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#154 MAR/ApR02 £2.25 • THEMATRIXNEWS MAGAZINE OF THE BRITISH SCIENCE FICTION ASSOCIATION ~ THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING -MATRIX-------------------- Issue #154 Mar/Apr 03 Deadline for submissions for next issue: 03 Apr 02 The bi-monthly news magazine of the British Science Fiction Association Editor: Gary Wilkinson BSFA OFFICERS 18 Water Lane, Soulh WI!ham, Grantham, Lincs.• NG33 SPH President: Sir Arthur C. Clarke, CBE garyOquilbfleeg.lreeserve.co.uIt Vice President: Stephen Baxter Contributing Editors: Joint Chair: Paul &: Elizabeth Billinger Books: Janet Barron 1 long Row Close. Everoon, Oavenlry, 3 Ullswaler Road, Bames. London. Northants NNll 3BE SW139Pl bil!ingerOenterprise.net utlswalerOcompuserve.com Treasurer: Paul Hood Fandom: Steve Green 112 Meaaowside, Ellham, London, SE9 33 Seoll Road, Ollon, Solihull, B92 710 'BB sfeheckpoinlOyahoo.eom pauIOauden.demon.eo.uk Magazines: Glenda Prlngle Membership Services: Paul Bllllnger 1 Long Row Close, Everdon, Oaventry, 22 Mead Way, Kidlingfon, Oxon., OXS 28J Northanls. NNll 3BE billingerOenlerprise.net ehrisOkidlingl0n66.1reeserve.co.uk UK membership: £21 pa or £:14 pa (unwaged), life membership £190, Webllnternet news: Martin Sketchley Europe: £26 pa, Resl 01 Work!: £26 pa surface mail, £32 pa air mall. 232 Alvechurch Road, West Healh, Cheques payable 10: BSFA Ltd. Birmingham, 831 3PS mskeIctlIeyOblueyondef.co.uk US Agent: Cy Chauvin 14248 Witlred Street. Detroit. MI48213, USA ll'l(jyjdual copyrights are the property of ItIe contributors and editors. VIeWS expressed herein are not necessarily those of the BSFA or BSFA US subscription: $37 surlace or $47 air mail. Cheques payable to: ey Committee members. Errors and omissions ant the responsibility of the ChaUYin (BSFA) EdilorialTeam. The BSFA was founded in 1958 end is a non-profit making organisation, Printed by: PDC Copyprint, 11 Jel1ries Passage, Guildlord, GUl 4AP stal1ed entirely by unpaid volunteers. ISSN: 0143 79090 BSFA 2001 Registered in Er1gland. Limited by Guarantee, Company Number: 921500 Regislered Address; 1 Long Row Close, Everdon, Daventry, NN11 3BE BSFA SERVICES BSFA PUBLICATIONS Web Site: www.bsfa.co.uk VECTOR Web Mistress: Tanya Brown The Critical Journal of the BSFA Flat 8, Century House, Armoury Road, london, SE8 4lH Production: Tony Cullen bsfaOenlerprise.nel 16 Weaver's Way. Camoen, London, NW1 aXE BSFA Awards: Tanya Brown lony.cullenOdies.gSi.gov.uk Fla18, Century House, Armoury Road, london, SE8 4LH Features: Andrew M Butler awards Oamaranlh.avnetco.uk do Depl. cl Arts & Media, 028 - ASSH Facully, Bockinghamshire Chiftems London Meetings: Paul Hood University College, Higtl Wycombe, 112 Meadowside, Ettham, london, SE9 Bucks., HP11 2JZ 68B ambutlefOenlerprise.nel paulOal.lden.demon.co.uk Book Reviews: Steve Jeffery Orbiter Writing Groups: 44 While Way, Kldlinglon, Oxon, oxs Carol Ann Kerry·Green 2XA 278 Victoria Avenue, Hull, HUs 30Z metaphorOmetaphor,karoo.(:Q.uk Focus Publications Manager: Kathy Taylor The Writers' Magazine of the BSFA kathyandlanOcableinel.co.uk Editor: Simon Morden 13 Egrernonl Orive, Sheril1 Hill, Galeshead, NE9 SSE locus.edilOrOblueyonder.co.uk 02 MATRIX #154 On Tuesday 22 January 2002, at the Whitbread Book Awards presentation ceremony at the Whitbfead Brewery in London, Philip Pullman received the Best Book award, as well as the Best Chiletren's Book Award, lor T1lfI Amber Spyglass, the first time the overall Award has gone to a children's author. Pullman wil receive £5 000 for winning the chiklren's book 01 the year and another £25000 for the overall prize. He was the clear lavourite going into the judging - the bookies Williarn Hill closed ils book M the competition on the FOdaybeloreallera late lIurryol heavy bets. The book was thought the 'overwhelming winner" by the judges, who took only two minutes to make up their minds, according to their chairman, Channel 4 news presenterJon Snow. ·Pullman is in a league of his own. We worried about whether the book could be judged M its own. because you never escape the feeling that ~ Is part 01 a huge wor\(. It Is a superlative achievement, head and shoulders above everything else we read.' Pullman has also finally edipsed his great rival JK Rowting and her Harry Poner stories by writing the first children's book to take one 01 the big two literary awards. His victory is a notable tumaround for a man who refused to have ns first books entered in any book priz•• Pullman, SS, used to teach at Oxford's King to quit As reported just about eYeryMlere the worId's not noonal, OK? You say, 'T\te said the things his tales have been made into films, some of best·selling genre novelist Stephen King is that I have 10 say, that are new and fresh and the results have been excellent, such as thinking 01 caning it a day and bringing his epic interesting to people.' Then you have a choice. Stand By Me. Misery and T1lfI ShBwshank writing career to close. King has indicated in You can either continue to go M or say. 't len Redemption and some not so good like most past interviews that iI he ever lelt that he was when I was still on top 01 my game. I lell when 01 the rltSt... King once described himself as simply repeating himself then he would stop I was stiU holding the Dall, Instead of ~ holding the literary equivalent 01 a Big Mac and lries: publishing his work (if not necessarily stopping me.' I don't want to finish up like Harold '11 I cannot horrily, I'll go lor the gross-out, I'm wriling.) He does have several ongoing Robbins. [here relerring to the pulp writer who not proud." projects that he will draw to a close before started with well-reviewed works but later putling down his pen including finishing the suffered a crippling stroke ana ended his last three volumes 01 the Dark Tower series career In steep dectlne.) That's my nightmare." - EDITORIAL sornetimenextyear. There is also a new short King very nearly gave up wriling before, fiction collection due in March and his new following the accident oMlere he was struck by CRvHAVOC novel, Frame Buick Eighfdue later in the year, a Dodge minivan, bul loughl back using his although apparently this is the one that's writing as therapy 10 pflXluce some his mosl Unexpectedly and unplanned, this issue of causing King 10 think again: "You get to a point crillcally acclaimed wor\(loryears. Ma/rix has developed a warlike theme. In the where you get to the edges of a room, and you In a career spanning thirty years King has real WOl1d the conllict in Afghanistan stutters to can go back and go where you've been and produced more than sixty books including a conclusion (l)ut there are rurTIOUfS 01 'Gull basically recyde stuff. I've seen it in my own novels (six novels under the pseudonym War 11' jor later in the year...). The cinemas 1IIIIOrk. People, when they read &liCk Eight, are RiChard Bachman). $hO(l stories, screenplays over Christmas and into the New Year (and for PlQ to think Christine. Ifs about a car thaf. and even an epCsoete of the X·F•. Twenty of the nelll Christmases in aI w.:e/ilood) were cIotJ'*lated by the War of the Ring. In the battle of the lanlasy features the boy-wizard was in the end soundty trounced by the fin!1'bearefS • Don't Miss Clouds over we bring you a review 01 Fellowship 01 the The BSFAIScience Fiction Foundation prOldy Ringlaler in this iSsue. There is also a looItat presents the free event 'Signs of U1e' M Sat Clarion blow over Farscapea science fiction television program that leatures a lair amount of conllict that has 13th April at FrieoOs House, EustOll Road, Since May 01 t999, the original Clarion jusl come to the end of a superb third series. London, Guests are M John Harrison (in the Science FICIlon Workshop annualy at held We also have Glends Pringle on sI in moming) and Gwyooth JOIles (in the Michigan State University has been under wergaming magazines and Stephen BallIer afternoon), and there will also be a discussion threat. Now. following a review 10 determine asked whether Churchill was a sI lan. Plus panel and a BSFA vs SFF quiz. al Friends whether ~ is 01 value to the University, ar'ld loads more 01 the usual. Don't forget to write or House, Euston Roact, London 'Thrllling' many glowing testimonials Irom e~-graduates enter our comps - now with 'big' prizes. DaveLanglordlnAnsible and teachers, the workshop has been saved, Ne~t issue I hand over to a very special Amelia Beamer. Assistant to the Director of guest editor... Clarion, has passed along word that the cheers, Workshop is no longer in any danger from News Items by Gary Wilklnson and Janllt G.~ lunding cuts. In lact, they now have direct Barron support from the MSU Provost's office M~TR'X #t5403 Rowling exchanges rings while books burn Harry Potler author J.K. Rowling married can take some control of his life. She said the delayed from the traditional July publication anaesthetist Or Nail Murray lasl BOlling Day in message sent by burning books is more date until the autumn. "We are not scheduling a private ceremony in their house in dangerous than any fable about sorcery could a publication date until the book has been Perthshire. Rowling's first marriage ended in be: 'I think burning books is shameful.' written," said Rosamund dela Hey. sales and divorce and she began to write Ihe best-selling Also a 'Harry Potter Hate Line' telephone marketing manager for children's books at Harry Potter books as a single mother in service has been set up in Austria offering Bloomsbury.