover by MITCH and sees his military background Unwritten manages to create BREITWEISER as an opportunity not to be a fantasy world liken to JK missed when he takes him on as a Rowling’s but then places it in Set during WW2 on American home soil hit man. a more realistic setting where Captain America the Patriot is concerned with What seems like a perfect the comics protagonist exists journalist Jeff Mace who, unable to fight in the war match begins to quickly fall apart on two levels, one as a fictional is inspired by the original Cap and dons his own when both men’s differences rise character from a series of novels costume to fight small time hoods on the streets to the surface. Tracey may have written by his father, and two as of New York only to find himself becoming the killed in the past but for what the comics lead role trying to darling of the very media institute he works for. he saw as good reason while make sense of the “real” world His crime fighting career takes off when he joins the only reason Hyde needs are as it is turned upside down by forces with the Liberty Legion and clamps down money and power, two things the revelation that his whole life on any Nazi activity taking place on the home Tracey has little interest in. ground. Both Brubaker and Phillips have become one of is a lie and he may, like Pinnochio not be a real As time moves on and the war finally the best combos in the business proving time and boy after all. Carey has a great knowledge of the comes to an end, Jeff finds himself once again time again that there is room in this industry for world of fantasy and literature alike and in this fighting side by side with some of his fellow more than just tights and superpowers. ongoing series he shows just how well informed heroes, this time as part of The All-Winners he is while at the same time having enormous Squad. During their first mission Jeff comes fun with the world he has created. Unwritten has across the dead body of Captain America then, Almost Silent everything you could want from a fantasy story convinced by government agents to become the by Jason and a whole lot more to boot and Mike Carey’s third Captain America Jeff finds new challenges Published by Fantagraphics record speaks for itself, Lucifer, Hellblazer and ahead, challenges he’s not sure he can live up to. Crossing Midnight are some of the best written If you love your heroes with a touch of retro this Almost Silent is a collection of four books on the stands today. book is most definitely for you. previously released Jason books but if you haven’t read his work before this is the perfect jumping And there we have it, ten books which on point. If you are familiar with Jason you will all helped make my 2010 just that little bit more Criminal vol 5 know that he has a habit of using dog, bird, wolf special. Writer Ed Brubaker and cat people as his main protagonists, all of Artist Sean Phillips which make his stories even more compelling. Robert Curley is a driving force behind From the Frankenstein skit story of “You cant Irish comics. Robert and Maura McHug For anyone who has been following get there from here.” to the almost silent “Tell wrote Róisín Dubh, coming soon! Brubaker and Phillips’ run on the Criminal series me something.” Jason concerns himself with the the inclusion here of volume 5 will come as no age old human condition of love. His work has a surprise as we are once again brought into the world real beauty to it and will add warmth to any cold of Tracey Lawless, a war hero turned vigilante winter’s evening. Highly recommended. A Thoroughly Polite Dust-Up: A Brown novel for a bit, then it turned and just kept Conversation on the Best Novels of The Dervish House by Ian McDonald going. The economic and political realities that the 2010 Chris – I haven’t read it yet, but I hear great things story plays with feel logical and real, something and McDonald has seldom gone wrong, especially that easily could have gone wrong for a lesser The Players with Brasyl. writer. The fact that you haven’t read it Chris just SaBean – I didn’t read it. Probably won’t. proves that you really are an under-read goon. Chris Garcia – Fan Writer and Editor. Favorite Rick – I like McDonald, but haven’t read it. M – I didn’t love it, but it was far from the worse authors: Stephen Baxter, Christa Faust, China thing that Jay’s passed down to me. I’ve never read Mieville, Kurt Vonnegut Elsa – As soon as Rick is done with it, I’ll take it. any McDonald, but I might try some now. Jay Crasdan – Publisher and Proof-Reader. Jay – This is so much better than River of Gods. Favorite Authors: Jack Chalker, Phillip K. Dick, He’s built a world that vibrates. Maybe it’s because Walter Mosley, Cheri Priest we went to Turkey last month, but it hit me in the The Dream of Perpetual Motion by Dexter SaBean MoreL – Dance Instructor. Favorite gut. It walked a fine line, feeling almost like a Dan Clarence Palmer Authors: Cheri Priest, Jodi Picoult, Michael Jay – Not interested. Chabon, Jonathan Franzen M – I’ll probably read it soon. I’ve heard some folks say that they really enjoyed it. M Crasdan – Heiress and Writer. Favorite Authors: Christine Adamo, Lora Leigh, Kim Chris – I’ll read it down the line. I don’t think a Newman, Carol Emshwiller TPB’s out yet, and I can’t afford hardcover. Elsa Lund – Film Student and Rockabilly Model. Elsa – LOVE. This is the best book of the year. Favorite Authors: James Joyce, Stieg Larsson, Got it for my birthday, read it twice so far. There’s Dianne Emley, Iain M. Banks a little bit of everything in it: Willy Wonka, The Rick Blair – Personal Trainer. Favorite Authors: Tempest, The Wizard of Oz, Jules Verne. It’s all Steig Larsson, China Mieville, H.P. Lovecraft, in there. I’d have thought you’d have read it long Selena Kitt ago, Chris. This is an aggregation of a series of Rick – Read a sample chapter and knew that she’d emails, chats and live conversations sent back and love it. I haven’t read the whole thing yet, but I forth between the lot of us when I foolishly asked: will. so, what do you think will be the Hugo ballot in SaBean – Fucking steampunk. Other than Cheri Reno? I started by sending a list of 7 titles I liked, Priest, it’s all shit. and they commented on them. M and Jay then sent a series of lists of other novels that should be considered. After a lunch with Rick and Elsa, a Blackout by Connie Willis few books were added to the list. I then only went Chris – Not too much of a Connie Willis novel through ones that folks said would be on their fan, though I love some of her short pieces and Hugo ballots. I then sent everything around for she’s a hoot and a half to be around. another round and a number of comments were made... mostly on how much my taste in literature M – Connie Willis is one of the few science fiction sucked. authors who can write time travel and not make I’ve collected all the responses into a per- me want to vomit. I loved Doomsday Book, and book format. this was even better. World War II seems almost sexy with time travelers in it. Polly is the best character I’ve ever read. SaBean – Connie who? as Cheri Priest. Behemoth is better than either Jay – A very good novel, though not one of her Boneshaker or Dreadnought. best. In fact, it’s been a few years since she wrote M – Didn’t read it. anything I’d put up there with her best. Maybe SaBean – Don’t bother, M. she’s slipping. Elsa – I love the Uglies books, but Behemoth Elsa – Don’t read Willis. wasn’t very good. Maybe I should have read Rick – I’ve only read a couple of things from Leviathan first. Just too much ‘Oh, how I love Connie, but this was really good. Chris, you’re him, but I can never have him’ emo stuff going a historian, you should love this. It’s all about on. Historians as time travelers and that should be Rick – In the middle of it right now. It’s pretty enough for you. good. SaBean – I mean seriously, why the fuck is this Clementine by Cheri Priest stuff so popular? M – Cheri’s fucking awesome. I liked Boneshaker a lot better, but Clementine was pretty good. Chris – Because it’s good writing and the stories are actually fun instead of the pseudo-intellectual SaBean – Not enough zombies. garbage that seems so popular with so many M – Very true, SaBean. writers in genre these days. Jay – Zombies are lame. Airships rule. Chris – Agreed. More airships. The Orange Eats Creeps by Grace Krilanovich M – Airships are the shit. Jay – Haven’t read it. SaBean – You all suck. Rick – Never heard of it. Elsa – Haven’t read it. M – SaBean forced it on me. This shit needs to be Rick – Didn’t much like it, but it certainly made a banned. Yeah, there’s sex and violence and yet it lot of money for Cherie. I had trouble finding a still made me want to throw it across the room. It’s only likes shitty novels like Twilight. copy of it. Sold out just about everywhere. this kind of shit that Chris is always complaining Chris – I can not deny that. about. Behemoth by Scott Westerfelt SaBean – This was what I thought like when I was Blameless by Gail Carriger Chris – Leviathan was great, and the sequel picks in high school. You were there, M, you should get Elsa – Love Gail Carriger. Love, love, love her. up right where the first book left off. Too much it. It’s just like us back then. She’s hilarious and the Parasol Protectorate books greatness in the second book, especially since the Chris – I haven’t read it, but I’ve heard nothing but are the best things in the world. It makes me characters got much more of a chance to shine in good things about Krilanovich. She’s from Santa wanna be frisky-naughty. I want to be the filling in here. The action was better, the storytelling was Cruz, you know. a Lord Maccon/Alexia sandwich. awesome and the political play was better handled. Rick – That sounds freakin’ hot. I still say this same story would be better played as Rick – Never heard of her. an adult novel than as YA. Elsa – I think I saw it at Borders. Chris – Yes… yes it does. SaBean – Fucking steampunk! SaBean – It’s the book I’d want to write. It’s literary Rick – What number is that on the menu? Jay – Get over it. Westerfelt is just as good a writer zombie death metal. I know Chris will hate it. He M – I’m this close to writing Carriger fan fic. There’s a lot of hot waiting to happen. Trade of Queens by Charles Stross Dreadnought by Cherie Priest SaBean – Fucking steampunk. oks are really good. I’m re-reading them all right M – Not the best book of the year, but still good now. enough that I wasn’t pissed that I paid full price. Chris – I thought it was far-and-away the best There were zombies, which is good. of the series. It was so much more fun than Rick – Stross scores easy with this one. I’ve read everything he’s ever written and this is the best of SaBean - Not enough zombies, but it was still Changeless and Souless. Gail managed to give choice. I read it again last week. I know Chris us something pretty amazing with Blameless, his stuff. I thought it wouldn’t be possible to top The Clan Corporate, but he managed. loved it because of all the trains. Somehow, when especially when you consider that it’s the middle she writes steampunk, it isn’t fucking lame. book of the series. Chris – Haven’t read any of them. Jay – Crackin’ good stuff. Better than Boneshaker, Jay – I don’t read romance. M – Me neither. and probably anything else she’s written. Better Chris – It’s not straight romance. I mean the Jay – Good, though I might have to reread it again. than Fathom, which I thought would always be difference between Steamed and Blameless is I think it’s as good as The Clan Corporate, which I her best. Mercy might be the best character in the huge. It’s got plot movement down, deals with think is my favorite Stross. ‘gotta have a female protag’ game. characters right and is just damn entertaining. Also, SaBean – Stross is good, but I haven’t read it. Chris – The zombies were perfectly used. They Gail doesn’t have the climactic action off-screen to were present, they weren’t over-used, which was provide space for another lame sex scene. my main problem in Boneshaker, and the way the story unfolded made so much sense. I think New Model Army by Adam Roberts Cheri’s got a good handle on how to play character Chris – I really liked Yellow Blue Tibia, and I’ve and plot off one another. got Salt, but I haven’t had time for New Model Elsa – Liked it, but Boneshaker was better. Army. Rick – Still haven’t read it. Jay – Roberts rules. This is the book of the year, without question. It follows the line of evolution Chris – You loved Boneshaker, so you should get from Facebook to militarization. It’s the kind of right on this one. story that I’d have expected from anarchist ‘zine fiction from the 90s, only written by someone who actually understands that you can be literary Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter by Seth at the same time as being thought provoking. It’s Grahame-Smith intellectual SF. SaBean – Another stupid mash-up. M – I liked it. It wasn’t anything I’d read again, but M – Not anarchist at all. It’s the perfect example it was fun. of how technological democratization is just as barring as any traditional governmental control. I Rick – What I hated about it was exactly how tired probably need to read it again. the entire history/genre thing has become. Pride, Prejudice & Zombies was pretty cool, but this was SaBean – Yellow Blue Tibia was fucking great. I’m just lame. reading NMA as soon as I’m done with Salt. Jay – Good, fun, but I don’t really like Vampire Rick – This is an English thing, isn’t it? books. Elsa – I’ve never heard of it. Is it good? Chris – Loved it. One of the best reads of the year. I made it through in a weekend, which is rare. It was impossible to put down, and the best part had The Quantum Thief by Hannu Rajaniemi M – Collingwood is dope. She’s exactly the kind of Chris – What? girl I wish I could bed down. Rick – Never heard of it. SaBean – Ditto. Elsa – Isn’t he a goalie for the Flyers? Chris – Same here, though I’m pretty sure she’s M – Never heard of it. based on M from High School. SaBean – Meh. Jay – I’m pretty sure you already have, dear. Jay – This book is nuts! It’s Mars, it’s a prison Rick – Better than The City & The City, not as story, it’s full of game theory and neo-scientific impressive as Perdido Street Station, but still an transgressions. I completely fell in love with this awesome book. book from the first paragraph. Jay – Really good, at times exceptional, but by the end, I was just beyond exhausted. It went a few The Half-Made World by Felix Gilman steps too far down a road that seemed a little bit well-trodden Rick – So good. I read it in a day, without stopping. Hell, Elsa and I had a fight because I wouldn’t get Chris – I loved it, my favorite book that came out off the couch because I dug it so hard. The whole this year. The characters were so very cool, and western-meets-sci-fi-meets-fantasy thing just China plays beautifully with the worlds he builds. worked my shit. This is dark and has some really fun moments. He builds brilliant worlds and this one is full of Elsa – I feel bad about yelling at him now. When characters that I really like. Plus, the Curator is the I finished it, I totally got why he didn’t want to hero! How could that suck. stop. SaBean – Half-good, half-shit. China’s done good M – Haven’t read it. stuff, this isn’t as good as The Scar or Perdido, but SaBean – Me neither. still fun Jay – I hate westerns, but this was pretty good. I’ve The Ballots to be the way that the history was dealt with. Lots never read any other Gilman, but this showed very nuanced character build and a plot that rolls along Elsa – The Dream of Perpetual Motion, Kraken, of research mingled with even more imagination The Half-Made World, Blameless to give us this one. I was blown away even though without pause. I don’t really love the rest of the mash-up novels Chris – This is one of the best steampunk novels Rick – The Half Made World, Trade of Queens, that are out there. of the year, and probably the best. It’s the ultimate Blackout, Kraken SaBean – You like the shittiest books, Chris. answer to everything Cat Valente and Charles M – New Model Army, Blackout, Blameless, Stross complained about in their blogs. It’s Kraken M – So true. emotional, adventurous, smart, perfectly balanced SaBean – The Orange Eat Creeps, Dreadnought Elsa – Haven’t read it, but I hear they’re making a and better than just about anything this year. movie of it. If they get John Carpenter to direct it, Jay – New Model Army, The Quantum Thief, The I’ll watch it. Dervish House, Behemoth, Dreadnought Kraken by China Mieville Chris – Kraken, The Half-Made World, Elsa – I read it last weekend and it was so good. I Dreadnought, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, don’t like a lot of Melville. Behemoth “AMBROSIA FOR THE MIND”: first four questions, and those stable of contributors who I know well are terrific people. give his publication a welcome 2010’S BEST FANZINES None seem to rank as fiends. consistency over time. Askance Guy Lillian The first four and Argentus are excellent publications on my list are genzines – with kindly editors genzines, which means that they who have forgiven me for Let’s see, how do I put it: I see – or at offer a number of articles on a mixing them up in the 2010 least try to see – every generally available fanzine number of subjects, and with NASFiC program book! devoted to science fiction published in English. the exception of Alexiad those Banana Wings is the That’s the (admittedly convoluted) mantra of articles are generally written by sole British entry in my top five what I call my “zinezine”, or fanzine about other a number of writers. Joe Major (of six), and maybe – maybe, fanzines, The Zine Dump. You can see it on provides the major (hahaha) I say – that contributes to the eFanzines.com or in your mailbox if, like me, input to Alexiad himself: qualities that separate it from you’re a paper slut. multitudinous reviews of books the pack. I’ve never visited But whether in print or in pixel, I do try of interest, often touching on the U.K. – we hope to go in to see as much of the fan-written material about arctic and antarctic exploration 2012, when fares drop after the science fiction and its fandom as I can, and it’s and the First World War, special Olympics – but the impression quite a lot. In fact, it’s so much of a lot that I can’t fulfill my promise and name my five favorite interests of Joe’s. Equine-o-phile Lisa often I’ve gleaned from Plokta and other Brit fanzines fanzines of 2010. So I’ll name five of my top six writes about horse-racing, frequent contributor is the importance its fandom gives to the genre as – how’s that? Johnny Carruthers has a penchant for reviewing a social entity – a community. BW celebrates that There are two ways of making such a candy (I’m serious). Joe’s witty but well-informed community in quite a different way than Plokta, listing, and I’ll do both. First, I’ll name the five – writing is a delight to read, a judgment that many for instance, did – but its focus is no less exact. or five of the six – ongoing titles that I most enjoy share, to judge by Alexiad’s extensive and involved No other zine so zeroes in on fannish mores, finding in my mail. Then I’ll take a shot at the letter column. You can almost always judge a fannish history, fannish perspective, with such more challenging task of denoting the five – of six good genzine by its lettercol. quality of production, writing, and editing. That a – individual publications which most wowed me I hinted at another standard for genzine podcast, which isn’t even written communication this past year. Let’s start with the ongoing titles. quality above: a strong editorial presence. Argentus and is therefore not truly a fanzine, was allowed My top 5 of 6, in alphabetical order: and Askance certainly have that. Steve Silver is to usurp the Hugo Award which should have been 1. Alexiad, edited by Joe and Lisa Major probably the best theme man in fanzines, by which BW’s in 2010 is a shame on fandom. I mean he tries to give each issue of Argentus a I also must mention Banana Wings’ 2. Argentus, edited by Steven Silver unifying subject – for instance, he recently devoted influence on other fan editors – cf. the excellent 3. Askance, edited by John Purcell an issue to great movie comedians. He also prods new journal from Australia’s Roman Orszlanski 4. Banana Wings, edited by Mark his contributors’ imaginations by including an and Beverley Hope, Straw & Silk. Roman and Plummer and Claire Brialey alternate fannish history section in most issues. Beverley editorially admitted that their zine Example, he requested reports on the 1973 wouldn’t even exist without BW’s example. (By 5. Vanamonde, edited by John Hertz Minneapolis worldcon, a famous con-that-never- the way, Beverley’s statement on the importance The factors that combine to make a zine a was. Purcell’s pleasant Texas personality finds of fanzines as a unique, and uniquely personal, favorite are the same for me as for anyone, I guess. reflection in his pleasant publication, which I method of communication among like-minded Is it attractive – is it interesting – is it accessible note because of the extraordinary beauty of its souls is quoted in my 26th Zine Dump – and is – is it consistent -- and if I know the editor, is he artwork – one of the most beautiful out there. reason enough beyond reasons of ego for me to or she a good person or a monster from Hell? All Like many fanzine editors, or “fan-eds,” as we encourage you to take a look at it.) of the above qualify for strong affirmatives to the fanzine cognoscenti call them, he has a usual Fifth among my six favorite on-going titles is John Hertz’ one-sheet Vanamonde, a head, John Hertz’ extensive report on Westercon, weekly publication for Los Angeles’ club amateur and touching obits of Charlie Brown, Wrai Ballard, press association, Apa-L. Because it is so brief, so Ben Indick, Donald Grant and others. Closing frequent, and so individual – no one else writes this issue is Glyer’s “Sowing Dragon’s Teeth”, a for it – Vanamonde is an almost perfect reflection strong reply to Mike Resnick’s comments on the of its editor. If you know John, Hugo nominee decline of worldcon. Should mention the Brad and winner of the Down Under Fan Fund, you’ll Foster illos and the Brianna Wu cover – especially know this means V is a rational, erudite, eloquent clever this time. (lots of haiku), frightfully intelligent and forever 4. Trap Door No. 26, another all-too- friendly publication. Even those of us who rare issue of Robert Lichtman’s exceptional zine, aren’t members of Apa-L, and who don’t see one I’ve admired and tried to emulate since I Vanamonde till a year after its initial release (which got into genzine fandom. Nostalgia for days and is when Hertz sends it out) appreciate it and its friendships past rules in this fine publication. editor – always a favorite. Noting the coincidence of a 26th issue published Now, what about the five best individual 26 years after the zine’s founding, Robert zines I’ve seen in the past twelvemonth? This is reminiscences about the days of its genesis and his simultaneously a more difficult proposition and earlier association with Paul Williams and other an easier task, because although the volume of Haight-era heavies. (Paul’s PKDS Newsletter written fanac that comes before me is enormous, was a revelation.) Continuing with nostalgia for the outstanding stuff is obvious. to those articles devoted, specifically, to women’s those noble days is Gordon Eklund with “The safety at SF conventions. Here are several stories Great Gafia of 1967” and Dave Langford with 1. SF Commentary 80. Bruce Gillespie’s from young ladies of being stalked, groped or th his “South Wales Alphabet”, Ron Bennett’s 40 anniversary celebration as a fan editor, a just made uncomfortable by criminal, pushy or rambling tale of book-dealing from Singapore and gorgeous and professional-looking zine devoted simply socially inept guys at various fan events. William Breiding’s evocative story of his valuable to the works of Philip K. Dick and Bob Tucker. They make for immensely sad reading, and such friendship with a hiking enthusiast. Everything in Bruce notes that more than 40 years has passed blunt, brave writing is rare in fandom; definitely this zine celebrates times and people past. Even since he began SFC, which means he started unpleasant, but also extraordinarily valuable and the lettercol title – “The Ether Still Vibrates” – has fanzining the same year I did – only with far better necessary. a nostalgic tone. Well, let it be: Trap Door may zines! SFC sees science fiction as literature and as 3. 157 is the best recent issue long for a past long gone but with fine writing, a community of like souls; Bruce’s awesome zine File 770: of Mike Glyer’s “yearbook” of fannish news and consistent editing, and good production values reflects an awesome fannish career. I rejoice that culture, the most honored fanzine in Hugo history it’s near the top of the fanzine pyramid in the it and its brilliant cover artist won Ditmars from (at least since Locus became a semiprozine). here&now. Australian SF fandom in 2010, and only hope Central to this edition is the epic 2009 worldcon Hugo voters discover it. Awesome – it’d top this 5. My Back Pages #s 1 and 2 are report by Montreal’s Fan Guest of Honor, Taral list in any year. collections from Rich Lynch, one of my best Wayne. By turns awed, embittered, informative, friends in science fiction and one of the great fan 2. Journey Planet 6, edited by James befuddled, it is an incredible document – with editors. Rich won something like 6 Hugos for Bacon, Claire Brialey, and Chris Garcia, all “Interesting!” thoughts on that year’s Hugos, only editing (with Nicki) Mimosa, but he hasn’t been splendid fan writers who have made a mark with a tad less infuriating than 2010’s. There’s also much noted for his fan writing. More the fools other zines “Some of this issue,” writes co-editor a collection of reports on Ray Bradbury’s 89th we, because these collections – many trip reports, Bacon, “does not require immediate email or birthday soiree, a remembrance by Dian Crayne some reviews and musings (on ball parks, mostly) online response; it requires thoughtfulness and of the occasion in 1965 when a bullet fired into – are really entertaining, and the accompanying then calm and measured comments.” He refers the LASFS clubhouse passed within inches of her photos of the Cape of Good Hope, the Sydney Rich!” to get him to the stage and “We want Nicki!” to get her out later for her own “Thanks, guys!” One of SF’s great moments, and two of SF’s great people. ADDRESSES: So there’s what I can tell Here’s contact info for the zines mentioned you, my favorite on-going titles and above: favorite individual publications of 2010. No doubt this article bursts Alexiad / Joe & Lisa Major, 1409 Christy like a hand grenade onto a host Avenue, Louisville KY 40204-2040 / jtmajor- of hurt fan editors, who send me @iglou.com their zines faithfully in exchange for Challenger and The Zine Argentus / Steven Silver, 707 Spaling Dump – and who hoped, as who Lane, Deerfield IL 60015-3969 /http:// would not, that I would mention www.sfsite.com/~silverag/argentus.html. / on theirs among the best. First, let’s eFanzines.com not forget the grand axiom of the Askance / John Purcell, 3744 Marielene Eye of the Beholder. You may Circle, College Station TX 77845 / j_ find qualities in a zine that Ido [email protected] / on eFanzines.com not. Second, remember that I’ve named five favorites … of my top Banana Wings / Claire Brialey and Mark six. Perhaps your zine is that sixth Plummer, 59 Shirley Road, Croydon, Surrey CR0 favorite I failed to mention here, but 7ES, U.K. / [email protected] which I treasure upon receipt as if it were ambrosia for the mind. In File 770 / Mike Glyer, 705 Valley View Ave., fact, there’s no “perhaps” about it. Monrovia CA 91016 / [email protected] Consider it so. Journey Planet / James Bacon, Claire Brialey, Chris Garcia, eds., see Banana Wings / journeypl Of course, you can contact [email protected] me about The Zine Dump or / Rich Lynch, P.O. Box 3120, Challenger at [email protected] My Back Pages Gaithersburg MD 20885 – or just check on eFanzines.com. SF Commentary / Bruce Gillespie, 5 Howard Street, Greensborough VIC 3088, Australia / on eFanzines; hardcopy by arrangement Opera House and suchlike are amazing. Best piece here recounts the Lynchi’s first Hugo victory, at Trap Door / Robert Lichtman, 11037 Broadway Magicon, where a glitch caused the wrong winner Guy Lillian is a great American. He Terrace, Oakland CA 94611 / locs2trapdoor@ya to be announced. Nicki had left the auditorium, needs himself a Hugo. hoo.com and Rich didn’t know what to do in her absence. I was among those leading the chants of “That way, Vanamonde / John Hertz, 236 S. Coronado St. full of people screaming “It’s behind you!” and days as seen through the eyes of the towns sheriff Movies to watch over the pointing at something behind him!) A reported (Timothy Olyphant) and his Wife, the towns festive season by John fourteen month delay for constant reshoots could doctor (Radha Mitchell) as they try to survive Vaughan not save this film from being a disaster. despite both the efforts of the infected townsfolk Verdict: Bad Hollywood, bad! See the mess you’ve and a terrified military desperate to prevent the Ahhh Christmas, the most wonderful made! No! ….No! You do that again you go infection spreading. time of the year, a time of gift giving , of family outside! VERDICT: A rare creature in Hollywood, a reunions, of good food, good drink and good remake better than the original. cheer…..but if you are normal than it’s usually SOLOMON KANE : February saw the arrival a time of family arguments over long forgotten of Solomon Kane, an adaptation of Robert E LEGION: Oh my sweet ……I don’t know who wrongs, Of gift giving that always ends with Howard’s other great pulp hero, a film riddled should be more offended by this, people of any someone saying “ No it’s lovely .. you do still have with contradictions in Historical accuracy, (at the religious belief or people who love film? The the receipt though don’t you?”, of burnt turkey start of the film we see a modern union Jack , a Story of the Archangel Michael (Paul Bettany) as and way , wayyyy too much to drink! So take a flag that didn’t exist for another 200 years? Yet he comes to Earth to save the Unborn Messiah break from all that Christmas joy and pull up a everyone speaks with an accurate west country from the wrath of God who has decided to chair, throw another mince pie on the fire and accent except for Max Von Sydow who plays destroy mankind .( So if God was going to destroy stoke it well for when the big man comes down Solomon’s dad…hang on they got Max Von Mankind , why send a messiah in the first place?) the chimney as we take a quick look back at some Sydow to play a west country squire?? What the you know you’re in trouble in the first five minutes of the best and the worst of the last year of genre hell??....” ) Yet somehow it hangs together thanks when Michael blows a perfectly cut Crucifix shaped cinema. to the conviction of lead actor James Purefoys hole in a door using a grenade launcher???!?!? On performance. top of that add the talented Charles S Dutton THE WOLFMAN: Verdict: Yes it’s pure pulp who plays a one armed Vietnam vet whose only Doomed from the moment but you know what? It’s role is to crack jokes that end with the line “Hey , when it’s original director entertaining and fun which I need a hand here!” and you’ll be praying for this left with three weeks to was what the best pulp was film to end. go before shooting…from all about. Verdict: A sin it was even made. start to finish this is a mess . Poor casting choices THE CRAZIES: When it was CLASH OF THE TITANS 3D: Its uninspired (Benicio Del Toro as the announced that the Crazies tagline “Titans will clash!” tells you all you need son of an English Lord, was to be remade and by to know. And as for Sam Worthington, His that’s …an… English… Breck Eisner (director of performance is so wooden in this needless remake Lord! Anthony Hopkins the unbelievably average you’ll think he’s just another cgi special effect. in one of the least subtle Sahara) there were howls Sadly a box office hit, this film signals the Idiotic performances I have yet to of protest from Romero thinking of Hollywood executives at the moment see!) can only be matched Fans that he was tampering that 3D can somehow replace story. with some of the most with a classic….but those Verdict: You know there’s something wrong when bizarre movie logic ever ( fans forgot one thing…the there is a cameo for Bubo the annoying mechanical Legs fall off people for no original ….it’s not very good!. owl from the original and the audience audibly reason, Anthony Sher plays Instead Eisner bought us a sighs in fond nostalgia…that’s right the film is so a doctor totally oblivious to tense little thriller about the bad people wish they could have the mechanical the fact there’s a Werewolf destruction of the town of owl back. behind him in a room Ogden Marsh over three KICK ASS: Very nearly the film of the year for smears himself in Mud…..add in a scene stealing And now we look at the best and the worst. me, Matthew Vaughn took Mark Millars bitter Laurence Fishbourne in a cameo where you can sweet story of a young kid who decides to be a see he was just counting the moment until he got The Best costumed hero in this world and turned it into one his paycheque and you’ll ask yourself why did they of the best superhero films ever…. On every level bother? INCEPTION: What else can be said about this this film works. Stand out characters however are VERDICT: Fastfood cinema….it’s not bad and it film, grossing close to a $ 1 Billion dollars, it was Hit Girl and Big Daddy, Cage’s decision to play Big passes the time but two hours after seeing it you’ll a signal that it is possible to make intelligent and Daddy as Adam West was a moment of Lunatic want another movie. exciting science fiction cinema that the audience Genius. will enjoy without sacrificing plot to 3D or VERDICT: Who hasn’t when they were a kid RESIDENT EVIL 3D: Mila Jonovich grunts and Spectacular explosions. wished they were a superhero…..this film shows groans her way through another Resident Evil, The dream within a dream adventures of Cobb what happens if you try to live out that dream with There is actually some lovely use of 3D in the (Leonardo Di Caprio) and his team of specialists surprisingly violent consequences. depth of field shots but they forgot the story… survive multiple viewings….you know it’s a hit but hey it’s Resident Evil . They always forget the when South Park can write a satire of the plot IRON MAN 2: This really should have been titled story. “More of the same 2” as it has a plot outline VERDICT: Clever use of 3D doesn’t excuse the virtually identical to the first one….yet this is fact it’s utter rubbish, what’s depressing is that far more enjoyable than the first Iron Man, with Resident Evil is now one of the most successful sharper dialog, larger action sequences and really film franchises of the past twenty years…so there over the top performances from Downey Jnr as will be a sequel…..why does that feel more like a Tony Stark/ Iron Man, a brilliant Sam Rockwell as threat than a promise? Justin Hammer and another “Subtle” performance from Mickey Rourke and a Parakeet. SCOTT PILGRIM VS THE WORLD: Oh dear VERDICT: No it’s not Shakespeare but it is a one of the misfires of the year, it should have fun way to spend a few hours and if you get the been a hit, Most critics loved it , film makers soundtrack you’ll never get the Disneyesque Stark who knew the source material though it was Expo tune out of your head …it’s infectious! a perfect adaptation so why did it fail and fail so spectacularly? Perhaps it was Michael Ceras PREDATORS: When I was a kid in the Eighties performance as Scott which was the same as all , everyone had mix tapes, poor copies of albums of his other performances, perhaps director Edgar you copied off the radio or off friends who could Wright captured too perfectly the world of Scott afford the album but the songs would be in a leaving the rest of the audience out of the Joke different order because you would pick the songs or maybe the audience just didn’t want to see the you liked and this is exactly what Predators is, your story of two self obsessed people in their mid favourite moments from Predator in a different twenties in the shape of Scott and Ramona who order but still a poor copy….Adrien Brody plays let’s face it aren’t very likeable. Royce , a mercenary transported to an Alien World VERDICT: Scott Pilgrim vs the world will become with other killers from around the world to be prey the example to film makers and producers of what for the predators (Handily all the Killers speak happens when you stay too loyal to the strip you perfect English) but here’s the big twist…there are base your film on. two kinds of predators…that’s it! What follows is I suspect it could become a cult favourite…but so’s a checklist of scenes with even a rehash of the Howard the Duck and that’s not a good thing. final fight scene from the original where Brody safely knowing the audience will understand the gag! VERDICT: Film of the Year, it’s success can be summed up by the reaction of audience I was sitting amongst. When the final shot cuts to black, as one the entire audience gasped in realization at the endings meaning…exactly what Cinema at its best is meant to do!

And the worst, and this year there were two…yes two vying for the honour! First the runner up….

JONAH HEX: When your producer is Akiva Goldsman (Writer of Batman and Robin) you should know you’re in trouble! Everything that is wrong with the film can be summed up by a series of events that occurred during production . Star Josh Brolin asked for a rewrite and the original writing team walked out, follow that with a new Director (who had never directed a major live action motion picture) who was then replaced during editing, a replacement director who actually added new characters and story during reshoots and reportedly le� a half hour of story on the cu�ng room floor just so they could get a ra�ng that allowed 12 year olds to see the film. VERDICT: A scene where the president offers to make Hex Sheriff of America (There’s even a badge that actually says “Sheriff of America”?!?!?) shows how li�le the filmmakers understood the character…..as for audience reac�on …it can be summed up by the fact only one cinema in a sixty mile radius of where I live showed the movie…and pulled it a�er three days from lack of interest.

So there you go, a brief and personal look back at some of the films that appeared on our cinema screens this year …not a bad year but not a great one either. The good news is we have a whole new year of cinema to look forward to, with Tron in the cinemas as you read this and Thor , Captain America, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader and Cowboys and Aliens all to come , yes 2011 looks certainly like being…….what was that? Why it sounded like sleigh bells and Jolly laughter coming from the roof…wait here, I’ll get my gun!

John Vaughan is a short movie maker from Co. Cork in Ireland. The TV Best Dramatic Presentation: event of the year The Short of It was the final season of Lost, and there by Chris Garcia are two episodes that Yeah, movies get all the play. It’s the I think are magical. features which are the ones that people talk about The first was called and while we’ve seen the Best DramPresShort Across the Sea. This getting more and more acceptance, it’s still not was the episode that what the DramPresLong is. Sadly, the Short Form explained the Island also fails to recognize stuff that’s not Television and Jacob and why too, but this year, I’m dedicating at least some of stuff stays alive and my ballot to those films. how it all started. It’s Let’s start with TV, because TV’s gotten pretty impressive, crazy good, right? especially with Alison Janney as the Mother who was protecting the island. This was the heart of the story and it was the best episode of the series to me. This is a great show and the 2010 Halloween Then there’s the final episode. The End episode is one of the best Halloween episodes of was great. I have listened to folks who said that it all-time. The group is at the Halloween party where was confusing, that it answered nothing and that Army Surplus Taco Meat leads to an outbreak of it was just flat dull. They are wrong. This was a zombie-ism, leading to the group having to deal lyrical episode that went metaphysical and ended with surviving locked in a library with them. It was the series on a note of powerful emotion. The a hilarious episode full of references to everything way things played out was perfect, right down from Dawn of the Dead to Aliens. The hilarious to the last shot of Jack dying, the last moment thing was the fact that the soundtrack was entirely being his eye closing echoing the first ever shot ABBA and the Dean’s voice memos to himself. of the series of his eye opening, plus Jack dying You would not believe how powerful ABBA is not alone, completing the theme of the series. when used as a power anthem. It’s a wonderful episode, one of the truly great Speaking of Community, they also did moments in the history of US SF television. a pair of shorts called Starburns El Starprince. One of the best situation comedies in ages These were supposed videos made by the character is called Community. Created by Dan Harmon, Abed of a minor character who has star-shaped Community focuses on a Spanish study group sideburns and is called, wait for it… Starburns. at Greendale Community College. The cast is These features are hilariously off-the-wall. fantastic, featuring Joel McHale, best known for his Speaking of Off-The-Wall, there was hosting of The Soup, Alison Brie, who also plays an SNL performance that I think should be Trudy Campbell on Mad Men, and the legendary considered. Ke$ha is wild, a party-girl who is a Chevy Chase, formerly of The Chevy Chase Show. lot of fun and is beloved by tweens, teens and the South Park has had V is one of the best series I’ve ever seen, some great SF and Fantasy and they remade it for 2010! The Pilot is likely the episodes, like anything one that’d get nommed. I think it’s pretty good, with Lemmywinks, and but the best parts are later in the series, though no one of the best is the single episode is as powerful as the opening salvo. recent episode called I love Monica Baccaran, but really the amazingly Insheeption. This is a take- hot Elizabeth Mitchell is the best part of it. off on Inception (which Now, all that TV would make you think that will not doubt win Best was the only good stuff out there, but there were Dramatic Presentation several short films that deserve consideration. Let’s unless Tron: Legacy is start with a really short short. It’s called Delmer even cooler than I totally Builds A Machine. You can watch it at http:// expect it to be) and it’s www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKGvKPPX4xU freakin’ hilarious. The and it’s less than 3 minutes. I think you’ll see why I best part was actually the love it so much. opening which parodies There’s a French film, also very short and Hoarders. I was laughing powerful called Tout Ma Vie. It stars Caterina when I finally saw it after Murino, an Italian actress best-known for her Tim ‘The Maniac’ Miller role in Casino Royale. She’s amazingly hot and the said that he was thinking short is very strong. You can see a teaser at http: about starting a campaign //www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLRtoWdUhdQ. Pop Culture obsessed. Ke$ha chose a sci-fi theme to get it on the ballot. It’s really good and I wish that the entire short was for her performance, which was nutty. You can The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror has available on-line. see it on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=sTfeOfQkoEs. It’s freakin’ weird, and been far too over-looked. Some perhaps it’s so surreal that we should give it a of the best science fiction and Hugo! fantasy comedy of the last Then there’s Doctor Who. It’s a twenty years has come from The powerhouse when it comes to BestDramPresShort. Simpsons Treehouse of Horros. For my money, it’s The Eleventh Hour as the This year was Tweenlight, a one that should get the nom. I loved it, thought take-off on Twilight which it was among my faves of the entire series. It’s made me laugh and laugh hard. funny, I mean Fishsticks and Custard!, and it was It was great stuff. memorable. There’s also The Time of Angels and The Walking Dead is Flesh and Stone as a double feature, both featuring a fantastic show, perhaps the River Song (the delectable Alex Kingston) and third best-written show on US The Weeping Angels. It’s a good set. My personal TV (After Mad Men and Psych) fave was Vincent and The Doctor. How could you and the episode TS19 is the go wrong with Vincent Van Gogh? There’s also best of all the episodes with the The End of Time, the final part airing on January excellent flashback. I would not 1st, 2010, but the first part was on Christmas 2009. expect it to get a nomination, I think, if I’m reading the rules right, that would instead expecting the Pilot make it eligible for Reno. episode to pull it out. Art in the year 2010 long time now. He did covers for the likes of Star Healer, in the 80’s for Orbit, and more recently by James Bacon he did covers for teh Tor Anthologies, yes, I bought them, and I think Begining Operations, Anne Gray posed some interesting Alien Emergencies and General Practice, three questions on her LiveJournal, about what folks very different portrayals, are superb. Harris thought about art, and artists, and it made me portrays space in a more mysterious light, gasses, think a little about how I view book covers, as perhaps clouds, perhaps venting, adding to his ostensibly the outlet for science fictional artists. vision of space vessels, and he always manages to I associate artists that I consider to be incorporate a sense of movement to his art, which favourites, with works I also consider to be I find appealing. I expect many fans will know favourites. This may be biased of course, but I Harris from his John Scalzi covers, which in my do know a bad cover in my mind, and there are mind creates a seamless connection between two styles of covers – the person on a ships bridge, the great SF writers, or two who I rate and this year he group of people on a tank, that although I may diod the cover for ECHO by Jack McDevitt. Not enjoy the work, are not mages that turn me on. of this year, but worth mentioning is that Harris I really like the space ship in outer space has done the odd Star Wars book cover, and they look, of which the artists, John Berkey, John always catch my eye. Harris and Vincent Di Fate are practitioners of, I frequently find that my desire to posses each differently, but in a similar vein. The nig or own a piece of art, is an important indicator to space image. what I like. With the above three artists, the cost It is no coincidence that my favourite of an original is so much, for instance the £2,500 writer, James White, who had many books and a cost of an original Harris, is just so beyond me massive variety of covers, happens to have some to be not funny, but that yearn and desire to see of my favourite books with covers by these three these artworks in the real world is something I can gentlemen. Di Fate did the artwork on The Silent feel. I also feel and think about these guys artwork, Stars go By, perhaps the finest piece of science they make me ponder the vastness of space and fiction to come out of Ireland, challenged in my the technological advances they portray and I mind only by Desolation Rd and The Wooden love how they must pay attention to what they are Spaceships. Di Fate’s wonderful grasp of what illustrating. I have not seen enough of these guys a Hospital Station could look like, is perfectly work, to be honest. The concept of woning such a captured in his cover of The White Papers, from and space, and even with the obvious red cross, the piece is so beyond me, yet there are ways around NESFA Press. Unfortunately I have not been able image portrays a non aggressive type ship. Again, this I have found. to find any works from this year by Di Fate that I for me, totally different in realisation than Di Fate, As a Christmas present, I will be able to really liked, he did do a cover of Analog this year but totally conceivable. Interestingly, Berkey has afford the rough Sketch John Harris did for a though. had a piece of art used, this year, which graced White cover, a reasonable £80, a steal even, and The late John Berkey, had a knack of the cover a Jonathan Strahan edited ‘Best of ’, an proof that the working man, can indeed afford, capturing the fine curvatures of streamlined, interior of a hanger with perhaps some type of good and great art. This is a preliminary piece, and yet realistic spaceships, and in his covers for pursuit ship, a cold war polished aluminium open in pencil but embodies the final work, and is of Whites work, he did three. I particularly love mouthed feel, with an exterior view, giving that course an original. Now that’s a great price. Mind Changer, also my favourite White novel of vast and also action glimpse. This year I purchased a print by Chris his later TOR years. Here Hospital Station is a English artist John Harris, is another Moore, his Gollancz cover for Do Androids massive white vessel, with hints of glassed wards, White visualiser, and I have loved his covers for a Dream of Electric Sheep at the Eastercon art Moore will be as nice. High Castle or the Gollancz Space Opera series, I have always liked covers that appeal, but it just doesn’t come near what I want from a I suppose it is an insecurity that I am too low brow cover. I expect they sell, and other folks find them to interpret or appreciate artwork accurately that desirable and of interest, but if I want a cover has always seen me veer away from engaging. I designed I want Jamie Keenan, who took the have realised, and this was born when myself and photo that adorns the cover of the 2001 Penguin Mary Burns did a tour of an art show together, Modern Classic version of The Man in the High she being a GOH, and it being a discussion Castle to do the design, I want class design work, tour, that actually the enthusiasm I have for of a high calibre, to match the great art work of comic art and science fiction books, and my take our finest artists, and I fear that this is not always and understanding of these, which I am pretty so. confident about, is mirrored in my love of good Keenan’s cover for instance, is clever but SF art, and I know what I like and I can explain it’s not being too clever, or too abstract, its pointed this adequately. and directly linked to the book and its colourful Although I have not been able to divorce and represents in a proper way what the reader good art cover from good and favoured book. Chris Moore may be known to people this year, with his cover for The Quantum Thief by Hannu Rajenaimi, although I am not that keen on it, as opposed to my favourite by him this year, the cover for Terminal World by Al Reynolds, which is in my to be read pile. I am noticing a trend, a lot of these covers are also emanating from Gollancz. They seem to be a good publisher for covers, as do Tor, for me at least. This is especially so regarding the Gollancz masterworks series, which seemed to create a fantastic outlet for new artwork, although auction and got it at a very good price. Chris they also go in for ‘Design’ covers, which in my has a distinctive style, using digital media quite opinion they have not been so good at. a bit to create clean and perfect lines and he has I like covers that are designed and just done everything from Forever War, to one of about grasp the different between Art and Design. my favourites, the 2009 release of The Man in Although to be honest there is a massive design the High Castle. I love this piece esepcially, as its element to many pieces or art. But for me design very obvious, what he has done, to the Statue of can be really good, for instance, who could argue Liberty, and also there is a subtle message within with the classic Alan Lane and Edward Young this clean picture that immediately informs the broad bands of the original penguins the work reader that America is different, a war has been that Jan Tschichold then went on to do and the lost. I may find the courage to write to him, and Marbour Grid. see if I can get a print, but I do not know him, yet Yet I frequently find that a lot of recent have seen him and Jim Burns talk, and they are covers ‘by design’ lack something, obviously there good sorts for sure. Actually Jim Burns is a really is a failing by the designer, whether it be the design nice fellow, I found him very pleasant, I expect versions of Dune, Forever War, The Man in the might find, therein. matter are also of interest, as well as the books, James’ Favourite and Bestest Covers of Also this year I bought a piece by Dominic again my personal bias. 2010 Harmon, I really like Dominic, he is not only a fine David Hardy, and I didn’t buy any of his artist, but affable and pleasant. He had a number artwork this year, but I did come by a superb John Berkey - Best SF and F 2010 Vol 4. Ed of prints, very high quality ones, on canvas done, painting of a V2 that appeared in a book about Jonathan Strahan. and I purchased a Clive Barker cover that he did. Rockets by him is a favourite, I am afraid my I love his work on Naomi Noviks books, and also favourite piece by him is not from this year, but I Chris Moore - Terminal World by Al Reynolds really liked his cover to Ian Whates’ The Noise include it anyway, as it is an incredible image from (Gollancz) Within, which is a book I also enjoyed. SF&F October 2009. This purchase was a gift for my friend Finally two covers from this year that both John Harris - Echo by Jack McDevitt Stef Lancaster, a huge Clive Barker fan, but also blew me away, were that of Yukikaze, by Chohei Les Edwards – Dragongirl by Todd McCaffery like myself someone who likes Dominic’s work. Kambayashi by artist Shoji Hasegawa. This is a The prints were again a good price, not at all too wonderful novel, based on a anime series from Dominic Harman – Tongues of Serpents by expensive for what it was and I enjoyed chatting earlier this decade, and the cover is just stunning, Naoimi Novik with him, at length. I was especially interested in its also a wrap around, so one doesn’t realise the how he manages to make computer work look like extent of the detail to the futuristic fighter jet, that Stephen Martiniere – Ares Express and The an oil. I was taken in, and am sure that it is just as adorns it. I am also very taken by Sparth illustration Dervish House both by Ian McDonald hard to manipulate on a screen as it is on canvas, of Gardens of the Sun by Paul MaAuley to that sort of level. Shoji Hasegawa – Yukikaze by Chohei Another person I spoke to as I bought Kambayashi their artwork was Les Edwards, who along with his Sparth – Gardens of the Sun by Paul McAuley wife Val, are a wonderful couple, very well known in UK fan circles. Les had done some interior art Les Edwards Pelican Cay & Other Disquieting for a World Horror Con collection, and I was Tales A collection by David Case and Stephen admiring some of his preliminary sketches, when Jones (ed.) I found a massive piece of work, in pencil, by him of Shadows in the Mist by Brian Moreland. It was Dominic Harman – The Noise Within by Ian a must have, and again, at a fantastic two digit price Whates. – I think Les, who is a massive fan himself, is thoughtful with his pricing and the prelims were a keen and dare I say generous price. Les also publishes art under the Edward Miller, James Bacon is the best guy you could but two covers I really enjoyed this year were ever hope to edit a zine with. his Pelican Cay a David Case collection edited by Steve Jones and the cover to Dragongirl, by Todd McCaffery. Close to home, I think that Ares Express and Dervish House both written by Ian McDonald and with Stephan Martiniere covers are really very beautiful, Martiniere is a brilliant artist, although unlike most of the others so far mentioned, an enigma to me so far. I admit that the subject