TBS&E Number 49 - February to April 2012 1 Notes from my 4th. WEA Class, Mithras and Manichaeism

Thursday November 10, 2011

Produced by Garry Dalrymple as a The Roman Mithras Cult contribution to mailing No. 267, of The figures below both represent the act of the Australian and NZ Amateur creation according to the Roman Mithras cult. Mithras kills the bull, and from the Bull’s blood Press Association. all creation springs (consider the Abrahamic sacrifice / Eucharistic transformative echoes Postal Address: Garry Dalrymple, of this). Mithras is wearing a Roman style tunic and a Phrygian style cap. The animals Local Post Office Box 4152, seen below the bull, Scorpion, dog, snake Bexley North NSW 2207 etc. represent astrological signs and powers. Home ph. (best after 7 pm) 02 9718- 5827 INCLUDEPICTURE "http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1 Email; [email protected] 9/MithraReliefvert.jpg/320px-MithraReliefvert.jpg" \* MERGEFORMATINET Editorial – Here we go again! Yet another Restructure of the NSW Education Department in is underway, Aims and Objectives? Unstated, Outcomes expected – Who can say? It really is another one of those exercises in mass anguish and futility for employees affected, who have to try to guess / double guess what the final shape of the remaining functions will be before they try to plan their future careers. The only useful ‘fact’ known is that 70% ish of the remaining positions are ‘Policy adviser on ...’ i.e. few if any ‘doing’ positions and less clerical positions to support the same ‘core activities’ of the old structure. My position is very anomalous, as mostly I work on Naplan. Naplan isn’t on the chart. We have been told that Naplan will go to the Board of Studies (who do the HSC etc), but the INCLUDEPICTURE they haven’t been asked yet, and no one knows if "http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1 their idea of ‘Naplan’ would necessarily include 9/MithraReliefvert.jpg/320px-MithraReliefvert.jpg" \* clerical staff like me. Also, while the rest of the department ‘settles’ into new positions, we are expected to stay and continue Naplan process into 2013 without positions in the new Department or the Board of Studies. I.e. we may not be unable to apply for any positions, until we have been declared ‘excess’, after everyone else is set? The usual process of Full, Frank and non-existent staff consultation is now taking place, as we are invited to help re-arrange the deck chairs to make it look less like a denial of service to schools and parents. No evidence of ‘Rivers of Gold’ or more ‘Resources’ heading off to Schools from this. 1 TBS&E Number 49 - February to April 2012 MERGEFORMATINET 2 Abrahamic Monotheistic religions as we currently know them, even though Manichaeism appears to have disappeared without trace and most of what we know of this religion comes from archaeological discoveries in China! The ‘Killer App’ of Manichaeism is that it sanctions and commends its followers to go clandestine, to outwardly conform to the precepts of other religions so as to be able to deliver Manichaeism scriptural DNA into the body politic of the other religions. In an environment where Manichaeism exists, then the Best Practicing Christian, Moslem or Jew might secretly be a Manichaen. Thus, the To ancient Persians / Parthians, prior to genius of Manichaeism is its ability to ‘work’ recorded history, Mitra was just one god of other religions, to its own theological many, with responsibilities for Justice, but he advantage. Manichaeism is known to our came to be associated with the invincible Sun, time as a heresy because the Christian Sol Invictus. Adopted for Roman use, this church at the time so labelled it (rather than was transformed into the basis of a Mystery as a ‘False’ Religion?) and following it’s cult, a cult with multiple levels of initiation and disappearance, most of what we know of it corresponding levels of understanding about comes from church controlled accounts. the teachings of the faith (like Scientology or Freemasonry?). It may be a case of Roman Writing on Manichaeism include Political assimilation policies, subsume, absorb ‘The Kephalae of the Teacher’ by Prof Iain and re-badge with a Roman veneer, extended Gardner (Sydney University), a scholar of to religious practices? It arose at much the Coptic matters, and ‘Gardens of Life’ by same time as Christianity, growing to rival it Amin Maalouf, a fictionalised biography of within the Roman Empire (spread within the Mani, which is fairly accurate to what we Roman Legions as they were rotated through know of his life and works. Some work on Europe?), it is impossible to say which came Manichaeism is also carried out at first, with Virgin Birth, Birthday on December Macquarie University. 25 etc. as the ‘beginning’ of each religion, when it became publicly prominent, differs The Elchasites and Mani greatly from the dates claimed scripturally for Manichaeism has to be considered to be a it’s commencement. All you can say is that it Judeo-Christian heresy. Its founder, Mani, narrowly predated Christianity in the Roman was inducted into his father’s Elchasite West. The Bull imagery may or may not religious sect soon after birth and was raised have drawn on pre-existing ideas, such as the by them, possibly with the intention that he Apis Bull of Memphis, Hathor, the grow up to become some sort of Messiah Mycenean Bull cult or it might go back as far figure for the Elchasite cause. How Mani as the Ghod of the first Pastoralists and their came to be involved in this movement is not newly domesticated Aurochs. Mitras was clear, as he was a Parthian living in also associated with the Zodiac sign Taurus Mesopotamia, as Christianity was emerging and it’s perceived qualities. from it’s Hebrew origins yet not fully moved into the Gentile mainstream under the Manichaeism (Syncretism of Faith) leadership of Paul. With it’s central For this meeting we discussed Manichaeism message of renunciation of the world, instead of Mazdakism as an understanding of Manichaeism is an alien doctrine to the usual the motives and drives of Manichaeism is Persian / Iranian worldview that life and essential to any understanding of the creation is _Good_ and to be celebrated. 2 TBS&E Number 49 - February to April 2012 3 The Elchasites practised a monastic and King Sharpur the First, however Sharpur’s renunciate way of life (similar to that of the successor (a son) wasn’t as tolerant about an Essenes?). On reaching Adult hood Mani empire with multiple competing religions, completely rejected Elchasite teaching, allowing Mani to be arrested, tried and jailed proposing his own Theology and Cosmology. by the Zoroastrian Magi Kartir. Mani His first convert was ... his own Father! ended his life in chains, indignities performed Why did he reject the Elchasites? Possibly on his body posthumously. On the other because he was lame, and under Jerusalem hand, Mohammad specifically denounced Temple rules therefore unfit to enter the Manichaeism in the Koran perceiving it to be temple? Or possibly he had a personal falling linked to Zoroastrianism. This religion out with the leader of the Elchasites. thrived for 1,000 years and then apparently it Manichaen Theology / Cosmology disappeared, or possibly it just got smarter Mani saw the World, Matter and Flesh to be and went further underground? evil as it represents an imprisonment of a St. Augustine of Hippo and elements spark of the divine that can only be released through death and the destruction of this world of Manichaeism into Christianity? as we know it. His creation story was, ‘Real The significance of Augustine of Hippo to the Ghod up top, many layers down a ‘lesser Established Christian church is profound. It Ghod’, Sophia, who created the World as we is his explanation of Christian doctrines that know it to raise him/herself up a level and or to explains the big questions for the uneducated impress the Real Ghod up top. This creation masses within the Church. It is his got contaminated (by the countering identity to explanations for Original Sin, the Fall of Sophia?) and the Real Ghod up top saw that it Rome, the need for the Christ’s Crucifixion was a horrible place, but offered it redemption etc., doctrines the church follows to this day. through an injection of a spark of his/her own However, he had been a Manichaen in his essence into this creation. Thus a Jesus like early life, and this was not just as a brief or one off intervention, _that can’t be repeated_ passing interest as is frequently depicted. in the form of a second coming. Sophia would For nearly a decade he had been a senior be the Biblical Ghod / Ghod of Abraham, priest within that movement, responsible for creator of Adam and Eve, etc, so the whole set instructing others in the details of Mani’s faith, of ‘Abrahamic’ Monotheist religions that follow consequently, following his conversion to in the Bible, Talmud and Koran would have to Christianity, his denunciations of be false religions! This act of Grace is a Manichaeism, especially on the heretical ‘loaner’ and it is up to us as good subjects of parts were quite detailed and to the point, to the Upper Ghod to end it all and send the the extent that the best image of Manichaeist spark back to the upper Ghod where it beliefs and practices we have today come belongs. from Augustine’s pen. However, (like Pauls Mani preached that the salvation of the world second Titus which injects ‘Roman’ civic came via this act of Liberation (parallels with virtues into Christianity) Augustine also eastern teaching of enlightenment through the introduced a number of issues that were not renunciation of connections with the world, to be found in Gospel accounts of Christ’s life passions and possessions, particularly terminal and teachings, and considered to be at some starvation in Jainism) distance from the spirit of Christ’s teachings, Mani entered a crowded market for religious issues such as; ideas but was singularly well equipped and Original Sin educated in Religious matters, so his new Predestination religion spread widely, to Europe and to China, The elect of the saved with Doctrines, Temples and Clergy all The peril of limbo to unbaptised babies established in his lifetime. He was on the Misogyny (Re Women’s role in the Church) move for years, visiting places, establishing Spiritual is Good, Material / Worldly is bad new congregations. At first, within the At the time, he was criticised for promoting Persian Empire Mani was greatly assisted by heresy by introducing these elements. Was 3 TBS&E Number 49 - February to April 2012 4 his conversion to Christianity completely Magi priesthood (Mobad) at the top of a sincere, or was he still a clandestinely poshing theocracy which survived and prospered Manichaen doctrines, or was he promoting a under Shia / Iranian Islam’s Mullahs and ‘unity ticket’ of jointly Christian / Manichaen Ayatollahs, in spite of an Islamic Priesthood acceptable beliefs? It is hard to say this far being specifically prohibited in the Koran? removed from the events. Augustine’s major contemporary critic was Pelagius and his Zoroastrian and Christian parallels? writings do not survive, so all we have of the There are many, however most of these ‘debate’ is the Church’s version of Augustine’s parallels appear only in the later Zoroastrian side. Some are of the view that Pelagianism religious texts, not the Gathas, so they could survived as a golden thread running through be borrowings or parallel evolutions. the drawn curtains of time, to re-emerge after Shouldn’t read too much into this as A. the middle ages as Renaissance Humanism. Krishna (Hindu tradition) also had Jesus like Zoroastrianism and Manichaeism? attributes, Virgin birth, same birthday etc. and The relationship of Zoroastrianism to B. across different religious traditions, the Manichaeism is slight (in spite of Mohammad’s same story may serve different metaphorical opinions) they occurred in the same region and purpose also C. there are only a few different that’s about it. At it’s best, Manichaeism is an stories that can be told, so it is unsurprising inverted Christian doctrine with a thin that the same story elements occur across Zoroastrian overcoat. Essentially, the religious traditions. Worldviews of Zoroastrianism and Gnosticism, what’s it all about? – A Manichaeism are diametrically opposed, i.e. point of Gnosticism is that there are secrets, the Zoroastrians see the world as a Good only known to the initiates that represent what Place and the Only Place, while Manichaeism is really going. The more you learn, the sees it as a corrupt version of an ideal with higher level your understanding. At some other better alternatives available. point you might manage to reach It is a human ability to tend to see patterns enlightenment or a truer view of how the from scattered data points, and when world is? considering comparative religion, easily finding significant commonalities, without taking in to Moses Vs Ankhenaton - A competition account what these characteristics actually for who was the world’s first Monotheist? mean to those _within_ the religious tradition. The exact dates for Moses Vs Ankhenaton For example Zoroastrians expect a saviour are difficult to establish, exactly what was in every thousand or so years, but each would the mind of each is only known from have a different role. Manicheans say there conjecture. Fantasies and coincidences are has been one and will be no more, Christians made to fill in the gap i.e. the theory that say there has been one and expect a return Moses was Ankhenaton’s older brother who and (parts) of the Hebrew tradition are still left the family firm? Or that they went to awaiting their first Messiah! Present day school together and shared ideas for One Big religions all represent a current position on the Ghod in the playground over lunch? The battlefield of ideas, responses to civil biblical tradition of Moses ‘from out of the circumstances and resulting theological water’ (AKA translatable as ‘out of the challenges (note the evolution of People’)‘ puts a different slant on things? Mormonism!) which lead to scriptural evolution! The Hebraic Perspective - One view of

Various tangential asides that emerged during the purpose of a Hebrew Messiah is that he the discussion of previous topics comes to deliver the people from the burden of Dogma, another ‘Authentic’ Hebrew Zoroastrianism – The Sassinid’s support Messiah can be found in Michael Chabon’s for Z ism lead to it gaining official preference / ‘The Yiddish Policeman’s Union’ where even state religion status as the sole religion of the after an apparently purposeless death, a Empire, leading to an entrenchment of the 4 TBS&E Number 49 - February to April 2012 5 ‘chosen one’ delivers on all prophecies, but not the view that she ‘had family at Eta Carina’ as how you would originally suppose. ‘My Father was a Spaceman’. My Hebrew Traditions place great importance on understanding is that she had written and had the multiple meanings of individual words, thus published at her own expense a book based a text may well have several profoundly on her peculiar family history. Consequently different meanings depending on interpretation members of the association of long standing and the circumstances of the interpreter? would try to avoid any mention of Eta Carina, Which rather blows out of the water the in order to avoid a public recitation of her Fundamentalist’s (recently invented) tradition peculiar claims. As her presence and of Ghod’s literal word / Truth. recitations were seriously out of place at our Catholic Orthodoxy? - The Theology meetings and a disincentive to the joining of represented by the writings of Aquinas made new members, she was asked to leave, after sense while the prevailing Science / being asked on several occasions to keep her Cosmology was that presented by Classical ‘experiences’ to herself at meetings. Greek thinkers passed down through the Members Observations Renaissance. Since then, through the Garry Dalrymple – Troving – I handed out innovations of Galileo, Kepler, Newton and some details of my Troving of John Tebbutt Einstein, the views of Aquinas on how the references. I have commenced a long term world is have shifted from being revealed ‘truth’ project to correct the digitally scanned text of to dogma, and a Theology based on many old Australian Newspapers starting with superseded Sciences. references to or by our association’s founder. I was able to get up on the screen (with the assistance of Mike Chapman) the Trove site and to some degree demonstrate the historical relivence of this to resource to the association. The great value to the individual in taking part in Trove is the incidental discoveries that you may make on the way. For example I now have a deeper understanding of the Business, Religious and Origins of the Tebbutt family. Our association has a great deal of history and through Troving I hope to make some of it more easily accessible to the interested public. In the future I hope to Trove the references to other BAANSW and Sydney City Skywatcher names from the past. Notes from the Sydney City Monty Leventhal – Solar Activity – Skywatchers meeting of May 7, 2012, Currently the level of Solar Activity is low. An unusual Red area of Plage (brightness) was at Sydney Observatory, Tonight’s observed. Several extremely long filaments Topic, Eta Carina, a story 300 years were observed, the overhead view of in the making? by Alan Plummer prominences previously erupted. The longest of these was estimated to stretch for Who was there; 18 people, 6 F 12M 438,000 km across the Sun’s surface. These were seen to commence from the Editorial Comment – GPD areas where active groups had been In years past any mention of ‘Eta Carina’ was recorded during previous rotations of the studiously avoided at our meetings, as, being Sun’s surface. There were a few small an open to the public association and meeting sunspot groups observed and the Sun’s we did have one individual who frequented our surface was clear of spots from the 9th to the meetings who was either through attention 11th. Some Ridges / Filaments were seeking, delusion or mental impairment was of 5 TBS&E Number 49 - February to April 2012 6 revealed by photographs of the sun’s surface constellations, which came to us from the on the 20th, possibly these effects and the Chaldeans, through the Greeks, through the length of the prominences can be explained by Abysiniad Arabs, the custodians of Classical relatively quiet solar weather, but generally, the Greek knowledge while Western Europe was report for this month is ‘Small and Few’. going through it’s Christian lead book burning Harry Roberts – Lunar Drawings & phase etc, hence constellations with names Rediscovering James Dunlop’s missing from Greek Mythology and individual stars Deep sky objects – Harry was able to present with latinized Arabic names. To augment to the meeting two books featuring his these 48 constellations, Plancius drawings of features on the Moon. Both books despatched Keyser to the South in 1595 to are about how to sketch Astronomical make observations to fill in the gaps revealed observations. One is in English and the other by mariners. Keyser died in the attempt but in German. These are in addition to the his observations made it back to Holland and frequent appearance of his drawings in local were incorporated in Beyer’s Star Atlas of and overseas Astronomy magazines. James 1603. This chart included Eta Carina, This Dunlop’s was employed by Governor Thomas chart is fairly difficult for modern observers to Brisbane at the Parramatta Observatory. In easily read, having no constellation his spare time, and as a personal initiative he boundaries included and stars are instead prepared a catalogue of 600 deep sky objects. buried among allegorical animal figures, yet, Of these, John Herschel observing from Cape both the positions are accurate and from the Town, some years later only found about 200 observations of the time, some inferences of these, and casting doubt on the quality of can be drawn about the relative brightness of Dunlop’s work. Harry believes that he has individual stars. Next we have (Captain) found / identified objects, through visual Edmond Halley observing from Helena, a inspection and reference to Observatory field poor choice of location as clear nights were Survey photographs that might be Dunlop 266 few and far between, resulting in mapping the and 267. To define a search area Harry position and brightness of a few hundred computed the Right Ascension and Declination Southern stars. The next observers of Eta changes that could be expected from Carina were Francis Noel in 1687 and the precession over the nearly two centuries Jesuit La Caille in 1752, whose main interest between Dunlop’s observation and the present was recording the machinations of the day. These two objects are extremely close Chinese Court /State, while maintaining the together and AAO colour images show an clocks which were so important to Chinese orange patch and a close by ‘star like’ object in Court Astrology at the time. Later the vicinity of his search. Incidentally, observations from the Cape of Good Hope Governor Brisbane was an extremely important resulted in 10,000 Southern stars being military figure, being one of the major field catalogued, before the Cape Observatory commanders at the Battle of Waterloo! was built, and this catalogue was what John Tebbutt (1835 to 1916) extensively referred Michael Chapman – New Sydney City to / relied on during his observing career to Skywatchers Website – Mike displayed the identify what he was observing. new and improved association website, whose Light Curves – from the earliest forum was to go ‘live’ later that evening. observations, statements like ‘Brighter than Members of the association are urged to Canopus, halfway between him and Sirius renew their logon to this site / forum due to the and is very Red’ can be translated into difficulties in shifting across old registrations. modern brightness estimates and hence plots on a brightness curve, suggesting not much Eta Carina, a story 400 years in the happening other than a general slow making? by Alan Plummer) brightening trend until about 1837. There The story of Eta Carina is the story of the were major events recorded in 1837, 1843 mapping of the skies of the Southern and it was at it’s brightest during 1844, when Hemisphere by ‘Northern’ observers. it was very nearly the brightest star in the Ptolemy of Alexandria had his 48 ‘classical’ night sky and noticed by non-astronomers, 6 TBS&E Number 49 - February to April 2012 7 thereafter a decline to it’s lowest point in 1915. Consequently, John Tebbutt Pledge – Building the Mission observed this object for over Fifty Years! Observations of Eta Carina to the Moon, by Scott Marshall were almost an Australian Monopoly SSFS during the colonial period (i.e. before Who was there; 30 people, 7 F 23M Cape Town Observatory) with Tebbutt, (about ten Sydney Sci-Fi Meet up H.C. Russell, and Abbott (the ex- people?) Convict Astronomer) making observations. Alexander Roberts, a South African observer Introduction / Editorial Comment also contributed, before he left Astronomy to I was interested in this topic and I was enter politics on the progressive side of the interested to see who turned up, as this ‘Race Issue’. During 1915 to 1943 there is an meeting was listed on the Sydney Sci-Fi Meet absence of visual observers, and photographic up group listing (100 members) with 11 observations of the time are difficult to interpret ‘attending’ and prior to my Tuesday night talk / apply to visually observed magnitude scales. at the Canterbury and District Historical Alan presented three representations of the society I really needed to know if Meet up Eta Carina region, Sky Atlas images from group ‘attending’s really translated to people 1687, 1880 and 1998 epoch. These showed actually attending. I managed to get to the that the relative position of Eta Carina in these Observatory early (cloud on the horizon early charts were accurately portrayed and blocking sight of the crescent Moon, Venus incidentally also demonstrated the effects of and Jupiter) so I could see who showed up precession over this time. from beginning to end. I told Elizabeth What is Eta Carina – It seems to be large Cocking the SSFS Secretary the ‘good news’, Blue Variable (rare) in a binary relationship i.e. to expect a significant number of with a Wolf Rayett star (red), with an strangers and I do believe that about ten or associated mostly Nitrogen Nebula / ejecta so of the people who showed up were Sci-Fi shell which is 15 times the mass of our own Meet up people. This is consistent with the Sun / Solar System. These two stars may data point from the Inner West Book Group have each started with a mass of 100 times Meetup, where 34 ‘Attending’ resulted in that of our Sun, but have been shedding mass about 30 people attending. I believe that ever since their formation. Which was the this meeting’s listing on as a Sci-Fi Meet up outburst star? We do not know, as for stars was a result of John August’s (AKA Mr Y) of this type / size it is possible for the initiative. exchange of mass between gravitational Wayne Short, the SSFS President (of long partners to result in Evolution ‘backwards’ as standing / for life?) opened the meeting with a well as forwards along the Main sequence. number of Society news announcements, the Recently, Eta Carina is trending brighter, so most important of which being the return of truly it is still a star worth watching and the SSFS to the Powerhouse Museum and a anticipating future developments. NB new meeting date starting in May, the ‘Carina’ refers to the Keel of Argo, the ship of second Tuesday of the Month. Jason and the Argonauts of Homeric legend. Due to its great size and width across the sky, Other events of interest to SSFS members modern Astronomers have broken the included; SSFS Participation in children’s constellation of ‘Argo’ into several more bottle rocket launching (and ‘Space face convenient sized parts, Carina, Puppis, Vela painting’?), a ‘Yuri Gagarin’ night dinner at a etc. (c) Garry Dalrymple May 2012 Russian Restaurant, a talk by Kerrie Dougherty to mark the Apollo 16 anniversary Notes from the Sydney Space and a talk by Charles F. Bolden, the visiting Frontier Society meeting of March 26, NASA Administrator. 2012, at Sydney Observatory, Tonight’s Talk; Managing a Cold War

7 TBS&E Number 49 - February to April 2012 8 Managing a Cold War Pledge – then took place at 6 to 9 month intervals, Building the Mission to the Moon, by slowing after the Moon Landing. Scott Marshall SSFS The presentation was in the form of a talk plus A graph of achievements rated for their a DVD / Film of an interviews / discussions of technical complexity compares the US and Apollo project Managers (as old Men) intercut Soviet space efforts clearly shows the US Apollo Moon landing era footage. During the initially behind, but catching up and interview each person described their role in surpassing the Soviets, who were doing prior to becoming involved with NASA. constrained by Technical and Political This film had been created as part of an difficulties, they may have had the designs attempt to preserve corporate memory and to and the dreams, but they just couldn’t build it. document how the Apollo mission had been A key advantage that the Americans had conducted. Also on display were the Saturn was the post WW2 technology transfer from V manual and a number of items of Apollo the German Rocketry effort. The Americans hardware, acquired by the speaker off Ebay. got the best, the designers and the designs, The key word for this presentation about the the Russians got the spares and the second- Mercury to Apollo Missions is ‘Management’. raters. Von Braun et al. had decided in the In 1958 they were building 8,000 kilo Newton closing stages of the war that they and their thrust rockets and by 1967 they were building knowledge should ‘head west’ Also the 36,000 kilo Newton thrust rockets and on the Americans had the benefits of the ‘Free way learn how to manage a system which at its World’, to place land based facilities where peak employed 300,000 people and 30,000 needed, and the greater economic strength to contractors. In 1958 they had short range be able to afford to put speculative ideas into missiles and the Echo satellite, essentially a practice. silvered Mylar balloon, but within a decade The greatest barriers to success were not they were sending men around the Moon. however technical, they were managerial and At the start of the ‘Space Race’, the Soviets communication based, the difficulty of were clearly in the lead, they were able to orbit motivating and keeping 300,000 people and cosmonauts while all the US could manage 30,000 contractors at work and in step, to was a 15 minute up and down sub orbital hop. ensure that people were trained on time and equipment was on hand as it was needed, a But they soon caught up, during the Mercury- task complicated by the fact that many items Gemini-Apollo missions there were 66 used, such as fuel and delicate mechanical launches, 27 of them manned. During the systems were sure to degrade over time, if Mercury mission, there were 27 launches, they produced too far before they were to be roughly one per month (6 manned). Project used (You might wonder how they managed Gemini included 12 flights, 10 of them to do this, to communicate pre-email). Manned, during which the manoeuvres and Before even the Gemini missions started, duration necessary for the Apollo Missions most of the physical ground equipment had were extensively tested, including rendezvous already been built. The Astronauts were between spacecraft and ‘space walks’. Over undergoing training, the Saturn 1 and 1 B two years, this approached one launch every Rockets had been developed and the Saturn two months. A significant point to remember V was being planned. The Managers is that they were all learning on the job, related that there were a number of fronts on revising and improving as they went. The which progress was required, simultaneously. Apollo Mission included 22 launches, 11 Orbital Mechanics, Life support in a Space manned and was greatly delayed (by a year) environment etc. The acceptance of Risk after the catastrophe of Apollo 1, which by the managers and their test pilot required a major re-engineering after the Astronauts is almost unconceivable in today’s causes of the fire which killed three astronauts climate. were understood. Manned Apollo launches

8 TBS&E Number 49 - February to April 2012 9 NASA nearly lost the Saturn V rocket! The ‘Little Joe’ Mercury era rocket, with a Originally under development by the Army, the mercury test capsule mounted atom a heap Saturn rocket research / production was of apparently cobbled together at hand and suspended by the US Military in 1958, and was WW2 war surplus materials, illustrated the only saved by a transfer in 1959 to NASA, after point that multiple experiments were carried the realized that they would need to develop out simultaneously during the early Mercury- rockets in house as they could not rely on just Gemini-Apollo years. adapting military kit. The Presidential Decision – Kennedy’s 1961 announcement ‘We will go to the Moon...’ was not made in a vacuum. By 1960 NASA already had made plans for manned spaceflight including a Moon Landing in or around 1970. The climate of national will and expectation following the President’s speech probably did help to eliminate some barriers. Computer technology – the on board computer guidance of the Moon rockets was controlled by a 60 k computer, which weighed about 140 kg. A short email sent from a mobile phone these days requires this much Notes from the Sydney Futurian data storage, and by the mid 1980s table top SF Discussion meeting of 64k home computers were commercially available. Friday March 16, 2012 - Topic; Female Societies in SF&F Transparency & Freedom from Contractual obligation – The managers of NASA all Stories acknowledged that they had a pretty free hand to do what was necessary, conditions of Present were – David Bofinger, Garry freedom from political interference and Dalrymple, Diane Fox, John Fox, Ann contractual obligation allowed them to do Rankins, Dean Wheatley (And Brian Walls) deals, borrow people, ideas and technologies to achieve a best fit that couldn’t be done What we have been reading recently; today. They exchanged people with BD – Is currently reading ‘His Dark Materials’ contractors and had a freedom to by Phillip Pulman. communicate, engineer to engineer, without GD – Has just read ‘Between Worlds’ a 1951 the need of lawyers. Part of the reason was Robert Heinlein Juvenile – Admirable how transparency in that Congress was briefed all he was able to create a SF story within the the way along, leading to a degree of trust and constraints placed on him at the time by the bipartisan support. There was also a great American Librarians Association. (I have degree of within contract freedom, i.e. they it discussed and reviewed this book elsewhere was no big deal to spend Mercury contract in this issue of TBS&E). Dollars developing technology so that it would Have just started reading ‘Hoka! Hoka! be available for Gemini or Apollo use, as there Hoka!, by Poul Anderson and Gordon R. was a sense of continuing mission, something Dickson. lost to later space initiatives. DF- Is currently Reading a number of books The rest of the talk was an agreeable tour of from the SMSA Library, including; ‘The interesting scenes and comparisons to Woman in Black’, A Book of Fantasy Stories illustrate minor points, such as the difficulties (some good others not), ‘Squirel Seeks of scaling up illustrated by before and after Chipmunk’ by David Sedaris and ‘Bible shots of state of the art rocketry, such as a Stories for Adults’ (not Sunday School chart of the Titan ‘family’ of Rockets, ranging reading! from missiles to heavy launch to orbit vehicles. JF- Is currently Reading, on his new 9 TBS&E Number 49 - February to April 2012 10 telephone, ‘The Aunts Story’ by Patrick White consortium is favoured on ‘political’ rather (Aust) and a book of verse, ‘Howl, Kaddish than technical grounds? Boo! and other Poems’ by Alan Ginsberg Fossil Remains of a new type of Ancient AR- Is not currently reading (or watching TV) at Human, alive up to 11,000 years BP, the Red the moment, but has seen a number of movies Deer Cave People have been discovered in including ‘Mysterious Island II’ (apologies to China. They had very wide faces and May Jules Verne), which is OK if you like CGI SFX or may not be Denisovans, attempts to (Elephant sized Butterflies and Butterfly sized recover Genetic information having (so far) Elephants!). Plans to see ‘John Carter’ (no failed. ‘of Mars’) at the Darling Harbour IMAX screen. A Korean researcher, who was first to clone Impressed by six legged Martian Bulldogs, the dogs, is planning to clone a Mammoth ‘real only thing that can move faster than John soon’, using a lady elephant and DNA from Carter, so the movie is sort of like someone Russian Mammoth bone marrow. dealing with receiving ‘Super Powers’ from The iconic SF Movie ‘2001’ is currently Earth Muscles Vs Mars Gravity (one third G?). screening at the NSW Art Gallery, for Free. John and Diane Fox have already seen ‘John Garry has been looking into the alternative Carter’ in Katoomba at The Edge’s Imax Fandom Universe of Sydney’s Sci-Fi Meet screen. Brian informed me that he has see a Up groups, three groups, one and a half DVD of ‘John Carter of Mars’ , a movie had active, perhaps 250 ‘fans like us’, out there? been made previously to ‘John Carter’ _and it A series of SF&F movies are being regularly is terrible_. Confusion with this, denial of screened to sellout crowds (50 tickets) at The publicity and or threat of litigation is part of the Vangard, a cinema / bar / music venue which reason why the current movie is with ‘of Mars’. is two doors along from the Goulds Second We can only hope that the movie encourages hand Bookshop. Monthly or Weekly, run by people seek out and re-read the original books. Jay Katz of the Mu Meson Archive. The Aurealis Magazine Awards will take DW- Is currently reading ‘Dead Harvest’ the place in Sydney this year, North Sydney, May first book by Chris F. Holm, who is better 12, 2012. Represents a night out and an known as a Crime Writer. This book was ‘Industry’ awards night with a bag of goodies released in a ‘stressed appearance’ edition by for ~$40 or so. Angry Robot and could be described as Noir Ditmar awards nominations are open, now Urban Fantasy, as it features a ‘Reaper’ like what have I been doing this past year? collector of evil souls. Quite good and The last episode (of six) of Gay / Sci-Fi sequels are in production, each with a title that Fanboy TV program ‘Outland’ screened this is a take on well known classic Noir titles. week. A case of Polio may have emerged in India News recently, Polio only exists in Afghanistan and Aurora – We’ve got Aurora Australis visible Somalia. India had been ‘polio free’ for a in some parts of Tasmania and Victoria, due to year. This lead to a discussion of the only a recent strong-ish Solar Storm. two successful ‘genocides’ to date, against The International Space Station is to be re- Smallpox and Rinderpest. supplied in April by an new experimental BW – Brian is recorded here as participating American capsule (only non-essential supplies) in this meeting as he phoned me the that is hoped to be man rated shortly. It following day with some important news looks very much like a Soyuz spacecraft. about a range of activities connected with the NASA is about to recruit another intake of annual ‘Fantastic Planet’ Sci-Fi (and Astronauts, so polish your CV? Horror?) film Festival. A very nice piece of Solar observation, a filament, has been promoted on the internet as Science Fiction on TV at the ‘a Death Star like Spacecraft re-fueling’ moment? Australia seems unlikely to get the Square I’ve noticed; Ashes to Ashes, Dr Who, Misfits, Kilometre Array Telescope, the African Outland (finished), Sanctuary, Six Million 10 TBS&E Number 49 - February to April 2012 11 Dollar Man, Star Trek Next Generation, like Leila of the Sevateem, but neither of Torchwood, Voyager, and the occasional these really fit the topic? Schlocky Horror show TVS screenings – Nothing much New, mostly repeats with Women Rulers - In both Captain Janeway’s unsympathetic screening times. Voyager and in the person of the Borg Queen you have a woman in charge, which Discussion of the topic: Female doesn’t reflect the complexion of the greater Societies in SF&F Stories culture, so their rule is coincidence rather than essential. In Star Trek Next Generation, the Betazoid world has women of high status and influence, but is it a Matriarchy? In ‘She’ by Rider Haggard, an exceptional Woman is running things, due to her unique magical skills, the culture she rules being no matriarchy. In both of the ‘V’ To generalise, a lot most stories with ‘Women TV series, the head rodent swallower seems in Charge’ are very uneven storytelling, many to be a woman, but it is unclear if this is an are ‘incomplete’ stories as they are writing in exception or the rule in the greater Lizard the service of pushing a particular political or society. In ‘Witch World’ by Andre Norton social point of view. There are also a vast (a woman) Women are in charge, through number of ‘Comedy’ and Pornographic the use of a form of ‘magic’ which is really treatments that derive their mcguffin from just Science gone a bit beyond our inverting the familiar (i.e. the Bing Crosby and comprehension. Bob Hope ‘On the Road to ...?’ movie and ‘The Benny Hill Show’ sketches?), where the Women running things behind the scenes idea of _Women_ calling the shots, socially or In the Novel ‘Sex Max’, by somebody sexually was such a hilarious situation (?). Cooper, (probably not a woman) it is older women who are running things behind the Several types of ‘Women in Charge’ stories scenes, a process where men die off at 48 were identified during our discussion. years of age, young women are forced on a) There are Women Rulers, frequently them to promote death by overexertion, exceptional women in societies that are not leaving younger men virile men being specifically matriarchal. reserved for older women (yeah I guess that’s b) There are societies where, behind the some bodies dream). In one of the scenes, women are actually running things. Lensmen series by E.E. Doc Smith (a c) There are All women Societies, which are woman) there is a world ruled by Women, in frequently religious based. which men are denied a male pronoun, and d) There are Women only societies which some women have difficulty in taking have to deal with the obvious biological seriously anything that a mere man has said. problems. In ‘Dune’ by Frank Herbert, the Bene e) There are societies which invert the Gesserit order are running things behind the familiar, by having women ‘on top’, in power scenes to the extent of controlling the and Males in an inferior position. bloodlines of the ruling houses, but whether Some of the examples we discussed would they are truly in control of the galaxy / Empire seem to fit into two or more categories. We is up for debate. In ‘Cetagenda’ by Lois declined to include stories involving singular Women Warriors, as essential characters, Mc Master Bujold, a Miles Vorkosigan such a ‘Red Sonja’ by Howard and ‘Xena adventure, the Haut class of Ladies are doing much the same thing on the Planet of Warrior Princess’, unless they contained actual Female Societies. In ‘A Many Coloured Land’, Cetagenda. Henry Kutner (a woman) wrote a book where all females were witches and by Julian May (a woman) there are strong consequently controlling men, which was only female characters, but it is not a female lead documented in an unpublished ‘secret society. I mean, even Dr Who’s Peladon had history’. societies ruled by _A_ woman and the Amazon 11 TBS&E Number 49 - February to April 2012 12 All women Societies - In Star Trek Next an uncontrollable libido! In ‘Gate to Generation, Deana Troi’s mum, from the Women’s Country’, by Sheri S. Tepper, Betazoid Planet (Betamax?) is influential as ‘civilised’ society is ruled by women, she is the office holder of a religion-ish based barbarian men live outside the city limits. order. In ‘The Tombs of Atuin’ by Ursula K Le The blokes are under the impression that Guin by the action takes place within an all tough guys get to have children, instead the female Monastery. In ‘Dune’, by Frank ladies are actively trying to breed meekness Herbert, by the powers of the Benegesserit into men. This book does ghastly things to order are _supposed_ to be restricted to the men, and worse to an understanding of female line of descent, a neat dualism that is Evolution. Similar things happen in the first stuffed up by Paul Atriades being born a boy book of the Airship / ‘Skylords’ series by rather than a girl! In ‘Consider her Ways’ by (deceased) Australian Writer John John Wyndham there is an all female society. Brosnan?Somebody, except the women in In ‘Xenia Warrior Princess’, Xenia, having a this book only rule isolated colonies and have bad hair day encounters the Amazon Tribe / to pay tribute to the (male) Skylords above. Order of Women and kills them all! Wonder In ‘Something Something’ a book by Woman comes from a Woman run society. Somebody Cowper, about a world dominated by a River, some controlling entity Women only Planets - In Blakes Seven, the has decreed that in order to preserve the character Cally comes from an all female, mind peace, men can only make one trip on the reading and parthogenic society. In ‘The River (or die), ending the possibility of ‘war’, Tombs of Atuin’ by Ursula K Le Guin the but women can travel as much as they like, action takes place within an all female i.e. a Sailor’s Life is a woman’s life, and Monastery. ‘Consider her Ways’ by John presumably all that goes with that. Wyndham features an all female society. Wonder Woman’s home Island? ‘Houston Some other books that are worth do you read’, by James Tiptree Jr (a woman) mentioning include; ‘Herland’, by Charlotte features Astronauts encountering an all female Perkins-Goodman (1915) (a utopia of the world. There are no doubt a whole hat full of future), ‘The Female Man’ and ‘When it ‘Feminist SF’ stories and books which focus on Changed‘, both by Joanna Russ (dec’d) Women characters to the point that Male ‘Glory Season’ by David Brin characters may not be noticed, or essential to Conclusions – Most (but not all) of these the story. Can’t really complain though given stories are written by women, some to make the number of early ‘mainstream’ SF stories a ‘feminist’ (more properly a Humanist) point, that were practically without Women, as late as or to redress a situation by inversion, but the first Starwars Movies, the total range of rarely by use of satire. The imagery used female roles available were ‘Princess’, or at times borrows from Biology, with Hive ‘exotic dancer’, hardly a balance within the Queen over Bee or White Ant Hive type force Luke / Mr Lucas? ordered societies. Inverted gender Roles, Women ‘on top’, and Perhaps the best image to end this meeting Males in an inferior position. account with is that scene in Aliens, of ‘Sex Max’ fits in here too. In the play ‘The Maternalism on hyperdrive, when its Ripley Matriarchy of Ranok’, by Katherine M. Vs the Hive Mother! Hemming, the ladies Rule, their way of life Deviations – Discussions of the use and being more ‘advanced’ than that of men, and abuse of Reindeer Pee as a hallucegenic so their ‘Girl Power’ revolution succeeds (second hand Mushroom Alkaloids), as were Galaxy Wide! In an unsuccessful Pilot by scatological references in ‘stoner’ movies. Gene Roddenberry, a bloke wakes up after New Science Fiction and Fantasy Books years on ice, to a female dominated society, for March 2012 at the SMSA Library probably to be played for laughs and likely to Include; be as funny as the original sketch of the Deana ‘ Carnelians’ by Catherine Ansaro (US), Troi figure who was to have four breasts and 12 TBS&E Number 49 - February to April 2012 13 Fantasy the fast moving ‘dog thing’ stole the show. ‘ A Crown Imperiled’ by Raymond E Fiest Has seen ‘Hunger Games’ and is looking (US), Fantasy forward to seeing ‘Battleship’. ‘ The Business of Death’ by Trent Jamieson DW- Currently Reading, ’V for Vendetta’, the (Aust), Urban Fantasy novelisation (i.e. the movie was based on a ‘ The Clone Redemption’ by Steven Kent (US), comic book). Much in this book is changed Science Fiction from the movie, and from the original story in ‘ The Outcast Dead’ by Graham McNeill (US), the comic book, particularly changes in Fantasy dialogue which were a negative to those ‘ Blue Remembered Earth’ by Alistair familiar to the two earlier versions. Has also Reynolds (UK), Science Fiction read David Kowalski’s ‘The Company of the Dead’, an alternate history SF story that goes Notes from the Sydney Futurian through a Spy Drama section before diverting SF Discussion meeting of Friday into a bloodfest (it _is_ a very substantial April 20, 2012 - Topic; Aging and book) appreciated the changing of literary Senility in SF Stories genres. News Present were – Garry Dalrymple, Diane Deep Sea Diving one upmanship? - James Fox, Matt Little, Ann Rankins, and Dean Cameron went very deep recently, (deeper Wheatley Apologies received from – than any man has been since 1958 I believe) Stephen Bingle, John Fox and Brian Walls took an IMAX camera along to record the What we have been reading recently; journey (into the stygian darkness). GD - Currently Reading (see book reviews). Mr Branson is planning to go deeper or DF- Currently Reading, ’The Sign of the Four’ longer or something once his bathysphere is a Sherlock Holmes Comic book. Has seen ready? the ‘John Carter’ Movie and is looking forward Similarly, the Amazon founder is planning to to seeing ‘Troll Hunter’ on DVD go deep, to search for and recover the Apollo First and Second Stage rocket remains ML - Currently Reading, ‘Tinker, Tailor, currently littering ocean depths. Soldier, Spy’ by John Le Carre, appreciates ‘Thar She Blows!’, Shades of Herman the study of characters within the book. Did attend the ‘Surprise’ Fantastic Planet, Sydney Melville’s Moby Dick, as NASA is funding a Sci-Fi Film festival and did find one Science feasibility study into harpooning a Comet fictional enough movie to attend, being (honestly, hasn’t Bruce Willis done ‘Another Earth’, about a parallel Earth, enough?). populated by identical people. The story was NASA’s big zero G neutral buoyancy about someone having a bad time on one simulation tank is now available for hire (and Earth, winning a lottery to go visit the other. under President Mitt Romney will be Didn’t really use the SF potential very well. available for Mormon proxy baptisms of the AR- Currently Reading, ’Sisterhood of Dune’ dead?). SFX Magazine says that ‘Zorro’ is about to be by Herbert and Anderson, which is set 80 years after the Butlerian Jihad and serves to re-born, but in a Mad Max style! document the genesis of both the Bene There are plans for an Alternate history /eras Gesserit order and the Teilaxi face dancers – clash movie, the Marines Vs the Roman is becoming bored with this and other recent Legions. books of the ‘franchise’ as recent instalments The Movie ‘Legion’ (which we saw on an seem to consist of re-runs of once fresh ideas. outing) may be becoming a TV series, a pilot From reading ‘Cradles of Saturn’ by Hogan, has been shot. has become interested in Velicovski-ism, as ‘Space 2099’, is an updating of ‘Space 1999’ this SF book mentions and explores his from the 1980s theories. Also saw the ’John Carter’ movie, The Parole of the ‘Alcatraz’ TV series has but on the IMAX screen, where she recons that been revoked and this confusing series it is 13 TBS&E Number 49 - February to April 2012 14 unlikely to finish filming the current series / impairment. achieve any resolution. In John Wyndham’s ‘The Trouble with The SF / Sci Fi references observed in the ‘Community’ series (on GO 90 7.30 Thursdays) Lichen’ the problem isn’t Aging and Senility, gives the departed ‘Outland’ a run for its the problem is it’s solution, when an ‘anti- aging’ crème really does work. money, especially the ‘Inspector of Space Time’ segment which is a Dr Who rippoff. In Arthur C Clarke’s ‘The Sentinel’, deals Can view these via You Tube if you like. with the deterioration of a computer / AI left May the Fifth (day after International Star Wars behind when it’s creator race moves on. Day – ‘May the Fourth be with you’, etc.) is Dr Who offers us the Face of Boe, AKA Free Comic Book day, but best to be there Captain Jack, made eternal by the before Noon as all the good stuff goes quickly. confluence of time police frequent flyer points and exposure to medical grade regenerating nanites. Topic; Aging and Senility in The Minyans (The Quest is the Quest) on SF Stories their journey suffer repeated sequential aging effects, prior to regeneration sessions. In Morwen Undead there is a whole Space liner (actually 12 persons?) who challenged the Galifreyan Time Lords with Time Travel experiments of their own and were punished by having to endure eternal life and mental decay. The Tardis may or may not be suffering from age related deterioration. In Poul Anderson’s ‘Lone Star Planet’, Earth (NB this image is not intended in any way to be is contacted from Space. It seems that a a representation of John Fox) long forgotten group of Americans who left Historically - Few if any references in the Earth over a century ago have done well and classics or religious literature to growing old want to speak to ‘The American President’ and impaired, Methuselah reaching 925, Noah about renewing old ties; Problem 1, the 205, Isaac/Israel being conceived by his Chinese took over America decades ago mother at 70 ish, as was John The Baptist. imposing their form of ‘progressive Socialism’ All legendary old people, but without age’s which reduced America to peasantry and infirmities. And, on the other hand, there are China isn’t in a much better state. Problem stories of King Arthur’s Merlin aging 2, these Spartan like Space Americans are backwards, i.e. the older he was, the younger rabidly xenophobic, anti-communist, have a he appeared. And there is the age defying space fleet and are armed to the teeth with tradition of Sleeping Beauty, waiting for her Nukes!. Prince! So the Chinese Authorities find a dupe / dude to be elected to the generations vacant Historically, there was a King of the Goths, position of US President and fly him to the who concerned by his own aging and his Lone Star Planet with two Chinese subsequent inability to ‘lead from the front’, minders/aides. They nearly get away with committed suicide _at the age of 110!_ . the deception that ‘all is well’ in America. King Seti of Egypt lived into his 90s, burying The turning point of the book is founder’s day over a hundred sons and grandchildren in a on the Lone Star Planet, when the last royal tomb with gallery after gallery of rooms surviving 200 year old and entirely senile Science Fictionally – original settler from Earth is briefly revived In Jonathan Swift’s ‘Gullivers Travels’, we from his coma to give his benediction to the encounter a nearly eternal race, the renewed contact with Earth, he sees the struldebugs, who suffer for their longevity, long aides and with unmistakable venom shouts life, but with a full measure of age’s mental ‘Chinks!’ before expiring to the sound of guns being drawn at the mention of this nearly 14 TBS&E Number 49 - February to April 2012 15 mythical diabolical enemy. NB another growing, without prospect of stopping – ever. curiosity of this book is that the planetary In ‘Venus of Dreams’ by Pam Seargent, culture has a radically skewed gender ratio, aging brings with it a need to replace failing with one bloke for every 50 women, each man memories with Cyber Memory storage. being the head of a large household of female In the days of pulp SF and gimmick cures, relatives (a Southern ‘Colonel’) and a injections of ‘Monkey glands’ were all the go militaristic culture, but I’m not sure exactly how for restoring vitality, SF stories exist about the two are resolved. these ‘Monkey Glands’ being harvested from David Brin’s ‘Uplift War’ series features Elder children etc. Races that go senile and seek to be allowed to Brains in bottles, frequently encountered in devolve and rest for a few million years. Sci-Fi, seem not to age beyond their initial Stories of the Roman Empire in Space, ‘harvesting’ i.e. the collection of brains of past focussed on it’s decline from greatness, emperors on the starship and series Lexx. depicting the aging and senility of a political In the book version of P.D. James’ ‘The system. Children of Men’, a book about a world where The series of ‘Coccoon’ movies feature no child has been born for 25 years, there is oldsters who ‘get better’ due to alien contact, a great deal said about facing a future in an but not all are prepared to accept the offered increasingly aging world. Not great SF, but new lease on life. it is chillingly prescient as I attend Kipling In the Series Red Dwarf the ships computer ‘Holly’ is said to be senile after 2,000,000 and Canterbury and District Historical years, but Marvin the Paranoid Android from Society meetings. the Universe of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Self referential issues – Aging and Galaxy, who is left in a car park for Billions of memories are increasingly becoming a years, merely has ‘this pain in the diodes down personal concern to our generation of fans? my left side’. How would this meeting be if we lost the ability to remember books read, TV and In Frank Herbert’s Dune series, Paul Atreides Movies seen? Is this entire newsletter in achieves a degree of immortality befitting a fact an attempt at a cure for fannish senility? Ghod Emperor by wearing and fusing with a There is much more I could / should write on sandworm skin, he becomes senile ish, before this topic, but perhaps it is my own memories he gets dumped into a river and becomes sand that are fading. (c) Garry Dalrymple May trout. In Dune the Spice is an Anti-Agathic, 7, 2012 similarly in Cordwainer Smith’s ‘Norstrilla’ series it is the drug ‘Stroon’ which provides life extension, each a 1960s idea that if drugs can Notes from the Friday May 18, do things to ‘enhance’ your mind, then why not 2012 Sydney Futurian SF drugs to extend your lifespan? NB look up Bruce Gillespie’s Steam Engine Time for an Discussion meeting, Topic; excellent article comparing the many startling Explorations of Micro Spaces, similarities between ‘Dune’ and ‘Norstrilla’. Mind Spaces, Virtual Reality In J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord Of The Ring, bearing, of being in the presence of the ‘One and in-between dimensions in Ring that Rules them All and in the darkness SF Stories (Dean’s choice) binds them all’ will extend your life, but with personality warping consequences, including Present were – Stephen Bingle, Garry senility like symptoms? Dalrymple, Diane Fox, John Fox, Ann Recently many stories have been written Rankins and Dean Wheatley involving nano technology, including the effect of adding telomeres to aging cells and or What we have been reading recently; repairing cell damage. SB – Is not currently reading any SF, or In Orson Scott Card’s ‘Enders Game’ the watching much Sci-Fi TV character ‘Bean’ is an immortal but with aging GD – Is currently Reading ‘Flows the Silver’ consequences, in that he is perpetually by Ki Livingstone, a story about the life (and 15 TBS&E Number 49 - February to April 2012 16 Death) of Hypatia of Alexandria, shows the of support for the ALP government included a decadence of Rome continuing through the pledge that the ABC would require the next politics of the Christian takeover and book Wiggle to be a ‘Greens’ (or a ‘Brown’ one)? barbeque. We may never know. DF - Is currently Reading Margret Atwood’s A re-make of ‘Short Circuit’ (Five is alive) is ‘In other Worlds’ a collection of her SF short on the way, in this unnecessary sequel Five stories by the famously ‘Non-SF’ Author, and gets to kill people, so Five is Alive, but you half a dozen or so Graphic Novels. won’t be for much longer! JF - Isn’t reading much at present, playing with ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’ are a new phone and Ipad etc (Tech Toys) Has being remade as a supernatural horror story bought a book called ‘Kafka’s Soup Recipes’, a (with Zombies and steam ships on the cookbook written in imitation of that writer’s Mississippi?) peculiar literary style. There are several other ‘Nineteen Eighty Four’ is being re-made by books in the series. Ron Howard, presumably with a teenage AR - Has just finished reading Anderson and Winston Smith / Happy Days setting? Herbert’s ‘Sisterhood of Dune’ which actually The Multi-Superhero movie ‘Avengers III’ is got interesting towards the end, next up in ‘ The being made, at the same time as ‘Avengers Butlerian Jihad’ (surely not an uprising of II’. The first ‘Avengers’ movie earning a domestic servants?), has visited the Sydney Billion Dollars at the box office in two weeks! Maritime Museum (if only I _could_ walk on Dean has seen the 10 minute ‘The Hobbit’ water) and saw the Dutch sailing ship The pre-view – and wasn’t impressed, technical Dufkin and saw it as an image of how difficulties with 48 frames per second video cramped and primitive this 1600s ‘space travel’ are part of the issue. craft is and reflected on how Mercury to the Kodak _had_ an undeclared Nuclear Reactor Shuttle will appear to future generations 400 producing weapons grade enriched Uranium, years hence. begs the question, did the marketing research Also, Scurvy played a part in the US war of guys mistake ‘Tourists want ...’ with ‘Terrorist Independence, as the effectiveness of British want ...’ – passing strange? troops on being landed was reduced by the NASA’s Opportunity Rover re-activated after Atlantic passage and living on ships. surviving the Martian Winter. DW - Is currently Reading ’Land of Hope and The Steam Punk event at the Zig Zag Glory’ a steam punk story about India building Railway has had to accept a late substitution, an empire among the benighted Europeans, they will be going ‘Diesel Punk’ instead, as written by a NZ Author, Geoffrey Wilson. It the steam train needs fixing. seems that the Indians discovered ‘Sitva’ and Garry attended the recent, held at North this powers their ‘Industrial Revolution’ which Sydney Aurealis awards night. Came features self-aware steam locomotives which away impressed by what was there, tend to go feral. A book easily read as it has disappointed by what wasn’t, a more detailed proper length chapters. Also reading a report / rave elsewhere. ‘Mammoth book of non-fictional Antarctic The evidence is in – The Weather is hotting adventures, usually passages from the up and it’s ‘Not Natural’. explorer’s diaries The Sydney Writer’s Festival has been and gone without raising a SFnal sweat. No News overseas Adult SF writers were invited as ‘Lost Girl’ series on the Sci-Fi Chanel has a girl such (the ‘joined at the hip’ Justine dealing with her Vampire / Werewolf identity Labalistier and Scott Westerfield had issues (teenagers these days!) appearances in the ‘Children’s’ section The Wiggles are to retire. Many overseas though). Jeanette Winterson, who has Wiggles versions have a woman Wiggle (a written books that do have Science Fictional pink Wiggle?). A ‘real reason’ for the timing Themes was a ‘poster girl’ for the event, with of their retirement might be that perhaps now publicity before and after, but she was ‘alright’ they can, given the retirement from office of because she was pushing her second book Greens Senator Bob Brown. Had his price 16 TBS&E Number 49 - February to April 2012 17 about her life as an escapee from an sized people. In ‘Meet Dave’, ‘Dave’ is an excessively severe ‘Christian’ adopted family alien exploration craft, designed to and her personal sexual identity issues, surely unobtrusively fit in to human society. Other a story that reaches and is eagerly read by ‘old SF’ stories have been encountered which more Australians than ’mere’ Science Fiction meditate on the prospect of Atoms being and Fantasy – I just don’t think so. Solar Systems, with Electrons as Planets, Discussion of the topic and what life there may be at a subatomic level on these ‘worlds’. The Master, from Dr Who has a micro world calling card, a trail of dead people reduced to hand sized miniatures. The 1950s SF Movie, ‘The Incredible Shrinking Man’, where a bloke starts shrinking due to the effects of radiation, experiencing the threat of familiar objects grown giant sized and contemplating adventures at a subatomic level. The more recent movie, ‘Honey I shrunk the kids’, plays much the same story for laughs. ‘The Avengers’, of the Emma Peel, Patrick McNee era, features an episode where Things to do with the mind, the first that Trucks and people were successfully springs to mind are those stories that occur, smuggled across borders, by reducing them mostly unseen or detected within a ‘World’ that down to matchbox size! is substantially our own, i.e. ‘Wainscotting Fiction’. Macro worlds and people JK Rowling’s Harry Potter’s alternate world ‘The attack of the 50 foot Woman’, advertises exists largely unseen within our own – the effects of Radiation, or consumerism, or therefore an example of ‘Wainscotting Fiction’, something. Was this intended as a feminist as is essentially most Vampire and other statement, a reversal of the presumption of Supernatural writing? female inequality / ineffectuality of the 1950s, The Dr Who Christmas Specials are a special or just a reply / sequel to the ‘The Incredible example of ‘Wainscotting Fiction’, as Shrinking Man’, but with more Drive-in theatre something terrible happens to earth each appeal? Christmas, in our world, and yet we apparent In its most recent remake with Lily Tomlin in forget all about it within a just a few days. the main role, it is ‘allergies’ that trigger the The much missed ‘Dark Skies’ tell the story of transformation, a clear signposting of the cold war, merely a front to fund the real changing community concerns? struggle against Alien invaders. Larry Niven (?) writes of a Neutron Star Microworlds and people Flyby mission (?), where black holes gather and form ‘atoms’ and possibly even ‘life’. In One near future solution offered to address the ‘Land of the Giants’, Irwin Allen’s TV overcrowding and all that is to shrink people series a Gilligan’s Island like crew of space down to petri dish size, hence the pioneer travellers find themselves trapped on a planet ‘Micronauts’. Isaac Asimov offers ‘Fantastic of Giants, where a repressive police state Voyage’, a cold war era trip to micro size to rules and is anxious to gain access to their save the life of a defector with ‘essential for technology. This series may or may not peace’ information. Something like this, but have explored some deeper issues of the played for laughs occurs in ‘Inner Space’ cold war via allegory. featuring Dennis Quaid – apparently. Dr Seuss offers us ‘Hoorton Hears a Who?’, Lost Spaces - Anything set in ‘Hollow Earth’ the discovery of a world on a pollen grain etc. or other adventures set in now missing / In the recent ‘Dr Who’s Death’ episode, a life overlooked places, including adventures by like human is actually a machine run by micro Jules Verne, ‘Journey to the Centre of the 17 TBS&E Number 49 - February to April 2012 18 Earth’, Bulwer Lytton’s ‘Vril’, portions of the question of ‘Who?’. illuminatus trilogy, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s In Philip K Dick’s ‘Minority Report’ future ‘Pellicidar’, S. Rider Haggard’s ‘She’, Atlantis crime prevention depends on the Myths John Wyndham (writing as Richard ‘precognitions’ of basket case psychics, to Beynon) had a number of ‘forgotten detect crimes in advance of their occurring, or civilisation’ novelas and the whole kit and a tleast the system works until it becomes caboodle of JRR Tolkien’s ‘Middle Earth’? possible to ‘hack’ into these minds and plant Also ‘Quattermass and the pit’, dealing with our false precognitions on the public record. In forgotten Martian origins. This theme was Philip K Dick’s, ‘A mirror Darkly’ it’s all a played for laughs by the Goons who found the charade to inject a ‘zombiefied’ undercover ‘ Mind the door’ , a survivor in a long lost policeman into the secret drug farm and send labyrinth of underground Railway lines. a message about it’s location, the farm which Another story was of the survivors of an may or may not be run by the police underground railway tunnel collapse, whose themselves. descendants adapted to a troglodyte and In ‘Strange Days’, the crime of the time is the cannibalistic lifestyle, eating the odd stray illegal sale of real memories, which disturbs underground worker or lone late night legal process to no end, when ‘Who is passenger (a useful suggestion for controlling currently the witness?’ becomes an issue. railway graffiti crime? This story provoked the Adventures beyond the borders of deviation described below. consciousness there are TV shows ‘VR5’ and All in the mind? ‘Burning Palms’ where adventures took place In Frank Herbert’s Dune series there is the ‘all that defy mundane explanation, but through in the mind’ eternal life of ancestral memories the invocation of additional dimension like that is available to Bene Gesserit order planes of reality above those experienced in members, and Paul Attreides, as the Quisatch a mundane world. haderach. In ‘Brainstorm’ the ability to record / replay In ‘Forbidden Planet’ not to be confused with vivid memories allows for a new method of ‘Fantastic Planet’, the deserted but still ‘live’ murder, simply sit the sedated victim in a city of the Kruls was destroyed by a conflict comfy chair with a moebus strip ‘tape’ of a between the Id and the Ego of the Planet’s captivating memory and they wake up but if previous inhabitants, and this conflict threatens uninterrupted they sit there immersed in the to wipe out the crew of the Enterprise looped memory and then die of starvation (prototype?), all this and a re-working of and dehydration over the next few days. In Shakespeare’s Mid Summer Night’s Dream! ‘Lawnmower man’, a story allegedly inspired Paddy Chafesky’s ‘Altered States’ (Book and by ‘Flowers for Algernon’, a retarded Movie) demonstrates that with a warm sensory Lawnmower man’s IQ (and sociopathic deprivation float tub you can not only get in tendencies?) are boosted via virtual reality, touch with your ancestors, but physically leading to bad things happening, in the minds become a few million years ape-human of those logged in. Prior to this there was ancestor. All true, or all in the mind? the then ground breaking animation of ‘Tron’, Algis Budry’s ‘Who?’ is an ‘all in the mind’ where a game player is sucked into the adventure, which has a difficult to accept set ‘world’ of the electronic game. A similar up at this time, in that a scientist’s lab blows fate awaits players of the board game up, the Soviets ‘rescue’ the nearly dead ‘Jumangi’ and later ‘Zarathrusta’. Other scientist and with their advanced science, adventures on the ‘virtual plane’ / human mind intermingled include ‘The Matrix’, ‘Dark restore him to some semblance of ‘life’, as a th titanium skulled, atomic powered cyborg. Is City’ and ‘ The 13 Floor’ but in this last one he the scientist at all? Is he in fact an the characters are usually unaware of the undercover soviet agent made up from the ‘reality’ of their situation. In the trippy 1960s spare bits of the scientist. Even the man French animation ‘Fantastic Planet’, there is a himself isn’t sure, so he is out of a job and got Planet to go to to for the big blue aliens to plenty of time on his hands to explore the have exceedingly trippy dreams. In the Movie ‘Inception’ the main character’s 18 TBS&E Number 49 - February to April 2012 19 profession is a stealer of dreams, for re-sale. Ambrose Bierce is called on to investigate the In ‘that Movie’ we went to see as a ‘Futurians disappearance of an Hawaiian Princess, and Friends’ outing, about a quantum while the then king of Hawaii lies dying in a computer which is able to replay the last eight San Francisco Hotel. The concern for the minutes of a deceased person’s life, this whereabouts of this Princess have to do with access is being used to try to detect the her presumed role in the impending perpetrator, but it ends up re-writing time / succession and the issue of the day, whether preventing these crimes (or something). The the Hawaiian government will grant The US Main character is a very damaged brain in part Government ‘occupation’ concessions to of a body, who creates a capsule / world within Pearl Harbour and land purchase which to ‘live’ between assignments, and concessions to Silas Underwood, the orders a pizza. wealthiest man in Hawaii, the planter There are probably many ‘old’ SF stories, descendant of American Missionary where the time traveller arrives at the future to ‘Conquistadors’ and in effect the banker to find the vast majority of humanity have Hawaiian Royalty and the Hawaiian state. become ‘sleepers’, wired into some sort of He enlists Tom Redmond, a fellow dreamland heaven, while only a small skeleton newspaper reporter and they attempt to staff remain awake to keep the machines resolve the question of the Princesses running. whereabouts, on the way Tom ‘gets lucky’ Misc. - The famous ‘Flatland’ story / with the half Hawaiian Hauni Brown, a ward hypothesis, adventures in a two dimensional of Silas Underwood, learns a lot about the world, or as viewed through a two dimensional culture of Hawaii (and much ‘panipani’ perspective. follows) while Ambrose Bierce hooks up with a lady ‘Spiritualist’ Suffragette with a slightly Deviation – Would Zombies, the rotting dead tarnished reputation. but still walking come down with scurvy based on their singular dietary practices? The story proceeds as an opportunity to Apparently not, there being enough Vitamin C describe some of the background behind the in blood and human flesh to avoid this malady. beginnings of America’s journey towards Apparently you don’t need that much Vitamin Pacific Colonisation (Hawaii then the C to avoid scurvy, the salvation of Eskimos Phillipines and Samoa etc.) and the being that a small piece of Narwal skin has as peculiarities of Hawaii’s ‘slow colonisation’, much Vitamin C as an orange – apparently. © while murder is done and ‘Kahuna’ black Garry P Dalrymple, May 2012. magic is in play. The resolution of the mystery eventually turns on a confrontation where the true identity of the delightful Hauni Brown is revealed and consequently the intentions behind those men who have kept her origins from her. Conclusion – I picked up this book as I was aware of Ambrose Bierce, or rather his reputation, an American figure with a Mark Twain like eye for observing American society, but a darker and more sceptical voice the Author of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer ISBN 0-14-20133-3, Ambrose et al. To a degree I was disappointed, it Bierce and the Death of Kings, by was a tolerable crime investigation and Oakley Hall, a Crime / Mystery involving a possibly an accurate representation of the significant Literary Figure of the past, © 2001, era and the peculiarities behind America 276 pages, 21mm. Read May 6 to 10, 2012 gaining Hawaii, but I was expecting to see / read more about Ambrose Bierce, instead we The Story is a bit hard to follow, initially, get Tom Redmond occasionally meeting up

19 TBS&E Number 49 - February to April 2012 20 with him in time for Ambrose Bierce to deliver glass things are not what they seen, a his conclusions derived by his peculiar (and off counter-wise Earth. stage) investigative methods. There are other ‘Ambrose Bierce investigates’ books, but I’m Conclusion – A SF story of its time? Given not encouraged by this book to seek them out, the reading experiences of it’s author, as this book fails to satisfy me as a detective necessarily derivative fiction? Perhaps story or as a biographical piece. © Garry Stanislaus Lem sort of explored much the Dalrymple May 2012 same issues rather better with his ‘Solaris’, but I’m not sure which story would have been No ISBN - Alice’s World, by Sam J. written first. In any case, I would have to Lundwall – one half of an Ace Double (other describe the writing style of this story as end ‘No Time for Heroes’, by Sam J. Lundwall) being 1950s-ish, although it does have some Science Fiction, © 1971, 122 pages, half a 16 ‘new wave’ 60’s/70’s aspects worked into the mm book, Read April 29 to May 4, 2012 plot, i.e. the fluid nature of reality on ‘Alice’s World’. On the inside cover of this book, the The story is that 50,000 years after mankind’s Author is described as being ‘probably the exodus out into space to create galaxy leading Science Fiction Expert in Sweden’, so spanning star empires, which eventually how much might of the intent of this story collapsed into barbarism, the ‘B Arc’ planets might have been lost in translation? A have confederated and are having their day in curiosity of this particular doubleheader is the sun, having assembled a space survey that it’s other side, ‘No Time for Heroes’ is a fleet they have located ‘Old Earth’ and they re-imagination of the same story, by the same have come looking, hoping to recover writer, only with a crew of ‘stumblebums’ ‘marvellous things’ that might have been left embarking on a journey to ‘Alice’s World’. behind by the high technology star kingdoms This story emerged in the mind of it’s creator of their ancient past. They send down a after the initial story was written, while it small landing party and things go very strange awaited publication. A book I bought and indeed. Encounters with Creatures and started to read as a curiosity, finished without people from Mythology and Literature are both any great enthusiasm to read the other side. common and seemingly random. Things are not what they appear, to humans on the spot or electronic survailance _and_ they keep ISBN 978-0975925591, Flow changing. A second team is sent down, only Down Like Silver, Hypatia of to encounter more equally disturbing / Alexandria, by Ki Longfellow, Literary conflicting situations. Very much a ‘Wishing ‘Faction’ Biographical / Historical?, © 2009, Glass World’, with an ‘Alice’ avatar quietly in 295 pages, 21mm. Read May 14 to 99, 2012 attendance as a personification of the AI that has been left in charge for the 50,000 years This book is a story that starts with the fire since people left. A conversation of sorts that destroyed the Great Library of eventually takes place with between the leader Alexandria, and ends with the death of of the survey mission and the consciousness Hypatia, and represents an attempt to of the AI, who explains that all of Earths explain the history and politics of the times traditions and stories are embodied in the through her life/death. The ‘deeper surface of the earth (nanite like, but not meaning’ of the book might be read as an described as such) and within the boundaries allegory, that then as now, Secular of their story have lives of their own and are Civilisation is under some threat from those able to act autonomously. I.e. the A.I. is not who would prefer to advance a more in a position to instruct them to ‘make nice’ for fundamentalist prescription. the returning humans, as it is now their Planet and their ‘game’. The story ends up with the An introduction to some Books read inhabitants of Earth accommodating the - Well coincidence or what? desires of the exploration team’s commander – during April A War - , as it was sort of trying to do when the Two April books, both Infinitas Bookshop first survey team landed. So, like a looking SF&F Book Review Meeting books and both 20 TBS&E Number 49 - February to April 2012 21 involving Religion. How did that happen? successful applicant, and the main character Possibly just divine providence (again). The is ‘it’ for the succession of one of her two two books take a radically different take on cousins. During the week or so that this all ‘Ghod’, one invents their own dysfunctional unravels, the main character attempts to Theology and World / Universe, the other discover the reasons behind the death of her attempts the SF process of thinking through Mother, has sexual relations with a ‘Dark’ the consequences of the Biblical end time Ghod, and discovers that not only was her narrative and resolves that it is all a bit silly conception part of a deal by her Mother with isn’t it? A Factoid for you, if a Fantasy writer the Defeated Ghods and Half-Ghods to re- uses Initials, then they might be a man, if a incarnate the defeated and deceased Ghod, ‘Science Fiction’ writer uses initials then they but that she has within herself the ‘essence’ might be a woman or actually writing Fantasy of the defeated and deceased Ghod, two dressed as SF. souls in one body etc. The climactic scene ISBN 978-1-841-49817-1, The results in her death before the ceremony and the outbreak of another War between the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, Ghods that will Ghodzilla stomp the whole of the first book of the Inheritance Trilogy, by the Planet! Great News, very unsatisfying, N.K. Jemisin (US), Fantasy pretending to until I read the bit on the cover about ‘the first be SF? 412 pages, (c) 2012, 30 mm – Read book of the Inheritance Trilogy’ and then it April 18 to 29, 2012 sort of made sense, i.e. first part of a story rather than a completed story! This book is about a week in the life / death of a young woman from a far off ‘Barbarian Comment and conclusions – If you love / Women Warrior Tribe’ who is summoned to follow Science Fiction then you may find the World Empire Capital, because she is the reading this book exasperating. If you know only grand-daughter of the current king. Is anything of comparative religion OR this taking place on Earth – Dunno. On psychology then if you try to follow this book another Planet / Creation – Dunno, stop asking too deeply you will probably end up being SF like questions until the Comments and very confused indeed, Ghods _is_ supposed conclusions bit of this review. The Royal court to be ‘ineffable’ rather than ‘F***able’. The owes its supremacy due to a deal done by an only real positive I can say for this book is it is ancestor of the current ruling family with a the sort of stuff (poor SF / poor Fantasy) that ‘God’, during a battle between the Ghods the Harry Potter or Quest fantasy generation some time past. might find interesting because it deals Also, the Court has the services of a captive (imperfectly) with Magic and Princesses and Ghod and the ‘half-God children of the losing ‘relationships’, rather than just Magic and side’s Ghods, so it is magic rather than rightful Princesses. This is presumably why Technology or Economics that keeps the City this book has made it as far as it has on the functioning and the regime in power. We are big SF / Fantasy awards lists – market promised ‘100,000 Kingdoms’, we encounter popularity and novelty to it’s readers, rather or hear of perhaps a dozen. The writer has than any insightful SF merit. For me I really Ghods and half-Ghods wandering around, wanted to ditch this book on reading the imprisoned as much by magic as by their ‘Crescent Moon after Midnight’ scene, which relationship issues! So you can forget any takes place a few days ahead of the pretence to the ‘World’ of this book making any Climactic scene that is timed to coincide with sense. The Theology of this ‘Universe’ is as a NEW MOON! – Not Bloody Likely! © peculiar, three Ghods, each with love hate Garry Dalrymple May 2012 relationships, sibling rivalries and incestuous issues. Is the writer ‘Writing What you know’ ISBN 0-552-13703-0 Good – Ghod I certainly hope not. The resolution of Omens, by Terry Pratchett (UK) and this book, and the reason behind the summons is that for a royal succession there needs to be Neil Gaiman (US), Fantasy with a religious a human sacrifice of someone close to the theme. 383 pages, (c) 1990, 29 mm – 21 TBS&E Number 49 - February to April 2012 22 Read April 10 to 17, 2012 human issues. What I fund to be most You might care to look up what I recorded worthwhile about this book was that in about this book at the recent ’Open Mike’ between the levity it did take a look at the Infinitas Bookshop SF&F Book Review implications of ‘Biblical’ traditions and the Meeting. This book is a re-interpretation of interpretations of prophecies. If it’s all true ‘Omen’, when the Devil has a child, bringing and going to happen, then ‘Ghod’ really is a about the end of the world / final days etc. But cranky old Testament era man deserving little this is by two British Writers, so it is a bit more human respect, or on the other hand, if you thoughtful than the Made for America effort, as rely on an a more Humanistic (New it looks at the ‘issues’ and says ‘Oh really!’ Testament Ghod) interpretation of the will of You might also see nuances of the fall of the Ghod being ‘ineffable’ then allowing for a Berlin Wall / end of the Cold War, as the non-literal interpretation of Biblical dogma participants from each side of the ‘Battle being ‘allegorical’, still leaves you with a Ghod between Good and Evil’ are able to get whom you might care to love or respect, or at together and decide that as imperfect as the least understand? © G Dalrymple May world is, ending it all in a battle to end all 2012 battles and a ‘Final Victory’ just isn’t worth the cost that must be paid by all the ‘little people’ An introduction to some Books read just to satisfy some big ego players ‘plan’. during March Well How did that happen, This takes place through a combination of three books read, three 1980s books and farce elements, the agents through which evil each a different take on first contact with works are not always efficient, too busy being aliens or a re-connection with Earth ‘evil’ to be ‘good staff’ resulting in a switched castaways who had gone native. Each book baby, and ultimately, a triumph of though takes a very different view of the first reasonableness and Nurture over Nature, in contact / re-contact experience, one is a story that the actual child of the devil when driven by Biological Science, one is driven by confronted by the facts of his origins and of his ‘Social’ Science and the Hoka book is played potential powers, realizes that bringing about for laughs? Two of these books I borrowed the end of the world / final days etc. simply from the SMSA Library (had one at home) wouldn’t be worth doing, and that assuming and the other I have had at home for some control of everything wouldn’t be much of an time. When I can I’m borrowing, reading and existence either, better to use his powers very reviewing and books from the SMSA library to selectively, hardly change much and getting on give them five more years of shelf life. with enjoying a human experience with his Hopefully, as I progress in this project I will be friends etc. able to deploy these reviews and encourage We also meet the Four Horsemen of the a greater rate of SF borrowings at the SMSA apocalypse (including a late substitute), who library. are very disappointed at their role in the scheme of things, and the remains of the ISBN 0-87997-801-5 The Gates of ‘Witch Finder General’s forces, who each Eden, by Brian Stableford (UK), resolve their respective issues and ‘get lucky’ Science Fiction about first contact, 176 and there is a subplot with the single authentic pages, (c) 1983, 13 mm. (Borrowed from ‘True Prophecies’ book ever created. the SMSA Library) Read March 20 to 23, Comment and conclusions – In presenting 2012, ‘human’ personifications of major theological players this book at the time probably was a bit A story in search of a personal pronoun? I of an innovation. I believe that Piers Anthony read towards 60 pages of this book with the (his second favourite dog was a Basenjis at view that the main character was a female one time) put out Two series of books along scientist, why? Because the cover art these lines at about this time. These days, as showed an undressed blended Woman / you may read in ‘The 100,000 Kingdoms’ Biped Lizard holding an empty space suit. Ghods not only have human bodies, they have So I expected the book would contain 22 TBS&E Number 49 - February to April 2012 23 something like this. The story to page 60 or books have a longevity and currency greatly so featured no clearly identified gender specific beyond that of ‘technology’ and SFX SF behaviour, so why couldn’t the character have books, which can feel dated after only a few been a woman rather than a man – made me years (see the technology in John think a bit about gender assumptions in SF stories. However, the story runs as follows, Birmingham’s ‘futuristic’ ‘World War 2.1’ long ago, when things were getting really series). desperate on Earth they sent off generation ships to distant stars to look out for potential ISBN 0-449-90496-2 Hoka! ‘Second Earth’ Planets suitable for Hoka! Hoka!, by Poul Anderson colonisation, and to drop off Hyperspace and Gordon R. Dickson (Both US), beacons so that Earth Ships could navigate Science Fiction, first contact, 307 pages, (c) across featureless Hyperspace. One of 1957,1983, 20 mm, Read March 15 to April these ships, 350 years on mission has 01, 2012. reported in and reported an Eden like planet, I can remember fans in the 1980 really and it seems fit for human settlement, only getting excited by Hoka stories, possibly to their entire on planet survey crew have the point of engaging in fanfic and hanging mysteriously died, except for one woman who out for the next Hoka story to emerge! It has gone missing. Better to call in people also permitted, with suitable padding and a with 350 years more scientific progress to bear face mask, the admission of any sort of solve the problem than to send down another fancy dress to SF convention Masquerades. team for likely death? So the Main character Read now, my first impression was ‘how and his Alien scientific partner ‘Zeno’ get the much of this was inspired by the original call, in 350 years all discovered worlds have series Star Trek episode ‘How Much for just turned out to be disappointments. They the Planet’ when unintended cultural make landfall, only they have been sabotaged contamination resulted in a world being and end up with a long cross sea / swamp / locked into a prohibition / syndicate era country trek across the Planet to the Survey mindset. However, I discovered that the party dome. On the way they discover that Hoka stories preceded Star Trek. This book the Planet’s is a series of short story adventures among animals can shape shift, their DNA having the Hoka, an alien but cute Teddy Bear like several modes, and the ‘people’ of this Planet ‘people’ who take on and try to live by what have a killer app. Instead of human like they read in Earth literature. Consequently, intelligence they can spit a strong nerve gas the Authors of this book get to visit and re- like toxin and if they get a bite of you, they can interpret through the literalist behaviour of the absorb your DNA and turn themselves into an Hoka, every form of popular literature they idealized you, as dictated by your DNA. The care too but made humerous by the Hoka’s Lizard / Woman turns up in the story, as the literalist approach exposing it’s absurdities solution to the mysterious deaths is that the and clichés, with a bumbling version of natives got her, duplicated her and spat in the Ensign Flandry’s galactic Federation / survey team’s water supply. It is decided Federation rep in the background. that not only is this Planet unsafe for Human A ‘quaint’ but unexplained item in this book is settlement, if any of it’s inhabitants ever get off that the World Capital, or at least the Planet then we are all doomed! administrative seat of the Galactic Federation Comment and conclusions – My ‘gender is located in New Zealand, in a city with a confusion’ apart, this was a book with an view to the snow covered mountains. The interesting idea and an interesting process of What, How and Why of this are left hanging discovery. Much more emphasis on the without any further explanation. Perhaps ‘Why?’ of things and social institutions than they just moved in after the last Kiwi left for from US writers? An appallingly anachronistic Sydney? note was the survival of the Soviet Union for Comment and conclusions – This book 400 years into the future! A good book to contains added passages of ‘correspondence have read, possibly evidence that ‘ideas’ SF 23 TBS&E Number 49 - February to April 2012 24 with head office’ which serve to introduce and been watching them on TV all the time, a link the stories into a novel length. I found woman who gets her jollies by regularly the stories to be mildly amusing, but a do repeating this scenario with a new ‘cast’ each wonder how their impact has been blunted by time. reading them in this contrived and possibly re- ‘Masks’ by Damon Knight A man, preserved written form, as opposed to first encountering from death and placed into a mechanical them in the original SF Magazine stories. © body, at much greater cost a ‘Six Million Garry Dalrymple April 2012 Dollar Man’ is the focus of a project, he is physically preserved, but is he still ‘a man’ NSBN 505-50540-095, and able to relate to people. ‘The New Tomorrows’, ‘Pennies, off a dead man’s Eyes’ by Harlan 15 short SF stories edited by Norman Spinrad Ellison – A very strange return ‘home’ for an (US), 235 pages, © 1971, 14 mm, Read During alien foundling with a score to settle? February, 2012 ‘198- A Tale of “Tomorrow” by John T. Sladek A string of nearly all conceivable For me, anything by Norman Spinrad is an futuristic sounding references in search of a automatic reflexive ‘buy’, I also find any ‘best story line? of an era’ collection of short stories, promising ‘Flight Useless, inexorable the pursuit’ by a zeitgeist is to be a compelling ‘buy’ signal, Thomas M. Disch The story of a man, or and combining the two is a treat. what had once been a man relentlessly My short review / impressions of each story; pursued? ‘The Pleasure Garden of Felipe Sagittarius’ by ‘The Last Hurrah of the Golden Horde’ by Michael Moorcock an existential murder Norman Spinrad – A Jerry Cornelius story investigation set in a very peculiar future, Jerry about a raproachment between the Chinese Cornelius to the max? Communists and the Las Vegas Mafia, which ‘Driftglass’ by Samuel R. Delaney In a future has been infiltrated by a British assassin committed to World Development an Aquatic (assisted by the KGB), which is in turn Corps, of water breathing amphibian people is gatecrashed by the ancient remains of created to master the depths of the sea, still Ghengis Khan’s very last horde. remaining are the challenges of leadership and Picturesque deaths and diosynchratic the sacrifice of sending your children off to a violence erupt. better world. ‘Down the Up Escalator’ by Brian W. Aldiss ‘Sending the very best’ by Ed. Bryant – All a bit weird, an interrupted story teller, something about selecting a holographic visions of a world of inverted stereotypes – greeting card? Old concerns expressed in a just a bit weird to me. new way? ‘Circularization of condensed conventional straight-line word-image structures’ by ‘Going Down Smooth’ by Robert Silverberg the (unprogrammed) descent into insanity of Michael Butterworth - Incopmrehensible? an artificial mind. An attempt to ‘tell’ a story in a new way, with Graphs and diagrams. A vision of future ‘The Garden of Delights’ by Langdon Jones storytelling which evidently did not catch on. An interesting take on time travel, a man fathers himself, and lives with the ghosts of the ‘The Definition’ by Bob Marsden - A consequences of that act, revisiting the site musician hired for an orgy ends up having a just before it is to be knocked down for an bad morning expressway that he will use for much of his life. ‘The Jungle rot kid on the nod’ by Philip ‘Surface if you can’ by Terry Champagne Jose Farmer – If William Burroughs had A young and loving couple take an atomic written Tarzan instead of Edgar Rice bomb shelter as their first married home, and Burroughs? then the bomb goes off, trapping them in a Overall comments – As a review of the short claustrophobic relationship and space, slow SF of the period (1966 to 1966) I felt the starvation inside or certain Radioactive Death collection was well worth reading. Few outside. Or does it? As the landlady has stories disappointed, and only a couple felt 24 TBS&E Number 49 - February to April 2012 25 very dated, but generally a good dozen good ‘pre-electricity’ way of life – and population. SF stories and a ‘handle’ on the concerns of In reading this book, after it had been the era as expressed through Science Fiction, reviewed at a previous Infinitas bookshop particularly in the case of those then rising SF&F book review meeting, she was not put authors who are now possibly out of print or off by knowing in advance what other people whose style of writing is no longer what the thought about the book, in fact she greatly (fewer) remaining SF magazines are buying. valued reading other people’s perspectives Further – In completing this review, some and insights on what happened in the book to months after reading the stories, I’m afraid that sharpen her own appreciation. While reading I have to say that some of these stories were this book she invested a great deal of read and left me with no apparent memory of sympathy in its characters, and so was the point or purpose of the stories. © Garry disappointed to discover that most did not Dalrymple April 2012 carry through to the second book set in this Notes from the March 15, 2012 same world / situation. Amanda detected a hint of a storyline / Arc that might emerge as Infinitas SF&F Book Review this series progresses; that something more meeting, a first ‘Open Mike’ Night, than coincidence is guiding the characters in i. e. all present were encouraged attend this book, a sort of magic or intervention from ‘above’, as there are few too many very this meeting and to discuss any recently fortunate coincidence happening to key read book that you were impressed by. characters to make this story possible. Highly recommended Present were; Amanda, Anthony, April, Garry, Len, Michael, Sam and Tim Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth (Aust) The Books discussed included; – Fantasy (Len’s book) This book (a review copy?) is something of a Dies the Fire by S.M. Stirling (US) – SF re-telling of the Rapunzel myth (without (Amanda’s choice) apparently any embedded hair care product Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth (Aust) – placements). This book is a departure from Fantasy (Len’s book) Kate’s usual series /cycles of quest fantasy The Broken Kingdoms by Jemisin – (she also writes Crime under ‘Kate Fantasy (Michael’s Choice) Humphreys’). Len found this book to be fairly Right Hand Magic by Something – Urban ‘light’ reading, it seemed to be about a tribe of Fantasy (April’s Choice) arboreal vegetarian (or Vegan?) Witches who Good Omens by Neil Gaiman & Terry live in a forest and are assisted by their Pratchett (UK) - Fantasy (Sam’s Choice) friends / familiars, all sorts of forest animals Seven Princes by Ne - Fantasy (Anthony’s who fetch and carry for them. As this book Choice) starts they are in hiding from some pretty Between Worlds by Robert A Heinlein dumb and unobservant non-magical men who are out hunting in the forest. You get the (US Dec’d) - SF (Garry’s Choice) picture, a dualism of female / herbivore / Blue Remembered Earth by Alistair natural Good, male / carnivore / technological Reynolds (UK) - SF (Tim’s Choice) Bad, so there can be the inevitable meeting of opposites. It’s a bit more contrived, the Dies the Fire by S.M. Stirling - Science cuteness and helplessness of the main male Fiction (Amanda’s choice) character are essential to the story’s This book was greatly enjoyed. Amanda progress. Tim had some very nice things even spent half an hour describing the book to to say about Kate, who is no stranger to the her school librarian who had innocently asked Infinitas Bookshop given her numerous ‘Read any good books lately?’ It is about the recent book launch appearances. Let’s hope consequences for people in an ‘end of the that Kate says some equally nice things World’ story where Electricity no longer works about Tim? and civilisation as we know it must revert to a Recommendation – Tween or Young 25 TBS&E Number 49 - February to April 2012 26 Adult? characteristic writing styles, Terry Pratchett, The Broken Kingdoms by Jemisin – inventive and humourous and Neil Gaiman, Fantasy (Michael’s Choice) rather darker and deeper. As a result, reading this book on public transport she was Very positive, the book features strong female occasionally howling with laughter, at most characters of the sensible kind, set in a lushly inappropriate times! The plot of this book described but realistic world like our own but focuses on a cast of characters, essential with Magic around and Ghods wandering figures in the lead-up to Armageddon / the about, Ghods who may be mortal. There are end of the world. That is, we get to see three Ghods initially, one Male and Two female what the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and it is the Male Ghod of _Light_ who have been doing as ‘day jobs’ while waiting imprisons one of the other Ghods _and Kills_ for the ‘kick off’. We also meet an Angel the other one! The imprisoned female Ghod is blind in the usual sense, but she can ‘see’ and the Devil, and they have issues to deal magic. There is a second book in this series, with, mostly in trying to figure out what side set ten years after the first, explaining what they _should_ be on, given the state of the happened next. The thing about this book / world. It is very good, but at times you do series is that it’s not set in the same pseudo encounter what are clearly two brilliant writer medieval Fantasy world, where people have dudes engaging in a process of blatant current day emotional and social attitudes. mutual self congratulation. Highly Highly recommended recommended (see my Book Review and the Infinitas Right Hand Magic by Someone – Noir SF&F Book Review Meeting notes for this) Urban Fantasy (April’s Choice) Seven Princes by Someone - Fantasy This story features a Heroine who _isn’t_ a kick arse Magical Fighting woman. Instead (Anthony’s Choice) she’s an Artist, trying to make do in an He found this book hard going. It failed to alternate New York in a World much like our engage this reader by page 100. Part of the own, except one of it’s ethnic precincts is problem is dense passages of Tolkien like otherworldly rather than third worldly. She scenery and back story exposition getting in moves into this precinct, not out of the usual the way of whatever ‘action’ is taking place. outsider to both worlds seeking a place of Another feature of this that it’s process of acceptance, or to make her destined way in storytelling consists of a number of chapters the world, but because she is offered a cheap that follow different story lines. Presumably Tardis like bigger-on-the-inside apartment, and all of these storylines will converge for the practising welding and other Ironmongery as book’s conclusion, but this approach does not her art ‘mage’ she really needs a place to live reward the reader enough to enthuse? and work without the neighbours complaining. For ‘deep immersion’ readers who into Frankly, she’s a bit of a sook and getting deferred gratification. nowhere, just trying to get by. In this book Between Worlds by Robert A there is good Magic and bad magic, Right hand Magic and Left Hand Magic. The story in Heinlein - SF (Garry’s Choice) this book is really about the artist’s landlord, For this I read my book review (to be and his personal battle between the attractions published in TBS&E #48), so I will not re- of Right and Left hand Magic. This book and hash it here. This started a discussion of the the following series all have titles that are plays rest of Robert Heinlein’s work, juvenile and on well known stories of the Noir / Magical sort. adult. Highly recommended ‘The Number of the Beast’ was admired as an introduction to Alternative worlds SF and a Good Omens by Neil Gaiman & Terry whole field of ‘Classic Science Fiction’ Pratchett - Fantasy (Sam’s Choice) through references contained within its plot, Sam selected this book as she wanted to also, in this book Heinlein managed to explore the blend between the two Authors describe both his fantasy girlfriend and an 26 TBS&E Number 49 - February to April 2012 27 idealized version of his them wife! SF of the 1950s had a benign and innocent view of the Notes from the April 19, future, Science was seen as a Liberating factor, capable of enabling all possible good 2012 Infinitas SF&F Book futures, before later doubts set in and Science Review meeting, Book came to be seen as restricting the credibility of discussed was; American Gods, by ‘good’ futures, and favouring an inability to stop dystopias? This lead to a discussion of Neil Gaiman – SF whether SF stories with New Ideas were still Present were; April, Amanda, Anthony, being Written (I suggested Rudy Rucker), April, Beth, Garry, Geoff, Len, Michael, possibly, possibly not, given both the great Phil, Sam, Stuart, Tim and Brian Walls. volume of (dross formulaic) ‘Sci-Fi’ and the Stuart was this meeting’s new face and he commercial imperative for sequels, trilogies attended with his ‘delux’ Signed, Numbered and cycles set in the same story world, and the Limited edition Hard Cover in a Slip Case consequent limitation on short stories, stories copy of the night’s book, which he showed to written to explore single ideas/innovations. the meeting, which evinced many Recommended for serious SF readers, to expressions of envy. This book also came see where SF has been, might appeal to with a spare ‘readers’ copy of the book so intelligent and discerning teens that the immaculate grandure of this collectible copy need not sullied by actual Blue Remembered Earth by Alistair use! Reynolds - SF (Tim’s Choice) News – There was some discussion of This story is focussed on a ‘reservation’ where attending the Melbourne ‘Supanova’ event, Artificial Intelligences (AIs) are quarantined meeting and getting signings from attending and closely observed. Within the boundaries Authors etc. Also Genrecon (Nov 2 to 4, of this reservation the AIs are undergoing a 2012, Parramatta), the three Genre process of self guided evolution, and the (Speculative Fiction, Mystery/Crime and Corporations are eagerly hoovering up and Romance) $300 plus Convention was patenting at great profit the useful innovations discussed. All of this was news to Tim, that are seen to be emerging within the even though the event was to take place on reservation. This story is full of both Hard his turf, within walking distance of his shop. Science and Family conflicts, which really It may turn out to be a ‘Writers-talking-to reached Tim mirroring some recent personal Would-be-Writers’ sort of event, as news of experiences. Highly recommended as ‘Hard’ this event first emerged from the Queensland Science Fiction Spec Fiction Writer’s email list. What does it all mean? There is a website, mentioning Comment and conclusions – I would some ‘Big Name’ OS Writer guests, a three have to say that this evening was a success. stream program (access to Writers and The ‘Open Mike’ format was suggested as a Publishers) and all but membership payment pragmatic solution to the problem of having run details seem to be T.B.A. at this stage. out of books that were known to be both ‘good enough’ and ‘in stock’ to discuss at future American Gods,by Neil Gaiman – SF meetings. Tonight this meeting unearthed several books that might be suitable for future (or Urban Fantasy?) months and any misgivings that ‘no one will This book was read by seven or eight of come if there isn’t a known book set’ were those present, some, in their enthusiasm dispelled by the very satisfactory turnout for having read the story multiple times! Much this meeting. Also, I think everyone enjoyed profession of having enjoyed it, and yet there hearing what other people had read and chose were some dissenters from this mood. The to recommend. I believe that this format is story is about a bloke being released from worth repeating in three or four month’s time. prison going on a road trip with his father, © Garry Dalrymple March 2012 who it later emerges is the personification of the Norse Ghod Woden (NB, not the

27 TBS&E Number 49 - February to April 2012 28 Canberra Suburb of a similar name). The attempting to make a comment that got past Back story to this being that like much else the ‘America-ness’ of the story was that even cultural baggage, the Norse Ghods arrived in setting this story elsewhere, say in Australia America in the luggage of migrants, but have would not have made it a compellingly novel been left behind as these new Americans enough story to be interesting reading. To became more committed to other ‘American critics, No Story was apparent, it read like a Ghods’, such as rule the modern consumerist sequence of journeys to American locations society. And so it goes, with the reader likely in search of a scene, plot or rationale. It is to encounter Ghods old and new, most living more of an essay on ‘America’, as viewed quietly and out of the public eye. You through a quirky lens. A book of great encounter ‘colourful people’ before you identify length, it was seemingly written in the view that they were formerly Norse Ghods. The that simply piling in more words (the Black older ghods, currently follower-less, are Hole Gravitas theory) would result in it diminished in their powers to nearly mortal achieving the Singularity of Greatness?. A status and are prone to whinging about how self conscious attempt to write the ‘Great poorly the new Ghods currently run things (well at least they didn’t form a Heavy Metal / American Novel’ ala Jack Kerouac’s ‘On the Thrash Rock band or a Biker’s Club, like the Road’? Which is always a doomed four horsemen of the Apocalypse did?). The proposition, as the greatness of any ‘Great’ book was described by most of those who read novel emerges without planning? Trying too it as Readable, funny and that the author could hard to be the all inclusive American ‘Literary’ both tell a story as well as packing in the witty SF novel, which fails, as it isn’t SF. remarks and Mythological references. One Final word on this book – Most of the reader particularly appreciated the book’s people who read this book enjoyed it greatly, breaking with tradition, in that there was a main Six of the Eight, but not everybody who character (AKA Shadow?) who was physically started it finished it? So I can only give this large but he was written as having a brain and book a partial recommendation as being _not_ being a thug. In spite of Gaiman highly enjoyable _if you are into Neil Gaiman having emerged as a book writer from an and Urban Fantasy _ but great Science earlier career in written comic books, this story Fiction it is Not. Other books by this Author has not yet been done as a Comic or as a (recommended for SF Readers?) include Movie. A great deal of time was spent on an ‘Stardust’ and ‘Coraline’. extended deviation on phone behaviour and use. The reason being that technology in this Next Month’s book is; There has been circa 2000 book has already become _very_ some shuffling of the order of future Book dated, particularly when it comes to ‘personal Review Meeting choices from what is technology’ that we currently take for granted. described in the Infinitas bookshop There was also some discussion of a number newsletter, as the on shelf availability of the of Authors who had done stories involving the book planned for next month’s meeting has personification of Ghods and other gone awry. Instead the June book, ‘The mythological figures, including Piers Anthony, Hundred Thousand Kingdoms’ by N. K. Terry Pratchett, it wasn’t a new idea even in Jemisin, will be the May book, and the May 2000, such things happened in Star Trek, Dr book the June book, or something like that. Who and it is the basis of the ‘Dungeons and (c) Garry P Dalrymple April 2012 Dragons’ gaming and the ‘Stargate’ Movie and TV series? Notes from the May 17,

And the Dissenting view? Several readers 2012, Infinitas SF&F Book _Didn’t_ enjoy it, and how many started it and gave up? One reader described it as ‘An Review meeting, The Book American Novel as broad and dry as the Great discussed was; The Hundred American high plains’ adding that it was, ‘as Thousand Kingdoms, boring as Bat shit’. Another comment, by N. K. Jemisin – SF (allegedly)

28 TBS&E Number 49 - February to April 2012 29 Present were; April, Anthony, Beth, Garry, Geoff, Michael, Tim and Brian Walls errors, style or just deficient editing? Apparently the next two books in the series The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, by are each rather different, but for me, this N. K. Jemisin (See also my rather more book which promised one hundred thousand scathing Book Review) kingdoms, and mentioned in passing perhaps The discussion of this month’s book choice a dozen very much under delivered. was different. Initially it was discussed by an all-male subset of the meeting, and then later Notes from the May 12, the ladies returned and the book was re- discussed with the advantage of their insights. 2012, Aurealis Awards A. It was a hard story to get into, difficult to Night, Independent theatre North read with memory switchbacks and all that. It Sydney is about the last week of a young woman’s life. Very definitely a ‘girly’ story with it’s dwelling on the relationships and inner feelings between the imprisoned Ghods and the members of the ruling family, rather than establishing a credible Empire / Economy under a one world government. It does feature scenes and descriptions of ‘Ghod on Ghod bedroom action’, but is the writer’s idealized boyfriend a creature of Ghod like powers but who is also An awards night and a Speculative Fiction obedient to her specifically stated commands? Industry ‘Night of Nights’ works outing for Does the Author ‘Write what she knows?’ 2012. B. With the ladies present it was resolved Background – these awards came to that the story (the family that rules a couple of Sydney last year, courtesy of an arrangement villages) is about a disfunctional family, writ between ‘Spec Faction’, a purpose built group large. The three Ghods and their children of NSW Speculative Fiction Writers and have family issues and the fact that it is merely Aurealis (SF) Magazine. Last year, I was on the first book of a trilogy explains why this book the outside looking in on what apparently was ends in a climax that resolves nothing much. quite a night, having attended a Kipling The ‘style’ of the book, the ‘Where am I, Who Society event earlier that afternoon. Last am I?’ flashbacks are explained at the end, as year the clever plan was for this event to be a the story is a posthumous retelling by the trailing attraction of the Sydney Writer’s recently deceased main character. This was Festival, which seriously didn’t happen. appreciated by several readers for the This year, after the invite / complementary realistically disjointedness of her recollections, Freecon/Futurian tickets didn’t show up the War between the Ghods, the indentured again, so I paid my $35 and made plans to Ghods and the twisting of history and religion attend, a two hour trip from home to venue. by those people who ended up on top after the Ghods war. Leading into the next book, the Getting there – On the way there I punishment of the Ghod of Light is that he encountered a 6 pm peak hour gridlock going must learn how to love again (second book). through Campsie and Burwood. On the morning I bit the bullet and attended to Final word on this book – The first part of cutting my hair, a long delayed step, which tonight’s discussion ended with an attempt at a was to prove to be an error of judgement, as lengthy and detailed explanation of why this it preceded the first really cold days of the book had been nominated, when a simple year. Buss then train and at North Sydney I apology was all that was necessary. decided not to wait for a bus, but to ‘man up’ ‘Interesting’ for a first book and an unusual and walk the 1058 metres (by computer take the fantasy staple of Ghods and Empires. generated public transport route plan) up the It was noted by some readers that the book hill to Stanton Library and the theatre which is seemed to contain rather too many syntax 29 TBS&E Number 49 - February to April 2012 30 just across the street. The Library was of news media in attendance at all, surely this closed, and seemingly besieged by a predatory event deserves to be a news item on pack of squealing North shore school girls, or tomorrow’s 7 pm news, or at least a page in harpys. I chose not to investigate this the next issue of the North Shore Times? phenomena too closely and so I sought refuge One thing that North Sydney (in the daytime) at the Theatre. doesn’t lack are advertising people, why not So What was it like? – Arriving at 6.50 pm I ask around and see who would be prepared had been under the impression that it was in to lend a hand ‘pro bono’. fact 7 pm for 7.30 pm, however I learned from I encountered a great many Freecon and Chris Barnes that everything was in fact due Canberra Spec Fiction Writers in the press of to _start_ at 7.30 pm. I had arrived just as the crowd, but how many of those present the principals were exiting the theatre part of were ‘ordinary readers’? the venue and heading upstairs to ‘frock up’. Partly I justified the expense of paying $35 on Elsewhere the hospitality staff were setting up. the assumption that as in the previous year I had a few passing nods and chats with to the there would be a ‘bag of swag’, free books principals of the evening, and a rather nice and so forth, this year the haul was of myself chat with Sophie Masson and her husband, the reason my for who had driven down from New England for Afterwards, at Futurian and Infinitas SF&F the night. Mostly we discussed the ins and discussion meetings the reaction to news of outs of being a ‘Professional Spec Fiction my attending the event was surprise that the Writer’ in the sense that income from her event had taken place, without their being writing nearly provides a living wage. Sophie aware of it. will be appearing at the seriously Spec Fiction - As a matter of course, give free tickets averse Sydney Writers Festival, not in to the night to the Galaxy / Infinitas bookshop recognition for her 30 plus published books people, the SF section people at Kinokuniya (surely enough to qualify for an order of etc. to show them what you are doing rather Australia gong?) as she has become the than just cold calling them for sponsorship President of the Australian Writer’s Association money. and gets to present a prize. - Have an in-store competition, ‘Buy an Kate Forsyth is currently completing a Phd. at Australian Spec Fiction book and register to the UTS, which will be complimented by a go into the draw for a seat at the Aurealis ‘serious academic conference’ on Fairytales. Awards night’, i.e. if there are 50 spare seats a week before the event, phone 50 book First impression as the presentations started buyers and ask them if they can come. was that if I could persuade these people to do - To promote raise the event’s public the Ditmars as an after dark add on, then it standing and, encourage Writers to attend, would be possible to run a Freecon as a open up the front of the venue for a noon to 4 Natcon, using the Stanton Library and the pm meet an Author / mass book signing North Sydney Council chambers? My opportunity before the festivities. second impression was that this was a - Name badges for all, Writers, presentation very much worthy of a multi- Nominees, Publishers and Readers to assist million dollar industry, which I suspect it really networking and putting names to faces. is when you add up the book sales. Very - Seat the Nominees on the stage to much a Spec Fiction ‘Works night out’, with allow all nominees to be brought up for a most people present seeming to know each group picture at the announcement of the other. Handing out pre-publicity for a winner. November Freecon people approached me to - On achieving nominee / shortlist status, say how much they had enjoyed the Freecons ask all to provide a 2 minute or 50 word in the past ‘Garry’s been running them for 30 acceptance statement. years’, or that they had read my emails but never met me face to face before. Notes from the May 10, 2012, Media coverage - There was a documentary meeting of the Galaxy Bookshop crew filming, but I could see no sign whatever 30 TBS&E Number 49 - February to April 2012 31 Paranormal Romance and Urban dreams that are haunted by the touch of an Fantasy discussion group – Topic for evening of lurve of a Fire spirit who knew her the Night; ‘One of a Kind Heroes and when she was much younger. The book’s Villains’ plot line is fairly standard for the genre, the investigation of the deaths of three lawyers (unholy magic of the courts?) but it features a PI who is able to speak to the recently dead, an ability which adds rather than reduces the complexity of solving a ‘Who Dunit’. Kim Harris’ series which commenced with ‘Dead Witch Walking’ some years ago (reviewed elsewhere) earns a mention. It is fairly common these days for a Witch or a person with other magical powers to ‘walk the line’ between Crime and Crime solving as a ‘special PI’, but it was fairly innovative and Kim Harris is credited as a Pioneer. From my own reading, there is a lot more nuanced ‘Magic’ and ‘two natured’ folk in these stories than in Charlaine Harris’ (are they related?) Sookie Stackhouse series (currently reading and about to review ‘Deadlocked’). The ‘Cat Star Chronicles’ by Cheryle Brooks are ‘remarkable’, if you want Kitchy Trash reading, boy does she deliver with Who was there? Only about half a dozen, enthusiasm, ask for garbage reading and it absences being explained by seasonal factors, delivers. There is lots of ‘innovative’ sex, such as the weather (cold) and pressure of including the infamous ‘Nose Scene’ (better work etc. not to ask) which allows me to write that ‘nose stone unturned’, no nose is a bit of a The Topic – This topic was chosen because turn on, so the guys in the story Turkey slap there is a preconception that all Paranormal her nose. Not to be taken too seriously, it is Romance and Urban Fantasy writing is fairly a bit of a romp. predictable and formulaic. This discussion attempted to explore the exceptions to this In Shona Husk’s ‘Goblins’, a bloke is ‘rule’. struggling to maintain his hold on ‘humanity’ against the pull of his Goblin nature, the urge Some of the books and Authors that were to gather and hold ‘treasure’. discussed included; In Kalayna Price’s ‘Grave Witch’, the point of Rachael Vincent’s YA series, which features view character is able to bring back from the a ‘Grim Reaper’ as a major character and the dead the essence of the deceased to testify point of view character is a young Girl who is a at their own murder trial. Her ‘Grave Sight’, Banshee, although she is unaware of it, and occult vision that has to be used in a commencing a relationship. ‘mundane’ environment, gives her an alternative view of the events and cases Charlie Davidson’s series also features taken on by the her cohabite, a detective. ‘Reapers’ and the main character is smart and This Grave sight at times helps or hinders funny young woman with unique issues. The investigations, and the Cohabitee isn’t quite purpose of reapers in this book is to facilitate what he appears to be, his true nature to be deceased souls passage to heaven, thus she revealed in succeeding adventures. is bodily a portal to the afterlife. She has

31 TBS&E Number 49 - February to April 2012 32 Seressia Glass in ‘Shadow Blade’ is a young fans for conversation. African American woman on a ‘Night Stalker’ mission from Maat, the Egyptian Goddess of After leaving work at about 6 pm I took the Justice / Balance. It features a very different train into Central (completing the SMH occult mythology reflecting it’s African Soduko puzzle on the way) and had a good American Writer’s cultural influences. look around the Subway Bookshop’s SF&F section. And The Local Product? - Worth a Mention As usual, it was a random mixture of SF and coz it’s Australian, Young Adult and it’s also F, good and bad. After this I met Peter pretty good, is Rob Hood’s ‘Shades’ series, Eisler at the Railway Square bus interchange originally four slender novels, now more and when we arrived at Sapphos, Mark commonly available in a ‘omnibus edition’. Philips and Brian Walls were already there, This series involves the after lives of the unjustly dead, victims of horrid crimes who do as was a ‘live’ musician, one Gary not just fade away, they ‘live’ within the Schoenberger, who was advertised as shadows, with a foot in both the world and on providing ‘Americana-alt country music’, and the afterlife / occult spirit plane. This series he may well have been, but we didn’t pay that impressed me rather more than the much much attention to it. We were just in time more acclaimed, and innovative Trent for the happy hour, so we ordered drinks and some tapas. Jamison’s ‘Death Business’ book / series which is also available in an omnibus edition The range of books on display in the ‘Sci-Fi’ containing multiple novels. corner of the bookshop, where we usually are seated, increases to trend towards thick ‘White Tiger’ by Australian Writer Kylie Chan Fantasy trilogies and the recent rash of fat features figures and themes from Chinese single word titled SF books, but wedged in Mythology, which allows access to a whole between these were a few interesting (and new set of martial arts and other cultural thinner) SF titles that provoked conversation, horizons. The main character in these books by Philip K. Dick, Frank Herbert, adventures is a Half man half Turtle Ghod. Fred and Geoffrey Hoyle etc. Several of Kerri Arthur is another Australian writer with the other Writers having nearly a whole metre something to offer, with a completely novel wide shelf to their books! Since my last cast of were / double natured folk , including visit it would seem that ‘Mythology’ books are Sea Serpent / Loch Ness monster type people now sharing the Sci-Fi corner. A fair bit of who was up on beaches without any memory time was spent discussing ‘Outlands’, the of who and why. recently concluded ‘Gay Sci-Fi Fanboy’ program (from Melbourne). The general So where are the Australian were creature view was that it had been disappointing, people, Koala changelings in the forests, failing to live up to the expectation that it Thylacine were’s running loose under a full would be laughing with rather than laughing Moon and the Southern Cross? They are at fannish culture. A major complaint was out there, ‘Thalia’ by someone features a Time the ‘one of each stereotype’ presented as the travelling resurrecting shape changing human membership of the Outland SF club, as a thylacine and there was the third, briefly group prone to splits and factions (as screened, were themed movie of the 1980s / depicted in the series) would be expected to 90s which was about Marsupial weres. (c) result in groups that were mainly one type of Garry P. Dalrymple June 2012 fan (or gay) rather than ‘one of each’. Ian Wolf was absent, busy with work and Notes from the March 28, 2012, conversation turned towards the visictudes of SF discussion meeting at life as experienced by those present, with Work, Family and irritation about the activities Sapphos Second hand of local drug dealers being mentioned. bookshop, Glebe Point Road Glebe Brian brought up the fact that two notable SF - A small and informal meeting of Sydney SF cover Artists had died recently, in the same 32 TBS&E Number 49 - February to April 2012 33 week (possibly Chris Foss?) one was meeting which seemed to be well attended. identified by looking up the cover artist credit © Garry Dalrymple April 2012 for some early Frank Herbert ‘Dune’ books which were on the shelves behind us. Notably, Brian attempted to explain that although he wasn’t a conservative, he was just against change and the questioning of order and Authority, which singularly failed to Friday March 23, 2012 – convince anyone but himself and inspired by And the Wages of Virtue are? I was a bit the ‘Americana’ theme of the night’s musical late for the morning bus to Campsie station backdrop, there was a discussion about what bus and this made me even later for the train constitutes a ‘hat’, as opposed to a crown, to Bankstown. At the Campsie Station scarf or tiara. more delays, at the ticket vending machine at 9 am I was trapped behind a young woman This textile dominated debate lead to talk who seemed surprised that the machine about the origins and significances of Men required her to pay for a ticket. While she wearing ties (phallic / Freudian?), but, unsuccessfully fumbled for change, was it in surprisingly did not touch on the equally her pockets, was it in her purse, or in her bag, sexualised implications of women wearing my train came and went and with it my scarves. We did discuss a lot more SF than chances of getting something to eat this this account would suggest, but as I wasn’t morning before lunchtime. So I bought my taking notes what brilliant insights on SF (and ticket, stood on the platform for ten minutes life) have passed into the aether. (the seats were still wet from last night’s rain) and onto the train, ETA at work 9.30 plus. Among many other things discussed were; Not a great way to start the day? Preparing The current Fantastic Planet Sci-Fi (and to get up as the train neared Bankstown I Horror) Film festival. noticed a gray shopping bag on the floor and The difference between ‘Rationalists’ and muttering thoughts about the carelessness ‘Humanists’, as argued by John August in and untidiness of some people when it came times past, possibly something like to rubbish, I considered picking it up with a ‘Rationalists aren’t rational and some view to putting it in the bin that I would pass Humanists aren’t ...’ . on the way to the lift at Bankstown Station. The book ‘Zoo City’ (in some familiar detail) Looking inside I found that the bag had a doll and some other books that were being read, in it, a hand held Nintendo player of some Michael Moorcock’s recent Dr Who theme sort and a car key set. There was also a book. While commuting, if reading books newsletter from a Childcare centre at pall, listening to SF&F podcasts were Roselands, so instead of just handing it in at suggested as an alternative. Bankstown station, where it might make its The Aurealis Awards night (May 12, North way through the railway Lost Property system Sydney), a publisher’s and Writers’ works and take a week or more to resurface, I took picnic, (a tax deductable expense for those ‘in the bag of stuff to work and phoned the the trade’) with a ‘freebies’ pack for all those childcare centre. A few phone calls later it attendees arguably justifying the $40 cost of a was organised that they would come and ticket for readers. collect the bag after work from Eulabah The likely paucity of Sydney SF&F fans Avenue. This was after establishing that attending this year’s (June) Natcon in she doesn’t drive and he’s working at Melbourne. The Potential for promotion Paddington this week, a looong drive to through Meet up groups to increase the Bankstown. They live only a suburb away numbers at Sydney SF&F gatherings. and his brother lives a street or two away. So I arrive home at about 6.20 pm, with fish The meeting dissolved at around 8.30 pm, with and chips for tea and there is a builder’s truck each going their separate ways. I looked into parked outside, and mother is on the front the prospects of a Chinese takeaway meal and porch in conversation with the wife. Mother looked in on the Humanist Hall ‘open forum’ was enjoying the human contact, Basenjis 33 TBS&E Number 49 - February to April 2012 34 were being admired (and handled) The family before we got her back on her feet again, for who lost the key are immensely grateful and a tour and discussion of the caravan. evidently really surprised that anyone in After looking at the notice again I read that it Sydney would do what I have done, the decent was taking place at 16 Clemton Avenue, the thing of trying to return their car key and kids next street, rather than at 16 Eulabah toys. Mrs explains how the event, someone Avenue, in our street, so off we went again, actually bothering to hand in a car key, has with a gardening conversation detour at been the astonishing news of the day at her number 8 Clemton Avenue and again at workplace! number 2 Eulabah Avenue on the way back. She was also deeply grateful to the childcare At number 16 there were two (IVF twins?) centre people who had passed on the primary school age girls and heaps of message to them. I explain to them that when appropriately age stuff. It was basically a pink my brother’s car had been stolen there was a plastic fest of dolls. Nothing they had for great to do over my niece’s missing ‘Baby sale was remotely useful to Mother or I, so born’ doll (which the Insurance company paid out of politeness a Basenjis conversation out on after the car was recovered), and so erupted between us and their mother to pass consequently I did what I did as a matter of the time. course, as in any case, what use to me were a At the beginning of this exercise we car key and some kids toys? They turn out to encountered and spoke to Alan Maloney (at be from the Portuguese Island of Madiera, number 6) who briefly related the news that consider themselves to be ‘country people’ and an elderly friend of his who had been very hence surprised at this un-cityperson like act of supportive of his Mother while she was at the decency and consideration. nursing home, had unexpectedly been killed Later on, just after dark (after Venus was while driving. She had died a Traffic visible, but before Jupiter and Mars became accident at Bankstown that had involved visible) at about 8 pm, they ring the front Police in a hurry to get to a job. This doorbell to deliver a case (24ea 375 ml incident, or at least the traffic pile up bottles!) of Toohey’s Old (I had suggested aftermath and been seen from the windows Toohey’s Sheaf Stout), in the family car, of the of our office. And so it goes? missing key, and I gain some understanding of the why they might be feeling so grateful. March 30 – Able to do quite a lot at work Without the returned car key they would have today, after 5 pm, when everyone else had been a carless family until they could get the left for the weekend. Mostly sorting through key replaced, no car for shopping, getting the and discarding the unnecessary bits of a big kids to kindy etc. a total wipe out of their bag full of mother’s accumulated lifestyle and a great inconvenience. The correspondence for the past few months, was truck they arrived in earlier had probably been able to then update some of her financial borrowed off work, requiring protracted and records. Finished this, nearly walked embarrassing explanations about ‘how the straight onto a train to Campsie, which wife’s lost the car keys again’. arrived in time for me to do some ATM Saturday March 24, 2012 – And so it goes? banking, buy a pack of bandaids for mother A cool morning after a very windy night. Saw and then get some KFC for tea, without a Kookaburra before getting Mother up and the missing the next/first 412 bus home. At the dogs out of their cages. Mother and I went off bus stop, there was a bloke and his in search of a Garage Sale at number 16. It (pregnant?) girlfriend with the weekend’s was after 10 am, the advertised starting time shopping. He was well nourished and and no evidence of a start. We went further having a wonderful time, kind of like being up the street to look at a collapsible Caravan, a eloquently drunk but without the alcohol, i.e. nearly ‘A frame’ design where the sides fold in he charmingly misdirected a pair of Indian and the top comes down to give a half height students wanting to catch the Airport bus to van for towing. Mother tripped on the the wrong bus stop. He offered following doorstep of the house, on gum tree branches observation on life which I thought I’d pass brought down, giving momentary concern on. It was; that when younger and less inhibited we may have been prepared to shed 34 TBS&E Number 49 - February to April 2012 35 our cloths and skinny dipped. These days, residents to practise active ‘denial of carpet’ with the passing of time and it’s inevitable policies and to be on the lookout for evidence gravitational consequences, if the mood were of ‘Splashdown’ incidents on the lino. to strike again we would instead be ‘Chunky Both Amber and Rusty are settling into daily Dunking’. routine of sun following furry pot plant mode May 2 – While waiting for the kettle to boil (at till things warm up. Conflicts over the work in the morning I make up a 900 ml sunniest spot on the Sun room floor and most thermos flask of hot tea) I went to deliver a comfortable mat possession are frequent. letter that had been misaddressed to the Winter makes Amber appears to be in a Selective Schools unit on level 8. Some gradual state of decline (she was born in parents seem to be of the view that all June 2000), and she is I think wasting down correspondence of such importance is best to become an ‘old dog’, which is to be addressed to NSW Education ‘Headquarters’, expected given her age, but it is very at Bridge Street in town, rather than to the noticeable when compared to Rusty’s addresses clearly shown on all the forms and continuing vigour and enthusiasm. correspondence. Level 8 of the Civic Tower Underwear monitoring and re-stocking is a also houses a ‘Legal Aid’ office, which makes continuing concern as they spend more time a fair amount of sense given that the indoors, as Rusty just seems to enjoy the Bankstown local courts are just a short walk taste of soap in cotton. Weird and annoying across Keating Park. Given the passing isn’t he, but underwear and pyjama parade I occasionally notice filing their waiting replacement is a significant domestic room, I suspect that they have days for expense for us at Eulabah avenue, these different types of legal concerns. On this clothing items seldom ‘wear out’ they are occasion there were only two women sitting in much more likely to be chewed out! the waiting room, one was dressed in a This problem is partly Mother’s fault, she manner (‘Suburban Leisure’?) which neglects to keep bed room barriers up while suggested she couldn’t afford to see a Amber and Rusty are in the house, and she commercial lawyer (there are some in the tends to ignore them for hours, while she building) and the other was dressed in the plays her 8 hours of solitaire a day, leaving ‘lone ranger’ version of pseudo Islamic mode the back door closed, with predictable effects. (not that there’s anything wrong with that!), all Recently I was asked why it is that Amber skin / shape covered up with only her eyes and Rusty sleep in locked steel crates at being visible through the face mask. night? The answer is that the nature of the Our sister from the suburbs was watching the Basenjis, their ‘driven’ desire for human other at a safe distance, and in some degree contact means that if they were not put to bed of culture shock. I noticed that the ‘lone in a manner intended to restrain them like a ranger’ had to take off one of her gloves – so steel crate they would be at the back door she could text from her Iphone – a case of demanding re-admittance to the house – all selective uptake of ‘Western Values’ I guess. night – immediately after you put them out for the night, recently Amber has been reluctant to go to bed, resulting in nights out for her and even less sleep for me, as she ‘haunts’ my bedroom window making noises, until I can persuade her to go to bed in the crate around 2 am in the morning. - GPD This newsletter has been produced by Garry P. Dalrymple as his contribution to mailing No. 267, of the Australian and NZ Not much happening on the Basenjis Front, at Amateur Press Association, AKA the moment, Winter being their season of ‘ANZAPA’. discontent. Cold weather, dark days and wet grass outside in the morning requiring human Look for past issues of this newsletter on Bill 35 TBS&E Number 49 - February to April 2012 36 Burns’ Efanzines archive of Science Fiction newsletters, why not look it up and see what else is worth reading? Me and Kamahl at the March 24, 2012, Rudyard Kipling Society of Australia meeting.

Page 1 - Editorial Pages 1 to 5 – Mithras to Manichea Pages 5 to 9 - Science, Astronomy and Space meeting notes Pages 9 to 19 – Sydney Futurian SF&F notes, March, April and May Pages 19 to 25 – Book Reviews Pages 25 to 33 – Other Sydney Book interest Meeting Notes Pages 33 to 35 - Travellers Tales Pages 35 to 36 - Basenjis Tail piece

© Garry Dalrymple June 2012

My Mother reading, May / June 2012

© Garry Dalrymple June 2012

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